SciFi Japan

    Logo for MW, the new live action adaption of the manga by Osamu Tezuka. Photo courtesy of NTV. © 2009 MW Production Committee

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    Osamu Tezuka`s Controversial Manga Becomes a Live Action Film Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network) Official Site: mw.gyao.jp SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details and images from a new movie. Last December, SciFi Japan ran a report on MW, a new live action film based on a manga by the late Osamu Tezuka, Japan`s legendary "god of manga" and "father of anime". While Tezuka is known worldwide for his children`s favorites such as Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, his MW manga was a dark and downbeat thriller that tackled many controversial subjects including government cover-ups, religion, the nature of good and evil, homoeroticism, the effects of excessive technology on nature, and the US military presence in Japan. While drastically different from his typical fare, Tezuka still received great acclaim for his work on MW. The movie version of MW was developed

    Cast members from several POWER RANGERS series will take part in a special reunion event at Anime Expo 2009. ©1993 BVS Entertainment, Inc. and BVS International N.V.

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    Nation`s Largest Anime and Manga Convention to Host One of the Largest Power Ranger Gatherings to Date Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release Official Site: anime-expo.org Special Thanks to Chase Wang Last month, Anime Expo announced that this year`s convention (July 2-5 in Los Angeles) would feature a reunion of MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS cast members. The lineup will include Karan Ashley (Yellow Power Ranger Aisha Campbell), Robert Axelrod (Lord Zedd), Steve Cardenas (Red Power Ranger Rocky DeSantos), Walter Jones (Black Power Ranger Zack Taylor), Johnny Yong Bosch (Black Power Ranger Adam Park), and Catherine Sutherland (Pink Power Ranger Kat Hillard). AX has now revealed that many more stars from the long-running franchise have been added to the POWER RANGERS reunion. The event will be one of the largest POWER RANGERS gatherings ever held in the United States. The latest additions are: · Barbara

    Artwork for MAIL, one of nearly a dozen Kadokawa Pictures titles newly added to the online video service Crunchyroll. Photo courtesy of Crunchyroll and Kadokawa Pictures. ©2004 MAIL Film Partners

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    Top Anime and Asian Entertainment Online Service Provides Bone Chilling New Titles from Kadokawa Pictures USA Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases Special Thanks to Chase Wang "Kadokawa Tuesdays" continue on Crunchyroll with tales of horror, suspense and the supernatural. New titles launching in May are MAIL, STORY OF THE DETECTIVE, TRAGEDY OF W, ONMYOJI, THE BEAST TO DIE, SAILOR SUIT AND MACHINE GUN, KEKKON ANNAI MYSTERY, EARLY SPRING STORY, GIRL OF TIME, and KADOKAWA MYSTERY & HORROR TALES. These Kadokawa Pictures titles are available for FREE to all fans and members in the U.S., Canada, American Samoa, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam and Virgin Island regions. More information can be found at Crunchyroll`s Kadokawa Pictures Collection page. Title Synopsis: MAIL (2004) Based on the Shigemizu Takasaki`s comic book series, MAIL is the latest cinematic adaptation from

    Ad for this week`s US theatrical screenings of L, change the WorLd. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 2008 L Film Partners. © 2008 L Plot Produce

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    Early Celebration for DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd on April 28 at New York City`s Kinokuniya Bookstore Source: Roger Bilheimer Associates, VIZ Pictures press release Official Movie Site: Death Note Films: L The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) is partnering with VIZ Pictures to hold a special DEATH NOTE Day at the largest Japanese bookstore in North America -- New York City`s Kinokuniya Bookstore. Taking place Tuesday, April 28, Kinokuniya Bookstore (located at 1073 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan ) will present an evening of DEATH NOTE events in celebration of the theatrical release of the third DEATH NOTE film – DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd coming to select theaters nationwide for two nights only on April 29 and 30. DEATH NOTE Day Event Schedule 6:30 PM: DEATH NOTE Anime Screening. Get a glimpse of the series that spawned the movies

