SciFi Japan
    Concert to Feature the World’s First Digital Diva Performing in 3D Source: Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation press release Official Site: anime-expo.org Special Thanks to Jim Yeager and Roberta Silverman Hatsune Miku, a Japanese virtual pop idol whose computer-generated singing and holographic performances have sparked a new form of musical entertainment, will thrill U.S. audiences for the first time when she performs live in concert at Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration in Los Angeles from July 1 - 4, 2011. In addition to her live concert, Hatsune Miku will be Anime Expo’s first Virtual Guest of Honor. A digital diva famous worldwide for her ankle-length aqua-colored pigtails and distinctive voice, Hatsune Miku will light up the stage at Nokia Theatre on July 2nd in her U.S.

    New Guest of Honor and Featured Charities Announced Source: FanimeCon press releases Official Site: fanime.com Special Thanks to Milton Le FanimeCon has provided some press updates regarding this year`s event, taking place Memorial Day weekend (May 27-30, 2011) at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center (150 W. San Carlos St., San Jose, CA 95113). FanimeCon 2011 Announces Animator Fumio Iida as a Guest of Honor FanimeCon welcomes animation director Fumio Iida, who will interact with fans during Gainax’s panels and autograph sessions at the 2011 show. In addition to being an animation director, Mr. Iida has experience as a character designer, illustrator, game creator, and manga artist. He draws manga under the name SUEZEN, and he has worked as an animator for companies like

    Concerts, Fashion Shows and Masquerade Dates and Times Revealed! Priority Seating for Passport Holders! 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 this coming 4th of July weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California, announces their Main Event schedule with date and information regarding events such as the Masquerade and the daily schedule of concert acts involving the superstars of Japan including heidi., Kanon Wakeshima, kanonxkanon and Scandal! "With only 1,500 Main Event seats, attendees will be `up close and personal` with artists moreso than ever in an intimate setting", states Chase Wang AM² representative. Entrance to the event is free, but attendees can avoid the anticipated huge lines at autographs, premiere screenings, workshops, main events, concerts and panels by

    House of Five Leaves, not simple, Maoh: Juvenile Remix and Hyde & Closer; Plus Additions To 17 Popular Manga Series Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/apps Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media has announced four new manga series that will be offered for digital download within the VIZ MANGA APP for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The latest update offers two acclaimed works from celebrated manga creator Natsume Ono – House of Five Leaves and not simple – that are available now. Two additional new series – Maoh: Juvenile Remix and Hyde & Closer – will debut for digital download on May 9th and May 16th respectively. Updates for the first half of May to 17 other popular manga series have also been announced. The VIZ MANGA APP is now available for free for the iPad, iPhone

    Four Days of Japanese Anime and Pop Culture in San Jose this Memorial Day Weekend Source: FanimeCon press releases Official Site: fanime.com Special Thanks to Milton Le FanimeCon is Northern California’s largest anime convention. Packed with videos, costumes, music, games, parties, tournaments, panels, and guests from around the world, this annual celebration of Japanese art and popular culture entertains a colorful spectrum of fans and friends. Over 16,000 enthusiasts joined FanimeCon 2010, and FanimeCon will return to the San Jose McEnery Convention Center (150 W. San Carlos St., San Jose, CA 95113) during Memorial Day weekend, May 27-30, 2011. Guests of Honor Yuya Matsushita Please join FanimeCon in welcoming Yuya Matsushita for his first ever performance outside of Japan! Born in Kobe, Japan,

    Anime Crime Thriller Based On An Acclaimed Manga Series Offers A Tale Of Conspiracy, Political Intrigue And Murder Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZAnime Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Irena Boostani VIZ Media lets loose the tense psychological crime drama of NAOKI URASAWA’S MONSTER on VIZAnime.com, the company’s own premier website for free anime, beginning Friday, May 6th, as well as through the streaming content provider HULU. VIZAnime is a free-to-use interactive web destination that is now the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series. NAOKI URASAWA’S MONSTER (rated TV-MA, subtitled) is presented uncut and will launch with Episodes 1-15 available immediately. Fifteen new episodes will debut each week, with the concluding episodes 61-74 streaming June 3rd. What would you do if a child you once saved grew up to be a monster? An ice-cold killer is on the

    Source: Eleven Arts Entertainment press release Official Movie Site: funimation.com/trigun (US), trigun-movie.com (Japan) Special Thanks to Shun Ohara Eleven Arts and FUNimation Entertainment are bringing the feature length followup film to the popular TRIGUN anime series, TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE (????? The Movie ?????, 2010), to the big screen in theaters across North America in Summer 2011. Eleven Arts is the company that has brought you such celebrated Japanese films as MEMORIES OF TOMORROW starring Ken Watanabe and Yoji Yamada’s LOVE AND HONOR. FUNimation Entertainment is known for releasing quality anime titles to the American market, and they have handled such popular titles as DRAGON BALL and FULL METAL ALCHEMIST. This past January, Eleven Arts and FUNimation partnered for the North American theatrical release of EVANGELION: 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE (Evangelion

    Special Event Celebrates the Creator Of Ristorante Paradiso and House of Five Leaves Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press release Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, together with Japanese licensor Ohta Shuppan, welcomes renowned manga artist Natsume Ono for a personal appearance and special event celebrating her work, hosted by the Kinokuniya Bookstores of America Company in New York City on Tuesday, May 10th starting at 7:00pm. Kinokuniya Bookstore is located at 1073 Avenue of the Americas, between 40th St. & 41st St., New York City. The event will feature commentary from Ono on her past and present works and her continued evolution as one of the foremost manga artists and graphic novel storytellers, hosted by Megumi Sato of Samurai Beat Radio. An audience Q&A session will

    Brand New Anime Series to Premieres in North America on April 10th Source: Sentai Filmworks, Anime Network press releases Official Site: mariaholic.com (Japan) Special Thanks to David Williams and Christian Lopez This week, Sentai Filmworks announced its acquisition of MARIA HOLIC ALIVE! (???†???? ????), the follow up to the hit comedy and nosebleed bonanza MARIA HOLIC. The series is set to begin broadcast in Japan on April 7, and will be available in the U.S. on Anime Network Online starting April 10. From the anime studio SHAFT (HE IS MY MASTER, PANI PONI DASH) and director Shinbo Akiyuki (HIDAMARI SKETCH, SAYONARA, ZETSUBOU-SENSEI), MARIA HOLIC ALIVE! continues the hilariously perverse misadventures of Kanako and Mariya. Some things never change: Ame no Kisaki, that famous and extraordinarily exclusive boarding school, still doesn’t accept boys. And Kanako, Kisaki’s most romantically unfortunate student, still doesn’t accept them either. They give

    Simulcasting Exclusively on VIZAnime.com Starting April 2nd Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: tigerandbunny.net (Japanese) Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC invites fans to dive into the crime-fighting action of one of the most anticipated anime series of 2011 with the simulcast premiere of TIGER & BUNNY (????????, Taigaa & Banii) on Saturday, April 2nd. The new series launches on VIZAnime.com, the company’s exclusive web destination for anime, the same day it debuts in Japan! New FREE weekly episodes (subtitled) will be available to stream on VIZAnime beginning at 12:00pm (PST) each Saturday. TIGER & BUNNY (rated TV-14) is directed by Keiichi Sato (director of THE BIG O), with original character designs by Masakazu Katsura, creator of I”S and VIDEO GIRL AI (also released by VIZ Media). Stern Bild is a metropolitan city where superheroes called NEXT help to

