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Column by Scott Green

No reviews this week on account of time spent resolving Comcast-related internet connectivity problems.
"Comcastic?"
Free Advice, don't turn your brand into an adjective when your service is notorious.

Iwa Ni Hana translates the plot and character info from the new site for Manglobe's (Samurai Champloo, Ergo Proxy) Michiko to Hatchin

A trailer can be seen here
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Matt Alt has updated story concerning Go Nagai's (Devilman, Mazinger Z/Tranzor Z, Cutie Honey) promise to "next year, I'm definitely going to start a new series that incorporates all of the Mazinger characters." An official announcement is planned for the end of the year.


It's supposedly going to be helmed by Yasuhiro Imagawa of "G Gundam" and "Giant Robo OVA" fame, and it's apparently going to be based on the five-volume manga series Zetto Mazinger ("Z Mazinger"), an alternate-reality storyline that is a retelling rather than a sequel of the original series.

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The 122nd novel in the Guin Saga fantasy novel series featured the announcement that a Guin Saga anime series will air on Japan TV next year.

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Ryuganji notes that 23-year-old former idol Taira Airi has been cast as the teenage/adult Kana in the live action 20th Century Boys trilogy.

The Stephen King-style story revolves around Kenji Endo, an unmarried 30 year and once almost-famous rocker who is trying to manage a convenience store and raise the infant daughter of his absent sister. Kenji begins to notice that a mysterious cult is using the symbols and outrageous plans that he devised with elementary school buddies devised as children.

The second and third movies are scheduled for January 31 and fall of 2009.

The first of the 20th Century Boys trilogy opens in Japan this August.

Following the original Inu-Yasha short “The Black Tessaiga”, the "It's a Rumic World" Rumiko Takahashi exhibit will feature a new Ranma 1/2 anime. Akumu! Shun Min Ko (Nightmare! The Incense of Spring Sleep) will be the first new adaptation of the Ranma 1/2 martial arts comedy in 12 years.

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From a geek by any other name

Monthly Comp Ace will launch school-set alternate world version of Gurren Lagann, entitled Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Gurren Gakuen-Hen (Gurren School Edition), illustrated by Kabao Kikkawa (Queen's Blade -Ruro no Senshi-) and written by A-ji Zaitsu.

Yuna Kagesaki's When They Cry - Higurashi: Heart-Healing Chapter adaptation of the spin-off to be supernatural murder mystery game franchise will also launch in the anthology.

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Via Anime News Network,
Madhouse and Disney's Lilo & Stitch spin-off will replace Bleach in its timeslot on TV Tokyo starting October 8th.
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New manga-to-live action adaptations include biker turned gangster Salaryman Kintarom which will be adapted into a TV drama (previously adapated into a Takashi Miike movie) and reject volleyball comedy Hiroyuki Murata's Kogyoaika Volleyboys, which will become a movie.

The WOWOW premium television service has announced that it will run a live-action drama version of Ishoku Tanpen-Shu (Unique Short Stories), a collection of speculative short stories from Doraemon co-creator Fujiko F. Fujio, starting at midnight on October 31 in Japan.

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Destructoid points to an upcoming announcement at be unveiled at the Gyakuten (court room game Phoenix Wright) Meets Orchestra event. "We have plans for this fall's special courtroom." They say. It's a project called "New Gyaukuten Saiban NOT game." Speculation is pointed into an anime adaptation.
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Previews
Episode one of Disney's RoboDz
Kiku-chan to Okami (Kiku-chan and the Wolf) from Grave of the Fireflies' Akiyuki Nosaka
Studio 4°C. First Squad, trailer here

Director James McTeigue talks Ninja Assassin at ComingSoon

CS: What were some of the influences on the look of the action, was it Hong Kong action movies or samurai movies? Was there any things specifically you looked at that you wanted reflected in your movie?

