This week on Anime Update: Naruto, the 30th Anniversary of Macross, and two of my recent Anime Music Video finds.

First up: Tokyo Game Show hasn’t had too many big announcements this year, but anime fans will be psyched to see the following Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 trailer that premiered yesterday.

I’ve always liked how the Ultimate Ninja Storm series puts a nice spin on the fighting genre, and I think the graphic choices made by the developers are great because they really flesh out the cell-shaded style from the anime series. Bandai Namco games will be bringing the title over to the States (estimated release for Spring 2013) – again for both PS3 and Xbox 360.

Second this week: (Via ANN) Can you believe we’re already coming up on the 30th Anniversary of Macross? Well, next month a new Macross film – Macross FB7: Ore no Uta no Kike! will be released in Japanese theaters. Set in 2059, the story follows the 25th New Macross class long-distance fleet as they journey through the galaxy to find a new home. Set nearly five decades after the Space War I conflict (from the first Macross series), they’ve got another war on their hands and you know what that means – Mechs + Space Battle = I’m 100% in for this movie. Give the trailer a watch and keep your fingers crossed that it gets picked up for US distribution:

Lastly: since it’s been so long, I wanted to leave you with two of my recent Anime Music Video finds:

First up is an action-packed, kick-ass video featuring The Legend of Korra (light spoilers) set to “Finale” by Madeon:

Second is a stunning and heartfelt video for The Place Promised in our Early Days (SPOILERS!) set to “He Films the Clouds Pt2” by Maybeshewill:

I haven’t been a regular weekly viewer of the Simpsons since Fox axed Futurama, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it still on occasion. This clip is a tease for the 24th season and is as sharp and hilarious in its commentary as I remember the show to be.

It’s ironic that a company that produces Fox News also produces such harsh criticism of the establishment it wants so hard to defend and protect.

In either case, I hope you enjoy this.

We all love seeing our favorite heroes on the big screen, but until the recent explosion of superhero movies, we had to be content with their exploits on the humble television screen, most often in the form of animation. While I would probably give the edge to DC in terms of overall quality, Marvel Comics has done really well to get their characters on screen to introduce them to the masses. I dunno about you, but when I saw these shows as a kid, and even now as an adult, a catchy theme or some sort of intro to the characters helped me to decide if I was going to watch said show, or go watch a rerun of Duck Tales instead. Of course, with so many shows over the years there are bound to be some amazing theme songs, and some well, not so great ones. On that note, here’s my entirely arbitrary and non-scientific list of the 10 best, 10 worst Marvel Animated theme songs of all time!

First, to get us started, I thought I’d just show the original intro the the Marvel Super-Heroes show from 1966. It’s very rarely been shown since then, and it’s a great opener, enjoy!

“>httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3g0tzgIezY

The Good:

10. Black Panther

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeGSNyYeQJs

Now to be honest, I’ve only seen one episode of this show, and really, it’s just a glorified motion comic. That being said, the theme is pretty catchy, and actually fits with Black Panther’s Wakandan heritage. It’s based on Reginald Hudlin’s famous run of the comic, even. It’s the sort of thing that does make me want to check out the show more than I have. Hey, what do you know, I can do that right now.

9. Captain America 1966

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpufNT8I-SU

This one always brings a smile to my face. The theme is upbeat and stays in your head, but is short enough that it does’t overstay its welcome. Not only that, in the 20-second runtime, The tune gives you a rough idea of what Cap is about. Although even a 6-year-old can make an educated guess as to what the deal is with a guy practically dressed in the American flag. The song is also pretty versatile. Comic artist Chris Giarusso did a nice remix of this song a while back featuring his favorite hero instead of Cap.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SA_PTP_Sgw

8. Incredible Hulk 1982

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VlyNUyApm8

Watching this intro now, I am pretty much thinking to myself “The Hulk sure fights a a lot of aliens.” That weirdness aside, I like this instrumental theme because of the power it conveys, and as we all know, the Hulk is all about power. Even so, we see that the Hulk is a hero as well, saving a civilian from certain death even after taking a building to the face. Couple that with a quick gamma-fueled origin shot, and the ending with a true display of ‘ol greenskin’s power? Yeah, this one works for me.

