Next Club Meeting: April 20, 2024, at the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Animatrix Network is an anime & manga fan club located in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. We usually meet on the third Saturday of each month (except when holidays or conventions coincide). The meetings are free and open to the public. Join us for a day filled with anime.

This site provides news, reviews, commentaries, and previews of the world of anime and everything it inspires, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Even Pigeons Go To Heaven

Nominated for a 2008 Oscar for Best Short Film (Animated)! A priest tries to sell an old man a machine that he promises will transport him to heaven
The News This Past Week

@@@@ REMEMBER PASSOVER @@@@ BENTO BOXES @@@@ RAYEARTH @@@@

@@@@ COD-CON XV @@@@ APRIL 9-11, 2010 @@@@

@@@@ LIVE-ACTION ANIME @@@@ MANGA RELEASES @@@@

@@@@ DVD RELEASES @@@@ MIYAZAKI @@@@

@@@@ LIFE-SIZE GUNDAM @@@@ SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD @@@@ 

Scroll down to see what you've missed
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Monday, March 29, 2010

Bento Boxes of your favorite animated shows

Wall-E Bento Box

Eve and Mo Bento box

Nausicaa God Warrior vs Ohmu Bento Box

Totoro Bento Box

Where the Wild Things Are - Bento Boxes

Violence & Destruction from Rayearth OVA

Live-Action Adaptations

The adaptation of Hidenori Hara's Hoshi no Furu Machi is scheduled for spring 2011. The film will be directed by Koji Kawano's and Aoi Nakamura will play the role of Kotaro Tsutsumi.
*****
Yoshio Inoue has been cast as the manga artist lead in the live-action film adaptation of Satoshi Karasuya's autobiographical Onobori Monogatari manga 
*****
Ryo Kurashina's hostess club manga Jotei Kaoruko has been adapted into a live action drama featuring model Mirei Kiritani in her first starring role for a TV series.
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A live action film adaptation of Maria Watches Over Us (Maria-sama ga Miteru is due out in fall 2010

New and Upcoming in Japan

Promos
Gothicmade
- the new anime from Five Star Stories' Mamoru Nagano
Insect Story Honeybee Hutch ~Melody of Courage~

