Otaku USA Magazine October 2010

Seems like I forgot to mention this. Shock!

The October 2010 issue of Otaku USA Magazine is out an I've got a butt-load of new album reviews in it. Lillies and Remains' Meru, D'espairsRay's IMMORTAL, Dazzle Vision's to the next, Aural Vampire's Zoltank and Boom Boom Satellites' 19972007. Pfew!

And of course there are the usual anime, manga, cosplay and video game goods and much much more. Sorry for the delay in letting you know. Run and and see if you can still find a copy before it's too late!

Otaku USA August 2010 - Exclusive Chatmonchy Interview

The new August issue of Otaku USA Magazine should be hitting shelves everywhere any time now. You should get it!

This time around I have an exclusive two page interview with pop-rock band Chatmonchy! I had the chance to talk with them just after their US tour as part of Japan Nite. We talked a bit about their time in the US, their past, their future, you know, like you do. I also review their newest album.

There's also a lot of other get stuff on the other hundred pages or so. Obviously there's the One Piece cover story, a Final Fantasy XIII review, some great retro anime stuff, a zillion manga reviews etc etc.

So go camp out at your favorite magazine seller and grab it while you can. And if they don't carry it, demand that they do!

Otaku USA Magazine June 2010

The new action packed issue of Otaku USA Magazine is hitting store shelves in the face as we speak!

This month, I've got an exclusive interview with Japanese nu-metal, vis-rock whatever band girugamesh. They've been making waves in the American scene, and I had the chance to talk to them a bit about what it's like playing around the world. I've also got a review if their new album NOW.

Of course there's a ton of anime, manga, video game and cosplay coverage as well. So run out right now and get the new issue.

Otaku USA April 2010

Another bi-month has gone by and another fantastic issue of Otaku USA Magazine has been unleashed!

The April 2010 issue features my giant interview with indie rockers Molice. They talk a bit about their origins, their new album, the distant future and...anime? It sounds like things are really ramping up for them, so hopefully we'll be hearing more from them very soon.

I also have a review the the new An Cafe album BB Parallel World, as well as Ling Tosite Sigure's Just A Moment, my pick for album of the year (2009)!

Outside of the music section, one thing I was really excited to see was a chapter from the new Tsutomu Nihei manga Biomega I'm a big fan of his work and it's great to see something very different make it into the mainstream.

Naturally there's also an ass-load of anime, manga, figure, cosplay, video game coverage and all sorts of other odd otaku bits and pieces. If you don't see it on stands yet, keep looking! It should be out everywhere very soon.

Otaku USA Magazine - February 2010

Oh hey, looks like I forgot to mention this earlier. So here you go.

The newest issue of Otaku USA Magazine has been out for a while. This time around I've got a big interview with HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR! We talk about their change in lead singer, as well as the new album and much more. And speaking of the new album, I've got a full review of swamp man along with the interview. This is a must have issue for any H&MC fan!

Of course there's also a ton of anime, manga, film, video game, cosplay, figure and other fringe Japanese otaku culture coverage. This really is the best magazine anywhere if you want to know what's really going on. Check it out!

Otaku USA Magazine - Dec 2009

The new sparkly issue of Otaku USA Magazine is out now!

That's right. You can now pick up the December 2009 issue and read my review of the new Vola & the Oriental Machine album Sa Ka Na Electric Device in all its glory.

And that's all that I've got this time around, but there's more great music coverage to be had in the form of Brian Camp's huge interview with the members of Morning Musume. (Did you read my interview with group leader Ai Takahashi in August?) And there's also a special Cosplay Cafe interview with the Anime-Song Girl's Club.

Then of course there's the usual barrage of video game, film, anime, manga and general otaku spazoid greatness. Check it out!

Otaku USA Magazine - October 2009 - Exclusive Kanon Wakeshima Interview

It's time again for another look into the only otaku magazine that counts, Otaku USA Magazine!

In the October 2009 issue (which should be in stores now) I've got an exclusive interview with Kanon Wakeshima. I had the chance to talk with her before her appearance at Otakon this year. She talks a bit about he various musical and artistic inspirations, what it's like working with Mana and various other aspects of her seemingly storybook life. You can also read my review if her album Shinshoku Dolce on the website. And speaking of reviews, I take a look at the new Vamps album in the new issue.

