Comic Con License News!

As always representatives from the three big UK anime companies got together at this weekend's MCM London Comic Con to announce some new acquisitions, and although there were less than normal there was still plenty to report.  Manga Entertainment had the biggest news, announcing the license of Production IG's fantasy epic Attack on Titan, the big budget live action adaptation of the classic sci-fi anime Space Battleship Yamato and feature-length anime spin-off Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works.

MVM had the most announcements, confirming the re-license of the fanservice-laden sci-fi series Daphne in the Brilliant Blue alongside former ADV Films titles Pumpkin Scissors and Red Garden.  They have also picked up the sci-fi series Shangri-La, modern supernatural fantasy C - Control and detective drama Heaven's Memo Pad.  Rounding off the announcements were new distributor Anime Limited, who revealed that they had pipped Manga and Kazé to the sci-fi film Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning, a spin-off from the superhero series Tiger & Bunny.

Manga Release Delays

Manga Entertainment have announced that three of their forthcoming DVD releases are delayed due to a combination of licensing and technical issues.  The three titles are the Bakuman Complete Series box set (now out on 17th June), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Complete Collection Part 1 blu-ray and Naruto Shippuden Part 13 (both out 24th June). 

The delay to Bakuman is due to an audio synching issue, Fullmetal Alchemist due to licensing and manufacturing and Naruto Shippuden because the first disc is was authored to Region 1!

Ghost in the Shell: Arise Trailer Released!

Bandai have revealed the full trailer for the first part of the forthcoming anime Ghost in the Shell: Arise!  This latest instalment in the Ghost in the Shell franchise is set prior to the events of the films or anime series, and focuses on a mysterious bombing and assassination in the aftermath of a major war.  The story seems to detail the events that bring Section 9 into being, and the trailer features a younger Motoko Kusanagi, Batou and Togusa as well as a couple of new characters.  The new anime is set to be released in four 50-minute parts, and although no UK release has been announced we can't see it staying that way for long.

MVM Release Dates Confirmed

MVM have revealed the release dates for several of their forthcoming anime releases, all of which are available for pre-order on their website Anime-on-Line.  Amongst the titles listed are Bakemonogatari parts 1 and 2, which are set to be released on DVD in June and July with the Blu-Rays following in August and September, ef ~ A Tale of Memories and Inu X Boku Secret Service, which are coming in August, and ef ~ A Tale of Melodies which is coming slated for September.

MVM have also confirmed that the recent recall of the US Blu-Ray release of Kids on the Slope should not affect the UK release, which is set for 24th June.  The US release was recalled at the 11th hour due to an issue with the audio track, but the UK production run hadn't begun when the error was identified so MVM are using the corrected version.

Interstella 5555 Gets London Screening

The anime musical Interstella 5555 is to be screened at London's Hackney Picturehouse cinema on Friday 24th May.  The film, which was the result of a collaboration between the legendary animator Leiji Matsumoto and the French electronic music duo Daft Punk, is to be screened as part of a launch party for Daft Punk's new album Random Access Memories.  The event starts at 9pm with the new album being played alongside related music prior to the screening, which starts at 11.30pm.

The MCM London Comic Con also kicks off on the 24th May, so if you're looking for something to do in London on the Friday night it's certainly a good option!  For more details and tickets check out the Picturehouse website here.

Scotland Loves Animation Brings Shinichiro Watanabe to Scotland

Scottish animation festival Scotland Loves Animation have revealed that they and Anime Limited will be bringing Cowboy Bebop director Shinichiro Watanabe to Edinburgh on Tuesday 28th May.  Watanabe will appear from 7pm at a special event in the Scotsman Hotel near Waverley Station and will introduce a double bill of Cowboy Bebop episodes before participating in a Q&A session and signing.  Tickets cost £5.99 and include a free exclusive art print, or for £19.99 you get the ticket and art print plus a reservation of the forthcoming Cowboy Bebop Part 1 Blu-Ray set.  Click here for more details!

From Up On Poppy Hill Release Date Confirmed!

