Hi all,
After a long Christmas/New year break the team at BAL are finally back. We left everyone hanging with our annoncement that we would be shifting to a primarily online delivery of our content now. We’re still affiliated to the great people at Edge but will be focusing on the podcast and website rather than a weekly radio show. Hope everyone enjoys this change.

Right, down to business. This episode of the podcast will look at:
POP JAPAN TRAVEL’S NEWEST TOUR – TOKYO INTERNATIONAL ANIME FAIR from Active Anime (press release)
More about anime freak Mere Doyle USA Today
Hobart’s AI Con is on the radar.

leiji matsumoto’s manga meter watch is big, bad and awesome Technabob (blog)

Not Manga related, but a fun idea:
Pretend To Be A Time Traveller Day
“because obviously there aren’t enough time travellers”
What: Performance
Start Time: 08 December at 00:00
End Time: 08 December at 12:55
Where: Everywhere You Can Possibly Harass Citizens

To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=133916279611&mid=17db0d5G3e34191fG11d2f8eG7

A sobering look at the threats facing the future of the anime industry here: Discontent Seeps Into Japan’s Anime Studios. Low Pay, Long Hours and Dwindling Demand Change the Plot for Animation Juggernaut

Westerner sets up host cafe for female otaku in Ikebukuro Manga fascination: An interview with translator Simona Stanzani

Japanese tourism to tample based on manga Japanese temple resorts to manga to woo visitors

Initial D’s Signed AE86 Replica Auctioned for Charity [ANN Au]

Eva 2.0 Wins 1st in Animation at Lyon Asian Film Fest [ANN Au]

Madhouse’s Iron Man Next Spring, Wolverine in Summer [ANN Au]

Live-Action Bebop Producer Reveals 1212 Entertainment [ANN Au]

Otaku Marries a Nintendo DS character [Japanator]

I’ve been checking out some great trailers for the oddest Japanese video games like Metal wolf chaos and My Girlfriend Is the President which Escapist has an interesting article on.

Inazuma Eleven games and anime getting localised

Booze Tastes Better At Kobe’s Gundam Toy Bar

Astro Boy gets a wrap up in The Australia

And some new anime for review:
Ghost in the Shell 2.0 Redux
Gunslinger Girl II Teatrino Season 2 Collection
Sword of theStrnger
Pet Shop of Horrors
Mahoromatic Season 2
Ponyo
Evangelion 1.0 You are (not) alone