http://mainichi.jp/enta/mantan/graph/anime/20080221_2/

Yu-Gi-Oh: "On Par with Dragonball," Praises Jump's Editor-in-Chief Highly. New Anime Installment, "5D's." 

Up on stage at the presentation (going from the left) Ackah-san, Miyashita-san, Takanori Hoshino-san, Director Ono, Fujita-san and Oomura of Total Tembos.

A presentation for the internationally popular series' newest installment, "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" was held, and appearing was Yuya Miyashita-san, doing the main character; Ayumi Kinoshita, doing the heroine Aki; and the comedy duo, Total Tembos, with their first time in the voice acting business, plus many others. "I believe that, including the world card tournaments, in all of Jump's forty years, this is a work on par with Dragonball." Weekly Shonen Jump's Editor-and-Chief, Masahiko Ibaragi, highly praised.

Yu-Gi-Oh is all based off of Kazuki Takahashi-san's manga. It's documented as an international hit, with the story being about Yugi Mutou, a young boy, who, through his Puzzle's power, becomes a "Keeper of the Right" that judges the darkness, and defeats villians in the card game, and with related publications, such as comics and strategy guides, totaling 3600 units domestically, an anime broadcasting in over 80 countries, and 18.1 billion cards alongside 25 million video game cartridges being produced.

The new series takes place in "Neo Domino City," a present-day city in the hierarchically-advanced near-future. The main character, Yusei Fudo, and King of the "Riding Duel", matches which cross-breed bike racing with card games, are shown going against one another. Total Tembos take up the roles of Yusei's friends, Nerve (Kensuke Fujita-san) and Taka (Tomohiro Oomura-san.) TV personality and fighter, Bernard Ackah-san, will take up the role as the MC (Master of Ceremonies.) When Oomura-san wished that "I'd like to get into fights with the protagonist and do some ad-lib," Director Katsumi Ono 'reversed ordered,' "Think of some material." The broadcast is set for every week on Wedensdays at 6 PM, starting April 2nd, on TV Tokyo. Sale of the manganization and the video games have also been scheduled. [Kawamura Naruhiro]

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For extra lulz, and if you speak Japanese (which I assume most of you don't if you're reading this post,) check out some of the fan reaction to this statement here. (The majority go like "Oh, yeah, financially on par, right?") There are others too and they provide me with infinite lulz indeed. Although, for the record, I do think they mean financially on par with Dragonball.

Well, never use this thing, so, might as well...

Ever since February began, I've been sick beyond all belief, gotten even sicker from taking way too much cough medicine (damn you, Tylenol!,) have got a backlog of work for classes, got chewed off by my boss(es) about not calling out, and had to translate possibly one of the best episodes of GX (Misawa VS Manjoume! Misawa FTW!) and one of the worst episodes of GX (MUNKEY DUEL LOL) with many to follow (damn it, I want to get to the Seven Stars stuff! Or, better yet, do some more DM!)

So, yeah, not much on the homefront. But, I've done some more stuff since my last update. I have a dub comparison video online on my Youtube account. (Check it out and ph33r my awesome typos of doom!) I released a whole bunch of scripts on the TnKP site (more specifically, the forums.) Manga is up and running and we finished R (all three chapters we've done.)

Oh, and as for this week's GX (174,) it was a very...awkward experience. With Fubuki's suggestive dialogue and whatnot and Fujiwara totally pulling a Bakura and reversing time (or...the illusion of rewinding time, to get technical.) Fujiwara's facial expressions were reminiscent of Malik, Saiou, and Yubel mixed into one weird chin-strapped wakame package. By the way, what the hell is he still doing with that stupid chin guard/drool-catcher-for-his-hot-man-crush-for-Bucky anyway? (Oh shi--answered my own question!) I translated a portion of the dialogue before Fubuki's would-be final attack:

Fubuki: I'm so sorry, Fujiwara...
Fujiwara: What!?
Fubuki: I've been wanting to apologize for all this time. Back then...Back then, I wasn't able to save you. But, now I'm with you too. So, if it will save everyone else, I consider that a victory. I'm sorry, Red Eyes. Trap activate, Red-Eyes Burn! When Red-Eyes is destroyed, both players take damage equal to its attack power.
Johan: What!?
Judai: Fubuki-san!
Fubuki: Come, let us go, Fujiwara. You too are irreplaceable to me...I'm so sorry for what I've done. However, now we'll be together.
Yusuke: N-No! Nooooo!!
Judai: Fubuki-san! Fubuki-saaan!
(Everything reverses)
Yusuke: Fubuki, is this the darkness in your heart? You've been suffering all this time because you couldn't save me, have you?

The full version got leaked earlier than usual. (Well, right on time to tell the truth.) So, I decided that I'd transcript the song for those wanting lyrics/translations.