Welcome to the Space Show

Legend of the Legendary Hero

Onigamiden
Studio Pierrot's adaptation of Takafumi Takada’s novel

Live action Gantz


Anime
Layout: 984/997 cuts - 98.7%
Key animation: 834 cuts - 83.7%
Chief animator check: 664 cuts - 66.6%
Animation: 615 cuts - 61.7%
Painting: 525 cuts - 52.7%
Background painting: 668 cuts - 67.0%
Completed cuts: 490 cuts - 49.2%
According to Nishioka, Yonebayashi (the director) is working until 3:00am every day. After some consideration by Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli now prohibits all-nighters in principle. Animators must return to their home at least once a day.
The Blu-ray release Nausicaa has been confirmed, scheduled for July 14, 2010 at ¥7140
A translation of Toshio Suzuki's introduction can be read here
*****
A pilot based Leiji Matsumoto's Harlock character has been completed.
Mobile Suit Gundam UC author Harutoshi Fukui, Appleseed director Shinji Aramaki, Appleseed mechanical designer Atsushi Takeuchi, and Ninja Scroll character designer Yutaka Minowa worked on the new Space Pirate Captain Harlock pilot with Sega Sammy Visual Entertainment.
Light Stage, used for Avatar, was used for a Gaiking pilot. The mecha anime was aired in the US as part of the Force Five block.
*****
The 5 episode “BLACK LAGOON: Roberta’s Blood Trail” OVA series will premiere on DVD & Blu-ray July 17th.
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Manga creator Suzuhito Yasuda revealed that supernatural action Yozakura Quartet is setting a reset, second anime adaptation, packaged starting with volume nine of the manga.
Ryoochimo Sawa is directing, designing the characters and overseeing the animation production. Tatsunoko Pro and KMMJ Studios are producing, and the studio Kusanagi is handling the backgrounds.
*****
Toei Animation is creating an adaptation of George Akiyama's dark manga Ashura
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Susumu Kudo will be directing three theatrical anime film adaptations of Tow Ubukata's Mardock Scramble science fiction novel series. Megumi Hayashibara will play the main character Rune Ballot. Conisch is composing the music, and GoHands is producing the animation.
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Tatsuo Sato's (Nadesico, Stellvia, Shingu) adaptation of Yuichi Sasamoto's Mini-Skirt Uchu Kaizoku (Mini-Skirt [Space] Pirates) space opera has been confirmed for 2011.
Akiman is responsible for the original character designs for the animation, and Starchild Records is handling the music. 
Anime News Network's description:
The story centers around a spirited high school girl named Marika. She keeps herself busy with the space yacht club and her part-time job at a high-class retro café. One day, two men suddenly appear and claim to be subordinates of her dead father. They demand that she assume command of the space pirate ship Benten Maru. A privateer ship's compact was made during a war of independence a century ago, and according to that compact, the ship must be inherited by the captain's next direct descendant. Marika finds herself embarking on a new life as a space pirate.
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Hiromi Morishita's award winning Osaka Hamlet manga will be adapted to anime, scheduled for summer. Director Fujiro Mitsuishi had already adapted the manga into a live-action film which premiered in October of 2008. 
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Production I.G's adaptatopm pf Mizuki Nomura's "Bungaku Shojo" ("A literary girl") light novel series will be getting three direct to DVD OVAs 
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Lily Hoshino's yokai manga Otome Yokai Zakuro will be getting an anime adaptation
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Akinari Matsuno and QP:flapper's light novel series MM!, about a teen masochism, will be adapted into anime
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Risque fantasy Queen's Blade will be getting a new Utsukushiki Toshi-tachi OVA 
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The six discs of Ikkitousen: Xtreme Xecutor will feature original OVA episodes. 
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3D theatrical animated adaptation of Soo Yon Won's Full House manhwa will be opening in Japan and Korea in November 
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The seventh DVD volume of urban adventure Durarara!! will included a direct to video episode and an audio drama adaptation of side story from the original novels. 
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Kazuki Sakuraba's Gosick mystery novels are being adapted into anime 
*****
More shorts of the Doubutsu Kankyou Kaigi ~ Animal Conference on the Environment, educational/environmental picture book adaptation are being produced

Jihaku. Foo Fighters-Best of You

The Nerv of Some People - - Eva Helmets

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Manga Releases

Seven Seas
Seven Seas announced supernatural manga Vampire Cheerleaders and Paranormal Mystery Squad, written by Adam Arnold and illustrated by Shiei, the creative team behind Aoi House.
Both original series are set to double-feature in Vampire Cheerleaders: Fang Service, a campy horror manga which leads off with the aforementioned bloodsucking teen comedy Vampire Cheerleaders, followed by Paranormal Mystery Squad, a ghostbusting spin-off directly from the pages of Aoi House. Vampire Cheerleaders: Fang Service will be released in January 2011, with a second volume set to be released later in the year. An ongoing webcomic preview and other promotions are scheduled for later in 2010.

In Vampire Cheerleaders, the Bakertown High School cheerleading squad has a secret: behind all their pretty makeup and short skirts are five hungry vampires who sure know how to show their school spirit! When one of their own turns up missing, the vampire cheerleaders have no other choice but to induct one of the eleventh grade girls from B Squad into their vixenous ranks. Siring new recruit Heather Hartley may be the easy part, but keeping her from turning into a vamp-gone-wild and draining the entire football team on the eve of the big homecoming game is another matter!


In Paranormal Mystery Squad, goth girl Stephanie Kane, her bratty sister Katie, and best friend Charlotte have a good thing going. They’ve made a name for themselves traveling the country in their trusty Winnebago hunting down cryptids and all manner of supernatural beasties. That is, until the organization known as PETM (People for the Ethical Treatment of Monsters) slaps them with a boatload of new regulations and places a court-appointed PETM liaison on their all-girl team: the enigmatic, albeit slightly anemic, J.C. Summerfield. When things go awry during the team’s next case, it’s Stephanie’s kid sister Katie who finds herself in the hairiest situation of her life... literally!
VIZ Media
VIZ Media announced ROSARIO + VAMPIRE. ROSARIO + VAMPIRE: SEASON II will be published under the Shonen Jump Advanced imprint on April 6th with a ‘T+’ for Older Teens rating and a MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.


