Old news

From June 2003.


6/30/03 Animenation made an update saying: "Gainax has announced that "Neon Genesis Evangelion: Ayanami Ikusai Keikaku with Asuka Hokan Keikaku" will be released for the Japanese Playstation 2 on September 11th. The game is a port of the PC and Dreamcast life-simulation game in which the player becomes either Rei Ayanami or Asuka Langely's surrogate parent and manages Rei or Asuka's daily schedule and growth." However, I'm sure I updated something about this months ago.

Bandai Entertainment's Jerry Chu reportedly stated that all rumors of Mobile Suit Z Gundam coming to America this year are false. The series will make it to American release sometime next year.

Superior Defender will not be referred to as a Gundam series, although it's actually a new SD Gundam show. It will be created with English dialogue and aired in America on the Cartoon Network's Toonami program possibly as early as this September.

According to Animation Insider, the 6 episode FLCL OAV series will premiere on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim at midnight on premiere on August 4th. As with most Cartoon Network serial programming, FLCL will be broadcast, in its entirety, multiple times in the coming months.

Viz has acquired both the anime and manga forms of Hikaru no Go, according to the American Go Association's June 30th E-Journal.


6/29/03 The following are being released Tuesday on Region 1 DVD: Angel Links Collectors Set, Corrector Yui Vol. 1, El Hazard: The Alternative World Box Set, El Hazard: The Wanderers Box Set, Maison Ikkoku Box Set 1, Medabots Vol. 10, NieA_7 Box Set, Sol Bianca: The Legacy Box Set, and Zone of the Enders Vol. 5: Only the Strong Survive.

The following soundtracks will be released on Tuesday: Chobits : Chobits Original Soundtrack, Hellsing : Hellsing Original Soundtrack, Lain : Serial Experiments Lain Original Soundtrack, Lost Universe Original Soundtrack, Nadesico The Movie: Prince of Darkness, Patlabor the Movie 3: WXIII Original Soundtrack, Slayers: The Motion Picture Soundtrack, Yoko Ishida : Yoko Ishida, and Yuki Kajiura : Yuki Kajiura.

Just a little reminder that Lost Universe begins on Monday at 11pm on the International Channel.


6/28/03 I picked up the July issue of Newstype USA today, I had to check it out because of the inside Gainax article and the "first look" at the Eva live action movie. It's the same pictures as the Japanese release, but this time I was able to read it. Nothing really new is talked about but it has a quote from Anno verifying that he at least knows what's going on and that it IS a recreation of the TV series. Anno says, "I suggested that the creators let their imaginations roam, unconstrained by the framework of th eexisting anime. There are some very surprising ideas in the new design plans-things I'd never even thought of before. I was amazed to encounter such different ways of thinking about the project. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the re-creation of the title." So, definitely no Anno in this, but at least they're keeping him informed.

6/27/03 Anime News Service has published the first detailed photos of the new Japanese exclusive Renewal of Evangelion DVD boxed set.

As of July 1st, the Anime Network will be available to iO: Interactive Optimum digital cable subscribers in the metropolitan New York City area for a $6.95 per month charge.

Comics One has announced that the original Japanese Onegai Teacher novel will be translated and released for English speaking readers this October.

DVD Vision Japan has published an exclusive interview with Rhona Medina, Product Development Manager at Urban Vision.

Production IG has put up 2 pages of screenshots from their upcoming OAV Dead Leaves.


6/26/03 Kodansha has scheduled the first collected volume of CLAMP's latest manga, "Tsubasa -RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE-," for release in August, with a special edition being released on August 9.

Signs suggest that AN Entertainment has licensed Miami Guns, a thirteen episode police comedy.


6/25/03 A full theatrical trailer for the upcoming movie Dragonhead, a live-action adaptation of manga by Minetaro Mochizuki, is now available from the official site in streaming QuickTime format.

The official homepage for the Kimi ga Nozomu Eien anime TV series is now open. The series, based on a popular adult PC game, will air 14 TV episodes beginning in October.

Toriyama's World, a manga fan-translation website, announced today that they have been contacted by a company holding the North American rights to the Hikaru no Go manga.

The Montreal Fantasia film festival, which has traditionally shown world premieres of several ground breaking Anime including Jin-Roh, Blood and Perfect Blue, will be screening FLCL and Sakura Wars the Movie this year.

Upcoming anime broadcasts in Japan: This year's Lupin the 3rd TV movie, "Lupin the Third: Otakara Henkyaku Dai-sakusen" ("Mission to Return the Treasure") is scheduled to air on August 1st. The Divergence Eve anime TV series will premier on July 2nd. The D.C. ~Da Capo~ anime TV series will premier on July 5th. The Narutaru anime TV series will begin its regular weekly broadcast on late night Japanese television on July 7th. The Green Green anime TV series will premier on July 12th. The Po-Po-Tan anime TV series, based on a popular adult PC game, will start on July 17th. The Ikki Tousen anime TV series will begin on July 30th. The Onegai Twins anime TV series and Happy Lesson Advance TV series are also scheduled to premier on Japanese television sometime next month. TBS has officially confirmed in the current issue of Newtype Japan (page 172) that a Tsukihime anime TV series, based on the popular "doujin" PC game, is currently in development.


6/24/03 The live action Evangelion movie is budgeted at $100 million and will be filmed in New Zealand with an international cast. It will be a re-telling of the TV series story.

AD Vision has announced that its planned Go Nagai Collector's Set DVD boxed set has been delayed indefinitely.

FLCL will air on American television before the end of the year. Indications point toward a broadcast on the Cartoon Network.

FUNimation again confirmed that there are no plans in Japan for any new Dragonball animation.

Pioneer confirmed that there are presently no plans in Japan for any new Trigun animation.

Consumers interested in supporting an official English subtitled DVD release of Legend of the Galactic Heroes are encouraged to fill out the form available here.

A new website is up for Full Metal Panic.



6/23/03 Yahoo Japan has announced that a live action Cutey Honey movie will begin filming next month for Japanese release next year. The film will star Japanese fashion model Eriko Satoh. According to Yahoo Japan, Hideaki Anno will direct the film. According to the Yomiuri Newspaper, