Old news

From September 2004.


9/30/04 Former Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi has publicly revealed his desire to see Nintendo develop its own anime productions based on Nintendo characters and franchises. The Nintendo corporation will formally consider the possibility of developing an animation division during its business conference next month.

TOKYOPOP has announced an agreement with actress Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) and screenwriter Dan Gordon (Wyatt Earp, The Hurricane) to develop a live action motion picture "inspired by" the Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School manga and anime series. In this "delicious action/comedy mix of Clueless meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," Melissa Joan Heart will star as twenty-something-year-old Japanese girl named Ryoko who must destroy a coven of murderous wolverines that threaten to destroy mankind once every 5,000 years.

Gonzo Studios has announced the February 24, 2005 release of the Sentou Yousei Shoujo Tasukete! Meve-chan OAV, a "serious & hard SF" spin-off from the Sentou Yousei Yukikaze OAV series.

The 2003 Godzilla film, Gojira tai Mothra tai Mechaagojira: Tokyo SOS, will be released on American DVD under the abbreviated name "Godzilla: Tokyo SOS" on December 14th at a retail price of $22.49. Also scheduled for DVD release on December 14th is the 1967 film Son of Godzilla (Kaijuto no Kessen: Gojira no Musuko).


9/29/04 According to the Financial Times Magazine, Sony & Comcast have signed an agreement to launch at least 3 new cable television networks in America. Also according to the report, the Japanese all animation channel Animax may be one of the networks coming to America.

Gainax has announced the development of a Nadia: Secret of Blue Water video game for the Playstation 2. The game will be released next year. No other details are available.

British publisher Boychild Productions has announced plans to release periodical manga anthology in the United States, titled "Manga Mover." The first issue of Manga Mover will be 68 pages and retail at $5.99, early next year.

A French language article published by Telerama quotes Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo hinting that French director Pitof (Vidoq, Catwoman) will direct the live action adaptation of Akira for Warner Bros.

According to Anime on DVD, AD Vision will now replace defective copies of Super Gals DVD volume 6 and defective copies of the Rahxephon movie DVD for people that contact the company to request a replacement. AD Vision has neither formally acknowledged that either DVD release is defective, nor publicly revealed the availability of corrected replacements.

The empty artbox for the four DVD volumes of Fruits Basket will be available for sale on November 9th.



9/26/04 I updated with a Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section. I also moved an old one to Previous Pennys.

The following will be released on Region 1 DVD this Tuesday and there's a lot:
.hack//Legend of the Twilight Vol. 3
Betterman Complete Collection
Dead Leaves
Dragon Ball: Tein Shinhan Saga
Dragon Drive Vol. 3
Dragon Half Essential Anime
Fushigi Yugi - The Mysterious Play Vol. 2
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex SE Vol. 2
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Vol. 2
Gravitation Vol. 3
Gungrave Vol. 2
Kite: Special Edition Uncut
Knight Hunters Eternity Vol. 2
Love Hina Perfect Collection
Martian Successor Nadesico Essential Anime Vol. 1
My Dear Marie
Nana 7 of 7 Vol. 2
Nurse Witch Komugi Vol. 2
Sex Taxi Vol. 1
Slayers: The Motion Picture Essential Anime
Stratos 4 Vol. 2
Vanilla Series: Classroom of Atonement
YuGiOh Vol. 24: The Dark Spirited Revealed

Six, count'em, SIX new trailers for the Berserk game were put up on Game Trailers. Check them out.


9/22/04 According to an anime magazine, Cartoon Network has decided not to get more episodes of Big O. According to the magazine, you should go to savebigo.com though I went there and looked around for a little bit but I didn't see anything, maybe I'm blind or something.

Killer Movies has published statements from director Charles Stone III regarding his feature film adaptation of Namco's popular Tekken fighting game franchise. In summation, Stone says that the American movie will be a realistic, believable film dealing with the ultimate fighting circuit and the sports business. In other words, the movie adaptation will eliminate most of the characters, themes and plot elements that characterize the Tekken video games.