In this action filled series, average teenager Tsukune accidentally enrolled at a boarding school for monsters – no, not jocks or the popular kids, but bona fide werewolves, witches and other unnamable denizens from of his wildest nightmares! On the plus side, all of the girls have a major crush on him. But on the negative side, all the boys are so jealous they want to kill him! And so do the girls he spurns, because he only has eyes for one of them – the far-from-average vampire, Moka. Still, on the plus side, Moka only has glowing red eyes for Tsukune. But on the O-negative side, she also has a burning, unquenchable thirst for his blood!
ROSARIO TO VAMPIRE SEASON 2 © 2007 by Akihisa Ikeda/SHUEISHA Inc.

VIZ Media will be releasing the eighth and final volume of Naoki Urasawa's Pluto: Urasawa × Tezuka on April 6th

Pluto: Urasawa × Tezuka is a modern reinterpretation of the work by the master of Manga, Osamu Tezuka. In an ideal world where man and robots coexist, someone or something is after the seven great robots of the world. Interpol assigns robot detective Gesicht to this most strange and complex case – and he eventually discovers that he is one of the targets!


In the final volume Atom is back, and the fate of the earth is in his hands! Now that Atom has all the answers to the unsolved mysteries around Pluto, Bora and more, he's prepared to put everything on the line. With the memory of his fallen brethren – Gesicht, Mont Blanc, North No. 2, Brando, Hercules and Epsilon – etched deeply into his heart, Atom is headed for one last battle to save the world!
PLUTO © Naoki URASAWA/Studio Nuts, Takashi NAGASAKI and Tezuka Productions. Original Japanese edition published by Shogakukan. Based on “Astro Boy” written by Osamu TEZUKA.
*****
Hisao Tamaki has started a new Dirty Pair no Daiboken in Monthly Comic Ryu magazine
*****
[Source: News Paradise]
Kiminori Wakasugi's Detroit Metal City will be ending in Young Animal # 10 (On sale April 23). The manga will have run 10 volumes.
*****
To commemerate the film adaptation of Solanin, Big Comic Spirits # 17 (On sale March 29) will be dedicated to manga author Asano Iniö

Content include:
The manga on the cover of the magazine
A conversation between the mangaka, Aoi Miyazaki (actress) and Kengo Kora
(Actor)
chapter of Oyasumi Pung Pung (with Color Pages)
Special Solanin called Haru yo Koi
Iniö will also publish a One Shot in Gekkan Spirits # 05 (For Sale on March 27).
*****
To commemerate its 10th anniversary, Sunday GX will launch new projects from Shin Takahashi (Author of Ultimate Tear), Suzuki nakab (author of Kongoh Bancho), Takashi Ikeda (Author of Fade Out), Mari Matsuzawa (Author of Inukami!) Kitakawa Tota (author of Sweet Sketch), Gosho Aoyama (Author of Detective Conan) and Iniö Asano (Author of Solanin).

The first is a new series writer of Defense Devil & Le Nouvel Angyo Onshi's Youn In-Wan with illustrations by Kim Hee Sun. The series will start in Sunday GX # 05 (On sale April 19) and will be called Westwood Vibrato .

In South Africa there is a young girl named Cornelia Washer Bobo who specializes in the repair of wind instruments.
*****
CLAMP's xxxHoLIC will be moving from seinen anthology Young Magazine to Shounen Magazine Bessatsu, where it will run monthly.
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Go Nagai and Dynamic Pro will launch Devilman vs Getter Robo in Champion Red # 06 (on sale April 19). 
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Kawaguchi Kaiji ( Zipang) will publish baseball short manga Winning Shot in Big Comic Superior # 09 (On sale April 9). 
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Katsuya Terada (Saiyukiden) will release two part story Rakuda Wara (Laughing with Rakuda) in Gekkan Comic Ryu # 06 (19/04) and # 07 (19/05). 
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Kazuto Okada (Sundome) launched new manga Ibitsu in Young Champion # 08. 
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Excel Saga's Rikdo Koshi new begin new manga Deathless in Young King # 09 (On sale April12).   
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Hiroshi Motomiya's tough turned office work Shin Salary Man Kintaro will return in Young Jump # 18 (On sale April 1).