StudioCanal have revealed the release date for Studio Ghibli's latest film From Up On Poppy Hill!  The film, which focuses on a group of students who band together to save their school clubroom building in 1960's Japan, is set for a nationwide cinema release on 2nd August.  Most screenings will have the English dub, which features the voice talents of Gillian Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Beau Bridges with only a handful of screenings in Japanese.

StudioCanal have also confirmed that they will be giving the classic Ghibli films My Neighbour Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies a nationwide cinema release on 24th May to celebrate their 25th anniversary.  The two films are arguably the best the acclaimed studio have produced, and the chance to catch them in the cinema really should not be missed.  As soon as we have any listing we'll post them here!

Anime On Demand Announce Two New Series

Online streaming service Anime On Demand have announced two more series for its Spring season - modern fantasy series Red Data Girl and romantic comedy drama Date A Live.  As with the previously announced Photo Kano and My Teenage Romantic Comedy SNAFU, the two series are streaming for free and the first episodes are available to watch now.  Check them out on the Anime On Demand website.

MVM License ef: a tale of memories and ef: a tale of melodies

MVM have announced the license of the romance series ef: a tale of memories and its sequel ef: a tale of melodies.  Each 12 episode series focuses on two different stories, the first following a high school love triangle and a romance between a young man and an aspiring writer with a rare form of amnesia that resets her memory every thirteen hours.  The second series focuses on a romance from the past, in which a woman is reunited with her first love whom she's never forgotten, and tragic modern-day tale of doomed love held by a young woman for a man with a terminal disease.

After seeing series like the excellent Clannad we're glad to see a few more anime romances come to the UK, so we'll be keeping an eye open for these when they're released in August.

Anime Limited License Perfect Blue

New anime distributor Anime Ltd have been turning a fair few heads with their impressive array of licenses, and they've now picked up another in the form of the late Satoshi Kon's anime thriller Perfect Blue.  The film, which charts the fractured mental state of a former pop star whose fans turn on her when she pursues a career in acting, has attracted favourable comparison with the works of Alfred Hitchcock as well as plaudits from the likes of Terry Gilliam. It was originally released on VHS and DVD in the UK by Manga Entertainment who later let the license lapse, and Anime Ltd are set to re-release it on DVD as well as bring it Blu-Ray for the first time on 14th October.

Anime On Demand Announce New Series

Streaming website Anime On Demand have confirmed two new series for their spring 2013 streaming schedule!  First up is the romantic comedy My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU which focuses on an antisocial teen who's forced to join an afterschool club which happens to contain the school's prettiest girl.  The second is Photo Kano, another romance series which focuses on a schoolboy who gets a camera to take photos of his classmates and grows closer to many of them.  Both series are set be streamed for free, and there are two more announcements on the way.  Check out the Anime On Demand website for more details.

Drifters of the Dead MCM London Comic Con Exclusive

Manga Entertainment are set to release re-issue the popular anime series Highschool of the Dead in May in an all-new 'Drifters of the Dead' edition, so called as it will include the one episode Drifters of the Dead OVA on a bonus DVD.   However, for fans who already own the series and don't want to buy it again just to get the extra episode, they have also announced that the Drifters of the Dead disc will be available separately exclusively at the MCM London Comic Con!  The disc is identical to the one that will be included in the reissue of the series, it will only be available on DVD and will be subtitle only and whilst the price has yet to be confirmed we expect it to be around the £5 mark.  The MCM London Comic Con (formerly known as the MCM London Expo) will be held in the ExCel Centre in London's docklands on 24th-26th May.

Cowboy Bebop Director at MCM London Comic Con!

Acclaimed anime director Shinichiro Watanabe, best known for helming Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Kids On The Slope, is to be the Anime Guest of Honour at May's MCM London Comic Con, show organisers have announced.  Attending all three days of the show, Shinichiro Watanabe will be taking part in on-stage panels and promoting both Anime Limited's upcoming HD release of Cowboy Bebop and the UK debut of his latest series, Kids On The Slope, released by MVM Entertainment.

Watanabe will also be holding exclusive signing sessions at the Anime Limited booth.  MCM London Comic Con visitors who pre-order Anime Limited's Cowboy Bebop either at HMV or Amazon and bring proof of pre-order to the show will receive an exclusive A4 Bebop print to get signed (while stocks last).  These prints are extremely limited in volume, however, so go along to the stand early to avoid disappointment!

While Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Kids On The Slope are Watanabe's best known works, the Kyoto-born director's credits also include the Macross Plus OVA, Baby Blue and Kid's Story and A Detective Story, two shorts in The Animatrix anthology.

Europe's biggest comic convention, MCM London Comic Con takes place at London ExCel from 24-26 May, covering everything from films and videogames to manga and cosplay.

New Film4 Ghibli Season

Digital TV channel Film4 has announced that it will be screening a new season of films from Studio Ghibli this Easter.  The season will include 19 films, covering Studio Ghibli's full catalogue from Laputa, Castle in the Sky to Arrietty, missing only My Neighbours The Yamadas.  Also included are the pre-Ghibli films Little Norse Prince, Castle of Cagliostro and Nausicäa of the Valley of the Wind.  Dates and times for the screenings are as follows:

Tuesday 26th March @ 6.35pm - Spirited Away
Wednesday 27th March @ 6.05pm - Princess Mononoke
Thursday 28th March @ 11am - The Cat Returns
Thursday 28th March @ 4.35pm - Porco Rosso
Friday 29th March @ 4.35pm - Kiki's Delivery Service
Saturday 30th March @ 5pm - My Neighbour Totoro
Sunday 31st March @ 4.45pm - Arrietty
Monday 1st April @ 1.35am - Grave of the Fireflies*
Monday 1st April @ 4.35pm - Howl's Moving Castle
Tuesday 2nd April @ 3pm - Pom Poko
Wednesday 3rd April @ 2.45pm - Castle of Cagliostro
Thursday 4th April @ 11am - Ocean Waves
Thursday 4th April @ 2.35pm - Nausicäa of the Valley of the Wind
Friday 5th April @ 3.05pm - Whisper of the Heart
Saturday 6th April @ 4.35pm - Spirited Away
Sunday 7th April @ 5.15pm - The Cat Returns
Monday 8th April @ 2.20pm - Only Yesterday
Tuesday 9th April @ 2.40pm - Tales From Earthsea
Wednesday 10th April @ 2.55pm - Princess Mononoke
Thursday 11th April @ 11am - Little Norse Prince
Thursday 11th April @ 2.55pm - Ponyo
Friday 12th April @ 2.40pm - Howl's Moving Castle
Saturday 13th April @ 2.20pm - Laputa, Castle in the Sky

* as with previous screenings, Grave of the Fireflies is shown in the early hours of the morning.

Manga License Appleseed XIII and Fairy Tail Season 2

Manga have announced two new licenses during their live podcast recording at this weekend's MCM Birmingham Comic Con!  First up is the CGI sci-fi series Appleseed XIII, a new 13 episode re-imagining of Masamune Shirow's classic manga about a post-apocalyptic, computer controlled city.  No release date is confirmed yet.  Also on the cards is the second series of Fairy Tail, which has been in doubt for a while due to the uncertain status of the US release.  The first volume of the fantasy sequel is tentatively set for release towards the end of the year.  Manga have also revealed that they hope to release the Fairy Tail film this year as well.

MVM License Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari!

After a year of focusing more on live-action films and re-issues, MVM have gone anime crazy this year!  In their third license announcement in the last week or so they have revealed the surprise acquisition of the supernatural adventure series Bakemonogatari and its sequel Nisemonogatari.  The two series, which focus on a school student who survives a vampire attack and uses his experiences to help others with supernatural problems, have been touted as possible Manga or Kazé releases in the past, so MVM's acquisition of them is quite impressive.  The series are set to be released on both DVD and Blu-Ray from September, and MVM have promised a further new license announcement next week.  Exciting times!

Oblivion Island Delayed

Manga have announced that their forthcoming release of Production I.G.'s CGI fantasy film Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror has been delayed by a week due to production issues.  The film, a charming family fantasy story about a girl who travels to a mysterious fantasy world to recover a lost mirror, is now set for release on 1st April.

Hyper Japan Returns!