    An example of the bizarre imagery in takashi Miike`s horror series MPD PSYCHO. Photo courtesy of Crunchyroll and Kadokawa Pictures. ©2000 Eiji Ohtsuka Office /MPD Psycho Project

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    J-Horror Movies and Shows Each Week on Anime and Asian Entertainment Site Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release Special Thanks to Chase Wang As previously announced on SciFi Japan, the online Anime and Asian entertainment media distributor Crunchyroll and the US branch of Japanese studio Kadokawa Pictures have teamed up to present selected J-Horror titles from the Kadokawa Pictures film and television library. Now Crunchyroll has revealed that fans and members can catch fresh thrills, chills, hauntings and psychos every week with "Kadokawa Tuesdays" starting this month. Titles launching Crunchyroll`s "Kadokawa Tuesdays" include Takashi Miike`s psychopathic trilogy MPD PSYCHO I-III and the continued saga of a mysterious girl who appears again and again in various people`s lives and haunts them until their eventual end in TOMIE 4: REBIRTH and TOMIE 5: FORBIDDEN FRUIT. More information can be found at crunchyroll.com/publisher/kadokawapicturesusa. Title Synopsis:

    International promotional art for L, change the WorLd. Photo courtesy of NTV. © 2008 L Film Partners. © 2008 L Plot Produce

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    Source: VIZ Pictures Official Movie Site: Death Note Films: L Additional Material: NTV (Nippon Television Network) Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie. DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd Directed by HIDEO NAKATA Inspired by the best-selling Japanese Comic by TSUGUMI OHBA and TAKESHI OBATA Starring: KENICHI MATSUYAMA as “L / Ryuzaki” Genre: Suspense/Teen/J-POP 2008/ Japan/ 35mm/ 1.85:1 Dolby Digital SRD/129 min. Japanese Theatrical Release: February 9th, 2008 US Theatrical Release: April 29, 2009 ©2008 L Film Partners. ©2008 L Plot Produce. Introduction Opening at #1 in Japan, DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd is the exciting spin-off of the DEATH NOTE film series based on the best-selling supernatural action mystery manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. With 26 million copies of the original manga sold worldwide,

    The main title for Norman England`s new horror short FEED ME ©2009 iiWii Productions

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    Norman England`s New Horror Short Now Available Online Author: James Ballard Official Website: FEED ME Special Thanks to Norman England, JR Lipartito and Ryoko Ohtaki Hot off the heels of his sci-fi satire THE iDol (2006) and last year’s documentary BRINGING GODZILLA DOWN TO SIZE, director Norman England returns with his latest endeavor FEED ME, a low-budget horror short released exclusively as an internet download. Filmed in English on location in Tokyo, Japan, FEED ME begins with Japanese student Mamiko and her University friends Jason, Freddy and Regan debating the merits of Japanese and American horror films. Attempting to prove the Japanese brand of horror the creepier of the two, Mamiko leads her trio of friends to a nearby field said to be the resting place of Misaru, the slain daughter of a shamed samurai. Although successful in resurrecting Misaru’s spirit, the group’s

    The stars of the early seasons of MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS will take part in a special cast reunion event at Anime Expo 2009. © 1994 BVS Entertainment, Inc. and BVS International N.V.

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    Nation`s Largest Anime and Manga Convention Announces Power Ranger Reunion and Panel Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release Official Site: anime-expo.org Special Thanks to Chase Wang Blast off with Anime Expo and members of the MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS dynasty as they storm into the Los Angeles Convention Center for one of the biggest Ranger Reunions to date at the nation`s largest anime and manga convention held July 2-5, 2009. More information can be found on the website anime-expo.org. Power Rangers in attendance include: · Karan Ashley: Aisha Campbell, the Yellow Power/Ninja Ranger (1994-96) · Steve Cardenas: Rocky DeSantos, the Red Power/Ninja Ranger (1994-96) · Walter Jones: Zack Taylor, the original Black Power Ranger (1993-94) · Catherine Sutherland: Kat Hillard, the Pink Power/Ninja Ranger (1995-96) · Johnny Yong Bosch: Adam Park, the Black Power/Ninja Ranger (1994-98) · Robert Axelrod: Lord Zedd (1993-96) In addition

