The Fuji TV network’s web page for the upcoming Monogatari Sennenki Genji television series now hosts a streaming 14 second trailer. The series is scheduled to premiere at 12:45 AM on the 16th.
Source: Moon Phase
Crypton Future Media has officially revealed its third Vocaloid 2 character/software program. Megurine Luka will digitally synthesize the voice of voice actress Asakawa Yuu (Sakaki in Azumanga Daioh, Priss in Bubblegum Crisis 2040) to sing in Japanese and English. The Vocaloid 2 CV03 Megurine Luka program will go on sale in Japan on the 30th at a suggested (but not mandatory) retail price of 15,750 yen.
The Vocaloid 2 CV01 Hatsune Miku character/singing synthesizer software program (based on the voice of voice actress Saki Fujita) has become a massive international success since its January 2007 release. The Vocaloid 2 CV02 duet of Ren & Lin Kagamine (performed by voice actress Asami Shimoda) followed in December 2007.
Meanwhile, a brand new Nendoroid figure of Lucky Star’s Kagami cosplaying as Miku Hatsune has just been announced.
Source: Canned Dogs
A Japanese language interview with Shomu Shirogane, president of the Winner Entertainment voice-acting management agency and a seiyu (voice actor) himself, reveals that Japan is presently home to about 1,600 working voice actors and 80,000 potential seiyu (people either applying for voice actor work, or taking voice acting training). Among Japan’s 1,600 professional voice actors, only 10% work as seiyu full time. Another 10% work in a variety of entertainment capacities including voice acting, acting, and other media talent roles. 80% of Japan’s working seiyu have supplemental jobs because voice acting alone doesn’t support them.
Source: Anime News Network
Discotek’s recent announcement of plans to re-release the 1986 Fist of the North Star movie in America caused me to ponder which other significant feature length anime films aren’t officially available in America but should be.
An anime TV series adaptation of Keiya Mizuno’s best selling 2007 novel Yume wo Kanaeru Zo (The Dream-Granting Elephant) will premier as part of the Kimiha Break variety news program. Tsuyoshi Kusanagi of veteran pop band SMAP will provide the voice of series protagonist Fumio Fumiyama, a salaryman who works to attain success with a little help from the Indian god Ganesha, a deity with an elephant head who speaks with a Kansai accent. Kusanagi hasn’t lent his voice to an anime since appearing in 1995′s Diary of Anne Frank movie.
There’s speculation that Fruits Basket & Atashin’chi director Akitaro Daichi may be behind this new anime since Daichi has publicly revealed that he’s now directing a new anime television series that will premiere on Tuesday, January 13th. The Kimiha Break program airs on Tuesday evenings.
Source: Anime News Network
Japanese financial news organization Nikkei.net reports that Studio Ghibli’s 2008 film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea will open in North American theatrical release this summer. At least one test screening of Disney’s English dub was held in Southern California last november. Ponyo was Japan’s highest grossing movie of 2008, earning 15.4 billion yen ($165 million).
Source: Anime News Network
Financial auditing firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu has reported that Hong Kong based animated film production studio IMAGI Animation Studios had the equivilant of $11.5 million in capital as of September 30, 2008. But IMAGI itself anticipates needing $66 million to complete its current films in production and pay operating expenses through June 2010. IMAGI has enough capital to complete and release its Astro Boy CG motion picture as planned on October 23, but the studio is presently raising funds to finish its work on its Gatchaman, Tusker, and Cat Tale motion pictures.
When first announced in 2005, the animated Gatchaman movie was planned for release in 2008. Last August, IMAGI creative director Felix Ip stated that the Gatchaman movie, “will not come in 2009.” Kevin Munroe, the director of IMAGI’s 2007 TMNT motion picture, was originally slated to direct the Gatchaman film. But Munroe left the project in early 2008, citing creative differences.
Source: Variety Magazine
The official website for director Yoichi Sai’s live action Kamui Gaiden motion picture is now open. The film is an adaptation of Sanpei Shirato’s 1965 Kamui Gaiden manga series. The movie stars Kenichi Matsuyama (“L” in the live action Death Note movies).
Source: Twitch
Go ahead and call me a sissy, but lately I just can’t get enough of MOSAIC.WAV’s song “We Love Akiba-Pop!!” A short version of the song, synched to a cute, fan created Idolm@ster sprite MAD is up on YouTube. The full length version of the song is even better (or even worse, depending on your tolerance).
Question:
Okay, so I am watching Tenchi Muyo, and occasionally there is this sound in the background, like some guy going “Ooowoooh!” and then some weird bonk that sounds like a block of wood getting hit. What the heck is it supposed to mean?
FUNimation has announced its acquisition of broadcast, digital, mobile and merchandise rights to the 2008 Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone motion picture from Japanese broadcasting company NTV. Specifically, the version of the movie that FUNimation will release in America later this year is the revised Evangelion: 1.01 You Are (Not) Alone edit from 2008 that includes 266 audio and video enhancements not found in the original 2007 theatrical cut.
FUNimation has also announced its acquisition of broadcast, digital, mobile and merchandise rights to Japan’s currently airing Soul Eater television series from Japanese distributor Media Factory. The 51 episode show will be released in four half-season DVD collections beginning later this year.
Crunchyroll’s lineup list of officially licensed digital distribution programming has revealed a number of previously unannounced anime titles.
Discotek has announced plans for a May release of the 1986 Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken) anime motion picture. The release will be America’s first ever bilingual release of the film.
This is certainly a surprise after Discotek canceled its plans to release the Lupin III: Golden Legend of Babylon movie back in November 2007, citing a weak domestic anime market.
Source: Mania
The Rakuten online store’s listing for Karuho Shiina’s shoujo manga series Kimi ni Todoke includes a small image caption reporting that a live action television drama adaptation of the story will premiere in April. The 2005 and ongoing Kimi ni Todoke manga won the prestigious Kodansha Manga Award for best shoujo manga in 2008. The series will debut in English from Viz Media this July.
Source: Anime News Network
Following Lucky Star creator Yoshimizu Kagami’s move out of his Satte City home last May, the the Satte City Commerce and Industry Association has secured permission and a six month lease on the home with plans to turn the three-story home into a faithful recreation of Konata Izumi’s home. Plans call for the furnishing of Konata’s bedroom, Yutaka’s bedroom, Konata’s father’s room, the living room, and a room featuring original illustrations, handwritten notes and other mementos from Yoshimizu.
The replica home will open to the public this spring. The lease may be extended if the museum proves popular.
Source: Canned Dogs
