Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release Official Site: am2con.org Special Thanks to Chase Wang AM², the highly-anticipated animation, music and manga convention taking place July 1-3, 2011 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California, has revealed some of the titles (with more to come) that will be screened at this year`s event.
ARAKAWA UNDER THE BRIDGE. © 2010 Square Enix Co., Ltd.ARAKAWA UNDER THE BRIDGE (?????? ? ????, Arakawa Andaa za Burijji, 2010) Rating: PG-13 Ko Ichinomiya`s family motto is "Never be indebted to anyone," but after losing his pants and falling into the Arakawa River, he quickly finds himself in debt to his savior, the cutely insane Nino (who happens to live under the bridge). To repay her, he vows to help her with her desire to "experience love." Along the way he`ll meet the river`s other residents, including a hot-blooded kappa, a Sister in drag, and a literal rock star. Sorry, Ko...when you fell into that river, I guess you really got in over your head! BLUE EXORCIST (?????, Ao no Ekusoshisuto, 2011) Rating: TBD Assiah, the realm of humans, and Gehenna, the realm of demons. Normally, these two dimensions would never intersect, but having possessed all material substances, the demons are now intruding on the material world. But among the human race, there are those who can exorcise such demons - the Exorcists.
DURARARA!! (?????!!, 2010) Rating: TBD DURARARA!! the animated TV series is based on the hit novel by Ryohgo Narita (Baccano!), a new breed author. This series has shocked readers and the light-novel industry with its unique characters and out-of-this-world story. Ikebukuro, Tokyo, takes center stage, where various young people have gathered, each with their own expectations. A high school student who longs for an un-ordinary life, the strongest man in Ikebukuro, an information broker, an underground doctor, a stalker, a “headless” rider, and many others both cause and get caught up in trouble. This is a story with a tangle of super-extraordinary characters; one where no one can predict what will happen next! THE GARDEN OF SINNERS CHAPTER 1 (????, Kara no Kyookai, 2007) Rating: TBD After spending two years in a coma caused by a traffic accident, Shiki Ryougi awakens with amnesia. Inexplicably, she finds, in turn, that she has also obtained “Mystic Eyes of Death Perception” in which she can see the invisible lines of mortality that hold every living and non-living thing together. Working for a small independent agency, Shiki attempts to unravel the baffling mystery behind a series of abnormal, horrifying incidents, but are they a foreshadowing that leads to something even more tragic and ominous? Things are not what they appear to be on the surface, but what dark revelations lie underneath? This is a modern occult-action thriller where Shiki must tackle supernatural incidents with her special abilities while searching for a reason to live.
KATANAGATARI (??, 2010) Rating: PG-13 Yasuri Shichika, seventh successor of the Kyoto Ryu (bladeless) sword art, lives on an isolated island with his older sister, Nanami. One day Shichika is visited by a woman named Togame, who requests his aid in her quest to find and collect the final twelve swords forged by the legendary master swordsmith, Shikizaki Kiki. Shichika and Togame begin their odyssey by leaving the island he called home for over 20 years. They will face twelve individuals who possess and protect Shikizaki`s legendary swords. Join Shichika and Togame on an exciting, epic adventure that defies reality as they discover the true potential of the Kyotu Ryu sword style! OUR HOME`S FOX DEITY (??????????, Wagaya no Oinari-sama, 2008) Rating: PG-13 The Mizuchi bloodline has long been hunted by Yokai, or monsters. Toru and Noboru Takagami are descendents of this bloodline, and under their grandmother`s discretion, are given a secret weapon to combat these monsters. It is Tenko Kugen, a fox deity who can take the shape of a man or woman at will. The mischievous deity is accompanied by a shrine maiden, Ko, who will both live with the Takagami brothers at their house. Life just got complicated. PANDORA HEARTS (???????, Pandora Haatsu, 2009) Rating: PG-13 Oz Vessalius, who just turned fifteen, leads a rich and privileged life as the heir to the Vessalius name and estate. Everything changes when, during his Coming of Age ceremony, he is drawn into an eternal prison known as the "Abyss." There he meets and is saved by Alice, the Bloody Black Rabbit, or B-Rabbit for short. Join Oz on this fantasy adventure as he unravels the mysteries behind Alice, the Abyss, and the "Pandora" organization.
PERSONA -TRINITY SOUL- (???? ???????????, Perusona ~Toriniti S?ru~, 2008) Rating: PG-13 An original story based off the hit Persona video games, PERSONA -TRINITY SOUL- examines the struggle of a family growing up amidst tragedy. A string of murders, rogue Persona users conducting experiments, and memories long forgotten wait for Shin Kanzato and his younger brother, Jun. The two return to their hometown, Ayanagi City, for the first time in ten years. Before even getting a chance to reunite with their brother Ryo, Shin finds himself entwined in these incidents, awakening his own Persona in the process, and facing off against his mortality. PORCO ROSSO (???, Kurenai no Buta, 1992) Rating: G-General Audience The film tells of the story of Porco Rosso and his would-be romance with Gina, who runs a sea pilots` club and hotel in the Adriatic Sea. The plot revolves around Porco`s friendship with a girl named Fio, who is a talented aircraft engineer, and his rivalry with a hotshot American pilot named Curtis. Porco has been cursed with the face of a pig, though the origin and nature of the curse are never fully explained. Originally a World War I ace pilot in the Italian Air Force, Porco has grown disillusioned and now makes his living as a bounty hunter guarding ships in the Adriatic sea from pirate gangs with planes. Though rivals, Porco and the pirates manage to coexist with a minimum of bloodshed. For relaxation, he and other pilots spend their evenings on neutral ground at the Hotel Adriano, the establishment run by Gina.
