TV-Tokyo now hosts a streaming Real Media version of the Monkey Turn TV series opening animation. The opening features the theme song “Kokoro ga Tomaranai” performed by Jewelry.
Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo
Majesco has announced plans to publish an American Xbox version of Sammy’s Guilty Gear X2 #Reload this summer.
Bandai Japan has announced plans to release a Saiyuki Reload: Gunlock game for the Playstation 2 this summer.
Source: The Magic Box
Question:
I’m Japanese. On a 2 channel BBS, an anime fan writes that US anime fans write in a forum that “Maria-sama ga Miteru” would not be licensed in the US because the USA is quite conservative. What’s your opinion? Is it actually difficult since it can be thought as being against Christianity?
Animerica Magazine (published by Viz, the domestic distributor of the Inuyasha manga and anime) has reported that the first Inuyasha movie will be released to American DVD this summer, with the second film to follow this fall.
Source: Anime on DVD
Comics One has announced plans to release the first English translated volume of Shinsuke Kurihashi’s Maniac Road manga series in July.
Source: Jagged Team
Viz has announced that Naruto graphic novel 3 and Rurouni Kenshin graphic novel 4 have both appeared in USA Today Newspaper’s list of top 150 best selling books for the week of April 18th. These two manga are the first graphic novels to ever sell enough copies to break into the national top 150 selling books.
Rurouni Kenshin entered the list at #134 and moved up to rank 125 in its second week on the list. Naruto graphic novel 3 held position #131 for one week before falling off the list.
Six years after the conclusion of the Flame of Recca anime TV series, Konami has announced a revival of the series as a Playstation 2 “anime battle” adventure/fighting game. Recca no Honou ~Flame of Recca Final Burning~ will go on sale on June 10th. The official site offers game screenshots and a streaming trailer in Windows Media and Real Media formats in broadband (ADSL) and narrowband (ISDN) sizes.
Source: The Magic Box
According to Moon Phase, the Musumet RGB anime TV series will debut on June 13th. The series will be directed by Kimiya Shigeru, director of Hand Maid Mai.
Question:
Has the .hack//DUSK manga been completed in Japan? If so, why hasn’t Tokyopop released the final volume? If not, why did Tokyopop license it if it wasn’t finished?
Anime News Network has published its positive review of Omishi Magical Theater: Risky Safety DVD volume 2.
The official Re: Cutey Honey website now hosts a 1:12 long streaming Real Player trailer for the upcoming 3 episode series. The trailer is available in broadband and narrowband sizes.
Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo
ICv2 News has reported TOKYOPOP’s announcement of a new line of “NBA Sports Manga” that have nothing whatsoever to do with actual Japanese comics. The latest line in TOKYOPOP’s “cine-manga” line of books will add word baloons to photographic images of NBA basketball stars to create full color graphic novel books. According to TOKYOPOP, the use of word balloons and captions constitutes “manga-style.”
Viz has officially announced Shonen Jump USA Magazine’s advertising/art contest partnership with Dr. Pepper titled, “Be You, Be a Pepper, Be Manga.” Entrants are encouraged to draw themselves in manga style consuming Dr. Pepper soda. 20 finalists will be selected on the criteria of originality, creativity, and Dr. Pepper product placement. The grand prize winner, selected by Shonen Jump website visitors, will recieve a Trek mountain bike valued at $400. Dr. Pepper spokesman Peter Nelson states that the campaign is expected to be a success based in part on the, “increasing ‘coolness’ of manga and anime.”
Viz has officially announced that Pokemon Advanced DVD volumes 1 & 2 will debut in America on July 20th. Each volume of the second Pokemon TV series will retail at $14.99 each.
Source: Anime on DVD
According to a headline on Alternative Live’s April 28th news update, the upcoming Playstation 2 bishoujo adventure game Double Wish, scheduled for release later this year, will debut as a television anime in October.
Moon Phase hosts a magazine page scan that seems to confirm plans for an anime adaptation.
Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo
Wired Magazine has published an interview with J-List founder Peter Payne.
