AnimeNation and AN Entertainment will officially attend this weekend’s Animazement convention, along with the primary English dub cast of AN Entertainment’s upcoming release Miami Guns. As a result, there will be no further updates to the AnimeNation News Page until next week.
The official Japanese Re: Cutey Honey website now hosts the show’s 2 minute long opening animation in streaming Real Media format.
Source: Moon Phase
Geneon will release the first DVD volumes of Gregory Horror Show, re-named “Gregory Horror House,” and Stellvia on September 21st. Both DVDs will contain 4 episodes and retail at $24.98.
Source: Anime on DVD
The Japanese web pages for upcoming anime TV series Genshiken and Kujibiki Unbalance are now open. Genshiken is based on the “otaku manga” (manga about otaku) by Kio Shimoku. Kujibiki Unbalance is the fictional anime TV series that the Genshiken characters watch. Both series will air on Japanese TV this fall.
Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo
Impress Corporation has announced that the full CG rendered Digimon movie “Digital Monster X-evolution” (pronounced “zevolution”) will be released next year, along with new video game and toy tie-ins.
Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo
Media Blasters has apparently expressed some interest in licensing “tokusatsu” (Japanese live action special-effects show) programs for American release. But Media Blasters is hesitant to license such programs without knowing if there’s a demand for them in America. The Japan Hero fan site has organized a “Hero Campaign” poll for fans to have their desire for tokusatsu relayed to relevant domestic licensors.
J-pop supergroup Do As Infinity will perform live on June 7th at the The Cutting Room in New York City. Admission is free to those 21 years and older. There is a $10 food or drink minimum per person. For more details, call The Cutting Room at (212) 691-1900.
Source: Anime News Network
Evangelion director Hideaki Anno’s live action directorial debut, 1998’s Love & Pop, a film about Japanese teen prostitution, will finally be getting an American DVD release from Kino Video on July 6th. The film was considered a Viz property for years, until Viz sold its live action film catalog to Kino Video.
Source: Anime News Network
In anticipation of the currently filming American re-make of Ju-On, Lion’s Gate has announced plans to release the original Japanese horror film to American theaters this July. The official American trailer is available from IFILM.
On a trivial side note, Ju-On has a cameo in the first episode of the Midori no Hibi anime TV series.
Source: Ain’t It Cool News
ArtsMagic DVD has acquired American DVD distribution rights to Blue Spring, a live action adaptation of Taiyo Matsumoto’s manga of the same name, and Takeshi Miike’s Sabu.
New company Subversive Cinema will be releasing Fujii Shugo’s Living Hell, Yudai Yumaguchi’s Battlefield Baseball, and Shinya Tsukamoto’s Gemini on domestic DVD.
Source: Kung Fu Cult Cinema
Ain’t It Cool News has published the first promotional image of the upcoming film Godzilla Final Wars.
Question:
I got a question about why Japanese people seem to love those transform stuff. Transform like in Salior Moon, Ultra Manic and etc. All the people I know hates the part where they “transform.” Why do they like it so much? Characters in like Yumeria transformed for like 2 episodes and stopped. Why can’t they do that? Why waste 25 seconds to see the same thing happen in every episode?
Media Works has announced that Tanaka Kunihiko’s Ichigeki Sacchuu!! Hoihoi-san manga, based on Konami’s Playstation 2 action game, will be released as a tankoubon (collected volume) on September 30th in a 3,000 yen limited edition that comes with a bonus 10 minute long anime OAV on DVD. A regular book only version of the manga will retail at 945 yen beginning October 9th.
Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo
Japanese book retailer Chuosha has revealed that Yumeta Company (Animation Runner Kuromi) will produce an anime TV series adaptation of the manga/video game/OAV anime Harukanaru Toki no Naka de. The TV anime will be titled “Harukanaru Toki no Naka de: Hachiyou Shou.”
Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo
Japan’s National Tax Administration Agency has released its lists of highest income tax payers for the 2003 financial year. No professionals in Japan’s anime/manga industry number among Japan’s 100 highest paid workers, but there are five industry professionals in the top 10 of taxpayers employed in the “Other” category.
3. Rumiko Takahashi (tax 170,640,000 yen) - last year in 8th position
5. Gosho Aoyama (author of Detective Conan) (tax 159,430 yen) - not in the top 10 last year
6. Tsunku (music producer & former lead singer of “Sharan Q” the group that performed the Sorcerous Stabber Orphen opening theme) (tax 151,600,000 yen) - last year in 7th position
9. Konomi Takeshi (author of Prince of Tennis) (tax 122,670,000 yen) - last year in 10th position
10. Jo Hishaishi (composer of music for Studio Ghibli movies, etc) (tax 120,400,000 yen) - not in the top 10 last year
Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo
