Kuruneko - The Internet meme

  Yokay, so you're here, that means you probably found this article because you love cats, like anime plushies that happen to also be kitties, or you are one of the few English reading blokes that digs on "Kuruneko". For the rest of my regular audience that already knows what Kuruneko is, give yourself a pat on the back. You are one cat loving otaku that truly knows how to dig up the good stuff. I think I'll start calling yall "nekotaku". (Great a new internet meme has just been born) As for me... no pats on the back deserved as I'm behind the times a bit. But hey, "Better Nate than lever!" Even Suppie who is pretty well versed in Japanese culture, hadn't heard of Kuruneko yet, and if she did, she wasn't sharing any new anime goodness with me... If you have no idea what Kuruneko is and haven't skipped ahead yet, take a ride with me as I discover what Suppie has been hiding from me...

くるねこ (Kuruneko)
  First a blog entry-graduating to a manga, progressing on to anime fame in 50 episode shorts each about 3 minutes long. (A second season is in the works already! Wow I'm already way behind. Good thing each episode is only 3 mins long) The genre is a slice of life / comedy anime just about every day life with these cute cats that sometimes have an attitude. But isn't that the proper job of a cat?

The names of the five cats in the series I was able to dig up are: 
ぼん Lanterns
胡ぼん Hu Lanterns
もんさん Mr. Mon
ポ子 Child P.O.
トメ Tome

Official Website of Kuruneko
Check out some Kuruneko videos online and try not to die of cuteness overload:
http://www.soku.com/search_video/type_tag_q_Kuruneko or check out the one I've selected for your clicky-clicky play happy finger:



  Kuruneko over the last couple of years has been a Internet meme mostly in the circles of cat loving online Japanese communities.  Not surprising then that in the English speaking communities, that Kuruneko is almost unheard of. I'm hoping that a big dog like Broccoli picks this cute anime title up and translates it for us nekotaku. The 3 minute long episodes make for really short attention span kids and they tend to do shows like that... We'll see...

  Of course the more wired we get, the more parodies and ytmnd stuff will happen to your original creation... In this case... IT'S A GOOD THING! -  I'll share with you the ShonenSean approved versions of these Kuruneko / Vocaloid smashups. janbox00 has some really cute vids up on their Youtube channel and they are all worth watching. This one is my favorite:


  Now that you are an expert on Kuruneko, you probably are spreading this Japanese internet meme to all your English speaking comrades. I hope you get bragging rights as the first in your circle to spam the videos or make your own smash-up. Have fun! If you can't get enough of the Kuruneko goodness, Japan has all kinds of Kuruneko goodies, the first of which are plushies and to my knowledge they are currently only being offered by OtakuFuel in the stateside regions anyways... If you are interested in the family of Kuruneko plushies, here's some pics:

Kuruneko Family portrait

胡ぼん Hu Lanterns

もんさん Mr. Mon

ポ子 Child P.O.

トメ Tome

ぼん Lanterns

Which Kuruneko-chan is your favorite? For me I think it has to be Hu Lanterns. When my nice saw them all she about died. It was kind of like watching a Ryou Kuroyanagi reaction or something... glad it made her day... I hope that if Kuruneko is new to you that it made your day today too! That's all for now... Ho na na!

-end-

This weeks Manga [some spoilers maybe...]

New Manga just arrived in the US and licensed translated copies made available by a couple of my favorite big-dogs VIZ and Del Rey. I didn't get a chance to read them all yet, but I'll try and give you a low down and a picture of the covers:

Hikaru no Go Manga
I've seen the anime and loved it. I haven't even started the manga but Hikaru no Go Manga Volume 20 synopsis looks about right were things are heating up with the Korean Go team! Watch out Kikaru, they're tricky...

Hikaru no go Volume 20 - Put your tongue away...

