Anime News Service - January 31 - February 1 Anime News

2-1-05---- Otomo At NYICFF 2005

Director Katsuhiro Otomo (AKIRA) will appear at the New York International Children's Film Festival (www.gkids.com) U.S. premiere of his latest film, Steamboy. An audience Q&A session will occur after the film's screening followed by a VIP reception. This will occur on Sat, March 5th at 6:00PM, tickets are $12 for General Admission. A select number of $50 premium tickets are available, which include admittance to the exclusive catered reception for the director. Steamboy features the voices of Patrick Stewart, Alfred Molina and Anna Paquin. Thanks to Daniel for the news.

2-1-05---- Anxious Times In The Anime Underground

ZDNet has a 3 page look at reverberations in in the fansubbing community following Media Factory's recent cease and desist mass mailing.

2-1-05---- Studio Ironcat Closes

Although the official announcement was made at Ushicon 1 week ago, from the statement posted to www.ironcat.com:
We regret to inform you of the closure of Studio Ironcat, LLC. We would like to thank everyone who has supported Ironcat over the years, including fans, former and current staff, business partners, the Japanese and American artists, friends, family and our convention families! Studio Ironcat, LLC was a small, independent publisher that endeavored to advanced Japanese manga in North America for the past seven years. Although we had a great run at the start, thanks to support from manga fans, we've had a rough road the last couple of years. We've enjoyed our time in the publishing industry, but we feel that we must move on to other endeavors. Ironcat backstock will be on sale soon on another web site. Any questions can be directed to ironcatnew@aol.com . Again, thanks for all your support over the years. Everyone on the Ironcat crew looks forward to their future individual projects in the anime world, and we hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Stephen R. Bennett IV

Souce: ACML

2-1-05---- Limited Edition Steamboy DVD

Lawson will begin taking reservations in Japan for several limited edition DVD releases of Katsuhiro Otomo's Steamboy. Enclosed in a memorial box, extras will include a 2 volume postrecording script 12 post cards and 28 art cards. The reservation period will be February 1st-March 31st. The actual release will come on April 14th. Retail for the version with script is 11,500 Yen. The DVD with just limited packing will retail at 6,790 Yen.

2-1-05---- Super Robot Taisen Original Generation

Bandai has released new details on it's upcoming Super Robot Taisen Original Generation OAV series. Volume 1 is due on May 27 with vol. 2 following on August 26 and vol. 3 on November 25. While the video game series has teamed leading mecha and pilots from various anime series over the years, this work features a completely original cast. The DVD's will be sold in "Limited Edition" (7,140 Yen) Regular Version (3,990 Yen) release formats. An action figure and "SPECIAL DISC" will be included in the Limited Edition ver.

2-1-05---- Ghibli Clothing Line

Studio Ghibli is teaming with apparel company Primegate to create and marketclothing and accessories entitled "Shitateya Studio Ghibli". The brand will be inspired by Ghibli's animation productions with the first line to be styled after Porco Rosso. Middle-aged males will be the target market. Sales began in November of last year but a big push is planned for spring 2005. Women and children's markets may be targeted with future line.

2-1-05---- Shonen Jump International Sales

Shueisha's manga magazine Shonen Jump maintains annual sales of about 3.2 million copies within Japan. A Swedish version with sales of about 30,000 copies was launched in October 2004. A Norwegian version will launch in March of 2005. The German version of Shonen Jump known as "BANZAI" began in 2001 and maintains an annual circulation of 140,000. Viz began publishing the American version of Shonen Jump in 2002 and has an annual circulation of 350,000 copies.
Source: Manga News Service

1-31-05---- Zipang Models Announced

In Japan F Toys will soon release scale models of ships submarines and airplanes that appear in "Zipangu" TV anime. The series is based on the manga serialized by Kodansha since 2000. 17 volumes of the work have been produced with 8.4 million copies in total circulation. The 18th volume will go on sale at the end of March. Zipang in the past won the Kodansha cartoon prize in 2002 that "Blackjack" and "AKIRA" have been past recipients of. The models will be faithfully reproduced to their real world counterparts. The release will be March 21, 2005.

