AnimAICN
by Scott Green
More news from the Boston Con...
FUNimation is running a grass root campaign to show the international interest in a second season of Fruits Baskets. At the summer's anime conventions they will be collecting paper cranes to show to the involved parties in Japan.
FUNimation is looking to put their anime properties on Video on Demand, but there currently are no direct talks.
Upcoming FUNimation releases include
May 31st
Dragon Ball Z Movie 1: Deadzone, uncut edition
Full Metal Alchemist volume 3: now being advertised on TV
Case Closed
Baki the Grappler
June 1
Dragon Ball Z uncut volumes 1 and 2
June 21
Spiral 5, The second to last volume of Yu Yu Hakusho
June 28th
Lupin III Farewell to Nostradamous
Tenchi Muyo Ryo Ohki (3rd OAV)
Burst Angel 2
July 10th
Wild CATS(TV animation based on comic)
Yu Yu Hahusho volume 32, last volume
Case Closed 5.3
July 14th
Galaxy Railway
August 21
Sakura Taisen Paris
August 23
Samurai 7: to be released on 7 volumes with a limited edition of each one
The Tenchi OAV was previewed. The second volume will be released in the fall. New Ryoko English dub voice actress Mona Marchell was said by many to sound more like the original actress than many of the returning actors did with their characters.
The next Yu Yu Hakusho box set will be released this fall.
The uncut releases of Yu Gi Oh and Shaman King are on hold because of 4Kids.
New merchandise will be appearing at Hot Topics including girls sized Fruits Baskets t-shirts of Yuki and Kyo. If they sell other t-shirts and hoodies will be produced.
Fruits Baskets hats of Momiji the Rabbit, and Shigure the dog were shown and will be released soon. A reversible hat of Hatsuharu is in currently in Japan for approval .The hats will also be appearing at Borders And Suncoast stores
Full Metal Alchemist t-shirts and wall scroll have begun appearing in stores.
Suncoast has begun selling Dragon Ball import ball figures. Series 1 & 2 are in stores now. 3 & 4 will be imported soon.
Myth Bags of Samurai Seven and Kodacha (distinct from the exclusive one with the collector's release of the anime) will be released.
6" non articulated figures of Burst Angel will be released with the same series.
Upcoming collectable card games include Case Closed in June and Full Metal Alchemist in August.
Commenting on the likelihood of the Sakura Taisen games being released in conjunction with the new anime, it was stated that publishers are looking at the series, but are trying to judge interest before committing to it. While anime and manga adaptations of the game franchise have now been released by most of the major North American distributor's none of the original game franchise have been picked up.
It was also suggested that publishers look for TV exposure before committing to a game tie in to an anime. Answering questions on the name change from Detective Conan to Case Closed, the reason was attributed to Universal's holding of the Conan the Barbarian license.
FUNimation says that their strategy for selecting anime to license is judging the quality of a series' plot rather than simply going to flash.
Geneon's most promoted show was Gankutsuou aka The Count of Monte Cristo, which looks breathtaking. The Gonzo animated series looks more textured mapped than colored, and with work from fashion designer Anna Su it is a completely new experience in anime.
Samurai action fans should keep an eyed out for Jubei-Chan 2: The Counter Attack of Siberia Yagyu, Akitaroh Daichi's follow-up to his mixed samurai serial/magic girl parody about modern school girl who inherits the eye patch and skills of famed swordsman Jubei Yagyu. The action looks even slicker and more full of Daichi's notorious energy than it's predecessor.
Dears S looked far the less impressive. The magical girlfriends features light toned slave aliens. With a collar on it's logo, and a shrilly high pitched theme that includes the English phrase, "I want to be your slave" it comes across as far too unironic for its premise.
Kyo Mara Maoh! is a student transported to a mystical world series whose trailer giddily made no scene to the uninitiated. A review of the series will likely be in next week's column.
Gainax's Melody of Oblivion drew some pops from the audience, but the trailer was missing anything that installed excitement. Gainax's lost some it cache by going from Wings of Honneamise, Nadia, Gunbuster, Neoen Genesis Evangelion, His an Her Circumstance, and FLCL to works that weren't of the same caliber.