McTeigue: Ah, yeah, you know, see I was interested in almost making a black and white film in color, like having that super high contrasted look. Like some of the older films were like Kurosawa films but then I also looked at a bunch of film noir like "Panic in the Streets." I remember when Naomi came on board, I showed her a bunch of disparate films like "The Getaway" and "Badlands" but I also showed her "Ninja Scroll" which is an animated thing I really liked. I showed her "Samurai Champloo" which I think is a great anime, so I was trying to fold those kinds of elements into the film, and some of the classic ninja films from the '80s. The lorded-up ninja films like "Shinobi Non Mono" which is a great version. It's the classic ninja film I guess.

CS: For some reason, I just assumed that this movie was optioned from some Japanese anime I'd never heard of.
McTeigue: No, it's an original thing, an original story.

First Showing looks at New Gatchaman Concept Art.

TMNT director Kevin Munroe explained "as much of a step as Turtles was, hopefully Gatchaman's going to be that much more. Like it's PG-13 CGI, and all CGI. It's going to be really… hardcore sci-fi."

Creative director Felix Ip comments

the art direction and look is different from before, we push that more anime and stylize rather than photo realistic...

BTW, Gatchaman will not come in 2009...

Ip posted at second set here

Tatsunoko's 1972 (Speed Racer, Macross/Robotech) adventure sci-fi Science Ninja Team Gatchaman was adapted for American TV as Battle of the Planets in the wake of the Star Wars phenomenon, then again as G-Force in 1986.

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MTV Movie Blog spoke to Samuel L. Jackson about plans for a live action Afro Samurai film.

Jackson states that he's planning on passing the Afro mantle to another, possibly Andre 3000.

“Hopefully, that script will come together and we’ll be able to do that in the next two years or so.”

“I’ll be the dead father. I’ll show up in some spiritual scenes, and give him some guidance. We’ll find some young guy that is capable of doing all those things and make it really cool.”

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Major Spoilers collects new Dragon Ball photos

Animation Magazine reports that Warner Home Video and Village Roadshow Pictures's The Ultimate Matrix Blu-ray release will feature the Animatrix anthology as part of the seven disc collection.

The Animatrix disc will feature making-of documentaries for each of the short, creator profiles, and the featurette Scrolls to Screen: The History and Culture of Anime.

In addition of the Matrix films, the collection is package with three additional bonus discs featuring more than 35 hours of additional features and a digital copy of the original Matrix for use with Windows Media and iPod portable devices.

The collection will be released on October 14th for $129.95.

According Anime on DVD and AV Watch in Japan, after its 07/25/2008 Japanese release, Bandai Entertainment will eventually be releasing Mamoru Hosoda's beautifully animated school girl time travel drama The Girl Who Leapt Through Time on Blu-ray in North Amercia.

The Ghost in the Shell 2.0 partially reanimated remix of the original movie will be released on DVd Blu-ray in Japan on 12/19/2008. A mini Blu-ray box set which will contain the original feature without the new updates in addition to the 2.0 version. The 2.0 release will feature a Dolby TrueHD 6.1 audio mix in addition to the original stereo PCM mix that was found on the previous Blu-ray release.

Square Co., Ltd. Enix Ltd will be releasing a "Complete Version" Blu-ray of Final Fantasy: Advent Children in March 2009. The disc will features 30 minutes of new footage, as well as a preview of the next Final Fantasy game.

Del Rey
New acquisitions for release in Spring and super 2009 include:

MANGA
NEGIMA! NEO, a second series featuring the 10-year-old boy wizard and the girls of Mahora Academy from Ken Akamatsu’s Negima! Master Negi Magi. With the story and original concept by Akamatsu, and art by Takuya Fujima, NEGIMA! NEO reimagines the original Negima! storyline, and is an adaptation of the Negima! anime. Negi’s attention is back on finding his father, the famous Thousand Master. NEGIMA! NEO is set for release in April 2009.

ORANGE PLANET is shôjo a love triange romantic comedy by Haruka Fukushima, schedule for release in May 2009.

Yuki Sato’s supernatural YOKAI DOCTOR is scheduled for release in June 2009.

