AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Question:
I noticed this question online and thought it would be interesting to address:

Are there any anime-live action crossovers like Space Jam?

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The homepage for creator/director Mamoru Nagano’s upcoming anime film Gothicmade now features a streaming teaser trailer.

This has a very unusual look to it. The color design is quite unusual. Of course, the character designs epitomize Nagano’s distinctive style.

Sentai Filmworks has announced acquisition of the La Corda D’Oro ~primo passo~ (Kiniro no Corda ~primo passo~) and Brighter than the Dawning Blue (Yoake Mae Yori Ruriiro na) anime television series.

The 12 episode Brighter than the Dawning Blue series will be released in a single DVD collection on June 1. The harem comedy based on an adult PC game originally aired in Japan in 2006. The original Japanese television broadcast gained some temporary infamy for its poor animation quality and art design. The art was improved for the Japanese DVD release.

The first half of the 25 episode La Corda D’Oro ~primo passo~ series from 2005 will be released on June 22. The TV series adaptation of Koei’s romance simulation game has been streaming for free on Crunchyroll since March 2009.

Sentai Filmworks has not clarified whether these releases will be subtitled only or bilingual.

Source: Anime News Network

“New studio” Maiden Japan will release its first anime license, Papillon Rose, on domestic DVD June 8. The release will include the original 2003 Lingerie Senshi Papillon Rose OVA animated by Echigoya & Pink Company and the six episode Papillon Rose: New Season television series from 2006 that was animated by Kelmadick. The franchise, which spawned from a fan created online short, is a risqué parody of Sailor Moon, in particular. The original OVA contains nudity and sexual innuendo. The risqué content got toned down in the later TV series. Maiden Japan has not clarified what language and translation options will be provided on the release.

Section 23 will handle distribution on behalf of Maiden Japan. It’s not clear if Maiden Japan is actually a new, independent licensor starting business in America or a new sub-label of the corporate entity that owns Section 23, Sentai Filmworks, Happy Carrot, and Switchblade Pictures.

I’m just gonna bite my tongue on this one.

Source: Anime News Network

Viz Media has confirmed plans to begin an English language release of Mitsuru Adachi’s 2005 baseball manga series Cross Game beginning October 12th. The series has been (somewhat loosely) adapted into a currently airing anime television series.

If I’m not mistaken, this will be Viz Media’s first English language release of manga by Mitsuru Adachi since its 2004 publication of Short Program volume 2.

Source: Anime News Network

During a recent stockholder conference call, 4Kids Entertainment Chairman and CEO Al Kahn stated, “We have decided that 4Kids needs to return to its roots as a licensing and merchandising company that specializes in bringing wonderful Japanese programming and merchandizing to the rest of the world.” Kahn continued, “We signed yesterday a very important Japanese property that we will be announcing in the next couple of days… A number of these new things that we will be announcing are substantial Japanese hits that we will [be] making available to kids in the United States on the 4Kids TV network.”

Kahn also revealed word that 4Kids is “participating” in the development of a new 3D Yu-Gi-Oh! movie.

Hmm. I wonder if they picked up Inazuma Eleven. I suppose Element Hunters is a possibility.

Source: ICv2

A predicted, the Japanese parliament’s Government Affairs Committee has unanimously agreed to delay voting on a proposed amendment to the Japanese child welfare laws that would outlaw sexually provocative visual depictions of characters that appear to be children. The amendment now will not be eligible for vote until at least June, when the Tokyo government’s next regular session begins. The ban has been widely opposed by the Japanese anime/manga community.

Source: Anime News Network

Fan blog Ogiue Maniax has published the second part of an authorized English translation of Japanese manga critic Kumi Kaoru’s thorough analysis of the panel layout of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind manga. The translation is an excerpt from Kumi’s 2008 book The Age of Hayao Miyazaki.

Just a little bit late to report this, but the info itself is timeless.

Question:
Kazuki Akane was interviewed at the Japan Expo in France this year. There were many interesting questions. Especially when he was asked about about evolution in the industry. Akane said, “My impression is that the world of Japanese animation will take a decisive turn. There will be a radical change, that will leave in another direction. Because if not, according to me, the world of Japanese animation will run to its loss. It is necessary that a change takes place and it would seem that he will take place. If there is not a revolution, industry will have serious problems.” When pressed further, he noted that for a while there has been no variety. For example, somebody makes a show like Haruhi, which becomes popular, then K-On comes out and everybody wants to target the same style, same market. So in the end, nobody tries anything creative or imaginative.

How does John think a revolution would begin? I thought Karas was a start in terms of art?

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Japanese publisher Shogakukan has announced that the 5 episode “BLACK LAGOON: Roberta’s Blood Trail” OVA series will premiere on DVD & Blu-ray July 17th.

Source: Moon Phase Diary
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G.Addict, the J-pop group consisting of anime voice actors Yuuki Kaji, Atsushi Abe, Takuma Terashima, and Kazuma Horie will release its first single, “everlasting note,” on May 26. The CD single will include a DVD featuring an original anime music video. The group released its first mini-album, “Signal,” last December.

Three of the four members of G.Addict (Kaji, Terashima, and Horie) have roles in the currently airing Durarara!! anime television series. Terashima and Horie have both previously had parts in the Kiba and Persona -Trinity Soul- anime series. All four members of G.Addict will star in the upcoming OVA series Goulart Knights.

Source: Anime News Network

ICv2 reports that its survey of domestic manga publishers determines that 2010 will likely see a 13% decrease in domestically published manga compared to 2009. “It appears likely that the number of volumes of manga released in 2010 will be under 1,000 for the first time since 2004.”

The Internet Movie Database reports that Studio Ghibli’s 2006 feature film Ged Senki will premiere theatrically in the United States on July 30. No American distributor has confirmed domestic distribution plans for the film, although it’s probably safe to assume that if the film is actually licensed for domestic release, it’s a Disney property. Despite earning mixed reviews, the film was Japan’s highest grossing domestically produced movie in 2006. It was only outgrossed by The Da Vinci Code and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

The film had been prevented from getting official American distribution by the Sci-Fi Channel’s exclusivity rights to film adaptations of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea novel series; however, that exclusivity expired last year.

Granted, it’s not the finest Ghibli movie, but it’s not nearly as bad as commonly circulated criticism claims.

Source: Nebs Blog

Article provided by Daniel Zelter

Japanese independent music label hydeout productions has publicly confirmed that hip-hop music producer Jun “Nujabes” Seba passed away on February 26 following an automobile accident in Tokyo. Nujabes was 36. Nujabes made his professional debut in 2003. He’s probably best known to American anime fans as the soundtrack composer for the 2004 Samurai Champloo anime series.

Source: Anime News Network

Nozomi Entertainment has formally announced its acquisition of North American distribution rights to the 1985 Dirty Pair television series. The classic 26 episode show is the only Dirty Pair anime to have never been previously officially released in America. The series will be hit American DVD on December 12 in two subtitled DVD collections retailing at $49.99 each.

Yup. Already pre-ordered my sets.