It’s been a couple weeks since the summer anime season officially kicked off, and so far I’m only mildly excited. I watched the first episodes of a few shows last night, so I thought I’d share my opinions so far~

Asobi Ni Iku Yo!
[あそびにいくヨ!]
This is one of the series that has piqued my interest so far. While it would be easy to dismiss as just another incarnation of the beautiful-alien-girl-falls-for-socially-inept-guy plot that’s been done a million times before, there seem to be some legitimate potential for a sci-fi story. Of course the slick animation and pretty girls don’t hurt either… Unless it proves to be an utter waste of time I’ll be more than happy to stick around and see what all Erisu has to offer~

Trailer is somewhat NSFW due to standard late-night-style T&A

Occult Academy
[世紀末オカルト学院]
One of three horror-type shows that emerged this season, Occult Academy is the one that appeals most to me. I’ve only watched the first episode but I’ve already come to like the main character Maya (both in personality and design). The premise so far is pretty intriguing, and I’m looking forward to finding out more about the whole time travel element as it ties in to the world of the occult.

Mitsudomoe
[みつどもえ]
One reviewer on AnimeNewsNetwork described this show as being a somewhere in between Kodomo no Jikan and Hanamaru Kindergarten – not as ecchi as KnJ, but more adult than Hanamaru. While I’m inclined to agree, I feel like it definitely leans more towards the Kojikan… I have to admit that it’s pretty cute, but the second episode almost lost me with the pee jokes We’ll see if this one can stay funny without becoming just another source of lolicon fodder.

K-ON!!
[けいおん!!]
Okay, so this is technically a spring release, but it’s still airing and we’ve just now gotten around to watching it >_> Evilbento and I both love the moe!blob goodness that was the first season of K-ON! so it’s pretty much a given that we’ll enjoy the second. It’s not exactly breaking any new ground, but then again it doesn’t have to as long as it keeps serving up the cute antics of the light music club~

It seems like there are a lot of new series that have potential… So I’m keeping my hopes up for some winners here. Also on my to-watch list are High School of the Dead and Shiki, the other two horror-themed works this season. I’ll let you all know what I think once I watch them~

So, dear readers, what are you all watching?

Hey everyone, the store inventory is currently down while we attend AFW. Please check back Monday for our instock items~

Soom MD Glot and Glati

Welcome to Pediophobia [Fear and Loathing in Resin], a feature that will be addressing BJDs and some of the culture that surrounds them. I hope that I’m able to give you all a little window into the mind of a doll owner and all the weird and wacky things we do for our dolls.

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EVENT: Izumicon 2009
DATE: November 13th, 2009 through November 15th, 2009
LOCATION: Reed Conference Center (Sheraton Midwest City Hotel) in Oklahoma City, OK
PHOTO STREAM: HERE

Last year Funny Bento attended Izumicon as an artist with our custom plushies, buttons, and lolita accessories. This time marked our first endeavor as a full blown vendor in the Dealer’s Room. It was a hectic weekend, and unfortunately we didn’t get to see much of the con besides our booth (I know I was in the vendor room from open to close on Saturday, a total of 9 hours), but we still managed to snap some pictures of the awesome cosplayers and lolitas who passed by during the weekend. Find our photo gems after the jump!!

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We here at Funny Bento had an *aweome* time at Izumicon For all those looking for our online store, we’ve temporarily redirected it to our eBay account while we get the leftover clothes loaded up!! We managed to take some pics too, so look for those in the coming days along with our report~

If you have any comments/questions or if you want to send us a pic of yourself wearing your new lolita and punk gear, please send it to izumicon09@funnybento.com

EVENT: Anime Fest Wichita 5
DATE: July 10th, 2009 through July 12th, 2009
LOCATION: Hyatt Regency in downtown Wichita, KS
PHOTO STREAM: HERE

It’s been four years since the first AFW where hundreds of fans descended upon downtown Wichita for a one day celebration of all things anime. I remember how cramped it was (the event took place at the historic Orpheum Theater), how the dealers were shoved against the back wall of the theater, how the big screen was showing dubbed Sailor Moon while cosplayers mingled in the aisles… It certainly wasn’t perfect, but there was a certain charm to the chaos, and I was amazed by the strong show of local support.

AFWs 2, 3, and 4 all took place at a small hotel, but this year the con finally took up residence at the Hyatt Regency, one of the nicest venues in Wichita! Having missed last year’s event due to being out of town (GLAY in L.A.), I was looking forward to seeing what this year’s event had to offer…

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