Stand Alone Complex 3rd season???

HUGE news! From AnimeNation:

Ghost in the Shell TV series director Kenji Kamiyama revealed at the recent 9th Annual Kobe Animation Awards that Production I.G. has plans for a continuation of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime. However, what format the sequal will be in has yet to be decided.

And a collective cheer is heard round the anime fan universe.

I just finished watching the first DVD of SAC: 2nd Gig, which rocked! Having more Ghost in the Shell to look forward to is a great thing indeed.

SaiKano live action movie

From Anime News Service:

Toei Animation Ltd. announced their world premiere screening for the Live action Saikano (She The Ultimate Weapon) will occur at the Tokyo International Film Festival on October 29th. The venue will be the Bunkamura theater in Shibuya. Aki Maeda (Battle Royale) is cast in the lead role of Chise, a deadly war cyborg disguised as a schoolgirl. CG technology is intricately combined with live action photography to flesh out the film's heavy SFX's. Saikano opens nationwide in Japanese theaters from February 2006.

It's been a few months since I finished up the SaiKano anime series, and I honestly am still not sure how I feel about it. I know that it was supposed to be this really emotionally intense story, but I just could not get over the premise that the girl is supposed to be this ultimate weapon who can apparently drop full-sized missles out her backside. I mean, I can accept a lot in a story, but for some reason I could never totally suspend my disbelief on that one. Still, I suppose I can understand why people like the series because if you can get over that (as well as the fact that all the characters have a cronic blushing problem) the drama is pretty easy to empathize with.

Regardless, I'll be interested to see how they pull this story off in live action.

Trigun re-released with original opening animations

From AnimeNation:

Geneon has scheduled a November 22nd release for the first of two limited edition Trigun DVD boxed sets. The first Trigun limited edition boxed set will include 3 DVDs in thin pak cases with reversible cover art containing episodes 1-14 with their original episode specific opening animation sequences (for the first time in America), an exclusive "Bullet Necklace" engraved with the Trigun logo, and bonus DVD features. The DVDs will be packaged in a metal tin featuring new art by Trigun creator Yasuhiro Nightow. The limited edition set will retail at $89.98.

The second Trigun limited edition boxed set, containing the second half of the anime series, will be released on January 17, 2006.

I've already seen all of Trigun, but it's so tempting to get this re-release anyway just for the opening animations if nothing else. Is that so wrong?

Twitch reviews Open Your Mind

Twitch has posted a review of Mamoru Oshii's new project Open Your Mind.

The film was part of EXPO 2005 which was a sort of nature-awareness endevor. (I'm sure it's much more than that, but that's as succinct of an explanation as I could glean from the concept summary.)

The Open You Mind part of the event was a fully emmersive audio/visual experience.

Through the use of one of the world's largest floor video screens (roughly 600 m2), visitors will be able to stand on the floor and walk through an experiential video space. Video images will be presented on the walls and overhead as well, so visitors will enjoy being able to freely alter their visual perspective, and the combination of audio will make this a moving experience for the human senses. [from the EXPO summary].

The film is not meant to have a plot or narrative. It is more like a series of visuals that are tied together by common themes. The review covers the DVD version of the film which "will clearly not have the same immersive effect on DVD as it would in the actual installation" but "it is still a very impressive piece of work."

Not sure when/if this is going to be released stateside, so you may have to import it if you're interested (and have a Region 2 player). It's Oshii, so I'll probably try to catch it sooner or later if I get a chance.

Gankutsuou wins award

From Anime News Network:

Gonzo's 2004 series Gankutsuou has taken the "Best TV Series" title at the Animation Kobe fair. Further details can be found here.

I saw the first episode of this show -- which is based off the Dumas novel Count of Monte Cristo -- a while ago and it looked really promising. The visuals were like nothing I'd ever seen before. I'd go into more detail, but you'll probably find better descriptions by reading this review and this other review of the first DVD volume, which is due to be released in the US on October 25.

Advent Children US release date

From Anime Nation:

AnimeNation has been informed by wholesaler sources that Sony Home Video plans to release the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children movie on American DVD on November 29th. The DVD will carry a 28.95 list price, but no details regarding content or language options has been released yet.

I don't know if the US edition is going to have all this crap, but here are some extensive photos of the Japanese DVD packaging and extras.

And lastly, Ain't It Cool News has has posted a positive review of the movie. (You'll need to scroll to the bottom of the page.)

Hellsing Ultimate OVA trailer

The first volume of the direct to DVD Hellsing Ultimate, a new adaptation of the horror action which will more closely follow the original manga than the original TV series, will be released in Japan on December 9th. [Source: Ain't It Cool News] The trailer for the show is now available on the the official website. And no, I still have not yet seen the original series. I promise I'll get to it eventually.

Live Action Initial D on Region 1 DVD

Holy Crap! Live action Initial D movie is available on Region 1 DVD with english subtitles right now! It's not a domestic release, but who the hell cares? I'm going to order this puppy right this second.

Reading the reviews on the website makes it all seem underwealming, but having lowered expectations means I be that much likely to not be disappointed, right?

Sweet!

Promising-looking Trailer

This one looks promising... From AnimeNation:

Animate.tv now hosts a streaming Windows Media format trailer for the Noein ~ Mou Hitori no Kimi e anime TV series. The trailer is avialable in narrowband and broadband resolutions.

