NicoDou is over! (not really, but still awesome)

Technorati Tags: ニコニコ動画, ニコ厨, foo-san, Fooさん, NicoChu, NicoDou, NicoNicoDouga, nicovideo, recorder

After using it, I can safely say it is better than I expected. I guess the wait was worth it after all.

I have a lot to say, but for those of you with limited blog reading time, here are the main points:

1. Views NicoDou videos
2. Shows comments
3. Publishes comments
2. Available on US iTunes Store
3. Runs over Edge, 3G, and WiFi

Go get it! (iTunes Link)

Remember, you need a NicoDou account to use this app. If you don’t have one, go get one here!

Full review and lots of screen shots after the jump!

Where to start? This program really was worth the wait. From every angle, the app seems to have really had a lot of work put into it. In fact, they also conveniently updated their flash player at the same time the app was released (approved?). I’m guessing they were saving the flash update to go with the app since they share a new design look and some new functions. So rather than thinking of this as just another app, this seems to be a part of their push to move NicoDou to a wider audience.

For those of you who haven’t heard anything about it yet, but are familiar with NicoDou in general, the app is what you would expect; a way to watch NicoDou videos with comments. One thing people were very curious about was whether it would support adding comments.

Click コメントする

Enter your comment

Choose positon, size, and color.

Even on the actual site, people can see your comment!

As you can see, it does let you put in comments, and that’s really the worst thing about the app. It stops the video and opens up a new screen where you can publish the comments. So, what you lose in real time, you gain in function, since you can do all the colors and variations that are normally available as well.

The thing that really surprised me, well, the first thing that really surprised me was that it was freely available on the US iTunes store. I was so worried I would need a Japanese iTunes account to download it. This saved me a lot of worry! So, peoples of the world, can you download it?

Remember, you still need to enter you account info to sign in. This is accomplished by clicking the 設定 (settei, lower right hand corner).

Then click カウント設定

Enter your mail address and password, and hit 確認 in the upper right.

Last, the thing that really surprised me… It works over edge. See, in Japan, the iPhone wasn’t released until the 3G, so they don’t have the 1st gen iPhones to worry about. Even the user interface tells you if you are on 3G or WiFi. And, since I am on really crappy hacked T-Mobile edge, I would pretty sure there would be no way in hell I could watch videos over edge. I was wrong. It works, even over my stupid edge. The YouTube app doesn’t even work over my edge connection! This is the thing that makes me the happiest man on earth. I can now NicoNico wherever and whenever I like. It is a dream come true.

Using it over Edge, which shows as 3G

One last odd thing I noticed was that one of my videos I uploaded “wasn’t available to non-premium users.” I’m not quite sure what that is about, but I’m guessing they restrict unpopular videos for some reason… further research is needed!

Wow. Why aren’t you playing with it, right now?!

Technorati Tags: app, app review, Apple, ニコニコ動画, Dwango, edge, gadgets, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone Apps, NicoDou, NicoNicoDouga, screenshots, ss, technology, wifi

The basics of the show I’m sure are widely known and not really worth mentioning. I watched it in broadcast order (“Kyon Order”) and thoroughly enjoyed the series. I think みくる (Mikuru) is a manifestation of 80-90′s cyberpunk future アニメ characters. ナガト (Nagato) is pretty much レイ (Rei) from Evangelion. I could totally relate to Kyon, but what red-blooded man wouldn’t? I laughed, I cried, and a good time was had by all.

Then I thought about it. It has really be 5 whole years since I saw any アニメ at all. Well, stray 宮崎 (Miyazaki) films aside. Oh, and starring in that one. But really, I used to watch tons of it in high school and college. Once I moved to Japan, I watched Initial D because I lived in 群馬 (Gunma). But soon enough, I stopped watching it all together. Why would I stop watching アニメ once getting to Japan?! Seems counter-intuitive.

But really, it makes perfect sense. My group of friends changed. I had friends in the states who enjoyed アニメ, and after watching something, I had people I could talk to about it. When I moved to Japan, my friends were more interested in sports and cars and music and alcohol… It wasn’t really your アニメ watching crowd. So even if I did watch something, no one could relate.

Now that I’m back in America, I have started reconnecting with old friends. But more than that, I’ve become a huge ニコニコ動画 (NicoNicoDouga) fan. It’s different than being an アニメ fan, since ニコニコ動画 already has people who you can talk to about the videos built in and in real time. And also, those people are the kind of people who watch アニメ.

So, I am back in the community. Next series I will be watching is らき☆すた (“Luck Star”).

Just have to keep my mouth shut about アニメ when talking to the wife! Wish me luck.

