AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Question:
I find it amazing how much foreign experimental animation is available in America to those who are willing to look for it. However, I am not aware of any Japanese releases, even though many have been shown at American film festivals. How likely do you think it is that experimental anime such as Tezuka Osamu’s Experiment will be released in America? Or are you not qualified to answer because it concerns art film fans more than the anime community?

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Members of the AnimeNation and AN Entertainment staff will be officially attending this weekend’s Animazement convention in Durham, North Carolina. Since the AnimeNation News Page staff will be at the convention, there will be no updates to the AnimeNation News Page until next Tuesday.

Toei has opened its official homepage for the upcoming anime TV series Binbou Shimai Monogatari (”Poor Sisters Story”), adapted from the manga by Kazuto Izumi.

Source: Moon Phase

According to a post on the Japanese Moon Phase message board, apparently quoted from the Japanese 2 Channel message board, tentative plans for a second Genshiken anime series have evolved into plans for a full length Kujibiki Unbalance anime TV series that will debut this fall. The series will be directed by Genshiken and Haré+Guu director Tsutomu Mizushima, and animated by Ajiado Animation Works (Doraemon, Kaiketsu Zorori).

Source: Anime News Network

Although long rumored, Toho has now formally confirmed plans to release a Bleach theatrical movie this December.

Source: Anime News Network

Del Rey Manga has announced that its first volume of Takuya Fujima’s Free Collars Kingdom manga will retail at $10.95 beginning January 31, 2007.

The first of Futaro Yamada’s Kouga Ninja Scrolls (Basilisk) novels will retail at $13.95 beginning December 31.

Source: Anime on DVD

The July 2006 issue of Shonen Jump Magazine will include extensive Dragon Ball Z coverage coinciding with Viz Media’s release of the American release of the 42nd and final volume of Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball Z manga series. Shonen Jump will include a special dual magazine cover, featuring two different Dragon Ball Z images, a sneak preview chapter from the final volume of Dragon Ball Z, a feature on the 10 best fights in Dragon Ball history, and an exclusive interview with Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama.

The original Japanese version of the manga was a single 42 volume series titled “Dragon Ball.” For its American release, Viz Media titled volumes 1-16 “Dragon Ball,” and volumes 17-42 “Dragon Ball Z.”

The CNAnime Expo will be held during the 12th Annual Fan Expo Canada, a combined event that includes The Canadian National Comic Book Expo, CNAnime, SFX Science Fiction Expo, Festival of Fear Horror Expo, and The Canadian National Gaming Expo. CNAnime Expo will be held on September 1 - 3 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada. Features include English language voice actor guests and autographing, workshops, screenings, anime karaoke, and much more.

Princess Princess D, a live action television version of Mikiyo Tsuda’s bishonen comedy manga series Princess Princess, will premier on the TV Asahi network June 28th. The anime version of Princess Princess is airing now.

Source: Akadot

Director Kaizou Hayashi, best known directing the 1990 fantasy movie Zipang and the 1997 live action film adaptation of Hojo Tsukasa’s Cat’s Eye manga, has announced tentative plans to produce a live action adaptation of Buichi Terasawa’s sci-fi detective action manga series Goku.

Source: Yahoo Japan News and Anime News Network

Question:
There are, and presumably always will be, various series that will not see release in America. Perhaps some are too old, perhaps some won’t find a sizable (profitable) audience outside Japan, perhaps the content is deemed too objectionable to foreign viewers. While I know you are supportive of the release of anime and manga worldwide to expand an appreciation and admiration for the art form, what is your “gut feeling” about a such series? Would you prefer that they stay in Japan and remain a niche product, or would you prefer that they be released internationally with severe editing. To what extent do you feel it appropriate for North American distributors to alter an anime, manga, or game series to make it more “workable” for an international audience? If you feel that alteration is a “necessary evil,” to what extent should it pertain?

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FUNimation has announced that it is now the exclusive North American distributor for numerous home video titles licensed and formerly distributed by TOKYOPOP, including Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), Marmalade Boy, Initial D, and more. FUNimation plans to repackage, reprice, and re-release TOKYOPOP’s titles beginning with the June 27th re-release of “Street Fury Remixed.” No plans for changes to the content of TOKYOPOP’s DVDs have been announced.

TOKYOPOP may have arranged this new partnership because its former video distributor, Ventura, is now suffering serious financial problems.

Source: Anime on DVD

The “Special” section of the official Pinky:St. OVA homepage now hosts a streaming Flash trailer. The Gonzo produced full CG animation, based on the popular Pinky:st. line of small collectable Japanese figure toys, will be released on July 26th.

Source: Rakuga Kidou

A mildly risqué Windows Media trailer for Leaf’s upcoming fully animated adult fantasy mahjong PC game Fullani is now available from the game’s official homepage. The site also hosts a 1:29 adults only trailer, which the AnimeNation News Page will not link directly to. The game is scheduled for Japanese release on June 23rd at a retail price of 9,240 yen including tax.

Source: Rakuga Kidou

Comics Wave has opened its official website for the upcoming anime OAV Hoshizora Kiseki. The anime was almost entirely written, drawn, and animated as a collaboration between illustrator Matsubara Toshikazu (Aquarian Age card game) and character designer Watanabe Aiko (SoulTaker, Yamamoto Yohko). The OAV voice cast consists of Hosono Yumiko (Honoka Sakurai in Suzuka), Tomogiri Kyouko (Zou in Onegai My Melody), and Gouda Hozumi (Chirico Cuvie in Votoms, Leorio in Hunter x Hunter).

The Hoshizora Kiseki DVD will be released on August 3 and include the 27 minute long OAV, 10 minutes of bonus material including a non-credit opening and trailer, and a color booklet for 3,990 yen.

Source: Moon Phase