1-31-05---- Japan Pays Big For Bae's Latest

According to The Hollywood Reporter ...Bae Yong-joon's latest project has shattered the record for the largest foreign presales ever for a Korean film, landing $8 million dollars from UIP Japan for Japanese rights, according to sources. Details of the deal for the melodrama, "Oechul", remain murky and Showeast, the film's production company and international sales agent, declined to comment, saying that much remains to be worked out. However, at $8 million, the Japanese presale is larger than the entire budget for "Oechul."... "Oechul" will be written and directed by Hur Jin-ho, whose previous two melodramas ("Christmas in August" and "One Fine Spring Day") both won much critical acclaim and performed well around Asia. "Oechul" (literally "Way Out," but the English title has yet to be determined) is the story of a man and woman who must go to the hospital when their respective spouses get into a car accident together. As they learn their spouses have been having an affair, the man and woman also become involved.
Thanks to Daniel for the news.

1-31-05---- Itochu Stock Remains Unchanged Following Time Warner Deal Announcement

Monday saw relatively little change on the price of shares for Itochu Corporation on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. This was the first day of public trading following this weekend's news that it will establish a proposed 3 billion Yen contents fund with Time Warner to jointly produce animation works inside Japan for domestic and international broadcast. Itochu in the past had established a joint venture company for the commercialization of the works of the late Shotaro Ishinomori (Mask Rider) last year.

1-31-05---- Steve Conte Selected As Finalist In International Song Competition

From Steve Conte (The Seatbelts / Cowboy Bebop):
I have been selected as a finalist in the 2004 International Songwriting Competition (ISC) for my song, "Toughest Girl In The Neighborhood". The judges of this contest are people like P. Diddy, Macy Gray,Clint Black, Bo Diddley, Branford Marsalis, members of Los Lobos, Run DMC...and YOU! Yes, you can actually help me win - and if that happens I'll be much obliged to ya! Here's how...
The People's Voice is ISCs online voting contest that lets the public listen and vote for their favorite ISC finalist, The winner of the Peoples Voice is in addition to, and completely separate from, the regular winners who will be selected by the ISC judging panel. The People's Voice winner will receive $3,000 in prizes. ISC will announce the winners (including the People's Voice winner) in March, 2005.

Voting will be active through February 28, 2005. Please note each individual may only vote one time per day. Start voting now at http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/pvwelcome.htm So my friends, please vote - EVERYDAY - (or at least once) for my song "Toughest Girl In The Neighborhood". You'll find it in the AAA catagory under my name, Steve Conte. Thanks so much!!!

1-31-05---- Animax To Cover TAF

Animax has announced it will be doing a special program on the 4 day Tokyo International Anime Fair 2005. A confirmed airdate is pending.

1-31-05---- GONZO Credit Card

Available in Japan, DC CARD (www.dccard.co.jp) has began offering a GONZO CARD credit card. It features five different designs including illustrations from GDH's cache of anime and character content. GONZO is seeking to increase brand awareness and offer a unique form of fan service in the move. DC CARD is aiming at increasing users in their 30's which represent the biggest demo which consume GDH's content. It's hoped 5,000 new card users will be brought onboad in the first year from the launch.

1-31-05---- Japanese Box Office: Howl Slips To #3

Kogyo Tsushinsha has gone live with it's Japanese Box Office results for the wekened of Jan 29-30. Despite Mondays big news that it was the best performing film of 2004 and 2005 so far, major news is the position change of Howl's Moving Castle's from #2 last week to #3. Ocean's Twelve hangs on to the #1 spot and debut weekend for The Phantom of the Opera (which flopped in America) sees that film taking the #2 ranking. Shochiku's Prince Of Tennis Movie in it's opening weekend takes the #6 slot, Sony's release of Kung Fu Hustle finsihes at #10.