7. Iron Man: Armored Adventures

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzDTt0RT7U

Say what you will about the folly of introducing the mass audience to the horrors of Teen Tony, I sure like his theme song. I wouldn’t be opposed to listening to a full-length version of it, actually. The lyrics though? Yeah, those are kind of silly, hence it’s place at #7.

6. Iron Man Anime

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzOmdkqYO9w

Now this one I admittedly have not seen. I can tell you just from this, I’m not too keen on the armor design. His eyes are too far apart! I’m not even that fond of the music. Why is it on the “good” list then? Well, what it does right, it does very right. From the opening blueprint/schematic, the scene where Tony actually dons the armor, and especially the scene lifted from the first Iron Man movie, this is a show that says “Watch Me!” If I someone with no knowledge off Iron Man outside of the movies and saw this, it would get me interested for the desert scene alone, and that’s why it works.

5. Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spmlzifLrHY

Admittedly, this one is on here for purely nostalgic reasons. It’s pretty cheesy now, but back then, this was my gateway drug into comics in general. Barring that though, this theme does have some things going for it. First, the music is pretty catchy, second it introduces Iceman and Firestar in such a way, that you know what you need to know about them before the first line of dialog is even spoken. Of course the real kicker is the den/secret lab. I don’t think it actually ever gets used in the series, but to a young kid? It’s well, amazing.

4. X-Men 1991

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IzSGvXc_PM

Ah, X-Men. Also known as the first Marvel cartoon that catered to both newbies and longtime fans. This theme has it all. Great music, an introduction the the vast ensemble cast, complete with their names and power sets! Too bad the show itself didn’t always live up to the standards set by its theme song. I still cringe whenever I have to endure Storm’s melodramatic dialog.

3. Fantastic Four 1994

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P54eLSH-Wgc

This theme is also known as “The one where Shaz loses all credibility”. Yeah, the theme song is incredibly silly. Still, it works for me quite a bit. I mean, it totally recounts the origin in a very memorable way. Not only that, but the second verse explains their powers succinctly (well kinda, they describe the Torch’s powers as “Johnny is the Human Torch”). I think part of the reason this is one of my favorite is because of the cheesiness. It was fun, and that’s all I want from my entertainment, to be you know, entertained.

2. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxaJpUnF6xA

This is, by default, the best Avengers cartoon ever (more on that later). It is also one the best Marvel cartoons ever. It made me think Ant-Man was cool. Ant-Man! The theme itself has a very contemporary vibe to it, and I’ve read that some people don’t like that. I you look under the surface and listen to the lyrics in tandem with what’s on screen though, there are somewhat subtle allusions to the characters on screen. For example:

Hulk: Torment and Upset — That’s the Hulk alright.

Captain America: Lost from when we wake — Definitely an allusion to thawing out the Capsicle.

Thor: With no way to go back — Thor is stranded on Midgard in this show

Iron Man: I’m standing on my own — Tony’s not a team player… at first.

Then of course the call goes out, and the Avengers are, as they say, assembled. It just works.

1. Spider-Man 1967

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUjmh3x3HmQ

No brainer. I mean come on, what other song on this list has been covered over 100 times by such musical talents as diverse as The Ramones and Michael Bublé? None, that’s what. It’s the strength of the theme song alone that drives the original Spidey cartoon to the top of the list. Though I will say, I don’t get why animators think it’s a good idea for Spider-Man to use two weblines in opposite directions. The guy’s gonna tear his arms off doing that!

The Bad:

10. Pryde of the X-Men

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko-J8iLMUjQ

While never picked up as a series, this pilot episode has been seen quite often over the years, Australian Wolverine and all. While the song is kind of informative, the sheer 80’s-ness of it (not the good parts of the 80’s mind you) really hurt its standing. Comin’ your way!

9. Hulk 1966

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UnFVqJmBXU

This theme had the potential to be as good as the 60’s Captain America theme, but it falls flat on its face thanks to the lyrics and dubious rhyming scheme. It’s a bit too ambitious to rhyme Gamma Rays with Unglama-rays, after all. What the heck is a monster clown, anyway? Next, please.