Anime, the Next Generation

Wired News has an article discussing the increased availability of adult-oriented anime (no, not hentai) on network and cable television. It especially focuses on the upcoming broadcast of Naruto and how it is predicted to be the popular successor of Dragon Ball. Naruto is scheduled to premiere on Cartoon Network on Saturday, September 10 at 9:00pm.

Brave Story trailer

From Ain't It Cool News: The official website for Gonzo Studio's upcoming Brave Story movie has posted a trailer for the 2006 movie. [Click on the middle link on the main page.] An English language synopsis can be read here. According to AnimeNation: "The film is scheduled for Japanese theatrical release next summer. Warner Bros. acquired international distribution rights to the picture last February."

Oshii's Open Your Mind screen caps

From Ain't It Cool News:

TwitchFilm points out that screen shots of the DVD release of Mamoru Oshii's animated art installation project Open Your Mind has been posted on this blog.

On a related note, I just saw the first episode of Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig last night via my August NewType DVD. It of course kicked ass in so many ways, which goes without saying. But the real hoot was at the end of the episode when there was a none-too-subtle reference to the beginning of the first Ghost in the Shell movie. Oshii -- as you may know -- directed that movie, and also played some kind of advisory roll in S.A.C. 2nd Gig, so that explains how the reference got there. I can't wait to see how he makes his presence known in future episodes.

Production IG commercials

I love Production I.G. I just love 'em. What can I say?

From Ain't It Cool News:

AniMania points out that Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell) produced a TV commercial for the beverage Kirin Lemon 77 back in March. It is only a short animation film, but has such an elaborate background and characters revolving around the imaginary sport called "skyshoot" that everyone wanted to know who made it. with general director Ishii Katsuhito who designed anime characters for Kill Bill. With Kirin Lemon Black, came to be on sale this summer, a new version appeared on TV.

Both versions can be seen here.

I do. I love 'em.

Advent Children US release delayed

From Anime News Network:

According to the newest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children will not be released in North America in September as previously reported.

Instead, EGM reports that Advent Children will be released "this holiday season." No further details about the date are mentioned.

Details about the release are however included in the article. There will be two releases, a single disc UMD release and a 2-disc Special Edition DVD. The 2-disc set will include extra trailers, bonus features and behind-the-scenes material, but not Last Order Final Fantasy VII. The short Last Order OAV will be included in the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Ultimate Edition, which will retail for 29,500 yen (~US$270) and is to be released on September 14.

The only thing that bugs me about that is that you just know that Sony is going to release a Super Ultimate Collecter's Must Have Edition some time in the future that will include the Last Order feature (which, by the way, is no relation to Battle Angel Alita: Last Order. Or was that already obvious?). I'd really rather them just wait until the whole thing is ready and then release it instead of doing a half-ass job of it just so they can have something ready for the holiday season. But no one ever listens to me. Why is that?

Anime controversy of the month

Nothing gets the otaku blood boiling like a US distributor trying to re-work a title. The last big controversy was over the edits made to the Tenjho Tenge manga. This time ADV is stirring up the pot with a whole dialogue overhaul to one of it's latest anime aquisitions Ghost Stories. According to AnimeNation:

At this past weekend's Otakon convention, AD Vision revealed plans to release "Ghost Stories" (Gakkou no Kaiden) with a near totally improvised, "Americanized" English dub that is, "raunchier and hipper than the original." ICv2 News writes, "This is the first time such wholesale re-crafting of a series has been undertaken as a new artistic work... If successful, it may engender a new art form, with anime visuals and new scripts."

Anime News Network calls the original anime "the epitome of a bottom-shelf, bargain bin title", and that ADV "turned what was once a painfully uninteresting kids’ series into an absolutely hilarious show for adults that’s hard to stop watching". On the other hand, in a recent Ask John article, the anime guru says that ADV is "turning a drama from a respected Japanese ghost story film franchise into a reportedly lowbrow comedy".

So is it a "painfully uninteresting show" turned "hilarious", or a respected drama turned "lowbrow comedy". I have no idea, not having seen anything of the show before. However, you can get a taste of what to expect from a clip of the edited dub available at Galaxy Anime.

No deal for GTO live action...yet

From AnimeNation:

Media Blasters confirmed having ... encountered difficulties in trying to license distribution rights to live action Japanese television series including GTO.

I loved the GTO live action series so much I was wondering why someone hadn't snatched it up yet. All we have is the live action GTO movie, which is no where near as good as the series. At least now I know someone's trying for it.

On a related note, I heard that -- in addition to the original 12-episode series -- there was a 2-hour special. If anyone knows where I can find a good place to download the special, let me know. Not that anyone reads this stupid blog, but it's worth a try.

ADV goes BitTorrent

From Slashdot:

The New York Times' Charles Solomon reports that 'ADV Films, the largest distributor of anime in the United States is releasing promotional packages via the BitTorrent.' The use of BitTorrent is already extremely popular among anime fans who trade films that are unavailable outside of Japan as well as their own subtitled versions, known as fansubs. The company's first experiment with a Madlax torrent in July was so well-received that ADV is launching the bonus promotional packages for upcoming releases Gilgamesh and Goddanar. The question is will other distributors and studios follow ADV's example or stick to their current distribution models?"