1-31-05---- Pioneer LDC Anime To Be Rereleased On DVD By Geneon

In Japan Geneon Entertinmant will rerelease anime originally sold under the Pioneer LDC label. 21 works total (ie: Tenchi Muyo, Battle Athletes) will get the R2 DVD treatment at a discounted price point under the "RONDO ROBE Selection" collection name. Each will retail at 3,990 Yen and be released several volumes per mont between December 2004 and April 2005. Titles such as Tenchi Muyo with already existing DVD releases will be priced lower than the originals but have special features removed.

1-31-05---- JAST Releases Little My Maid Dasting Sim

JAST USA, the leading licensor and distributor of adult English-language dating-sim games for PCs, announced that their most recent PC dating-sim Little My Maid had shipped to wholesale and retail customers.
In Little My Maid, you play a dejected Japanese youth, upset about failing his university entrance exams and the loss of his girlfriend as a result. Walking on a beach, you encounter a beautiful maid about to be attacked. To show her thanks for saving her, she invites you to a beautiful mansion where she and two other maids wait on you and serve your every need, including your sexual needs. The characters have three stats -- love, trust and stamina -- which rise and fall depending on what you ask the maids to do. Will you train them hard, using bondage, or show them love and seek love in return? As you play through the interactive story, you discover secrets about the mysterious mansion and its owner, Hime, as well as the strict trainer-of-maids, Aya, and the ancient Japanese legend of Urashima Taro.

Little My Maid is an interactive game in which you make decisions that affect the game outcome. The game is for Windows 98, Me, 2000 and XP systems. The game is for adults, and all characters in the game are aged 18 or older. JAST USA and Peach Princess have been licensing and distributing English-language bishoujo games since 1998. Distribution information available through PCR Distributing Co.
http://www.pcrdist.com

1-31-05---- Elemental Gerard Broadcast Date

It's been announced the Elemental Gerard TV series will air weekely on Tuesdays from April 5th on TV Tokyo.

1-31-05---- Trinity Blood In April

WOWOW's official Trinity Blood website has gone up. The GONZO produced TV series will begin broadcast in April. Based on the insanely popular light novel, a character vote on Kadokawa's Trinity site that was established on December 23rd 2004 tallied 30,000 votes in only two weeks. Directing will be Tomohiro Hirata, Script by Atsuhiro Tomioka Character Designs by Nakashima Atsuko. Mecha Design will be handled by Suzuki Shingo, Production Design by Kobayashi Makoto and Music by Takashi Eguchi. The OP Theme is titled "Dress" (BLOODY TRINITY MIX) by BUCK-TICK. The ED Theme is "Broken Wings" by Takashi Eguchi, performed by Tane Tomoko.

1-31-05---- Itochu And Time Warner Team On Animation Production

Itochu Corporation and Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting System announced they will jointly produce Japanese animation and market related merchandise. By June they will set up a fund totaling about 3 billion yen (US$28.9 million) to solicit investments from such related businesses as television broadcasters, toy makers and animation production studios. Seeking to produce high-quality animation,the team will use a larger-than-usual number of animators and other staffers. About 20 million yen per episode is being budgeted, 20-50% higher than typical production costs. Three programs are initially planned with the first slated to debut simultaneously in Japan and the US in April 2006. They will seek to broadcast the product in other Asian countries and Europe as well, churning out more programs as the business gets under way. The programs will be aired by a commercial broadcaster in Japan and on the Cartoon Network channel in the US. With these two broadcasting channels ensured, Itochu and Turner Broadcasting will promote the fund's projected high return to prospective investors. The companies also plan to market toys, apparel, foods and other goods featuring their cartoon characters to help maximize the new business' profitability.
Source: The Asia Times

1-31-05---- Annies Update

Yoko Kanno did not win an Annie according to annieawards.com, the award for Best Music in an Animated Series went to Duck Dodgers.