    The lovelorn Tomie, the girl who just won`t stay dead, has been featured in a series of J-Horror movies. Photo courtesy of Crunchyroll and Kadokawa Pictures. ©1998 Kadokawa Pictures/Artport

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    Anime and Asian Entertainment Site Launches Junji Ito Manga Based Film-Trilogy and Films of Horror Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release Special Thanks to Chase Wang Beginning April 16, the online media distributor Crunchyroll and the US branch of Japanese studio Kadokawa Pictures partner to bring hours of endless horror and fright to fans with the highly popular TOMIE Trilogy and the Japanese Horror Anthology which includes the titles HEARTBROKEN TRIP, NURARIHYON, PEONY LAMP, SHADOWS OF THE WRAITH, SHE-BEAR and YAMABA. More information can be found at crunchyroll.com/publisher/kadokawapicturesusa. "We are extremely excited and proud to have Kadokawa Pictures USA partner with Crunchyroll", states Crunchyroll CEO Kun Gao. "Kadokawa titles are well known to be of high quality and have a huge existing following. This partnership marks a meaningful addition to the Asian live action content available on Crunchyroll." Title Synopsis: TOMIE (1998)

    L (Kenichi Matsuyama) has the list of winners for VIZ Pictires and SciFi Japan`s DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd ticket giveaway. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 2008 L Film Partners. © 2008 L Plot Produce

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    Who will See the Latest DEATH NOTE Film for Free on April 29? Source: VIZ Pictures Official Movie Site: Death Note Films: L Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE We received a great response to SciFi Japan`s contest for free passes to see DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd. Our thanks to everyone who entered the contest, and to North American distributor VIZ Pictures for making this giveaway possible. The following randomly drawn entrants correctly answered all contest questions: Ernest Lin Amanda Moore Daniel Amaro Andrew Marrell Fernando Amador Congratulations to the winners! Each of you has won a pair of tickets for the subtitled DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd on April 29 at your selected theater. VIZ Pictures will be contacting you to confirm your attendance so keep checking your email. Have a great time!

    Poster art for the Japan Film Festival - Los Angeles 2009. Photo courtesy of the Japan America Media Association. © 2009 Japan America Media Association

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    Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles 2009 Announces Full Program Line-up Source: The Japan America Media Association Special thanks to Andrea Prieto The Japan America Media Association presents the second annual Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles. The Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles 2009 will be held from Friday, April 10 – Sunday, April 19 in Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles, and Irvine. 22 feature films in total will be shown, including a number of both North American and Los Angeles Premieres. Dates and Venues April 10 (Fri) to 16 (Thu) Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex (Santa Monica) 1332 2nd Street Santa Monica, 90401 April 17 (Fri) to 19 (Sun) Downtown Independent (Downtown Los Angeles) 251 S. Main Street Los Angeles, California 90012 April 25 (Sat) and 26 (Sun) Starplex Cinema (Irvine) 4626 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA 92604 Ticket Prices General Admission $10 Students / Seniors (60+) / Matinee (before 4:30pm) $7 (ID

    New British quad poster design for BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE. Photo courtesy of The Associates and Pathé. © 2009 East Wing Holdings Corp. and SAJ.

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    The Live Action Adaptation of the Hit Anime Comes to Britain this June Source: Pathé, The Associates Official Movie Site: Blood The Last Vampire movie (UK, coming soon), Last Blood (Japan) Special Thanks to Farhana Shaikh SciFi Japan has just received the new British quad poster design for BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE. The highly anticipated feature film is a live-action adaptation of the award-winning 2000 anime from Production I.G. (GHOST IN THE SHELL, KILL BILL VOl. 1). BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE will be released theatrically in the UK by Pathé on June 12 and in France on June 17. In Japan — where the film will be called LAST BLOOD (Rasuto Buraddo)— Asmik Ace Entertainment will open the picture on May 29. Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights, but have not announced a US release date. For a look at the UK

    The Korean poster of THE UNINVITED, retitled ANNA AND ALEX: A TALE OF TWO SISTERS. Photo courtesy of CJ Entertainment. © 2008 DW Studios LLC. and Cold Spring Pictures / CJ Entertainment.

