AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Question:
Why didn’t the Parappa, Mario, and Ninja Gaiden anime ever get a U.S. release? Those were based on very popular and successful games, but they seemed to have been relegated to Japan-only. Meanwhile, we got titles like Viewtiful Joe, even though the system it was on was niche, and Ganbare Goemon/Legend of the Mystical Ninja, even though the games have been flops here.

Conversely, if video games are becoming the medium for more anime adaptations over there, why don’t they make more console-based anime in Japan instead of just flooding the market with dating-sim based TV shows and OVAs? I’d really love to see anime variations of Zelda, Metroid, and Strider, for example. But the best we can usually hope for are manga adaptations. I’d figure it’d be easier money than just pandering to moe-loving otaku, so why did it take this long just to even get a Devil May Cry series? Is it just that developers are more protective of their properties than manga-ka and hentai software companies?

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FUNimation Assistant Brand Manager Justin Rojas has revealed FUNimation’s acquisition of distribution rights to the Vandread Integral and Vandread Turbulence OVAs. The 75 minute Vandread Integral (Vandread Taidouhen) and 90 minute Vandread Turbulence (Vandread Gekitouhen) specials summarize the first and second Vandread TV seasons and include some exclusive original animation footage. The two Vandread television series were first released on American home video in 2002 by Geneon; however, the Integral & Turbulence OVAs have never been previously distributed in America.

Source: Mania.com Forum

Director Yasuomi Umetsu (Kite, Mezzo Forte) has revealed the news that Starz Media subsidiary Film Roman and partner Electronic Arts have commissioned a variety of Japanese and Korean animation studios to contribute scenes to the upcoming Dante’s Inferno animated movie. The animated film is based on Electronic Arts’ upcoming action game, which is itself loosely based on Dante Alighieri’s fourteenth century epic poem. Umetsu will be directing one 10 minute segment of the film with Tsukasa Kotobuki (Akihabara Cyber Team, Saber Marionette J) providing character designs.

Film Roman & Electronic Arts produced the American animated Dead Space: Downfall film last year.

Source: Anime News Network

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will host an art exhibition titled “Anime! High Art – Pop Culture” at its Beverly Hills headquarters from May 15 to August 23. The exhibition of nearly 400 anime production cels, clips, and character model sheets from titles including Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Ghost in the Shell, Princess Mononoke, and Pocket Monster will be organized into shounen, shoujo, early anime, Studio Ghibli, sci-fi, fantasy, and adult-only sections. The free exhibit will cover the history and evolution of both manga and anime.

Source: Anime News Network

Ain’t It Cool News has secured the first look at Disney’s theatrical poster for the August American release of Ponyo. Ain’t It Cool also hosts an exclusive lobby card image for the film.

The Japanese Kyou Moyarereyaku fan blog has noticed that the BS satellite broadcast version of K-On episode 2 has revised the animation footage in one shot. The Les Paul Standard guitar originally credited to manufacturer Fender has been corrected to credit proper manufacturer Gibson.

Source: Rakugakidou

58 year old rock singer and actor Kiyoshirou Imawano died of lymphoma on Saturday. Imawano’s near 40 year career included performing “Jitensha Show Uta” (Bicycle Show Song), the ending theme for Madhouse’s 2003 anime film Nasu: Summer in Andalusia. He also appeared in a cameo role in the 2007 live action feature film Sakuran, based on the manga by Moyoco Anno.

Source: Same Hat! Same Hat!

Online retailer ThinkGeek has uncovered a supply of unopened Dreamcast console game systems and is now accepting orders at $99.99 per unit. The system in original US retail packaging includes all of its original components but does not include any games. The Dreamcast has been praised as a system ahead of its time, and still has a faithful following.

I’ve still got two of them, myself.

Article provided by Daniel Zelter

Question:
Why hasn’t there been a K-1 anime or manga about the sport? Since UFC in America has gone into partnership with Spike TV for television shows, couldn’t K-1 do the same to get a younger audience interested, like Hajime no Ippo does for boxing?

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The official webpage for doujin circle ElectromagneticWave’s independent anime production Kowarekake no Orgol now streams a version of last year’s Comic Market 75 trailer that now includes voice acting. Asano Masumi has been selected to play Flower. Kakihara Tetsuya will play Keiichiro.

Source: Moon Phase

Anime News Network has begun streaming the English subtitled 12 episode Flash anime series Scandal, a fictional account of the formation of the real-life Japanese girl band. New episodes will be released daily, followed by two original music videos.

An official Japanese website has launched to announce an August 25th release for the first episode of AIKa Zero, the third OVA series in the AIKa franchise. Studio Fantasia and director Noriyasu Yamauchi and screenwriter Kenichi Kanemaki will continue their previous work on the AIKa series. Ami Koshimizu, who played 16 year old Aika Sumeragi in the 2007 AIKa R-16 OVA series will play 19 year old Aika in the new series. AIKa Zero will occur chronologically in-between the AIKa R-16 and original AIKa OVA series.

Source: Moon Phase

The official Japanese Tegami Bachi (Letter Bee) homepage has formally announced an October premiere for an anime television series adaptation of Hiroyuki Asada’s fantasy drama manga series. A short Letter Bee anime motion picture was released worldwide last year.

Source: Moon Phase

The official Japanese homepage for Studio Rikka’s web anime series The Time of Eve (Eve no Jikan) has announced that the series’ first season will be screened in Japanese theaters and receive a Blu-ray release after all six episodes have premiered individually. Episode 4 premieres online for Japanese viewers today. It will hit Japanese DVD on June 1. Episode 5 will premiere in July. Episode 6 will follow in September.

The first three episodes are available with English subtitles for free online viewing on Crunchyroll.

Source: Anime News Network

Screen Daily reports that Sony subsidiary Samuel Goldwyn Films will distribute the live action Blood: The Last Vampire motion picture theatrically in America this summer. The film will open in Japan on the 29th, with releases in the UK, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and other countries in June. The official American homepage for the film now hosts a new American trailer containing previously unseen footage.

Source: Anime News Network