The dates for the next Hyper Japan have been confirmed, with the event running from July 26th to the 28th in London's Earls Court Two exhibition centre.  Hyper Japan is a large Expo-style event that focuses on all aspects of Japanese culture, including crafts, food, fashion, anime and music.  Past events have pulled in big name guests including J-Pop stars, performers, anime directors and chefs, as well as several Japanese companies.  It provides a different experience from the MCM London Comic Cons despite being a similar type of event, and tickets are pitched at around the same price, with weekend passes selling for £24 and day tickets costing £12 in advance or £25 on the door.

Check out their website for further details, our roundup of the last Hyper Japan event can be found here.

MVM License Is This a Zombie?

MVM's revival as an anime distributor continues unabated with yet another big license announcement, this time the in the form of the 12 episode supernatural comedy Is This a Zombie? and it's sequel Is This a Zombie? 2.  The series focuses on a hapless murdered schoolboy who is resurrected by a modern-day necromancer, then ends up standing in for a local magical girl when he inadvertently robs her of her power.  The release date has yet to be revealed but is expected to be in the latter half of 2013, a Blu-Ray release is also a possibility but has not been confirmed as yet.

Manga Reveal Lupin III License

Manga Entertainment's latest podcast is out now (click here to find it), featuring as always interesting discussion between Manga's Jerome Mazandarani, Jeremy Graves, Andrew Hewson and anime expert Jonathan Clements.  Not a huge amount of news from the podcast this time, although they did reveal a new license in the form of the 12-episode series Lupin III: The Woman Named Fujiko Mine.  The series is a recent spin-off from Monkey Punch's classic Lupin III series, and focuses on the enigmatic femme fatale Fujiko.  No release date has been confirmed, although the series will be released on both Blu-Ray and DVD.  Also revealed was the release date for Aria: The Scarlet Ammo, a previously announced DVD release which is now slated for 8th July.  The release of the sci-fi series Steins;Gate has also been brought forward a week and is now scheduled for 15th July.

On a sadder note was the news of the recent death of translator Toren Smith, a man who may not be well known to many modern fans but was hugely influential in bringing manga and anime to the West in the 1980's and 1990's.  Smith worked on localising huge numbers of manga titles, including Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Oh! My Goddess and one of our personal favourites 3x3 Eyes, and is credited with co-founding the first Western anime convention - AnimeCon - back in 1991.  Smith spent time in Japan in the 1980's, briefly living with the fledgling anime studio Gainax who named a character in Gunbuster after him, and was active in manga translation until 2004 when he sold his company Studio Proteus to Dark Horse Comics.  He was a divisive figure with some fans for the time his painstaking translations could take and some of his editorial decisions, but his work was based on quality over quantity, it formed the basis of our anime fandom and will always hold a special place for us.  Read Jonathan Clements' moving obituary on the Manga Blog here to find out more about his life and legacy.

Warner to Release Supernatural: The Anime Series

Warner Brothers have announced that they'll be releasing Supernatural: The Anime Series on DVD on the 27th May.  The series is an anime remake of the popular US action series Supernatural, and follows two brothers who hunt demons and other supernatural creatures across modern-day America.  The original US actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles reprise their roles as Sam and Dean Winchester in the 22-episode series' English dub, and also feature prominently in a number of extras on the DVDs, including interviews and episode introductions.

Penguindrum to Be Released in Two Parts

Manga have confirmed on their Facebook page that the forthcoming release of Penguindrum will be in two half series sets, rather than the complete series set they originally listed.  Manga Entertainment are distributing the series on behalf of Kazé, so do not control the license or decide the format it is released in.,  The first volume of Penguindrum is set for release on 6th May with the second half expected in the third quarter of the year.

MVM to Release Sankarea

More license announcements this month!  MVM have announced via Twitter that they have license the 12 episode macabre comedy series Sankarea for release later this year.  The series focuses on a student who's obsessed with zombies, and ends up accidentally turning his friend into one.  No release date has been confirmed as yet, but keep an eye on our Release Schedule for further updates.