Hiroshi Motomiya will also launch new series Yagyu Munenori in Business Jump # 09 (On sale April 7).

The story takes place in 1593. Munenori, who at age 23 is unclear what will make his life. He wonders if it's worth it to continue to train at Saber, as more and more people use guns. At this moment, the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, then visit Munenori and his father. Munenori's destiny is changing ...
*****
Masakazu Katsura's Zetman will back him in Young Jump # 20 (On sale April 15).
*****
Tomomasa Takuma's Code Geass: No Shikkoku Renyi will start in Shounen Ace # 07, on sale May 26
*****
Atsushi Suzumi (author of Venus Versus Virus) will adapt the Kôhei AZANO : Tokyo Ravens novel in Shounen Ace 
*****  
Betsuhana # 05 announced that Glass Mask will go hiatus, to be resumed in Betsuhana # 09, on sale July 
*****  
Kikuni Masahiko's Ma Q Ken Otsu and Wisut Ponnimit's Blanco will end in Ikki this April
***** 
Shin Tobo Bengoshi - Makoto Narita (The New Fugitive Lawyer - Makoto Narita) will be back in Gekkan Spirits # 06, in time for a new drama based on the manga

Hayao Miyazaki and No-Face

New Ghibli Commercial

a new Ghibli commercial commemorating the 110th anniversary Nisshin Seifun Group from Goro Miyazaki and Katsuya Kondo, based on an illustration by Toshio Suzuki

Upcoming DVD Releases and Licensing


Section 23
BRIGHTER THAN THE DAWNING BLUE COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 6/1/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $49.98
SYNOPSIS: It’s never easy when a stranger moves into your house, but if you have to host a foreign exchange student, Feena Fam Earthlight* would be almost the perfect choice… She’s smart, kind, generous and attractive, BUT the problem is that she’s the Sphere Kingdom’s Princess, and tensions between Earth and our Lunar neighbors have been tense since the big war. So you might forgive Asagiri Tatsuya for having some reservations, but since his father IS the first assistant to the president, what better place to board the Princess so she can learn more about Earth culture? And, as mentioned before, Feena is VERY attractive. Unfortunately, the course of true love doesn’t normally have to contend with either interplanetary diplomacy or Feena’s bizarre entourage of assistants… and then there’s the question of how the kids at Tatsuy’s school are going to react. Get ready to see stars as two teens from totally different worlds collide in Brighter than the Dawning Blue – The Complete Collection!

 
PAPILLON ROSE COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Maiden Japan
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 175 min.
Street Date: 6/8/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $34.98
SYNOPSIS: They're bold, they're beautiful and they're barely wearing anything as they save the world from sexual conquest! What began as a crazed experiment in anime fandom has escalated beyond the control of its otaku dojinshi creators, and now the underground fan phenomenon parodying a certain sailor-suited battle team leaps to home video in seven sense-exploding, skin-baring, "cover the kids' eyes quick" videos of utter animated insanity! Can high-school student and part time underwear model Tsubomi save Japan from the monstrous villainesses who seek to suck it's men dry of… um… sexual energy? How do her talking cat Rama and the mysterious stranger who calls himself "Dandy Lion" fit into the picture? And just how many magic girls who fight evil in their underwear does Japan have anyway? They're not knock-offs, they're knock outs, and they're fighting wrongs in their thongs in PAPILLON ROSE - The Complete Collection! 


