Viz Media has formally launched its anime streaming site, Viz Anime. The site utilizes an embedded Hulu video player to offer over 400 free anime episodes with more being added weekly. The site also offers social networking tools, personal user profile pages, and user submitted episode ratings.
Source: Viz Media
I'm happy. Can't you tell?
Sentai Filmworks has announced plans to produce English dubs for the Clannad, Blue Drop, Ghost Hound, Legends of the Dark King: A Fist of the North Star Story, and Tears to Tiara anime series. The dubs will be produced by Seraphim Digital (formerly AD Vision’s Amusement Park Media). Sentai Filmworks will also offer an “upgrade” option for consumers that have already purchased any of these titles on presently available subtitled-only DVD.
The plan to dub these titles is described as a “limited program,” suggesting that these five titles may be exceptions rather than the beginning of a standard policy for Sentai Filmworks to release anime in bilingual editions.
Source: Anime News Network
Dark Horse Comics will release the first volume of the Neon Genesis Evangelion: Campus Apocalypse (Shin Seiki Evangelion: Gakuen Datenroku) manga series on August 11. The shoujo manga by artist Ming Ming re-imagines the robot anime as a haunted school story in which the cast of students battle mysterious creatures known as “Angels” after school. The four volume series was originally published in Japan from 2007-2009.
Source: ComicNewsi
Japanese publisher Kadokawa has announced, with a veiled announcement, word that an anime adaptation of author Kazuki Sakuraba’s mystery novel series Gosick is now in development. “Gosick,” the official Romanization of the franchise title, is an odd Romanization of the Japanese spelling of “gothic.” The novel series is set in 1924 in a fictional Alpine nation called “Sauville” and stars a schoolboy and a brilliant young girl detective. Sakuraba has published 6 Gosick novels and 3 short story collections since 2003. Tokyopop has published the first two novels in English.
Source: Anime News Network
Advertising obi found on freshly printed copies of Suu Minazuki’s Sora no Otoshimono manga reveal the production of a second “SoraOto” television series. The popular risqué romantic fantasy comedy series’ first television anime aired in Japan last fall.
Source: Anime News Network
The seventh Japanese DVD volume of the current Durarara!! television series will contain the shows’ 13th episode and a previously unreleased bonus episode. Limited edition copies of the DVD will also include a drama CD adapting a previously unadapted side story from author Ryohgo Narita’s seventh Durarara!! novel. The 7th Durarara!! DVD will go on sale in Japan on August 25.
And this should surprise no one.
Source: Anime News Network
The TV Asahi television network has announced that “Jotei Kaoruko,” a live action TV series adaptation of Ryo Kurashina’s manga, will premiere next month. Fashion model Mirei Kiritani will make her acting debut in the series playing Saya, a Ginza night club hostess searching for her long-lost mother. Jotei Kaoruko is a loose sequel to Kurashina’s “Jotei” manga, which was turned into a live action TV series in 2007.
Source: Tokyograph
The homepage for the Ikkitousen anime franchise has added a new trailer for next month’s Ikkitousen Xtreme Xecutor television series. The trailer features pantsu, violence, and the series’ opening theme song, “Stargazer,” performed by Yuka Masuda. The first episode of the fourth Ikkitousen television series will have an advance preview broadcast on Japanese television on March 26. The regular weekly broadcast will begin on April 11.
Source: Anime News Network
The homepage for next month’s Angel Beats! anime television series has released its 8th promotional video.
Really, isn’t this show increasingly looking like a greatest hits collection of tropes and characteristics from every popular recent bishoujo anime? School uniforms? Check. Guns (see Suzumiya Haruhi and Sora no Woto)? Check. Chains (see Sora no Otoshimono)? Check. Imouto? Check. Tsundere? Check. Girl band (see Suzumiya Haruhi, Manabi Strait, K-On)? Check. Sad girl in snow, er, confetti? Check. I’m not exactly complaining. I just hope this lives up to its tremendous advance billing.
The homepage for animator/director Jun Awazu’s new picture, Planzet, has added a new streaming trailer. The full CG alien attack sci-fi/action movie is scheduled for Japanese theatrical premiere on May 22. The new trailer is also available below:
Granted, not as exciting as the first trailer since this one introduces the characters and a bit more plot. The characters aren’t the most lifelike CG I’ve ever seen, but this does still look good from a low budget indie production.
Source: Quiet Earth
The homepage for the upcoming Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider The Movie: Cho Den-O Trilogy has added a streaming trailer. The latest installment in the 2007 Kamen Rider Den-O series is a trio of theatrical movies. Episode Red, opening on May 22, will star Kamen Rider Den-O supporting character Kamen Rider Zeronos. Episode Blue, opening June 5, will feature Kamen Rider Den-O supporting character Kamen Rider New Den-O. Episode Yellow, opening June 19th, will star Kamen Rider Decade supporting character Kamen Rider Diend.
Source: Anime News Network
Question:
Spoilers Within!
While there have been several anime and manga where a major protagonist has gone over to the villain’s side (often for altruistic motives such as protecting a loved one or to act as a double agent). There doesn’t seem to be many anime or manga where a major protagonist has become one of the main villains. One notable example of this are the recent events unfolding in Naruto, where Sasuke Uchiha, once a major protagonist has become over the course of the second part of the series, a main villain. While there have been instances when a major protagonist has become a villain, it is mostly short lived. An example is Vegeta in the final saga of DBZ where he allowed himself to be taken over in hopes of regaining his former power before joining Goku’s party. Only for few chapters later he sacrifice himself to try and destroy Majin Buu to atone for his mistake in helping to resurrect him. In Fullmetal Alchemist Ling Yao in his search for immortality becomes the new Greed and allows him to take over his body. Later on though he rejoins the hero’s side but becomes something of an anti-hero by wanting to become the ruler of the world by killing his original creator. I was wondering if there has been other anime or manga where a major protagonist ended becoming a major villain.
Read the rest of this entry »
Digital Manga has formally announced its acquisition of Ayano Yamane’s Finder Series of yaoi manga. Finder volume 1: Target in the Viewfinder will go on sale this summer.
The Finder Series books were previously licensed for English language release by Central Park Media, but never released.
Fans of last year’s bishoujo mahjong anime TV series Saki may enjoy watching the opening video for the upcoming Saki Portable PSP game. It’s streaming on the game’s homepage now. The game goes on sale on the 25th.
Source: Moon Phase
Question:
There have been numerous reports recently about the Chinese media copying -nearly panel for panel- Japanese anime series and passing them off as their own series. What do Japanese fans and the industry feel about this? And why are copyright laws so completely unenforced in China (which is now the 2nd/3rd largest economy on the planet, and doesn’t need to be cheap about stealing anime)? If an American company were to produce and rip off Naruto with a series “Nharuto” that looked 99% identical, then there’s no way they’d be able to get away with it without having their pants sued off.
