Anime News Service - November 10-23 Anime News
11-23-04
- Toho has a few excerpts from Mr. Suzuki on the world release of Howl's Moving Castle. These include a
Jan. 12th rollout in France, Feb. 5th release in Taiwan, and March 17th release in Hong Kong. Pete Doctor of Monsters Inc. will produce the English language version.
- The Movie Box
has trailers for the Korean horror film, A Tale of Two Sisters, which is
getting a limited release through select Land Mark Theatres
around Dec. 17. You can also download a trailer for Clean, featuring Cannes
award winner and Hero actress Maggie Cheung at The Movie Box. Finally, a
trailer for Nobody Knows, which is getting a limited North American release
around January 28 can be found here. (Thanks to Daniel for these links)
11-21-04
- A few eigoMANGA items, the November issue of Anime Insider Magazine is in stores now featuring an article about eigoMANGA's television program, ANIME MIX.
The latest edition of AsianWeek is on newspaper stands November 11-17 includes an article on eigoMANGA (web link).
Gamer Nation will feature eigoMANGA in upcoming November episode. Gamer Nation is a nationally syndicated television show covering the video gaming industry.
- The Hollywood Reporter
Source: Daniel
listed the winning filmmakers who will have their work broadcast on NHK, and
get a financial award.
- Henshin Online covers the Devil Man saga and the stars in the
live-action film. In addition, it posted a press release for Godzilla: Final
Wars.
Source: Daniel
11-19-04---- Seven Seas Announces "Manga-fy Me!" Contest
Seven Seas Entertainment announced this week a one-of-a-kind opportunity for manga fans--The "Manga-fy Me!" contest. By providing a self-portrait done in a manga style, entrants have a chance to have their likeness drawn into one of Seven Seas initial manga releases. Gomanga.com users will select two winners from the entries via online voting.
"Growing up, what kid doesn't dream of being a character in a comic book or manga?" said contest supervisor Jake Forbes. "With this contest, two lucky manga fans will have that dream come true!" In addition to the "manga-fying" grand prizes, 6 runners up will get signed copies of Seven Seas manga titles when they arrive in February. Entries must be received by November 30th. Open voting takes place during the first two weeks of December. For more information, visit www.gomanga.com.
11-19-04
- Available online at www.bladetrinity.com as well as www.musictoslayby.com, "Music To Slay By" is a contest and content web site inspired by the final installment of the "Blade" trilogy, which stars Wesley Snipes, Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel. Contestants are invited to create their own "slaylist' of songs they would listen to while slaying vampires, just as Abigail Whistler (Biel's character) does before heading into action in the explosive film.
The site also contains samples from the "Blade: Trinity" soundtrack, as well as video previews of a unique manga comic and anime short which are featured on the special deluxe edition of the film's soundtrack. An exclusive "Music To Slay By" e-card is also available on the site.
- The Cincinnati Enquirer has a piece today on the popularity of anime in the midwest USA.
- The New Statesman talks about the Japanese influence on current Hollywood films such as The Grudge and Ring.
- The No Hype Entertainment news source, Eclipse Magazine, features Puffy Ami Yumi on their new animation.
- Las Vegas City Life interviews mangaka Chiba Tetsuya who traces back through his career of creating popular Japanese comics.
Tetsuya is the first of three Japanese artists and filmmakers involved in manga and its cinematic offshoot, anime, scheduled to speak at UNLV in November.
11-18-04
- The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly mentions Battle of the Planets in their recommendations of tv shows on dvd. In addition, they also endorce
Zhang Yimou's upcoming House of Flying Daggers. Thanks to Daniel for the link.
- The Toonami channel have announced they have the rights to show both Rave
Master and One Piece in the UK. This is the first new anime series to run on
the channel since the introduction of Duel Masters.
