AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Question:
Ever since the year 2000, anime has gone down the digital path, getting rid of traditional cel animation completely. And I’ve noticed that ever since this transition, most anime do not have the same cinematic feel of anime produced with cels on film. Anime looks less-detailed, may have too much use of CG - no matter how it looks, or just looks plain cheap (unless there is an exceptional budget involved). My question is, do you feel that digicel animation has ruined the cinematic integrity of most anime today? What are some of the irks it gives you, if any? What type of animation do you prefer overall, cel on film or digicel? And what are some current digicel works you feel maintain the feel of anime done with cels, if any?

(more…)

Galaxy Anime has updated with an exclusive interview with voice actor Greg Ayres discussing issues including Saiyuki and Naruto vs. Dragonball Z; and streaming trailers for video games including Fafner: Dead Aggressor, Bleach, Saint Seiya, Rave Master, and Namco X Capcom.

Score Entertainment has announced plans to include randomly inserted sticker cards autographed by Inuyasha creator Rumiko Takahashi in its upcoming Inuyasha Trading Card Game series. Score has now revealed that the first edition printings of the Inuyasha Card Game fourth and fifth series releases will contain only 2 autographs each. Since Rumiko Takahashi rarely provides autographs, genuine Takahashi autographs are extremely rare, even in Japan.

Source: ICv2 News

Bandai Games has announced the titles it will promote to industry representatives at next month’s E3 video game trade show. All of the games, which should eventually see American release, are based on anime.

The One Piece: Grand Battle fighting game for PS2 and GameCube
The One Piece side-scrolling action game for Gameboy Advance
The Zatch Bell fighting game for the GameCube
The Inuyasha: Feudal Combat fighting game for the PS2
The DICE: DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises action game for the PS2
The Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Never Ending Tomorrow action game for the PS2
The Digimon World 4 RPG for the PS2, GameCube and Xbox
The Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex FPS for the PSP

Source: Jagged Team

The official Japanese websites for the Playstation 2 Gundam: True Odyssey and Futakoi Alternative games are now open.

Source: Rakuga Kidou

Question:
I’ll admit that I’m a big Sailor Moon fan. But I’m also a fan of mahou shoujo in general, and there are other titles I like just as much. Something I’ve noticed is that there seems to be a huge number of Sailor Moon fans out there who are more than a little obsessed. They have no interests in life outside of it. They’re fanatically loyal to anything Sailor Moon and label any other mahou shoujo as a “ripoff.” I’ve seen you mention this kind of fan before. What do you think of them, and why do you think it is that they’re so clingy?

(more…)

Animate.tv now hosts a streaming Windows Media trailer for the Peto Peto-san anime TV series. The trailer is available in narrowband and broadband resolution.

Source: Rakuga Kidou

Viz has officially announced that Inuyasha movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler will debut on American DVD on September 6th. MSRP will be $24.98.

Inuyasha movie 1 has sold over 100,000 copies and was the second best selling anime DVD of 2004. Likewise, Inuyasha movie 2 has sold over 100,000 copies in America and is the best selling anime DVD of 2005 so far.

Source: ICv2 News

Adult Source Media has announced plans to release the 30 minute long “Moral Hazard” adult anime OAV on May 6th. The DVD will retail at $29.98.

Source: Anime on DVD

Anime News Network’s latest Sunday Spotlight features exclusive interviews with Speed Grapher director Kunihisa Sugishima, 4Kids Entertainment C.E.O. Al Kahn, and character designer Nobuteru Yuuki.

The deadline for submissions to Pop Japan Travel’s “Number One Otaku” competition is today, April 25th.

The deadline for reservations to Pop Japan Travel’s J.A.M. Tour is May 6th. The J.A.M. Tour includes visits to the Bandai Museum, Kamakura, Akihabara, Harajuku, Shibuya, and even an exclusive tour of Toei Studios.

Disney’s official American website for Howl’s Moving Castle is now open.

Source: Nausicaa.net

Japanese producer Discovery has announced the release of a second Shintaisou Kari adult anime series. The first Shintaisou Kari series has been released in America by Media Blasters as “Princess 69.” The first episode of the second series will retail at 7,140 yen beginning June 24th.

Source: Gamers Navi

The Middle Tennessee Anime Convention (MTAC) has opened a new website and announced that vocalist/musician Lisa Furukawa Ray and web comic artist Scott Kurtz will attend the 6th annual MTAC convention, scheduled for April 21 - 23, 2006.

The official Namco x Capcom PS2 game website now hosts a streaming Windows Media trailer.

Source: Rakuga Kidou