    Source: Anime Network press release Official Site: geneonuniversal.jp/hotd (Japan) Special Thanks to Christian Lopez This March, the HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD (aka HOTD) English dub will premiere on Anime Network Video On Demand. The highly acclaimed zombie survival anime will now be available with English voiceovers from some of the top voice actors in the business, only on Anime Network VOD. Stay tuned to Anime Network`s website, Twitter, and Facebook page for upcoming cast announcements and extras! From director Tetsuro Araki (DEATH NOTE, BLACK LAGOON), and adapted from the highly successful manga of the same name by Daisuke Sato, comes one of the hottest new shows of the Summer, HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD. A deadly new disease is ravaging the world, turning the populace into mindless zombies, and the number of infected is skyrocketing by the second. As their fellow classmates and teachers succumb

    New Series Launches On VIZAnime.com and Hulu Today Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZAnime.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media brings an exciting new animated series to North American audiences with the launch of NEURO: SUPERNATURAL DETECTIVE on Friday, February 18th on VIZAnime.com, the company’s own premier website for free anime, as well as the streaming content provider HULU. The new series (rated ‘M’ for Mature) will debut with the first five subtitled episodes available, with new installments available weekly. In NEURO: SUPERNATURAL DETECTIVE, Neuro Nogami is a demon that feeds on criminal mysteries and riddles in the human world. In order to protect his identity, he forms a partnership with Yako, an incisive 16-year-old high school girl. This unlikely crime-solving duo devours one mystery after another in search of the ultimate appetizing mystery! NEURO: SUPERNATURAL DETECTIVE is based

    A Look at the Anime Films KING OF EDEN and PARADISE LOST Author: Elliot Gay Official Site: juiz.jp (Japan), funimation.com/edenoftheeast (US) Special Thanks to Jackie Smith and Manny Alcala SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for two recent movies. Your mileage when watching EDEN OF THE EAST THE MOVIE 1: KING OF EDEN (????? ????The King of Eden, Higashi no Eden Gekijooban I: The King of Eden, 2009) and EDEN OF THE EAST THE MOVIE 2: PARADISE LOST (????? ???? Paradise Lost, Higashi no Eden Gekijooban II: Paradise Lost, 2010) will vary based on how much you enjoyed the series that came before. The elements that you enjoyed in the show’s run on television, such as the high animation quality, well composed music and likable characters are still the same as ever. However, if you found yourself disagreeing with the writing or

    Author: Elliot Gay Official Site: katanagatari.com, www.fujitv.co.jp/katanagatari SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new animated series. Japanese sword culture is an element of Japan that is not only heavily romanticized in the west, but also in the east as well. In Japan, television dramas about samurai or feudal Japan can be found on nearly every channel. Those who were masters of katana are a constant focus of interest. In 2007, young author Nisioisin decided to challenge himself. He was to write twelve novels over the course of twelve months. Each novel would represent a month of real-time travel for the protagonist. As such, the reader went through the different seasons just as the characters did. The name of this twelve novel journey was Katanagatari (??), loosely translatable as "Sword Story". As the title aptly describes, the narrative is focused on

    Source: MediaLab press release Official Movie Site: funimation.com/evangelion (US/Canada), evangelion.co.jp (Japan) Special Thanks to Erik Jansen VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, opens 2011 with screenings of director Hideki Anno’s EVANGELION 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE, playing Tuesday, January 18th thru Wednesday, January 19th, and EVANGELION 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE, playing Friday, January 21st thru Thursday January 27th. Screenings times and ticket information are also available at vizcinema.com. EVANGELION 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE (Evangelion Shin Gekijoban: Jo, 2007) Directed by Hideaki Anno, 98mins, Digital, Japanese with English subtitles Monday, 1/17 – Thursday, 1/20 Tickets: $10.00 There was no

    Source: Japan Foundation, Sydney press release Official Site: japanesefilmfestival.net Special Thanks to Evon Fung Sydneysiders grab your tickets to the 14th Japanese Film Festival, on sale now at Event Cinemas George Street. From 22 November, the festival returns for one week only. Don’t miss your chance to meet this year’s festival guest, Naoyoshi Shiotani. Shiotani is the Animation Director of OBLIVION ISLAND: HARUKA AND THE MAGIC MIRROR, a place where all your childhood items end up, and the Director of TOKYO MARBLE CHOCOLATE, a romantic comedy which is bitter sweet, just like chocolate. Shiotani will be attending the festival’s Anime Matsuri, so big that it’s split into two sessions – both jam-packed with double screenings, co-organised with SMASH! (Sydney Manga and Anime Show!). Saturday, 27th November

