AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The first 15 second long trailer for Sunrise’s upcoming bishoujo sci-fi action anime television series Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo has turned up on YouTube.

Japanese anime production studio AIC (Anime International Company) has issued a press announcement revealing plans to revive a number of its older anime properties. The announcement specifically cites plans for the development of new live action and anime based on the 1987 Bubblegum Crisis (BGC) franchise.

AIC has signed an agreement with Singapore based animation studio Cubix International PTE Ltd. to develop a live action Bubblegum Crisis film for release in the United States and elsewhere in 2011. Reportedly AIC and Cubix International intend to consult with BGC co-creators Shinji Aramaki & Kenichi Sonoda to ensure that the live action film is faithful to the original anime series’ concepts.

AIC is also reportedly now developing a new BGC anime, and plans to sell develop future live action and associated anime productions for other dormant AIC anime franchises.

Long time BGC fans may recall that two life sized, working Knight Saber hardsuit replicas were constructed for a B-Club Magazine photo shoot in the late 1980s.

An official website has launched to confirm rumored plans of an anime based on Yuki Amemiya & Yukino Ichihara’s fantasy adventure manga series 07-Ghost.

The production will be directed by Takamoto Nobuhiro (Sasami: Magical Girl Club, Wandaba Style) and written by Takahashi Natsuko (Jyu-Oh-Sei, School Rumble).

Source: Moon Phase

The DC Anime Club will host a marathon screening of anime films based on manga by Osamu Tezuka on December 6 from 2pm through 5pm at the Martin Luthur King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC. The secreening is free and open to the public. For more information, please call the DC Anime Club at (202) 262-2083.

Question:
Do you think Hero Tales will be as popular as Fullmetal Alchemist in the States?

(more…)

Just a reminder. The short Dragon Ball, Tegami Bachi, and Romance Dawn features created for this fall’s Shonen Jump Super Anime Tour are now available for free viewing online until January 31st. The three films are accessible with multiple subtitled language translations and are available to international viewers, but access requires Microsoft Internet Explorer and installation of a proprietary browser.

Viz Media has scheduled releases for a number of new manga titles.

Available June 2, 2009:
Rasetsu (Rasetsu no Hana), by Chika Shiomi
Tail of the Moon Prequel: The Other Hanzo (Tsuki no Toiki, Natsu no Yume), by Rinko Ueda

Available June 9, 2009:
Detroit Metal City, by Kiminori Wakasugi

Available June 16, 2009:
Children of the Sea (Kaiju no Kodomo), by Daisuke Igarashi

Available July 7, 2009:
Kimi ni Todoke, by Karuho Shiina
Choco Mimi, by Konami Sonoda

Available August 4, 2009:
Black Bird, by Kanoko Sakurakoji

Available August 18, 2009:
Ooku: The Inner Chamber, by Fumi Yoshinaga

Source: Anime on DVD Forum

The January issue of Monthly GanGan WING magazine has formally announced that School Rumble creator Jin Kobayashi’s current manga series Natsu no Arashi! (Summer Storm!) will be developed into an anime television series. The humorous sci-fi romance series will be directed by Akiyuki Shinbo (Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, Tsukuyomi ~Moon Phase~) and animated by Shaft

Source: Anime News Network

Anime production house Barnum Studio has formally announced its development of a an anime series titled “Hoshi ni Negai wo,” which literally means “Wish Upon a Star,” but also happens to be the Japanese title of the classic Disney theme “When You Wish Upon a Star,” from the film Pinocchio. Barnum Studio has previously assisted in the production of anime including Kyoran Kazoku Nikki, Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu, Devil May Cry, and is currently involved in the production of the Kemeko DX series.

Kazuya Ichikawa, director of the 2004 CG Shadow Skill OVA, will direct. Additional information about the production will be announced at next month’s Comic Market convention.

Source: Anime News Network

The Mainichi Newspaper has announced that Mangatarou’s Chinyuki manga series will be adapted into a Flash animation OVA. The Chinyuki manga originally published from 1990 to 1992 is a parody of the classic Saiyuki fable, detailing the westward journey of a violence prone kabuki actor and a monk that has been magically transformed into a monkey.

Mangatarou’s Jigoku Koshien (Hell Baseball Tournament) manga will premiere as a Flash animation OVA on February 13, 2009. An OVA adaptation of Yo Nimo Kimyo na Mangatarou (Extremely Bizarre Mangatarou) will follow next spring. The Chinyuki anime will be released next summer.

Source: Anime News Network

Twitch now hosts translated excerpts from Hayao Miyazaki’s press interview for the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, which was conducted last week.

ICv2 is speculating that Disney may begin American distribution of Hayao Miyazaki’s current Japanese box office hit Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea as early as this spring. Viz’s “Art of Ponyo” and “Ponyo” film comics are scheduled for domestic release in March and early April. In past years, Viz has released its domestic publications devoted to Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away only a month from the films’ official US debuts.

It seems difficult to imagine a domestic release of Ponyo just around the corner since Disney has revealed so little about its domestic distribution plans for the film, but getting the movie out in early 2009 would strike while the title is still hot, and would give the film plenty of time to generate DVD sales throughout 2009.

The official website for Madhouse’s upcoming TV series RideBack, based on Tetsuro Kasahara’s manga, is now open. The show is scheduled to premiere in January.

Maybe this will substitute for that Megazone 23 TV series that seems unlikely to ever materialize.

Source: Moon Phase Diary

The new video game and Asian pop culture magazine Now Loading has announced plans to debut next month. The independent monthly publication from IROIROMODE Media will cover Asian pop-culture trends, anime, tech gear, drama, music, travel spots, and niche content not commonly found in video game editorials, such as profiles of everyday gamers.

Monthly issues available online in digital format will retail at $2.99 and an introductory annual subscription price of $9.95. Print copies will retail at $5.99 monthly, or $19.95 for an annual subscription. Promotional sample copies of Now Loading will be available at various conventions throughout the coming year.

Fan site All Anime World has announced the launch of its eighth annual “Cutest Anime Girl” competition. All Anime World is currently accepting e-mail nominations for cute female anime characters. Visitors to the All Anime World website will be able to vote on final nominees from December 1st through 24th. The winner will be announced on December 27th. Voting will be open to all, but registered members of the All Anime World website will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of the Street Fighter II movie DVD from Manga Entertainment.

Previous winners are:

2001 – Kinomoto Sakura (Card Captor Sakura)
2002 – Chii (Chobits)
2003 – Mihama Chiyo (Azumanga Daioh)
2004 – Yuzuyu (Aishiteruze Baby)
2005 – Misuzu Kamio (AIR TV)
2006 – Nyuu (Elfen Lied)
2007 – Tsukasa Hiraagi (Lucky Star)