AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The eighth and final Japanese DVD volume of the 2008 Source: Clannad After Story television series will include a new “Another World: Kyou Arc” episode – an alternate continuity story starring character Kyou Fujibayashi. The bonus episode was formally announced during this past weekend’s “Kono Machi no Negai ga Kanau Basho” (This Town’s Wish Will Come True Here) publicity event. The final Clannad After Story DVD will be released on July 1.

Source: Anime News Network

Los Angeles based publisher Rockin’ Android, Inc. has acquired distribution rights to five Japanese doujin (independently created) PC games for release in North & South America and Western Europe. SUGURI Perfect Edition and GUNDEMONIUM Collection will be released in packaged media format while Flying Red Barrel -A Diary of a Little Aviator-, Qualia, and Miku Miku will be distributed digitally.

SUGURI Perfect Edition will retail at $19.99 beginning June 30 in a DVD-ROM collection containing the SUGURI and Acceleration of SUGURI games, the Acceleration of SUGURI X-Edition expansion pack, and two soundtrack albums.

Last December I predicted that Dragonball: Evolution would gross a $15 million opening weekend on its way to a $50 million American box office total. I was way off. The film opened domestically with a mere 4.6 million first weekend, and it’s so far earned just over $25 million throughout the rest of the world during its first month of release. At least I wasn’t the only one to overestimate the film’s potential appeal, as ICv2 reports that the movie’s opening was “below many analysts’ expectations.”

I like Dragon Ball, and I’ve watched countless bad movies, but even I’m skipping this one, at least for now.

Question:
Why do the main networks that broadcast anime on American television not convert to a schedule similar to the Japanese one where niche anime series are shown very late at night (after 1 or 2 AM)? Surely the handful of hardcore fans they retain during those times would be better than running infomercials or re-airing episodes of series already broadcast.

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The official homepage for animator Atsuya Uki’s independent anime short film Cencoroll now streams the new trailer first released at last month’s Tokyo International Anime Fair. The production was first revealed to the public in 2007. Reported the Cencoroll anime will finally be released later this year.

Source: Anime News Network

The TBS television network’s homepage for the upcoming Taisho Yakyu Musume (Taisho Era Baseball Girls) television series now streams the new trailer first released at last month’s Tokyo International Anime Fair. The series is scheduled to premiere this summer.

Source: Anime News Network

FUNimation has formally announced its acquisition of home entertainment, broadcast, digital, internet, and merchandise rights to the Strike Witches and Linebarrels of Iron television series. Both series have previously been distributed online internationally by original producer Gonzo. Both titles are the first announced licenses from FUNimation’s recently announced distribution partnership with Gonzo. FUNimation will begin its distribution of both series early next year.

Japanese pop culture news site Comic Natalie reports that Fumi Yoshinaga’s acclaimed historical fantasy manga series Ooku will be adapted into a live action feature film. Fuminori Kaneko, director of the live action Kisarazu Cat’s Eye and Ikebukuro West Gate Park television series, will begin shooting the film next spring.

The 2005 and ongoing manga is set in an alternate history medieval Japan in which a disease has decimated the male population, leading to a matriarchal society. The manga details the female shogun’s harem of men.

Viz Media will begin publishing its English translation of the manga series this August.

Source: Anime News Network

Question:
I saw someone say that Minky Momo was popular at its time but wasn’s a unique, influential anime. I think he’s wrong. If I recall correctly, Cutey Honey was the first magical girl with a nude transformation sequence (who also could transform into anything), but Minky Momo was the first that applied that concept for an anime made for a young female audience. Minky Momo also was the first anime in which the girl transformed into a teenage version of herself, which Studio Pierrot used for their four magical girl anime of the 80s: Mami, Pelsia, Emi, and Yuumi. Was Minky Momo also the first magical girl to use wands and be surrounded by dozens of talking animal characters? Seems to me that Minky Momo pioneered most of the staples we associate with modern magical girl anime.

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I’m not sure if this is especially new, but since I haven’t seen it reported previously, I’ll point out that the official Japanese Crayon Shin-chan movie homepage now streams a full theatrical trailer for this month’s 17th film, Eiga Crayon Shin-chan: Otakebe! Kasukabe Yasei Okoku” (Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Roar! Kasukabe Wild Kingdom). The flick is scheduled to open on the 18th.

The trailer, along with several shorter teasers, is accessible by clicking the third navigation button from the right.

The Animate.tv channel on Yahoo Japan now hosts a streaming trailer for the first ToHeart2adplus OVA, which is scheduled for Japanese release on the 24th.

Source: Saishin Anime Jouhou

Japanese pop culture news site Comic Natalie reports that creator Inio Asano’s acclaimed romance manga Solanin will be adapted into a live action feature film. Director Takahiro Miki will supervise actors Aoi Miyazaki and Kengo Kora in the drama about a romantic couple that graduates college together and faces the working world. Filming will reportedly start on the 25th for a Japanese theatrical release next year.

The manga, originally published from 2005 to 2006, is now distributed in English by Viz Media.

Source: Anime News Network

Variety Magazine reports that screenwriter Justin Marks, author of the unproduced Voltron live action movie script, has been hired to write a film adaptation of Sony’s 2005 Playstation 2 action game Shadow of the Colossus (Wander to Kyozou) for production by Sony Pictures.

Question:
I am worried about the anime Industry here in America. Is there still interest in anime or is this trend dropping.

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Japanese publisher Kadokawa has added the first trailer for director Mamoru Hosoda’s (Girl Who Leapt Through Time) upcoming film Summer Wars to YouTube. The trailer is was first released at last month’s Tokyo International Anime Fair. The Madhouse produced film will open in Japanese theaters this summer.

Source: Anime News Network