    Author: Andrew Nguyen Source: Bandai Entertainment Official Site: gundam00.net, mbs.jp/gundam00 (Japanese), gundam00.bandai-ent.com (US) Special Thanks to Robert Napton MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 00 (Kido Senshi Gundamu Double O) is the latest television series in the long running Gundam metaseries. Premiering in October of 2007, it is the first Gundam series to take place in the new Anno Domini timeline. Directed by Seiji Mizushima (FULL METAL ALCHEMIST) and with music composed by Kenji Kawaii (GHOST IN THE SHELL , THE SKY CRAWLERS), it earned great success though not to the level of its two predecessors, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM SEED (Kido Senshi Gundamu SEED, 2002) and MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM SEED DESTINY (Kido Senshi Gundamu SEED DESTINY, 2004). It is the first Gundam series to air in widescreen and hi-def. Furthermore, in another first for a Gundam series, Sunrise made two seasons of GUNDAM 00 with 25

    Author: Elliot Gay Official Site: crunchyroll.com/panty-and-stocking-with-garterbelt (US), gainax.co (Japan), newtype.kadocomic (Japan) Special Thanks to Chase Wang Gainax, known for anime hits such as GUNBUSTER, DIEBUSTER, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, TENGEN TOPPA GURREN LAGANN, FLCL and others has taken a huge creative chance with its latest television show, PANTY AND STOCKING WITH GARTERBELT. Featuring such Gainax talent as Hiroyuki Imaishi (DEAD LEAVES) and Hiroaki Tomita (GURREN LAGANN), the series seems bound for success regardless of the concept. Yet the end result as of episode 6 is that of a show that blends the humor and cartoon style of western adult animation, with the lightning quick and sometimes crazy animation of a Gainax production. Having debuted in America via Crunchyroll, the show has been hit with split opinions across the board. People generally seem to either love it or hate it. I happen to fall into

    Popular Anime Film Plays in September Source: Barbican Centre, Sarah Harvey Publicity press release Special Thanks to Helene Muron The Barbican Centre in London continues their JAPANIMATION event series in September with EUREKA SEVEN: THE MOVIE. The screening will once again be introduced by anime expert and author Helen McCarthy (The Anime! Movie Guide, Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation, and founder of the magazine AnimeFX). JAPANIMATION Friday 24 September, 8.30pm EUREKA SEVEN: THE MOVIE (Kokyoshihen Eureka Sebun: Poketto ga Niji de Ippai, 2009) Director: Tomoki Kyoda Running Time: 115 min Certification: 12A* In Japanese with English Subtitles EUREKA SEVEN: THE MOVIE is a complete re-imagining of the popular TV series, an emotional tale of love and survival amid spectacular aerial maneuvers. When

    Images and Production Notes from Walt Disney Studios Source: Walt Disney Studios Official Movie Site: disneypictures/earthsea (US) On August 13th, Studio Ghibli`s TALES FROM EARTHSEA (Gedo Senki, 2006) began a limited theatrical run in the United States through Walt Disney Studios Distribution. Disney has released most of Ghibli`s films in the US, but TALES FROM EARTHSEA was delayed for several years since author Ursula Le Guin`s Earthsea novels had previously been optioned for film and television by Hallmark Entertainment. The film was directed by Goro Miyazaki, son of Studio Ghibli co-founder and legend Hayao Miyazaki. While the works of the elder Miyazaki are revered worldwide, reviews for Goro`s directorial debut have been much less enthusiastic. The following production notes are courtesy of Walt Disney Studios... TALES FROM EARTHSEA Running Time: 105 minutes Release Date: August 13th, 2010 (limited) MPAA Rating: PG-13

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