To refresh your memory or introduce you to an interesting opening animation sequence, I offer the slightly disturbing opening of the 2006 Ray the Animation TV series. The opening theme song is “zero-G,” sung by Masami Okui.
Question:
I am a giant fan of anime. In fact, I would love to be a part of the industry one day to help bring over more anime. But let’s say I was to start up a company whose focus was to license and release anime in North America. What would be the best kinds of titles to start with? Would it better to start with OVAs and movies instead of longer TV series? Should license rescues be more of a focus, as they already have subtitling and potentially dubbing work already done, or should first-time licenses be better? Would it be better to tread caution by starting off with sub-only releases or should the titles be dubbed right away? And, finally, would it be easier to start off with older titles, since they are potentially cheaper to license than more recent titles, or are they just too risky to make a start with? It is a lot to consider, but having some advice from someone who actually was a part of that world in the past would be infinitely helpful.
CINEMA ASIA RELEASING, ELEVEN ARTS and FUNimation Entertainment are bringing the sequel of new EVANGELION series to the big screen in theaters across North America in January 2011.
CINEMA ASIA RELEASING is a newly created distribution company specializing in releasing 6 to 8 Asian themed theatrical features for the North American market per year. ELEVEN ARTS is the company that has brought you such celebrated Japanese films as MEMORIES OF TOMORROW starring Ken Watanabe and Yoji Yamada’s LOVE AND HONOR. FUNimation Entertainment is known for releasing quality anime titles to the American market, and they have released such popular titles as “Dragon Ball” and “Full Metal Alchemist.”
- About the film-
EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE, is the second film of in four part film series, re-imagining the sci-fi animated series blockbuster Neon Genesis Evangelion (also written and directed by Hideaki Anno) which aired on Japanese television in the mid 1990’s
EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE, was one of the top 5 highest grossing Japanese films of 2009 with box office in excess of $40 million US (source: Motion Pictures Producers of Japan, Inc.)
EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE screened at Film Festivals around the world, including the 2010 Fantasia Film Festival, the 2010 SITGES Film Festival, and the 15th Lyon Asian Film Festival (France)
You can download stills and press kit on our press site at
http://www.locthemovie.com/EVA2.0/press
NIS America has announced its acquisition of domestic distribution rights to this spring’s comedy television series Working!! The adaptation of Karino Takatsu’s 4-panel manga details the everyday goings-on at a Hokkaido family restaurant named Wagnaria. NIS America will release the complete 13-episode series, under the title “Wagnaria!!”, in a single subtitled-only DVD collection with a hardcover art book and collector’s packaging next March.
Great news. This show was an under-rated little gem.
Independent anime production company Primastea has released a 3:20 trailer for its Isshoni Training observation & educational anime video series. Footage for next month’s release of Isshoni Training Ofuro: Bathtime with Hinako & Hiyoko begins at 1:35. Note that the trailer is not sexually oriented, but it is provocative and includes mild, partial nudity. The Isshoni Training Ofuro OVA will go on sale in Japan on December 24.
I wonder if we’ll eventually get “Isshoni Training: Sing & Dance with Hinako.”
Source: Anime News Network
In a publicly released document stating its business plans September 2011 fiscal year, Japanese video game developer Nihon Falcom listed “anime” among the spin-off plans for its Eiyu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki (Hero Legend: Trails in the Sky) RPG franchise.
Source: Anime News Network
Breast Cancer Awareness Month may be over, but Hello Kitty isn’t giving up the fight. The Hello Kitty Online massively multiplayer game has introduced limited edition items to support breast cancer research. Players can now purchase an in-game Breast Cancer Awareness virtual Ribbon Awareness Tee and Ribbon Research Wand for 240 Sanrio Cash Points ($3.00 USD) each or 390 Sanrio Cash Points ($4.88 USD) for both. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Massachusetts Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
To refresh your memory or introduce you to an interesting opening animation sequence, I offer the exciting opening – which has practically nothing to do with the actual show – of the Futakoi Alternative TV series from 2005. The opening theme song is “New World,” sung by Bae Yu Mi of Korean pop group M.I.L.K.
Question:
From Psycho’s shower scene to the revelation of the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, many iconic movie moments exist. Along that same parallel, what would you say are the most iconic moments in anime?
FUNimation has revealed its acquisition of distribution rights to the Japanese live action Higanjima, Tajomaru, and Drop motion pictures along with the live action Korean action/drama The Sword With No Name, and the Taiwanese action film The Treasure Hunter. All five films are tentatively due out in America next year. FUNimation’s rights include theatrical distribution options for Higanjima and The Sword With No Name.
Higanjima, released in Japan last January, is a Japanese/Korean co-produced adaptation of Koji Matsumoto’s horror action manga. The film was directed by Volcano High director Tae-Gyun Kim.
The 2009 drama Drop was written and directed by Hiroshi Shinagawa, based on his autobiographical novel & manga about his days as a teenage delinquent.
Tajomaru is director Hiroyuki Nakano’s 2009 historical action drama inspired by the story that inspired Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 film Rashomon.
The Sword With No Name is a 2009 romantic action drama revolving around the ascendency of historical Empress Myeongseong.
The Treasure Hunter is a 2009 adventure fantasy in the vein of the American Indiana Jones & “The Mummy” movie franchises. Jay Chou (Initial D) stars.
Source: Twitch
The homepage for next April’s Tofu Kozou (Tofu Boy) anime family film has added a longer second teaser trailer. The adaptation of horror novelist Natsuhiko Kyogoku’s novel Tofu Kozo Sugoroku-dochu Furidashi, itself based on traditional Japanese ghost stories, will premiere early next April in traditional 2D and stereoscopic 3D.
Source: Anime News Network
Manga creator Ken Akamatsu (Negima, Love Hina) has announced plans to launch a digital manga distribution website named “J-Comi” that will provide free access to DRM-free digital copies of out-of-print manga from a number of participating manga artists. The downloads will be ad supported; revenue will be split among all of the participating artists. Akamatsu cites one of the reasons for the development of the distribution platform as a means to combat unauthorized digital manga distribution. A beta version of the site will launch on November 26 with 14 volumes of Akamatsu’s Love Hina manga. The site will formally launch on January 10, 2011.
Source: Anime News Network
With the English speaking otaku community suddenly abuzz with discussion of elite fansubbers, “Communist” conspiracies, and missing transport streams, I think to myself that I’d probably be quite pleased if we could all just go back to the old days when anime fans just liked anime.
To refresh your memory or introduce you to an interesting opening animation sequence, I offer the unforgetable opening of the 1986 Dirty Pair motion picture. The opening theme song is “Safari Eyes,” sung by Miki Matsubara.
Question:
In your opinion, John, which anime villain is the most evil and malicious of all time? Orochimaru and Freeza are probably the most famous in this category but surely there’s someone else far worse than them.
