Expo News Roundup!

The May MCM London Expo is now done and dusted, so here's a quick round up of the major announcements from the big three distributors ahead of our forthcoming review feature!

Beez:  Acquired the sci-fi action titles Gundam 00 Series 2 and the Zeta Gundam movies, also licensed the brand new modern fantasy series Durarara!, which has only come out in Japan this year and will be Beez's first subtitle-only release.  Beez will be testing the waters by releasing a handful of titles subtitle-only to cut down the delays normally caused by waiting for dubs to be completed in America.  They intend to give early adopters the chance to acquire the dubbed version for a nominal fee once the dub is complete.  The also announced some more additions to their Anime Legends line, with the classic fantasy series Escaflowne and the previously unavailable sci-fi series Outlaw Star next up for cut-price release.  The online Beez Store also moves closer to launch, and should be with us in the next few weeks.  The store will give people the chance to pre-order exclusive titles and those early orderers will have access to additional bonuses including having their name in the DVD credits.

Manga:  Confirmed the acquisition of the hugely popular shojo title Vampire Knight and its sequel Vampire Knight Guilty, which will be released at a rate of one volume a month from October.  Manga have to release the series in individual volumes containing 3-4 episodes each as part of the license requirements but intend to set the price per volume at 'under ten pounds'.  Manga also announced the acquisition of the critically acclaimed Baccano! and confirmed a tentative November release date for Eden of the East, which will be released in a two disc set on Blu-Ray and DVD.  They also announced that they will be releasing the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society film on Blu-Ray before Christmas.  Manga rep Jerome also confirmed after the panel that they are aiming to add both Soul Eater and Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings to their online streaming service at some point.

MVM:  Announced no new titles but confirmed the previously announced releases of Blade of the Immortal, Moribito - Guardian Spirit, Slayers Revolution, Slayers Evolution-R, Rozen Maiden Traumend and Pet Shop of Horrors.  MVM also announced that they will be following Manga and Beez in moving away from multi-volume single disc releases and into boxsets, with Blade of the Immortal being probably their final release in a single disc volume format, license requirements permitting.  Following this announcement MVM confirmed that several of its recent single disc volume releases will be collected in box sets in future, including Samurai Deeper Kyo, Fate/Stay Night and Aquarion.

Manga Expo Press Release!

Manga Entertainment have issued a press release about their presence at this weekend's MCM London Expo, including details on their deals and sneak previews of forthcoming titles.  Check it out here!

Fist of the North Star Dynasty Warriors Coming to UK!

Koei have revealed that their stand at the MCM Expo is set to feature the game Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage!  The game combines the format of the popular Dynasty Warriors series with the ultra-violent anime epic Fist of the North Star, it's proved a massive hit in Japan and Koei have announced it will be released here in the Autumn.  If you can't wait that long check the game will be playable at the Expo, so don't miss it!

Sweatdrop Anthology to Launch at Expo

Manga-influenced artist collective Sweatdrop Studios have sent us a press release about their latest anthology, which is set for release at this weekend's MCM Expo!  Telling Tales is a 224 page anthology based on fairy tales and features the talents of Emma Vieceli (Manga Shakespeare), Sonia Leong (Manga Shakespeare) and Svetlana Chmakova (Dramacon) amongst several others, check out the press release for full info!

Expo Programme Published Online

The guide to this weekend's MCM London Expo has been published on myebook.com for viewing prior to the event.  The guide, which will be included in the goodie bag given to attendees, has features on guests and exhibitors and includes a map of the hall and times of signings.  Check it out here!

MVM Expo Press Release!

More Expo news!  MVM have issued a press release about their attendance at the MCM London Expo, including details of their deals and pre-release sales of forthcoming titles.  Click here to check it out!

Beez Expo News!

With the MCM London Expo just round the corner the news has started to sneak out from the big three anime distributors!  Beez have confirmed that they will have the highly anticipated Gundam Unicorn Blu-Ray and Code Geass R2 set available at their stall ahead of their official UK release, as well as cut-price deals on their Anime Legends box sets.  However, they also revealed on their blog and Twitter page that they will be announcing four new licenses at the event.  They've given some cryptic hints as to what they are, saying that two are 'traditionally Beez-style titles but not of a school-based variety', one is something that their rep Andrew 'has been asked about ever since he started work at Beez' and the other is 'not a Bandai title nor is it one you'd expect'.  Consider us intrigued...

4Kids License

US distributor 4Kids seem to be taking their pending delisting from the US stock exchange in their stride, they've announced a new anime license!  This time they've picked up the rights to the children's anime Pénélope Tête en l'Air (Penelope, Head in the Clouds), a Japanese series based on the French/German children's books of the same name.  The charming series is aimed at young children and follows the adventures of a blue koala and her friends, due to its European roots don't be surprised to see it in the UK sooner rather than later.

