Black★Rock Shooter (ブラック★ロックシューター, Burakku Rokku Shūtā^?) is a Japanese media franchise based on characters created by illustrator Ryohei "Huke" Fuke. It revolves around its eponymous character, a mysterious black haired girl with a blazing blue eye. The original illustration inspired a song of the same name by Supercell, which gained popularity on the Nico Nico Douga website. A 50-minute original video animation based on the franchise was produced by Yutaka Yamamoto's studio Ordet, written by Nagaru Tanigawa and Shinobu Yoshioka, and directed by Shinobu Yoshioka. A "Pilot Edition" was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in September 2009, before the full version was released on DVDs bundled with select magazines from July 24, 2010, subtitled in seven languages, followed by a retail release on December 17, 2010. An eight-episode anime television series aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block between February 3 and March 23, 2012. The franchise has also spawned several manga series and a video game for the PlayStation Portable titled Black Rock Shooter: The Game, each set in their own universe.

Plot and characters

While each piece of media takes place in its own universe, they each focus around Black Rock Shooter, a mysterious black haired girl who possesses a burning blue eye and a powerful cannon that can shoot rocks at high speed. Other characters also appear in more than one form of media.
The OVA focuses on a girl named Mato Kuroi, who befriends another girl, Yomi Takanashi, upon entering school. As the two start to drift apart, with Yomi becoming jealous of Mato's friendship with Yuu Kotari, Yomi suddenly disappears. As Mato searches for her, she is taken to a strange world where she meets the mysterious Black Rock Shooter, who merges with her and helps her search for Yomi, fighting off the evil Dead Master who possessed her.
The television series uses the same characters from the OVA in a similar but slightly different storyline. As Mato enters middle school and becomes friends with Yomi, she soon faces personal troubles and the influence caused by another world where Black Rock Shooter fights other girls.
The manga series, Black Rock Shooter: Innocent Soul, follows Black Rock Shooter and her serpent partner, Ron, as they venture the Hazama, a world between Heaven and Earth where stagnant souls that have had regrets become trapped. Left alone, these souls can become demons that can pull in other souls, so it is up to Rock to stop them so they may ascend to heaven.
Black Rock-chan is a comedy series following the everyday life of a chibi styled Black Rock Shooter named Rock-chan and her babysitter De-chan.
In the video game, which takes place in the year 2051, Black Rock Shooter is awoken from slumber and enters a futuristic battlefield where alien forces have invaded the earth and have been terrorizing the planet for 19 years. She must fight off the aliens, while also trying to regain her memories.

Media

Illustration and Song

The origins of Black Rock Shooter date back to an original character illustration titled "Black Rock Shooter" by illustrator Ryohei Fuke, best known by his handle 'Huke', who posted it on his blog and the online artist community Pixiv on December 26, 2007.^[1][2] Ryo of Supercell was inspired by the illustration and created the song "Black Rock Shooter" based on that character using vocals from the Vocaloid singing synthesizer Hatsune Miku.^[3][4][5] Huke joined Supercell and provided the illustrations used in the music video of the song, which was later posted online on the video sharing website Nico Nico Douga on July 13, 2008, which as of August 2009 had over 2.2 million views.^[1] The song was later used as the opening theme for the 2012 anime television series.

