AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The official Code-E homepage now hosts a 90 second trailer for the upcoming sci-fi school love comedy. The Code-E anime television series is scheduled to premier in July.

Source: Moon Phase

A new “Megumel 0426Ver.” trailer for the Clannad movie has been released on the Animate.tv site in narrowband and broadband resolutions. Animate.tv also hosts the earlier Clannad movie trailer in narrowband and broadband resolutions. The film is scheduled to open in Japanese theaters on September 15th.

Source: Moon Phase

The Japanese Moon Phase message board has reported announcements of three new anime productions.

Author Makoto Sanda and illustrator pako’s light novel series “Rental Magica” will be adapted into an anime television series by production studio ZEXCS.

Totan Kobako’s 4-koma manga series “Sketchbook” will be turned into an anime television series titled “Sketchbook: full color’s” by animation studio Hal Film Maker.

An anime adaptation of Daisuke Suzuki’s light novel Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun has also been announced. No specific details about the production have been revealed.

Source: Anime News Network

TOKYOPOP now hosts an exclusive interview with anime director Satoshi Kon.

Source: Anime News Service

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially scheduled a domestic home video release of Tekkon Kinkreet for September 25th.

Source: Anime News Service

Bandai has announced that its first domestic My Otome DVD will be released on July 17th in a $24.98 standard edition and $49.98 limited edition with series collector’s box.

Source: Anime on DVD

Free Mini Comic Day has been scheduled for May 5th, coinciding with Free Comic Book Day. On May 5th numerous comic book specialty stores nationwide will give away several mini-comics, many of which are manga-style or anime-influenced comics such as Din & The Magic Milk Bottle, Hero Sandwich, and others. Lists of participating comic shops are available from the official event websites.

Question:
Since we have so much talk about market saturation in the American anime industry, do you think the actual market will ever grow? Or was two years ago the biggest anime is ever going to sell in America, and it’s downhill from now on? But if the market could grow more, what (be it a title or new method of distribution or some other factor) could push the market to grow?

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Disney’s ABC Cable Network has acquired broadcast rights to the 48 episode Digimon Savers anime television series. The series will air on the Toon Disney network this fall under the American title “Digimon Data Squad.”

Source: ICv2

Media Blasters has informed Anime on DVD that American DVD release of Gaogaiger will go on indefinite hiatus after the June 5th release of DVD volume 5 (of a planned 10 volumes). Media Blasters is uncertain at this time if an English language dub will be produced for the second half of the series’ American release.

Viz has formally announced that “Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow” will screen in 160 select theaters nationwide on June 6. Subscribers to Viz’s Shonen Jump Magazine will have the opportunity to purchase advance tickets to the one-night-only screening beginning April 27. Tickets will be available to the general public through Fathom Events on April 30. A list of cities and theaters that will host the screenings has not been released yet.

Comic industry market watch organization ICv2 has reported that first quarter 2007 new anime DVD releases in America have dropped nearly 35% from the same period last year. This drop comes on top of a 20% decline in new anime DVD releases from 2005 to 2006.

Japanese television network NTV has opened its official homepage for the second Buzzer Beater anime television series, although there’s little on it at present. The new series is scheduled to premier in July.

Source: Moon Phase

Question:
What do you think is the likelihood of a Full Metal Panic theatrical release?

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Anime on DVD reports that American trading card and game producer UpperDeck has been awarded American master licensing rights for the Kiba anime franchise. (UpperDeck Japan is one of the six producers for the anime television series.) Reportedly American distribution of the Kiba anime will be handled by a company outside of the core American anime distribution industry.