Summer Wars UK Release Delayed

Manga Entertainment have announced that forthcoming release of the anime film Summer Wars has been put back until February 2011.  The film was originally slated for release on DVD and Blu-Ray on 11th October 2010, and was set to be one of Manga's biggest titles this year after generating a lot of interest during a series of film festival screenings.  The delay is apparently due to Manga having to wait for the English dub to be completed.

Gundam Wing Anime Legends on the Way

Beez have announced that Gundam Wing is set to be re-released under their budget Anime Legends label.  The series was the first part of the Gundam franchise released in the UK and was previously available in ten DVD volumes, the Anime Legends version will be released in two volumes priced at £24.99 each.  Beez have also revealed that this edition should be the remastered version.  The first volume is out on 26th July.

Haruhi-Chan and Nyoron Churuya-San Streamed

The two spin-off web series from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya have started streaming on Crunchyroll!  The two series, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya-Chan and Nyoron Churuya-San, are irreverent comedy takes on the franchise that were originally streamed by Kadokawa last year.  They're well worth watching so check them out along with the rest of the Haruhi franchise here!

1st Episodes of 3 Anime Streamed

US anime distributor Media Blasters have started streaming the first episodes of three anime series on their website.  At the moment you can catch the first episodes of Ikki Tousen: Dragon Destiny, Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox and the unbelievably pervy (and utterly crap) Queen's Blade, but more content is slated to be added over the coming months, including CLAMP's Magic Knight Rayearth.  At present the service is available to UK viewers, so check it out here.

Code Geass R2 Cut By BBFC

Beez's forthcoming release of Code Geass R2 has seemingly become the first anime casualty of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, which banned 'prohibited images of children'.  A compulsory 1 second cut has been imposed on episode 10 to 'remove a shot likely to encourage an interest in underage sexual activity (in this case a young girl in the background of a shot suggesting sexual activity)'.  The cut has forced Beez to edit their series masters, delaying the release by a month.  Code Geass R2 is now due for release on 26th June.

It is worth noting that the law defines a child as anyone under the age of 18, and the shot in question did not depict a child involved in any sexual activity, but in the background of a shot suggesting sexual activity.  This could set a worrying precedent with future anime releases.

European Cosplay Championships at May Expo!

The MCM Expo have announced that they will be hosting the Euro Cosplay Championships!  The event is basically the European Cup of cosplay and takes its cues from Japan's World Cosplay Summit competition, check out the press release below for more info.

"If you need proof that cosplay is taking off in the West, look no further than the stunning success enjoyed by the Euro Cosplay Championships in their inaugural year.

18 nations are already taking part in Euro Cosplay 2010 – Austria; Belgium; Czech Republic; Denmark; England; Finland; France; Germany; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Slovakia; Spain; Sweden and Switzerland – an incredible achievement in its first year, given that Japan’s World Cosplay Summit has 15 participating countries.

The UK’s own enthusiastic cosplay community will have two great opportunities to check out the best of Euro Cosplay 2010 – the Qualifiers held at the London MCM Expo on Saturday 29 May and the Grand Final to be held at the London MCM Expo later in October.  Given the high standard of cosplay we’ve seen over the years at the London MCM Expo, both competitions look like being events to remember!

Visit www.londonexpo.com/show_features/euro_cosplay.html to find out more about Euro Cosplay or check out www.londonexpo.com/show_features/cosplay__expo.html for general information about cosplaying at May’s London MCM Expo."

April News Roundup

• Robotech creator and leading US anime producer Carl Macek passed away from a heart attack at the age of 58.  Although savaged in some fan quarters for cobbling together Robotech from three different anime series, Macek was instrumental in introducing an entire generation of American fans to anime.  He was also one of the most important dub producers in the US anime industry with a career spanning over 20 years, R.I.P.

• Manga Entertainment nabbed the rights to the Professor Layton & The Eternal Diva anime film, which is slated for a September release on DVD and Blu-Ray.

• Tokyopop picked up the rights to the hugely popular Hetalia Axis Powers manga.

• The MCM London Expo confirmed that it would host the Euro Cosplay 2010 competition at its May event, giving cosplayers from throughout Europe the chance to compete against one another.

• Minamicon 16 was held in the Southampton Novotel hotel, keeping up its record as the UK's longest running anime convention.

• The Asahi Anime Festival came and went in Brighton over the April/May bank holiday weekend.

Source: Various
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