 Anime

See also: List of Black Rock Shooter episodes

Produced by Yutaka Yamamoto's studio Ordet and directed by Shinobu Yoshioka, an original video animation (OVA) project based on "Black Rock Shooter" and its music video was announced on August 22, 2009.^[6] The screenplay was written by Nagaru Tanigawa and Shinobu Yoshioka, and character design was done by Yuusuke Matsuo. The music was composed by Ryo and the ending theme song is "Braveheart" performed by The Gomband.^[7]
A "Pilot Edition" of the anime was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) on September 30, 2009 by Good Smile Company.^[6] The pilot contains three short animated videos showing the same scenes from the anime while playing different versions of the song "Black Rock Shooter", much like in anime music videos. The first video uses the instrumental track from the original version of "Black Rock Shooter", the second video uses the "2M Mix" remix of the song with vocals using Hatsune Miku Append, and the third video uses the instrumental version of the "2M Mix". The DVD/BD also came bundled with an image booklet and a CD containing the vocal and instrumental versions of the "2M Mix".^[8]
The full 50-minute version of Black Rock Shooter is subtitled in seven languages,^[9] and was released as a free DVD bundled with Hobby Japan magazine on July 24, 2010. The OVA also came with Gakken's Megami Magazine on July 30, 2010, Animedia magazine on August 10, 2010,^[10] and is also packaged with Figma and Nendoroid Black Rock Shooter figurines. A retail version was released on December 17, 2010 in special (BD+DVD) and regular (BD) editions. Both editions feature a 30-second test short stop motion video as a bonus featuring a remix of "Black Rock Shooter" by Joe Hahn, the DJ of Linkin Park, as well as its making-of video.^[11]
An eight-episode anime television series of Black Rock Shooter,^[12][13] also produced by Ordet with CG production by Sangizen, aired on Fuji TV's noitaminA slot between February 3 and March 23, 2012, and was being streamed in eight languages a day after its initial broadcast.^[14] The series is directed by Shinobu Yoshioka, with the script written by Mari Okada, animation direction and character design by Yusuke Yoshigaki and CG battle direction by Hiroyuki Imaishi.^[15] Fuji TV, Good Smile Company, Toho, Mages, Aniplex, Dentsu and Ultra Super Pictures were involved in the production. The series was released on DVD and BD on June 22, 2012 in a box set containing the original soundtrack and an Insane Black Rock Shooter Figma figurine.^[16] The opening theme is "Black Rock Shooter" (ブラック★ロックシューダー, Burakku Rokku Shūtā^?) by Supercell, sung by Hatsune Miku, while the ending theme music is "Bokura no Ashiato" (僕らのあしあと, Our Footsteps^?) by Supercell sung by Koeda.^[17] The television series is licensed in Australia and New Zealand by Siren Visual.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Rock_Shooter

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that formed in Middleburg, Florida, in 2003.

History

[edit]Early years (2003–2004)

Originating in Florida, childhood friends Ronnie Winter and Duke Kitchens started the band while attending an AP music theory class, in 2001. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus was officially formed in 2003 after the addition of other members that were currently in other bands. The band name, 'Red Jumpsuit Apparatus', was chosen by the band voting for random words they threw on a wall.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus released a "6 song EP CD that was spread throughout different cities to promote the band in 2005". The band also began to become more popular as they used certain social media (Myspace) to advertise their music.While popular in their local scene, the band found it difficult to secure label support. This is why the band had taken time to write songs for a "period of 18 months before they went into the live scene." As they continued to increase live shows and performances, Red Jumpsuits' fan base continued to build to an almost unheard-of level for a local band. This escalating fan base attracted Jason Flom of Virgin Records in 2005 where they then started to work on their first debut album.

[edit]Don't You Fake It (2005-2007)

In 2006, they released their first LP, Don't You Fake It, with the singles "Face Down", "False Pretense", "Your Guardian Angel", and "Damn Regret".

The album was certified gold on November 27, 2006 by the RIAA for sales shipments exceeding 500,000 copies. In February 2007, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus headlined the USTake Action Tour organized for the prevention of youth suicide, along with bands such as My Chemical Romance and Rise Against. Their song "In Fate's Hands" is featured in the video game Madden NFL 07, their song "Face Down" is featured in the video games Saints Row 2 and MX vs. ATV: Untamed, and their song "False Pretense" is featured in the movie Never Back Down.

From 2006-2008 the band did several headliner and supporting shows with bands like 30 Seconds to Mars, Madina Lake, The Audition, Saosin, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Taking Back Sunday, Lorene Drive, The Used, Monty Are I, Amber Pacific, Boys Like Girls, Halifax, Emery, A Static Lullaby, and So They Say.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Don't You Fake It Deluxe Edition (CD/DVD) was released on February 23, 2007. The CD features the album and two exclusive songs, an acousticversion of "Face Down" and a never released out of Australia bonus track "Disconnected".

On May 3, 2007, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus performed on Fort Rucker, Alabama to help benefit the rebuilding of Enterprise High School after it was destroyed by a tornado on March 1, 2007.

Also, in May 2007, the band's single, "Face Down", was featured in the movie Georgia Rule.

In a 2007 interview with the Florida Entertainment Scene, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus teamed up with Virgin Records to raise funds for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. They also headlined the Take Action! Tour which sponsors awareness against teen suicide,against animal cruelty, and domestic violence.

"In Fate's Hands" was used in Madden NFL 07 as well as the 2007 EVER OSL Starleague (Ongamenet). Additional songs used during that OSL season were "Waiting" and "Atrophy".

[edit]Lonely Road (2008–2010)

In June 2007, according to Billboard.com, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus began to work on their second album, Lonely Road, that had "a tentative release date being summer 2008."^[6] The band was then pulled out of their confirmed appearances at the Australian Soundwave festival tour 2008, after their label president promised to pay money that was owed and have the band in the studio, but instead didn't pull through.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2008, the band began an acoustic tour on the east coast in various locations with the group Amaru, who is from the same home town. Ronnie said that the tour felt like they were "Getting back where we all started."

