AnimeNation Anime News Blog

An unconfirmed image ad for author Koroku Inumura’s third To Aru Hikushi e no Tsuioku (Flashbacks to a Certain Aerial Pilot) light novel states that a film adaptation of the series is in development. The ad doesn’t specify whether the movie will be anime or live action. The first book in the fantasy adventure series about a mercenary pilot charged with flying a princess 12,000 kilometers across enemy waters debuted in February 2008. To Aru Hikushi e no Tsuioku volume 3 (actually the fourth novel in the series), goes on sale in Japan on the 18th.

Source: Anime News Network

The official website has launched for director Kouji Masunari (Kamichu, Risky Safety) and studio A-1 Pictures (Fairy Tail, Kannagi) upcoming motion picture The Space Show (Uchuu Show). The epic adventure about five children’s summer vacation is an original concept developed by Koji Masunari, Hideyuki Kurata, and Tomonori Ochikoshi, who previously worked together on the creation of the R.O.D. and Kamichu TV series.

Source: Moon Phase

The official homepage for the Ikkitousen anime franchise now hosts a low resolution censored streaming trailer for this month’s Ikkitousen Xtreme Xecutor promotional DVD. The 50 minute long DVD will include “sexy digest movie” recaps of the prior two Ikkitousen TV series, a promotional trailer for the upcoming fourth TV series, live action footage of the series primary voice actresses, and more. The DVD will retail at 1,500 yen and go on sale at the Comic Market 77 convention scheduled for the 29-31.

Source: Moon Phase

An anime episode based on Go Ikeyamada’s shoujo romantic comedy manga series Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!! (I Love You Suzuki!!) will be included as a furoku (gift item) DVD inserted in the January 2010 issue of Sho-Comi magazine, which goes on sale in Japan on December 18th. The manga series premiered last year. Its sixth collected book will hit Japanese bookstores on the 24th.

Short shoujo manga bonus OVAs like Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!!, including Cherry no Manma and Time Stranger Kyoko, have been released periodically since the 1980s.

Source: Anime News Network

Reportedly next week’s issue of Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine will formally announce that a sixth season of the popular baseball drama anime series Major will premiere on April 3. Takuya Mitsuda’s original manga premiered in 1995. The TV anime adaptation premiered in 2004. The franchise’s first anime feature film hit Japanese theaters last year.

Source: Anime News Network

Question:
I love K-On! and watched all of the series’ episodes. Do you think since the show crosses cultures with combining cute Japanese schoolgirls with American-style rock, do you think this show will have the potential for a universal appeal to anime fans worldwide?

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Udon Entertainment has acquired translation and publication rights to Hitoshi Ariga’s three-volume 1997 manga series Megaman Megamix (Rockman Megamix). The series’ first book will hit America on January 27 with the second and third volumes following in April and July.

Source: Anime News Network

Publisher Drawn & Quarterly will release an English translation of acclaimed gekiga manga artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s first extended manga story, the hard-boiled detective thriller Black Blizzard (Kuroi Fubuki). Originally published in the late 1950s, Black Blizzard will reach America on April 27, 2010 as a 144 softcover retailing at $19.95. Drawn & Quarterly already publishes Tatsumi’s A Drifting Life, Abandon the Old in Tokyo, Good-Bye, and The Push Man & Other Stories.

Source: Same Hat!

Headline says it all.

The Kyou Mo Yarareyaku blog has uncovered what appears to be the first public glimpse of the new stars of Heartcatch Precure, the seventh TV series in Toei’s popular Futari wa Precure magical girl franchise. According to the image, the new series will premiere on February 7, 2010.

Source: Rakugakidou

Media Factory & CoMix Wave Films have formally announced the development of director Jun Awazu’s next anime feature, Planzet. Awazu burst onto the anime scene in 2007 with his independent CG anime short film Negadon: The Monster from Mars (Wakusei Daikaiju Negadon). The film’s official website is presently counting down the six days until the first teaser trailer goes public.

Source: Moon Phase

This is too bizarre not to report, but it may not be especially work friendly.

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Amateur Japanese animator Kihirohito’s original web anime series Gohou Shoujo Sowaka-chan (Esoteric Girl Sowaka-chan) has become such a cult hit on Japanese video streaming site Nico Nico Douga that Japanese record label LOiD has announced plans to release the series’ first 15 episodes on two DVDs. The parody series that launched in 2007 features original songs performed by digital diva Hatsune Miku and plenty of obscure references to esoteric Buddhism. Sowaka-chan’s father was the abbot of a Buddhist temple. After he’s killed by a mysterious assailant wearing a mask and a cucumber stuck in his butt Sowaka, along with junior monk Kuuyan, set off on a journey to track down the elusive killer.
The first DVD will go on sale on the 9th in a limited edition of 2,000 copies exclusively available through Amazon (Japan), and in a general release edition available on the 23rd.

Source: Moon Phase Diary

Fujita Shinichi, who co-wrote the screenplay for director Yuji Shimomura’s 2005 fantasy action film Death Trance, has helmed a 17 minute fantasy action film titled Yassy. Experienced action choreographer and director Shimomura supervised the short’s action sequences. Japanese film distributor Arthit has released the entire short film to YouTube, split into two parts (part one, part two). Arthit also offers the film as a high quality Quicktime stream.

Source: Twitch

Question:
Do you think Tales of Symphonia the Animation and Tales of the Abyss will ever get licensed?

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