MANGA NOVELS
Yoshiki Tanaka's SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL features cover art and interior illustrations by manga superstar collective CLAMP.

An action-packed fantasy, SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL follows the four Ryudou brothers—who all have secret superpowers. Someone has discovered the boys’ secret, and plans to use their powers to take over the world. In the process of trying to save the world the Ryudou brothers discover a long-kept secret their grandfather had concealed to his death—they can transform into dragons who control the four elements! Yoshiki Tanaka is also the author of the popular Japanese science fiction novel, The Galactic Heroes.

The imprint will be marking the 2009, 20th anniversary of the world-renown manga creators CLAMP with fan-guide CLAMP IN AMERICA.

The book, written by Shaenon Garrity (manga editor for Viz Media, award-winning webcartoonist and editor of the webcomics site ModernTales.com) will feature

• A history of CLAMP from their humble beginnings as doujinshi (fanzine) creators to international manga superstars;
• A detailed guide to their work, from RG Veda to Tsubasa, and beyond;
• Behind-the-scenes looks at how the members of CLAMP work, together and separately;
• CLAMP’s part in the explosive success of manga in America, and the effect of their manga on U.S. distribution and marketing;
• Their work with American publishers Tokyopop, Viz, Del Rey Manga and Dark Horse;
• Their 2006 visit to America;
• Interviews with the American manga creators they’ve influenced;
• Interviews with the editors and publishers who have had the opportunity to work with CLAMP.

VIZ Media, has announces new manga for the VIZ SIGNATURE, VIZ MEDIA and SHOJO BEAT imprints in the first half of 2009.

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys • Rated “T+” for Older Teens •
MSRP: $12.99 • February 2009
Considered by manga cognoscenti as one of the absolute masterpieces of the medium, NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS is this critically acclaimed creator’s magnum opus. A sprawling decades-spanning saga about a group of childhood friends who are mankind’s last hope against an apocalyptic religious cult, NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS combines elements of brain-bending science-fiction, Stephen King novels, Bob Dylan songs, and straight-up rock ‘n’ roll to create one of the most addictive manga reads ever. Find out why this title may be one of the greatest comics of all time.

PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA • Rated “T” for Teens • MSRP: $12.99 •
February 2009
A darkly-lit science-fiction thriller set in a cybernetic future reminiscent of BLADE RUNNER and I, ROBOT, PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA takes a storyline from Osamu Tezuka’s classic manga ASTRO BOY and radically retrofits Tezuka’s space-age optimism for a more chaotic age. Somebody is out to kill the world’s most powerful robots—including Astro Boy! A cyborg detective must investigate the robot-murders and solve them, before they come after him. Serialized at the same time as NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS in Japan, PLUTO exhibits Urasawa’s narrative skills at the top of their form, taking the thrilling plot twists of MONSTER to a new level. As a radical reimagining of a classic comic character, PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA is to Astro Boy what THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS was to Batman.

The MAGIC TOUCH • Rated “T” for Teens • MSRP: $8.99 • February 3, 2009
The star of her high school's Massage Research Society club, Chiaki Togu is otherwise a normal, quiet girl until she falls in love at first sight with a gorgeous back – a back that happens to belong to Yosuke, the hottest guy at her school! Unfortunately, Chiaki's attraction to Yosuke is thwarted by her own insecurity and the scheming of other girls – especially her twin sister Saya!

OTOMEN • Rated “T” for Teens • MSRP: $8.99 • Available: February 3, 2009
Asuka Masamune is the coolest, manliest guy in his whole school. He’s a kendo master and even excels in judo and karate...but he has a secret! He loves girly things – sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. Unfortunately, in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Ryo Miyakozuka, on the other hand, is a girl who can't sew or bake a cake to save her life. Asuka finds himself drawn to Ryo, but she likes only the manliest of men! Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to the girl that he's falling for? Find out in this new SHOJO BEAT manga series by Aya Kanno.