1-31-05---- Memoirs Of A Geisha Wraps

A press conference was held in Tokyo today, marking the end of the four month long production. Director Rob Marshall and majority of the cast shows up at the conference, except the female lead Zhang Ziyi who, according to Sina.com, was doing an advertising shoot away in Romania. The highly anticipated movie will have a world-wide release in December 2005. In Japan, Memoirs of a Geisha will be distributed under the title of Sayuri, same as the title of the Japanese edition of the original book. The production in Japan was collaborated by local studio Shochiku.
Source: Monkey Peaches Plus a big thanks to Daniel for sending the news in.

1-31-05---- Eureka 7 Details Released

Bandai hosted a symposium in Tokyo Monday where the entire future cross media content plan of their coming Eureka 7 work was announced. The TV series, to be animated by Bones will begin Sunday April 17th at 7 AM. The series focus mecha is called the Nilvarshu TYPE ZERO which is an LFO. Directing will be Tomoki Kyoda (Rahxephon) with music by Dai Sato (Samurai Champloo) and characters designed by Kenichi Yoshida (Overman King Gainer) and finally mecha by Shoji Kawamori (Macross). The series will run 50 episodes, 30 minutes each. The streaming delivery of the pilot episode will occur on the official website from February 1st. A video game is being planned for release in the summer of 2005 for the PlayStation 2. Currently about 30% complete the full game details will be announced from April. Also, Kadokawa Shoten's Shonen ACE will serialize the Eureka 7 Manga from the March issue.

1-31-05---- MPAA Japan Releases 2004 Box Office Figures

The Motion Picture Association of Japan has released it's 2004 box-office profits report. A new all time record of 210.9 billion Yen was reached for the year. Admissions to theaters nationwide exceeded 170 million. The figures represent a 17.8% increase on figures for 2003. Chairman Isao Matsuoka mentioned the Japanese movie industry picked up steam and achieved a good record. The biggest film of 2004, and currently in Japanese theaters is Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle which is expected to achieve 20 billion Yen in box office profits. The #2 earner in 2004 was Sekai No Chuushin De Ai Wosakebu at 8.5 billion Yen and #3 Ima Ai Niyukimasu at 4.8 billion Yen.

1-31-05---- Monkey Suit Burglar Caught?

Yokkaichi police arrested a 31 year old unemployed suspect in connection with the recently reported on burglar case which occured at 2:15AM on January 25th. A man dressed in a monkey costume entered a convenience store weilding a retractable knife and demanded money. A resident in the vicinity witnessed the suspect putting on the monkey outfit in the vicinity of an apartment complex. Upon the search of the apartment police found a stuffed banana.

1-31-05---- Alchemist Attraction To Open At Universal Studios Japan

Full Metal Alchemist will be the first anime related / non USA media related attraction when it opens at the Universal Studios Japan theme park in March 2005. It will feature life size character figures and a 200 person capacity theater where an exclusive film will be shown.

1-31-05---- Chusonji Yutsuko Dies

News of manga artist Chusonji Yutsuko's sudden death was announced as occuring on the morning of January 31st in Japan. The 42 year old was reported to have died of Sigmoid Cancer. Chusonji (real name Kobayashi Yukiko) leaves behind her husband of seven years and 2 children. Her manga works include the golf themed comic Sweet Spot. A private memorial service and funeral will be held for only her close relatives. An update was posted to her website (which was baraged by hits on the 31st and difficult to access) that she passed at 8:45 AM. Recently, she expanded her talent into writing essays and lectures that made politics and the economy themes. Chusonji began drawing at an early age while in school and found inspiration in the Tensai Manga Shoujo TV series and creator Yasuji Tanioka. She was a model in commercials and magazines in junior high school. She learned golf while assisting in housework and graduated Komazawa Law Department. After establishing her manga career, Chusonji won the Rookie Of The Year Award from "Business Jump" and "Cartoon Action" in 1987. In 1989 the serialization for Sweet Spot began in Weekly SPA magazine, it went onto become a best-seller at 200,000 copies sold. She coined the word "Father Gal" and serialized many essays in weekly magazines. She traveled widely visiting the United States (Living in New York City for 2 years), Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The creator is survived by a daughter (12) and son (15). On May 12th Chusonji visited The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia where she met former US President Jimmy Carter. You can read more about her visit at the Japanese Consulate Gneral in Atlanta here. Upon returning Japan, she incorporated elements of her Atlanta visit into a comic that ran in the August 2004 issue of Sotokoto Magazine and was presented to President Carter by Consul General George Hisaeda in September of last year.
Source: Manga News Service

