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Animation and Anime

AICN Anime-Quick Rundown of New Licenses

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ADV Films

ADV announced the following titles at Anime Expo Kyoshiro and the Eternal Sky, a fantasy romance with giant robots, from the creator of Kannazuki no Miko Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann the latest super robots show from Gainax (creators of Neon Genesis Evangelion) Devil May Cry Madhouse's (Ninja Scroll) adaptation of Capcom's horror action
ADV will be releasing Toei Animation's incarnation of game series Xenosaga starting in September 2007. The Xenosaga anime is inspired by the first installment of the Xenosaga video game trilogy for the PlayStation 2, Episode One: Der Wille zur Macht. Synopsis: Over four thousand years have passed since humans abandoned the planet Earth. Humanity is now on the brink of destruction, hunted down by a vicious alien race known as the Gnosis. The last hope of mankind rests in the hands of scientist Shion Uzuki and KOS-MOS, a battling android with unfathomable capabilities. Unbeknownst to Shion, the battleship they’re traveling in holds a mysterious object that attracts the Gnosis. When the Woglinde is attacked by the Gnosis, KOS-MOS is activated and begins to pursue her own mysterious plans. Tensai Okamura (Naruto The Movie, Wolf’s Rain) and the production team at Studio A.C.G.T.'s (Kino’s Journey, Human Crossing), sci-fi, direct to video Project Blue Earth SOS was also announced by ADV. Project Blue Earth SOS is comprised of six segments, each forty-five minutes in length. A release date has not yet been scheduled. The show is based off a series of illustrations from original creator Shigeru Komatsuzaki, a famous Japanese artist who worked on many landmark titles such as Thunderbirds and Agatron. Synopsis: At the turn of the century, humanity has reached a technological high-mark with the creation of the G-Reaction, an advanced engine capable of extraordinary speeds. During the unveiling of a new train utilizing the G-Reaction system, the train and its technology disappear in a flash of beautiful light. Witnessing the disappearing act are Billy, Penny and Lotta. It isn’t long until the three teens discover that similar disappearances have been occurring across the globe, and an invasion looms on the horizon. With invasion imminent, the world’s greatest minds have joined forces to form the Labyrinth Alliance, and Billy, Penny and Lotta are its newest “volunteers.” Together the trio will help to pilot the Sky Knight, the only fighter plane capable of defending Earth from destruction. Other recent announcements from ADV include 5cm a Second Tokyo Majin: demon fighting teens, 26 episode tv series Pumpkin Scissors: anti-tank military action from Gonzo

Bandai Entertainment

AIKa (previously released by CPM): famously over the top, panty exposing secret agent woman series AIKa R-16 OVA Gundam Seed Destiny Special Silent Mobius movies: Kia Asamiya's super natural action epic

Bandai Visual

Super Robot Wars Original Generation OVA and television: based on the original creations from the classic giant robot heavy Super Robot Wars strategy games. Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: CG features from the perspective of the antagonists from the original Gundam

Dark Horse (manga)

Blood+ Blood+ Adaggio Blood+ and Blood+ Russian Rose (novel) Blood+ Yako Joushi Bride of the Water God (manwha) Gantz: hyper violent urban alien hunt, stranger than the anime Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu Ghost Talker's Daydream: a dominatrix as a supernatural sleuth The Color of Rage: from Lone Wolf and Cub creator Kouzo Koike Wind Named Amnesia: source for sci-fi anime movie

Digital Manga Publishing (manga)

Family Complex Flamboyant, Hakua Ugetsu art book Mach Go Go Go, Tatsuo Yoshida's original DMP also announced no more volumes of the Robot anthology will be released

DrMaster (manga)

Metro Survive Phantoms, Yasushi Suzuki (SIN) art book

FUNimation

Darker than BLACK super power action, From Bone (Full Metal Alchemist, the Cowboy Bebop movie), music by Yoko Kanno Jyu-Oh-Sei: twins exiled to live on a hostile planet Love Hina: previously released by Bandai one-guy-many-girls relationship comedy The company is working on the XXXHOLiC television series, second season of the Tsubasa Chronicle television series, and the Negima!?

Geneon

Chop Suey Sock Deltora Quest, based on Emily Rodda fantasy novels Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: magical girl series Shakugan no Shana OVA

Go! Comi (Manga)

A.I. Revolution Angel's Coffin A Wise Man Sleeps Cy-believers Kamisama Kazoku

Manga Entertainment

Strait Jacket "Leon the Professional meets Blade Runner...but steampunk"

Right Stuf

Right Stuf International's new licensing and distribution sub-division will be called Nozomi Entertainmnet The first titles include: Lost Universe: fantasy sci-fi from the makers of Slayers. Previously released by ADV. A collection will be released this fall Victorian Romance Emma: Both seasons have been licensed. Two box sets for $49.95 each. This will be subtitled only

Seven Seas

Dance in the Vampire Hatsuoki Shimai I, Otaku - Struggle in Akihabara In God's arms aka Kamisama no ude no naka (yaoi) Kage Kara Mamoru (light novel) Strawberry Panic (manga and novels) Vamp! Voiceful Wicked City (novels) Zero no Tsukaima aka Zero's Familiar: the anime version will be released by Geneon