DOGS • Rated “M” for Mature Audiences • MSRP: $12.99 • April 14, 2009
Boasting furious action, switchback plotting, magnetic characters and dazzling art, Dogs tells the story of four individuals struggling to survive a dystopian urban future by gun and sword and courage and luck. Haine, the “Stray Dog”: a cipher of a young man with a mysterious metal collar bolted to his neck and a serious taste for mayhem. Badou: a hired gun for petty jobs legal and not, whose reckless façade hides a serious intent. Naoto: a preternaturally skilled swordswoman searching for the assassin who cut down her family and mentor. Mihai: a middle-aged former hitman, now trying live a quiet life but haunted by the deaths of his lover and protégé. Driven by their ghosts—both dead and alive—and a desire for truth, all are inexorably drawn to the “Underground,” the dark and dangerous sector below the city that holds all the secrets—but secrets that can only be had for a price.

IKIGAMI: THE ULTIMATE LIMIT • Rated “M” for Mature Audiences •
MSRP: $12.99 • May 12, 2009
“Dear Citizen: You’ve no doubt noticed that the world is a troubled place. People are apathetic, lazy, unmotivated. You’ve probably asked yourself: Why isn’t anything being done to stop this systematic decline? Well, you’ll be happy to know measures are being taken. We, your government, have decided society needs a wake-up call. So beginning today, we will randomly select a different citizen who will be killed within 24 hours of notification. We believe this will help remind all people how precious life is, and how important it is to be productive, active members of society…CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE BEEN RANDOMLY SELECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT…TO DIE IN 24 HOURS!”

HONEY HUNT • Rated “T+” for Older Teens • MSRP: $8.99 •
April 7, 2009
At last, the new series from HOT GIMMICK creator Miki Aihara! Life's not easy when you're living in the shadow of your famous parents. Can shy Yura, the daughter of an award-winning composer and a world-renowned actress, find the courage to step out on her own now that her super-celebrity parents are getting divorced? Find out in this new SHOJO BEAT series.
HOT GIMMICK VIZBIG EDITION • Rated “T+” for Older Teens • MSRP: $17.99 • March 17, 2009

The 2008 World Cosplay Summit finals, held in Nagoya Japan, recognized the Brazilian team of Jessica Moreira Rocha Campos and Gabriel Niemietz Braz as the event's champions. Zhao Chin and Zhang of China received the runners up prize while Japan/Osaka's Yui and Mino received the Brother sponsor's prize. 14 international teams where judged on costume craft, performance, and faithfulness to the subject anime.

The cosplay performances can be seen here.

Team USA's blog of the trip to Japan for the competition can be read here

AICN's interview with Team USA can be read here and here

IGN reports Namco Bandai will release Mobile Suit Gundam OO Gundam Meisters for the Playstation 2 in Japan on October 16

The infamous Onechanbara XBox 360 will be released North America as Onechanbara - Bikini Samurai Squad. Wii game Oneechanbara Revolution will be released as "Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers"

Virtual Idol Hatsune Miku's Virtua Fighter cameo

SRW Hotnews has scans of the Famitsu Japanese game magazine with screenshots from Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Gundam Meisters, Macross Ace Frontier and the original characters of Super Robot Wars Z

Via Kotaku

Soul Calibur IV's customizing as spawned lots of bad "cosplay," and a few good ones.

Subatomic Brainfreeze may have the only English language review of Oekaki Puzzle Battle: King of Braves Gaogaigar

Via Medium At Large, Kinokuniya Bookstore will host studio Pierrot (Bleach, Naruto, and Yu Yu Hakusho) president and founder Yuji Nunokawa at 4 PM on Saturday, August 9.

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Anime News Network notes that the new short from anime auter Makoto Shinkai (Voices of a Distant Star, 5cm per Second) will make its North American premier at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.