Howl's and Robotech honored with US awards

From AnimeNation:

The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame has announced an event to honor Robotech with an award for its contribution to the genre of Science Fiction. The free, public gala is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31st at 7 p.m.

The Hollywood Film Festival has announced that Howl's Moving Castle will be recognized with its "Hollywood Animation of the Year Award." The award will be presented on October 24th.

Now, if Howl's can only take away that Acadamy Award...

Fullmetal Panic? Fumoffu Review

Anime comedies seldom ever get me to laugh. That's not that I don't enjoy them immensely or even that I don't find them funny in a way. It's just that most of them aren't total laugh-out-loud funny. For instance, Project A-ko is one of my all-time favorites (quite possibly because it was one of the first anime I ever saw), but I hardly ever got much more than a mild chuckle from viewing of the film. Most anime comedies just seem heavy on exaduration which can be funny in a cathartic kind of way, but they are usually light on wit or surprise, which are the two things that -- for me anyway -- tend to elicit the genuine hardy belly laughs.

To be even more precise, up to this point there have been only 2 anime series that I can ever remember having gotten me to laugh consistently: GTO and Excel Saga (subtitled version!). But now, thankfully, I can add a third title to that list: Fullmetal Panic? Fumoffu.

When the original Fullmetal Panic came out, I thought it was pretty good in a split-personality kind of way. If you have ever seen the show, you probably know exactly what I mean. There are basically two faces to the show: the serious sci-fi action part, and the light-hearted high school comedy part. Each aspect was fine enough in their own right; but the constant shift between moods was, more than anything else, just frustrating.

Fumoffu recognizes and rectifies that frustration by concentrating fully on the lighter side of the show. And what you get as a result is an effective laugh-out-loud situation comedy.

The comedy relies almost entirely on the hard-core but naive militaristic attitude of the main character Sousuke Sagara and his constant misinterpretation of high school life in terms of battlefield strategy. You'd think that it would get predictable after a while, but with such perfect comedic timing, I find myself constantly caught off-guard by just how much Sagara's reactions clash with other characters expectations. Whether he is blowing up his locker out of a suspiscion that it may be booby-trapped, or dressing up in a giant teddy-bear costume while packing a high-powered rifle; however over-the-top his antics may be, Sousuke does it all with a strait face and unquestioning attitude.

Suffice to say that I am enjoying this comedy more and more with each episode. (I'm currently watching episodes via Comcast On-Demand so I'm at around episode 6.) And I am happy to finally be able to sit down with an anime and not have to worry about a heady analysis of life from characters with over-abundant teen angst. I can just sit back and enjoy a few good laughs.

J-pop and J-rock on AOL Radio

Forget that XM thing I mentioned before. I haven't been able to figure out when or what channel it is on anyway. For guarenteed J-pop and J-rock strait from your computer speakers, check out the free AOL music radio stations streaming music. Just fire it up and choose "Japanese" under "World/International". (I haven't yet heard anything from The Pillows, despite the FLCL soundtrack cover to the left.)

And just this second I discovered that there's a "Video Game Scores" section under "Soundtracks/Themes". I was just listening to something from Metal Gear. How cool is that?!

Some live action trailers

Just a quick post of a couple of trailers for some interesting live action adaptions. (Not exactly anime adaptions, but interesting nonetheless):

Aeon Flux

V for Vendetta

Plus here's some updates for the next Sin City movie, due out next Summer.

Adam Warren Dirty Pair review

Who says I don't read US comics? "Amerimanga" artist or not, Adam Warren is probably one of my all-time favorite American comic writers/artists, even enough to rival Frank Miller.

I first came across his work when I happened upon a copy of my brother's Gen13 "Bootleg" story titled Grunge: The Movie. The non-stop parody and satire instantly caught my attention and from that moment on I was hooked on his work.

Warren is perhaps best known for his rendition of the anime staple The Dirty Pair. And a little while ago, by chance I happened up on a review of his latest Dirty Pair yarn: Run From the Future. The reviewer's thoughts accurately reflected my own opinion of the work, so just to advertise my own interests I thought I'd post it here.

Oddly enough, though, I haven't seen much of anything out of Warren for quite a few years now short of some translation credits on imported manga. So I did some digging and it looks like he is putting out a new series called Livewires. I'll have to check that one out.

NGE and new FMA on Adult Swim, plus RahXephon on G4

From Anime News Network

Adult Swim has announced that Neon Genesis Evangelion will begin airing Thursdays, starting October 20th, at 12:30 a.m. New episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist will also start airing on Saturday, starting on September 17th at Midnight.

Also,

A new programming block, called Barbed Wire Biscuit, will premiere on G4 on on August 29 at midnight EST (9PM PST). RahXephon will air on Barbed Wire Biscuit under what remains of the "Anime Unleashed" label.

Battle Angel movie is a go

Contrary to recent rumors reporting that James Cameron's live action Battle Angel is on hold in favor of a mysterious Project 880, it looks like Battle Angel is currently in the works after all.

In an interview with The Independent, Cameron re-confirms that the Panzer Kunst-weilding bad-ass (but with a sensitive heart) cyborg Alita will in fact hit the big screen in the next couple of years. (He had previously mentioned a 2007 release date.)

