AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The official Innocence: Ghost in the Shell 2 homepage has updated with an official trailer available in Quicktime and Windows Media formats in three sizes each.

In a surprise announcement, Viz, LLC. has announced its acquisition of the official North American distribution rights to Shin Takahashi’s best selling manga Saishuheiki Kanojo and the 13 episode anime TV series adaptation of the manga. Alternately known as “She, the Ultimate Weapon,” and by the abbreviated title “SaiKano,” the series is a profound and gut wrenching drama about two teens trying to find love with each other in the midst of an apocalyptic war. Making matters more difficult, the timid and clumsy female protagonist has also been modified into a bio-engineered “ultimate weapon” that gradually alienates her more and more from her humanity. The 2002 anime TV series was produced by Gonzo Studios.

The first volume of SaiKano anime will be available in April with the first volume of manga following next June.

Source: Anime on DVD

At last weekend’s Anime Reactor Convention, a representative of Media Blasters made the comment that they were interested in licensing sentai (Japanese live action super hero) series for American distribution. However they were doubtful about the number of people who would support such a release. Yesterday, members of the Jackson Anime & Manga Society began an on-line petition to encourage Media Blasters to license sentai.

Anime and Japanese pop-culture fans interested in seeing Media Blasters import live action adventure shows along the lines of Kamen Rider, Chou Seishin GranSazer, and Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger are encouraged to express their support by signing the petition.

The Yomiuri Newspaper has reported that Tokyo Godfathers will be released simultaneously to American and Japanese theaters on December 29th. Columbia Pictures has moved up the film’s American release date in order to make it eligable for 2004 Academy Award nomination.

Source: Anime News Network

The first episode of Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi, the current second Ai Yori Aoshi TV series, is now available from the Japanese Animate.tv site in streaming Windows Media Format. (Just click the English language “Play” button.) Since the episode is intended for Japanese viewers, it is only available with untranslated Japanese dialogue. The episode will be available for free viewing until November 28th.

The series will be released on American DVD by Geneon Entertainment next year.

Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo

NHK has opened its official homepage for the new anime TV series Futari no Spica (Twin Spica). The series makes its television premier tomorrow.

Infoseek Anime has reported that Nasu Hiroyuki (director of the popular 1985 Bebop High School movie) is currently filming a live action Devilman movie for Japanese release next summer. The film stars 19 year old newcomer Izaki Hisato and will combine live action with animation and CG effects.

Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo

Capcom has updated its homepage for Shinji Mikami’s upcoming Gamecube action game Killer 7 with a download of the game’s Tokyo Game Show preview movie. The MPG video is available in a 640×480 size 30Mb zip file and in a 320×240 resolution 13Mb zip file. Please note that the video clip contains scenes of intense graphic violence.

Question:
I love the Bubblegum Crisis, Crash, and Tokyo 2040 anime. And I know many people, including myself, that consider them “classics.” But what do you think it is that makes it so? Was it the first anime to give viwers the “robots go berserk” story? Was it the first anime to feature a strong, cool, all-girl cast, or was it just the cool designs and cyberpunk setting? Also I heard a new BGC series is being considered. Is there any info on it?

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Anime on DVD has published its positive review of the third and final Omishi Magical Theater: Risky Safety DVD. The disc officially goes on sale throughout North America on November 4th, but some retailers including AnimeNation and Right Stuf International already have copies available.

First edition copies that include a bonus free 3 disc collector’s box are also still available from AnimeNation and any other retail that chooses to carry the limited edition version DVD.

The Magic Box has published new screenshots of the Square Enix produced Fullmetal Alchemist Playstation 2 action RPG game scheduled for release on December 25th. The game is based on the current anime TV series of the same name.

Playhut Entertainment has announced that it will introduce “Chinamation” to America at this weekend’s Las Vegas Comic-Con. Playhut Entertainment will host free daily screenings of DeCheng, Way of the Warriors, Little Monk, Mighty Bunch, and Bird Island.

A new wave of animation featuring China’s top independent animators has finally arrived from Mainland China and Playhut Entertainment brings it to the U.S. for the first time in history. Hidden from view for most of the 20th century, political and economic changes in the 80s and 90s have pulled back the veil, sparking a renaissance of Chinese animated entertainment. “Chinamation” ushers in an exciting new era of entertainment with distinctive artistic styles and epic adventures that are set in ancient and contemporary worlds.

In their continuing effort to expand beyond the distribution of just Japanese animation and manga, TOKYOPOP has acquired the rights to publish “Cine-Manga” (color film comics) based on Nickelodeon’s cartoon The Fairly OddParents. The animated series is America’s #1 show among kids 2-11 and is watched by an estimated 37 million monthly viewers. The first Fairly OddParents Cine-Manga will be available in March 2004.

Question:
Why was Jubei Ninpucho (Ninja Scroll) a box office failure in Japan? It just seems hard to believe. I mean, unless I’m mistaken, Ninja Scroll is popular here in the U.S. Even people I know that don’t watch anime enjoy Ninja Scroll. Also, didn’t it win a best animated feature award at the Yubari International Animated Film Festival? Plus I’ve also been under the impression that Yoshiaki Kawajiri (the director) is a respected film maker in Japan, so the fact that Jubei Ninpucho was a failure doesn’t really make sense to me.

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Amateur Anime style artists are encouraged to participate in Akadot’s Second Annual Halloween Manga Drawing Contest. Just draw your favorite anime character or anime consisting of a Halloween theme. One grand prize winner will receive a Manga Academy I.C. manga supply kit filled with everything you need to create a manga masterpiece. Submissions are due no later than tomorrow!