AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Comic World News has published an interview with CMX editor Jim Chadwick and Director of Manga Asako Suzuki discussing acquisitions and future plans for the publisher.

Source: Anime News Network

4Gamer now hosts the first revealed character images from the upcoming Maple Story anime television series, based on the Korean online PC game. The Maple Story anime is scheduled to premier on October 7th.

Source: Moonphase

Question:
Why do “middle-man” companies like ShoPro and Enoki Films pick up titles that are probably never going to become liscened, like Shinseikiden Mars, Majuu Sensen The Apocalypse, Monkey Turn, and Croket? And do those companies lose the rights to those shows after a while?

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Japan’s PAL Entertainment Productions has announced plans to produce a live action film adaptation of Akiyuki Nosaka’s 1967 novella “Hotaku no Haka” (“Grave of Fireflies”) for theatrical release in Japan next summer.

Nosaka’s Hotaru no Haka novel was adapted into an anime film by Studio Ghibli in 1988, and adapted into a live action TV movie by NTV in 2005.

Source: Anime News Network

Question:
In Japan, the Naruto series have reverted back to the manga chapters with the name of Naruto Shippuden. I saw in some boards a question that many fans have been asking. Will the Naruto fillers be air here in the US? Some are positive that Viz Media will skip them because otherwise the Naruto series will lose popularity, ratings, and most likely be cancel. But I, in the other hand, think that they’re more likely to be air. So, do you think that the fillers of Naruto will be air here in the US? Or do you think that there’s a small chance of Viz Media skipping some or all?

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The official homepage for the Sketchbook ~full color’S~ anime television series now hosts a streaming trailer. The show is scheduled to premier on October 1st.

Source: Ultimatum

Japan’s Dengeki Moeoh Magazine has formally confirmed that a second Gunslinger Girl anime series is now planned for production.

Source: Ultimatum

A 55 minute live action adaptation of Ajiko Kojima’s Tonari no 801-chan manga will go on sale in Japan on September 5th.

The “Tonari no 801-chan” manga is a best-selling romantic comedy about a 28 year old male otaku whose girlfriend is a yaoi (male homosexual themed manga) fan. The “Tonari no 801-chan” manga was adapted from the concept of 801-chan, a furry green character created as a mascot for Kyoto’s Misonobashi 801 shopping district. In Japanese “801″ can be read as “ya-oh-i(chi),” coincidentally the jargon term for male homosexual themed manga.

Source: Asahi.com

The 2007 New York International Children’s Film Festival, which has a contemporary tradition of screening Japanese animation, will this year screen Japanese animator Kiyoshi Nishimoto’s 6 minute long animation short “Laughing Moon.” The simple & charming animation illustrates a Chinese “tangram” puzzle taking on a life of its own. The short will screen on August 25 & 26.

Source: Anime News Network

Question:
I was wondering why are ero guro stories almost the only place to see stories that have disabled characters in lead roles? Is it because it would disrupt any other anime genre’s flow and to not be realistic?

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The “Movie” section of the Aquarion motion picture homepage now hosts a new streaming trailer and two TV spots. The movie is scheduled to open in Japanese theaters on September 22nd.

Source: Moon Phase

Shochiku Films now hosts a streaming Flash trailer for Academy Award nominated animator Koji Yamamura’s latest short film “Kafka Inaka Isha” (Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor).

Source: Anime News Network

Gekkan G Fantasy Magazine has formally announced that artist Naked Ape’s crime action manga series “Switch” will be adapted into an anime OVA.

Source: Animate.tv

At this past weekend’s Macross 25th Anniversary Live: Minmay meets Fire Bomber concert held in Tokyo, Macross co-creator Shoji Kawamori announced that the new Macross anime TV series will tentatively be titled “Macross F” (“Macross Frontier”), and series female lead Ranka Lee will be played by 18 year-old debut voice actress and singer Megumi Nakajima.

Macross F will be directed by Yasuhito Kikuchi (Aquarion), with character designs provided by Mikan Ehime (Gravion Zwei) and Yuichi Takahashi (Aquarion). Yoko Kanno will compose the musical score for the new series.

Source: Anime News Network & Moon Phase

The Keitai Shoujo homepage has announced that the cel phone game and anime series Keitai Shoujo (“Cel Phone Girl”) will debut as a live action television drama on October 23rd.

Source: Ultimatum