CLANNAD COMPLETE COLLECTION (with English dub)
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 600 min.
Street Date: 6/15/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $69.98
Tortured by his past and pained by an uncertain future, Tomoya drifts through life with an almost overwhelming anger and emptiness. But when he meets the mysterious, beautiful, shy Nagisa, his world seems to change. Drawn in by her gentle but lonely spirit, he begins to experience the joy life can bring. But as he discovers the reason for his newfound friend's loneliness, Tomoya also finds that life can be frighteningly fragile.
Poignant. Compelling. Heartbreaking. Clannad is one of the most cherished anime of all time. Experience the wondrous and tender storytelling that has made Clannad an anime classic.
The dub cast and crew includes
Director & ADR Script (Ep 1 - 12) - Steven Foster
Director (Ep 13 - 24) - Janice Williams
ADR Script (Ep 13 - 24) - Clint Bickham
  • Cast:
    Tomoya Okazaki - David Matranga
    Nagisa Furukawa - Luci Christian
    Kyou Fujibayashi - Shelley Calene-Black
    Botan - Melissa Davis
    Ryou Fujibayashi - Brittney Karbowski
    Tomoyo Sakagami - Kaytha Coker
    Kotomi Ichinose - Emily Neves
    Fuko Ibuki - Hilary Haag
    Youhei Sunohara - Greg Ayres
    Mei Sunohara - Serena Varghese
    Akio Furukawa - Andrew Love
    Sanae Furukawa - Kara Greenberg
    Voice of "I" - Shannon Emerick
    Girl - Melissa Davis
    Yukine Miyazawa - Maggie Flecknoe
    Misae Sagara - Elizabeth Bunch
    Naoyuki Okazaki - Chris Hutchison
    Kouko Ibuki - Stephanie Wittels
    Yusuke Yoshino - Illich Guardiola
    Junior Male (from Ep 24) - Josh Grelle
To participate you must redeem
Clannad Collection 1 (SFCL100) and
Clannad Collection 2 (SFCL200).
Send in the (4) DVDs, sleeve art and plastic cases
along with $20 for the upgrade,
plus [$3 postage within the USA / $6 for Canada].


LA CORDA D'ORO ~ PRIMO PASSO COLLECTION 1
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 6/22/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $49.98
SYNOPSIS: Talking to invisible people that only you can see can get you into unusual situations, so when Kahoko Hino encounters a tiny fairy named Lili on the way to school, she is shocked to find herself entered in a competition for her school’s elite music program! That might be wonderful, except Hino doesn’t even play an instrument, let alone own one! But Lili has a solution for that as well, and he attempts to give her a magic violin. Hino refuses at first, but weakens, perhaps noticing how many good looking boys seem to be in the program. The problem is that now Hino is competing against a host of other talented students, and she really can’t play a note! Now she’ll have to work double-time in order to justify her place in the orchestra! Will Hino become the musical prodigy everyone thinks she is, or will she just end up playing second fiddle? One way or another, she’ll have to face the music in 'La Corda d'oro' – Primo Passo – Collection 1!


GINTAMA COLLECTION 2
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 6/29/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $49.98
SYNOPSIS: Let’s face it; a “typical day” in alien occupied feudal Japan is still going to be strange by any normal standards, but at Gintoki’s Odd Jobs agency, the freelancers have learned to expect the weirdest of the weird when it comes to assignments. Of course, when your company specializes in doing the oddest of odd jobs, the odds are that that oddness is bound to rub off on you, but the really bad part about the job is that it pays so little for the near-terminal risk to life and limb that almost every mission inevitably ends up entailing. Unfortunately for our favorite group of Freelance Oddballs, they’re usually underemployed, which besides making them UFOs, means that they have to take just about every job they can find. Escorting a runaway princess? Check. Driving a cab. Check. Cross-dressing samurai bar? Swallow the pride and check. If you thought the first collection of Japan’s mega-hit series seemed like the bizarre love child of Akira Kurosawa and Monty Python, you won’t believe the insanity that ensues in GINTAMA – The Second Collection! 

Clips of of Mamoru Hosoda's work

Halo Legends development

Celebrate Manga Month with Dark Horse!

Enter Today!
Here's your chance to win some great books and products from Dark Horse Comics! Three lucky grand prize winners will receive a special manga package which includes some of our most popular manga titles and products!

Ten runners up will receive a copy of the first issue of Torajiro Kishi's Devil and a copy of Blood+: Kowloon Nights!

So what are you waiting for? Enter Today!

Prize Package 1:
- Dark Horse 20 Years of Manga Coffee Mug
- Signed copy of Berserk volume 1
- Gantz volume 1
- Blade of the Immortal volume 1
- Eden volume 1

Prize Package 2:
- Dark Horse 20 Years of Manga Coffee Mug
- Signed copy of Hellsing volume 1
- Neon Genesis volume 1
- Gunsmith Cats omnibus 1

Prize Package 3:
- Dark Horse 20 Years of Manga Coffee Mug
- Dark Horse 20 Years of Manga limited edition lithograph print signed by Yoshitaka Amano
- Vampire Hunter D volume 1
- Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service volume 1

Runners-up (10):
- Devil #1
- Blood+: Kowloon Nights

Check out The Dark Horse Manga Zone for the latest news and exclusive features!

