Miscellany

A “zombie brand” is “a dead or dormant brand that have been revived or trotted out for second or third chances.” Anime has its share. I recently watched a soporific new Ah! My Goddess OVA, and I’m sure we haven’t seen the last Tenchi Muyo spinoff. What are other zombie anime?

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Yet another volcano in Kyushu is acting up. The Nakadake crater in the Aso caldera has been producing small plumes of ash and steam, and incandescence is visible on some webcams at night. Aso is the third volcano on the island to erupt this year. Shinmoedake/Kirishima put on quite a show back in January, and Sakura-jima has been puffing away since 1955. There are webcams here and here. Aso is currently tenth from the bottom in the box at right at the latter link. (Starting at the bottom and counting up by twos will give you a tour of some of the more active volcanoes in the south of Japan: Suwanose-jima, Satsuma-iwo-jima, Sakura-jima, Kirishima, Aso.)

Today, by the way, is the 31st anniversary of the VEI 5 blast at the American Fujiyama.

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Here’s a different, practical approach to cosplay: superhero styles as everyday street wear. (Via Project Rooftop.)

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Hobbes and Bacon.

(Via Pixy.)

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Time travel is not merely impossible. In China, it’s illegal.

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Romance novel covers, improved.

New poll

Which is the most overrated anime series? The candidates are drawn from the responses I’ve seen to this meme.

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nanoha

Results of the previous poll: Nanoha Takamachi has the best mahou shoujo costume, according to 28% of the visitors here who voted. This is a bit surprising, because hers is the one with the longest skirt. It’s probably because the first season of Lyrical Nanoha was recently released in region one, and Nanoha is currently the most prominent magical girl. ((Unfortunately, I found the show unwatchable. I stuck it out for four episodes and realized that if I saw that transformation one more time, I would throw up.)) The balletic Princesses Tutu and Kraehe followed Nanoha with 17% and 10%. Others who received votes were Jubei-chan, Kaitou Jeanne, Cure Black, Sailor Moon (both classic and eternal), Sailor Star Healer, Cure White, Pixy Misa and Mew Ichigo. Pretty Sammy and Wedding Peach received no votes.