Anime Expo will be holding an “Open House / Job Fair” to recruit new staff for the AX 2005 convention. The event will take place at the Redwood City Public Library (Main Library) on April 23rd from 1:00-4:00pm.
Ain’t It Cool News hosts the first links to the American trailer for Howl’s Moving Castle. According to Ain’t It Cool News, subtitled and dubbed editions of the film will open in limited American theatrical release this June.
TOKYOPOP has confirmed plans to release the first volume of the Girls Bravo manga series in America this September.
Source: Anime News Network
The official Japanese homepage for Elfen Lied has updated with 15 screenshots from the upcoming home video exclusive 14th episode. The screenshots are available, three at a time, in the “Story” section of the website.
Source: Moon Phase
Bandai of Japan has announced plans to be the first company to release anime in both the DVD and Playstation Portable UMD editions. The first volume of the Koukyoushihen Eureka Seven television series will be released on July 22 in a 5,250 yen ($49) DVD and UMD disc bundle, and a 3,990 yen ($37) DVD only edition.
Article provided by Galaxy Anime
Japan’s Comix Wave has announced plans to release director Makoto Shinkai’s short film Hoshi no Koe (Voice of a Distant Star) on PSP compatible UMD format disc. Price and release date remain undetermined.
Source: Moon Phase
Weta Workshop’s official site hosts a selection of previously unreleased concept designs for the planned live action Evangelion film. According to Weta Workshop, the production is “on hold.”
Source: Jagged Team
Question:
Do you think that anime broadcasts can actually hurt the popularity of the manga series they are based on (in the case of anime based on manga? I ask this because it occurred to me that the Ranma 1/2 anime ended far before the manga did. It seems quite logical that people were tired of the series, and hence the ratings went down and the series ended. If that were true, wouldn’t people also have been tired of the “franchise” itself, given that there was such mass exposure during the anime broadcast? It’s like, “Why would I want to keep reading the manga when I already have had my fill of the anime?”
Is this a common thing, for anime series to end before the manga? When you consider series like One Piece, Naruto, and others, their “star” could fade long before the actual “inspirational” material does.
Geneon has revealed three anime acquisitions at the MipTV trade show currently ongoing in France.
Geneon will co-produce a new Hellsing OAV series with Gonzo Digimation Holdings. Each 35 minute long episode will be adapted from the original Hellsing manga.
Geneon will be the North American distributor for the 23 episode Ergo Proxy anime TV series directed by Witch Hunter Robin director Shukou Murase and produced by Manglobe, the producers of Samurai Champloo.
Geneon will distribute the Erementar Gerad anime TV series in North America. AD Vision previously announced acquisition of distribution rights to this anime series at the 2004 Anime Expo convention.
Source: Anime on DVD
Japan’s G-Fantasy Magazine has announced that Hikawa Hekiru’s Paniponi manga series will be adapted into an anime television series.
Japan’s Comic Rush Magazine has announced that the Tonagura manga serial will be adapted into anime.
Source: Moon Phase
Japan’s Trilogy Future Studio has announced development of several new anime TV series including “Bionic Angels,” “Majin,” and an adaptation of Kazumi Yamashita’s manga series Ghost Rhapsody.
Source: Anime News Network
FUNimation has revealed release dates for several upcoming Lupin the Third feature length television specials on American DVD
Island of Assassins will be released on April 26.
Farewell to Nostradamus will be released on June 28.
Crisis in Tokyo will be released on August 30.
The Columbus Files will be released on October 25.
Missed by a Dollar will be released on December 27.
Source: Anime News Network
Anime on DVD has published an exclusive interview with English dub voice actor Vic Mignogna.
The Magic Box has published screenshots of the Japanese produced Playstation 2 game Dragon Ball Z Sparking! The game is scheduled for Japanese release this fall.
Question:
I recently saw Mamoru Oshii’s 1985 art film, Tenshi no Tamago, or Angel’s Egg. This film left me utterly confused. Yet, it also left me enchanted. This is the reason I watch anime; to be challenged in my beliefs and perceptions. It’s been 20 years. Why has this film not been released in the U.S.? I’d personally love to see a domestic release and I think anime fandom would benefit from the experience. With all of the commercially driven anime floating around the country these days, the fans could use a film like Angel’s Egg to enrich their lives. If no one has the license perhaps AN Entertainment could pick it up. *hint, hint*
