AnimeNation Anime News Blog

TOKYOPOP has announced a partnership with Digital Rights Agency, “the leading worldwide digital music distributor,” to launch TOKYOPOP Music. The label premiered with 3 albums, now available from I-tunes and other digital music retailers:

Drift 2 Die is a mix of electronica and hip hop from the American Initial D soundtrack, produced by b_nCHANt_d and D.J. Milky.

Anime Trax Volume One is a collection of American music tracks by D.J. Milky and b_nCHANt_d from “hot anime properties” including GTO, Rave Master, and Princess Ai.

Beats 4 Riderz features hip-hop music from Street Fury, Initial D and various other properties. Music produced by D.J. Milky and b_nCHANt_d.

“There is a rising thirst amongst fans to access this niche music category and now TOKYOPOP is the exclusive company to quench that thirst,” says TOKYOPOP music supervisor Ben Chan. “We have plans to release more than 20 albums per year featuring the coolest music from Asia and we feel that DRA’s excellent technology platform, worldwide reach and marketing expertise will serve TOKYOPOP Music very well.”

“In line with its expansion into a fully integrated media entertainment company focused on the ‘manga lifestyle’,” TOKYOPOP CEO and CCO Stu Levy says, “The launch of TOKYOPOP Music marks the beginning of our move into the music space… In the near future, TOKYOPOP will be producing anime and manga soundtracks, mangapods (audio books), ringtones, manga podcasts, and much more. We are currently considering building a satellite radio manga channel.”

Question:
Like many Naruto fans I eagerly anticipate the 13 episode uncut box set that is slated to be released this July. Unfortunately I have a bad feeling that this privilege is going to be short lived. With numerous fans hating the dub for various nonsensical reasons and those who consider the fansubs to be an “accurate” translation rather than something that was accurately subbed by a professional, I foresee fans having to stick with a single volume DVD release due to lack of support from the fan side. What is your opinion Viz’s decision to release these uncut box sets? Probable success or dismal failure?

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Question:
My question concerns the recent Witchblade anime. I’m aware of Japanese companies acquiring American comic characters for series or projects, like the Spider-man manga and live action TV series or Batman projects. But they have always stayed with more internationally known characters from the two major publishers, D.C. and Marvel. I find it odd that they would acquire a series from a small publisher like Top Cow. I mean, incredibly popular at one time, the comic is not considered popular at all now. Are Top Cow and the Witchblade series known quantities in Japan? I guess my question boils down to this: Why would a Japanese company invest in a foreign property that is not all that popular in its home country?

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Japan’s Sojitz Corporation announced Monday that Japan Content Investments (JCI), an investment group run by Sojitz, Development Bank of Japan, and film distribution company KlockWorx, will contribute money to AD Vision in return for equity in the company. AD Vision founder John Ledford will remain the majority shareholder and CEO. JCI subsidiary ARM will also contribute money for AD Vision to use in acquiring new distribution licenses. The investment will allow ADV Films to raise its output of new anime titles, which had dropped in 2006, back to previous levels or above. In return, AD Vision will assist Sojitz with the acquisition of North American and European content for importation into Japan. AD Vision also reportedly, “has big plans for its manga business.”

Source: ICv2 News

The official Japanese homepage for the upcoming LoveDoll -New Lyrics- anime television series is now open.

Source: Moon Phase

The official Kujibiki Unbalance homepage now hosts a 1:45 streaming Windows Media trailer for the upcoming anime TV series.

Source: Moon Phase

An anime adaptation of Happiness! will air on UHF TV networks in the Kanto, Osaka, and Nagoya regions of Japan beginning this October. The anime will be an adaptation of the adult PC game from Windmill and its mainstream manga version published in Gekan Comic Alive Magazine. The manga sample pages on the Comic Alive website contain the formal announcement.

Source: Moon Phase

The Pata Pota Monta anime TV series is scheduled to premier on Japanese television on August 1st.

Source: Moon Phase

Magicue Magazine has announced that Enterbrain’s multimedia video game, manga, drama CD franchise LoveDoll ~Lovely Idol~ will be adapted into an anime television series.

Source: Moon Phase

Japanese publisher Shueisha has announced that an anime TV series adaptation of Katsura Hoshino’s horror manga D.Gray-man will premier in October.

The Aquarion Official Blog has reported Media Factory’s announcement of Aquarion: Uragiri no Tsubasa (”Aquarion: Wings of Betrayal”), a sequel to the 2005 TV series Sosei no Aquarion. Moon Phase claims that the new work will be a TV series.

Source: Moon Phase

Although there’s not very much on it right now, the official homepage for the Bleach: Memories of Nobody motion picture has opened. The movie is scheduled for Japanese premier this December.

Source: Moon Phase

The official homepage for the upcoming Sukeban Deka: code name = Asamiya Saki motion picture now hosts a short teaser (emphasis on “teaser”) trailer in Windows Media and QuickTime formats.

Source: Twitch

Apparently coming as a significant surprise to the anime fan community in Japan, a DVD boxed set of the original broadcast version of current anime TV series Musashi ~Gun Do~ will be released on July 7th. The limited edition boxed set will contain episodes 1-8 and retail at 10,500 yen. The boxed set will not include the revised version episodes currently in production.

The Musashi ~Gun Do~ anime TV series has earned an international reputation as being arguably the worst quality mainstream commercial anime release in Japan ever.

Source: Rakuga Kidou

The American edit of “Zatch Bell” will premier on the Cartoon Network in Brazil on August 1st. Gungrave will premier on August 7th.

Article provided by Sandra Monte