AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The Disney owned film production & distribution company Miramax Films officially ceased operations today. The producer/distributor’s New York and Los Angeles offices close today, leaving 80 former staffer unemployed and six completed films in distribution limbo. The storied 31 year old distributor is remembered for financing and distributing acclaimed films including Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill I and II, Sex, Lies and Videotape, The Piano, The English Patient, The Crying Game, Good Will Hunting, and Chicago.

“If there was any company that contributed more to the shaping of a generation and a sensibility — I don’t know it,” said veteran publicist Fredell Pogodin.

Source: The Wrap

After talking to our new USPS rep about (what else) mail issues today, we made some changes to our mailing layout that should greatly reduce transit times. These changes start immediately, so if you’re one of those who experience longer than normal wait times in the mail with RentAnime DVDs, we’re interested in hearing your experience with DVDs mailed starting tomorrow, January 28th.

We know this has been affecting some customers for awhile, and we’re think we now have a real solution and improvement. Let us hear your feedback at  service@rentanime.com. Thanks!

Capcom yesterday announced that Japanese copies of the Xbox 360 game Super Street Fighter IV will include a bonus OVA animated by Gonzo and directed by Fuminori Kizaki (Afro Samurai, Basilisk). The official Japanese Street Fighter IV homepage has added a 2:38 trailer for the anime movie. The game and OVA will hit Japanese stores on April April 28. The game will debut in America on April 27, and in Europe on April 30. Although Super Street Figher IV will be released for the Xbox 360 and PS3, the new anime bonus is exclusive to the Japanese Xbox 360 release.

The original Street Fighter IV game was released in a limited edition that included an original anime movie produced by Studio 4°C. However, particularly the 4°C animation created for inclusion within the game itself was widely panned, possibly contributing to the employment of Gonzo rather than 4°C to animate the second feature.

Source: Sgt. Spiffy’s Blog

Capcom has revealed its production of a live action Dead Rising movie based on its action/horror game franchise about surviving a zombie outbreak. Dead Rising game producer Keiji Inafune directed the feature. The movie will be released online and through the Xbox 360 streaming service later this year to promote the release of Capcom’s Dead Rising 2 game. Capcom is now streaming a trailer for the movie. The trailer includes scenes of bloody gore and violence.

Source: Anime News Network

Konami’s homepage for the upcoming Quiz Magic Academy DS ~Futatsu no Jiku-Seki~ trivia game for the Nintendo DS is now streaming a teaser trailer for the Quiz Magic Academy: The Original Animation 2 OVA that will be released as a bonus premium included with limited edition copies of the game on February 11.

The first Quiz Magic Academy anime OVA was released in 2008.

It’s not much of a trailer, so don’t expect too much.

Source: Anime News Network

The latest ASOS Brigade video added to Bandai Entertainment’s “unofficial” Haruhi Suzumiya website seemingly confirms the domestic licensor’s plans to localize the controversial second season of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya anime television series. The 2009 “second season” caused tremendous dissension in the anime fan community and Japanese professional anime industry because 8 of series’ 14 episodes are practically identical.

Source: Anime News Network

A spokesman for domestic manga publisher Go! Comi has released a lengthy public statement explaining the company’s present status. Like many other medium sized print publishers, Go! Comi has been severely impacted by digital theft and the economic recession. However, the publisher is still active and is prepared to boost productivity as soon as circumstances allow.

Source: Anime News Network

Question:
Anime movies in general have had bad- bad- live action adaptations. Keanu Reeves recently announced that he and Fox saw the script for Cowboy Bebop and loved it, but then decided to simply rewrite everything because they thought it’d cost “half a billion dollars.” I find this news rather bothersome as I’m not sure how the world of Cowboy Bebop could be effectively portrayed on a shoestring budget. What advice you would have to offer Hollywood, John. What would you advise them to do to transform the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop into a hit movie, while preventing it from becoming just another schlocky Dragon Ball Evolution?

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The homepage for the upcoming Armored Trooper Votoms: Phantom Arc (Soko Kihei Votoms: Ginei Hen) OVA series has added a streaming trailer, available in two versions, each in two lengths. The six episode finalé to the Votoms anime saga that started with the 1983 television series will debut on March 26.

Source: Anime News Network

The NTV television network has announced that the Chi-Sui Maru anime television series will premiere on February 6. The series consisting of six-minute long episodes appears to be the brainchild of Yawaraka Sensha creator Rareko.

Source: Anime News Network

Brazilian fan site Papo de Budega has confirmed that Japanese anime production studio TMS plans to develop a second season of the current St. Seiya: Lost Canvas OVA series.

A January 22nd headline on the homepage of Japanese collectible figure retailer Hobby Net claims that a SD Gundam Sangokuden television series will premiere in April. The Cho Denei-ban SD Gundam Sangokuden: Brave Battle Warriors motion picture is scheduled to open theatrically on February 27, but neither Bandai nor Gundam animation studio Sunrise has made any public announcement of plans for a SD Gundam Sangokuden television series.

Source: Anime News Network

The ShadoCon anime, gaming, and comic book convention will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tampa, Florida on November 5-7, 2010. Guests confirmed so far include anime voice actor Kyle Hebert, Internet artist and Flash video producer Egorapter, and goth metal band One Eyed Doll. The convention will host highlight events including Shado Tournament, a tournament-style fight show; the Break-Dance Breakdown, a comedy dance show; and the Final Fantasy Ball, a romantic interactive dance.

Question:
As a fan who was introduced to anime by 1980s sci-fi and horror OAVs I have been surprised to see things like Akira, Wicked City and Wings of Honneamise out of print on DVD. It made me wonder. Do you think that many anime fans from that era are still watching and enjoying anime? Are they just dwarfed by an influx of new fans introduced by different means?

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FUNimation has released the first four English dubbed episodes of the 2008 Slayers Revolution television series on YouTube. The dub reunites most of the cast that dubbed the earlier Slayers TV shows a decade ago. The entire 13 episode series is available for free subtitled viewing on YouTube and FUNimation’s homepage. The series will hit DVD in a complete collection on March 16.

Source: Nebs Blog