Ghibli Release Dates Revealed

The next two Studio Ghibli films to get the Blu-Ray treatment have been revealed, with the charming coming of age tale Kiki's Delivery Service and harrowing war drama Grave of the Fireflies slated for a 27th May Blu-Ray release by a number of online retailers.  Studio Canal have confirmed Kiki's release date but say that the date for Grave of the Fireflies is provisional and may change, it already missed one release date (it was supposed to released alongside My Neighbour Totoro last year, but was postponed) so don't get your hopes up too much.

However, also given a provisional release date is Studio Ghibli's most recent film From Up on Poppy Hill, which is tentatively scheduled for a cinema release in July.  The film, which follows a group of students who try to save a school clubhouse from demolition, is directed by Goro Miyazaki and scripted by his illustrious father Hayao, and we really can't wait for it to come out!

Evangelion Manga to (Finally) End in 2013

After what must be one of the most drawn-out runs in manga history, leading character designer and artist Yoshiyuki Sadamoto has confirmed his official manga adaptation of Neon Genesis Evangelion will end this year.  The manga launched back in 1994 (!) and with Sadamoto busy on numerous other projects he has averaged less than one volume per year, with the most recent being volume 13 in November 2012.  The manga will resume serialisation in the Japanese magazine Young Ace from 4th April.

Anime Ltd Confirm Shinkai Blu-Ray

New anime label Anime Ltd continue to reveal more of their plans for future releases, and following last month's confirmation that they have licensed Makoto Shinkai's The Place Promised in Our Early Days, they have now revealed that it will be released on Blu-Ray.  The Blu-Ray release of the film, which focuses on two students attempting to fulfil a childhood wish of flying a aeroplane to a mysterious tower, is also set to include Shinkai's self-made breakthrough hit Voices of a Distant Star and the anime short Travelling Daru - a recent title made by Shinkai and the team behind his film Journey to Agartha.  No release date has been revealed as yet, but keep an eye on our Release Schedule for updates.

Vampire Knight to End

Japanese manga magazine LaLa has announced that Matsuri Hino's popular Vampire Knight manga will end in three month's time, with the final chapter appearing in its July issue which is released (for some reason) on 24th May.  The manga, which focuses on a high school which balances day time classes for normal students with night classes for vampires, has been running since 2004 and has clocked up 17 collected volumes in Japan - 16 of which have been released in the West by VIZ Media - as well as inspiring the two anime series Vampire Knight and Vampire Knight Guilty, which were released in the UK by Manga Entertainment.

MVM License Iria - Zeirem OVA

Everyone seems to be going license crazy this week!  The latest in a host of announcements is the surprising news that MVM have licensed the near 20 year old sci-fi actioner Iria - Zeiram The Animation, a 6-episode OVA series which features a young bounty hunter who is pitted against a terrifying and seemingly unstoppable bioweapon.  Fans with long memories may recall the series getting a UK VHS release from Pioneer back in the late '90's, and with ADV and Beez's catalogues already being revisited it's great to see someone looking even further back.  No release date has been confirmed as yet, so more news when we get it.

Manga June Releases Confirmed

Manga continue their run of news by revealing their release schedule for June, pencilling in the CLAMP designed horror anime Blood-C and sci-fi mystery series Un-Go alongside box set releases of recent series Fairy Tail, Naruto Shippuden and Shiki.  Also of note is the long-awaited blu-ray box set of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and an unexpected new license in the form of Last Exile, a steampunkish fantasy adventure originally released several years ago by ADV Films.  Last Exile is a series we're really happy to see re-issued, and we hope that its release could prompt Manga to give to a UK release to follow-up series Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing.  We can hope!

Check out our Release Schedule for full listings.

Manga Confirm Steins;Gate

Manga have today confirmed the long-rumoured acquisition of Steins;Gate, which will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray later this year.  The series boasts character designs from Black Rock Shooter artist Huke, and focuses on a college student who attracts unwelcome attention when he invents a machine that can send messages back in time.  The 25 episode series is set to be released in two half series sets, with the first pencilled in for the 31st of July and the second on the 30th September.

