Old news

From May 2005.
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5/23/05 AD Vision has confirmed plans to increase the episode count on forthcoming Gantz DVDs. Volume 7 will contain 4 episodes and retail at $29.98 or $39.98 with series box. Subsequent volumes will contain 3 episodes each.

Amazon has listed a number of new publications attributed to TOKYOPOP. TOKYOPOP has not yet confirmed the titles.
He is My Master
Nanase the Telapathic Wanderer
Pita-Ten Official Fan Book
Scrapped Princess Novel
Gundam Seed Novel

At a post-E3 press conference, Square Enix President Yoichi Wada confirmed plans to dub the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children movie in English for its American release. The possibility of a subtitled release is under consideration.

Marvelous Entertainment has issued a Japanese language PDF format press release announcing that a Sugar Sugar Rune anime TV series will premier on the TV Tokyo network July 2nd. A game is also being developed for the PS2

Geneon has announced that a 7 disc Gungrave DVD boxed set will be released on July 19th. The set will retail at $199.98, roughly the same price as buying the discs individually at normal retail price. So those of you waiting to buy the series until a cheaper box set came out are out of luck.

Right Stuf has officially announced plans to remaster the 1999 To Heart anime TV series before releasing it on domestic DVD. As a result, the American DVDs should have improved image quality over the original Japanese DVD release, but the American release will be delayed until the restoration is complete.

Japanese publisher Shueisha has announced that adult manga artist Hiyoko Kobayashi's "Okusama wa Jyoshikosei" ("Wife is a High School Girl") manga will premier as an anime television series this July.

Japanese satellite television network WOWOW has announced that the first episode of Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid will premier at midnight on July 13th.

Bandai's Booth at E3 included a playable demo of UniversalCentury.net Gundam Online, commonly referred to as UC.net, with a sign stating that it is to be released in Spring 2006.

According to VIZ's Shoujo Beat newsletter, it would appear that VIZ has licensed Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden, and will be releasing volume 1 at some point in July.



5/16/05 I added two new Pen Thoughts in the Pen Penny section. I moved some to Previous as per usual. I also completed the much needed task of moving the past four months of news into Old News.

Decipher has officially announced that its MegaMan and .hack trading card game lines are to be taken out of production, although officially supported tournaments will continue as long as there is sufficient interest.

Japanese toy companies Takara and Tomy have agreed to merge. Takara has been under financial strain after Konami sold its stock in the company, and Takara has not developed a major hit franchise in the past several years.

At this past weekend's Anime Central convention, Dark Horse Comics announced a number of new publications including 7 manga titles:
Lady Snowblood
Eden
Space Pinchy
Zombi-ya Reiko
Faces, by Junji Ito
Romantic Worries of the Dead
Saiyuki Dendaio
Dark Horse will also release the following novels and artbooks:
Novel: Blood: Night of the Beast by Mamoru Oshii
Novel: Vampire Hunter D
Fairies by Yoshitaka Amano
Le Mondes d’Amano
Tale of Genji by Yoshitaka Amano
The Art of Katsuya Terada

AD Vision has announced plans to distribute the 13 episode Samurai Gun TV series in North America. The 2004 series was an Avex Mode and AD Vision co-production so no surprise here.

Go! Media Entertainment has announced plans to launch a publishing line called "Go! Comi" to distribute English translations of Japanese manga and new international co-productions.


5/15/05 Dark Horse has announced a September 7th release date for the first volume of Lady Snowblood manga, by Kazuo Koike & Kazuo Kamimura.

FUNimation announced the purchase of the rights to the Slayers TV franchise, including all three seasons of the show: Slayers, Slayers Next, and Slayers Try. All three seasons had been released previously by Central Park Media.

A new Sailor Moon-related book will be available this month from Genvid LLC, creators of The Sailor Moon Soapbox. Titled Warriors of Legend: Reflections of Japan in Sailor Moon, the 148-page book explores Tokyo's history and Japanese society through the lens of the popular anime and manga series.


5/12/05 The Navarre Corporation has announced its purchase of FUNimation Productions, Ltd., which will henceforth be named "FUNimation Entertainment."



