AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Warner Bros. has launched a web page announcing a March 2010 Japanese theatrical release for the American produced live action Tekken motion picture. The film from director Dwight Little and screenwriter Alan McElroy has a cast including Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Chiaki Kuriyama, Gary Daniels, Cung Le, and Kelly Overton. Dwight Little has directed TV episodes of series including 24, Bones, Dollhouse, Prison Break, and Millennium. McElroy’s previously filmed scripts include Wrong Turn, Rapid Fire, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, The Marine, and Spawn.

If nothing else, it already looks like it may be better than Dragon Ball Evolution and Legend of Chun-li.

Source: Twitch

Question:
In North America, theme songs and opening credits in general seem to be shorter and shorter, 10 seconds or less. While in anime they have beautifully made 90 second music videos? Do the Japanese know something we don’t, or vice versa? Why does anime have such big and beautiful opening themes while North American shows suffice with a 5 second sound bite over a title card?

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Crunchyroll has announced plans to stream the 30th anniversary Cobra anime. The four episode “Psychogun” OVA series from 2008 is available now. This year’s two episode “Time Drive” OVA series will be available soon. Next year’s 13 episode Cobra the Animation TV series will simulcast weekly episodes within an hour of their Japanese broadcast beginning January 2nd.

Viz Media’s Haikasoru line of Japanese genre novels has scheduled four new titles, while Viz Media’s manga line has announced the release of a translated Bleach manga guidebook.

The first of Housuke Nojiri’s four Rocket Girls novels will premiere in English on July 20, 2010. The second book will follow next fall. The novel series was the basis of a 2007 TV anime.

The late Project Itoh’s (Ito Keikaku) award winning speculative sci-fi drama novel Harmony will be released in English on July 20, 2010.

Jyouji Hayashi’s space exploration fiction novel The Ouroboros Wave will debut in English on September 21, 2010.

Otsuichi’s novelette collection Summer, Fireworks, and My Corpse will also premiere in English on September 21, 2010.

Viz’s manga line will release the Color Bleach+: The Bleach Official Bootleg illustrated guide book on July 20, 2010. The English translation of the 2007 Bleach Official Bootleg: Kara-Buri+ book is an exhaustive guide to “Soul Society” and its shinigami residents.

The Japanese homepage for the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya anime franchise now streams a teaser trailer for the Dissapearance of Haruhi Suzumiya motion picture for viewers that wait for it. Appropriate to the theme of Haruhi having disappeared, the website has “disappeared” as well. The movie will premiere in Japanese theaters February 6th.

While the “second season” was a bust, I have to admit that this teaser looks promising.

The official website for the 10th anniversary Yu-Gi-Oh movie, Gekijouban Yu-Gi-Oh! ~Chou-Yugo! Jiku o Koeta Kizuna~, is now streaming a theatrical trailer. The movie, which opens on January 23rd, will team Yuugi Mutou, Judai Yuki, and Yusei Fudo, the heroes of the three Yu-Gi-Oh television series.

Source: Anime News Network

Egypt Today magazine has published an exclusive interview with legendary manga creator Go Nagai, creator of Devilman, Mazinger, and Cutey Honey.

Source: Icarus Publishing

The Japan Times has published an interview with director Mamoru Oshii on the subject of his latest film, the live action sci-fi action flick Assault Girls.

Twitch has published a positive review of the film itself.

Japanese adult PC game developer Little Witch has announced that due to financial concerns, the studio will cease developing new games after the January 29th release of its latest game, Sugar Coat Freaks. Little Witch has developed popular adult PC games including Shirotsume Souwa -Episode of the Clovers- (2002), Quartett (2004), and Little Witch Romanesque (2005).

Source: Canned Dogs

CG animator & director Rodrigo Blaas has made his award winning short animated film Alma available online for a limited time this Christmas season. Check it out while you can.

Source: Twitch

Legendary screenwriter Dan O’Bannon, whose screenplays include Alien, Dark Star, Return of the Living Dead, Total Recall, Blue Thunder, and Life Force, passed away on Thursday, December 17 following a 33 year battle with Crohn’s Disease. He will be missed.

Question:
How likely is it that CANAAN and Kara no Kyoukai will be licensed for R1 DVD release?

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Koei has clarified details about the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 3: Owari Naki Unmei (Within the Expanse of a Distant Time 3: Endless Destiny) anime TV production initially announced last September. The climactic “HaruToki” special will be an hour long TV special broadcast on January 3, preceded by a preview special to air this month. The Owari Naki Unmei special will get three different Japanese DVD releases on March 24.

The 90 minute standard edition DVD release will include a half-hour of footage not included in the original TV broadcast.

A deluxe edition DVD will include the preview special, non-credit opening, preview trailers, a set of postcards, and exclusive deluxe packaging.

The limited edition DVD release will include alternate endings featuring ten different characters, a soundtrack, a 16 page booklet, and an exclusive, alternate set of postcards.

Source: Anime News Network

Reportedly next week’s new issue of Weekly Shonen Jump magazine will formally announce that the fourth Bleach motion picture will premiere next winter.

Source: Anime News Network

Shizuka Ito’s 2007 fantasy drama manga Fukusuke will be adapted as the Fuji TV network’s 2010 new year drama special. The live action special will air on the afternoon of January 4. The manga/drama special story revolves around two siblings caught up in a custody battle between their parents who are going through divorce. The children are taken to their grandfather’s home in a mountain village. There, they meet Fukusuke, a local god of good fortune.

Source: Tokyograph