Aside from my contributions, there's the usual amazing work from the usual cast of characters. Check out the awesome cover story on the first Evangelion movie from a few of the OUSA crew. There are also dozens of manga reviews, some hot looking video game stuff and some pretty great cosplay.

I hope you get a chance to check out the new issue and spread the otaku love!

Otaku USA Magazine August 2009

The new issue of Otaku USA Magazine just hit my mailbox, so I thought I'd give you a bit of a run-down to hopefully entice you to check it out when you see it in your favorite local otaku hideout.

First up, the big feature (at least as far as ZB's world is concerned) is my interview with Morning Musume group leader Ai Takahashi. We talk a bit about her rise to stardom and what it's like to be a Musume. I also review the new Morning Musume album Platinum 9 Disc. And speaking of reviews, I take a look at the debut album from Cellythm, a band signed to Nobuo Uematsu's own record label Dog Ear Records.

Aside from music, I review Noby Noby Boy, a game for the PS3. If you haven't played it, well, maybe my review will help you understand it. Maybe. Finally, as part of the big Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood cover story, I take a listen to the opening and ending themes to the show, from Yui and SID.

Then there's also everything from everyone else! There's a Utada Hikaru story from Mike Dent, A look at MadWorld for the Wii from Joseph Luster, an eye-popping interview with manga master Hitoshi Iwaaki, a billion manga, anime and film reviews and way too much other stuff to go into here. I mean, you'd need 122 pages!

I really hope you can pick up a copy as soon as you see it. As always, Otaku USA Magazine is the best (and only!) magazine for the hardcore otaku!

Otaku USA Magazine #12

Just now, just as I was about to start on this, I realized that it has officially been one year since I started writing for Otaku USA Magazine. What? It also turns out that with the June 2009 issue, Otaku USA itself is two years old. Sure, that probably doesn't amount to a hill of beans in your world, but to me it's pretty alright.

Anyway, the new issue is out, and it's also pretty alright. I've got an exclusive interview with the founder of Japan Nite, Audry Kimura. Did you know that the tour was eleven years old this year? I think it's safe to say that Audry is the hardest working woman in the already daunting business of bringing bands from Japan to the US.

I've also got a couple albums reviews: The VORC compilation Squarewave Surfers: memory of 8bit, and the incredible Moralist S.S. EP from Lillies and Remains.

But that's just the music section. There's also a massive feature on the new Street Fighter IV game, tons of film and anime coverage, way more manga stuff than you can handle, cosplay, toys, news...the list goes on and on for 128 pages. I'm sure you're sick of me saying it, but Otaku USA Magazine really is the best, most diverse and most open minded otaku-lifestyle magazine around. (Oh yeah, and also the only one around.) I really hope you check it out!

Otaku USA Magazine #11

It's time again for another fantastic issue of Otaku USA Magazine to stomp its way into better magazine sellers everywhere!

This time around, I've got a nice interview with my heroes Polysics. I managed to catch them in the phone just before they kicked off their latest US tour.

There are also album reviews of Saitone, Boom Boom Satellites and 9mm Parabellum Bullet for your merit debating pleasure.

Of course, that's just my own personal neck of the woods. There's a ass-ton of the usual great content, from games reviews, interviews, manga and anime talk, figures and much more. Plus, in case you didn't notice last time, the cover price is almost half of what it used to be! You can't lose. I hope you get a chance to pick it up soon. There's much more to come, so stay strong, true believers!

Otaku USA Magazine #10

It's time again for another issue of the best Japanese pop-culture magazine in the West, Otaku USA Magazine!

Issue #10 (February 2009) is out now. In it I have a review of the very very cool anime series Ghost Hound. If you're into anime that's very far away from moe and cute, squeeky magical schoolgirls, then Ghost Hound is the show for you. It's very slow, atmospheric and very creepy.

The really big news is my exclusive interview with the amazing electro master OMODAKA! We even have a photo (possibly the first ever?) of the man behind the machines (and the mask!) I had the chance to talk to him at length and learn more about Soichi Terada's past and just what exactly Omodaka means to him. If you've been entranced by his music and the videos, then you will not want to miss the interview. I'm a huge fan, and it was an honor to have the chance to talk with him.

If that's not enough, I also have reviews of Omodaka's albums, and the chip-tune Christmas album Holy 8-Bit Night + compilation on the website.

