AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The official WOWOW website for Grenadier now hosts a streaming 2 minute long trailer in 58K and 300K resolutions. The new anime series debuts on October 7th.

Source: Moon Phase

The Sankei Sports Newspaper reports that Miura Rieko, the original voice of Read or Die’s Yomiko Readman, will pose nude for a book and DVD titled “Gekkan (Monthly) Miura Rieko,” to be released on September 10th and 29th respectively. The photo book is being produced by Christopher Doyle, the cinematographer for Zhang Yimou’s Hero. Miura also posed nude for the 2001 photo book “Hugs.”

Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo

Today, Atari is officially re-releasing the 1997 Dragonball: Final Bout fighting game for the Playstation. The current re-release of this critically panned game features a new cover illustration, the new title “Dragonball GT: Final Bout,” and a $14.99 retail price. The game was originally released in America in limited quantities by Bandai in July 1997.

And according to Galaxy Anime, the Playstation 2 game Gungrave: Overdose will be released on September 7th at a retail price of $14.99. Additionally, consumers that purchase a copy of Gungrave: Overdose between September 2004 and March 2005 will receive a free three-issue trial subscription to Play Magazine and a limited addition Gungrave art card featuring images from the Gungrave anime, packed with the game.

Question:
Are there any licensed anime that have been popular in Japan but unsuccessful in America?

(more…)

Underland Online has published a very positive review of AN Entertainment’s Miami Guns DVD volume 2.

DVD Vision Japan has published a glowing review of Miami Guns DVD volume 3.

Ain’t It Cool News has published an exclusive review of Innocence and brief interview with director Mamoru Oshii regarding the philosophy of the film.

Director Mamoru Oshii has revealed that next year he will direct a feature film adaptation of his comedy novel Tachiguishi Retsuden. It has not yet been decided if the film will be animated or live action.

In related news, Oshii has confirmed that the producers of the American film “Paris, je t’aime” have asked Oshii to participate in the production. Oshii and Production I.G. are still contemplating the offer.

Source: Anime News Network

Anime on DVD has published its panel report, and an exclusive interview with Right Stuf International, from this year’s Otakon convention.

The new TV anime series Onmyou Taisenki will debut on TV Tokyo on September 30th. TV Tokyo has a website for the series. Bandai Visual also has a more extensive website for the series.

Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo

Japan’s M.O.E. production house has announced that the UG Ultimate Gal anime TV series will debut in January 2005.

Source: Rakuga Kidou

The current issue of Bandai’s Digital Beat newsletter reveals that a new Stratos 4 OAV series will be released in Japan late next spring.

Source: Natsume Goushin Ryu Dojo

DVD Vision Japan has published its review of MAXIMUM, the imported first album from popular J-pop girl group MAX, and its review of Takeshi Miike’s live action film Full Metal Yakuza.

DVD Vision Japan has also transcribed 20 minutes of additional recording material from the In Bed With The Voice Actors interview conducted at Otakon 2004.

The Asahi Newspaper has reported the results of a study by Nomura Research Institute which determined that there are an estimated 2.8 million otaku in Japan, which accounts for roughly 2% of the Japanese population. The study defined and categorized “otaku” as intensely devoted fans of four different fields: manga, anime, video games, and idol singers.

Source: Anime News Network

The Magic Box has published new images of the in-production SNK Playmore arcade fighting game NeoGeo Battle Coliseum. The game is a 2 vs 2 tag fighting game featuring characters from numerous SNK games, including King of Fighters, Metal Slug, Last Blade, Samurai Spirits, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, and more.

Pathfinder Pictures has announced the upcoming American DVD release of four Japanese genre films. Ju-Rei: The Uncanny, and Takeshi Miike’s live action adaptation of the Salaryman Kintaro manga will be released on October 26th. The Takashi Miike directed sci-fi film Andromedia, and yakuza drama Yakuza Demon (Kikoku) will be released on December 28th.

Artsmagic DVD will tentatively release Takeshi Miike’s Young Thugs: Innocent Blood and Young Thugs: Nostalgia on October 26th.

Adness Entertainment will release Shunichi Nagasaki’s Shikoku, staring Chiaki Kuriyama, on October 26th. Masato Harada’s Inugami will be released on November 16th. And Toshiyuki Mizutani’s Isola will be released on January 4, 2005.

Lion’s Gate will release Takashi Shimizu’s first theatrical Ju-On movie on domestic DVD on November 9th. Supplements will include an audio commentary by Sam Raimi, who’s producing Shimizu’s American remake The Grudge, interviews with the director and cast, behind-the-scenes material, outtakes and an alternate ending.

Source: Kung Fu Cult Cinema