Source: UKAnime (http://www.uk-anime.net/)
11-17-04
- http://www.unearthedfilms.com/, a distributor of underground Japanese films
will be releasing the live-action prequel to Ichi the Killer in March. You
can view a trailer of the flick at the site, but the content is
inappropriate for anyone who isn't 18+ years of age. Thanks to Daniel for the link.
- Cinescape
talks to one of the distributors of the GITS: SAC game. Courtesy to Daniel for the news.
- The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has released a new version of "The Cool Spot," the institute's website for middle school (11- to 13-year-old) children. The website can be accessed at: www.thecoolspot.gov
To appeal to the target audience, the website's new graphic design incorporates animated characters based on a popular Japanese comic book style called "anime."
- The Japan Times reviews Design Festa 2004 which occured Nov. 13 and 14, featuring 5,500 artists.
The event, which will take up 20,000 sq. meters in Tokyo Big Sight, boasts 1,700 booths, showing everything from paintings, photography, multimedia and character design to fashion, installations and performances.
While most exhibiting artists are Japanese, 30 countries are expected to be represented at this year's Design Festa.
- The Korea Times talks a bout popular manhwa thats taking off there on the history of Jazz.
- The Korea Herald searches for the cultural identity of the southern peninsula nation and seperates the fact from fantasy of some commonly held western sterotypes.11-17-04---- Psycho Le Cemu At Anime Overdose
http://www.animeod.com
March 4-6, 2005
Holiday Inn Golden Gateway
San Francisco, CA
PSYCHO LE CEMU
They're Baaack! Psycho Le Cemu will be invading Anime Overdose in 2005,
with a brand new live performance. There will be new costumes, and new
songs during this upcoming three city campaign. The 2004 "Psycho
Invasion" tour in Anaheim and Dallas was a huge success, and the
overwhelming fan response demanded their return in 2005!
PLC, a five member band, has sold out CD's and concert halls all over
Japan since 1999. The band has stayed distinctive from other visual
bands with their consistent change of themed costumes. They have graced
covers of premiere visual and Jrock magazines, and now they are also
considered among Newsweek Japan's top 100 most influential people.
Psycho le Cemu is a highly energetic band that is well known for their
stage presence, choreographed "Parapara", and their interaction with
their audiences. They share the highly successful record label, Sweet
Child, with other well known acts such as Luna Sea, Pierrot,
D`espairsRay, and other up and coming bands.
Come show your support for Psycho Le Cemu, and make this tour even
bigger and better than before.
More information will be available soon, please check back for updates.
11-16-04---- Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence DVD Release
Renowned writer and director Mamoru Oshii follows up his groundbreaking masterpiece Ghost in the Shell, one of the most successful anime achievements of all time, with the highly anticipated Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence debuting December 28 on DVD from DreamWorks Home Entertainment. The first anime film ever chosen as an Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival, this cyber-tech thriller delivers incredible visual effects, breathtaking action and a thought provoking storyline. A must-own for all film collectors, the Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence DVD bonus programs include an insightful commentary by Oshii and the movie’s animation director Toshihiko Nishikubo detailing their collaboration on this visually compelling film, plus a behind-the-scenes program featuring interviews with the filmmakers and voice talent, and more.
Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence will be available on DVD for as low as $22.95 (MAP).
SYNOPSIS
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is set in 2032, when the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. Batou is a cyborg. His body is artificial: the only remnants of his humanity are traces of his brain...and the memories of a woman called The Major. A detective for the government's covert anti-terrorism unit, Public Security Section 9, Batou is investigating the case of a gynoid, a hyper-realistic female robot created specifically for sexual companionship, who malfunctions and slaughters her owner. As Batou delves deeper into the investigation, questions arise about humanity's need to immortalize its image in dolls (robots with no human elements at all). The answers to those questions lead to the shocking truth behind the crime...and quite possibly the very meaning of life.
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is the second anime feature to be released under the Go Fish Pictures banner, a division of DreamWorks Pictures.
GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE
DVD Price: $22.95 (M.A.P.)
