AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The official Japanese webpages for the upcoming Loveless, Eyeshield 21, and Gokujo Seitokai anime television series are now open.

Source: Moon Phase

The Pop Japan Travel Spring 2005 tour will visit Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo, including stops at Mt. Fuji, Tokyo Tower, the Square Enix headquarters, and the Tokyo Anime Fair. Reservations close March 4th.

The second chapter of the original Pop Japan Travel online manga is now available.

Pop Japan Travel is also now sponsoring a contest to identify the “ultimate otaku.” Submit a one page essay detailing why you are the world’s biggest anime fan, and you could be featured in the Pop Japan Travel manga. Visit the official contest page for additional details.

Anime News Network has published an exclusive interview with Japanese illustrator and character designer Range Murata.

The Japanese production partnership North Stars Pictures has announced the Hokuto no Ken: Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu (Fist of the North Star: New Saviour Legend) project that will consits of 3 theatrical movies and 2 OAVs. City Hunter creator Hojo Tsukasa will provide character designs.

The Hokuto no Ken: Raoh Gaiden Junai-hen (Raoh Side Story Junai arc) motion picture will be released in spring 2006.

The Hokuto no Ken: Raoh Gaiden Gekitô-hen (Raoh Side Story Gekitou arc) OAV will follow in late 2006.

The Hokuto no Ken: Urea Densetsu (Urea Legend) motion picture will be released in spring 2007.

The Hokuto no Ken: Toki Densetsu (Toki Legend) OAV will follow in late 2007.

The Hokuto no Ken: Kenshiro Densetsu (Kenshiro Legend) motion picture will be released in spring 2008.

Source: Little Harlocks Newslog

TV Tokyo will begin airing a new 52 episode Glass Mask (Glass no Kamen) anime television series on April 5th. The Glass Mask manga was adapted into a 23 episode television series in 1984 and a 3 episode OAV series in 1998.

Source: Anime News Network and Moon Phase

The ImaginAsianTV network has announced plans to begin broadcasting the Gravitation and World of Narue anime television series on March 28th. Both series will air in Japanese language with English subtitles.

Source: Anime News Network

Viz has reportedly acquired translation rights to Wataru Yoshizumi’s Ultra Maniac and Aihara Miki’s Tokyo Boys & Girls. Viz has not officially confirmed these acquisitions.

Del Rey has acquired translation rights to Love Roma. The first volume will be released on August 30th.

TokyoPop will release the first volumes of the Rizelmine manga and Tsutomu Nihei’s Blame on August 5th.

Source: Anime on DVD

AD Vision has announced that its DVD release of the first 10 episodes of the 1972 Science Ninja Team Gatchaman television series will be released on June 14th. DVD volumes 1 & 2 will contain 5 episodes each and retail at $14.98 each. Both volumes will also be released in a $44.98 limited edition collection that includes a third disc of supplemental material.

American comic book artist and painter Alex Ross will create original cover art for the AD Vision release.

AD Vision plans to release 105 episodes.

The first 24 Gatchaman TV episodes have previously been released on uncut, subtitled American DVD by Rhino Home Video.

Source: ICv2 News

DrMaster will release an English language translation of the first RahXephon novel on June 10th.

TOKYOPOP has announced plans to release an English language translation of the Japanese novel Duan Surk on August 5th.

Source: Anime on DVD

Gonzo Studios has announced development of an OAV series adaptation of Ubukata Tou’s best-selling and award winning sci-fi novel series Murdock Scramble. The anime is tentatively scheduled for Japanese release in late 2006.

Source: Anime News Network

Hiroyuki Nasu, the director of the 2004 live action Devilman movie, passed away in a Tokyo hospital on February 27th as a result of liver cancer. He was 53 years old.

Source: Anime News Network

AnimeNation will be officially attending this weekend’s Megacon convention in Orlando Florida. Since the AnimeNation News Page editor will be attending the convention, there will be no updates to the AnimeNation News Page tomorrow.

Anime on DVD has published an exclusive interview with AD Vision voice actress Tiffany Grant.

Although earlier this week AD Vision released an official printed retail solicitation advertising a March 8 street date for the first Full Metal Panic High-Definition DVD, the title has been removed from AD Vision’s latest official electronic release schedule.

While manga sales overwhelmingly dominate graphic novel sales in mainstream American bookstores, their popularity in the American comic book retail market is significantly lower. ICv2 News has published the list of estimated best selling graphic novels to comic book and specialty retailers for January 2005. The Samurai Executioner volume 3 translated manga was the best selling book of the month. Ghost in the Shell 2 and Berserk volume 6 were the only other manga titles in the top 10.