A fight scene from the live action Tetsujin 28 (Gigantor) was shown. The retro, simple painted metal look and scale of the CGI giant robots was impressive, but when the preview ended without a splash after bit of lumbering, pushing and slow punches, the audience was wondering what else the movie had to offer. The movie is scheduled to be released in North America in 2006.
The company's upcoming schedule includes: Girl's Bravo, Melody of Oblivion and Tenjho Tenge in June... Mermaid Forest, Fafner and Jubei-Chan 2 in July... and Dear S in August.
Geneon responded to a question on the agreement the company made with ADV and FUNimation, saying that it wasn't too clear and the details weren't proliferated widely, but part of the decision was an effort not to flood the market beyond it saturation point.
Bandai's upcoming shows include DICE: a younger audience show that looks a little like Zoids.
Eurika 7: a hot new series from Bones, Bandai is looking for North American release in Early 2006 Through Bandai-Sony-video games, all the cross media adaptations are all locked up for NA releases. The series will run over 50 episodes.
Ghost in the shell: Innocence music video collection Hoop Days, also known as Dear Boys, to be releases in June.
Planetes, to be released in July
Mars Daybreak, Gundam Seed movies,and Cowboy Bebop Remix to be released in July/August
Cartoon Network will be showing s-CRY-ed and the Escaflowne movie. They are talking about the Gundam SEED Destiny sequel series. Bandai sees the Gundam SEED as doing farily well on Cartoon Network.
IGPX the mecha racing co-production will be first anime that was produced with Cartoon Network (there is some distinction with Big O 2). The budget is comparable to the animator, Production IG's Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. While Cartoon Network is working with the series' directors, Japanese interests are preventing the series from being over-Americanized. Major announcements and previews will be shown at the San Diego Comicon. The show will probably premiere on Cartoon Network this fall.
Avenger will be released with the entire 13 episode in one collector's tin for $29.98. A contributing factor in the packaging was the series license. It was noted that companies often dictate volume distribution.
The upcoming Bandai manga division will be dedicated to commissioning Japanese creators to produce new stories based on proven anime hits.
Gundam SEED Destiny will be released later this year.
The special edition of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex will feature figures.
Bandai stated that they are being smart and conservative on what they pay for licenses, letting other companies go all out rather than taking part in the major bidding wars. The second volume of Yukikaze is currently in production.
There are no plans to split up the collected edition of Zeta Gundam at this time. A release of the original Gundam with Japanese audio is still very unlikely.
ADV screened the first episodes of a number of their new shows. In addition of Gilgamesh and Full Metal Fummofu, they showed Area 88 TV, and Yugo the Negoiator.
Area 88 combined retro looking character designs, including a blone haired, blue eyed Japanese national, an impressive variety of mechanical design, and CGI flight animation. The series follows the aviation mercenaries who fly from the secret Area 88 desert airbase, viewed the perspective of Shin, a skilled but tortured pilot flying to raise $1.5 million, and Makoto, a photographer on the base as part of an agreement with the military's PR division.
The combination of Leiji Matsumoto grade melodrama with CGI canvas dog fights is intriguing. While it appears to be picking queues, especially in its early going, from Macross Plus, it has its own idea for visualization of aerial warfare. The series is one for aviation and mechanical design fans to look out for.
The DVD will be released in July with an anamorphic encoding.
Yugo The Negotiator will also be released in July. The political drama follows a young Japanese hostage negotiator making his way into Pakistan to free a worker on behalf of the worker's daughter. It's a more mature series, and the cultural granularity depicted is impressive for a series that works with factual locales rather than invented details.
While the series is working hard to paint real environments, it strains credibility with its course of action. The morality of the lead character makes him a bit hard to swallow. Not only is he only going into dangerous areas as a foreigner, but further he introduces himself into righting wrongs outside the scope of his mission. Even when it pays off and contributes to his mission, it's hard to imagine a long life for the character.
ADV states that Cartoon Network has been doing welll with Super Milkchan, and the station is pleased with the series.