The September 6-16 festival will also be screening Mirai Mizue's independent "Lost Utopia," Oscar-nominated Koji Yamamura's "A Child's Metaphysics," Kunio Kato's "The House of Small Cubes," Taki Kimura's "Kudan," and Yuichi Ito's advertisement spots "Bru Bru Dance" and "Mimi in Wonderland"
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The Toronto International Film Festival will feature the North American premieres of Mamoru Oshii's (Ghost in the Shell) new anime movie The Sky Crawlers anime film and Toshio Lee's manga-based live-action pop-metal Detroit Metal City film
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Canned Dogs picks up reports on how Japan's semi-annual figure/models/collectables event Wonderfest was marred by an escalator collapse that ignired 10 people.
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Via Alt Japan, it's on YouTube.

Mecha Mecha Media reports that Moshi Moshi Gallery will be presenting "The art of Japanese animation" from August 7th - September 3rd - with the opening reception from 6pm-9pm on Thursday August 7th.

See moshi-moshi.com for more details.

This Exhibition will feature original animation cels and backgrounds used in the production of Japanese cartoons from the 1970's through the current decade featuring: Nausicaa Last Mystery of the 20th Century Astroboy Microman Porco Rosso GeGeGe No Kitaro Guyver Urusei Yatsura Star Blazers Robot Carnival

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Via Cartoon Brew and ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive, Ralph Bakshi at San Diego Comic Con.

Navarre Corp. F1Q09 (Qtr End 6/30/08) Earnings Call Transcript

ICV2 distills the data to note although sales rose from $137 million in Q1 in the previous fiscal year to $142 million, net income fell from $1.9 million to $627,000 for the most recent quarter. The reason for the decline in income was that net sales for the higher margin publishing segment fell 7.4%.

FUNimation sales exceeded expectations, but failed to meet the numbers for Q1 2007, which included the release of Afro Samurai.

Navarre expects FUNimation’s sales from the ADV and Geneon titles it recently acquired to account for around $7 to $10 million in annual sales. Accounting for the wholesale discounts at which it sells, retail sales of the titles in the two sets of acquisitions are expected to total $15 to $20 million per year.

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Men's interest online network CraveOnline.com has purchased anime social networking site Myanimelist. The site features collection cataloging, "clubs," blogging, release tracking and recommendation functionality.
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Business Week commented on Kadokawa Holdings' embrace of YouTube, mentioning anime series Haruhi Suzumiya specifically.

Chairman and CEO Tsuguhiko Kadokawa thinks his company has nothing to lose by reaching out to anime diehards. As he sees it, the company's traditional publishing business has no future in the digital era. And suing YouTube for copyright infringement, as MTV Networks owner Viacom (VIA.B) did last year, would have only angered anime fans who have been using the site.

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In the wake of the Bandai Visual USA label/initiative being folded into Bandai Entertainment, the respective Dot-Anime and Anime Village retail sites will be merge into a single Dot-Anime.US outlet.

The message on AnimeVillage.com states

So that we may streamline our operations, expand into new areas,
and serve you, our valued customers and visitors better,
effective immediately ANIMEVILLAGE.COM has been merged with DOT-ANIME.US!

Please update your links and bookmarks accordingly.

We are excited about this change and welcome you to our new site!

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Via Gunota
According to Forbes, Bandai Holdings Inc. is citing a drop-off in game arcade business due to oil prices, sluggish content business, and weak toy sales for a 66% drop in operating profits in their first fiscal quarter of the year.

VIZ Media and POW! Entertainment note that the Prologue Chapter of Spider-Man creator Stan Lee and Shaman King creator Hiroyuki Takei's ULTIMO is included in the September 2008 issue of SHONEN JUMP magazine, which hits retail outlets on August 5 for $4.99.

The ULTIMO story: High above Farmless City, citizens are stunned by the sudden appearance of two floating figures. Are they human boys, monolithic robots, or something much more strange? As the battle ensues between them, destruction and devastation falls on the hapless city. One figure is Vice, and seems to be as evil as his name implies. The other is Ultimo, intent on trying to stop Vice from wreaking more havoc. But who are Vice and Ultimo really? Where did they come from? A new mystery begins with the fate of the world possibly hanging in the balance! The ULTIMO Prologue Chapter recently debuted in a special standalone issue Jump SQ. published by the Japanese manga magazine Jump SQ., the sibling publication of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump, which is historically the best-selling manga magazine in Japan.

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Cartoon Brew and the LA Times report the Toon Disney cable channel will be rebranded next February as Disney XD. The new focus will target tween boys with shows like Batman: The Animated Series and live action.

Sideshow Collectables is taking pre-orders for the 12" Real Action Hero Piccolo figure.

The figure, schedule for Q1 2009 release, will sell for $159.99

Super7 has posted their San Diego Comic Con photos here

Upcoming Super7 releases include

JUMBO STORMTROOPER
a 2 foot tall, blow molded polyethylene figure made in the style of the classic Jumbo Machinder toy line (known as Shogun Warriors in the US), scheduled for released in early 2009.

GORILLA BISCUITS
From Seminal Hardcore Punk band Gorilla Biscuits and Super7, based on the cover of their 1988 self titled record cover, vinyl figure sculpted by Kiyoka Ikeda of Gargamel.

MONGOLION
The next figure in Super7's Snakes of Infinity line of fight figures. The figure, designed by Lamour Supreme and sculpted by the legendary Cosmo Liquid, will be released in the fall.

ZOMBIES
Six new figures, three designed by Gargamel, and three by the Super7 Staff. All were sculpted by Kiyoka Ikeda of Gargamel.

- Zombie Imp by Koji Harmon

- Arachnombie by Hiro Hayashi

- Ooze Bat by Chanman of Gargamel

- Zombeard by Joe Heurta of Super7

- Zombie Escaregot by Josh Herbolsheimer of Super7

- Zag Zombie by Kiyoka Ikeda of Gargamel

Super7 also announced a new artist-driven line of mini soft vinyl figures The

Kicking of with the master of hand-cast resin figures, Le Merde, this new line of mini figures will feature designs by a range of artists, including Kathie Olivas and Brandt Peters, Bwana Spoons and more. The first figure in the series, Hollis Price by Le Merde, is the artists first foray into vinyl toys, and judging by the reaction to the prototype sculpt shown at the San Diego Comic-Con, has Le Merde fans eagerly awaiting the release day. Keep your eyes open for this pint-sized mini figure debut this fall.

Loli + Military = Metal Gear Solid Figumates

Figures.com has posted additional photos from San Diego Comic Con

Tamashii Nation Movie Realization Figures - including Dark Knight, Kamen Rider and Neon Genesis Evangelion

Takayuki Takeya at Tamashii Nation

First 4 Figures' 12 inch Sonic the Hedgehog statue

Square Enix's Sculpture Arts statues from Final Fantasy and Vagabond

Toynami Bleach figures and statues. Upcoming releases include

Large Scale PVC figures:
* Orihime Inoue
* Ichigo
* Rukia
* Rangiku
* Yoruichi

7" Action Figures:
Series 4
* Kisuke
* Toshiro

Series 5
* Byakuya
* Renji

Dark Horse Domo Kun

CollectionDX's new SDCC coverage posts include
Gargamel
Go Hero (Buck Rogers)
Hasbro Star Wars
Hasbro Transformers
Kotobukiya (Indiana Jones, Clone Wars, Gurren Lagann)
Sideshow (Street Fighter, Buffy animated, Fist of the North Star)
Super7 (jumbo Storm Trooper)

also from the site Macross World Con '08 & Ed Keller Kit Collector Expo and Wonder Festival (with more Revoltech)

Danny Choo has his Wonder Festival coverage

:: destroy tokyo :: on Wonder Festival Summer 2008

Dengeki King of Gundam Modelers

For other merch
Gurren Lagann USB flash drive
Gundam and Evangelion dog cosplay outfits

From Anime on DVD

VIZ December Anime Releases
12/2/08
InuYasha Season 6 Boxset - 900 minutes - $99.98
InuYasha Season 6 Boxset (Deluxe Edition w/Collector's Watch) - 900 minutes - $119.98

12/9/08
Hunter x Hunter Boxset 1 - 375 minutes? - $49.98

12/16/08
Naruto Uncut Boxset 11 - 350 minutes - $49.98
Naruto Uncut Boxset 11 (SE w/Summoning Creature Mininja) - 350 minutes - $69.98
Pokémon All Stars, Vol.15 - 66 minutes - $9.98
Pokémon All Stars, Vol.16 - 66 minutes - $9.98

12/30/08
Death Note, Vol.8 - 100 minutes - $24.98
Death Note, Vol.8 (Deluxe Edition w/Shidoh Figurine) - 100 minutes - $39.98

Beginning December 2nd, the MSRP for the first two Naruto boxes will be reduced from $54.98 to $34.98, and the MSRP for the first two Inu Yasha boxes will be reduced from $99.98 to $49.98.

Geneon titles, distributed in FUNimation in October
10/7
Elemental Gelade Box Set - $69.98
Ergo Proxy Box Set - $69.98
Story of Saiunkoku Vol. #3

10/14
Shonen Onmyouji Vol. #3
Karin Vol. #5
Kyo Kara Maoh! Season 2 Vol. #8

10/28
Black Lagoon: Second Barrage Vol. #3
Rozen Maiden: Traumend Vol. #2

Former ADV Films titles from FUNimation
10/7
Devil May Cry (volumes 1-3)

10/14
Kanon Vol. #6

Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc. and Nozomi Entertainment announced that EMMA: A VICTORIAN ROMANCE – Season 2 DVD Collection will be release on October 28, 2008. The four disc, 325 minute collection will retail for $49.99

The Season 2 DVD Collection includes the 12 episodes of the series’ “Second Act,” plus “Episode 0: Intermission,” a recap/preview that aired prior to the start of the Season 2 telecast in Japan, and a 48-page “Victorian Gazette” that features artwork and illustrations from the series, plus an interview with EMMA creator Kaoru Mori.

EMMA: A VICTORIAN ROMANCE 2 © Kaoru Mori • ENTERBRAIN, INC./Emma 2 Production Committee.

A trailer for Warner Bros' original animation DVD adaptation Wonder Woman has been posted here. The project is scheduled to be released on DVD and Blu-ray in February 2008.

Voice cast includes:

Keri Russell - Wonder Woman
Nathan Fillion- Steve Trevor
Alfred Molina - Ares.

Other roles will be performed by Rosario Dawson, Virginia Madsen, and Oliver Platt.

BET revealed a trailer for their adaptation of Marvel Comics' Black Panther ad the San Diego Comic Con.

Cartoon Network will be producing animated adaptation of Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan Glass’ medieval rodent tale Mice Templar and Phil Hester’s teenage half-dragon teenage super-hero Firebreather, as well as Chuck Dixon’s time-travel comic The Vanishers.

Oeming and Class spoke about the CG Mouse Templar with Newsarama

Jeff Smith mentions a CGI Bone in an AV Club interview

AVC: Has it been decided whether they want to do animation or CGI with Bone?

JS: I'm pretty sure it's going to be CGI, from what I've seen. I think my first choice would've been 2D, but when they showed me what they showed me… They can do it. They convinced me.

To celebrate their 10th anniversary, manga/culture resource publisher Manga University (“The Manga Cookbook,” “Samurai Confidential,” “Kanji de Manga”) has launched a redesigned site at www.mangauniversity.com

Among the site’s features are a brand-new, original web comic (updated three times a week) based on Atsuhisa Okura’s “Moe USA”; an expanded lineup of free “How to Draw Manga” tutorials, featuring step-by-step lessons taught by professional Japanese manga artists (check out the amazing 19-page “How to Draw Hands” tutorial by Koda Tadashi); and a revamped daily blog on which visitors can interact directly with MU staff.

Manga publisher Seven Seas Entertainment has launched weekly manga series "The Ninja Diaries" in Metromix's print edition.

The current week’s installment + complete story archives will be housed on metromix.com, along with "Ninja Diaries" web exclusives and additional information about LA comic book shops and local comics events.

"The Ninja Diaries," written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir and illustrated by Elmer Damaso is, essentially, a romantic action-comedy that tells the story of a seemingly lost ninja-turned-LA-actor and the free-spirited female ninja who ventures to Los Angeles to bring him back to his clan. Of course things take an unexpected turn and the mismatched couple find themselves on the run amid the textured and colorful world of LA nightlife.

Distributed through the LA Times Media Group, Metromix Los Angeles is a guide to the local entertainment in the LA area.

After "The Ninja Diaries" runs in Metromix L.A., Seven Seas will publish the serial manga in graphic novel format.

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Dabel Brothers Publishing announced "manga-style adaptations" of two Dark-Hunter novels by Sherrilyn Kenyon, to be released in 2009.

The novels Night Pleasures and Night Embrace are the first and second books in Kenyon's blockbuster series, The Dark-Hunters. The series is about eternally damned warriors who have sold their souls for vengeance and who now protect mankind from the evil that preys on them.

The adaptations will be written by Joshua Hal Fialkov, will illustrations by Claudia Campos. Production services are being provided by Glass House Graphics.

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Bluewater (10th Muse and Legend of Isis) will be launching a line of manga style reimaginings of their comics series. Waterbury is scheduld for November, while Legend of Isis and 10th Muse are scheduled for early 2009. Bryan Golden will be handling the redesigns.

After the 4 issues of each comic book comes out in color, Bluewater will be releasing a trade paperback in black and white. The single-issue comics will be the only place you can find the colored versions of the titles.

Manga Blog reports Rikki Simons has confirmed that Tokyopop has cancelled Shutterbox , although vol. 5 is complete.

Off*Beat has also been put on indefinite hiatus.

Comics Worth Reading's Johanna Draper Carlson interviewed Tania del Rio (Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Mangaka America)

FUNimation is now offering shows on their YouTube channel for $1.99 an episode.

Persona, Kinuko and Paul Robertson's (Pirate Baby's Cabana Battle Street Fight 2006) free game Hikkikomori Quest

Also, on the art from, Persona 3 - The Fighting

Comipress on the history of massive doujinshi event Comiket

Part II of Anime on DVD's interview with FUNimation's Gen Fukunaga

A trailer of the new live action adaptation of horror manga great Kazuo Umezu's Orochi

Daily Yomiuri's Tom Baker on Precision work behind Ghibli anime magic

Publishers Weekly polishes off San Diego Comic Con with industry trends, as well as Kubo Tite and Hiro Mashima

Del Rey Manga's Ali Kokmen summarizes the event

A Manga cafe in Ho Chi Minh city

Pop Culture Shock runs down the new Yen+ Anthology

Anime Designers Can Enjoy

Filipino writer Carmelo S.J. Juinio talks his anime inspirations in “The Laminated Woman”

Via Same Hat! Same Hat! Cat Eyed Boy Fan Art and Dance! Kremlin Palace! By Shintaro Kago (Chapter 5)

Pink Tentacle's Tokyo Fantasy: Images of the apocalypse

Takeshi Yoro, executive director of the Kyoto International Manga Museum argues that manga makes you smart

Patrick Macias continues An Eternal Thought in the Mind of Godzilla's 1978 is 2008 with Symphonic Suite Arrivederci Yamato
also, Shinto Purification Ceremony - King Kong Vs. Godzilla, 1962

Lone Wolf and Cub will Change Your Life

Hiroshima Day - Two Manga Help Us Reflect

Manga Before Flowers — Tokyopop & Us

New York-Tokyo has a preview of ANIME TOONZ 4

For more commentary see the AICN Anime MySpace.

If you want to beat up some sucker in Soul Calibur IV on XBox live, check me out

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