8. Hulk 1994

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyQpEoMFF3w

I can’t quite put my finger on why I hate this theme song. It has a lot of the same things going for it as the 1982 version, but this time, it just doesn’t work for me. It may be the incessant chanting of “Hulk… Incredible Hulk” It may also have to do with the fact that this Hulk’s facial expression is actually a bit more sinister looking than I’m used to seeing the Jade Giant. Take your pick, no sir, I don’t like it.

7. Iron Man Season 2

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJZ_g5xZtAA

A scene from the board meeting of Season two of this show:

“Hey I know! Let’s re-design Tony Stark for this season and give him a truly glorious mullet!”

“OK, done. What about the theme music? Black Sabbath won’t let us use their ‘Iron Man’ song.”

“Fine, use the ‘I am Iron Man’ phrase and get some poor schmo to do whatever guitar solo he wants on it!”

“Yes! Now we watch the money roll in!”

6. Fantastic Four 1978

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7jG5CeMuvQ

The animation for this one kills me, from the weird zombie walk Reed makes out of the wreckage, to Ben Grimm’s drunken wobbling as he transforms into The Thing, just ugh. Couple that with the narration, come on “The now you see her, now you don’t Invisible Girl”? Is that really necessary? Adding to the mix the truly nonsensical introduction of H.E.R.B.I.E. The “New” Fantastic Four is thankfully just a memory.

5. Spider-Man 1994

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QfFFVAfOlg

This show is not nearly as good as I remember it being. Even so, the song has something going for it, right? “SPIDER BLOOD, SPIDER BLOOD, RADIOACTIVE SPIDER BLOOD” OK, guess not. Moving on…

4. Avengers: United They Stand

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDI0tBqGen0

Not only do we get a montage of characters that doesn’t really even show what they can do, they show Hawkeye putting a belt on over a belt! Then, to add insult to injury, at the very end, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America show up pretty much to say. “Hey guys, we can’t really be associated with this turd of a show, but we’ll show up in the opening credits to dupe the youngsters”.

3. Ultraforce

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9M2VpgVxLQ

While technically a Malibu comic, Marvel purchased Malibu around the time this show aired, so I’m counting it. It is truly terrible. Not only does the music make my ears want to retreat into my skull, but it’s trying so hard to be the X-Men’s opening crawl it’s not even funny.

2. Solarman

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdP6aA6Ug3M

Solarman? Who the heck is Solarman? He is in fact, and incredibly obscure Marvel character that somehow got a but of a media push in the 80’s. I’d be willing to guess the reason it failed is because it is trying to be all of the 80’s shows at once. A space show, a superhero show, a potential toy tie-in. Heck, even his character design evoke Lion-O from the Thundercats. Is it any wonder that this didn’t get any farther than a pilot and a 2 issues comic series?

1. Fred & Barney Meet the Thing

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIbM-sftdWA

I like the Thing, really I do. He’s one of my top 3 favorite Marvel characters, but this Does. Not. Work. Aunt Petunia’s favorite nephew reduced to a straight man for the antics of the Flintstones? No, just no. The theme song only touches on this incarnation’s most egregious bit of crazy. The Thing is actually summoned by teen-aged Benjy Grimm who smacks a ring together and shouts “Thing Ring, do your thing!” It’s so bad, that the only copy in circulation is this terrible quality version.

Both:

Spider-Man Unlimited

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHtAHqwD7C0

This theme has the dubious honor of being both good and bad. The first 10 seconds are blissful. Great looking, and an incredibly succinct re-telling of Spider-Man origin. It all goes downhill with the nanite infused suit and refugees from The Island of Doctor Moreau. It could have been a contender though.

That’s the end! Don’t forget, we’re all a part of the Merry marvel Marching Society!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO8ndkutOIU

If you’ve seen the above trailer, it’s pretty easy to see there have been some changes made to Superman. Zack Snyder, Christopher Nolan, and the rest of their team are probably wise to distance themselves from other iterations of Superman, no matter how annoying we might find it. One of the biggest changes based on the appearance of the trailer is the idea that Clark Kent might be some sort of fisherman instead of a farmer.

It seemed out of place, but the longer I’ve had to dwell on the thought, the more I think it makes sense.