The Kids' WB has ordered an additional 30 episodes of the anime series MegaMan NT Warrior (Rockman.exe). The new episodes will begin airing next spring.



9/21/04 First 2004 Pokemon Rocks Tour Locations Announced The official Pokemon website has revealed the locations and dates of the first stops on the 2004 Pokemon Rocks live event tour, which features card game competitions, video game demos, and other live features.
Pokémon Rocks Atlanta, Saturday, October 9th
Pokémon Rocks Minneapolis, Saturday, October 16th
Pokemon Rocks Seattle, Saturday, October 23rd

9/20/04 The Super Milk-chan Show premieres on November 7 at 12:30AM. Adult Swim will not be airing the Americanized version, but rather the straight dub of the Japanese version. Metropolis will kick-start a new year of Saturdays on January 1 at midnight. When Fullmetal Alchemist premieres on November 6 at midnight, the new episodes of Inuyasha will take a break for a while. They'll start playing new episodes again starting December 22.

Bandai Entertainment has announced that it is replacing the defective copies of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex OST CD that was released with the DVD volume 1 limited edition set. Contact beirep@bandai.com if you have one of these defective CDs.

Japanese publisher Shufu-to-Seikatsusha, known for its numerous women oriented publications, has started publishing a new anime magazine aimed at adult Japanese women, called PASH!


9/19/04 I updated with a Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section. I also moved an old one to Previous Pennys.

The following will be released on Region 1 DVD this Tuesday:
Black Jack Vol. 4
Chrono Crusade Vol. 1 (also w/box)
Ichi The Killer: Episode Zero
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum Edition Vol. 2
New Fist of the North Star Vol. 1 (also w/box)
Pokemon Advanced Vol. 3: A Bite to Remember
Pokemon Advanced Vol. 4: Stairway to Devon
Requiem from the Darkness Vol. 1 (also w/box)
Stellvia Vol. 1 (also w/box)
Stepsister Xtreme Series Edition
Zoids Chaotic Century Vol. 3

Cartoon Network has announced at the official Adult Swim boards that they have picked up Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Metropolis, and two Inuyasha movies for 2005. Metropolis is scheduled to premiere in "early 2005," the Inuyasha movies in Spring and Summer, and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie in the Fall.

At Nan Desu Kan, Anime News Network announced a new partnership with Protoculture Addicts, the longest-running anime magazine in North America. The first issue of Anime News Network's Protoculture Addicts will be released in January 2005.


9/16/04 The official Japanese website for the upcoming Samurai Gun anime TV series is now open. The copyright notice on the page reveals that the series is an AD Vision co-production.

A new game featuring Vincent from Final Fantasy VII is currently under development at Square-Enix. According to Weekly Jump Magazine, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII will take place roughly one year after Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and is set to be released sometime next year.



9/15/04 Beginning with Rurouni Kenshin graphic novel volume 7, scheduled for release next month, Viz will begin releasing the Rurouni Kenshin graphic novels on a monthly basis. The present industry standard is roughly bi-monthly volume releases. There are a total of 28 volumes.

Screen Daily has revealed that Japanese director Takeshi Miike will film his first children's film, The Big Spook War, a supernatural fantasy starring Chiaki Kuriyama (Battle Royale, Kill Bill). Then Miike will direct Dragon's Fin Soup, his first English language film, a a fantasy comedy, telling of an encounter between an American ex-pat, a young Chinese woman living in Chinatown and a dragon."

ADV Films has decided to sell empty artboxes for some of its series. The artboxes are available exclusively from TRSI. Currently available are Angelic Layer, Excel Saga, Final Fantasy Unlimited, Full Metal Panic, Noir, Sakura Wars TV, Saiyuki 1 and Saiyuki 2. Currently ADV has not decided what other artboxes will be made available.


