The Japanese Biglobe website now hosts a two minute long streaming Windows Media format trailer for the Gonzo/AIC co-produced anime television series SoltyRei. The 24 episode series is scheduled to premier on October 6th at 2:40 AM.
Source: Rakuga Kidou
TV Tokyo has opened its official website for the anime television series Animal Yokocho. The website features a streaming Real Media trailer. Click the “sign” in the bottom right corner of the website’s front page. The TV series is scheduled to premier on October 4th at 6:30 PM.
Source: Moon Phase
The official Japanese website for the upcoming Wings of Rean anime series is now open. Yoshiyuki Tomino’s Wings of Rean novels were first adapted into anime in the early 1980s as Aura Battler Dunbine.
Source: Moon Phase
The Akiba BB website has confirmed that production of a Papillon Rose anime television series will be officially announced at the “Dream Party Tokyo” publicity event scheduled for October 10th. The series will be directed by Matsumura Yasuhiro, who formerly directed the magical girl erotic anime series Magical Kanan.
Lingerie Soldier Papillon Rose premiered in 2001 as a fan produced erotic parody of Sailor Moon, and was later released in 2003 as a legitimate, commercial 25 minute long anime OVA.
Source: Moon Phase
According to Galaxy Anime, Bandai’s Mobile Suit Gundam MS Igloo: The Hidden One Year War will be expanding with a novel and manga. MS Igloo originated as a full CG motion picture screened only at the Bandai Museum, then expanded into a series of OVA episodes. A manga adaptation will go on sale in Japan on the 26th, and a novel is now in the works.
According to the November 2005 issue of Nikkei Characters Magazine, Sunrise Studios is developing a new Armored Trooper Votoms anime. Nikkei Characters Magazine currently serializes Ryosuke Takahashi’s serial novel “Votoms 1/2.”
Source: Anime News Service
Infinity Studios has announced its acquisition of translation rights to Masayuki Takano’ Blood Alone manga series. The first English translated volume will retail at $9.95 beginning in January 2006.
Source: Anime on DVD
On September 22nd, TV Asahi broadcast the results of its nationwide poll of Japan’s most favorite anime television series. Anime News Network hosts an English translation of the list. As to be expected, the list is heavily skewed toward recent shows and “all time classics” that average Japanese viewers are most familiar with. American cartoon Tom & Jerry placed 58th on the list, the only non-Japanese title within the top 100.
Anime News Network also has a second English translated list, reportedly also from TV Asahi, that has slightly different results from the list broadcast on September 22nd on the “Nihon Zenkoku Tetei Chousa Suki na Anime Ranking 100″ program. The second list does not seem to be available on the Japanese TV Asahi website.
ICv2 News reports that the latest Neilsen BookScan list of 50 best selling graphic novels in mainstream American bookstores consists of 48 translated manga and only two American comics. Six of the top ten best selling American manga are volumes of Naruto and Full Metal Alchemist, suggesting that Cartoon Network broadcast of the Naruto and Full Metal Alchemist anime series has dramatically increased demand for these titles.
The highest-ranking non-manga title on the list was Marvel’s Ultimates 2 volume 1, which came in at number 33. The only other non-manga title in the top 50 was Frank Miller’s Sin City volume 1 at number 43.
The Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO) has published its 2005 Japanese Publishing Industry Report for the fiscal year 2004.
Manga book sales in Japan declined by 2% from 2003 to 2004. Manga magazine sales declined by 2.3% from 2003 to 2004. Manga sales in Japan have decreased by 20% in the ten year period from 1994 to 2004. The decline is blamed on the increase of second hand manga sales and manga rentals which have undercut outright sales.
The United States is the largest consumer of exported Japanese publications, accounting for 35.9% of all Japanese publication exports. Taiwan is the second largest consumer of Japanese published material, accounting for 8% of Japan’s exports.
Source: Anime News Network
The official Japanese website for the Gamecube game SD Gundam Gashapon Wars now hosts a streaming 3 minute long Windows Media format trailer.
“Gashapon” are Japanese “capsule toys” available from gumball machines.
IGN reports that the Playstation 2 RPG Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King will be released in America on November 22nd. 1up confirms that the game will include a playable demo of the upcoming Final Fantasy XII.
Japan-Zone reports that the live action film “Mayonaka no Yaji-san, Kita-san,” an adaptation of Shiriagai Kotobuki’s manga based on Jippensha Ikku’s classic novel Tokkaidochu Hizakurige, will screen in 30-40 major American cities next summer. The feudal era road movie comedy about two gay samurai is filled with anachronisms like a modern day motorcycle and even King Arthur.
Toei has announced that the live action Saishuheiki Kanojo motion picture will premier on October 29th at the Tokyo International Film Festival. The movie opens in Japanese theaters nationwide in February 2006.
Source: Anime News Service
Adult Source Media has announced that the 30 minute long adult anime “University Girls” will go on sale September 30th and retail at $24.98.
Source: Anime on DVD
