AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The latest issue of Japan’s weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine includes an editorial message encouraging readers and consumers to cease illegally distributing scans of published manga online. Reportedly at least one popular website that formerly provided weekly scans from major Japanese manga magazines including Shonen Jump and Shonen Magazine has acknowledged the request and stopped providing unauthorized scans.

A full translation of the Shonen Jump Magazine plea follows.

(more…)

The latest animation work from Academy Award winning Japanese animator Kunio Kato is now online. Kato was commissioned to produce an anime TV commercial commemorating the 40th anniversary of Sekisuiheim modular home manufacturing company. Kato’s “Tsuzuki o Kangaeru Monogatari -Haru-” (Continuing Consideration Story -Spring-) ad is viewable in a 30 second broadcast cut and a 76 second “director’s cut” on the sixth page of the Sekisuiheim 40th Anniversary homepage.

Source: Anime News Network

Question:
Are imported doujins in the US heading for extinction? I ask this due to several controversial cases that have sprung up as of late. Should fandom be worried? You can buy lots of it at cons and most of it is of famous characters whom are also of questionable ages. Another question is the legality of titles with “tentacle” things in them. Could this be considered an “obscenity trial” in the making? No doubt someone might try to play this up as some kind of bestiality concept. Basically, is it safe to own these type of titles anymore?

(more…)

Animation historian Jerry Beck has informed the public that 58 year old animation producer Carl Macek suffered a fatal heart attack on Saturday, April 17th. Best known as the creator of Robotech and co-founder of Streamline Pictures, Macek is arguably the most significant (and most controversial) individual to have ever been involved in the American anime industry, as it was Macek who first promoted and popularized anime as imported Japanese animation in America. Besides bringing Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeada to America under the umbrella title “Robotech,” Macek was involved in the American localization of anime including Captain Harlock, Robot Carnival, Vampire Hunter D, Akira, My Neighbor Totoro, as well as co-founding the Spumco animation studio, and co-writing the Heavy Metal 2000 movie.

Digital Manga has scheduled debut volumes of two new boy-love manga.

The first of two volumes of Riyu Yamakami’s Treasure (Takara-mono) will go on sale September 22.

Taishi Zaou’s Mysterious Love (Koi wa Ina Mono Myona Mono) will go on sale September 29.

Source: Anime News Network

The website for the upcoming Kure-nai OAD has added a streaming teaser trailer. The Kure-nai OAD will be released with limited edition copies of the fifth volume of Yamato Yamamoto’s manga adaptation of Kentaro Katayama’s light novel series Kure-nai. The Kure-nai light novel series was adapted into a 12 episode anime television series in 2008.

Source: Moon Phase

The advertising obi found on new copies of Chugaku Akamatsu’s light novel series Hidan no Aria ~ Aria the Scarlet Ammo report that the franchise will be getting an anime TV series. The high school detective action series about armed student detectives in an alternate universe Japan premiered in 2008. The franchise’s sixth novel goes on sale in Japan this month.

Source: Anime News Network

An anime feature film adaptation of Tatsuya Miyanishi’s best selling children’s picture book You Are Umasou (Omae Umasou Dana) will hit Japanese theaters this October. The picture book is the story of a Tyrannosaurus Rex that spies a baby Ankylosaurus and says, “Gao! Omae Umasou Dana” (“Rawr! You look delicious.”) However, instead of eating the baby herbivore, the Tyrannosaurus adopts and raises the baby.

Source: Anime News Network

Numerous Japanese sources report that the upcoming seventh issue of Animage Original magazine will formally announce summer feature films for the Seikon no Qwaser & Zegapain anime franchises. The Seikon no Qwaser supernatural action anime television series is airing now. The Zegapain robot anime television series originally aired in 2006.

Since Seikon no Qwaswer is getting a heavily censored TV broadcast, I can see some appeal and value in an uncensored theatrical release. Zegapain seems unexpected, but if Fafner can get revived, why not Zegapain as well?

Source: Anime News Network

I’m a bit of a luddite, primarily by circumstance rather than choice. I don’t own a cel phone, iPod, or Zune. I still watch an analog TV. I don’t own a BD player. And my desktop computer is now so old that it won’t adequately play video in resolution higher than 480p. I don’t need certain technological upgrades; others I go without because I can’t afford to upgrade. Remaining an anime fan with outdated technology, these days, is getting increasingly difficult and frustrating. So I found an ideal affordable solution. After discounts and a mail-in rebate, I’ll have paid about $80 for the ASUS O!Play HD Media player, a seemingly perfect solution to bridge the gap between my access to anime and my ability to play it.

(more…)

Sony’s anime production subsidiary Aniplex of America has announced plans to release the Gurren Lagann motion pictures on North American DVD this July. The DVDs will be produced and released by Aniplex itself; however, the DVDs will only be available for purchase from Bandai Entertainment’s website. Aniplex plans to release five additional anime titles on domestic DVD by March 2011.

Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood’s End will be released on July 1 in an English subtitled single disc edition, and a double discs special edition that includes a 32 page booklet, postcards, bonus features, and four of the 8 Gurren Lagann Parallel Works music videos that were released on a separate DVD in Japan.

Gurren Lagann the Movie: The Lights in the Sky Are Stars will hit North American single and double disc special edition DVD on July 30. Again, the special edition will include a 32 page booklet, postcards, bonus features, and the remaining 4 original Parallel Works music videos.

The limited edition special edition DVDs will carry a list price of $49.98 each. The standard edition DVDs will SRP at $29.98 each. The two movies condense and retell the story of the 27 episode Gurren Lagann TV series with some new animation and plot twists in each film.

Aniplex International Business Development Group Executive Vice President Henry Goto has explained that titles initially released without an English dub will likely remain subtitled only. “We don’t plan to make a dub version and release it later.” However, future Blu-ray releases are under consideration.

Source: Anime News Network

expansion is being launched with $358,000 in capital. The newly expanded company will continue to pursue development of projects already in the works, including management of Dentsu’s stake in Jada Toys’ line of Chub City toys, development of an animated series titled “Monsuno” with Jakks Pacific, and continuing efforts to merchandise and franchise the Mameshiba mascot character line and the Deltora Quest anime series.

Source: Anime News Network

Following up on the announcement earlier this month that the popular PC game franchise Fortune Arterial would be getting an anime, Japanese publisher Kadokawa has announced that the sixth volume of Miki Kodama’s Fortune Arterial manga adaptation will be released in February 2011 in a limited edition that includes an original 30 minute anime episode on DVD.

Intermixi Japanese Tours will host a public Super Happy Tokyo Love party at the Royal-T Cafe in Culver City, California on May 8th. The all ages fun fest will feature voice actor guests Yuri Lowenthal (Naruto, Code Geass) and Tara Platt (Naruto, Bleach), an artist gallery, magician and entertainer TommEE Pickles, a raffle of personal belongings from Intermixi’s Isaac Lew prior to his move to Tokyo, a public display by actual mecha development company Mechanized Propulsion System, and more. RSVP for free admission. Tickets at the door are $5.

Question:
Do American comic book fans have an elitist double standard when it comes to anime/manga? For example, I can’t even count how many times the latter genres have been equated with pedophilia, misogyny, and delayed adolescent development, but those same individuals give a pass to, and even praise movies like A History of Violence, Kick-Ass, and Spider-Man, even though those types of films cater to those same immature tendencies.

(more…)