AnimeNation Anime News Blog

MTV is seeking 3 fascinating fantasy obsessives to appear in an upcoming episode of its documentary series True Life. MTV is looking for a cosplayer so committed that he or she only goes by character name, or someone who uses role-playing as a form of psychological therapy. Or someone looking for love in the cosplay community. The bottom line is a unique person with a compelling story to tell. Applicants must appear to be between the ages of 16 and 28.

Visit MTV’s True Life Casting Call page to apply.

The December issue of Ultra Jump Magazine will include a formal announcement of plans for an anime adaptation of Shirow Miwa’s stylish action manga series Dogs. The original Dogs manga series was serialized from 2000 to 2001. The story restarted in 2005 and is still ongoing under the title “Dogs: Bullets & Carnage.”

The Moon Phase Diary reports the anime production (presumably a TV series) will be directed by Tonagura director Tatsuya Abe and written by Linebarrels of Iron scriptwriter Kiyoko Yoshimura. Chrono Crusade and Rosario to Vampire Capu2 monster designer Hiroyuki Kanbe will provide character designs. The majority of the voice actors from the Dogs audio drama CDs will reprise their roles in the anime.

The official English language translation of the Dogs manga is scheduled for release next April by Viz Media.

Source: Anime News Network

Japanese publisher Ohta Books has announced that Natsume Ono’s light drama manga story Ristorante Paradiso will premier as a TV anime next year. “RisPara,” as it’s abbreviated by Japanese fans, will be the second anime series broadcast in the Fuji TV network’s late night “NOISE” time slot, following the end of the current Michiko to Hatchin television series.

The RisPara manga, originally serialized from 2005-2006, illustrates the life of Nicoletta, a young woman that becomes an apprentice in a restaurant in Rome owned by her father in law.

Source: Anime News Network

Jump Square magazine editor-in-chief Masahiko Ibaragi yesterday stated on the KIDS STATION’s Anime Paradise news program that he “thinks” there will be a Tegami Bachi (Letter Bee) anime television series next year. A 30 minute long film adaptation of Hiroyuki Asada’s Tegami Bachi fantasy manga is presently concluding its screenings in 10 Japanese cities as part of the current Jump Super Anime Tour publicity event.

Source: Anime News Network

Reportedly, this past Monday American animation producer/distributor World Events Productions (WEP) began proceedings to sue Japan’s Toei Animation for interference with WEP’s ability to negotiate development of a live action Voltron movie.

In August 2007 Variety Magazine reported that American film production studio New Regency was close to signing a deal with WEP for the production of a live action Voltron movie when Toei objected, citing that WEP had rights to manage only Voltron animation, not live action. New Regency reportedly investigated WEP and Toei’s claims and determined that WEP may not have had full and exclusive rights to negotiate production of a live action Voltron film. As a result, in August 2008 New Regency canceled its tentative plans to develop a live action Voltron film.

World Event Productions’ legal summons states that WEP, “has lost at least one development deal that would have resulted in a live-action motion picture,” and demands a full clarification of exactly and completely what rights to the Voltron franchise belong to WEP and what rights Toei and original Golion character designer Kazuo Nakamura retain.

Source: Anime News Network

Question:
Do you think that part of the reason there are fewer shows being licensed & released is because more shows are being made for the Japanese “otaku” audience, and less of the type that US buyers like – which seem to be more action type for teenage boys. There are quite a few action/shonen type shows still, but it seems to me that compared to 5 years ago the amount of new titles licensed has decreased.

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The official website for the upcoming TV series adaptation of Riku Ranjo & Hiro Suzuhira’s romantic comedy novel series Akikan! now hosts a short, streaming trailer. The first episode of the “harem” show about canned beverages that transform into human girls will premiere online for Japanese viewers on sites including Bandai Channel & Yahoo Douga December 30th. The television broadcast will begin on January 3.

Source: Anime News Network

Variety Magazine reports that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has created a new subsidiary focused on producing and distributing international properties worldwide. The “International Product Expansion Group” has acquired the international distribution rights to Madhouse’s planned four 12 episode anime television series starring Marvel Comics characters. The first of the four series, tentatively featuring Iron Man and Wolverine, will premier in early 2010 on Japan’s Animax premium anime channel.

