The homepage for animator/director Jun Awazu’s new picture, Planzet, has added a new streaming trailer. The full CG alien attack sci-fi/action movie is scheduled for Japanese theatrical premiere on May 22. The new trailer is also available below:
Granted, not as exciting as the first trailer since this one introduces the characters and a bit more plot. The characters aren’t the most lifelike CG I’ve ever seen, but this does still look good from a low budget indie production.
Masami Obari (Gravion, Prism Ark): director & storyboards Risa Ebata (Macross F charater design): animation director Yousuke Kabashima (SoreKake Girl charater design): art Kenichi Hamazaki (eX-Driver character design): art Suzuki Fujio (009-1 character design): art Yukihito Okago (Macross F key animator): art Mayumi Ueda (Prism Ark animator): art Saitou Maki (Bakemonogatari color design): color design
The game is scheduled for Japanese release on May 28.
French based online anime distributor Gong has released five new four-minute-long clips from Picograph studio’s sci-fi racing action film Tailenders. The clips are subtitled in English, although the subtitles are obscured by the Gong overlay. The short movie about a human/racecar hybrid participating in the universe’s most dangerous automobile race is being produced in collaboration with Anime Innovation Tokyo, the sponsorship committee that has previously helped developed independent anime productions including Atsuya Uki’s Cencoroll.
Flash animation production studio Panda Factory (Yo Nimo Kimyo na Mangataro, Boku Otariman) has produced an anime adaptation of the Fujoshi no Hinkaku essay manga by “Kusame,” (also known as the yaoi manga artist “Reno Amagi”). The 2008 Fujoshi no Hinkaku manga stars two female office workers who introduce and explain the concept of “fujoshi” (female fans of depictions of male homosexuality). The Fujoshi no Hinkaku anime is written and directed by Yuji Umoto, director of last year’s Kemono to Chat Flash anime OVA. The 31 minute long DVD goes on sale on the 26th.
Judging by its trailer, this looks really hilarious.
Otaku2 has published an exclusive interview with vocalist Kageyama Hironobu, the “God of Anisongs.” Hironobu, currently the frontman of pop group JAM Project, has performed dozens of anime and tokusatsu theme songs, including over 40 songs for the Dragon Ball franchise alone.
The homepage for the Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku ~The Legend of Koizumi~ OVA has released a new trailer. The parody of international politics and mahjong will hit Japanese DVD on the 26th.
The adaptation of Hideki Ohwada’s gag manga stars former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, who negotiates with other world leaders by competing against them in games of mahjong.
The opening animation sequence for Max Factory’s new adult PC game se.Kirara is now streaming. The original anime was produced by AIC (Sasameki Koto, Sora no Otoshimono). In a surprise move, Max Factory has announced that the complete, full length adult visual novel game will be released online for free on March 26. A limited edition that includes a Figma action figure will be sold for 2,800 yen. The game’s release will be supplemented by a variety of character goods and other merchandise.
The first teaser trailer for Studio Ghibli’s next film, Karigurashi no Arrietty (The Borrower Arrietty), has appeared, along with the video for Cecile Corbel’s performance of the movie’s theme, “Arrietty’s Song.” The adaptation of Mary Norton’s classic novel The Borrowers is directed by first time feature director Hiromasa Yonebayashi. The movie will hit Japanese theaters on July 17.
Ain’t It Cool News has published an advance review of Film Roman’s upcoming animated anthology film Dante’s Inferno. Anime directors Yasoumi Umetsu, working with Production I.G, and Shukou Murase, working with Manglobe, are among the six directors/five studios contributing to the production. The movie hits store shelves next Tuesday.
While the third Eagle Talon anime feature film, Himitsu Kessha Taka no Tsume The Movie 3 ~http://takanotsume.jp wa Eien ni~, premiered last month, the film will promote its successful ongoing theatrical release by giving away 10,000 free original DVDs to viewers that see the film beginning this Saturday. The DVD title “This Is Itto” (This is the Best), is a pun on the title of 2009 Michael Jackson documentary film This Is It, which has been highly successful in Japan. The DVD will contain exclusive content including an animated adaptation of the “0-Kan Mitainano” short manga that was given away to movie patrons when the film initially opened.
Looks like Japan isn’t the only country to be developing an animated zombie apocalypse. A.D. comes courtesy of creator/writer Haylar Garcia, director Ben Hibon (director of of spectacular MTV Asia short Code Hunters), and Land of the Dead producer Bernie Goldmann. It’s being developed as a feature length film.
Zombie Info hosts an exclusive interview with the film’s creator and producers.
Fan site Revolution of Evangelion has compiled a thorough three-hour long video review of FUNimation’s release of the Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone motion picture, including comparison of the domestic DVD release of the Evangelion 1.01 cut and the forthcoming domestic Blu-ray release of the Evangelion 1.11 cut, and an analysis of FUNimation’s English dub for the film. The two part review is available on YouTube, segmented into 17 videos accessible from the Revolution of Evangelion YouTube Channel.
Japanese music label Lantis has officially uploaded the full length music video for Minori Chihara’s new single “Yasashii Bokyaku” (”Kind Forgetfulness”) to YouTube. The song is the theme for next month’s Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoshitsu (The Vanishment of Haruhi Suzumiya) anime motion picture. The movie will hit Japanese theaters on February 6th. The “Yasashii Bokyaku” CD single will be released on February 24.
This is a nice song, so I hope that the movie lives up to it.
Capcom yesterday announced that Japanese copies of the Xbox 360 game Super Street Fighter IV will include a bonus OVA animated by Gonzo and directed by Fuminori Kizaki (Afro Samurai, Basilisk). The official Japanese Street Fighter IV homepage has added a 2:38 trailer for the anime movie. The game and OVA will hit Japanese stores on April April 28. The game will debut in America on April 27, and in Europe on April 30. Although Super Street Figher IV will be released for the Xbox 360 and PS3, the new anime bonus is exclusive to the Japanese Xbox 360 release.
The original Street Fighter IV game was released in a limited edition that included an original anime movie produced by Studio 4°C. However, particularly the 4°C animation created for inclusion within the game itself was widely panned, possibly contributing to the employment of Gonzo rather than 4°C to animate the second feature.
