Expo News Roundup

Oddly the Expo seemed to be less about anime this time, and because of a large Yu-Gi-Oh! Cardgame tournament there were no anime screenings or industry panels.  However, a press junket gave us the opportunity to hear four of the major anime companies plans for the coming months, so read on for details...

ADV Films - ADV didn't say much about their restructure, instead they stuck to their releases.  As well as confirming several boxsets and forthcoming single DVD releases (all of which are already in our Release Schedule), they also discussed plans to release the eagerly anticipated Welcome to the NHK in August.  Also discussed was the possibility of a premium Guyver box set similar to their UK exclusive Evangelion Platinum set released a couple of years ago.  The Guyver set wouldn't hit the UK till next year though.  However, it wasn't all good news, it seems that the release of Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimetres Per Second is uncertain, although it is getting a screening at the Barbican next month.  Shinkai himself is apparently also in London at the moment potentially researching a new film.

Beez - The first licence announcement of the day went to Beez, who announced that they had acquired .hack://G.U., the latest anime instalment of the multimedia .hack franchise.  They also confirmed that they would be releasing titles on Blu-Ray, although which ones have yet to be confirmed.  Plans are also well underway to launch a Bandai Channel online to stream their anime, they intend to allow users to pick the language and are currently looking at business models for the service.  They are considering the feasibility of a free service funded by adverts.  They also announced that they would be concentrating on more premium box sets following the release of their Gundam Seed sets.  In the pipeline is a Gundam Wing complete collection and a Wolf's Rain set that will be designed to look like a leather book.  No extras are confirmed for either set but interestingly the Wolf's Rain box will feature artwork from a forthcoming artbook that has yet to be released in Japan.

Manga Entertainment - The most interesting news of the day was that Manga have a deal with Viz that gives them first dibs on the rights to anime based on Viz manga titles released in the UK.  As part of this they will be releasing both MÄR and Buso Renkin over the next few months, both of which will be released in multi-disc sets in the same way as Bleach and Death Note.  Also on their way are Mega Man Starforce, which is due to be released in a complete series box set, and the Bleach movie, which is likely to receive an October release.  They also announced the acquisition of Honey & Clover and Ichigo 100%, both of which are due for release next year, and Hellsing Ultimate which is due out later this year.  They also mentioned that they were trying to secure a TV deal for Blue Dragon and would be releasing Naruto every two months going forward.  The want to release the second Naruto film in time for Christmas but there's a continuity problem as it is set farther ahead than the series would have reached.  They are also negotiating with TV Tokyo for Naruto Shippuuden.

MVM weren't at the press talk, but have announced that they have picked up the Revolutionary Girl Utena film The Adolescence of Utena. 

Today's New Releases

A couple of ADV titles released today, alongside the latest instalment of Naruto and the second volume of racing anime Initial D.  However, it's Beez that steal the limelight with the second premium Gundam Seed box set and probably this year's most anticipated release - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Full Metal Panic? FUMOFFU! Complete Box Set (ADV)
Guyver The Bioboosted Armour vol 6 (ADV)
Initial D vol 2 (Vdi Entertainment)
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Complete Collection 2 (Beez)
Naruto Unleashed Series 3 Part 2 (Manga)
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya vol 1 (Beez)
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya vol 1 Special Edition (Beez)

ADV Box Clever

A shedload of ADV releases have been added to Play.Com, and it looks like they're going a bit box set crazy!  Forthcoming collections include Yugo The Negotiator, Coyote Ragtime Show, Madlax, This Ugly Yet Beautiful World and RahXephon, but must interesting is probably the listing of an E's Otherwise box set.  Unlike the other series listed E's Otherwise has not been released individually, which suggests that other ADV licenses may also be released this way in future.  It'll be interesting to see how well it will do.

Today's New Releases

A pretty packed release day today, with Jetix releasing a rare volume of Digimon alongside the usual suspects of MVM and Revelation.  MVM bring Trinity Blood to an end, but starts the highly anticipated Shakugan no Shana alongside the continuation of a handful of other series.  However, the highlight of the week is probably the latest volume of the excellent Mushishi from Revelation, who also bring us the next volume of Hell Girl and a complete box set of the popular Negima.

Berserk vol 5 - Requited Desires (MVM)
Black Lagoon vol 2 (MVM)
Digimon Digital Monsters Sub Zero Ice Punch (Jetix)
Hell Girl vol 2 - Puddles (Revelation)
Mushishi vol 4 (Revelation)
Negima The Complete Series (Revelation)
Shakugan no Shana vol 1 (MVM)
Tenjho Tenge Box Set (MVM)
Trinity Blood vol 6 (MVM)

Origin: Manchester!

Manga Entertainment seem to like Manchester recently!  Following last month's screening of the Death Note movie at Zavvi in the Manchester Arndale Centre, Manga have announced that they will be showing their forthcoming film Origin: Spirits of the Past.  The film, which is out on DVD on 25th August, seems to be heavily inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's epic Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.  The story is based in a post-apocalyptic time where humanity lives in tenuous co-existence with the encroaching forest, a co-existence is threatened when a young boy called Agito awakens a girl from the past.

The screening is free and takes place on Monday 26th May at 7pm.  However, it is a wristband-only event and wristbands must be picked up in person from the store.  Wristbands are available on a first-come, first-served basis from 9am from 24th May and are limited to one per person.

Go Speed Racer!!

The live-action adaptation of classic anime MachGoGoGo - known in the west as Speed Racer - is out in cinemas tomorrow!  The film is written and directed by the Wachowski Brothers, who were responsible for the heavily anime-inspired Matrix Trilogy. 

As with all Hollywood films there is a lot of merchandise available now.  Best of all is Speed Racer Lego!  which you can buy at your local Woolworths. 

New Stuff

A new month brings a couple of new bits and bobs, click on the following links to check them out...

Claymore vol 1 (Manga Review)
D.Gray-Man vol 2 (Manga Review)
Gainax Edition Stick Poster Collection (Merchandise Review)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Innocent Eleven (Anime Review)
Mushishi vol 3 (Anime Review)

We have also updated our Retailers Section to include Orbital Manga, whose website is up and running.

Cosmode English Edition to Be Released

As some may already know Cosmode is a magazine released in Japan that covers all elements of cosplay from conventions to 'how to' guides.  The good news is that you can now buy an online version of the magazine, which is translated into English.  At the moment there is a free sample of the magazine available at www.cosmodeonline.com, and at the end of the magazine there is even a token that offers a 10% discount on the full release on the 25th May.  Our first look at the magazine has certainly got us impressed and we'd recommend anyone interested in cosplay to take a look!