Negotiations are under way for a director for the live action Evangelion movie.
The distributor was not able to confirm or deny holding the rights to the Kino's Journey movie, but stated that they do not have the rights to episode zero prequel at this time.
There are currently no plans to release the Nadesico spin-off/70's giant robot parody Gekiganger III. They want to release it, but can't determine how to release a single episode work.
The ADV produced adaptation to Muntineer's Moon is currently in sound recording.
It was reiterated that the Bubblegum Crisis 2021 is in development hell, and probably will not be produced. The company would like to release more older material, but are cautious because of the sales track record for similar endeavors.
Concerning alternate methods of distribution, the company is still pushing The Anime Network's video on demand service, which now features a subtitled block, but TAN and the production side of ADV don't have much contact. ADV's less enthusiastic about the Sony PSP than other distributors, and are taking await and see stance. Internet pay per view is a vehicle that the company is looking into. Going forward mini DVDs will be used for promotion. Individual sales are unlikely.
The company's current best seller is Hello Kitty. An interesting point of trivia that was raised is that the guise of a retelling of the Little Matchstick Girl, Hello Kitty dies in the final episode of volume 3 of the new fairy tale collection series.
The 2 episode per disc distribution of Gantz may change. If this happens, it will likely be when the series moves to its second season after the 13rg episode. Distribution of the Five Star Stories manga is something that they lie to do. Final Fantasy Unlimited is will be re-released in a thin pack DV set. The company would like to refine its method of collecting series for their set releases by re-authoring the series on fewer discs and no insert or extras included. They would like release translated novels, but their are currently no plans.
The secret history of Daisuke Moriyama's Chrono Crusade, revealed why the title was originally spelled "Chrno Crusade". The title went to the logo designer with the spelling mistake, then the logo went to the printer without the error being caught. By the time it was caught, it was too late and the first volume had already been printed.
With the frequency in which American comics are finding inspiration from manga, it is noteworthy that two of series influences were Spawn and the works of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, especially in the design of the Chrono Crusade's demons. Other influences on the series were globe trotting action manga Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, and American movies. The creator had not visited American until after the American set series completed.
Daisuke Moriyama's thoughts on the anime adaptation were they it was a little too dark. That being said, his new manga is darker than Chrono Crusade, and features rival groups of monster fighters in contemporary Japan.
Harmony Gold, who constructed the classic English language sci-fi epic Robotech from anime series Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada has been out of the North American public eye for a number of years while the company focused on international distribution, notably Bay Watch and Star Trek: The Next Generation in Europe as well as other business ventures. Harmony Gold has returned to production with Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles, a direct sequel to original Robotech series. The company is pursing all distribution options for the 2 hour feature, in terms of TV and or home video, which is tentatively schedule for Fall 2005.
ROBOTECH:THE SHADOW CHRONICLES
© 2005 Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
Harmony Gold originally envisioned a sequel to Robotech with Robotech 3000, a CGI series whose look was inspired by Beast Wars and the effects of Babylon 5. After Robotech 3000 was pulled, Harmony Gold went to Tatsunoko Studio, who produced the original three Robotech series: Macross, Southern Cross and Mospeada, as well as other anime ranging from Speed Racer to the more recent series from Soul Taker to Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu. The partnership brought in a third party with Korean animator Dr Movie, a company who has worked on in between animation for a number of highly regarded anime works including Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door and Bones' new Eureka 7, the Card Captor Sakura movies, Ghost in the Shell and Macross Plus. The move is in the keeping with trends in the Japanese anime industry where the bulk work is outsourced to Korea.
The Shadow Chronicles will take place after the events of episode 85 of the Robotech. It will find influences from all three of the original series, but expand the Robotech story across the galaxy. Changes in the status quo will be made to prevent stagnation.
Harmony Gold would not commented on the return of Minmei, other specifics aspects of the series' story or how it relates to classic characters. However, they stated that they will not bring back dead characters, feeling that the move would betray the spirit of the work.
