AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Media Blasters has announced release dates for several new anime titles:

Shura no Toki volume 1 with artbox & scroll – 125 minutes – $39.95 – available March 15
Fight! Iczer One – 100 minutes – $19.95 – available April 12
Giant Robo: Ginrei Special – 100 minutes – $24.95 – available April 12
Blame! – 37 minutes – $19.95 – available May 10

Adult Anime Titles:

Kyakki: The Secret of Devil’s Island – 90 minutes – $29.95 – available April 12
Angelium – 60 minutes – $29.95 – available April 26
Moonlight Lady Complete Collection – 150 minutes – $69.95 – available April 26
Kizuna: Much Ado About Nothing (yaoi) – 45 minutes – $29.95 – available May 31

Source: Anime on DVD

FUNimation has announced that the entire 4 episode Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris OAV series will be released on a single $29.95 DVD on July 5th.

Source: Anime on DVD

CMX Manga has announced that the first English translated volume of Matoh Sanami’s manga series Tenryu: The Dragon Cycle will be released on April 27th.

Source: Anime News Network

According to Diamond Comics, Viz LLC. has acquired the translation rights to Naoki Urusawa’s manga series 20th Century Boys.

Source: Anime on DVD

According to ICv2 News, The Cartoon Network will debut its new season of Rave Master on Saturday, January 22nd at 6:30 p.m. On February 7, the show will begin airing daily Monday through Thursday at 10:30 p.m.

The official CLAMP homepage has announced production details about the anime adaptation of the Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE anime television series. “Tsubasa Chronicle” will be animated by Bee Train Studio (.Hack, Noir) with direction by Koichi Mashimo (Madlax, Meine Liebe) and character design by Minako Shiba (Madlax, Meine Liebe). The opening theme song will be performed by Kinya; the ending performed by Maaya Sakamoto.

Source: Little Harlocks Newslog

The official BeSTACK studio homepage has confirmed that a Seikai no Senki III (Banner of the Stars 3) anime will debut this year. A Seikai no Senki III drama CD will be released on April 22.

Source: Moon Phase

A ten page preview of the Pop Japan Travel the Manga is now available online. The Pop Japan Travel Manga is a “All new concept! Manga meets Japan survival guide written by Japanese mangaka [and] professional American anime otaku.”

Question:
My question is regarding announcements for second seasons. I know some shows never get a season 2, but for those that do (or most likely will), is there a general rule/time frame for the continuation and announcement of a second season? Do companies usually have an idea near the end of season one that they will do a second season, and if so, do they usually announce a second season shortly after the conclusion of season one? Or does it take longer to sort things out?

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The Dallas Kidfilm Festival will screen the English language dub of The Cat Returns this Sunday, January 23rd, at 2:30 PM. Tickets will go on sale at 11:30 AM on the day of the show.

Source: Nausicaa.net

According to Animated Bliss, Manga Entertainment will release the Street Fighter Alpha 2 anime DVD on June 7. The official Japanese Street Fighter Zero the Animation website has no references to a second OAV series.

Source: Anime News Network

After opening in limited American theatrical release last Friday, the Appleseed motion picture earned $79,818 in its first four days of release, or roughly $643 per theater per day. By comparison, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence opened theatrically in 47 theaters nationwide and earned $317,722, an average of $6,760 per theater per day over its first 3 days of release.

Source: Anime News Network

According to ICv2 News, the Cartoon Network has contracted to acquire and broadcast 26 new episodes of TOKYOPOP’s Rave Master anime television series.

The Shoujo Arts Society and Yuricon LLC have announced their brand new convention titled “Onna!” (Woman!). The Onna! convention will showcase anime and manga of all types relevant to women. Onna! will also offer a Western programming track featuring women’s comics and animation from the US and Canada, as well as women who work in these and other related fields. Onna! will be open to all ages, and both men and women that are interested in anime, manga, or comics with a positive female perspective. Onna! will be held on Columbus Day weekend, October 8 to 10, 2005, at the Hilton Gateway in Newark, New Jersey.

Source: Anime News Network

Giant cable company Comcast, which bought International Channel Networks from Liberty Media Corp. last July, has announced plans to redesign the International Channel as an Asian themed television network this spring. The International Channel currently reaches 10 million homes throughout America. The redesigned International Channel will consist of current day Asian news broadcasts, English-language original programing, and a wide selection of Asian language acquisitions ranging from Korean dramas to Bollywood films.

Source: Yahoo News Asia