I don't normally do this, but I encourage all y'all to check out the best new anime blog to come out in the last 24 hours—possibly all week: The revolutionary Zero Episode Test is at this very moment redefining what it means to be an anime blogger in new and exciting ways.

No, I'm dead serious.

Kobato 02: Taking Your Magical Girl for a Walk.

WARNING: Contents may prove unpredictable.

Kabitzin: @Evirus I followed your blog recommendation and ended up at a post with a picture of Kobato pooping =(

Anime blogs are a box of chocolates.

Cure White could choke both of these chicks out, easy.

Richard V. writes:

Just a bit of info about Heartcatch. It seems that it is actually going to be the second season of Fresh! Pretty Cure rather than a replacement. Info found at chartfag.wordpress.com.

I believe that chart contains incorrect information. My understanding is Heartcatch Precure will be a new series with new characters as depicted above.

So, I started to bang together a last-minute wrap-up for the end of the decade about the course anime charted, but then I remembered the decade doesn't end for another year. Whew.

Episode one really picks up when Natsuki appears.

There are rips available now of the My-HiME Blu-ray discs. The episode I watched probably could have been encoded at a higher bitrate, but still looked really nice. It also had an English dub track and a Chinese dub track, but no subtitles. So what are the chances we'll ever see this in the United States? If I understand Blu-ray region coding correctly, both the United States and Japan are in Region A, so I could import the disc, but lacking subtitles somewhat discourages me from doing so.

I'm not just saying that because Natsuki
shoots Mai to test for HiME powers.

I believe Blu-ray theoretically permits the addition of subtitle streams as downloadable content, but I could be way wrong about that and I'm certainly not aware of it being used in practice. There's also the possibility an American company could license this for release and fuck it up royal instead of just doing a bit-for-bit transfer and slapping on a subtitle track. Memo to prospective investors: I want to buy a My-HiME Blu-ray box set even though I already own the seven-disc Bandai DVD box set. Just don't screw it up, and you'll have my money in a heartbeat. (I'm still on the fence regarding Monster for really regrettable reasons, though. Sigh.)

Update: Pedro writes:

The My-HIME blu-ray box does have English subtitles (except for the trailers and the new 4 minute animation). So will the Otome blu-ray box coming in March.
The subtitle and audio options are listed on the Bandai Visual pages for both of them. This box is nice.

http://product.bandaivisual.co.jp/web_service/shop_product_info.asp?item_no=BCXA-0210
http://product.bandaivisual.co.jp/web_service/shop_product_info.asp?item_no=BCXA-0211

If American releases aren't announced soon, then it looks like I'm importing these providing they don't end up costing me a bajillion moon dollars. (Currently about $270 shipped, which isn't outrageous, but is still some pretty serious otaku money.)

Zero Episode Test updated. Go read it. There's no poop this time. Honest.

J.R. writes:

Ever consider having a comments section under each blog entry?

I thought about it. I decided against it.

Hung writes:

Junichi starts his day off in his closet panic room planetarium. He can’t get over being stood up two years ago on Christmas eve. Note: Christmas Eve is sort of like Valentine’s Day here. You need to have a date, otherwise you’re a loser who just waits for Santa to bring you stuff.

That is some good smack right there.