AnimeNation Anime News Blog

In response to overwhelming demand, Illumitoon has initiated a program for consumers to trade-in their “dubtitled” Illumitoon anime DVDs for replacement discs with literal subtitle translations. The trade-in offer applies to the first DVD volumes of BoBoBo-Bo BoBoBo, Beet the Vandel Buster, and B’t X, and will run through May 30th. Customers who are satisfied with their DVDs do not need to participate in the trade-in program. Consumers who do want replacement DVDs can get additional information from the Illumitoon website.

“It’s something that’s obviously very important to the fans, and we want to give them what they want,” said Barry Watson, President/CEO of Illumitoon. “Going forward we want to incorporate literal translations on all our anime product.”

Digital Manga Publishing is in search of a production associate and a licensing/guest relations associate. Qualifications, benefits, and application guidelines are available at Monster.com.

Digital Manga has announced that Satoru Kannagi creator Satoru Kannagi, author of yaoi manga Only the Ring Finger Knows, will attend this year’s Anime Expo convention as a guest of honor.

Microsoft has announced that its Xbox LIVE service will offer anime titles from ADV Films. No further specific details are provided.

Source: Anime News Network

28 year old Tatsuya Ichihashi has been identified as the prime suspect in the murder of a 22 year old British teacher working in Japan. The body of Lindsay Ann Hawker was discovered in Ichihashi’s apartment in Ichikawa, Chiba prefecture. thelondonpaper and The Times cite uncorroborated reports that Ichihashi owned a large collection of hentai manga, and Ichihashi may have played out a scene from one of his manga. The BBC News, Crimeblog.us, and Japanese news articles from Asahi and Mainichi make no mention of any manga or possible manga influence.

Article provided by Anime UK News

Question:
I am fascinated. Have you seen any of the series Ghost Hunt? Watching it actually raises the hair in the back of my neck.There has been a lot of anime in the horror genre lately, like Higurashi and the Jigoku Shoujo anime series (both of them). I read that the Japanese believe in ghosts and spirits and that is why they have a festival to honor the dead. Is this true? Will Ghost Hunt have a commercial shot?

(more…)

The official Japanese homepage for the upcoming Nanatsuiro Drops anime television series now hosts a 2 minute long streaming trailer. The series is scheduled to premier this summer.

Source: Moon Phase

Question:
Do you think any of the new hentai series being released will reach the peak of most anime fan known [shows] like Urotsukidoji & La Blue Girl?

(more…)

The official Japanese Hellsing OVA homepage now hosts a 98 second long trailer for the third Hellsing OVA (known in America as “Hellsing Ultimate”), scheduled for Japanese release on April 4th. Please note that the trailer contains extreme graphic violence.

Source: Moon Phase

Fan site Ghibli World now hosts a short Japanese language trailer for the recently broadcast episode of NHK’s television program Professional ~ Shigoto no Ryuugi that focused on the work of director Hayao Miyazaki. The short video clip includes brief glimpses of early production art for Miyazaki’s work-in-progress film Gake no Ue no Ponyo.

Anime Expo has formally announced voice actor, singer, writer and director Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as the 1st American Guest of Honor scheduled to attend the 2007 convention, which will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center in California from June 29-July 2.

The AnimagiC convention, to be held in Bonn, Germany on July 27-29, has announced that Gonzo founder & president Shoji Murahama, character & graphic designer Range Murata, and Shin Itagaki, director of the Black Cat anime television series, and Japanese rock group Plastic Tree will attend the convention as guests of honor.

The Orlando, Florida based JACON anime convention has announced that this year’s event will host “The Manga Masquerade: Through the Looking Glass” on Saturday, May 5th, at 8:00 PM. Admission to the formal dance is included with JACON membership, but admission requires formal attire and a a masquerade style mask.

Question:
My question is about Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT. Why is it that the GT story line does not seem to follow the Dragon Ball Z story line? I understand that the original writer or creator was not envolved but why was it changed so much? Even the ending to the Majin Buu story was not quite right. Vegeta never became SS3, Goten and Trunks did not defeat him, and more importantly Gohan did not win. From the very beginning, Gohan was made to take the place of Goku - from Frieza to Cell to the training he recieved from the Grand kai. why was this thrown out in creating Dragonball GT?

(more…)

Underland Online now hosts new reviews of AN Entertainment’s Haré+Guu DVD volume 6 and volume 7.