Technorati Tags: anime, おたく, アニメ, キョン, ニコニコ動画, ハルヒ, ヲタク, coming of age, community, gunma, life, NicoDou, NicoNicoDouga, otaku, reflections, wife, 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu1WroT_kOE

I didn’t think this day would ever come. The ニコニコ動画 (NicoNicoDouga) for iPhone and iPod Touch is complete, as reported by ascii.jp! The video above shows many of the features. Basically, it looks to be a nice experience overall, with rankings, search, and of course the ability to comment. You’ll also note, they don’t show comments actually over the video until the very end. I was freaking out. I mean, without the comments, ニコ動 is nothing.

In any case, now they are just waiting for approval from Apple. More will be revealed in the April 7th issue of Weekly Ascii magazine. The second I find a copy of that or the app is actually released, I will be doing everything in my power to bring you guys the juicy details!

NicoNicoDouga 4 life!!!

Technorati Tags: app, Apple, ascii, ニコニコ動画, cell phones, iPhone, iPod Touch, mobile, mobile video, nico on youtube, NicoNicoDouga, nicovideo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQsbGIz8cYw

This is the cutest song and music video I’ve seen in a long while. I guess it could also be seen as scary, depending on if you can be scared by cute little black and white cartoons. The story of the girls who suddenly get telepathic and find out that they are all dating the same guy is flipping awesome. If you understand Japanese, please watch the NicoNicoDouga version. Embedded here is the YouTube version with awesomely awkward subtitles. I wouldn’t have translated it this way, but at the same time, there is art in this translation.

Technorati Tags: ニコニコ動画, 音楽, Hatsune Miku, miku, music, NicoNicoDouga, nicovideo, telepath, telepathy, 初音ミク

13.
【ニコニコ動画】【手書き】初音ミクの消失-DEAD END-【PV】

This 初音ミク song was one of my personal favorites. It’s so sad, but just so well done.

12.
【ニコニコ動画】「手書き」　ゆっくりでいいさ

The ゆっくり (Yukkuri) boom seems to have peaked and passed, but 2008 was fairly dominated by ゆっくり videos. Check out how many there are.

11.
【ニコニコ動画】☆ゲッダン☆

ゲッダン came up late in the game, but I have to say, I still can’t believe it. And I love it.

10.
【ニコニコ動画】初音ミク　が　オリジナル曲を歌ってくれたよ「ワールドイズマイン」

ワールドイズマイン was almost the best 初音ミク song of the year, if not for メルト kicking ass and taking names all over the world. Some of the ワールドイズマイン original drawing versions are pretty amazing, but that’s probably just cause the song is so good.

9.
【ニコニコ動画】さんぽ

This version of さんぽ (Sampo) from となりのトトロ (Tonari no Totoro) has so many Ghibli characters and crazy instruments, you can’t help but just feel warm and fuzzy while watching it.

8.
【ニコニコ動画】メルト-Band Edition-女性キーVer-歌ってみました。by歌和サクラ

メルト and ティッシュ姫 really rocked the charts this year. It is only fitting to have the fusion of the two. メルト technically came along in Dec. of 2007… Actually, so did ティッシュ姫. But, since they both had their heyday in 2008, I’ll forgive ‘em.

7.
【ニコニコ動画】[修造]ホットリックス　リローデッド[MAD]

When I saw this scene in the theaters, I remember hyperventilating over how amazing it was. So when they added the 松岡修造 voice overs, I almost died. Good show!

6.
【ニコニコ動画】チルノのパーフェクトさんすう教室(高画質・高音質版)H264

チルノのパーフェクトさんすう教室 (Chiruno no Paafekuto Sansuu Kyoushitsu) was the star of IOSYS for 2008. The remixes are fantastic and so is the original. Good job guys!

5.
【ニコニコ動画】ソフト・オブ・バンク

Various ナイト・オブ・ナイツ remixes ruled the end of this year. This is my favorite by far.

4.
【ニコニコ動画】特訓するぬこ（滑り込むぬこⅡ）

This cat. Brilliant to teach their cat to do that. When it gets stuck in the box, I died. I am but a ghost now. Heard the previous one of the series was pretty big on YouTube as well. (Series?!)

3.
【ニコニコ動画】M.C.ドナルドはダンスに夢中なのか？最終鬼畜道化師ドナルド・Ｍ
This video is fantastic for a lot of reasons. Now that I’m more into the 東方 Project, this makes way more sense than the first time I saw it on BoingBoing. This is definitely the world’s favorite nicovideo.

