Anime News

Tuesday March 18th, 2008


Soul Eater Trailer Online
The homepage for the upcoming Soul Eater anime television series, based on the popular supernatural action manga by Atsushi Ohkubo, now hosts a 3:30 streaming trailer. The series is scheduled to premier on April 7th.

Code Geass to Premier on Adult Swim on April 26th
Bandai Entertainment has formally announced that the 2006 Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (pronounced "gee-S") anime television series will premier on Adult Swim on April 26th at 1:30AM pacific. Weekly episodes, including the premier episode, will debut on the adultswim.com website the night before their TV broadcast.Apparently the series will be released on domestic DVD later this year, after the television broadcast.


Wednesday March 19th, 2008


Haruka Episode 1 Available Free Online
Bandai Visual USA now hosts a free streaming version of Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time – A Tale of the Eight Guardians episode 1. The episode is accessible for viewers in the US and Canada only. The first DVD volume of Haruka will hit store shelves on April 22.

4Kids Acquires Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
4Kids Entertainment has revealed its acquisition of domestic distribution and merchandizing rights to the upcoming Japanese Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's anime television series. Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's will premier in Japan next month, and will debut on American TV this fall.The plot of the new series revolves around the quest to collect five all-powerful dragon cards. The Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's name stands for Yu-Gi-Oh! Five Duel Scoop.

Title for New Slayers Anime Revealed
The May issue of publisher Fujimi Shobo's Japanese Dragon Magazine has revealed that the title of the upcoming new Slayers television series will be "Slayers Revolution."

TOKYOPOP Secures Director for Lament of the Lamb Movie
According to the Hollywood Reporter, TOKYOPOP CEO Stuart Levy has secured Takahiko Akiyama, director of the Japanese children's film Hinokio, to direct a feature length live action adaptation of Kei Toume's horror manga Hitsuji no Uta ("Lament of the Lamb"). Plans call for the film to have a budget of less than $6 million and be filmed for 3D digital projection.

Thursday March 20th, 2008


Bandai Visual USA Delays Titles
Bandai Visual USA has indefinitely delayed the planned North American release of the Shigofumi: Letters from the Departed, true tears, and sola anime television series. All other Bandai Visual USA scheduled releases will be released as previously announced.Bandai Visual USA President Tatsunori Konno has explained that, "Bandai Visual (Japan) and Bandai Visual USA are now rushing to reschedule all future releases, focusing on Blu-Ray. Due to the recent quiet market, we will postpone standard single DVDs for TV series. We are assuming that the market does not prefer that format."

Digital Manga Acquires Five Yaoi Novels
Digital Manga has announced its acquisition of translation rights to five Japanese yaoi novels.Passion - Forbidden Lovers, by Shinobu Gotoh and Shoko Takaku; The Guilty, by Katsura Izumi and Hinako Takanaga; and All You Need is Love, by Jinko Fuyuno and Noboru Takatsuki, will be released on October 21.Hikaru Yura and Hirotaka Kisaragi's novel Dark Walker will be released on November 18.Secret Moon, by Siira Gou and Sato Tomoe, will go on sale on December 2.

Anime About Kidnapped Japanese Girl to Produced
The Sankei Newspaper has reported that the Japanese government's Headquarters for the Abduction Issue is developing a half-hour anime film about Megumi Yokota, a 13 year old Japanese girl who was kidnapped by agents of the North Korean government in 1977. Yokota was one of at least 13 Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea during the 1970s and 80s to be used as subjects to train North Korean operatives in acting Japanese. North Korean officials have claimed that Megumi Yokota is now deceased, but this claim has never been verified.The planned anime will be based on the manga series "Megumi," created in 2004 by artist Souichi Moto in collaboration with Megumi Yokota's parents. The anime will be released on DVD, and will be released free online in languages including Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.

Chi's Sweet Home Clip Online
Kodansha's official Japanese homepage for Kanata Konami's manga series Chi's Sweet Home now hosts a short clip from the anime TV series adaptation of the manga. The TV series is scheduled to premier on March 31st.

Allison & Lillia Trailer Online
The official Allison to Lillia anime series homepage now hosts a streaming trailer for the upcoming adaptation of author Keiichi Sigsawa's Allison and Lillia & Treize light novel series. The anime will premier on April 3rd.

Jigoku Shoujo Third Series Title Announced
The official Japanese Jigoku Shoujo anime series homepage has announced that the franchise's third anime series will be titled "Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae."

Complete Mamoru-kun TV Series Available Free Online
The complete 24 episode Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo! romantic action comedy television series from 2006 is now available on YouTube, for a limited time, as part of a promotional initiative from Japanese publisher Kadokawa Shoten. As the promotional effort is targeted primarily at Japanese audiences, the episodes are available in untranslated Japanese language.

Shakariki! Live Action Adaptation Announced
The 1992 high-school bicycle-racing manga Shakariki!, the first manga series by artist Masahito Soda (Firefighter!: Daigo of Fire Company M, Capeta), will reportedly be adapted into a live action feature film for Japanese release in September.


Friday March 21st, 2008


Gonzo to Release New Anime Simultaneously Worldwide
Gonzo Digimation Holdings has formally announced that two new Gonzo anime television series productions will be made available online for viewers overseas simultaneously with their Japanese television broadcast. YouTube, Crunchyroll, and BOST TV will offer English subtitled episodes of The Tower of DRUAGA -the Aegis of URUK- and BLASSREITER the same day the episodes are broadcast on Japanese television, in methods ranging from free streaming to fee-based download of high-resolution movie files. GDH’s decision to provide its content globally in parallel with Japanese broadcast is an effort to offer equal accessibility and new viewing opportunities to fans around the world, while at the same time showcasing a legal online alternative to illegal file-sharing and downloading.The Tower of DRUAGA is scheduled to premier on April 4th. BLASSREITER is scheduled to premier on April 5th.

FUNimation Reveals New License
FUNimation has confirmed its acquisition of domestic distribution rights to the 2006 Negima!? Spring and Summer OVAs animated by Shaft. FUNimation announced its acquisition of distribution rights to Shaft's Negima!? television series last year.

Appleseed: Ex Machina Producer Interview Online
ICv2 now hosts a lengthy interview with Joseph Chou, one of the producers behind the Appleseed: Ex Machina motion picture.

Japan to Get Highlander Director's Cut
The Nikkan Sports newspaper reports that Yoshiaki Kawajiri's director's cut of the Highlander: Search for Vengeance anime movie will be released in Japan this summer, including a Japanese langauge dub staring Shun Oguri (Shinichi Kudo in the live action Detective Conan, Rui Hanazawa in the live action Hana Yori Dango). While Highlander: The Search for Vengeance was released in America last year, the film has not yet been released in Japan.In June 2007 Highlander anime movie producer Galen Walker revealed plans for an eventual American release of a director's cut of the film.


Posted By: Nightroad