5/11/05 According to Galaxy Anime, Geneon has acquired North American distribution rights to the Tales of Phantasia anime OAV series.

Production I.G. has opened its English language page for the Blood TV series, offering a look at the main characters and a story introduction. The series will debut on Japanese television this October.

4Kids' Chairman and CEO Al Kahn has announced that the Yu-Gi-Oh GX and Magical Doremi anime TV series will debut on American television this September.

Square Enix has announced that the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children CG animated movie will be released on Japanese DVD September 14th. No details about the American release have been announced.


5/10/05 Atari has announced plans to publish an American version of the Japanese PS2 game Dragon Ball Z: Sparking. The American version will be titled "Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi."

Walt Disney Home Entertainment has announced that director Isao Takahata's Studio Ghibli produced films Pom Poko and My Neighbors the Yamadas will be released on domestic special edition DVD on August 16th.

Viz has announced its acquisition of North American translation and distribution rights to the Deko Boko Friends anime series.

The official Japanese website for Kentaro Yabuki's popular manga series Black Cat has announced that Gonzo will produce an anime adaptation of the series.


5/5/05 Del Rey has acquired translation rights to Toshihiko Kobayashi's manga series Pastel. The first volume will be released in December.

Vertical Inc.'s English language translation of Osamu Tezuka's Buddha manga series has been nominated for a prestigious Harvey Award for Comic Book Excellence in the field of "Best American Edition of Foreign Material."

Canadian cable broadcaster YTV has licensed a single package of over 300 episodes of animation from 4Kids Entertainment. Included in the deal are the first season of One Piece, which will premiere on YTV this spring; the first 26-episodes of Shaman King, which will premiere this summer; Sonic X, which will also premiere this summer; Yu-Gi-Oh! season 5, the first season of Mew Mew Power, Pokemon season 8 and Pokemon Chronicles, all of which are expected to premiere this fall.


5/4/05 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.

Dark Horse Comics has announced plans to release an English translation of Buronson and Kentaro Miura's (maker of Berserk) dystopian action manga Japan on August 10th. The adults only sci-fi manga will retail at $12.95.

Beginning May 28th, Saturday Adult Swim broadcasts will consist of only anime titles. The line up will include:
11:00 PM - Inuyasha (new episodes)
11:30 PM - Samurai Champloo
12:00 AM - Paranoia Agent
12:30 AM - s-CRY-ed
1:00 AM - FLCL
1:30 AM - Trigun
5:00 AM - Lupin the 3rd
5:30 AM - Case Closed

TOKYOPOP has officially announced that company co-founder Mike Kiley has been named Publisher and Editor-In-Chief, taking over for CEO and CCO Stuart J. Levy.

According to a post and image on the Japanese Hatena message board, the second Pretty Cure Max Heart motion picture will open in Japanese theaters this December

At last weekend's Anime Boston convention TOKYOPOP announced its acquisition of translation rights to the Trash manga series, by Sanami Matoh.

At last weekend's Anime Boston convention Media Blasters announced its acquisition of distribution rights to a film titled "Aminosa."

Media Blasters also confirmed that the company does have distribution rights to the Rurouni Kenshin "Character Specials," but hasn't decided on whether to release them on commercial DVD or use them as promotional footage.

At last weekend's Anime Boston convention Geneon confirmed acquisition of distribution rights for the Bottle Fairy, Starship Operators, and Sensei no Ojikan - Doki Doki School Hours anime TV series.

At last weekend's Anime Boston convention FUNimation announced its acquisition of the Sunabozu anime TV series. The series will be released in America as "Desert Punk."

FUNimation also announced plans to announce its acquisition of distribution rights to other Gonzo Digimation produced titles later this year

At last weekend's Anime Boston convention Bandai Entertainment announced that, by "special arrangement," the 13 episode Avenger TV series will be released domestically in a single collector's tin retailing at $29.98.

Bandai revealed that The Cartoon Network is working with Production I.G. to ensure that the co-produced IGPX television series will be primarily designed for Japanese viewers, presumably in order to retain an authentic anime "feel." The new series will air on American television this fall.

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