Japanese publisher Shogakukan has announced that the 5 episode “BLACK LAGOON: Roberta’s Blood Trail” OVA series will premiere on DVD & Blu-ray July 17th.
Source: Moon Phase Diary
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G.Addict, the J-pop group consisting of anime voice actors Yuuki Kaji, Atsushi Abe, Takuma Terashima, and Kazuma Horie will release its first single, “everlasting note,” on May 26. The CD single will include a DVD featuring an original anime music video. The group released its first mini-album, “Signal,” last December.
Three of the four members of G.Addict (Kaji, Terashima, and Horie) have roles in the currently airing Durarara!! anime television series. Terashima and Horie have both previously had parts in the Kiba and Persona -Trinity Soul- anime series. All four members of G.Addict will star in the upcoming OVA series Goulart Knights.
Source: Anime News Network
ICv2 reports that its survey of domestic manga publishers determines that 2010 will likely see a 13% decrease in domestically published manga compared to 2009. “It appears likely that the number of volumes of manga released in 2010 will be under 1,000 for the first time since 2004.”
The Internet Movie Database reports that Studio Ghibli’s 2006 feature film Ged Senki will premiere theatrically in the United States on July 30. No American distributor has confirmed domestic distribution plans for the film, although it’s probably safe to assume that if the film is actually licensed for domestic release, it’s a Disney property. Despite earning mixed reviews, the film was Japan’s highest grossing domestically produced movie in 2006. It was only outgrossed by The Da Vinci Code and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.
The film had been prevented from getting official American distribution by the Sci-Fi Channel’s exclusivity rights to film adaptations of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea novel series; however, that exclusivity expired last year.
Granted, it’s not the finest Ghibli movie, but it’s not nearly as bad as commonly circulated criticism claims.
Source: Nebs Blog
Article provided by Daniel Zelter
Japanese independent music label hydeout productions has publicly confirmed that hip-hop music producer Jun “Nujabes” Seba passed away on February 26 following an automobile accident in Tokyo. Nujabes was 36. Nujabes made his professional debut in 2003. He’s probably best known to American anime fans as the soundtrack composer for the 2004 Samurai Champloo anime series.
Source: Anime News Network
Nozomi Entertainment has formally announced its acquisition of North American distribution rights to the 1985 Dirty Pair television series. The classic 26 episode show is the only Dirty Pair anime to have never been previously officially released in America. The series will be hit American DVD on December 12 in two subtitled DVD collections retailing at $49.99 each.
Yup. Already pre-ordered my sets.
Reportedly author Akinari Matsuno & illustrator QP:flapper’s light novel series MM! will be adapted into an anime television series. The romantic comedy revolves around a high school boy trying to find a “cure” for his tendency to get sexually aroused by being physically and verbally abused by women. Eight novels have been published since 2007. Artist Issei Hyoju launched a manga adaptation in 2008.
Source: Moon Phase Diary
The NHK Educational network has announced that a Doubutsu Kankyou Kaigi ~ Animal Conference on the Environment anime television series will premiere on the 20th. The Animal Conference on the Environment multimedia project was launched in 1997 during the 3rd Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Kyoto, Japan. The project consists of 7 children’s picture books promoting environmental awareness, and short animation clips. The anime television series will consist of 20 five minute episodes, starting with five existing episodes joined by 15 new episodes.
Source: Moon Phase Diary
Hobby Japan has announced the launch of a “project” based on the Rokujouma no Shinryakuja light novel series by author “Takehaya” and illustrator “Paco.” The project announcement notably features an English language original anime teaser trailer.
Source: Moon Phase
A new report from the Tokyo-based Research Institute for Publications reveals that Japanese manga magazine and manga book sales dropped 6.6% in 2009, the largest single year decline in the history of Japanese manga publishing. Manga magazine sales, alone, dropped by 9.4% to 191.3 billion yen ($2.12 billion USD), dipping below 200 billion yen in annual sales for the first time in 18 years. Annual printed manga sales peaked at 586 billion yen in 1995. 2009 sales were down to 418.7 billion yen. The decline is blamed on the global economic recession and an absence of new smash hit manga series.
However, Japanese sales of manga distributed via cell phone has regularly experienced double digit annual growth since 2003 when commercial manga distribution via cell phone began. Furthermore, as of 2009 only 13.5% of Japan’s population was under the age of 15, down from a high of 35.4% in 1950.
Source: Anime News Network
The Asahi Newspaper reports that the current Japanese legislative majority Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) intends to delay voting on the adoption of a proposed ban on sexually provocative visual depictions of fictional characters that appear, in any respect, younger than 18 years of age. Anime translator Dan Kanemitsu has theorized that the DPJ may intend to delay a vote until the assembly’s next regular session begins in June.
The proposal has been widely criticized and opposed by the Japanese manga/anime industry which perceive it as a compromise of freedom of expression. The broad language of the proposed bill would certainly, if passed, impose a nearly mortal stranglehold on manga and anime in the styles and genres they currently and have traditionally existed in.
Personally, I’m surprised that this bill has even made it as far in serious legal consideration as it has. The DPJ’s rumored decision seems like a familiar and very Japanese action reminiscent of the three year “study” on the effects of lolicon art; put it off and quietly forget about it. I suspect that even Japanese politicians are smart enough to realize how harmful to the Japanese economy and social identity a ban like this would be.
Source: Anime News Network
On April 3, 2010 at 1:30 PM, the Freer and Sackler Galleries, in partnership with Otakorp, Inc. and the DC Anime Club, will host a cosplay contest as part of the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Anime Marathon. The contest is open to individuals or groups. Each individual or group will be given a maximum of three minutes to perform before an audience in the 300-seat Meyer Auditorium in Washington, D.C. A panel of judges will present awards at the end of the event. All costumes and performances must be family-friendly.
To enter, send an email to fsgasiafilms@si.edu with your name, the number of people in your group (if applicable), and a brief description and picture of the character(s) you will be performing. The first 20 individuals or groups who respond will be accepted.
Question:
I aspire to work in the animation field. I’m still really young and naive and therefore have no idea where to start especially since I’m Canadian and in no way directly connected to Japan and their companies. So I was wondering, in the animation business, who has the most say in the plot and characters of the anime, the director or screenplay writer? I would like to write my own anime and would still like some say in other areas other then just the plot. If I were to start writing my own anime series, should I attempt to do so in novel form or like a script? I’m not really sure how to go about it. I know it is a very collaborative profession but would like to begin as soon as possible even if that means I’ll be doing most of the development myself. Any advice on how I should begin properly?
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