Street Date: December 28, 2004
Running Time: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Audio: Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: Japanese with English, French and Spanish subtitles
11-15-04---- Slayers DVD Collection In Time For Holidays
Central Park Media has announced a spectacular holiday sale on one the greatest fantasy anime series of all time; The Slayers, a laugh-out-loud comedy, which has hooked many anime and manga fans with its ensemble of zany characters and their fantastic, epic adventures. All The Slayers DVD box sets will be available for $49.95 SRP each for a limited time only – November 15th until December 24th. Each box set contains over 10 hours of programming including bonus DVD materials such as cast interviews and character galleries, just to name a few. Originally retailing for $89.99 (The Slayers) and $129.99 (The Slayers Next and The Slayers Try), the holiday price of $49.95 SRP for each box set will make The Slayers the perfect gift this holiday season.
The Slayers DVD Collection
Welcome to a world where magic reigns and monsters lurk behind every corner. Into this land of deadly dragons and menacing magicians comes our heroine-Lina Inverse, a cute, fire-ball throwing sorceress who steals from the wicked and gives to herself! Along with Gourry, a handsome but dumb-as-a-rock swordsman, Lina challenges the forces of not-so-goodness as she seeks truth, justice, fame and gold.
Running time: 600 minutes/Eps. 1-26 on 4 DVDs
Genre: Comedy/Action-Adventure
Rating: 3UP
Catalog #: SSDVD-6198
UPC code: 7-95243-61982-8
The Slayers Next DVD Collection
Lina Inverse is not the sort of girl who wants to save the world for free, but sometimes, she’s just that down on her luck. This time around, Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis have embarked upon a fun-filled quest to find the most powerful book of magic in history. Unfortunately for them, this little jaunt may develop into an adventure of epic proportions, involving hideous monsters, demon dragons, magical karaoke performances, and outdoor sporting events!
Running time: 600 minutes/Eps. 27-52 on 4 DVDs
Genre: Comedy/Action-Adventure
Rating: 3UP
Catalog #: SSDVD-6137
UPC code: 7-95243-61372-7
The Slayers Try DVD Collection
In search of fame, fortune, and foreign food, Lina Inverse sets sail on a collision course for the new world! What she finds there are vengeful enemies, a bunch of high-and-mighty dragon lords, and a new quest to save the world from destruction.
Running time: 600 minutes/Eps. 53-78 on 4 DVDs
Genre: Comedy/Action-Adventure
Rating: 3UP
Catalog #: SSDVD-6169
UPC code: 7-95243-61692-6
11-15-04
- The Honolulu Star Bulletin reviews Ken Akamatsu's Negima, released stateside by Del Ray.
- NCM covers the 10th anniversary of Giant Robot Magazine.
- The New York Times has an article from this weekend on Puffy AmiYumi's cartoon debut in the states.
- A bit behind the curve, but none the less boding well for sites like this one, Xinhua reports Associated Press President, Tom Curley has come out saying the internet is the future of news reporting.
11-12-04---- Young Jump To Censor Manga
- The Daily Telegraph reports
Young Jump, which sells two million copies a week, announced yesterday that it would censor one of its own stories, The Country Burns, after nationalist anger about its portrayal of Japanese brutality during the Rape of Nanking.
Young Jump, which sells two million copies a week, halted publication of its long-running story, The Country Burns, in September after being inundated by phone calls and e-mails objecting to the latest episode.
11-12-04
- ascribe.org talks about the release of the new CGI film, Polar Express, Digital Actors and comments on the popularity of some Anime characters over real life celebrities.
- Masslive.com previews an upcoming Western Massachusetts Anime film festival hosted by AcademyArts and occuring this weekend. The festival, being held again at the Academy of Music in Northam
- After wrapping a cameo role in the Mike Andrews' film “Gettin Lucky,” Tara Platt is back at it, starring in independent action film “The Last Bad Neighborhood” alongside Paul Logan (Days of Our Lives). She continues to voice the femme fatale Reina in the popular anime series “Rave Master,” airing on Cartoon Network’s Toonami throughout the rest of the year. She is also currently voicing a character on the Japanese animated series "Ultramaniac."
