The striking, stark and powerful cover images of Gen Manga issues 2 & 3 immediately inform readers that what these books contain is not necessarily the typical mainstream, mass consumption manga that readers may be most familiar with. Gen Manga issues 2 & 3 continue to serialize the four stories begun in issue one. While these subsequent issues reveal some development from the first issue, some of the weaknesses of the first issue also persist.
In terms of cinematic quality, the 90 minute long Tekken: Blood Vengeance 3D CG movie falls in-between the Resident Evil: Degeneration and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children CG pictures, landing significantly closer to Advent Children, thankfully, than the atrocious Degeneration. However, seemingly by design, fans hoping for and expecting the thrills, gritty cyberpunk atmosphere, and bone-crushing fights of the popular Tekken game series and its wonderful CG movie sequences may find themselves disappointed by the feature film.
To refresh your memory or introduce you to an interesting opening animation sequence, I submit the intriguing first opening of the 2000 Brigadoon ~ Marin to Melan TV series. The opening theme is “Kaze no Ao, Umi no Midori” sung by ikuko.
While this isn’t an especially striking opening, doesn’t it make you curious about the show?
Anime director and character designer Toyoo Ashida passed away on Saturday, July 23, at the age of 67. Ashida may be most fondly remembered among American otaku as the director of the Fist of the North Star television series and first movie, and director of the 1985 Vampire Hunter D movie. More recently, Ashida directed Madhouse’s 2009 television anime series Souten Koro.
Ashida founded the Studio Live anime production company in 1976 and co-founded the Japan Animation Creators Association (JAniCA) in 2007, serving as its president from the organization’s foundation until his death.
Anime has lost a great talent and voice.
Source: Anime News Network
Reportedly Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine has revealed that a second Hunter x Hunter anime television series will air this fall. The 62 episode first Hunter x Hunter TV series aired in 1999 and was followed by three OVA series.
Source: Anime News Network
To refresh your memory or introduce you to an interesting opening animation sequence, I submit the parody filled opening of the 2003 Di-Gi-Charat Nyo! TV series. The opening theme is “Heartbeat” performed by Prière.
Question:
Is there a way to change haters of moé opinions? I feel like I’m walking up an escalator that’s moving down in trying to get the vocal minority of moé bashers that moé is not vapid garbage. What titles would change their opinion? Am I just wasting my time?
Production studio Anipicture has released the full 12 minute long pilot film for creator Yoshinobu Sena’s original supernatural action anime Install.
Source: Moon Phase
The NHK TV network has released a new, more revealing second trailer for its upcoming Phi-Brain: Kami no Puzzle suspense puzzle-solving anime television series. The show will premiere in October.
Source: Moon Phase
In a move guaranteed to earn gushing fanboy praise, Sentai Filmworks has announced its acquisition of the current historical drama anime television series Ikoku Meiro no Croisée. The 12 episode series that premiered on Japanese television on July 3 will premiere on The Anime Network on July 26 under the title “Croisée in a Foreign Labyrinth – The Animation” before hitting domestic DVD next year.
Sentai has also announced acquisition of the current Kamisama no Memo-cho television series. The 12 episode series will premiere on The Anime Network on July 31 under the title “Heaven’s Memo Pad.” A subtitled DVD release will follow next year. The series premiered on Japanese TV on July 2.
I’m not suggesting that Croisée is a bad show because it’s not bad. But any dramatic anime set in a historical European setting seems to automatically get elated approval by the Western otaku community.
Crunchyroll has announced plans to begin streaming the current The Idolm@ster anime television series beginning tomorrow. The series premiered in Japan on July 7.
FUNimation has announced plans to release the 1989 Dragon Ball Z anime television series on domestic Blu-ray disc. Dallas-based ANDTRANSFER is remastering the animation footage in 1080p resolution frame-by-frame from Japanese 16mm source footage. “Our purpose was to restore the series as accurately as possible, to what it must have been like to see it when it was originally mastered, and preserve the charm of the animation,” says FUNimation CEO Gen Fukunaga. The bilingual domestic Dragon Ball Z Level 1.1 BD will be released on November 8.
ANDTRANSFER is the company that produced FUNimation’s “restored” remaster contained on the “orange brick” DVD sets.
Japan’s Digital Comic Association will officially launch its English language Jmanga.com website on August 17. The Digital Comic Association is comprised of 39 Japanese manga publishers. The Jmanga site will offer officially sanctioned online access to a wide variety of Japanese manga titles including ADEKAN, Cigarette Kisses, Crayon Shin-chan, Devil King, Dragon Girl, Kekkaishi, Manga Science, Naruto, Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru, Tujiurauri, and Young-kun.
Publisher Square Enix has formally announced an anime TV series adaptation of Cocoa Fujiwara’s ongoing supernatural romantic comedy manga series Inu x Boku SS (Inu Boku Secret Service). The manga series that launched in 2009 revolves around a priviledged young girl who discovers that her handsome male bodyguard is actually a fox spirit.
Source: Anime News Network
Capcom has announced a promotional partnership with Sanrio that will put the iconic Hello Kitty in Street Fighter costumes. Street Fighter-themed Hello Kitty merchandise will begin shipping to retail outlets in fall 2012.