The target for the series is a set of all ages demographics. The producers recognize the need to appeal to the Robotech stalwarts (the presentation was an amazing, unique mix of corporate caution and geek enthusiasm), but also take the Robotech universe from a cult favorite to new audiences.
In animating the show, pre-recorded English audio will be used to guide the animation. For the 3D mechanical animation, they viewed the solid CGI look of cutting edge series like Macross Zero and Yukikaze and the more cell shaded look, then choose a middle ground. Models were shown of the Invid, a drop ship, and a capital ship with close-ups of it's gun turrets. Details were impressive, and there some indications that the models are going to be well integrated with the 2D animation.
Robotech fans will recognize plenty of the returning talent, but the series will also feature Mark Hamill and Star Trek's Chase Masterson. Future plans depend on how the show's distribution turn out. The vehicle for how series will continue, whether it is more movies or TV shows, as well as merchandising are waiting on how this entry is released.
The United Nations public service announcement, saluting the UN's 60th anniversary shows several 2D animated characters from Shadow Chronicles along with brief shots of it's drop ships and fighters.
Carl Macek, who constructed the original Robotech is not currently involved with The Shadow Chronicles, but is welcome back at Harmony Hold. Regarding other aspects of the popular Macross franchise (the Japanese source of the first part of Robotech) , Animeigo's remastered Macross will come back, but no details provided.
Harmony Gold holds the merchandising rights to Macross and the movie Macross Do You Remember Love. The actual feature of Do You Remember Love is tied up in a Japan despute, and will not be released until these legal matters are settled. Harmony Gold states that North American merchandising of other Macross series (for example Macross Plus) infriges on their licensing rights.
The original Robotech is running on The Anime Network.
Harmony Gold has resigned with Del Rey, who will be re-releasing the old robotech books. New Robotech comics are also in the works. Other upcoming Harmony Gold works include the Korean animated series "Legend of Blue" and "Tengoo and Ullashon"
Popular anime information site Anime News Network has recently partnered with long running anime periodical Protculture Addicts to work brings the staffs together and put together interesting content and crossovers.
Protoculture Addicts is the most intelligent, and only independent of the major English language print periodicals. As they described, they don't write for 12 years olds, and would rather be insightful than put together a series of head line that attempt to be humorous. They look to introduce anime that would appeal to older audiences rather than ride on the popularity of hit series. As the circulation improves, Protoculture Addicts hopes to move to a full color, monthly format.
The only new content initiative for Anime News Network that was specifically spoken about was new feature series on Japan, Japanese culture and how it relates to travel. Anime News Network is also working to become more professional, and will be bringing more professional writer and editors onto it's staff.
The screening rooms offered plenty of early looks at upcoming series, as well as recently release, but it there were few exotic selections, or opportunities to exposure viewers to older titles.
A DVD of Urusei Yatsura was a great reminder of how hilarious Rumiko Takahashi can be when the Inu-Yasha creator focuses on comedy, and how timeless well made older titles can be. Of note, one of the episodes featured a very nice, very pre-Matrix Matrix effect that tops all post movie parodies.
Requiem from the Darkness is a wonderfully dream-like horror anthology thanks to creative stylization through digital animation, but it's not the right anime to schedule first thing in the morning. Hopefully that explained the walk outs between episodes.
It would have been nice to be able to watch people watch Elfen Lied, an amazingly sadistic take on the magic girl genre that breaks out both creatively gory uses of super powers and oppressively mean human drama. Unfortunately, the room was absolutely packed to copacity. People were hovering the halls for a chance to watch the opening episodes.
The anime adaptation of Planetes will win over anyone with passion for space will be hooked from the opening sequence alone. The series builds a blue collar, hard sci-fi look at intra-solar system expansion by following the dangerous work of debris collectors who remove hazardous objects from Earth orbit. It's sci-fi that bulky, difficult rather than slick and colorful, but it captures a sense of wonder that more fanciful works miss.