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    The Korean Horror Remake is Invited Back to Its Native Country Author: Kim Song-ho Source: CJ Entertainment Official Site (US): uninvitedmovie.com DreamWorks Pictures` THE UNINVITED, the US remake of the Korean horror film A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (Janghwa, Hongryeon, 2003), will be released in its native country on April 9. CJ Entertainment will handle the distribution in Korea. CJ changed the original title to ANNA AND ALEX: A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (Anna wa Alex: Du jamae iyagi) for the Korean release. ANNA AND ALEX reflects the Korean title of the original film JANGHWA, HONGRYEON (which translates as "Rose Flower, Red Lotus"), which was taken from the Korean folk tale that inspired it. In the Korean film, the sisters were actually named Soo-yeon (Lotus, played by Moon Geun-young) and Soo-mi (Rose, played by Lim Su-jeong), respectively. The original film was financially and critically successful, attracting

    Modified from the 1970 World Expo`s Tower of the Sun, the Tower of Friend is a recurring image in the 20th CENTURY BOYS movies. Photo courtesy of NTV. ©1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan. ©2009 ”20th Century Boys” Film Partners

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    The Filmmakers Discuss Their Blockbuster Japanese Sci-Fi Movie Series Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network) Official Movie Site: 20th Boys Special Thanks to Asuka Kimura and Tzeling Huang SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie. The following interviews are courtesy of Nippon Television Network. For more information and images from the movie please see SciFi Japan`s earlier report, 20TH CENTURY BOYS -CHAPTER 2- Production Notes. Etsushi Toyokawa as Otcho "15 years has passed between the first and second chapter of the mega saga of 20TH CENTURY BOYS. Our toughest challenge in bringing this saga to audiences was to transport them to 2015 in a convincing way. Everything conceivable was done by the director and actors to realize this. Special makeup was applied to age us by 15 years which also assisted us in our performances, although it was physically taxing to go through the

    L, change the WorLd, the third film in the hit DEATH NOTE series, will be screened next month in theaters across America. Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2008 L Film Partners. © 2008 L Plot Produce

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    VIZ Pictures and NCM Present a Special 2-Night Event for Latest Live-Action DEATH NOTE Film Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Movie Site: Death Note Films Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji, Evelyn Dubocq, and Erik Jansen Riveting Unwritten Chapter Of Edgy DEATH NOTE Psychological Crime Drama on the Big Screen on April 29th and 30th in More Than 400 Theatres Nationwide VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced that it will team with NCM Fathom to present DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd, a live-action two-night, multi-city event on April 29th and 30th at 7:30 pm local time. By popular demand, a subtitled version will be presented on April 29th and an English-dubbed version on April 30th with L’s voice played by Alessandro Juliani from the anime series. Tickets for this special

    Promotional art for 20TH CENTURY BOYS -CHAPTER 2-, the second of three new movies based on the acclaimed manga by Naoki Urasawa. ©1999,2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan. ©2008 ”20th Century Boys” Film Partners

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    A Behind the Scenes Look at the Second Part of NTV and Toho`s Sci-Fi Trilogy Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network) Official Movie Site: 20th Boys Special Thanks to Asuka Kimura and Tzeling Huang SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie. Introduction 20th Century Boys, the legendary bestselling comic series, was originally serialized in Shogakukan`s Big Comic Spirits magazine from issue number 4 of 1999 to issue number 33 of 2007. Up to the present the manga has sold 250 million-plus copies and has been translated in 12 countries; Holland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand. 20th Century Boys will also be released in the United States, beginning in February 2009. This complex tale spun by Naoki Urasawa had always been considered impossible for movie adaptation. The story spans over 50 years, crosses the

    Kamen Riders Dragon Knight and Wing Knight. Let`s Ride! Photo courtesy of Steve Wang. ©2008 Ishimori Production, Inc.; Toei Company Ltd.; Adness Entertainment Co., Ltd.