Of course there is much more than a few pages of music. There is a huge feature on Gurren Lagann, a ton of manga reviews, an interview with Yoko Ishida (not by me) and, gasp!, a positive review of Dead Space!

Otaku USA really is the best collection of all thing pop/Japan/otaku out there. Oh! They just dropped the price as well! Now it's only $5.99 per issue! You can't go wrong, people! I really hope you can check it out. If you do, please, by all means let me and the staff know what you think. We really do listen to you.

Thanks!

Me Again, In Otaku USA Magazine #9

Back again, it's another issue of Otaku USA Magazine. Once again, I've got a bunch of music stuff in it, from a really cool interview with the super sexy and super bad-ass all-girl surf-rock group Thee 50's High Teens, to the huge round-up of various American labels releasing some pretty nice compilations of a wide range of Japanese music. Oh, and I also take a way too in-depth look at the game Siren: Blood Curse. Yeah, I sort of love that series...TO DEATH. HAHA! Get...oh, never mind.

Of course that's just the icing on what turns out to be not only a sweet, but rather nutritious, cake. There are billions of manga reviews, a very in-depth look at the entire Death Note franchise, a mutual fan-boy geek-out over the Macross legacy, more Ouran High School Host Club coverage than is clinically approved, lots of really bloody film reviews, and plenty of totally ridiculous looking robots and men in rubber suits.

Yet that's still just the beginning. There's, like, 100 pages of other stuff. You'll just have to shamble out of your hikikomori haze and find a copy for yourself. Check out the site for more.

Otaku USA Magazine - September/October 08

I'm a bit late this time around, but nevertheless, here's a heads up.

Once again I am in the pages of Otaku USA Magazine. The September/October issue is out now. This issue sees me interviewing ex-Luna Sea guitarist Sugizo. We talk a bit about his new solo compilation album Cosmoscope, as well as his involvement with the X-Japan reunion tour and his time with S.K.I.N.

I also have a few album reviews, including Shokotan's Big Bang, BLOOD's The Reaper Behind Me, Love Psychedelico's new US compilation This is Love Psychedelico and Versailles' (who are now Versailles Philharmonic Quintet, btw) Noble album.

Of course there are also the 148 pages of other non-music coverage, like the huge number of manga reviews, the massive interview with Shokotan, all that new anime stuff, figures, film, video games, etc etc. Check this out for a better run-down of the contents.

I really hope you get the chance to track this one down. Every issue just keeps getting better, and I honestly believe that this is the best outlet for all things otaku. Get it!

Check Me Out In Otaku USA #7 - Out Now!

Just a quick note: Once again I've got a bunch of stuff in the new issue of Otaku USA Magazine!

First off, there's my interview with the hugely popular vis-kei metal band Versailles. They recently played at A-kon in Dallas TX, and I had a chance to fire a few questions their way. They talk about their visual aesthetic, lyrics and rabid fans.

I've also got a couple album reviews for Budo Grape's Aimore and We Ate the Machine from Polysics.

You can run out of grab it now. Please let me know what you think. Thanks again to all the Otaku USA staff and crew for putting together the best Japanese culture magazine out there!

ZB in Otaku USA #6

Sorry for the lack of regular updates lately. Things have been a bit busy outside of the A-Z. No, really! Here's the evidence!

ON SALE NOW is the new issue of Otaku USA magazine. In this issue I've got four pages of music reviews. Four! That's, like, 400% more than any other Japanese culture mag out there!

There's a complete guide to the awesome P-Vine "Techno Ca-Yo" compilations of vintage '80s synth pop, all eight discs! I also have reviews of the new Motocompo and Boris albums, and Kayo's (of Polysics) solo album Mitsuami Heroine.

Of course there is a mega-ton of great anime, manga (they have a staggering number of manga reviews ever issue,) film and general (and not so general) otaku goods coverage. OUSA is really the best place for some great obscure stuff, as well as fantastic coverage of the breaking stories. Obviously I highly recommend it!

Go grab a copy and let me know what you think. It would mean the world to me if you could show your support for more J-music coverage and send a few good words over to the crew.

Things are starting to pile up, and that's a very very good thing. Hopefully I'll be able to buckle down and clear my desk for a full-force return to the A-Z next week. For now, I have a big bold "THANK YOU!" to all of you constant readers out there, and a huge bold and italic "THANKS!" to the Otaku USA crew for their support!