The fine print:
No purchase necessary. One online entry per person (one e-mail address per person/address). You must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Contest entries only accepted from people living in North America (United States and Canada) and submitted by Midnight (PDT), April, 19th, 2010 to be eligible. Winners will be drawn randomly from all applicable entries and notified by April 22rd, 2010. Entry constitutes agreement by winners to be publicized and permission to use each winner's name for the purposes of promotion of the Contest without further compensation. Contest void where prohibited. Odds of winning dependent on number of entrants.

Giant Gundam Returns With Giant Beam Saber

Ready to slice you up! After being erected this past summer in Tokyo's Odaiba, the life-sized Gundam statue is returning. With an beam saber.
 
The huge 18-meter statue will be once again erected in the city of Shizuoka this July - specifically, the east exit of Japan Rail Higashi-Shizuoka Station. The beam saber even lights up at night.

The city of Shizuoka guestimates that the statue is able to draw 900,000 visitors and 40 billion yen over the course of 300 days. The statue will also create 9,600 jobs for things like security, maintenance and the like.
Why Shizuoka? The Production Factory for Bandai's Gundam plastic models are located in Shizuoka. This is a homecoming of sorts. A really, really big homecoming.
 
Originally, the statue went up in Tokyo's Odaiba last July for the 35th Anniversary of Gundam and was taken done in September. The statue was visited by over 4 million.

Mai Shiranui Confirmed For King of Fighters XIII

There was something missing from The King of Fighters XII. Make that, there were many things missing from KOFXII. But one of the most notable was jiggly ninja character Mai Shiranui.

She did not make it into The King of Fighters XII, but was mentioned as possible DLC last year. "I think the thinking is that they are making you wait because you want her," Shane Bettenhausen from the game's US publisher told Kotaku last year.

That was last year. That was KOF XII.

Sakuga AMV

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - Trailer

Trailer for Director Edgar Wright's (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) new film, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, based on the ultimately ridiculous comic written and drawn by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) has to do battle with the seven ex-boyfriends of Romana Flowers (Mary Winstead) in order to win her heart. Featuring Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Schwartzman, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is destined for AWESOME. Seriously, read the comics and you'll understand


This is a behind the scenes clip of filming the party in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World at the Beta Theta Pi house at the University of Toronto.



Director Edgar Wright shows us some of the training for the stunts and action scenes in his new film.


Production Stills

Thursday, March 25, 2010

"Lord of the Rings" Animated Remastered DVD

Warner Home Video will release Ralph Bakshi's animated feature film The Lord of the Rings - Remastered DVD..


Click on any of the images below to enlarge to full-size:


The Lord of the Rings will be available as a single-disc DVD and a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack on April 6, 2010.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Nippon Ichi America Announces New July Titles


Nippon Ichi Software is getting into the anime distribution business under the label NIS America, and two of their first three titles have been given release dates.

The J.C. Staff/GENCO school comedy title Toradora! will see a 7/6/10 release date, will include 13 episodes on a 2-disc DVD set, and is priced at $59.99. The premium box set comes with a 30+ page, full-color, hardcover art book (approx. 10" x 7"), and features interviews with the original Japanese voice actors/actresses. Disc-based extras include clean opening and closing themes.

Additionally, the A-1 Pictures action/supernatural series Persona: Trinity Soul, based on the long-running video game series, sees a 7/6/10 release date as well, with 13 episodes on a 2-disc DVD set and a MSRP of $59.99. The premium box includes a 40-page, full -color, hardcover art book (approx. 10" x 7"), and an original short picture book from the main story, "A Whale's Feather".

Both of these titles will be subtitled only.

