AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Animate.tv has reported that at Kadokawa Shoten officially announced development of three anime series at the Tokyo Kokusai Entertainment Market 2004 convention, held October 23 & 24.

Trinity Blood, based on the novel series by the late Sunao Yoshida, will be produced by Gonzo Digimation. The series will be supervised by Tomohiro Hirata (Peacemaker Kurogane) and feature character designs by Atsuko Nakajima (Get Backers).

Shuffle, adapted from the popular adult anime computer game, will be animated by Studio Aslead.

Fullmetal Panic! The Second Raid will be directed by Fullmetal Panic! Fumoffu? director Yasuhiro Takemoto and again animated by Kyoto Animation. Seemingly, unlike the comedic Fullmetal Panic! Fumoffu? anime series, the new animation will be a serious adaptation of the two volume Fullmetal Panic! Owaru Day By Day novel story, with the action occuring partially in Hong Kong.

Source: Moon Phase

According to Anime News Network, which did not cite the source of its information, the full digital Appleseed movie will see theatrical release in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Miami on February 14, 2005.

According to Nausicaa.net, Buena Vista Home Video seems to have delayed the American DVD release of Porco Rosso, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and My Neighbor Totoro yet again. The DVDs, originally scheduled for release in August 2004, were delayed until February 2005, and now seem to be delayed again with no announced release date.

FUNimation has officially announced that beginning next Tuesday, the retail price of uncut Yu Yu Hakusho DVD volumes 1-7 will drop to $16.98 each. The VHS releases of uncut volumes 1-7 will retail at $11.98 each.

Source: Anime News Network

To celebrate Halloween, DVD Vision Japan will feature news, reviews, and special features relating to the holiday through November 1st. Current features include reviews of the Hellsing manga volume 1, Versus, Silent Hill 4, and even a sneak peek at Media Blaster’s second live action horror film co-production, Shadow.

Also, DVD Vision Japan will be attending the Anime USA convention at the Sheraton Premiere Hotel in Tysons Corner, Vienna, Virginia on October 30th, giving away Halloween candy as well as a new copy of the Lady Death DVD to the best looking cosplayer.

According to Kung Fu Cult Cinema, Adness Home Video, the domestic distributors of the Japanese Tomie horror movie series, will tentatively release the first DVD volume of the live action Japanese MPD Psycho television series, directed by Takeshi Miike and based on the manga by Tajima Shou & Ohtsuka Eiji, in February 2005. The 2nd and 3rd volume will tentatively follow in April and June.

Question:
How do U.S. anime companies select which anime to license in the U.S.? I’ve read that they get what is usually being fansubbed the most, but it seems now that they are buying shorter OAV series.

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According to the Hollywood Reporter magazine, Dreamworks Pictures has acquired the American distribution rights to the acclaimed live action Japanese Casshern movie.

Source: IGN Film Force

Article provided by Realmplayer66

The first-ever annual international competition to identify the best in “manga” and “anime” talent in the world has been launched, with $75,000 worth of prizes to be won.

A panel of experts including internationally renowned manga writer Koike Kazuo, author of “Crying Freeman” and “Lone Wolf and Cub,” and British manga fan Pete Waterman will judge the entrants to the competition and prizes will be awarded in January/February 2005 in the following categories:

Best Short Animation
Best Storyboard
Best Character

Within each category, prizes will be awarded for work appealing to young children, teenagers or adults, reflecting the wide appeal of the manga genre. Each category prize will be worth $5,000, with a first prize of $30,000 for the best overall entry. The deadline for entries is November 30th 2004. Entry forms can be downloaded from the IMAF website, which has full terms and conditions of the competition.

Work from selected entrants will be exhibited at the first annual International Manga and Anime Festival, which is to be held at the historic London County Hall from December 16th - 19th. The festival will show an original and exciting mix of “manga” and “anime” from around the world in both a modern and original environment. Anime will be on display in and around the prestigious Debating Chamber within London County Hall, with other displays being held in the elegant Riverside Suites overlooking the River Thames, Houses of Parliament and London Eye.

The official Japanese homepage for the upcoming Mahoraba anime TV series is now open. The show will permier on January 9, 2005.

The Mahoraba anime, produced by JC Staff, is an adaptation of Akira Kojima’s romantic comedy manga serial and should not be confused with the similarly named manga and anime TV series Maburaho, created by Tsukiji Toshihiko, and also animated by JC Staff.

Source: Rakuga Kidou

Hyperion Books, owned by the Disney company, has signed a deal to publish “manga” created in America by Japanese artist Misako Takashima, who now lives in Madison, Wisconsin, and whose first comic story was published by the British Manga Mover magazine.

Source: ICv2 News

Square Enix has announced the fourth title in the “Compilation of Final Fantasy VII Project,” a PSP game entitled “Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.” The game production will be supervised by Yoshinori Kitase (Final Fantasy 5-8 & 10, Chrono Trigger) and directed by Hajime Tahata (Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis). The game will tentatively be released in early 2006.

Source: The Magic Box

The official Japanese homepage devoted to the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny fighting game for the Gameboy Advance is now open. The game will go on sale in Japan on November 25.

Source: Rakuga Kidou

Question:
My answer today comes in response to a pair of similar questions:

1. I was wondering what exactly classifies an animation as “anime?” If there is no one element, perhaps you could give me your thoughts. Before I could say anime is anything made in Japan; however a lot of cartoons are made there. I once said it was the style, yet now you see series such as “Teen Titans” and “Jackie Chan Adventures” using that art form. My final idea on what makes anime, anime, is which audience it’s first aimed at. If it’s American, it’s a Cartoon. If it’s aimed originally at Japanese viewers, then it’s anime. This seemed logical. However, wouldn’t that mean the recent Yu-Gi-Oh movie is in theory classified a cartoon motion picture since it was created for the US to start?

2. This is a response to your answer to the question of How much of Anime is Actually Japanese. I just don’t know why you say that anime style animation cannot be called anime. Personally, I believe Wonderful Days is an anime. Just because it isn’t Japanese doesn’t mean anyone can’t call it anime. Cultural differences should never be used to differentiate anime from non-anime. My goal in life is to create anime and have it called anime. I truly believe I can do it if I try. Just because I am not Japanese does not mean I cannot create anime.

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The official website for the upcoming Konami/Madhouse fantasy anime television series Otogi-Jushi Akazukin now hosts a very small resolution streaming windows Media trailer.

Source: Moon Phase