Inspired by Japanese graphic novels, he is currently developing Battle Angel, a cyborg thriller set in the 26th century. "It's going to be a mega-budget film shot in 3-D," Cameron enthuses. "It's set in a post-human world in the distant future, and a number of the main characters will be computer-generated. It's a kind of virtual film-making. We're building a whole new motion-capture technology. I'm impatient to get on with using the tools of the future."

He continues: "The main thrust is a love story between a human man and a female cyborg, and the film contains a range of characters from the fully human to the fully machine. I'm embracing the fact that human beings are amazingly adaptable. We've got a lot of flaws, but we're also pretty clever. We've got the tools, but can we use them?"

Production I.G. News

Looks like Production I.G. has been keeping busy, considering all the new projects they have coming down the pipe. And this doesn't even include the upcoming Blood+ TV series.

From AnimeNation News:

The official Japanese website for Namco's PS2 RPG Tales of Legendia now hosts a streaming Windows Media trailer featuring gameplay footage and anime footage from Production IG and character designer Kazuto Nakazawa (Samurai Champloo).

The official Japanese website for the upcoming IGPX anime television series now hosts a 3:38 streaming Windows Media format trailer.

The official Japanese website for the xxxHOLiC movie now hosts a streaming Windows Media format full length trailer.

Production IG has added English language pages for the Tsubasa Chronicle motion picture, xxxHOLiC motion picture, and the IGPX television series. Production IG also now hosts the first part of an English language interview with Tsubasa Chronicle movie producer Tetsuya Nakatake.

Gally and Motoko's Esoteric Rumble

A recent "Ask John" article ponders the question "Are the Philosophical Qualities of Gunnm [aka Battle Angel Alita] and Ghost in the Shell Comparable?" The answer is a pretty insightful comparison and analysis of the similiar-but-different philosophies explored in two of my favorite anime/manga titles of all time. Enjoy.

Aeon Flux live action movie clips

The MovieBox has a clip and a couple of behind-the-scenes films from the upcoming live action Aeon Flux movie.

GTO Prequel Manga

According to AnimeNation TOKYOPOP is going to be releasing Toru Fujisawa's manga prequel to GTO, Shonan Junai Gumi. So when are they going to get around to releasing the prequel to that: Bad Company?

Tokyopop to publish Jim Henson-based manga

From ICv2:

Tokyopop announced an agreement with the Jim Henson Company at the San Diego Comic-Con International to publish original manga titles based on three of the Henson Company's fantasy properties including MirrorMask, the feature film from Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman, which is due for release on September 30 of this year. Gaiman suggested that MirrorMask be included in the agreement, which originally included just The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, and Gaiman will be plotting the Tokyopop MirrorMask manga, which is due out in the fall of 2006. It will serve as a prequel to the MirrorMask film, explaining the princess' escape from the Dark Palace and how she came to acquire the MirrorMask.

The three Henson Company manga titles announced will all feature new original stories; they won't be Cine-manga screen capture versions of the original properties. Like the MirrorMask manga, The Dark Crystal manga will be a prequel to the film; while the Labyrinth manga will serve as a sequel to the 1986 film, following the 13-year-old Toby as he journeys back to the Labyrinth to assume his role as heir to the Goblin Kingdom.

Hey, I like the '80s as much as the next 20-something, but was the decade really that great that they have to re-hash every frigging title that holds even the least little bit of nastalgia? I feel sorry for kids these days who have to grow up with all this re-gurgitation and have very little original material to identify with the decades they grew up in. Or maybe I'm just becoming bitter and angry in my old age.

Live Action Anime Movie Reviews

Ain't It Cool News has published a positive review of the live action Tetsujin-28 (ie, Gigantor) movie and Godzilla: Final Wars. I don't really care about the Godzilla movie since...well...Godzilla is Godzilla and you pretty know what to expect already for the most part.

But as for the Tetsujin-28 movie, it looks like it will be something to look forward to...at least if you are into that kind of thing, which I don't know if I am, but I'm interested anyway.

In contrast to that positive review, Twitchfilm.net has posted a negative review of Tetsujin 28 which they call a "major disappointment".

In addition, they also have a positive review for the live action Cromatrtie High School movie which they say "crackles with energy from start to finish".

I don't know why I've been talking about Cromartie HS so much lately. I don't really like the anime all that much (thoughI've only seen one or two episodes). I'm actually surprised by my distaste for the show because reviewers kept comparing it to Excel Saga which I loved. (And for all of you people who hate Excel because of her annoying voice, that's probably because you watched the english dub. You have to watch it in the original Japanese in order to enjoy the show at all.) I probably liked Excel because I recognized a lot of the parody and satire (though I probably couldn't tell which was which). Whereas, if Cromartie HS has had any of either, I didn't recognize it so it just came off as a bunch of wacky but stupid short episodes.

But anyway, I guess since Cromartie HS is so goofy and out there, I just can't help but be curious with how it would transfer to live action. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for anime adaptions in general.

Dark Horse to release Ghost in the Shell 1.5

According to ICV2, Dark Horse will be releasing Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell 1.5.

Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor [is] a series of stories originally serialized as part of Ghost in the Shell 2 but not included by Shirow in the Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface collection. The stories, which include "Fat Cat" from 1991, "Drive Slave" from 1992, "Mines of Mind" from 1995, and "Lost Past" from 1996 will be published by Dark Horse in the spring of 2006 in the authentic "right-to-left" format with the same mixture of color and black-and-white pages used in Japan.

This is a switch from the first two GitS titles which were released in the westernized "left-to-right" format. The change in policy probably has a lot (if not all) to do with Dark Horse's take-over of Toren Smith's Studio Proteus.

Studio Proteus originally translated the manga distributed by Dark Horse. Toren Smith, who ran the studio, was a huge and vocal proponent of "flip-flopping" manga to the westernized format and translating sound effects. After he retired and his studio was absorbed by Dark Horse, I'm sure they decided to go along with the current (and easier) trend of keeping the format in the original Japanese.

Of course, this begs the question of whether or not Dark Horse is going to do the same thing with Blade of the Immortal, which is now on it's fourteen volume in the US and is still published "left-to-right". I personally kind of like it better that way, though if keeping it in the original Japanese format allowed them to release the series quicker, I might be able to live with it.

Aeon Flux production photos

Yahoo! Movies has published a new set of production stills from the live action Aeon Flux movie. The movie, which will star Charlize Theron as Aeon and directed by Karyn Kusama (I'm not really familiar with what either of them has done before), is scheduled to be released this fall.

Cromartie lawsuit settled

From Anime News Network:

[T]he legal issues between Warren Cromartie and the producers of the Charge!! Cromartie High live-action movie have been resolved. At a Saturday screening of the movie at the Puchon International Fantasy Film Festival in South Korea Yamaguchi Yudai, the film's director, stated that a compromise was reached with Cromartie that would allow the movie to be screened.No details regarding the compromise, which was only reached yesterday, were provided.

Warren Cromartie is a former MLB baseball player for the Montreal Expos who spent several years playing professional baseball in Japan. Various high-schools in the Cromartie High School manga are named after famous baseball players. Cromartie did not aprove of his name being used to refer to a school full of delinquints and filed a request in Tokyo court to have the release of the movie delayed pending further legal action.

Yudai also stated that he never read the original manga before directing the movie. Applegate's full report from the festival screening is available here.

Live Action Transformers release date

According to E! Online children of the '80s will be sucked into a state of euphoric nastalgia yet again with the realease of the live action Transformers movie.

Dreamworks and Paramount have scheduled the movie for release on July 4, 2007. Michael Bay is lined up to direct and Steven Spielberg will be executive producer. (No actors or writers have yet been announced.)

"The diehard fans will like it as long as it stays true to Transformers roots and doesn't stray too far from the ideals that we grew up with," Brendan Reilly, co-Webmaster of The Transformers Archive (www.tfarchive.com), said in an email interview about the movie announcement. "The casual or un-familar fan will need to see something awesome to win them over, although a 40-foot robot is usually pretty cool."

Looks like the marketing machine already has its gears churning, as there is a new official website, a new animated series on Cartoon network called Transformers: Cybertron, a promotional deal with Burger King starting in August, and "an 18-wheel truck touting the franchise's considerable wares" to be displayed in the convention hall at the Comic-Con International in San Diego.

On a somewhat related note, the article also mentions that the only other movie scheduled for 2007 is Spiderman 3. James Cameron's Battle Angel was orignially scheduled to be released for that year but has presumably pushed that date back due to difficulty in adapting the script. Too bad since it would have made it quite a year to look forward to if all three movies were being released. Now it only somewhat kicks ass.

Old Anime News from Anime Expo

From Anime News Network:

Maki Terashima and other Production I.G staff discussed several of the company’s current projects. This summer, I.G is primarily working on the Blood+ TV series, the Tsubasa and XXXHolic movies, a Fafner OVA, and assorted commercials.

Responding to audience questions, she mentioned that I.G is working to put Otogi Zoushi on American TV and hopes that this can be accomplished by early next year. She also said that although I.G would like to produce a third Ghost in the Shell movie, Mamoru Oshii, the director of the first two GITS movies, is not interested in working on the project any further. There are no plans to produce any more episodes of the Stand Alone Complex TV series.

Also,

At the Gonzo Animation panel, it was confirmed that in addition to the Afro Samurai TV series, the property will also be presented as a videogame, manga, and live-action movie. Samuel L. Jackson, who will voice the main character in the anime, will play the same role in the theatrical feature. All of the Afro Samurai titles are scheduled for release late in 2006.

Four more projects Gonzo is currently working on are a Burst Angel OVA series, an anime based on the American comic Witchblade, and two anime theatrical features.

Live action Initial D beats Star Wars in Hong Kong

From Anime News Network: The associated Press reports that the new Initial D live-action movie earned US$3.6 million during the first ten days of its Hong Kong theatrical release. By comparisson, Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, both currently showing in Hong Kong, earned $2.4 million in 45 days and $2.8 million in 25 days respectively. The movie features Chinese superstar Jay Chou and is directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, the directors behind Infernal Affairs, one of the most successful movies ever released in Asia.

Evangelion on Cartoon Network

According to Anime News Network ADV Films has announced that Neon Genesis Evangelion will be airing in its entirity on Cartoon Network.