The rearranged the character introductions, and uses its extra story room build out a wider picture of the work than the manga was able to depict. There are more details on the ground time of the characters, and wider system of space travel. (Unfortunately some of the new character additions are shrill, often comic relief participants)
It also re-appropriates as well as expanding on the manga's situations, but fans of manga will find the same top quality mix of science and humanity. Small details in both mechanics, and the characters personalities are present to lend credibility to the larger events. When annual insurance solicitation leads to the characters examining their mortality, then against astronomical odds, while on the job the characters intercept from a generations old coffin from an astronaut’s burial in space, the visible hand of plot is forgivable because their are so many interesting technical and philosphical details backing it.
Anime Preview Gilgamesh Based on English dub of episodes 1 and 2
To be released by ADV Films
Gilgamesh is a series that appeals to a specific audience without firm crossover appeal. It's goth sci-fi, set in future after an incident at a Middle Eastern experimental/archeological research site unleashed a field that destroyed computers and left the sky a shimmering mirrored reflection of the ground. It follows a brother and sister, down on their luck and in the middle of a conflict between two equally ominous looking groups. If you like your outfits black, and your lead pissing blood, Gilgamesh knows where the prick the pins. If not, it's sitting a little too far back in the shadows to see what else it has to offer.
In addition to dark skies and crumbling or moody and ornate buildings, Gilgamesh has a unique overcast looks thanks to the character work of frequent art director or coordinator, but character design new comer Masahiro Sato. Rather than the willowy bishonen of most goth inspired manga, the character work of Gilgamesh is less abstract, the characters look more like people, for example the characters are thin, but not without girth, but still highly stylized. There's a cleanness even that even extends to the busy and unordered hair, but they are jarring sights. They look hollowed out, with a pallid tone bleaches them to where they begin looking like brittle dolls. Even the smiling characters look like deeply unhappy people.
From the start Gilgamesh puts together intrigue and action, but atmosphere is the trump for the series. Whether one enjoys the series rests on their affinity to the tone.
Manga Spotlight: Othello Volume 3 by Satomi Ikezawa
Del Rey
Othello continues to become more impressive as it adds more objects to it's shoujo juggling act. On top of wish fufilment premise of shy, bullied girl named Yaya, who shifts personalities into the take no prisoners Nana, Satomi Ikezawa works in plenty of elements school's cliques, bullies and troubled, complicated romantic situations, and music from fandom to the industry. All the while, it's balancing a freight train of shojo elements, packing on as many love, ambitions and drama, with giving each scene and character enough room to develop. It is able to work in some outrageous aspects like a singing idol's pets alligator and Yaya's inappropriately forceful reaction to every confrontation and slight by keeping motivations credible and emotions on level readers can relation to.
Othello throws enough spirited characters at the material that shojo fans will adore it, and non-shown fans will still a highly entertaining comedy drama. You can invest in the character and think about it you choose to, and the series will stand up to the scrutiny, or you can just have fun with it.
The volume's reproduction is slightly murky. It's probably because the illustrations frequently augments it's toning with light lines, but the result is that uniformly, it doesn't look crisp. It looks like a difficult series to reproduce, and while it doesn't hinder the reading, it is noticeable.
The ends notes explaining the cultural details continue to be useful. They feature some interesting, analytical points about cultural differences, that enhance the story. A nice addition would have been an explanation of how about of the language puns and word plays worked in the original Japanese.
Spike TV Talks Afro Samurai
Acclaimed actor and producer Samuel L. Jackson is set to voice and produce the highly anticipated animated action-adventure AFRO SAMURAI for Spike TV, with Japanese anime studio Gonzo and Japan's largest TV network, Fuji Television. The five episode series will premiere on Spike TV in 2006.
AFRO SAMURAI is the tale of a black samurai futuristic, yet feudal Japan who is on a mission to avenge the wrongful death of his father. Samuel L. Jackson stars as "Afro," a warrior who travels a solitary path encountering a myriad of enemies, friends and challenges beyond imagination. The series, produced in Japanese animation, blends samurai style with hip-hop, creating a kind of action that American audiences have never seen before.
"With Samuel L. Jackson involved with this project combined with the talents of Gonzo, the leader in producing cutting-edge Japanese animation, and featuring a funky, hip-hop soundtrack -- this project was irresistible for us," says Kevin Kay, Executive Vice President of Development and Production for Spike TV. "Afro Samurai is already generating a great buzz for its animation and captivating storyline."