TOKYOPOP

TOKYOPOP has confirmed that the company will be publishing the following, which including manga, manwha, prose and original graphic novels: .hack//G.U.+ Ai-Land Collection Aria Bad Kitty Boku to Kanojo no XXX DNAngel Illustrations FEDER Deja vu - Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Devil's Bride Dragon Sister! Element Line FLCL (Novel) Fallen Moon: Daten No Tsuki Fever GOSICK Gakuen Alice Harukaze Bitter Bop Hellgate: London Hotel Africa I Wish I-Doll Jyu Oh Sei King City Mamotte Shugogetten! Manga Sutra - Futari H Masque: Gothic & Lolita Monochrome Factor New Petshop of Horrors Princess Ai: Rumors from the Other Side Rose Hip Rose Sea Princess Azuri Seduction More Beautiful Than Love Shin Megami Tensei Short Sunzen! Spy Goddess Starcraft Anthology The Knockout Makers The Third 8 Twelve Kingdoms (paperback) V.B. Rose Warcraft Anthology eV

VIZ Media

VIZ Media has named Bandai America the key toy licensee for the Blue Dragon anime series. Earlier this year, VIZ Media was named the master licensor for the television, home video and non-video game merchandising rights for BLUE DRAGON by a consortium including TV TOKYO Corporation and Shueisha Inc, for the Americas, Europe and Oceania. The Xbox 360 game “BLUE DRAGON” was developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi (the creator of Final Fantasy) and also features character designs by Akira Toriyama, the creator of the best-selling DRAGON BALL series of manga. The BLUE DRAGON anime series debuted in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 7, 2007 and is produced by Studio Pierrot, which is well known for its work on NARUTO™ and BLEACH™, also licensed by VIZ Media. The BLUE DRAGON video game will be released in North America and Europe in August 2007. Eyeshield 21 US Project, a newly formed collaboration of the production companies NAS, TV Tokyo, and Shueisha, has announced that the Eyeshield 21 football anime series will stream on Toonami Jetstream and NFL Rush starting in Fall of 2007. Toonami Jetstream is Viz Media and Cartoon Network's online video streaming service, and NFL Rush is the National Football League's website for children. Jetstream currently requires Microsoft Windows with recent versions of Adobe Flash Player and Windows Media Player.
VIZ Media highlighted the fillowing titles at the 2007 Licensing International Expo Bleach Blue Dragon Death Note Inuyasha Mär Mega Man Star Force Naruto Zatch Bell Zoids Genesis NANA Nana is based on a popular manga by Ai Yazawa (and published in North America by VIZ Media), this series depicts what happens when two single girls - one a punk rocker and the other a sheltered suburbanite - both named Nana but from vastly different walks of life meet, become roommates and try to find their place amidst the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. HONEY AND CLOVER HONEY AND CLOVER is a heartwarming series about three poor college students who find life a struggle but who band together and find simple pleasures through small things in life. The story follows these characters' life stories as they study, find work, love and new friendships. THE PRINCE OF TENNIS Echizen Ryoma is a young tennis prodigy who has won four consecutive tennis championships but who constantly lies in the shadow of his father, a former pro tennis player. He joins the Seishun Gakuen junior high school tennis teams, one of the best in Japan, and there along with his teammates he refines his own style of tennis in an attempt to defeat his biggest obstacles of all – building the self confidence to step out on his own from the shadow of his father’s legacy. DEKO BOKO FRIENDS "You are different, and that’s why I like you”. Deko Boko Friends is a series of 30 second interstitials each showcasing one of 12 characters. The characters represent 12 types of personalty traits. Each character is an amalgamation and condensation of traits found in a variety of people. MIRMO Katie Minami is a 14 year old student with a mad crush on her classmate. One day while on her way home she buys a mug from a shop and discovers an engraved note at the bottom promising that hot cocoa poured into it will deliver a fairy who will grant any wish. The fairy that appears is Mirmo, who is a prince of the muglox world. Horrified at having to marry Rima, a princess to be in his own world, Mirmo escapes but hot on his heels are Rima, a bounty hunter, Miromo’s brother and a cast of hundreds of other muglox ranging from the good to bad to downright insane. School life for Katie and her friends will never be the same. KIRARI KIRARI is the story of a cute, 14-year-old girl named Kirari Tsukishima whose main obsession is food. That is, until one day when she falls in love with Seiji, the singer of a pop idol duo, Ships. From then on, to get close to the idol she likes, Kirari announces that she too will become a singer. Swept away in the exciting world of music entertainment and film, Kirari’s adventures take her through the challenge and excitement of becoming a teen idol to win Seiji’s heart! CROKET! Scattered throughout the planet are magical gold tokens called Kinkas, which hold vast and mysterious powers. Fill your Kinka bank and the great Kinka Wizard will appear to grant your wildest wish! Strong and fearless warriors called Bankers travel the land with one common goal---to obtain as many kinkas as possible! Croket is an energetic Banker consumed with one quest: to bring his father Burger, who was destroyed in a horrible duel, back to life! So set your sights for Macadamia Island, and get ready for adventure, comedy, and non-stop Kinka battles. The Banker survival quest is about to begin!! Oh and don’t forget your Kinka Bank!

Warner Bros.

According to Anime on DVD, Warner Bros. has picked up the international \video and television rights to the John Woo produced sequel to the CG Appleseed movie, Appleseed: Ex Machina

Other Publishers

MangaCast reports Monocle is running Yasaka Takanori's Kita Koga. According to Same Hat! Samehat!, Drawn and Quarterly will be releasing a new collection of atsumi Yoshihiro's gekiga works and Hayashi Seiichi's Akairo Elegy.
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