AnimeNation Anime News Blog

The first trailer for the Rurouni Kenshin: Shin Kyoto-Hen OVA has surfaced. The two-episode OVA series will re-adapt the original manga’s Kyoto storyline in feature length episodes directed by original TV series director Kazuhiro Furuhashi. Beginning December 17 the first OVA will get a week of theatrical screening in two Tokyo theaters before its Japanese nationwide home video release.

Hiromitsu Hagiwara’s character designs are an interesting mid-point between the TV series and first OVA series designs, but this project still seems largely unnecessary.

Source: Anime News Network

A trailer for this year’s Lupin III TV special, “Lupin III: Chi no Kokuin ~ Eien no Mermaid” (Lupin III: Blood Seal ~ Eternal Mermaid) has surfaced. The special, featuring design by Redline director Takeshi Koike, will be the franchise’s 24th TV movie since semi-annual TV specials began airing in 1989. This year’s special will also introduce the first voice actor change in 16 years – since the death of original Lupin voice actor Yasuo Yamada in 1995. Goemon Ishikawa, previously portrayed by Makio Inoue, will now be played by Daisuke Namikawa. Fujiko Mine, previously played by Eiko Masuyama, will now be played by Miyuki Sawashiro. And Inspector Zenigata, previously played by Goro Naya, will now be played by Kouichi Yamadera. The Eternal Mermaid TV special will air on December 2.

Source: Crunchyroll

An official website has launched revealing a TV anime based on sprite/fairys’ 2010 adult PC game Love, Election, & Chocolate (Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate). The school drama revolves around a school boy who tries to join his school’s student council in order to save his cooking club.

Source: Anime News Network

Kadokawa Shoten has revealed the development of an anime based on Ran Igarashi’s “abnormal sister-complex comedy” four-koma manga Hozuki-san Chi no Aneki. The comedy manga revolves around a high school boy constantly tormented by his older adopted sister’s pranks. The manga has been ongoing since 2009.

Source: Anime News Network

AIC has revealed its production of a 15-minute anime based on model company Aoshima’s original Gattai Robot Ato Ranger concept. Aoshima created the giant robot as an original plastic model kit in 1975. AIC’s short Ato Ranger anime will premiere on DVD at next month’s winter Comic Market convention and retail at 4,000 yen.

Source: Anime News Network

Kyoto Animation has announced plans to develop an anime series based on Honobu Yonezawa’s mystery novel Hyou-ka: You can’t escape. The 2001 adolescent fiction novel revolves around an apathetic teen boy who gets drawn into solving a mystery that occured 33 years earlier.

Source: Anime News Network

Shueisha has revealed the development of an anime based on Kenji Taira’s ongoing Naruto spin-off gag manga Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden. The comedy manga stars teen ninja Rock Lee, a supporting character in Masashi Kishimoto’s popular shonen manga series Naruto.

Source: Anime News Network

Tetsuto Uesu’s fantasy light novel series Hagure Yusha no Estetica is getting an anime adaptation. The 2010 novel series that currently has seven volumes revolves around a teen boy who returns to Tokyo after being transported to another world to be its hero, who brings that world’s demon king’s daugher back to Tokyo with him.

Source: Anime News Network

Animation studio Marvy Jack, which has worked on anime including Ao no Exorcist, A-Channel, and Persona 4, is now developing a cell phone anime titled “Koi-ken! ~Watashi-tachi Anime ni Nacchatta!~” (Koi-ken! We’ve Been Animated!) based on the popular online dating simulation game Koi-ken! The school harem comedy game launched on the Mobage mobile gaming network in January 2010 and now has 3 million registered players.

Source: Anime News Network

The TV Asahi network has revealed that the ninth Pretty Cure television series will be titled “Smile Precure.” The new series will premiere next spring.

Given the title, sounds like this one will introduce new characters rather than continue the current Suite Precure series.

Source: Anime News Network

AllAnime.org has launched its “Cutest Anime Girl 2011” contest. Participants will be able to nominate and vote for any female character to be considered cutest of all time. Registered members of the AllAnime site will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of the Transformers The Movie, 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD after voting. Voting for the 11th annual competition will open on December 1 and continue through December 24.

New York City’s Museum of Arts and Design is currently showcasing Korean animated film in its “Unbridled Energy: Korean Animation and Dance” exhibition. The exhibition will screen the madcap 2006 feature Aachi and Ssipak and the short A Coffee Vending Machine and Its Sword (AKA: “Coffee Samurai”) on December 2 and My Beautiful Girl, Mari & Doggy Poo on December 9.

Question:
I realize sports anime isn’t literally nonexistent in the west, but do you think releases are so scarce that sports anime could be considered done in the west? With Funimation giving up on releasing the second season of Ookiku, it’s safe to assume they won’t be touching any Adachi either right? I love sports anime and manga, but should I give up hope that I’ll get much of either anytime soon?

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Kadokawa has released the first trailer for next year’s anime TV series adaptation of Yuki Ayatsuji’s school horror novel Another. The anime from P.A. Works and director Tsutomu Mizushima (Blood-C, XXXHOLiC) will premiere on January 9.

Hopefully it’s more interesting and horrifying than this very bland trailer

Source: Anime News Network

Sega has released the attractive looking opening anime sequence for its upcoming PSP RPG Shining Blade.

Source: Rakugakidou