Gin Tama Manga

VIZ brings us another franchise in Gin Tama. And the next manga in line where in Gin Tama Manga Volume 19, things just can't get any zannier. MP3 players in swords and a list of things you probably should have thought about before signing up for this gig...again, one of those things that I haven't got around to, but it is for sure an empty check-box for me. This series is on my must read list. If it a VIZ title and it's gonna be forever long... HUGE chance I am gonna love it.

Gin Tama Volume 19

Code: Breaker Manga

A new series launched by Del Rey in the US, Code:Breaker Manga Volume 1 starts off with this guy in a HERO (Gundam Wing ref) Relena type relationship fashion has to turn on the girl he'll probably end up with and threatens her life buy trying to burn her with flames that shoot from his hand.. sounds like a nice start... ehehehehe

Code: Breaker Volume 01

Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Manga

A little too Shojo for me to stick with it but I thought you girlys and Shojo-loving boys would wan to know that Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Manga Volume 27 is out and ready for purchase or probably at your local library soon... Cute story, not painful for me, just not my thing... sorry.

Tsubasa 27

Skip Beat Manga

An epic series, this one is a tad out of my normal enjoyment with all the festivites. In Skip Beat Manga Volume 21 Kyoko is enjoys the glow of working a Christmas miracle and getting some birthday gits of her own. 

Skip Beat 21

  

Otomen Manga

I really don't know a single thing about this series but I wanted to tell you about it anyways because the character designs alone are right up my alley. And fliping through it I can tell you the artwork is phenominal. I have heard only good things about Otomen Manga Volume 7 where one of the main characters is trying to conceal his true identiry as a Shojo author (gee I wonder why) but agrees to do an autograph session!?! - Find out how this plays out in volume 7!

Otomen

 

These are manga volumes are only a small portion of what came out this last couple of weeks. If there is a series of manga that you want me to post up when the new titles comes out, leave a comment. ^_^ No scan request please...

Bleach Manga

  Bleach Manga. A shonen title to be sure. Give me a list of 5 million characters that are all important to the story line. Give me several different worlds, that, like the seemingly infinite number of characters to follow, somehow maintain continuity and relevance to one another... And the result is obviously not only going to be a smash hit, but it's going to be an international franchise. From Bleach bentos to Bleach buttons, it's all been done. And what goodness the Bleach manga has brought boys like me. Lots of titles get there two minutes of fame, but how many manga titles have been known to top the charts, week after week, month after month?

My favorite Bleach Manga cover so far.

As is common in our Otaku world, the Bleach manga flows a tad different from the Bleach anime. I love seeing my favorite stories in living color, but it's just not the same as getting the no-nonsense story you dangle from the cliff for - week after week.

I know there are hard-core fans of the lesser known characters in the series, and I applaud them for knowing themselves and knowing what they like and can relate to. I for myself, am one of the predictable guys in the masses that always favors the lead character in the story. In this case, Ichigo Kurosaki. 

Despite having the name that is shared with a sweet fruit, he is full of courage and possesses the endless will to protect his friends. I love the fact that there are many things that happen early on in the story that are progressively tied together and explained throughout the developing chapters as if to reward the loyal readers year after year. :)

Action, action, action. Battles, battles, battles. Properly timed comic relief that never gets a "gong" from me... It's always the first choice on my list of new goodness that needs coverage. If it's not on your list, fix that. You won't be sorry my shonen readers...

With the recent announcement of a certain scanlator going off-line in the near future... I'm hoping that Japan and Viz will get together and get these things up-to-date with simultaneous releases. Hey, if we all support the proper channels, everyone wins. 

To wrap this up... one of my favorite characters in Bleach.... KON! If he doesn't make you want to read this, nothing else will!

"Why aren't you reading Bleach Manga right now?!?"

Home page of OtakuFuel

Massive catalog... this online anime store needs a bookmark on your speed dial.
in reference to: Otaku Lifestyle store. Anime DVDs, Manga, COPIC, Figures, Hobby! (view on Google Sidewiki)