AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The AnimeNation offices and warehouse will be closed tomorrow in observation of the Thanksgiving holiday. Business operations will resume as normal on Friday.

The Daily Yomiuri Newspaper has published a revealing English language interview with Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli producer and personal friend of Hayao Miyazaki. The interview discusses Miyazaki’s personality and its relation to Studio Ghibli, the success of Howl’s Moving Castle, and the fact that Studio Ghibli concentrates on making Japanese movies for Japanese viewers.

Source: Anime News Network

Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki revealed during a Japanese press conference that Pete Docter, director of the animated film Monsters, Inc., will supervise the production of the English language version of Howl’s Moving Castle. John Lasseter, producer behind the English language version of Spirited Away, was the first choice, but he is working on the animated film “Cars” and is unable to handle both films simultaneously.

Source: Nausicaa.net

According to comic industry news website ICv2, FUNimation will release the first two volumes in the “Dragon Ball Z Ultimate Uncut Special Edition” line in April and June, 2005. The new DVD series will present the first 63 episodes of the Dragon Ball Z television series uncut and bilingual for the first time in America. These first 63 episodes were originally edited down to 50 episodes for American TV broadcast and home video release. The Ultimate Uncut Special Edition DVDs will feature remastered video quality and 5.1 surround sound.

In May 2005, FUNimation will begin releasing remastered versions of the first 3 Dragon Ball Z theatrical movies, originally distributed in uncut American DVD editions by Pioneer.

Dragon Ball Z movie 10 will premier on American DVD on March 29, 2005. Movie 11 will debut in August 2005, followed, eventually, by movies 12 & 13.

Viz will launch three new manga series in March 2005: Legendz, by Rin Harai and Makoto Haruno; Happy Hustle High, by Rie Takada; and Doubt!!, by Izumi Kaneyoshi.

Source: ICv2 News

Gonzo Digital Holdings has officially announced that internationally recognized fashion designer Anna Sui will begin designing clothes worn by the characters in the final episodes of Gonzo’s current anime television series Gankutsuou. Hui is apparently interested in Japanese animation and became interested in the Gankutsuou anime series when she visited Gonzo Studio’s office earlier this year.

Source: Moon Phase

Sansai Books has announced the forthcoming release of Moetan II. The first Moetan book, published in November 2003, was a strange Japanese/English dictionary for “otaku” that combined risqué illustrations of pre-adolescent mascot character Nijihara Ink with bilingual entries such as “Expensive: Dahhhhhhh! Don’t launch lots of expensive missiles too quickly.” The first Moetan dictionary was a cult hit especially among Japanese college students.

Moetan II will include 1600 entries, selected from the 17,291 submissions from Japanese fans contributed during a campaign this past summer. The first volume of the two volume Moetan II will retail at 1,000 yen and go on sale in Japan in January 2005.

Source: Moon Phase & Comic Toranoana

Question:
Please tell me it isn’t true that 4Kids have the rights to Naruto? Is it true? Can we do something about it so they won’t get the rights to it?

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According to Right Stuf International, Toei will release its first domestic anime DVDs on February 8, 2005. Air Master volumes 1 & 2 will contain 4 episodes each and retail at $24.98 per disc. Slam Dunk volumes 1 & 2 will contain 5 episodes each and retail at $24.98 each. The DVDs will reportedly be bilingual.

Source: Anime on DVD

Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film, Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl no Ugoku Shiro), set a new Japanese box office record for highest grossing opening ever, earning $14.3 million and 72% of the weekend box office in Japan this past weekend. The film has recieved high praise from international screenings, including a standing ovation at the 2004 Venice Film Festival, but reviews from Japanese fans and critics have been mixed.

Source: ICv2 News

An anime television series adaptation of Miwa Ueda’s Peach Girl manga series will debut on the TV Tokyo network Saturday, January 8th at 7 AM. The anime series is being produced by Studio Comet (School Rumble, Steel Angel Kurumi) and directed by Hiroshi Ishidori (Bubblegum Crash, Geneshaft).

Source: Animaxis and Moon Phase

According to news contributor “blackhvn,” the just released Angel Heart tankouban volume 13 includes an advertising statement announcing an anime adaptation of the manga series. Creator Hojo Tsukasa’s official website states that details on the anime will be forthcoming. Angel Heart is a semi-sequel/alternate reality companion to City Hunter.

Introducing a new twist on old titles, Central Park Media has announced its Anime HotShots line, scheduled to debut in February. The Anime HotShots line of adult anime DVDs will be $9.99 single episode, English dubbed only DVD re-releases of catalog titles. The first titles in the new DVD line will be Private Psycho Lesson OAV 1, Fobia OAV 1, Teacher’s Pet OAV 1, and Love Lessons OAV 1.

Source: Anime on DVD

Question:
I was wondering if you had any idea why it is that Go Nagai is considered one of the most significant figures in manga and anime, although he’s never had a single manga released commercially in the US (at least if he has, I’ve never heard of it)? It would seem strange that a man that has amassed such an enormous quantity of material would have had something released by now.

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ICv2 News has published an extended interview with FUNimation CEO Gen Fukunaga on his plans for FUNimation and his opinions on the present state and future of anime and manga distribution in America.