Make no mistake: I have no idea if that’s actually what is going on in the film. Perhaps Clark is simply undercover there in the Northeast and his fishing days have nothing to do with the Kents. This is all speculation, but if Clark IS a fisherman, and Smallville has been relocated to the Northeastern seaboard it actually makes a bit of sense.

Think about this for a minute: what qualities do you attribute to the Kents and in what era do you find them? In the 1930s, when Superman was created, the farm belt of the country was known for pulling together. For unions. They were reliably for President Roosevelt and the idea of the Great Society. For the most part, they believed in helping out their neighbor and for believing in something larger than themselves. Over the years, that demographic has changed. I think if Superman were to land in Smallville, Kansas today, you’d end up with a Superman very much like the one Batman defeats in Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Nolan and Snyder understand the xenophobia of today’s red-staters and have made moves to make the Superman ideal ring true in a modern era.

What sect of blue-collar workers do you see these days upholding the “truth, justice, and the American way” mantra? It’s not to be found in places like Wisconsin where teachers are being villainized and unions busted by Lex Luthor like interests. It’s not in Kansas where the locals assassinate doctors outside of medical facilities. You’re finding it in places like those Northeastern blue states that have retained the old time family values of Roosevelt’s great society and have a work ethic to match. Do you think a Clark Kent raised by a farmer in the heart of a red state would fight for the little guy against a corporate fiend like Lex Luthor or the Koch Brothers? Or would you find that in the heart of a working family in a blue state?

Like I said, I’m not sure that’s actually what they’re doing in Man of Steel.

But if it is, it would make a whole lot of sense to me. Even though it’s a change that many might see as a betrayal of the source material, if it’s for the reasons I postulated, I think it would be a betrayal of the material NOT to do it.

(Bryan is also an author. Read his books.)

I can’t imagine a better clip to get me excited to watch the season premiere of The Clone Wars all over again. If you’re interested in reading my review of the Season 5 premiere you can find it here.

In the meantime, enjoy the above clip. The Clone Wars makes its premiere Saturday, September 29th on Cartoon Network. Check your local listings for the exact time, but I guarantee you don’t want to miss it.

And if you want a taste of what the Premiere felt like, the Star Wars website put up this video from the event:

This Month’s Podcast Features:

Zombietron (Tom), Kill-tacular-tron (Lucas), Arse-Bot (Tyson), Mexicus Prime (Jimmy), and Vagatron (Kiley)

Generally on this podcast we have Kill Tacular Tron and Vagatron present to keep the other robots in line. Sure, this podcast is still filled with foul language and inappropriate jokes each month – but trust us, it’s pretty tame. This month, Kill Tacular Tron was ill and unable to make it and Vagatron had to rush off to the hospital to see his Creator (“mom”). Luckily, Vagatron’s creator is going to be fine and all of us here wish her the best and a speedy recovery!

However, this left Zombietron, Mexicus Prime and Arse-bot up to their own devices and unsupervised. You’ve been warned.

This month the short-staffed BSPC crew cover topics such as why Mexicus Prime almost caused an international incident with Japan in the men’s bathroom of an airport, our favorite movies from the Summer movie season, ABC’s “S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot, Avengers 2, DareDevil on the big screen, how we squeeze our geekiness into our busy daily lives, the usual smattering of comics and video games, and of course – all of this with a bunch of dicking around and swears.

Next month the BSPC crew will be back to full strength along with two kick-ass guests, so be sure to subscribe on iTunes to get your dose of the Big Shiny Podcast! each and every month (for better or worse)!

Thanks for listening and watch for a new episode every month! Also be sure to check out the Big Shiny Girlcast, chock full of geeky girl goodness! If you like what you hear, rate the Big Shiny Robot Podcast Family on iTunes!

Listen:

iTunes

MP3

Square Enix has announced that it will be making a Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD remake for the PS3, but you had better pray to the gaming gods that the game makes it Stateside, as it has only been formally announced for Japan.

Gamers have been chomping at the bit for the long promised third entry in the KH series, but Square has decided to slate our thirst with an HD remake of 2 of the games in one package; Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories will be coming soon to PS3.  Personally, I would rather see an HD upgrade of Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, but this will be a nice way to bring back some of the fond memories the game created, and I know gamers stateside will snatch this up if and when it becomes available if it’s released at the right price point (no more than $20-$30).