[Source: RightStuf ]

Avatar: The Last Airbender - 'Collector's Edition' DVD of The Complete Book 1

**UPDATE: Limited Edition Package Art**

This July 2nd sees the theatrical debut of M. Night Shyamalan's live-action film The Last Airbender, based on the excellent Nickelodeon animated series. To tie in with that new cinematic experience, Nickelodeon and Paramount Home Entertainment are bringing out a new limited edition DVD set titled Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 1: Collector's Edition. This 7-disc set running 495 minutes of cartoon adventure, presented in full screen video, will be available on June 22nd. We don't have pricing or package art yet, but we do have the following studio description of the new release. Go ahead and read through it for now, and stay tuned for updates when they become available. UPDATE: Paramount has now sent out a picture of the package art for this limited edition set, and it looks pretty special. You can see it below the story, so scroll down and check it out! 
  • Relive from the beginning the epic saga of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the animated series that quickly became a phenomenon, creating a huge fan base that spans the globe! This newly designed limited edition 7-disc collector's edition includes the entire Book 1: Water compilation, packed with special features, an exclusive behind-the scenes documentary and a beautifully illustrated paperback book that provides a unique, insider's view of the amazing designs, storyboards, paintings and animation. 
At the same time (well, a week earlier), Nick/Paramount are taking the old Avatar single disc releases (remember them? there were 4 of them for each of the 3 seasons), and pairing them up into bundles: a "Book 1: Vol 1/Vol 2" set, a "Book 1: Vol 3/Vol 4" set, a "Book 2: Vol 1/Vol 2" set, etc. They are exactly the same releases as before, in the same packaging, just shrink-wrapped together in pairs (possibly at a lower price point as well, but we're unsure of that as pricing hasn't been revealed for these). So expect to see these flooding the shelves as well this summer. We normally wouldn't even report on these kinds of bundles, actually, but since we're reporting on the new collectible release of Book 1, we figure it can't hurt to mention these too.

Comedy Central Releases New "Futurama" Series Trailer

Comedy Central has released a new trailer for the upcoming season of Futurama, set to premiere June 2010:

Sony Announces 3-D CGI Animated "Popeye"

Variety is reporting that the iconic spinach-eating comic and cartoon sailor Popeye will be returning to theater screens in a 3-D CGI feature film from Sony. The article states that King Features Syndicate, the owners of Popeye, brought it to Avi Arad (Spider-Man) for feature film treatment, and Arad has been named as the producer. Mike Jones is "in negotiations" to write the screenplay.

Section23 Announces New June Titles

Section23 Films has announced their slate of June titles. Curiously, a new licensing company, Maiden Japan, has been added, and is using Section23 as a distributor. Their first title is Papillon Rose, an ecchi magical girl TV series, which will be released on 6/8/10 for $34.98. It will contain all six TV episodes (plus the ONA that inspired it) and will be subtitled only.

On the Sentai Filmworks side, two new titles being released are Brighter Than the Dawning Blue (aka Yoake Mae yori Ruri-iro na) and La Corda d'Oro ~ Primo Passo.

Blue, a romantic comedy based on a PC game about a princess who ends up staying in a commoner's house, will see a 6/1/10 release date, and is priced at $49.98. The release contains all 12 episodes and is subtitled only.

La Corda, a shojo anime about a girl who competes in a school's elite music program with a magic violin, sees a 6/22/10 release date. It is also priced at $49.98, contains 13 of the 26 episodes, and is subtitled only.

Additionally:
* Clannad Complete Collection: 6/15/10 - 600 min. - $69.98 (note: This will include an English dub as well as Japanese language. There is a trade-in program via RightStuf for those that bought the subtitled versions that you can read about here)
* Gin Tama Collection 2: 6/29/10 - 325 min. - $49.98

"Tinker Bell & the Great Fairy Rescue"

Available Sept 21, 2010
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has announced that Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue will be available on DVD, Blu-ray combo pack, and download on September 21, 2010. Three new stills have been released from the movie, along with new video clip. Click on any of the photos below to enlarge:



The official trailer and the clip above are also available at the DisneyMovie's YouTube channel.

