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Welcome to our News archive for February 2009 - to see this month's news
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Death Note on Telly! The live action Death Note film is on Film4 on Saturday 28th February at 10.55pm, whilst the sequel - Death Note: The Last Name - is on the same channel next Saturday (7th March) at 11.20pm! Get watching! Source: TV Listings |
More Azumanga Daioh? A new 10th Anniversary Edition of the Azumanga Daioh! manga is set to be released in Japan later this year! The project, which has been in development for over a year, is set to include brand new material, although it has yet to be announced whether this is just new artwork or brand new manga strips. Whatever form it takes, we can't wait! Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Anniversary Gundam Announced A new Gundam series has been announced in Japan's Monthly Gundam Ace magazine this month. The new series, which has yet to be named, is to mark the 30th anniversary of the Gundam franchise and unites veteran Gundam designer Hajime Katoki with Gasaraki character designer Tatsuya Suzuki. It seems to be very much a return to Gundam's roots too, with the story set shortly after the One Year War from the original Gundam timeline and focusing on a battle between two talented pilots on opposing sides. It's even going to feature an updated version of the original RX-78 Mobile Suit from the original series, the RX-78-7. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
VIZ Media Restructure in America Leading US manga publisher VIZ Media are the latest anime and manga company to shed staff as part of a restructure. The number of employees who lost their jobs as part of the move has not been announced. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Miyazaki At Work Once Again! Oscar winning anime director and Studio Ghibli supremo Hayao Miyazaki is reportedly planning his next anime project, according to producer and long-time collaborator Toshio Suzuki. Miyazaki's latest film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, has received much critical acclaim since its Japanese release and is set to be the subject of a 14 hour (yes, fourteen hour) making-of documentary. But the 68 year old is not resting on his laurels, and unlike previous films he won't be taking a break before launching into his next one. No details are available as yet, but with both Miyazaki and his long time friend and Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata working on new projects, the future is looking good anime-wise! Source: GhibliWorld |
Anime Gets Another Oscar! Kunio Kato's short film La Maison en Petits Cubes - the only anime nominated at this year's Academy Awards - has been awarded the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. The short, which is animated with paper drawings and 2D computer graphics focuses on the memories of an old man as he adds blocks to his house to stop it flooding. The style is reminiscent of the French cartoon Belleville Rendezvous, and it beat Pixar's Presto to the coveted award. Japan also won the Best Foreign Language Film for the live-action Departures, the first time the county has won the award despite eleven previous nominations. Source: Academy Awards |
Panda Go Panda Gets UK Release! Online retailer Play.Com has added Panda Go Panda to its forthcoming releases listings. Panda Go Panda is a relatively obscure children's anime from the 1970's about a young girl who befriends a talking panda and it's cub. However, it boasts direction, writing and animation from Studio Ghibli co-founders Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, and was one of Miyazaki's first creative projects. It's unknown which company is releasing it, but considering the Ghibli connection our money is on Optimum. The DVD is slated for release on the 6th July, to pre-order it from Play, click here. Source: Play.Com |
New Street Fighter Anime Short! A new Street Fighter anime short has been produced to tie in with the Japanese release of the forthcoming live-action film Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. This new anime is to be screened exclusively in cinemas as a double bill with the movie, and is set to be shown after the film's end credits. The short focuses on the Japanese schoolgirl character Sakura, and has been made by the same studio who created the recent anime film bundled with the special edition of the Street Fighter IV game. Source: Ain't It Cool Newx |
Another FUNimation License FUNimation have now added another series to their every-expanding catalogue. This time it's 26 episode adventure El Cazador de la Bruja, a series about a bounty hunter who joins forces with her bounty to uncover a mysterious secret. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Haruhi Spin-Offs on Youtube! Two spin-off series to the hugely popular anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya are being streamed via Youtube by Japanese publisher Kadokawa. The two series of anime shorts are based on parody manga published in Japan, and best of all both feature English subtitles!! The series are The Melancholy of Haruhi-Chan Suzumiya, a cute and extremely surreal series focusing on the trials of the long-suffering Kyon, and Nyoron Churuya-san, an even cuter series focusing on a chibi Churuya and generally revolving around her love of smoked cheese. Both series are excellent and bizarre in the extreme, to see the episodes visit Kadokawa's channel here. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Dragonball Sequel Already Scripted Justin Chatwin, who plays the lead role of Goku in the forthcoming Dragonball Evolution film, has stated in SciFiNow magazine that a script for a sequel has already been written. Should the follow up get greenlit the actor promises more focus on the 'intergalactic world of Dragonball'. We're hoping that means everyone's favourite anti-hero Vegeta may make an appearance, but we'll have to see if the first one is successful before anything concrete emerges. Source: DBTheMovie.Com |
Another FUNimation License! Yep, the omnipotent US distributor has nabbed another anime title! This time it's the romantic comedy My Bride is a Mermaid from leading anime studios Gonzo and AIC. As always there's no news as to whether it will come out here, but a US license always brings things one step closer. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Solty Rei Clips! Those good folks at MVM have released clips of the upcoming Solty Rei vol 1 for your viewing pleasure! Click on the links below to view, to read our review click here. Source: MVM |
Triad Toys Nabs Lone Wolf & Cub License US collectible toy manufacturer Triad Toys have picked up the rights to release merchandise based on Kazuo Koike & Kojima Goseki's long running Lone Wolf & Cub manga. The deal lasts for three years and gives the company the right to create a range of merchandise including action figures and statues. Triad Toys are known for catering to collectors, and their jaw-droppingly detailed 12" action figures usually cost around $90 (£65), so don't expect kid's stuff! Source: ICv2 |