AFRO SAMURAI is a creative collaboration between Samuel L. Jackson, Takashi Okazaki and Japanese animation company Gonzo, a division of GDH, who is also acting as Series Producer. The concept of AFRO SAMURAI was created by graphic designer, illustrator and artist Takashi "Bob" Okazaki who has worked on the illustration versions of "Spiderman" for Sony and "Blade: Trinity" for New Line Cinema.
ADV Talks The Place Promised In Our Early Days
ADV Films is proud to announce the acquisition of The Place Promised in Our Early Days, the highly anticipated, award-winning full-length feature film by world famous animator and director Makoto Shinkai. This announcement was made by ADV Films at the Anime Boston convention last Saturday, April 30th.
Referred to as “the new Miyazaki”, creator Shinkai (Voices of a Distant Star) has created a beautifully lush science-fiction masterpiece that explores the powerful complexities of love, the driving force of curiosity, and the enduring value of a promise. Recently released in theaters across Japan, The Place Promised in Our Early Days was awarded the Animation Film Award (the Grand Prize in animation) at the 59th annual Mainichi Film Concours, the same award which had been awarded to Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away in the past.
Synopsis: Set in an alternate universe, this sci-fi story centers around three teenagers, a rip in the space-time continuum, and the perseverance to keep a promise against all odds. The film captures slice-of-life beauty between three friends, while epic events threaten to drive them apart.
The Place Promised in Our Early Days begins its U.S. theatrical run at The Tribeca Grand Theatre in New York City May 10, 2005, with other major cities to follow. The DVD will be released later this summer (a July 12 date is appearing in some listings).
Anime Business News
Bandai has announced that they will be purchasing game publisher Namco, known for their fighting games such as Tekken and Soul Calibur as well as classic arcade games like Pac Man. The merger is expected to be approved in June, and leverage the Bandai's recognizable properties with Namco's technology.
Video game maker Konami has sold off its 22% stock holdings in Takara to mobile phone company Index Corporation. Takara hold a majority of Broccoli, the parent company of the Gamers stores, as well as domestic manga distributor Broccoli Books (Di Gi Charat, Galaxy Angel), and anime distributor Synch Point (FLCL)
TOKYOPOP has announced that co-Founded Mike Kiley will be assuming the role of publisher in addition to his role as editor in chief from Stuart J. Levy.
Ghibli Festival at Berkley
University of California, Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive BAM/PFA will running a Studio Ghibli film festival through June with the works of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Movies to be screened include Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, The Cat Returns, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Pom Poko, Only Yesterday, My Neighbors the Yamadas and Grave of the Fireflies For details see here.
New Fafner
AnimeNation reports that Xebec will be producing a follow-up to their giant robot sci-fi Fafner, entitled "Sokyuu no Fafner - Single Program - Right of Left-."
Digital Manga Previews
Anime News Network points out that Digital Manga has previews of their titltes Bambi and the Pink Gun, Twilight of the Dark Master, IWGP, Worst! and numerous "How To" products online here/a>
Manga to Release Stand Alome Complex Reference
Anime on DVD reports Manga Entertainment announced that they will be releasing Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Official Log, a 144 page reference book and 90 minute DVD on October 25th 25 for $49.98
Anime Game News
From The Magic Box Screen shots of Square Enix's anime action RPG Full Metal Alchemist 3: Kami o Tsugu Shoujo can be seen here
The Inu-Yasha 2-on-2 fighting game Inu Yasha: Feudal Combat can be seen here
Screenshots of Gundam True Odyssey, a game set in an original Gundam universe where the mobile suits are part of every-day life, can be seen here
Raijin Comics Loses Domain
Jagged*Team and AnimeNewsNetwork reports that Gutsoon has lost the domain name for its defunct weekly magazine Raijin Comics, raijincomics.com to squatter defunct weekly magazine Raijin Comics, raijincomics.com The company's site gutsoon.com is up, but un-updated.