1-31-05---- Tohokushinsha And Tyo Establish Fund

On November 25th Tohokushinsha Film Corporation And Tyo announced their intent to establish a joint contents fund called "TTS Contents Partners". Therein, properties are expected to emerge such as anime and video games. The size is expected to grow to approximately 1.5 billion Yen. The companies will be sharing capital risk.

1-31-05---- Manga / Anime Threatens American Superheroes

A piece has gone out anime and manga's displacement of American superheroes in the world press today making The Times Of Oman, South Africa's News24 and India's Hindustan Times.

1-31-05---- Contes Play New Jersey

Steve Conte (The Seatbelts / Cowboy Bebop) sends word he and his brother's group The Contes will play LIVE In New Jersey at their old Rutgers University stomping grounds in February:
The Contes
Saturday, February 5th
at 11pm @
The Court Tavern
124 Church St,
New Brunswick, 08901
(732) 545-7265

1-31-05---- Watsuki Game Project

Photos and commercials for Gunraw, a samurai game from SEGA and RED coming out February for the PS2 and featuring chara designs from Nobuhiro Watsuki, can be found here. Thanks to Daniel for sending in the news.

1-31-05---- Fist Slot Game

Out on February for the Japanese PS2 is a Fist of the North Star-themed slot game, the photos and a commercial you can see at Sega's Japanese website. Thanks to Daniel for the news.

1-31-05---- Sonic X - One Piece Videos

The official website of Fox Kids has posted music videos for One Piece and Sonic X. Thanks to Daniel for the news item.

1-31-05---- Animation Spurs Local Redevelopment In Japan

Being seen as both a cultural and export industry staple more and more, Japan's animation industry has been the catalyst for more than a few real estate redevelopment moves in recent years. Studio Ghibli's Museum in Mitaka is perhaps one of the best examples, drawing 2.4 million people to-date. The area around Mitaka City surrounding farmland and a park, having a population of 173,000 people. The formal project plan when it was proposed was: "Mitaka Municipal Animation Museum". Since the opening, 680,000 people a year have passed through it's gates. Constructed by a private company, the Tokyo Metropolitan Park and Mitaka City came togther to agree on the plan for the 2.5 billion Yen development project. An aspect that's not often mentioned are some of the complications that were involved in the original development phase. These included facilities issues, nature conservation in the park, cordinating the labor teams, commercial promotion and city planning. Another issue was apparantly over including "Mitaka" in the official title of the Museum.

Another area of recent development is Tokyo's Nerima Ward, known as the birth place of Japanese Animaton. Recently calls have been made for a "Nerima Animation Conference" that will bring together 50 companies related to the anime industry along with local residents and the local govt. The goal is the planning of a new anime museum in the area.

1-31-05---- Negative And Positive Messages On Animation Industry Mix And Mingle On Public Stage

Against the backdrop of progressive future planning related to Japan's animation industry are recent reports of the great talent exodus in the industry. Stories of animation dropouts due to long working hours and lower wages being earned by those in the business is causing some to question what the future holds. Despite optimistic overtones expressed by government officials about animation a report issued by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2002 mentions "The amount of contents which can be exported to foreign countries from Japan are few." A union related to animation was formed in 1999 with members whose average age is 28.6. The average workday of an animator is 10.8 hours. An average annual salary earned is 2.47 million Yen with 49% earning below 2 million Yen.

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