Endless Dream
Artist: Hiroshi Kitadani
Lyrics/Composition: IPPEI
Arrangement: IPPEI

Japanese Transcription:

最強のカードで掴み取れ
輝くデュエル果て無きの夢を

勇気で目覚める奇跡のドラマ
終わることない
ピンチをチャンスに変えてゆこうぜ
きっと出来る

虹の橋を渡り
未来を手に入れろ
Together they fight

扉の向こうに
立ち塞ぐ黒い影
真紅の炎燃やせ

最強のカードで掴み取れ
輝くデュエル果て無きの夢を
どんなにつらい時があっても
信じる仲間の笑顔抱いて

運命を味方につけてゆこうぜ
旅は続く

立ち止まってられない
鼓動を抱きしめろ
Together have a dream

見上げる空には
遥かなる永遠のきらめく明日がある

真実のバトルで探し出せ
心と心の繋ぐ旅を
今こそ僕らは一つになろう
勝利の祈りを胸に刻め

虹の橋を渡り
未来を手に入れろ
Together they fight

扉の向こうに
立ち塞ぐ黒い影
真紅の炎燃やせ

栄光のゴールへたどり着け
消えることない明日へ情熱を
無限大パワーで駆け抜けろ
約束交わした楽園まで

Romaji Transcription:

Saikyou no kaado de tsukamitore
Kagayaku dueru hatenaki no yume o

Yuuki de mezameru kiseki no dorama
Owaru koto nai
Pinchi o chansu ni kaeteyukou ze
Kitto dekiru

Niji no hashi o watari
Mirai o te ni irero
Together they fight

Tobira no mukou ni
Tachifusagu kuroi kage
Shinku no honoo moyase

Saikyou no kaado de tsukamitore
Kagayaku dueru hatenaki no yume o
Donna ni tsurai toki ga attemo
Shinjiru nakama no egao daite

Unmei o mitaka ni tsuketeyukou ze
Tabi wa tsuzuku

Tachidomatte'rarenai
Kodou o daikishimero
Together have a dream

Miageru sora ni wa
Harukanaru eien no kirameku asu ga aru

Shinjitsu no batoru de sagashidase
Kokoro to kokoro no tsunagu tabi o
Ima koso bokura wa hitotsu ni narou
Shouri no inori o mune ni kizame

Niji no hashi o watari
Mirai o te ni irero
Together they fight

Tobira no mukou ni
Tachifusagu kuroi kage
Shinku no honoo moyase

Eikou no gooru-e tadoritsuke
Kieru koto nai asu-e jounetsu o
Mugen dai pawaa de kakenukero
Yakusoku kowashita rakuen made

English Translation:

Use your best card to grasp it...
Your shining, endless dueling dream!

Miraculous dramas awakened by courage
They never end.
We're gonna change a dire pinch into opportunity
We'll be able to do it!

Cross the rainbow bridge
and attain your future!
Together they fight

Behind the door
is a dark shadow blocking our way.
Let those crimson flames burn!

Use your best card to grasp it
Your shining, endless dueling dream!
No matter what tough times you're in,
Embrace the smiles of your trusting friends

We're gonna win destiny over to our side.
The journey continues on.

Not going to stand still.
Embrace the beating of your heart closely.
Together have a dream

In the sky overhead...
Lies an eternal, brilliant tomorrow far away.

In a battle of truth, search for it...
A journey connecting our hearts to one another.
Now is the time when we'll be as one.
Carve your prayers of victory on to your heart!

Cross the rainbow bridge
and attain your future!
Together they fight

Behind the door
is a dark shadow blocking our way.
Let those crimson flames burn!

Reach the glorious goal!
A passion for tomorrow that'll never die out...
Use your immense, unlimited powers to rush through it!
All the way to the paradise we exchanged promises at!

Hey thar, all. It's me, Tatsunoboshi Horoko (known as Horoko for short in some places) here and I'm fresh off the intertrain and on to Livejournal. Any of you who frequent the Janime forums might know the name, others might not.

My friends used to pester me for a good while to get a Livejournal for some odd reason, so I made an account in April...but never used it. I have no idea why, but for some reason, it was either because I was busy with stuff or I just didn't feel like doing much. Procrastination rocks!!

So, I'm an internet translator of sorts. I've translated stuff primarily for Yu-Gi-Oh and Yu-Gi-Oh related items. I'm proficient in Japanese (after a long and arduous self-taught battle) and I am an aspiring Graphic Artist.

I'm also the co-owner of Tatsu no Kiba Productions, my translations site where you'll find all kinds of neat stuff. And I'm also one of the head translator-type folks for Janime (which is in need of serious overhaul information wise, since a lot of the stuff there is stuff from when I wasn't doing anything with it.) My dream is to translate all of the Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters series (only 9 bajillion more episodes to go!) and get caught up translation-wise with Duel Monsters GX...but, heh, yeah...lol @ my high hopes.

Well, other than my illustrious interweb career, I have nothing more to add. The majority of the stuff that'll be added here will either be stuff concerning translations or just random junk, if that's any consolation.