Anime News Service - March 29-31 Anime News

3-31-02---- Millenium Actress Acquired By Dreamworks

Perfect Blue Director Satoshi Kon has announced via the BBS on his homepage that America based movie studio Dreamworks SKG has secured the worldwide distribution rights (except for Asia) to his film Millenium Actress. The contract was officially executed a few days ago. Millennium Actress was completed in January 2001 and saw world premiere in Montreal in July 2001, but has yet to be officially released in Japan (presently, the movie is anticipated to be released between August and September 2002).

An official announcement by Dreamworks should be forthcoming.

Source: Natsume Maya

3-31-02---- Royalties And Anime Music Content Broadcast On Net Radio

Will Anime Music cease on netcast feeds of brick, morter and old fashioned radio wave propagated stations? List member Chris has drawn our attention to the below BusinessWeek article that involves some legislation moving through the U.S. Goverment that could possibly restrict future broadcasts of a range of content (including Anime / J-pop related music) originating within U.S. borders.

Yahoo - Royalties: A Royal Pain for Net Radio
http://biz.yahoo.com/bizwk/020329/nf200203295377_1.html

3-31-02---- Silent Hill To Film

Thanks to Daniel for posting these details to our list:

Yes, that's right. A Silent Hill movie! And New Line will be distributing it. Read comments from the production crew on their approach to this game-to-movie-adaptation at Jagged Team.

3-30-02---- Strange Dawn Run Ends In UK

The final episode of Strange Dawn has wrapped broadcast in the United Kingdom, the Japanese version of the theme song was used during the final sequence.

3-30-02---- Psychic Academy Debuts Online

The psychic love-comedy web anime Psychic Academy, based on the manga by Katsu Aki (serialised in Monthly Magazine Z) starts today. You can view episode one here.

Sorce: Natsume Maya

3-30-02---- Yaoi Con Updates

From the release:

Yaoi-Con 2002 http://www.yaoicon.com Temporary Site (if yaoicon.com domain is down) http://www.aestheticism.net/yaoicon
-----------------------------------

Looking for a way to increase your anime club's membership? Display your circle's doujin? Get your `zine seen? Yaoi-Con can provide you with the perfect setting for you to fan the flames of fandom at a limited-time discount!

Yaoi-Con, the first and only U.S. convention dedicated to the yaoi and shounen-ai genre of Japanese manga and anime, has a limited amount of tables available in this ever-popular venue, presenting you with a great opportunity to have your work or club promoted in a high- traffic forum.

** Reserve your table before June 15 and save $25! **

Pricing for Dealer Tables: $175 for first table/$150 for each additional table until June 15, 2002 $200 for first table/$175 for each additional table from June 16 until September 15, 2002

Aside from the high-visibility your club or fanwork will receive among fellow fans and industry luminaries alike, you'll also receive two FREE Dealers' badges for every table you purchase. These badges give you access to both the Dealers' Room and the convention at large. When not manning your table, take part in all the events, panels and workshops Yaoi-Con has to offer! For more information about Dealers Room participation, visit: http://www.yaoicon.com/dealers.htm

* NOTE: The sale of commercially licensed and/or mass-produced items requires a California State Sales Permit: http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/boe400mt.pdf

REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS EXPIRE APRIL 30!

There's still time to save on Yaoi-Con full weekend passes, but you have to act fast. Now until April 30, weekend registration is only $40 - a $20 discount over the at-the-door price! But on May 1, rates rise to $50, which lasts only until Sept. 18. Then rates climb once more to the $60 at-the-door price. For complete information about online and US mail-in registration procedures and guidelines, visit: http://www.yaoicon.com/registration.htm

* NOTE: Yaoi-Con is an event for fans who are 18+. All registrants are required to show Proof of Age at the time of registration and at the door.

YAOI-CON IN THE SPOTLIGHT!

Imagine our delight at opening up the current issue of BexBoy -- a popular Japanese yaoi/shounen-ai magazine -- to discover a wonderful Yaoi-Con 2001 report by last year's Guest of Honor, Higuri You! Rendered in doujinshi/free-talk form, Higuri-sensei points out some of the highs and lows of her time with us last fall. She seems to have been rather taken by the dealers' room, the cosplayers, and definitely by the seme/uke t-shirts (we think she was impressed with the sales-catboy =^.^=). Scans are available at the Aestheticism.com fanzine Web site: http://www.aestheticism.net/visitors/editor/jeanne/ycon/index.htm

They're hoping to have translations very soon, so check back often!

SPREAD THE WORD

Even if you can't join us in October, you can still show your support of Yaoi-Con and the yaoi/shounen-ai genre by posting one of our many banners and buttons on your website. Pick and choose from eight different sizes and designs! http://www.yaoicon.com/publicity.htm#Banners

Visit http://www.yaoicon.com for complete details about the second annual Yaoi-Con event, held Oct. 18-20 in San Francisco, CA. Thanks again for your support of the yaoi and shounen-ai genre, and we hope to see you in October!