YTV Picks up 4Kids Shows
AnimeNewsNetwork reports Canadian YTV has licensed seasons of One Piece, Shaman King, Sonic X, Yu-Gi-Oh season 5, Mew Mew Power, Pokemon Season 8 and Pokemon Chronicles from 4Kids.
Howl's In UK
Howl's Moving Castle has recieved a U rating in the UK for it's September 1st release.
New TOKYOPOP Licenses
TOKYOPOP will be releasing the manga adapation of the Square-Enix/Disney crossover Kingdom Hearts by Shiro Amano and Spiral by Kyo Shirodaira and Eita Mizuno as well as Korean manwha Lights Out by Myung-Jin Lee and Justice N Mercy by Min-Woo Hyung
Crash Media Expands Reach into New Area
Anime Crash has announced that they will be the first American anime distributor to offer downloadble trailers for the Sony PSP's memory crd. See www.AnimeCrash.com for more details.
Crash Cinema's martial arts titles will be appearing on MTV2's Sharts. More content from an upcoming series of content ranging from 30 second martial arts clips, to content about the making of Kimio Ikeda’s (Speed Racer, Gatchaman/Battle of the Planets) Shiden anime series currently in production in Japan.
CPM To Release New Patlabor
In June, Central Park Media will be introducing Patlabor: The Mobile Police – The New Files, the highly anticipated mecha anime series. Patlabor: The Mobile Police – The New Files: Volume 1 features some of the top talents in Japanese animation such as Yutaka Izubuchi (Record of Lodoss War, RahXephon) and Kazunori Ito (.hack//SIGN). In this volume, Noa and her elite unit of mecha crime-solvers must defend the city against a new mechanical terror threatening the populace, and will be available for $19.95 SRP.
The DVDs will have audio tracks in both English and Japanese with English subtitles, a street date of July 12, 2005.
Patlabor: The Mobile Police – The New Files: Volume 1 Noa always dreamed of piloting a giant robot for the police. Now, that dream is a reality, and Noa is a member of an elite unit that specializes in solving robot crimes. When terror strikes in the form of a giant black robot, the Griffin, Noa and her team must ready their biggest guns to defeat the mechanical monster! Contains Episodes 1-4.
Yugo Price Drop
ADV has drop the price of the first volume of Yugo the Negotiator to $14.98 and $19.98 for the box collector's edition.
Original Dark Water Movie
ADV announced that the original Japanese motion picture Dark Water will be released on DVD on June 21, 2005
Dark Water is based on the original novel by Koji Suzuki, “the Stephen King of Japan,” who wrote the best-selling Ring series. The film is directed by Hideo Nakata, who not only directed both Japanese Ring adaptations but also helmed Dreamworks’ remake of Ring 2.
Nakata has been called “the spiritual godfather of Japanese horror” (Entertainment Weekly), and the acclaimed director was even named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2004. Nakata is credited with helping to usher in a new era of smart, suspenseful, and visually rich horror films. “In his thrillers, Nakata concentrates less on the explosion of the time bomb than on the ticking inside it; abstract images on a videotape, an aquarium tank full of dead fish, water stain spreading on a ceiling” (Time).
The Touchstone Pictures adaptation of Dark Water stars Jennifer Connelly and John C. Reilly. Directed by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries, Central Station) and produced by Bill Mechanic (Coraline), the US remake opens in theaters July 8.
Synopsis: Yoshimi Matsubara is fighting to gain legal custody of her five-year-ld daughter, Ikuko. Under pressure to find a place of their own, the two settle for a dark and musty apartment. But little do they expect what lies ahead. Already insecure and uncertain about her future with her daughter, Yoshimi is haunted by the life-like murky water dripping through the ceiling and walls which gets worse day by day. Even more bothersome are the random and unlikely reappearances of a small red bag, which once belonged to a little girl who mysteriously disappeared two years before. Though she desperately struggles to find the strength within herself for Ikuko’s sake, her horror intensifies as she comes closer to discovering the connection between these events. She is ultimately tested in an intensely driven climax where she faces the worst of her fears and expectations.