For those not familiar with the franchise, Kingdom Hearts is an action adventure game that pairs the best of the Square world with Disney.  The story surrounds a young man named Sora, who goes on adventures throughout various Disney worlds, most of the time with Donald Duck and Goofy as sidekicks, in an effort to protect them, along with many Disney and Final Fantasy characters, from the evil Heartless which are working with villains both new and familiar (Maleficent, Peg-Leg Pete, Ursula, Ansem and the mysterious Organization XIII) to take over the whole of the Disney/Square universe.  I know it sounds a bit wacky, but the charming way Square has been able to pull this, and most of the sequels off, has made it a classic as remarkable as many of the best Final Fantasy games.

No release date has been scheduled other than sometime in 2013.

This trailer looks amazing.

There’s really not much else to say. Peter Jackson really knows this world as well as any filmmaker can. And correct me if I’m wrong, but we got glimpses of Bjorn in this trailer, right? And was that Tom Bombadil? Or am I just imagining things.

I could be.

This film comes out in December. Then, we’ll have another year for the second, then 6 more months for the third.

This originally appeared on The Huffington Post:

With their launch of #0 issues for each of their New 52 books, DC Comics has offered us a window into revamped or revised character backstories in their new shared universe. Many of these stories have been utterly fantastic retellings of the early days of our favorite characters.

The great minds at DC have worked hard to bring new readers into the medium, and these #0 issues are a great step, giving us a look at the early days of these characters, and creating new jumping-on points next month.

And in a world with a deficit of relatable female characters, Wonder Woman stands as a shimmering example of what comics can be for some people.

Wonder Woman #0 comes out tomorrow, but you can get a sneak peek of it now.

The grand opening is finally here!  After what seems like forever, the Be Our Guest restaurant will soon open in the expanded Fantasyland section of Disney’s Magic Kingdom on November 19.  This restaurant recreates the famous ballroom from Beauty and the Beast, complete with chandeliers and 18-foot-tall windows.  There’s also the Rose Gallery, where a music box of Belle and the Beast twirling in dance provides a centerpiece (available for lunch only), and the forbidden West Wing.

But perhaps even more exciting is the statement on the Disney Parks blog:

And just for dinner, select wines and beers will be offered that complement the French-inspired cuisine.

“As part of the overall theming, we wanted to offer wine that enhances the guest experience and complements the French-inspired cuisine,” says Stuart McGuire, Beverage Director, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “The wines focus primarily on France’s famous wine-growing regions, including Champagne, Alsace, Loire, Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux.

“We’ll also offer the leading French beer, Kronenbourg 1664,” says McGuire. “And, staying in the general region, we’ll also offer Belgian beers.”

Yes, you read that correctly.  Wine and beer will now be available in the Magic Kingdom, which has always been an alcohol-free park.  Judging from the comments on the blog, Disney fans have mixed feelings about the change.

I am all for keeping the spirit of Walt’s vision alive, but I also wouldn’t mind a glass of wine with my dinner at the Be Our Guest restaurant.  It sounds like a lot of work and creativity went into this experience, and it’s designed to be more upscale and adult-oriented than the typical eateries at the park.  Perhaps not quite on par with Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian, but certainly evoking the romance and enchantment of what I consider to be one of the best animated films ever to grace the silver screen.

And look at the desserts!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake: Vanilla Sponge Cake, Strawberry Mousse Filling, and Cream Cheese Icing

Triple Chocolate Cupcake: Chocolate Sponge Cake, Chocolate Mousse Filling, and Chocolate Ganache

Lemon Meringue Cupcake:Vanilla Sponge Cake, Lemon Custard Filling, and Flamed Meringue Icing

Chocolate Cream Puff filled with Chocolate Mousse topped with Whipped Cream

Passion Fruit Cream Puff filled with Passion Fruit Mousse topped with Whipped Cream

Lemon–Raspberry Cream Puff filled with Lemon Custard

No doubt a dinner here will never be second best, so go on unfold your menu, take a glance and then you’ll be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!

To make a reservation, call (407) WDW-DINE or book online at www.disneyworld.com/dine.