After pulling out of the 2008 Soundwave festival, the band took part in the line-up for 2009.

On September 30, 2008, the band announced in a Myspace blog that on October 3, they would be premiering a demo version of a song from the upcoming album. The song was to be available a day earlier for members of the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus "Alliance" fan group. However, the studio of the song "Pen and Paper" was released to members of the "Alliance" fan group on October 9, and was released on the band's Myspace the following day. Another song, "You Better Pray", the first single from "Lonely Road", was premiered worldwide on PlanetRadio1073.com for free listening beginning on October 21 and began streaming the next day on the band's Myspace page.

Their second studio album, titled Lonely Road, was released on February 3, debuting in the fourteenth spot in The Billboard 200, and was produced by Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Daughtry, Less Than Jake, Hoobastank, P.O.D., The All-American Rejects, Seether, Cold).

Beginning in October 2008, Matt Carter had replaced former guitar player Elias Reidy. Carter was seen working as a tech for the band in the winter and spring of 2008. He had previously jammed with the band before, but decided to pursue something else. Matt was asked to take his spot and has agreed to play with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. In an interview with a Jacksonville newspaper, Ronnie was asked whether or not Matt was officially in the band, to which he responded, "I don't know. I guess he's in the band. We're taking it slow." Matt has been playing with red jumpsuit ever since.

In support of this album the band has done many tours in the Winter of 08/09 and the Spring of 2009 with bands such as Shinedown, Framing Hanley, Tickle Me Pink, and more.

On March 20, 2009, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus released an EP titled Shock Session, featuring acoustic versions of "Pen & Paper", "You Better Pray", and "Face Down".

At the end of May 2009, they announced along with Hollywood Undead, Mest, and The Sleeping that they would be doing a summer tour for the months of June and July, playing mostly club and small venue shows. They will be rejoining Monty Are I for an August 2009 tour throughout Canada and California.

[edit]The Hell or High Water EP and Am I the Enemy (2010–present)

On January 29, 2010, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus announced via their Twitter page that they would have a new EP out in late July/August.

In February 2010, the band parted ways with their label Virgin Records, citing the poor promotion of Lonely Road. They decided to release music independently. According to lead singer Ronnie Winter, "At this point we want to stay completely 100% independent for as long as possible." The first such song was "Valentine," which was released for free on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2010.

On June 22, 2010, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus announced via Myspace blog that their upcoming EP release would be titled The Hell or High Water EP, and that the first song from it, "Choke", would be released on June 28, 2010 as a free download. The EP was recorded in the band's studio in Middleburg, Florida, and was mixed and mastered by Paul Lapinski. This was their first release following their departure from Virgin Records and it was released on August 24, 2010. The full-length album following the EP will be out in early 2011.

The music video for the first single from the EP, "Choke", premiered at purevolume.com on August 25, 2010 in support of the EP's release. It was part one of a three-part series, followed by "Don't Hate" and "Hell or High Water". It shows characters killing record executive-type personnel, running from the police, and then dying in the final video. The moral was violence never solves anything.

In November 2010, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus entered the studio to record their third full-length album, Am I the Enemy, finishing in December 2010 with producer John Feldmann. The album's first single, "Reap", was released via YouTube on March 24, although the song itself was not released to iTunes until April 26. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus later released two other songs from their new album on their YouTube channel, "Salvation" and "Fall from Grace". A June 7 announcement on the band's Facebook page said the new album Am I the Enemy will be released on August 30, 2011. It will contain twelve songs.

On July 11, 2011, lead singer Ronnie Winter announced that guitarists Duke Kitchens and Matt Carter had left the band "to focus on their personal lives", with longtime Red Jumpsuit Apparatus fan Josh Burke filling in as a touring guitarist for "the next couple of months." This was followed by a YouTube video on July 17 welcoming Josh Burke as the official lead guitarist of the band replacing Matt Carter. Ronnie's brother, Randy Winter, was later added as the second guitarist filling-in for Duke Kitchens.

In mid-October, drummer Jon Wilkes decided to depart from the band in order to "...pursue new things and make a living" as a producer. According to Wilkes, he left the band on good terms and wishes them the best. In the tour he has since been replaced by Kristopher Comeaux.

On April 21st, 2012 Red Jumpsuit Apparatus performed at the ICI Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. They were hosted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus was the musical headline for the People Awakening and Uniting For Liberty Festival held on August 25th, 2012 at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ “Reap” was one of the official theme songs for the WWE Hell in a Cell pay-per-view event on October 28, 2012.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Jumpsuit_Apparatus

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