The full press release follows:

THE WORLDS OF FAIRIES AND HUMANS CONVERGE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AN ALL-NEW MAGICAL ADVENTURE

Disney
Tinker Bell and the
Great Fairy Rescue
Debuts On Blu-rayTM Combo Pack, DVD, 

and movie download
September 21, 2010

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Celebrates Spring Solstice with the Announcement of an Exciting New Adventure

BURBANK, Calif. March19, 2010 – Tinker Bell, the world’s favorite fairy, will be spreading her mirth and magic for audiences of all ages, as the worlds of fairies and humans meet for the first time in Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue. An all-new, original full-length CG animated film featuring breathtaking animation, spectacular music and an all-star cast of voice talents debuts September 21st, 2010 on Blu-ray Combo Pack (includes Blu-ray and bonus DVD of the film & movie download).

Before she was ever introduced to Wendy and the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell met Lizzy, a girl with a steadfast belief in fairies. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue begins in summertime in the beautiful English countryside. An enchanting encounter unfolds when Tinker Bell is discovered by Lizzy, and as their different worlds unite, Tink develops a special bond with the curious girl in need of a friend. 

As her fellow fairies launch a daring rescue, Tinker Bell takes a huge risk, putting her own safety and the future of the fairies in jeopardy. This action-packed adventure takes the fairies of Pixie Hollow on a daring flight to London to save Tinker Bell and all of fairy kind.
Produced by DisneyToon Studios, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is a captivating and exciting adventure for all the family. 

Disney Fairies has become one of the Walt Disney Company’s most successful franchises-- driven on multiple platforms and across numerous business units of The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Consumer Products, Parks and Resorts, Disney Interactive Media Group, and Disney Channel.

Tim Burton to Direct 3D Stop-Motion "Addams Family"

It has been revealed that Illumination Entertainment has aquired the underlying rights to Charles Addams' Addams Family cartoons (the original drawings that inspired the sixties sitcom), and that Tim Burton is set to direct a 3D stop-motion film based on them.

Chris Meledandri will produce the film, with Kevin Miserocchi of the Tee and Charles Addams Foundation serving as executive producer. A writer has yet to be hired.

[ Source: Deadline Hollywood ]

FUNimation Announces New June Titles Including "Slayers" Season 5

The fifth season of the comedy/fantasy series Slayers, aka Slayers Evolution-R, debuts on DVD on 6/1/10 for $59.98. It runs 312 minutes.

Additionally, the following titles are expected (items below are DVD unless otherwise stated):
  • Afro Samurai Complete Murder Sessions (Blu-ray): 6/22/10 - 325 min. - $39.98
  • Ah My Goddess Season 2 Complete Series (Viridian Collection): 6/22/10 - 600 min. - $49.98
  • Basilisk Complete Series (Viridian Collection): 6/29/10 - 580 min. - $39.98
  • BECK Complete Collection (S.A.V.E. Edition): 6/1/10 - 625 min. - $29.98
  • Guyver Complete Series (Blu-ray): 6/22/10 - 625 min. - $54.98
  • Heroic Age Complete Series: 6/22/10 - 630 min. - $59.98
  • Initial D Stage 4 Part 2: 6/29/10 - 280 min. - $59.98
  • Soul Eater Part 3: 6/1/10 - 320 min. - $59.98
  • UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie Seasons 3 and 4 Collection: 6/1/10 - 190 min. - $19.98
  • Witchblade Complete Series (Viridian Collection): 6/15/10 - 600 min. - $49.98
  • X TV Series Complete Series: 6/15/10 - 625 min. - $49.98
[Source: RightStuf ]

The Death of Jun Seba

Jun Seba (aka Nujabes), a hip-hop producer and composer for the anime series Samurai Champloo, died in an automobile accident in the late evening of February 26th, at 36 years old. Nujabes made his debut in 2003 with his first solo album, "Metaphorical Music". At the time of his death, Nujabes had some unreleased music tracks in his studio, which his record label plans to release in the future. [Source: Anime News Network ]

How to Train Your Dragon


From the studio that brought you "Shrek," "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda" comes "How to Train Your Dragon." Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesnt exactly fit in with his tribes longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccups world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges him and his fellow Vikings to see the world from an entirely different point of view.

Production Stills










Featurette - Dragon Training


Dragon Training Olympics - Part One


Dragon Training Olympics - Part Two


Dragon Training Olympics - Part Three


Dragon Training Olympics - Part Four


Dragon Training Olympics - Part Five