Source: Anime News Network

A press confrence in Taiwan yesterday formally announced the development of a live action TV series adaptation of Yoshiki Nakamura’s shoujo manga Skip Beat. The Taiwanese production will star Ariel Lin and Jerry Yan. Lin previously starred in “It Started With a Kiss,” the Taiwanese live action adaptation of Kaoru Tada’s shoujo managa Itazura na Kiss. Yan previously stared in “Meteor Garden,” the popular Taiwanese adaptation of Yoko Kamio’s shoujo manga Hana Yori Dango.

Ariel Lin will play protagonist Kyoko Mogami, a teen girl that vows to succeed in show business in order to spite her childhood crush, a rising pop idol who has treated her unfairly. Jerry Yan will play Kyoko’s acting coach Ren Tsuruga.

The Taiwanese drama will be distributed in Japan through internet broadcast and DVD.

Source: Anime News Network

“Itasha” is the trend of customing automobiles with prominent illustrations of anime and game characters. During an itasha event in Tokyo’s Odaiba district earlier this month, Yoshida San, the president of adult PC game developer Age Soft, exhibited his own customized Lamborghini, BMW, and Lancia Stratos. These cars are not rented or leased. San literally has customized his personal $300,000 Lamborghini with illustrations of Muv Luv Alternative’s Meiya Mitsurugi. Reportedly, San even drives this car to work every day!

Article provided by “Frankie from Tokyo”

Question:
With Universal merging with Geneon does this mean Geneon titles will be dubtitled from then on since Universal doesn’t want to hire people who can translate Japanese to English like Sony with Blood+? Any idea if Universal even knows anything about the anime community?

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Online video distributor Crunchyroll has announced a strategic partnership with Japanese television network & anime producer TV Tokyo and Japanese anime production studio Pierrot. The new distribution partnership will initially bring episodes of the Naruto Shippuden television series to international viewers beginning January 8, 2009. Additional programs to be announced will be distributed online immediately following their Japanese television broadcast.

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Viz Media has announced plans to begin distributing the Naruto Shippuden television series free online. The first 8 episodes of the current, second Naruto television series will be begin streaming with English subtitles on the official Naruto.com website on January 2, 2009. The website will add an additional 8 episodes every Friday until catching up to the current Japanese television broadcast. Starting January 15, the latest Japanese episodes will be available free online with English subtitles one week after their Japanese television broadcast.

Current episodes will be available on the Crunchyroll video distribution website on the same day as their Japanese television broadcast, to paid Crunchyroll subscribers, and available for free seven days later on Crunchyroll, Naruto.com, Joost, and Hulu.

A sneak peak of a Naruto Shippuden episode will be made available free on the Naruto.com Website this week.

Viz has not yet revealed any plans for English dubbed Naruto Shippuden episodes, nor any American television broadcast.

Source: Anime News Network & ICv2

Animax’s webpage for the upcoming Viper’s Creed anime television series now hosts a 13 minute long video of the show’s announcement event. The clip includes roughly one minute of pilot animation footage beginning 8:25 into the video. The sci-fi action series directed by Shinji Aramaki, director of the Appleseed movies, is scheduled to premier on January 6th.

The official Viper’s Creed homepage is also now open.

Hopefully this “pilot” footage will look better in the finished show because in its current incarnation it actually makes Blassreiter look good by comparison.

Source: Anime News Network & Moon Phase

Reportedly the December issue of Monthly G Fantasy magazine, which goes on sale in Japan on November 18, will include an announcement that Jun Mochizuki’s supernatural action manga series Pandora Hearts will be adapted into an anime television series by studio Xebec (The Third, Busou Renkin). Busou Renkin & Zoids director Takao Kato will helm the production.

Pandora Hearts illustrates the story of 15 year old Oz Bezarius, a nobleman imprisoned during his coming-of-age ceremony for the crime of “existing”. Alice, a “chain” creature resembling a human girl, helps Oz escape and joins him on his quest to unravel the reason behind his imprisonment.

The Pandora Hearts manga premiered in 2006 and is presently still ongoing.

Source: Anime News Network