- Minnesota's Pulse Of The Twin Cities reveals the dreamy surrealism of art pieces running in exhibition at the The Ox-Op Gallery in Minneapolis. The works of Yumiko Kayukawa of Sapporo are profiled.
- The Taipei Times talks "Philosophizing sex dolls amid film noir", as they review Mamoru Oshii's GITS2: Innocence.
- Vertical Inc. has a limited supply of Dark Water
novels signed by Koji Suzuki for sale directly through their site. (Courtesy to Daniel on the item)
- Daniel, reports from Los Angeles:
"The latest TV Guide mentions the musical duo's animated series in their profile on animated rock shows. Also, I saw an ad for it on one of my buses."
11-12-04---- Pioneer Signs Distribution Deal With Toei
Geneon Entertainment announced today an agreement with leading Japanese anime producer Toei Animation to distribute the company's animation programs on DVD in the U.S. and Canada. The first titles slated to be distributed under the agreement are "Air Master," "Interlude" and "Slam Dunk."
Toei Animation is credited with international smash hit properties such as "Dragonball Z," "Sailor Moon" and "Digimon," and has created over 180 film and television titles well known by children and adults all over the world.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with such a well-respected anime production company as Toei Animation to bring its stellar properties to new audiences, through our established DVD distribution capabilities in the U.S. and Canada," said Yosuke Kobayashi, president and CEO, Geneon Entertainment.
"Geneon Entertainment's commitment to Japanese anime, along with its expertise in sales, marketing and distribution, make it an ideal partner for us as we continue to expand our international business," said Kanji Kazahaya, COO, Toei Animation.
11-10-04---- CPM And Warner Sign DIstribution Deal
WEA Corp., Warner Music Group’s (WMG) U.S. sales and retail marketing company, announced today that it will become the exclusive U.S. distributor for Central Park Media's (CPM) extensive catalog of Japanese Anime audio and video titles effective December 1, 2004.
In making the announcement, John Esposito, president, WEA Corp., said, “We are excited to work with Central Park Media, a leader in Japanese anime and live action feature films. By joining forces with CPM, we hope to continue our past success in Japanese anime, as the genre appeals to future generations of viewers."
Fifteen-year-old Central Park Media, which pioneered the mass market U.S. anime industry in 1990, is recognized as one of the oldest and most experienced suppliers in the anime genre, due to its extensive and groundbreaking history with anime, and its ownership of one of the largest anime catalogs in the world.
"By aligning ourselves with the proven distribution force of WEA, CPM looks forward to continuing to build its momentum and success in this specialty category," mentioned CPM's Managing Director John O'Donnell. "We are honored to be working with such an industry powerhouse, and look forward to the benefits of associating with WEA."
"WEA is known to be the most flexible partner for independent labels like CPM," added Fred Barsuglia, CPM's Vice President of Sales. "We consider them to be the finest distribution organization in the world, bar none, and look forward to increasing our market share due to their ability to get products onto shelves."
11-10-04
- IGN's Film Force reports Namco revealed today that its epic RPG series Xenosaga will be adapted to anime next year. The show will hit Japanese airwaves starting January of 2005 on Wednesday nights on the nation-wide TV Asahi network.
- The Japan Times reviews Park Chan Wooks film Old Boy based on a comic series that ran in J-comic Manga Action.
- The Japan Times has the focus article "Manga Animates New Millenium" on an American who is bringng together selected works from more than 30 artists, mostly from Japan and the U.S., in an exhibition titled "Psionic Distortion" running Nov. 11-30 at the SuperDeluxe event space in Roppongi, Tokyo. 11-10-04---- Metreon Screenings
www.metreon.com/eventsANIME ACTION SUNDAYS
Sunday, November 14
11AM-5PM
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Marathon (Episodes 1-16)
Bring your Ghost in the Shell fan art to the screening- the best pieces will win Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex from Bandai videogames for PS2 and be placed on display in the Bandai shop throughout November.
