AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Digital Manga Publishing (DMP) has formally announced its acquisition of translation rights to author Hideyuki Kikuchi’s 4 volume Yashakiden: The Demon Princess novel series and Taimashin: The Red Spider Exorcist manga series.

The Yashakiden detective action series is set in the ruined, supernatural Shinjuku ward that Kikuchi’s Wicked City and Demon City Shinjuku novels also occur in. The first novel will retail at $13.95 beginning December 16.

The presently ongoing Taimashin manga series is illustrated by Korean artist Shin Yong-Gwan. It’s a parallel story to the Taimashin: Mashin Taidou-hen manga series previously released by AD Vision. ADV formerly possessed US distribution rights to the “Red Spider Exorcist” series but canceled its planned release. The first volume from DMP will retail at $9.95 beginning December 16.

On April Fools Day, Yahoo Japan launched a webpage encouraging Japanese site visitors to vote on an ideal cast for a live action Evangelion film. Whether or not the April 1st poll was intended as a gag, ITmedia now reports that Yahoo and Japanese television network TV Asahi are planning to proceed with the development of a promotional live action Evangelion production respecting the results of public voting as closely as possible.

The most popular actor selections were:

Ikari Shinji – Kamiki Ryunosuke (Tantei Gakuen Q, Kamen Rider Agito)
Ayanami Rei – Horikita Maki (Galileo, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e)
Shoryu Asuka Langley – Toda Erika (Code Blue, Hana Yori Dango 2)
Katsuragi Misato – Matsushima Nanako (Hana Yori Dango, GTO)
Ikari Gendou – Abe Hiroshi (Blackjack ni Yoroshiku Special, Hero)
Akagi Ritsuko – Matsuyuki Yasuko (Blackjack 2, First Kiss)

Meanwhile, we’re still awaiting that live action Evangelion movie that AD Vision announced back in 2003.

Source: Canned Dogs

Animation studio Kamikaze Douga has launched websites for its new anime short films Amanatsu and The Last Piece. Both sites launch with streaming Flash trailers. Both shorts will be released on the Japanese iTunes store later this month.

Kamikaze Douga has previously produced animation including the recent music video for vocalist Amuro Namie’s song “Dr.”, and worked on anime including the anime music video for Ayumi Hamasaki’s song “Connected” and the opening and ending animation of the Freedom OVA series.

Source: Anime News Network

The Nihon Keizai Newspaper reports that Bandai will distribute unspecified Gundam anime online in 10 languages including English, German, and French later this year.

Source: Anime News Network

The official Japanese website for the Onechanbara movie – an adaptation of Tamsoft’s popular action game franchise – now includes a teaser trailer for a sequel: Onechanbara Vortex. Judging by the title and the fact that protagonist Aya now uses two swords to slice up zombies, the second movie will be loosely based on the franchise’s fifth game, Onechanbara Vortex (Xbox 360).

What a coincidence that I just finished my first play-through of Onechanbara Vortex this past week,

Source: 24Framespersecond

Question:
I would like to know which do you think were and are the best anime studios. And is it me or Toei animation lost ground (a long time ago) to other competitors such as Sunrise, Gainax and Bones? Why is that?

(more…)

Bandai Channel now streams the first trailer for this summer’s Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance motion picture. The trailer is also available from Yahoo Japan, but the access to the trailer through Yahoo Japan requires the Microsoft Silverlight browser plugin. The movie is scheduled for Japanese theatrical release on June 27th.

Source: Anime News Network

Japan’s Indi Software has announced plans to update its Dankai Curry Chu-Kara (“Retiree Medium Spicy Curry”) internet Flash animation series for broadcast on the Teletama TV network. The comedy series about the daily lives of two retirees & a grandson will get an additional 30 five minute long episodes and new audio featuring dialogue performed by professional voice actors for its April 6 broadcast debut.

“Dankai” is the name given to the generation of Japanese citizens born immediately after WWII in 1947-49 who are now beginning to retire from their employment careers.

Source: Anime News Network

Anime News Network now hosts a series of exclusive interviews with members of the cast and production staff of the Dragonball: Evolution motion picture.

Yen Press Publishing Director Kurt Hassler has informed the Tiamat’s Manga Review website that Yen Press has acquired the distribution rights to Kiyohiko Azuma’s four-panel comedy manga series Azumanga Daioh. The four volume series was initially released in English by AD Vision in 2003. Yen Press will re-release the series this December.

Source: MangaBlog

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) recently released “State of the Content Market in North America 2008-2009″ white paper reports that the North American anime market was worth $2.829 billion US dollars (about 280 billion yen) in 2007. That’s a 40% decline from the 2003 high of $4.84 billion.

Character goods accounted for the largest North American sales gross at $2.512 billion. North American DVD sales accounted for $316 million in 2007, down from 2002′s height of $415 million US.

Source: Anime News Network

Japanese mobile phone service provider NTT Docomo has launched its “BeeTV” service which will provide three new anime series via cel phones. Avex Entertainment produces Azabu Juuban Gakuen, Shiawase no Hitsuji, and Suzu-3-taro.

Azabu Juuban Gakuen will launch in May as a series of 36 one-minute episodes that updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Shiawase no Hitsuji will be 100 five-minute daily episodes starting in May. Suzu-3-taro will premiere in June as a series of 24 two-minute episodes released every Monday and Thursday.

Source: Anime News Network

Studio Ghibli’s latest hit film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, will be released on DVD and VHS in Japan on July 3rd. The standard edition DVD will retail at 4,935 yen and include optional English subtitles. The special edition DVD will retail at 19,110 yen and include an additional 5 disc “making of” documentary running 12 hours and a DVD containing composer Joe Hisaishi’s 25 year commemoration concert. The “making of” feature will also be released separately on DVD and Blu-ray disc on July 3rd. The feature is tentatively scheduled for Blu-ray release in December.

The film is scheduled for American theatrical release on August 14.

Source: Ghibli World

Question:
what anime character would you like to marry?

(more…)