9/13/04 THREE YEARS!!! I'd like to thank all two or three of you who've supported me these three long years and look forward to the future! Huzzah! And in honor of this historic event I updated with a semi-special Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section. I also moved an old one to Previous Pennys.

Dark Horse Comics has announced the January 19, 2005 release of the English translated Ghost in the Shell 2: Man Machine Interface graphic. Unlike the individual monthly comic issues, the graphic novel will labeled for readers aged 18+ and will come shrinkwrapped. This suggests that the graphic novel version may include the graphic sex scenes found in the Japanese Ghost in the Shell 2 Solid Box edition which were not included in the Japanese mass market edition or American comic book release.

According to Anime on DVD, AD Vision's planned re-release of the Ruin Explorers DVD has been postponed indefinitely.

The official Japanese homepage for the upcoming Kimi ga Nozomu Eien spin-off OAV series Akane Maniax is now open.

Manga Entertainment has issued a press release announcing the December 7th release of a special edition DVD re-release of the 1995 Ghost in the Shell motion picture. No specific details on the content of this special edition DVD have been revealed.

Manga Entertainment has released additional details about the previously announced webcast of Dead Leaves. On September 28, the domestic release date for the Dead Leaves DVD, the movie will be available for free, streaming online viewing from Manga.com and Dead Leaves.com.

According to Amazon.com, Viz has acquired translation rights to Naoki Urasawa's manga series Monster. The murder mystery drama will be released in America under the name "Monster: Herr Dr Tenma." This has not been confirmed.

Bandai Entertainment has announced that the limited edition Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam DVD boxed set has been delayed from release on November 23rd until November 30th

Akita Publishing has announced that Morishige's KoiKoi7 manga series will be adapted into an anime TV series.

Gainax has announced that its next anime TV series, "Kore ga Boku no Goshujinsama" (He is My Master), will air on the BS-i digital cable network next year.




9/9/04 A new Japanese trailer for the new Berserk game is up at Game-Trailers. Check it out, it is good, good stuff, looking forward to this game.

Animation World Network has revealed that Davis-Panzer Productions and Imagi Intl. have comissioned Japan's Madhouse Studios to animate a Highlander feature film. Highlander: Vengeance will be a mature film for adult audiences featuring new character Colin Mcleod. The American written, developed and produced but Japanese animated film will tentatively wrap production in early 2006.

TV Tokyo has opened its official website for the upcoming anime TV series Tsukuyomi - Moon Phase. The series will debut on October 4th.

Toei Animation has opened its official webpage for the upcoming anime TV series Ring ni Kakero. The series will debut on October 6th.

Entertainment and educational property development company LavaMind has announced the an ongoing search for talented "manga" artists. The ongoing contest will select winners quarterly and pair up artists with each other if necessary to compliment strengths and weaknesses. LavaMind will then produce, license and distribute the manga works to "as many countries around the world as possible."

Reports from the presently ongoing Venice Film Festival indicate that one of the most popular films screened so far is Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle, the first animated film ever entered in the Festival's main competition.

The ADV release of the Ruin Explorers Essential Anime DVD has been put on indefinite hold.

The Japanese Shonen Jump announces that Kenshin creator Nobuhiro Watsuki has provided Sega's Red Entertainment division with character designs for an upcoming 3D fighter that the company will release in December.


9/8/04 On Saturday, October 23rd, Rurouni Kenshin will replace Gundam Seed at 10:30pm. New episodes of Inu Yasha will be skipped on October 23rd and 30th. In its place, The Animatrix will be twice shown on Saturday, October 30th, once at Midnight and again at 3:00am (early Sunday Morning), and on October 23rd Read or Die will be broadcast in the same time slots.

Wired Magazine has published an extensive, four page article discussing the literary and artistic depth of Japanese animation, and the potential impact of the upcoming American theatrical releases of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Steamboy, and Howl's Moving Castle.

Warner Bros. has announced that the Yu-Gi-Oh! movie will be released to domestic DVD on November 16th.