This won't be the first time that Eva has been shown on CN. I think it was like a year (or two?) ago when they aired the first two episodes as part of a special "Giant Robots week" theme on their toonami programming block. The experimental broadcast bombed in the ratings, which probably has something to do with the fact that it was only airing two episodes of a 26 episode series, which begged the question of "why bother watching at all?" It also was probably partially due to the fact that the episodes were horribly hacked and edited so as to appear kid-friendly for the time slot's younger target audience.

There was no mention in the article of whether or not Eva would air in the Adult Swim time slot, where -- if history is any indication -- little editing of the series content would be required. Also not mentioned was whether CN intended to air either of the two Evangelion movies, which were actually intended to replace (or arguably suppliment) the final two episodes of the series.

Either way, it has always seemed like just a matter of time before Eva saw extended action on Adult Swim. No doubt it's broadcast will be guarenteed to generate a new generation of obsessed Eva (and Rei Ayanami) fans as well as new rounds of intense debate over the show's religious symbols, philosophical themes, and controversial ending. I guess some things were never meant to end.

[Edit: The info below was added to this entry because for some reason I didn't think it warrented its own post.]

In other Eva-related news, Newtype magazine has ended its run of the Lagoon Engine Einzats manga (at least for now) and will be replacing it with the Neon Genesis Evangelion: Girlfriend of Steel manga (which be retitled Evangelion: Angelic Days). I'm guessing that the Girlfriend manga is based off of the Girlfriend of Steel video game (or maybe vice versa), which was released in Japan some years ago but was never released in the US.

And lastly, ADV has also signed deals to show Chrono Crusade and Peacemaker Kurogane on Showtime, and show Colorful G4.

Baseball Legend Seeks to Ban Cromartie High School Movie

From AnimeNation:

Warren Cromartie, a former professional baseball player for the Montreal Expos and Japan's Yomiuri Giants, has filed an injunction to prevent Japanese screenings of the live action Sakigake! Cromartie High School motion picture because Mr. Cromartie believes the film slurs his name. The film was scheduled to open in Japanese theaters later this month. [Source: Mainichi Daily News]

You might remember a similiar case way back when professional hockey player Tony Twist was suing Todd McFarlane over using Twist's name for a crime boss in the popular Spawn comic. Of course in the case of Spawn, the name was used intentionally; whereas in Cromartie, I think it's just a coincidence. [Edit: Actually many of the characters were intentionally named after basketball players. My bad.]

Official Advent Children Trailer

From AnimeNation (again): The official Japanese website for the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children movie now hosts an "official trailer" which contains a significant amount of previously unreleased footage.

Far Out Trailer from the mind of Go Nagai

From AnimeNation:

A trailer for the live action pro-wrestling/tokusatsu movie Kabuto-o Beetle is now available in Windows Media format and Real Media format. The movie's story and protagonist were created by Go Nagai, creator of Devilman and Cutey Honey.

Japanese Production of US Material

From AnimeNation:

Comic book studio Top Cow now hosts a short trailer for an apparently Madhouse Studios produced anime adaptation of American comic book Aphrodite IX. Please note that the trailer contains intense graphic violence.

The trailer looks awesome because the character designs look just like the comic. As opposed to most US cartoons-adapted-from-comics where the designs are annoyingly simplified for easier production (like the Spawn animation for example).

Also:

Toy News International now hosts the first known images of Gonzo Studio's production design art for American G.I. Joe Sigma 6 animated series.

New All-Japan Music Channel on XM

According to Anime News Network:

In an interview on Episode 55 of the J!-ENT RADIO podcast, it was revealed by Chris Simmonds that XM Radio will be providing a Japan-Only music station. The station entitled, "Radio Wasabi" will begin airing in July. For the initial programming, it will be limited to a few select songs, however the programming will increase by the beginning of next year.

The station is looking at looping a weekly 4 hour show and then adding more and more content as it grows every week. Radio Wasabi will try to ramp up to a full fresh 24x7 programming schedule by January at the latest.

No mention of exactly what kind of Japanese music they are going to play. I have XM in my car so I'm hoping they go with a full J-Pop and J-Rock line up instead of something like "J-Oldies" (if that's a real term). Maybe, if the station is popular enough, they will have a spin-off channel of all anime music called something like Animagic! Or not.

Initial D's directors Alan Mak, Andrew Lau talk about fans' expectations

ChannelNews Asia has an article in which the directors discuss their attempt to bring the uber-popular Initial D franchise to the medium of live action cinema.

One part I found kind of funny (at least when you compare it to Hollywood finance standards) was their excitement and concern over the large monitary investment being put into production:

"There is definitely pressure stemming from the expectations of investors and audiences," Initial D director Alan Mak said. After all, the film boasts a star-studded cast and has a sizeable production budget of US$12 million ($20 million).

Apparently the directors wanted to play it safe by going with actors that they were familiar with.

"I choose actors whose personalities are close to those of their roles," said Lau. And what better pool to select from than one with actors they've worked with before. "We already know their characters and behaviour, so it's easier to do casting and bring out better performances in them," said Mak. "After all, many directors always work with the same actors."

And they even talked about the wrecked cars. I heard they had totalled like 7 86's during the filming -- though that may be exaggerated.

"All the stunts had to be real and stay true to the spirit of the comic."

Hence, it was inevitable that car crashes occurred on the set, with Jay Chou and Chapman To having first-hand experiences. Thankfully, nothing nasty happened to them.

"These young guys like to speed," said Mak. "We told them to slow down, but they still raced along in the end."

But it was all in the name of producing a good film.

It might have been a risky shoot, with an element of danger, said Lau." But it was the only way for viewers to enter the world of car racing, and we're glad to have recreated it on screen for them."

Eureka 7 Episode 1 Review

I saw the first episode of the latest anime from Studio Bones (my second favorite anime production studio of all time), Eureka 7 not too long ago, and I have to say that it did not disappoint.

As far as the plot goes, it is pretty much the ever familiar giant robot story that has been around for forever: Inexperienced kid ends up pioloting a giant robot which was created by his father from the same technology as the aliens that it was designed to fight against. Although I was not totally clear whether it was supposed to be aliens they were fighting or what. It's cliche, but some times it works.

The plot is not the star of this show though. It's the animation and the mecha designs. The mecha ride on these surfboard-like objects which glide on the air trailed by a stream of glowing exhaust. It makes for some super-cool mind-blowing visuals. Of course, designs are only amusing for so long and if the plot does not hold up the series can become tedious really quick (see Gad Guard). So hopefully the story will be as impressive as the visuals as the series progresses.

But you can be guarenteed that I will be desperately waiting for the second and further episodes to download. Studio Bones has not come out with a disappointing project yet as far as I am concerned, so I am looking forward to it.

Stand Alone Complex Movie

From AnimeNation:

Bandai Visual of Japan has announced that a 140 minute long "Laughing Man saga" movie version of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex television series will be released to Japanese DVD on September 23rd. The compilation movie will include some new animation footage and entirely re-recorded dialogue. The special edition, double disc DVD will retail at 8,190 yen ($75 US) and include 30 minutes of supplemental material.

Live Action Updates - The "what is" and "what is not" and "what may be"

What is:

Speed Racer - According to an anonamous source on Cinescape the live action movie version of Speed Racer is apparently back on track. According to the article, the script will be handed in this week and Vince Vaughn is "locked in" to play Racer X. This movie dates years back when Johnny Depp was rumored to play the title role. God only knows if this version will get any legs or not.

Cromatori High School - According to Anime News Network:

Eiji Nonaka's Sakigake!! Cromartie High gag-manga is set to be adapted into a live-action movie. Cromartie High has just recently been adapted into an anime TV series.

The live action movie will be directed by Yuudai Yamaguchi and will star Takamasa Suga as the main character, Takashi Kamiyama. Other actors will include former professional boxer Mitsuki Koga and professional wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama as Shinjirou Hayashida and Takenouchi respectively. Hiroyuki Watanabe will play the part of Freddy.

We have no details on when the movie is set to be released in Japan.

What is not:

Watchmen - Yeah yeah. I know it is not anime or manga, but I mentioned this project in a previous entry so I feel obligated to provide an update. According to ICv2, the live action Watchmen movie is currently in "limbo" due to Paramount having concerns over the movie's $100 millon bugdet. I'd have to say that their concerns are probably justified since the complex and adult-oriented plot is probably not conducive to the kind of mass appeal the movie would need to generate any profits. And dumbing down the plot would only result in the story losing the elements that made it appealing in the first place (see Alan Moore's other good-comic-turned-crappy-movie examples: From Hell and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen).

What may be:

Battle Angel Alita - According to multiple sources James Cameron looks like he may be putting his live action Battle Angel Alita on hold in favor of some vague new project code named "Project 880". Apparently the Battle Angel story is prooving difficult to adapt to a live action script, so he's putting the whole thing aside for easier fair. So much for the 2007 release.

All Kind of Howl's Moving Castle Crud

It opens here in Michigan tomorrow, so in preparation, here's a bunch of leftover crap that I never got around to posting before.

Newsweek on Miyazaki
In the June 12th issue of Newsweek, there is a rare English interview with Hayao Miyazaki about "Howl's Moving Castle" and its difference from Western storytelling conventions. Below the article is a favorable review of the same movie. [source: Anime News Network]

Trailers
From Yahoo! Movies
From ComingSoon.com

Reviews
From RottenTomatoes
Ebert surprisingly thinks the movie sucks, even though he's praised previous Miyazaki movies.

Old Anime News

Blood+ TV english website open

Production IG has opened its official website for the Blood+ TV series. Included is an introduction, synopsis and character designs. The TV series is based off of the Blood: the Last Vampire OVA and is scheduled to start airing in Japan in October.

Lady Snowblood from Dark Horse

I probably wouldn't have normally posted this kind of thing, but I thought this was pretty cool just from the Kill Bill angle. From Anime News Network:

Dark Horse will release Lady Snowblood Volume 1 on September 7. The Lady Snowblood manga, by Kazuo Koike and Kazuo Kamimura, was the inspiration for the Lady Snowblood live-action movie (Available from Animeigo), which inspired parts of Kill Bill.

New Awesome Trailers

KakuRenBo
Teaser trailer and pilot film

Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex 2nd Gig
High, Low

Eureka 7
High, Low

New Highlander Anime Trailer

From the official Highlander site:

After four films and two successful television series, you've never seen the HIGHLANDER like this.