Ayacon registrations are now
open! Source: Ayacon |
Oozaru to Make an Appearance in Dragonball Evolution? MTV's Splash Page has posted images of the tie-in action figure range for the forthcoming live-action Dragonball Evolution film. The figures include a range with punching and kicking actions, and another conventional range of (slightly crap looking) action figures. However, each figure comes with a piece of a larger figure that can be assembled if you buy the whole range. The shock is that this larger figure is the Oozaru, a giant monkey that Goku turns into in the manga when he sees the full moon! It suggests that it will be making an appearance in the film, and even better it appears to be wearing Saiyan armour! Yes! To see the images click here. Source: MTV |
Bandai Acquire Gundam 00 Manga Bandai have announced the acquisition of three tie-in series to their Gundam 00 anime. The three titles include two manga series, one an adaptation of the anime and the other a side story, plus a series of light novels. Gundam 00 is one of the most recent incarnations of Sunrise's epic mecha franchise and is slated for a UK release by Beez. Source: ICv2 |
Udon to Release Silent Möbius Kia Asamiya's epic sci-fi manga series Silent Möbius is to get a reissue courtesy of Udon Entertainment. The series was originally issued years ago by VIZ Media in the Western left to right format, but Udon will release it in the Japanese style. Udon's re-release will also include three volumes of Silent Möbius manga not previously released in English, including a prequel story and a two volume collection of short stories. Source: ICv2 |
Bandai Stream Code Geass on Youtube! Bandai have started streaming the first five episodes of the highly anticipated Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion anime on their Youtube channel! Also on there are the forthcoming Beez release Gundam 00 and numerous trailers, click here to check it out. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Live Action Blood The Last Vampire Trailer Streamed Yahoo! Japan has posted a teaser trailer for the highly anticipated live action Blood The Last Vampire film. The trailer takes ages to stream from there though, so click on the this Youtube link to view! Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Voice Actor Greg Ayres Overcomes Heart Attack Well-known American voice actor Greg Ayres is recovering after suffering a mild heart attack after a US convention last weekend. The actor, who fans will mainly recognise as Negi Springfield in Negima! and Shinji Kazama from Full Metal Panic!, is recovering at home and has issued a statement thanking the doctors for lessening the potential damage to his heart following the attack. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Yotsuba&! vol 6 Licensed by Yen Press Volume 6 of Yotsuba&!, the ongoing series from Azumanga Daioh author Kiyohiko Azuma, has finally been picked up by a new publisher. Yen Press are to distribute the sixth volume of the series, which has been on a protracted hiatus after ADV's manga department effectively closed over a year ago. Yen Press have also picked up the Spice and Wolf, Crescent Moon Story and Isuna Hasekura manga series . Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
FUNimation Snap Up More Titles Yes, FUNimation have licensed more anime titles. This time it's four Gonzo series Blassreiter, Dragonaut - The Resonance, The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk and The Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk, plus kendo anime Bamboo Blade. Meanwhile Right Stuf have announced that they have the 4th season of Maria Watches Over Us, a series about an all-girls academy. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
New Miyazaki Manga on its Way The Japanese Model Graphix magazine has announced that Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki will launch a two part manga series called Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises) in their next issue. Out on 25th February, the short series will focus on the designer of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero WW2 fighter plane, Jiro Horikoshi. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
New Takahashi Manga on its Way Shonen Sunday magazine has announced that a new manga from Inu-Yasha and Ranma 1/2 author Rumiko Takahashi is due to start this Spring! Absolutely no details have been released about the manga, but such is the interest in Takahashi's work that VIZ Media have already licensed it for US release. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
D.Gray-Man and Nodame Cantibile to Resume A bit of good news now, Shonen Jump magazine in Japan has confirmed that Katsura Hoshino is to resume work on D.Gray-Man, with the next chapter out on the 9th March. The hugely popular manga had been on hold since November after the author contracted an unspecified illness. Also back is Tomoko Ninomiya's Nodame Cantabile, which has been on hold since October when the author took time off to have a baby and subsequently contracted Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Although she is still suffering some of the effects of the condition, which causes extreme muscle pain and stiffness, she is able to draw again and the manga will return on the 10th March. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Gonzo to Lay Off 100 Employees More doom and gloom from the anime industry, with news emerging that leading anime studio Gonzo is to lay off nearly 80% of its creative staff. The move, which will reduce their current staff from 130 to just 30, comes after falling DVD sales pushed the company into the red. The reduction will take place over the next five years and puts several of Gonzo's future projects in doubt. It's a sad day for anime fans as the company has been involved in seemingly every major title of the last few years. Source: AnimeNewsNetwork |
Release Dates Announced For Anime Adaptations! UK cinema release dates have been announced for three live-action anime adaptations. First up is 20th Century Boys, which is out on 20th February. The film is the first of three based on a manga by Naoki Urusawa and has been a massive hit in Japan, click here to see the trailer! Next it's the turn of the film that some anime fans seem determined to hate, and they'll get their chance to rip Dragonball Evolution to shreds when it hits UK cinemas on 10th April. Last, but by no means least, is the intriguing Blood The Last Vampire which hits UK screens on 16th June. The film appears to be heavily based on the anime film of the same name, and looks quite impressive from the shots released so far. Source: Various |
Tokonatsu Registrations Open!
Source: Tokonatsu |
January News Roundup
Source: Various |