ArtsMagic DVD has announced that the 2000 full CG Japanese film Blue Remains will be released on bilingual American DVD in November.



9/7/04 Artbox Entertainment, the producer of the domestic Dragonball and Yu Yu Hakusho trading cards, has acquired the rights to produce domestic trading cards and other collectable merchandise based on the Fullmetal Alchemist anime TV series, which will debut on the Cartoon Network in November.

Square Enix has revealed its development of a Playstation 2 party game titled "Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Special." The board game features characters from both the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises. The game will be available in Japan this winter.

The October issue of Japan's NetRunner Magazine will include a bonus figure of mascot character Habanero-tan. The issue goes on sale September 8th.


9/6/04 Tinkering with the idea of a dotcom once again, who knows, maybe I'll get one someday. Though it's a holiday the news didn't stop.

FUNimation announced at AnimeFest in Texas this weekend that they have acquired the license for The Galaxy Railways, they plan to release the series late next year.

At Dragon*Con this weekend Cartoon Network announced that they will be airing The Super Milk-chan Show in 2005. Cartoon Network also stated that they do not expect to license any more Case Closed.

It was recently announced at TBS Anime Fiesta that the new Oh! My Goddess TV series, airing on BS-i and TBS next year, will feature no changes to the cast.


9/5/04 I updated with another Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section. I also moved an old one to Previous Pennys.

The following will be released on Region 1 DVD this Tuesday:
Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi Vol. 2 (also w/figures
BASToF Syndrome Vol. 4
Beyblade Season 3 Vol. 3
Beyblade Season 3 Vol. 4
Boys Over Flowers Vol. 7
Demon Lord Dante Vol. 3
Dragon Ball GT Lost Episodes Vol. 2: Rejection Uncut
Gad Guard Vol. 2
Inu Yasha Movie 1
Inu Yasha Season Set 1 (also Limited Edition)
Kiddy Grade Vol. 6
R.O.D. the TV Vol. 2
Robotech Remastered: Extended Edition Vol. 5
Saikano Vol. 3
Urusei Yatsura Movie 3: Remember My Love

Reader Mekk Z has sent ANN confirmation regarding an item we've been hearing rumours about for the past month. On August 10th, GDH, the parent company of Gonzo, announced that it would be animating a G.I. Joe OVA.


9/3/04 Square Enix has announced development of a Playstation 2 RPG entitled Radiata Stories, which is being developed by TriAce (Valkyrie Profile, Star Ocean). The main character is a 16 year old boy named Jack Russell, a fencer on a quest to confront the raging dragons. Jack will travel with a female knight named Ridley Timberlake. Radiata Stories is scheduled for release in Japan next year.

Tai Seng has announced its first anime series acquisition, Legend of Condor Hero. The 2001 series was co-produced by Jade Animation of Hong Kong, Nippon Animation of Japan, and Japan's BS Fuji television network.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has announced a partnership with Viz to promote kindness to animals through Yu-Gi-Oh. Just great.

According to 1up.com, Capcom will be producing a 52 episode anime TV series of Viewtiful Joe for broadcast on TV Tokyo October 2nd.

4Kids Entertainment has announced that Hulk Hogan and his daughter Brooke will host the Fox Box premier of One Piece on September 18th at 9:30 A.M. Eastern time.

On September 28th, Viz will release the first Inuyasha movie to domestic DVD. Versions of the movie DVD purchased at Borders and Waldenbooks stores will include an exclusive lenticular cover. Also, on September 28th, Viz will release the first Inuyasha movie to domestic DVD. Versions of the movie DVD purchased at Borders and Waldenbooks stores will include an exclusive lenticular cover.

The Right Stuf International has confirmed a defect on a batch of Gravitation volume 3 DVDs. Anyone experiencing problems with the DVD skipping or locking up should contact TRSI's customer service at 1-800-338-6827 for information on replacing the DVD.



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