MacLeod returns with a vengeance in an animated feature length epic!In the tradition of "Vampire Hunter D" and "Ninja Scroll," anime wizard Yoshiaki Kawajiri brings his unique visual bravura to the immortal "Highlander" franchise. For the first time, the MacLeod katana blade will find itself in the hands of a Japanese master.

For a little taste of this tale, watch the teaser:
Quicktime - Windows Media - Flash

Sin City movie Review

I was thinking about the Sin City movie a while ago and how a lot of people that I have talked to and a lot of reviews that I have read indicated that they generally enjoyed the "Hard Goodbye" and "That Yellow Bastard" storylines, but they did not really care for the "Big Fat Kill" part.

Even though I personally liked all parts of the movie, I couldn't help but think about the reasoning behind the favorable and unfavorable reactions that people had. After careful consideration (aka, my mind wandered over the subject for a relatively long time), my best guess was that it had something to do with the inner struggles of the stories' main characters.

To be more precise, Marv (from "Hard Goodbye") and Hardigan (from "That Yellow Bastard") were both characters who were driven from within but had to constantly struggle with thier own limitations. Marv had his limited intelligence and questionable sanity, and Hardigan had to work against his aging body and "bum ticker". Mix those inner struggles with the fact that they pretty much had the whole world working against them, and that they ultimately (spoiler) paid for those struggles with their lives (end spoiler), and it makes from some pretty compelling characters.

And then you have Dwight (from "Big Fat Kill"). He's young, he has all his mental faculties in order for the most part, and he had a whole possy of bad-ass beauties to fight for and to watch his back. He struggled, but most all of his enemies were easily identified, fought, and crushed and he had hardly a scratch as a result. Not nearly as compelling nor nearly as empathetic. At least, not if that is the limit of your exposure to old Dwight McCarthy.

The one thing that I tend to bring up to people who mention their distaste for "Big Fat Kill" is that it is actually the follow-up to another Sin City yarn called "A Dame to Kill For" (and my favorite volume in the collection). This is the story that shows you the inner deamons that Dwight had to overcome in order to become the cool, quick-to-action hero seen in the movie. In "Dame" you see Dwight as a recovering alchoholic. You see his repressed passion as he works odd jobs to live a lawful and socially acceptable life. You see him use his friends for his own gain instead of putting his life on the line for their sake. You see him unsure of his own convictions. And (spoiler) though he doesn't die, he does go through a transformation of his own by the end (end spoiler). Ultimately, you see a more compelling character. And I think that once you are associated with that side of the man, you will be able to appreciate his hero-complex as seen in "Big Fat Kill".

Thankfully, everyone will be able to see the compelling side of him when the Sin City movie sequal comes out next summer. It will be composed entirely of the "Dame to Kill For" story arc (as far as I've heard so far). Very cool.

WHAT I WANT: Burst Angels

I've been looking forward to this one ever since I saw an article about it in NewType magazine. Bakuratsu Tenshi (Burst Angels) is not exactly the kind of anime that I am usually interested in. The whole "girls with guns" genre is usually hit or miss with me. For instance, I was never really impressed with the Dirty Pair anime, although I did like the Adam Warren version of the comic. But I was kind of impressed with Noir, but I think I liked it because it focused more on atmosphere than on the usual fan service. Judging from this article and a trailer I recently saw, Burst Angels looks like something of a Cowboy Bebop meets Dirty Pair meets Fullmetal Panic. And the character designs are not just hot, they are also pretty cool-looking. So I'm betting it will be fun on all kinds of levels. Volume 1 is due out May 10.

Satoshi Kon on NPR and Cartoon Network

There is a story on NPR reviewing Satoshi Kon and his eerily awesome anime TV series, Paranoia Agent. You can now listen to the review online.

And if you don't want to get the Paranoia Agent DVD you can start watching it on Cartoon Network starting May 28 at midnight, right after Samurai Champloo. Sweet.

Finally, some news on Afro Samurai

From AnimeNation:

The November 2004 report that Afro Samurai would be developed as a TV series for American release has now been confirmed. Actor Samuel L. Jackson will provide the voice for the protagonist of the Gonzo animated series Afro Samurai. The five episode series will air on Spike TV next year.

Production I.G. News

Of course I have to bring up any news from my favorite animation studio, Production I.G. So, here you go. From AnimeNation:

Production I.G. has officially announced development of an anime motion picture adaptation of CLAMP's Tsubasa - RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE manga series. The XXXHolic ~ Manatsu no Yoru no Yume (XXXHolic: Dark Dream of Summer) motion picture will be released this August as a double feature with the Tsubasa Chronicle ~ Tori Kago no Kuni no Himegumi (Tsubasa Chronicle: Princess of the Country of the Bird Cage) motion picture. Both films will be animated by Production I.G.

More Ghibli from Disney

From Anime News Network:

Walt Disney is set to release Pom Poko and My Neighbors the Yamadas on August 16th.

The movies, both directed by Isao Takahata, will be the first Takahata directed Ghibli films released by Walt Disney in North America. Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies is availabel from Central Park Media, and some of his pre-Ghibli work, such as Panda Go Panda, is available from other companies.

Last April it was reported that My Neighbors the Yamadas, Only Yesterday, and Pom Poko were to be released in November of that year.

You can also see a casting list for the movies here.