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Now Online: Hikaru no Go Episodes 9-10

Today sees the release of two new episodes of the strategy-gaming series Hikaru no Go. Hikaru is starting to make a name for himself as a Go player, but more challenges await! Go to the Hikaru no Go page to check out all the episodes!

Episode 9 - Eyesore

As the newest member of the Kaio Go Club, Akira must clean an old classroom to be used by the Girls’ Go Team. But as soon as he starts to clean and look through old books of Go Strategy, Kojima and Ito, two Kaio teammates, trick him into playing Go without looking at the board...

Episode 10 - The Third Player

Still looking for that elusive third player, Akari tells Hikaru and Kimihiro about Yuki Mitani, a fellow classmate who can play a mean game of go. The only problem is that he wants nothing to do with amateur tournaments…

Naruto Shippuden on Disney XD Channel

Looking for dubbed Naruto Shippuden? New episodes usually premiere every Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. Central) on the Disney XD channel. Here's the full schedule for the next few weeks -- as you can see, there will be some reruns of the first few episodes in the series, so if you're not caught up yet, here's your chance!

December 23, 2009:
8:30 p.m. - Episode 11 (The Medical Ninja's Student)*

December 24, 2009:
1:30 a.m. - Episode 11 (The Medical Ninja's Student)

December 26, 2009:
8:00 p.m. - Episode 1 (Homecoming)
8:30 p.m. - Episode 2 (The Akatsuki Makes Its Move)
9:00 p.m. - Episode 3 (The Results of Training)
9:30 p.m. - Episode 4 (The Jinchuriki of the Sand)
10:00 p.m. - Episode 5 (The Kazekage Stands Tall)   

December 27, 2009:
8:00 p.m. - Episode 6 (Mission Cleared)
8:30 p.m. - Episode 7 (Run Kankuro)
9:00 p.m. - Episode 8 (Team Kakashi, Deployed)
9:30 p.m. - Episode 9 (The Jinchuriki's Tears)   
10:00 p.m. - Episode 10 (Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons)
10:30 p.m. - Episode 11 (The Medical Ninja's Student)

* = New Episode Premiere! 

Inuyasha The Final Act: A Cute Episode 12

Given how serious and wistful the last few episodes have been, I am glad for the feel-good humor and sentiment of episode 12 "Sango's Feelings, Miroku's Resolve." The seemingly drunk Master of Potions had some questionable personal-space boundaries for sure, but he rose to the occasion with a pretty cool test when Sango and Miroku needed him. We get to see Inuyasha acting pretty silly, not that he'd admit it. Plus, we learn a little bit about Sango's weapon Hiraikotsu and basically get some much-needed emotional respite before what's sure to be an action-packed adventure in episode 13 of Inuyasha The Final Act.

Hikaru no Go: All Systems Go!
It’s the middle of the night. You and I are standing on a dock in pitch darkness, about to get our first look at the breathtaking exterior of one of the world’s largest ocean liners—and we have only a miniature flashlight to shine on it. Aaaargh! This nightmarish scene pretty much sums up how I feel as I try to write about one of my favorite series, Hikaru no Go by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata. How are we going to get a proper look at this vessel before my little battery runs out?
 
Well, actually, before we get started I have a confession to make. Hikaru no Go is the reason I’m here working at the manga’s American publisher in San Francisco. It’s a long story, but I’ll make it quick.
 
I first read Hikaru no Go in the manga magazine Shonen Jump in 2004. Back then it still had stories about ninja and pirates as it does now, but they shared the page with shamans, alien martial artists, underworld detectives, and a pointy-haired fellow known as the King of Games. It was quite a mixed crowd. One manga in particular stood out for me, because to my mind it was sneakier than the rest. By that I mean it looked so ordinary and so realistic that it made you wonder how it belonged with the others, and yet Hikaru no Go turned out to have everything the other series had: otherworldly characters, friendship and rivalry, hair-raising duels, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat—all told from the point of view of a kid who’s just trying to get through school. I read chapter 2 in the magazine and got swept away. I remember thinking to myself, wouldn’t it be great to work at SHONEN JUMP and be the editor of the English version of Hikaru no Go. About a year later my dream came true!
 
So Hikaru no Go and I have a bit of history, which makes me a little reluctant to sum it up in 600 words. In the most basic sense, it’s the story of a sixth-grader who stumbles onto a haunted Go board (a board on which the ancient game of Go is played) and suddenly finds himself forced to share his consciousness with the spirit of a genius player named Fujiwara-no-Sai. Sai died hundreds of years ago, and has been trapped in the Go board, except for a brief time when another boy let Sai inhabit his soul. That boy eventually went on to become the top Go player of the Edo period (1600–1868). Sai’s presence in Hikaru awakens his natural talent for the game, and the two begin the simultaneously thrilling and grueling journey to the world of professional Go. Along the way, they meet Go players from all walks of life and witness their struggles to prove themselves—something that Hikaru comes to understand all too well.
 
There’s a whole lot more to the story (the series is 23 volumes in all), but I won’t spoil it for you other than to say that when the series begins, Hikaru is in the sixth grade, but time passes and he grows up just like everyone does, only to discover that there’s more to life than he expected. In fact, if you’re one of the fortunate people to have read the series in the original Japanese, then you already know that Hikaru no Go is much more than anything I’ve described so far. I really hope that you’ll take a moment to give this manga a try, because it’s the only way for you to find out what you’re missing!
 
-- Yuki Takagaki (Editor, VIZ Media)
Buso Renkin Launches!
I’m so excited that we are able to bring Buso Renkin to vizanime.com! It was actually the first DVD title I worked on when I started at VIZ Media back in 2007. Sure I’ve made hundreds of DVDs before that, but I was just getting my feet wet working in anime. Buso was a good introduction for me, as it was an easy show to get into. It has a lot of classic anime story elements and the pacing is good. 
 
There’s a boy, a girl and a truckload of monsters. The girl, Tokiko, is a tough, cute warrior, and she’s got a skirt made of knives! How can you go wrong with that?! Our hero Kazuki is the average high school kid who stumbles into a supernatural situation and of course can’t wait to join the fight. (I think he’s mostly just interested in Tokiko.) 
 
Then of course there’s Papillion! Definitely my favorite character. He’s the evil anti-hero… in tights. You gotta love his personality. I think that both the Japanese and U.S. actors did a great job with him. 
 
My second favorite character is Captain Bravo. He trains Kazuki to be an Alchemist Warrior. Bravo adds just the right amount of comedy to the show. 
 
You’ve got the army of good guys, the Alchemist Warriors. They aren’t always so good, which makes for some interesting plot twists. Their various weapons and powers used for fighting the monsters are pretty cool, and it leaves me wanting to see them more and getting to know them better.
 
The weapons in Buso Renkin are a cool mix of bio-tech and supernatural. They’re all based on the loose concept of “Alchemy.” There’s some pretty imaginative stuff to keep you entertained. 
 
There is definitely something for everyone in Buso Renkin, so check it out! 
 
-- Kevy Vona (VIZ Media, Digital Entertainment Dept.)

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