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    An interview with KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT Producer/Director Steve Wang Author: Bob Johnson Official Sites: kamenridertv.com, Kamen Rider Productions Special Thanks to Loren Portillo On the opposite side of every mirror on Earth lies the parallel dimension of Ventara - a world destroyed by the evil alien, General Xaviax. The Kamen Riders were warriors from Ventara who fought Xaviax with armor and abilities powered by their Advent Decks. Unfortunately, Xaviax stole the Advents Decks and defeated all the Riders but one. Kamen Rider Wing Knight is the sole surviving Kamen Rider – the only man who can stop Xaviax from destroying Earth the same way he destroyed Ventara. To defeat Wing Knight, Xaviax brought the Advent Decks to Earth and tricked ordinary citizens into becoming new Kamen Riders – super-powered soldiers who will carry out his evil plans. After his father’s mysterious disappearance,

    The half human/half yokai hero Kitaro (Eiji Wentz) is annoyed by his friends Ratman (Yo Oizumi), Kaede Hiramoto (Kie Kitano), and Cat-girl (Lena Tanaka). Photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. © 2008 Kitaro Film Partners

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    Press Notes and Photos from Shochiku for the Sequel to the 2007 Hit KITARO Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd. Official Movie Site: GeGeGe Special Thanks to Aki Harimoto and JM Shop SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a recent movie. A mystery of missing women, triggered by by a forbidden romance between a man and a yokai, concealed in a cursed song... Introduction Shigeru Mizuki`s ever-popular manga series GeGeGe no Kitaro was first adapted into a big-budget live action fantasy movie in the spring of 2007. KITARO was a smash hit in Japan, reaching 2.3 billion yen ($25 million US) at the box office. Last year, the main cast and crew reunited for the sequel KITARO AND THE MILLENNIUM CURSE (Gegege no Kitaro Sennen Noroi Uta)... but this time the story was aimed not only at children, but for older

    Poster art for 252: SIGNAL OF LIFE, the new Japanese disaster movie. Photo courtesy of NTV. ©2008 ”252” Film Partners

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    A Behind the Scenes Look at the Japan`s Newest and Biggest Disaster Movie Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network) Official Movie Site: 252 Special Thanks to Asuka Kimura and Tzeling Huang 252... The signal only known to the Hyper Rescue Squad It`s the Signal that Brings Hope It`s the Code that means... "There are Survivors" The largest mega-typhoon ever in history strikes Japan and destroys Tokyo!! 252: SIGNAL OF LIFE (252: Seizonsha Ari), the biggest disaster drama ever to strike the screens of Japan, will move everyone to tears. It`s a drama of extreme conditions, told from both sides of the rescue operation in the aftermath of a disaster; the survivors trapped in the collapsed subway station and the rescuers attempting to save them against the devastating force of nature. This spectacular catastrophe was shown for the first time at Cannes Film Market and attracted international attention.

    Promotional art for the new Shochiku fantasy film KAMOGAWA HORUMO ? BATTLE LEAGUE IN KYOTO. © 2009 Kamogawa Horumo Film Partners

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    New Titles to Premiere at European Film Market in Berlin Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd. Special Thanks to Junko Kawaguchi The Japanese studio Shochiku Co., Ltd. has announced their key movie and anime titles for 2009. The fantasy film KAMOGAWA HORUMO ? BATTLE LEAGUE IN KYOTO and the animated feature MAI MAI MIRACLE were both recently completed and will premiere with screenings at the European Film Market in Berlin. The 2009 EFM runs from February 4-15. The studio`s summer and holiday schedule will include the big budget ninja movie KAMUI and OTOUTO, the latest film from director Yoji Yamada. This spring will see the animated TV series SENGOKU BASARA?SAMURAI KINGS, based on the Capcom video game. Shochiku will also screen their acclaimed 2008 drama DEPARTURES (Okuribito) at the European Film Market. The emotionally moving tale about a failed cellist who becomes an "Encoffineer" (a person who handles

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