The opening animation sequence from Production IG’s acclaimed 2007 fantasy adventure television series Seirei no Moribito is included as a hidden bonus on Media Blasters’ new domestic DVD release of Kite Liberator, revealing Media Blasters’ acquisition of the title. The program was formerly licensed for American release by Geneon as “Guardian of the Sacred Spirit,” but was never actually released.
A number of new anime productions have been announced at the ongoing Tokyo International Anime Fair:
Madhouse has announced plans to revive Tatsunoko’s 1973 anime television series Shinzo Ningen Casshan for a new TV adaptation, tentatively titled “Casshan”, that will debut this fall.
Madhouse formally announced that Black Lagoon director Sunao Katabuchi will direct a new anime production titled “Mai Mai Shinko to Sennen no Mahou.”
Madhouse formally announced development of director Satoshi Kon’s next film, a family-friendly feature titled “Yume Miru Kikai” (”Dreaming Machine”).
Madhouse also announced that production is now underway on a new project from director Mamoru Hosoda (Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo).
Telecom Animation and JETIX will collaborate on the production of a new sci-fi action anime television series titled “Robo Crosser.” The series is tentatively scheduled to debut next year.
Studio A-1 Pictures (Ookiku Furikabutte, Persona -Trinity Soul-) is now developing a 90 minute long anime feature titled “Necrodragon.”
Source: Moon Phase Message Board
An official Japanese website has appeared online to announce Bones’ production of a new anime production titled “Bounen no Xamdou.” Additional details about the project will be revealed on April 10th.
Source: Anime News Network
A press conference held at the Tokyo International Anime Fair has formally announced that Madhouse will animate “UltraViolet: Code 044″ as satellite TV network Animax’s tenth anniversary celebratory project. The series will debut on July 1st. The anime will be an original story based on director Kurt Wimmer’s 2006 sci-fi action film Ultraviolet.
Source: Hobby Channel
The May issue Dengeki G’s Magazine reportedly includes an announcement that Kyoto Animation will produce a sequel Clannad anime television series titled “Clannad After Story.”
Source: Moon Phase Message Board
The current issue of Weekly Young Sunday magazine has announced that George Abe and Masasumi Kakizaki’s award winning dramatic manga series Rainbow: Nisha Rokubo no Shichinin (”Rainbow: The Seven Boys of Dorm 2, Room 6″) will debut as an anime TV series next spring. The 2005 manga series is a story about the lives of six juvenile delinquents and their mentor at a Japanese reform school in the 1950s, and the boys’ lives after leaving the school.
Japanese publisher Flex Comix has announced that Haruaki Kato’s online school life comedy manga series Hyakko will be adapted into an anime television series.
Source: Anime News Network
Japanese video hosting website Zoome now offers a 95 second trailer for the upcoming sci-fi historical fantasy anime television series Amatsuki. Please note that the trailer contains graphic violence. The series about a high-school boy that gets trapped in a virtual reality re-creation of ancient Japan is scheduled to premier on April 4th.
Source: Anime News Network
TOKYOPOP has revealed plans for a July debut of its English language translation of Tohru Fujisawa’s three volume Tokko supernatural horror manga series.
The Tokko manga was adapted into a 13 episode anime TV series in 2006. The anime is distributed in America by Manga Entertainment.
Source: ICv2
The current issue of Young Jump Magazine has formally announced that Yokusaru Shibata’s acclaimed shogi gambling manga series 81diver (”Hachi Wan Diver”) will be adapted into a live action television series. The program will debut on May 3 on Fuji TV and its affiliates.
81diver is the story of former professional shogi player that enters the underground world of gambling shogi players, where he meets a rival player - a young woman that works part time as a maid.
Creator Yokusaru Shibata may be better known to Americans as the creator of the Air Master martial arts manga series.
Source: Anime News Network
A researcher from Tokyo’s National Film Center has announced that two early examples of Japanese animation have recently been discovered at an antique store in Osaka.
“Nakamura Katana”, a two minute long silent movie by animator Junichi Kouchi, tells the story of a samurai tricked into buying a dull-edged sword. The film was first released in 1917.
Seitaro Kitayama’s “Urashima Taro” is a 1918 adaptation of the classic Japanese fairy tale.
The oldest existing example of Japanese animation is estimated to have been made around 1907. The first commercial Japanese animation is thought to be Oten Shimokawa’s 1917 short “Imokawa Mukuzo, The Janitor.”
Source: Reuters
An official Japanese website has opened to reveal production on Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 2, a full CG animation sequel to the MS IGLOO Hidden One Year War theatrical films and MS IGLOO Apocalypse 0079 OVA series.
Manga artist Suzuhito Yasuda has announced on his blog that his manga series Yozakura Quartet will be adapted into an anime television series. The Yozakura Quartet manga is the story of three teen girls - super-strong Hime, the mind-reader Ao, the conjurer Kotoha - and the ordinary teen boy Akina who protect their city from supernatural threats.
Gekkan Gan Gan Wing Magazine has reported that last year’s popular Seto no Hanayome romantic comedy television series will be continued with an OVA series.
Source: Anime News Network
The Moon Phase message board reports that Hal Film Maker will produce a second “Someday’s Dreamers” anime television series titled “Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto ~Natsu no Sora~” (”Things That Are Important to a Mage ~Summer Sky~”).
The official Japanese Evangelion homepage has revealed that the Japanese home video release of 2007’s Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone motion picture will feature video and audio enhancements of 266 shots, supervised by the film’s director Hideaki Anno. The day after the film’s Japanese DVD release on April 25th, one movie theater in Tokyo and one theater in Osaka will host limited theatrical screenings of this revised edition of the movie, titled “Evangelion:1.01 You Are (Not) Alone.”
Source: Anime News Network
First time director Amiy Mori is now filming a tragic romance film titled “Koikyokusei,” adapted from the 2005 manga story “Kimi ni Hikari wo” by Omi Mitsuya. The film is currently shooting, and is scheduled for Japanese theatrical release this winter.
The film tells the story of a young woman who lives in Hokkaido, where she takes care of her autistic younger brother. One day, she reunites with a childhood friend and falls in love, but he suffers from a terrible illness.
Source: Tokyograph
Question:
How did hentai gain a footing in America?
