AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Without making much effort to actually tell anyone, earlier this month St. Louis, Missouri based Anime Midstream announced its establishment with its first anime series license, the 51 episode Zettai Muteki Raijin-Oh television series from 1991.

An Anime Midstream spokesperson has confirmed plans to release Raijin-Oh on bilingual single DVDs tentatively beginning in summer 2009.

Fan site AnimeNews hosts an interview with Raijin-Oh executive producer Jimmy Taylor in which Taylor states that Anime Midstream has no plans to persue TV broadcast or digital distribution for the series. Taylor also states that Anime Midstream intends to concentrate on the acquisition and distribution of anime from the 1980s and 90s.

The acquisition of a vintage children’s anime title with very minimal American market potential, soliciting donations despite admittedly not needing capital, tentative interest in working with amateur voice actors, limited distribution plans in a method the rest of America’s anime industry is abandoning, and an executive producer uncertain about whether the company is negotiating for product distribution don’t seem like especially confidence building points. But we do hope for the best and wish Anime Midstream success. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Source: Mania.com

FUNimation has formally announced its acquisition of distribution rights for the Oh! Edo Rocket, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, and Slayers Revolution anime television series.

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The February 2009 issue of Ciao magazine has announced that Tomoko Nishimura’s shoujo comedy manga series Gokujo!! Mecha Mote Iincho (The Best!! Extremely Cool Student Council President) will be adapted into an anime. The series, which has been serialized since January 2006, tells the story of Mimi Kitagami, a high school girl that aims to be her school’s best student council president despite having a crush on one of the school’s three most troublesome boy students.

Source: Anime News Network

Shinshokan Publishing has formally announced the development of an OVA adaptation of Kaori Monchi’s “campus school romance” boy-love manga Seitokaicho ni Chukoku (Hey! Class President).

The original manga has been licensed for English language release through Digital Manga’s 801 Media label.

Source: Anime News Network

Japanese publisher Kasugade reports that a new Sangokushi (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) anime television series will air next spring. Moon Phase reports that the new production will be 52 episodes.

The Sangokushi story was previously adapted into the 47 episode Yokoyama Mitsuteru Sangokushi anime television series broadcast in 1991. More recently, the 2007 Kotetsu Sangokushi television series depicted a sci-fi/magical version of the Sangokushi story. Anime series including Ikki Tousen and Yawaraka Sangokushi Tsukisase!! Ryofuko-chan borrow characters from Sangokushi.

An official website has launched to announce the development of a 13 episode OVA series adaptation of Rieko Yoshihara’s 1986-1987 sci-fi yaoi novel series Ai no Kusabi. AIC, which produced two Ai no Kusabi OVAs in 1992 and 1994, will also animate the new series. Yoshihara herself will write the scripts for the new production. Katsuhito Akiyama and Naoyuki Onda, who respectively directed and created character designs for the 90′s OVAs, will perform the same duties for the 2009 adaptation. The first of the new OVAs is tentatively scheduled for Japanese release next fall.

Source: Anime News Network

The “MOVIE” section of the official RideBack homepage how offers the series’ 2:40 Tokyo Anime Fair 2008 trailer. The series will debut on January 11.

Japanese publisher Media Factory has added a trailer for the upcoming Tayutama -Kiss on my Deity- television series to YouTube. The series is scheduled to premiere next spring.

Media Factory has also uploaded a new trailer for the upcoming Queen’s Blade television series.

The official Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari homepage has added a fourth trailer, the first to include a small amount of actual animation footage from the upcoming show.

The official Munto anime franchise homepage has added a 37 second streaming trailer for the Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai television series, which is scheduled to premier on January 13.

The official Hellsing OVA series homepage is now streaming the current Comic Market 75 trailer which appears to include extensive footage from the sixth Hellsing OVA, which does not have a scheduled release date yet.

Source: Anime News Network

The official homepage of the 2008 Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka television series has confirmed that an OVA episode will be released on June 26, 2009, following the conclusion of the TV series’ release on Japanese DVD.

Earlier this month the Japanese software retail chain Sofmap reported that the release of this Japanese DVD had been canceled. The release is, obviously, now back on schedule.

Source: Anime News Network

The official webpages for the upcoming two episode Sex Pistols OVA series, K-on television series, and Taisho Yakyuu Musume television series have pre-opened.

Source: Moon Phase

ICv2 reports that the number of manga volumes expected to hit American store shelves in 2009 will be nearly 10% lower than the number of manga volumes released to market in 2008. The number of domestic manga volumes published increased by 18% from 2006 to 2007, but declining sales, decreased ordering from major bookstore chains, and manga publishing industry layoffs and closures will result in a shrinkage in manga publishing next year.

The Japanese website for Hyde Park Films’s live action Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li motion picture now hosts a Flash trailer. The movie is scheduled to open in America on February 27th, and in Japan on February 28th.

Source: Ain’t It Cool News

Animate.tv is now hosting a free preview version of the first episode of next year’s Mariaholic television series. The romantic comedy from anime studio Shaft will formally premier at 12:30 AM on January 5.

To access the streaming video, enter a user name and e-mail address; select your gender (male or female), select “yes” or “no” to receive e-mail updates about the Mariaholic franchise, then click the grey “accept” button. The 320×240 resolution sample episode is DRM encoded for compatibility with Windows Media Player only, but does not have territorial accessibility restrictions. The sample version episode will be available until noon on January 6, Japan time.

Source: Anime News Network

Animate.tv now hosts a streaming trailer for the first ToHeart 2ad Plus OVA, which is scheduled to go on sale in Japan on February 24, 2009. The trailer is available for broadband and narrowband connections.

Source: Rakugakidou

Animate.tv now hosts a streaming trailer for the second and concluding Switch OVA, based on the crime suspense manga by “naked ape.” The trailer is available for broadband and narrowband connections. Switch OVA 2 is scheduled for Japanese release on February 25, 2009.

Source: Moon Phase

FUNimation has formally announced its acquisition of distribution rights to the Last Exile and Nabari no Ou television series. Last Exile was previously distributed on North American DVD by Geneon. FUNimation negotiated a new distribution deal for the title with the series’ original production studio Gonzo Digimation Holdings.

The 2008 Nabari no Ou action series will be a North American premiere. Last August FUNimation issued an order to cease unlicensed online fan distribution of the series on behalf of Japanese distributor D-Rights. FUNimation has now secured distribution rights to the series from D-Rights.

Yen Press will begin publishing its English translation of Yukhi Kamatami’s original Nabari no Ou manga next May.