Gainax’s official website for the upcoming Evangelion 10th anniversary Angel-XX figures now hosts close-up photos of the Sachiel-XX and Zeruel-XX figures, from multiple angles.
Source: Majoria’s News
Question:
Do you think the popularity of anime and manga in North America is in any way correlated to a “failure” of the domestic comic and cartoon market? It seems to me that more often than not, the reason any “consumers” switches to a different “brand” lies in the utility. Maybe the new product has better features, better design, better marketing, better affordability, etc. Placing anime and manga into the equation, it seems that the recent popularity explosion is in fact directly related to the stale state of domestic alternatives. Maybe if the domestic animation and comic industries had grown over the years, they might currently have “better” stories, style, and substance such that “jaded” consumers would not have to look to anime and manga for their entertainment instead.
Though I am not an expert, it seems quite apparent that if one looks back some 10, 20, or even 30 years at animation and comic books in North America, the themes, stories, and character varieties have more or less remained constant. While the same might be true about the Japanese counterparts as well, they did not invade foreign countries until recently, and hence are “new” genres and ideas to foreigners. I am hardly insinuating that it is a bad thing for Japanese products to be so popular in North America, nor am I trying to suggest there is anything fundamentally wrong with North American comics or animation. Rather, this is simply a brief foray into the idea of “foreign appeal” as opposed to “domestic familiarity.” Any thoughts?
New York-based animation studio Animation Collective has opened its official website for its upcoming anime parody television series Kappa Mikey. The show is expected to launch on Nicktoons in the U.S. and on Nickelodeon International channels across the globe in 2006.
An official website for Nerima Daikon Brothers has opened and announced that the brand new manga series will be developed as an anime TV series by Studio Hibari. The series will be directed by Excel Saga director Shinichi Watanabe.
Source: Moon Phase
The official Japanese website for the forthcoming anime TV series Magikano is now open. The anime is based on the latest manga by Miami Guns creator Takeaki Momose.
Source: Moon Phase
Publishers Weekly has published an interview with Tokyopop’s editorial director Jeremy Ross in which Ross explains TOKYOPOP’s definition of “manga” as not Japanese comics but merely a “state of mind,” and defends TOKYOPOP from criticism of unfair contractual practices in dealing with young American artists.
Source: Manga Jouhou
The official Japanese website for the Hellsing OVA series now hosts thumbnail size images of the first Japanese DVD cover in standard and limited edition versions, a close-up photo of the figure included in the limited edition Japanese DVD, and a promotional poster illustration.
Source: Rakuga Kidou
Turner Classic Movies has published its January broadcast schedule online. The network will broadcast two different Ghibli films on January 5th, 12th, and 26th, and three different films on January 19th.
Source: Anime News Network
Bloomberg has published an article detailing the massive ongoing shift of attention in Europe from traditional European created comics to imported Japanese and Korean comics. Translated shoujo manga have brought massive numbers of female consumers into the European comic book market for the first time, and reportedly artists behind long running classic European comics are feeling threatened with the possibility of marginalization or extinction.
Source: Anime News Service
Galaxy Anime has updated with a 3 minute clip from AD Vision’s “Ghost Stories,” the 4 minute long opening sequence for Soul Calibur 3, and trailers for the Xenosaga III, .hack//fragments, and Ninkyo video games.
Question:
What’s the big deal with Gantz? I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it. Everywhere I looked there were reports that Gantz was this highly controversial show and after watching volumes 1-3 and 7, the show just seems to offer sex and violence to shock the viewer. Plus the animation is very inconsistent, ranging form average to sub-par and even at times it was too slick with the CG 3D backgrounds not meshing with the characters. The show just seemed to be all hype.
Critical Mass has announced that the 60 minute long adult anime “Vanilla Series: Voyeur’s Digest” DVD will retail at $24.99 beginning January 31, 1996. The DVD will contain both episodes of the 2002 “Bad End” adult anime series.
Source: Anime on DVD
Central Park Media now offers downloadable video designed for the new Ipod Video player. Current offerings are the full first episode of Armored Trooper Votoms, and trailers for Kakurenbo and the Korean animated film Hammerboy.
Source: ICv2 News
The October issue of Central Park Media’s Gogai! Gogai! webzine is now available online.
Source: Anime News Network
Japan’s Bandai Visual, Bandai Channel, and Sunrise Studios have formally announced the release strategy of the upcoming anime series Wings of Rean. The series of six 30 minute long episodes will be available online on a pay-per-download basis. The first episode will become available December 16th, with following episodes released monthly. There are presently no plans to broadcast the series on Japanese television.
Source: Anime News Service