Anime Limited Confirm First Film Title

Forthcoming distributor Anime Limited are building up an impressive catalogue of licenses, with the recently announced Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star joined by their first new title 009 RE:CYBORG.  The film is based on the classic Shotaro Ishinomori manga series Cyborg 009, which focused on nine cyborgs created as weapons of war who rebel and use their abilities to fight for peace.  The film, produced by Production IG and directed by Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex helmer Kenji Kamiyama, is set after the events of the series and sees the team reunite in order to fight chaos once more.  No release date has been confirmed as yet, but Anime Limited has confirmed that the film will receive a cinema run ahead of home release.  Check out the awesome trailer below, and we'll bring more news when we get it.

Anime Ltd to Release Places Promised in Our Early Days

After previously being announced as a release for new anime distributor 101 Films, Makoto Shinkai's first feature film Places Promised in Our Early Days has now been revealed as having been licensed by fellow new distributor Anime Limited.  The film was originally released in the UK by former market leader ADV Films but fell out of license after the company folded back in 2008.

MVM Releases Brought Forward

MVM have taken the unusual step of moving forward two of their forthcoming releases, with both Vampire Princess Miyu and Mayo Chiki! being released a month earlier than previously scheduled.  Vampire Princess Miyu is now scheduled for 15th April and Mayo Chiki! for 13th May.

MVM to Release Kids on the Slope on Blu-Ray

MVM have revealed that the series Kids on the Slope will be released on both DVD and Blu-ray on the 24th June, making it only their second anime Blu-Ray release after last year's Broken Blade.  The series, which focuses on a group of students who form a jazz band in 1960's Japan, is directed by Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo) and features music from the hugely talented Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), and is one we're really looking forward to.

Manga Reveal April & May Releases

Manga have revealed their and Kazé's release schedule for April and May during their latest podcast, with release dates now confirmed for Okami-san & Her Seven Companions, King of Thorn, Cat Planet Cuties, Bakuman and Penguindrum, amongst others.  Also revealed are two new licenses in the form of the charming K-ON! Series 2 and the sci-fi mystery Loups=Garous: The Motion Picture, and a re-issue of Highschool of the Dead, which is set to be released in a new 'Drifters of the Dead Edition' featuring the previously unreleased OVA episode.  The OVA will also be available on its own exclusively at the MCM London Expo.  Check out our release schedule for full details.

Manga License One Piece

After many requests and much speculation, Manga Entertainment have revealed that they have licensed the anime series One Piece for the UK!  The popular action series follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a pirate cursed with the ability to stretch like rubber as he searches for the legendary treasure that will make him king of the pirates.  At the moment the license only covers the first four series, with the complete series 1 collection due on the 27th of May, and further series arriving on 1st July, 23rd September and 11th November. 

All four series are listed for pre-order on Amazon, and the first will be available early at the MCM London Expo.

Manga License Deadman Wonderland

Manga have revealed that they have licensed the violent action series Deadman Wonderland for release on DVD and Blu-Ray in July.  The series is set in a dystopian future Tokyo and follows a student wrongly imprisoned and forced to fight for survival in the brutal prison of the title.  The entire series will be released on a single volume, with the Blu-Ray pitched at £34.99 and the DVD £29.99.

New Anime Licenses Announced

New anime label Anime Limited have revealed their second license, and like their first (Cowboy Bebop) it is a reissue of a former Beez title!  This time it's Outlaw Star, a sci-fi adventure series which shares elements with series like Cowboy Bebop and Joss Whedon's Firefly and was originally available in the UK about ten years ago.  The series is set to be released as a remastered complete collection box set in the third quarter of 2013.

Also on the announcing wagon are MVM, who have revealed another new license in the form of the romantic comedy drama Waiting in the Summer.  The series, which follows a group of students who decide to make a film during their summer holidays, features the creative talents behind the Please Teacher! franchise and is set to be released as a complete collection on 3rd June.

Ni no Kuni is Out Now!!

The long-awaited PlayStation 3 RPG Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is finally released today!  The game, which slipped from its original release date of 25th January, is published by Namco Bandai and developed by Professor Layton creators Level 5 but is of most note to anime fans due to the involvement of Studio Ghibli.  Ni no Kuni marks the first time the legendary anime studio has been heavily involved in a computer game, and they've provided the design, art and animation whilst the music comes from frequent Ghibli collaborator Joe Hisaishi.  This looks to be a game no anime fan can be without.