Sincerely,

PR Representative Yaoi-Con, Oct. 18-20 San Francisco, CA

3-29-02---- Vagabond Site

From the announcement:

To celebrate the release of the Vagabond graphic novel, Viz has created a web site for the series. With a series backgrounder, author information, character descriptions, a comic book cover gallery and series reviews, the site gives viewers a comprehensive look at Vagabond and why it continues to be one of the top-selling titles in Japan. To see the new Vagabond site for yourself, please go to:
http://series.viz.com/vagabond/

3-29-02---- Giant Robots Arrive As Anime.com Launches

With no formal announcement, a presence has been established at what some would call the web's creme de la creme internet domain, Anime.com. First registered in 1996, the site maintained a single page where users were prompted to signup for email updates for many years. Currently one can find various J-pop media reviews as well as links to order mentioned products on the main page. Albums, anime, manga, toys and HK cinema are reviewed and an events listing can be found.

3-29-02---- Macross World Site And Forums Down

For the next 3 days Forums will be closed along with the site at Macross World due to maintenance.

3-29-02---- Game Developer's Conference 2002 Report

Contributor and reader, Jim Montoya has compiled his thoughts from this year's Game Dveloper's Conference into a very articulate report for us which can be read here. Jim has done back reasearch on specific elements to make sure everything is as accurate as possible.

3-29-02---- PS3 Development News

As a testament to the conflicting reports surrounding PS3 development, Kaji of arsanime.com has sent us a piece mentioning the new console is slated to come out in 2005 and will use a technology called CELL, check out this story over at Core Magazine here.

3-29-02---- Bandai Set To Debut Advanced Consumer Robot

Anjiro-san has informed us Bandai Co., Ltd. has developed a prototype model of a robot that can recognize human faces and voices. Called the BN-7, it can acknowledge with people in visual or auditory communication through it's voice recognition program and sensory motion gesture according to a Bandai spokesman.

A complete article on the subject can be read at AsiaBizTech, click here.

3-29-02---- Sony Metreon G Gundam Screening

From the release:

Metreon’s Action Theatre and Bandai Present FREE Anime Screening, Gundam Action Figure Contest and Unveiling of One-of-a-kind 6-1/2-Foot Giant Gundam Statue Japanese Animation Fans Take Digital Photos with New Gundam Statue Courtesy of Sony’s ImageStation Picture and Video Service

WHAT: Sony Metreon’s Action Theatre and Bandai Entertainment present a FREE advance screening G Gundam Volume 1 on Saturday, March 30, 2002. The Mobile Suit Gundam series is among the most popular in the anime (Japanese animation) art form. A highlight of the screening celebration is the unveiling of a 6-1/2-foot tall Gundam head, the only one of its kind anywhere in the world. The Gundam head, created and constructed in Japan, is based on the character from Gundam F91. Sony ImageStation will be on hand for guests to take pictures with the Gundam head and then transmit digital images to friends. Also, Bandai America, the leading anime toy maker, will host a Gundam Action Figure Contest. Anime fans will share their model-making work with fellow model builders and anime fans, and get new ideas for enhancing their Gundam Action Figures. Those who bring their completed Gundam action figures to Metreon the day of the screening will have a chance to win great prizes from Bandai America.

WHEN: Saturday, March 30 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Gundam Action Figure Contest, Model Submission 3:15 p.m. – Gundam Action Figure Contest, Judging and Prize Presentation 12 p.m. – Unveiling of 6-1/2 foot tall Gundam head inside the Bandai Shop 5 – 7 p.m. – G Gundam Volume 1 (FREE Advance Screening)

WHERE: Metreon—A Sony Entertainment Center Action Theatre is located on the Second Floor Metreon is located at the corner of Fourth and Mission streets (101 Fourth Street) in San Francisco and is easily accessible by public transportation -- just blocks from the Powell Street BART and Muni metro stations. Public Parking is available at the Fifth & Mission Garage across the street from Metreon and the Moscone Center Garage at Third and Howard streets.

MORE DETAILS: Action Theatre at Metreon—A Sony Entertainment Center is home to an ever-changing line-up of anime and action movies. Anime is one of the hottest new entertainment options for teens and young adults around the globe, and is experiencing growing popularity in the Bay Area.

Sony’s ImageStation ( HYPERLINK "http://www.imagestation.com" www.imagestation.com) picture and video service is part of Sony Electronics' Digital Imaging Product Division (DIPD). Based in San Diego, DIPD markets digital imaging products and services, including Cyber-shot® and Digital Mavica® still cameras, Handycam ® camcorders, related accessories and the ImageStationSM online imaging service. For additional information about Sony products, call (888) 222-SONY, or visit Sony's web site at: www.sony.com/di.

ADMISSION: FREE PUBLIC INFO: (415) 369-6086 or HYPERLINK http://www.metreon.com (Click on Cool Events)

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