So. Kadokawa's new Specialized Super-Glossy Super-Expensive Magazine (TM) is Type Moon Ace, a magazine devoted to, you guessed it, Type Moon-created franchises.

(For those of you who don't know, Type Moon is a doujinshi-group-cum-legitimate-publisher that creates novels, manga, games, and animated works that usually center around incredibly kick-ass women. And they are also responsible for some of the finest porn currently available in the Japanese market, nay, the world.)

( So here's what the first issue of Type Moon Ace looks like. WARNING: SUPER IMAGE-INTENSIVE! )

And well, that's it. Overall, it was a really good bargain for only 780 yen. I have no idea if this magazine is going to be monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or what. But I do know that I will be buying the next issue.

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it! Here are some Christmas gifts for you. Clickable thumbnails behind cuts.

( Ah! My Goddess volume 36 cover. )

( Kara no Kyoukai: Shiki Promo. )

( More Scans from Eternal Song: Mathilde and Wilhelmina for Christmas. )

Also, as long as I'm in the Santa mood, a few quick links that you might enjoy:

Evil Editor's Best. Writing. Exercise. Ever.

A motherlong interview with Jeff Smith. But it never gets boring because it's, you know, Jeff Smith.

I buy Japanese magazines for the pretty pictures. And for the amusement value.

( Large pictures behind the cut. )

So... Kara no Kyoukai. Anybody ever heard of it? Flist? Apparently it's a Type Moon property from the late 1990's, which will be turned into an animated movie this year. I only became aware of it because all of the Big Three magazines this month came with promo materials for the movie, including some lovely pullout posters. All I can say for sure right now is:

A) It's Type Moon, therefore the hype machine is already going full steam ahead;

B) It's Type Moon, so the female cast will probably, as usual, be diverse and awesome and there be at least one or two totally kick-ass strong women; and

C) It's set in the same universe as Tsukihime and Fate/Stay Night which means potential cameos, yay. Apparently both Tsukihime and Fate/Stay Night contain references to Kara no Kyoukai, but having never read Kara no Kyoukai I had no idea.

This is an insanely complete fansite in English, with a detailed synopsis of each section of the novel, and translations of the teaser sections. Here's the official site for the movie with an online trailer already. And the Wikipedia entry, for completeness.

In other news, the first Fate/Zero novel is due out on Saturday. (!!!!! already?????) When I first heard about the project I thought that it was a prequel game, but no, it looks like it will actually be a series of light illustrated novels. And the identities of the missing two servants have been confirmed: Caster is Gilles de Rais/Bluebeard (and apparently appropriately psychotic in the novel), and Beserker is "The Black Knight." Also, I fail at katakana (or maybe Japan just fails at phonetics, period), and the identity of Assasin is not Hassan ibn Ali. It's actually Hashshashin. Whether "Hashashin" counts as one person or many people remains to be seen. Or maybe it's supposed to be Hassan-i-Sabah. But didn't they already use Hassan-i-Sabah in Fate/Stay Night? Yes, they did. He was the "True Assassin" that Shinji's grandfather summoned after Kojirou was killed. Or something.

So nope, no women this time, except for Arthur. And only two (only two!) of the Masters are women. When I looked at the promo materials and the official website, there was one Master whom I thought was a woman, but apparently is just an effete man. Woe.

However, "The Black Knight" or "Hashshashin" could perhaps turn out to be women. THEORY: WHAT IF THE BLACK KNIGHT IS MORDRED?! OMG OMG OMG.