2.
【ニコニコ動画】VOCALOIDでニコニコ動画流星群【完成版】

This video introduced me to the ニコニコ動画流星群, and kept me coming back to ニコ動 for a long time. I listened to it so much, when I hear the original songs, I expect the next song to come up. I had to even stop listening to it, I was so obsessed. So this wins #2 hands down. Too bad it isn’t…

1.　
【ニコニコ動画】吉幾三×Capsule×DaftPunk×BeastieBoys　StarrySky – IKZOLOGIC Remix -

This song singlehandedly changed my life. It made me go to ニコ動 to listen to it. I got the “logic” for the end of Yamatologic from it. I still believe this is the pinnacle of human evolution. So, there is no question that it is the top of my 2008 list.

Happy New Year everyone! I can’t wait to see what 2009 has to bring!

Technorati Tags: 2008, さんぽ, ゆっくり, らんらんる～, ゲッダン, ティッシュ姫, ナイト・オブ・ナイツ, ニコニコ動画, メルト, ワールドイズマイン, BeastieBoys, capsule, cats, Daft Punk, funny animals, gaming, Get down, Ghibli, Hatsune Miku, IKZO, iosys, mario, Matsuoka Shuzo, music, New Year's, New Year's List, NicoNicoDouga, nicovideo, Night of Knights, Night of Nights, Ronald McDonald, Ryuseigun, Sampo, Sanpo, Tissue Hime, Tonari no Totoro, Top 10, Top 12, Totoro, touhou, World is Mine, Year In Review, ystk, yukkuri, 初音ミク, 初音ミクの消失-DEAD END-, 東方, 松岡修造, 流星群

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ImN6mCR7sw

Man, sometimes being a ニコ厨 (NicoChuu) isn’t such a bad thing after all. Occasionally there are gems like this song that totally reward you proportionally to how much of a ニコニコ動画 geek you really are.

ニコどー！！(Nico Dou!!) really delivers on the ニコ動 inside jokes with mention of 悪霊退散, ｳﾏｳﾏダンス, IKZO, amongst other things.

Have a nice Nico!

Technorati Tags: ニコニコ動画, ニコ厨, 音楽, Hatsune Miku, ｳﾏｳﾏ, music, NicoNicoDouga, nicovideo, UmaUma, 初音ミク, 悪霊退散

The new version is here. 冬 (fuyu)! But, apparently, rather soonish, ββ (double beta) will be up. The theme of the new versions is community or gathering or THE MOB (as in a group of people who spontaneously act as one, as opposed to organized crime). There is going to be a live news channel, not to mention like a NicoNicoNetwork where there will be over 100 channels of programming. I hate to say a lot of that stuff doesn’t really tickle my fancy really… ><; We’ll see though.

The only thing that I’m actually looking forward to is the new version of NicoNicoMovieMaker. When they show it though, they say that it goes on sale soon. Sale?! Dammit. Now that it actually does something, they are going to be charging for it. But, if it has excellent features, it might just be worth it. Most video editing software is amazingly expensive.

Anyway, the maintenance is over at 12:00 JST or so (3:00 GMT, 19:00 PST). Log in then to try out some of the new stuff!

Technorati Tags: ニコニコ動画, fuyu, Internet, maintenance, NicoNicoDouga, NicoNicoMovieMaker, software, version update, winter, 冬

さらに、iPhone 3Gでもニコニコ動画を視聴できるように開発を進めていることも明らかになった。ニワンゴ代表取締役社長の杉本誠司氏は、具体的な時期や内容は語らなかったものの、「ニコニコ動画らしいものができるように開発を進めている」と述べている。

[My translation]
Additionally, it has been announced that development is progressing so that NicoNicoDouga can be viewed on iPhone 3G as well. Niwango’s representative director, Mr. Seiji Sugimoto, explained that while we cannot give specific details as to when and how this will happen, he did say that, “Development is progressing so that we can make something that is wholly like the NicoNicoDouga experience.”

Yes! But, no… development progresses, but it won’t be available on Nov. 4th. And there’s no guarantee that it will work on my old iPhone, or that it will even work in America. BUT, I still have hope that someday, I will be watching and commenting (yes, that is possible on mobile ニコニコ動画 as well) on videos anywhere I want!

Technorati Tags: Apple, ニコニコ動画, cell phones, CNET Japan, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone Apps, mobile, NicoNicoDouga, Niwango, Seiji Sugimoto, softbank

But today, I was watching ニコニコ動画, and one of the advertisements said 今日の右上 and had a little message, 「もしかして表示されてなかった!?面白い事言ってたのになぁ～」 (moshikashite hyoji sarete nakatta!? Omoshiroi koto itteta no ni na~, “Wait, this wasn’t displaying!? Too bad, I was saying such interesting things…”).

お帰りなさい、右上。(Okaerinasai, Migiue.)

Technorati Tags: ニコニコ動画, ネタ, memes, migiue, NicoNicoDouga, web, websites, 右上