Manga Harvey Award Nominee
The only manga title nominated for comic industry's Harvey Awards this year was Vertical Inc.'s release of Osamu Tezuka's Buddha for Best American Edition of Foreign Material.
TOKYOPOP Talks Upcoming Princess Ai
TOKYOPOP pop announced that the second volume of Princess Ai, Princess Ai: Lumination in July. The manga collaboration of writer-producer D.J. Milky Japanese artist Misaho Kujiradou, rock and film star Courtney Love and manga creator Ai Yazawa (Paradise Kiss) will be celebrated with a cosplay contest at San Diego Comic-Con on July 16, 2005. Fans are encouraged and challenged to create their favorite Princess Ai outfit for the chance to receive fabulous prizes, including free cell phones, wallpaper downloads, T-shirts-all of which are part of the full line of Princess Ai merchandise that also includes posters, calendars and bookmarks.
Bleeding Edge, acutting-edge Los Angeles-based collectible doll manufacturer, is launching a line of Princess Ai 12" fashion dolls and 7" vinyl dolls. Featuring the unique fashions that Princess Ai sports, along with her mysterious locket and signature ripped stockings, each doll will come with a sampler of Princess Ai: Lumination. In addition, Princess Ai: Lumination will feature pages that depict the process of designing, sculpting and manufacturing the dolls.
Figures.com has images of the Princess Ai merchandise here
New Live Action Go Nagai Adaptation
TwitchFilm points out that the official site for for Minoru Kawasaki's Kabuto-O Beetle is online. The movie adapts the Osaka Pro-Wrestling created by influential manga creator Go Nagai (Cutey Honey, Devilman, Mazinger Z).
Right Stuf Sets Shingu 3 Date
Right Stuf Internation has announced that Shingu: Secret Of The Stellar Wars Dvd 3: Deadly Limitations will be released July 26th.
SHINGU: SECRET OF THE STELLAR WARS! created by acclaimed director Tatsuo Sato (NADESICO / STELLVIA / AZUMANGA DAIOH), with planning by Masao Maruyama (GUNGRAVE / CARDCAPTOR SAKURA MOVIES / CHOBITS), production by Masao Morosawa (GUNGRAVE / JUBEI-CHAN / NINJA SCROLL TV) and character designs by Yuuji Ikeda (SAIYUKI / GUNGRAVE / X TV).
Contains episodes 11-16.
PLUS! DVD 3 features a special SHINGU: SECRET OF THE STELLAR WARS 12-page booklet!
BONUS DVD CONTENT INCLUDES: Reversible Cover, Character Bios, Line Art Gallery, Special 12-page Booklet, Original Production Notes, English Production Notes, Right Stuf Trailers, Scene Access, English Audio, Japanese Audio, English Subtitles & On Screen Translations
Graphic of cover is located at http://outgoing.rightstuf.com/sleeves/rsdvd8037.jpg
CPM to Offer PSP Downloads
Central Park Media, has announced the availability of downloadable trailers formatted for the Sony PSP portable gaming system.
Central Park Media will make available over 100 trailers on their website (www.centralparkmedia.com/psp). Starting today, the trailers include both recent CPM releases such as Munto, Cat Soup, Shadow Star Narutaru as well as classic anime titles such as Dominion Tank Police and Patlabor. Ranging from the family oriented Doggy Poo to the ultraviolent Ichi The Killer: Episode Zero, CPM's trailers will demonstrate the amazing variety of animation art which is the hallmark of Japanese anime. Trailers will rotate on a regular basis.
In addition, CPM will offer a PSP download for its most recent acquisition, the shocking horror film, Kakurenbo, which, along with Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, won one of the top awards during its premier at the 2005 Tokyo International Anime Fair in March, 2005. Kakurenbo reveals the mystery behind the disappearance of children playing hide-and-seek ("kakurenbo" in Japanese) in a mysterious and unnamed, post-modern Asian urban landscape. Audiences have been left spellbound by the gritty 3-D visuals and absorbing storyline of Kakurenbo. Further details on the U.S. release of this program will be made at a later time.