Sunday, December 12
11AM-5PM
Sneak Peek 2005!
Featured screenings of: Taruto (v1-2), Digi Charat Nyo (ep. 1-4), Overman King Gainer (ep. 1-3)
Sneak previews of: D.I.C.E., Planetes, and Scrapped Princess
Plus, a model kit building demo and display.
Have your next anime club meeting in Action Theatre! Call Ana Santos at 415.369-6031 for details.
11-10-04---- Tokyopop Readies New Manga Titles For May
TOKYOPOP(r) has planted the seeds
for a whole garden of new must-read titles for manga fans: RG Veda, In
Dream World, Visitor, Heaven Above Heaven, Shaolin Sisters: Reborn and
iDX. Blooming in April and May of 2005, each series promises its own
pleasure for those in the market for a little fantasy, action/adventure,
romance, or drama. Read on for more details!
RG Veda (Fantasy, Volume 1 Release: 4/12/05)
One of TOKYOPOP's most anticipated spring releases, RG Veda is the
breakout manga series that put the best-selling manga collective CLAMP
on the map. This enthralling fantasy series-also the inspiration for a
popular anime-follows the plight of two noble warriors out to fulfill
the prophecy surrounding an evil, usurping emperor and the overthrow of
his bloody reign.
In Dream World (Fantasy/Action, Volume 1 Release: 4/12/05)
Created by Yoon Jae Hoo, this thrilling RPG-like story delves into a
world in which the monsters of nightmares are real. Drake, Hanee and
Kyle fight these nightmares not only with conventional weapons, but with
"In Dream Cards." Each card bears a different elemental power, and those
who wield the cards are masters of their elements. A fantastical
adventure in the spirit of fan-favorites Culdcept and .hack.
Visitor (Romance/Drama, Volume 1 Release: 4/12/05)
This classic shojo manga by Yi-Jung No combines love and mystery into a
very touching, coming-of-age story. Everyone Hyo-Bin has ever been close
to has been brutally murdered! Her horrifying reality is seeping into
her dreams, where classmates from her new school mysteriously appear.
Not only does Hyo-Bin have to deal with budding friendships and
potential love interests, she seems to have a supernatural ability she
can't quite understand-or control!
Heaven Above Heaven (Action/Drama, Volume 1 Release: 3/8/05)
Hyun Kang-Suk and Jeon Joong-Won deliver the goods in this action-packed
series. When ancient prophecy foretold a baby that would be the catalyst
for the Apocalypse, nine Grand Masters of Martial Arts raced to a remote
mountaintop to prevent it from being fulfilled. Seventeen years later, a
boy with a knack for trouble, a lust for ladies and a wicked fighting
technique crosses paths with the child of the Apocalypse-and he's in for
more kung fu action than he can handle!
Shaolin Sisters: Reborn (Action/Fantasy Volume 1 Release: 3/8/05)
In this exciting sequel to the popular manga by Narumi Kakinouchi and
Toshiki Hirano, three sisters trained in supernatural and physical
combat must work together to defeat the ultimate evil. Fans of Hero and
Shaolin Soccer will revel in the action-filled story of Julin Misumi,
whose life becomes nothing short of extraordinary after she discovers
that she is the reincarnation of a legendary martial arts master.
iDX (Fantasy, Volume 1 Release: 3/8/05)
From Son Hee-Joon, creator of TOKYOPOP's PhD: Phantasy Degree, and Kim
Yoon-Kyung comes this wildly entertaining adventure. Roto, Boromid and
Ah-dol are a team of master-level players that traverse Lost Saga, a
fantastical online game filled with medieval monsters and magical
weaponry. When Roto finds a disk with "Yureka" printed on it, he signs
on to the game using "Yureka" as his identity. The trouble is, Yureka
already has an identity of her own...
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