PONYO (???????, Gake no ue no Ponyo, 2008) Rating: G From the Academy Award-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki comes PONYO, a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen`s fairy tale "The Little Mermaid." A box-office success in Japan, the story of a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo (voiced by Noah Cyrus) and her quest to become human features an outstanding roster of voice talent, including Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Frankie Jonas, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin and Betty White. ROBOTECH: THE MACROSS SAGA Rating: PG-13 The epic saga begins... In the year 1999, an alien battle-fortress crashes on an island in the Pacific.Over the next ten years, mankind repairs and refits this fortress, using the advanced "robo-technology" found aboard it to create fighter planes that can transform into giant robots. As soon as the repaired fortress is ready for launch, the aliens to whom it belongs finally discover its location. Thus begins a series of wars that will devastate the planet earth. An involving and exciting space opera that has been immensely popular since its release, ROBOTECH is a landmark anime series. R.O.D. The TV (????????? The TV, Riido oa Dai The TV, 2003) Rating: TBD Like a book having a front cover and the back of it, the world also has a side of the hidden. It is a world that is in battle which regular people can never see. There is a woman who always gets involved in those battles. The woman’s name is Yomiko, whose special ability is “Paper Manipulation”. She hides her real face as a secret agent belonging to a special execution unit in the Great Britain Library. Even today there waits a battle with the “ World’s Great Man Forces” who are conspiring to change the world in an evil way. The world’s fate belongs in the hands of a single paper of Yomiko’s…
STREET FIGHTER: ALPHA (??????????ZERO, Sutoriito Faitaa Zero, 1999) Rating: PG-13 Martial arts masters Ken and Ryu are brought together by the mysterious death of their master but now the two warriors must overcome a challenge unlike any they`ve faced before. Increasingly disturbed by the dark energies building within him, Ryu is unexpectedly confronted with the appearance of Shun - a boy claiming to be the long-lost brother he never knew. Soon, signs of their common lineage are revealed as Shun enters a martial arts competition and manifests the same fearsome Dark Hadou. But before Ryu has the chance to consider whether Shun`s timely appearance might be more than coincidental, agents of the insidious Shadowlaw organization kidnap the boy. To recover the child, Ryu must undertake the ultimate journey of self-discovery and learn to control the power threatening to consume him. But with his confidence waning, will he have what it takes to confront Akuma - the vicious lord of the Dark Hadou - himself? Produced by Manga Entertainment, in association with Capcom Co., LTD., STREET FIGHTER: ALPHA (STREET FIGHTER ZERO in Japan in accordance with the videogame) is the pulse-pounding sequel to the phenomenally popular STREET FIGHTER II TV Series. This action-packed martial arts anime feature continues the adventures of the popular Ken, Ryu and Chun Li characters while introducing some charismatic new ones from the game. Directed by DRAGON BALL veteran Shigeyasu Yamauchi who also contributed the extraordinary background art, STREET FIGHTER: ALPHA is one of the best-received original video animations ever created.
TOKYO ZOMBIE (?????, Tookyoo Zonbi, 2005) Rating: PG-13 From the writers and starz of ICHI THE KILLER and GOZU, comes a hilarious romp through zombie-laden Tokyo! Tadanobu Asano and Show Aikawa star as fulltime slackers and wannabe ju-jitsu champions who bring the body of their murdered boss to Tokyo`s towering toxic waste dump known as "ŒBlack Fuji". But when an army of undead rises from the massive trash peak, these bonehead buddies must survive a non-stop onslaught of hasty decapitations, pervert teachers, tasty snack foods, stormy romance and zombie professional wrestling. Can even the most devoted of friendships survive an apocalypse of the undead? Horror manga legend Kazou Umezo co-stars in this wild comedy written and directed by Sakichi Sato and based on the best-selling manga by U-saku Hanakuma that fans call "the Japanese SHAUN OF THE DEAD!" TORADORA! (????!, 2008) Rating: PG-13 TORADORA! tells the tale of Ryuji (dragon) and Taiga (tiger) helping each other confess to their crushes. From the classroom, to the pool, to a summer vacation house and even the school`s culture festival... will Ryuji and Taiga be able to help one another conquer their emotions, or will a new bond be formed in the chaotic war of love? WAGNARIA!! (?????!!, 2010) Rating: PG-13 Set in a family restaurant in Hokkaido, the northern prefecture of Japan, 16 year old high school student Sota Takanashi works part-time along with his strange co-workers: Popura Taneshima, a high school girl who`s a year older than Sota, yet easily mistaken for an elementary/middle schooler, and Kyoko Shirafuji, the 28-year old store manager who doesn`t bother to do any work at all. WAGNARIA!!`s crazy cast will have you head over heels with laughter from the first episode!
About AM²
Located in Anaheim, California, AM² is a 3-day, 24 hour event with no general attendance/badge purchase requirement and is aspiring to be a key meeting place for fans that share a common interest in Asian music, Animation/Anime, and Comics/Manga. Established in 2010, AM² will be held on July 1-3, 2011 at the Anaheim Convention Center in sunny Anaheim, California. AM² current activities include Exhibit Hall, AMV`s, Arcade, Summer Festival, World Cosplay Summit, Rum Party Pirates, Cosplay Chess, Dances, Fashion Shows, Table Top, Console Gaming, AniMaid Café, Workshops, Panels, Concerts and more! Entrance to the event is free, but attendees can avoid the huge lines by obtaining a Passport fast pass for the event. The Passport fast pass will also provide holders with premier seating options at Main Events and at Concert events as well as major discounts with theme parks, retailers and local restaurants. More information can be found at am2con.org.
For more information on AM² please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: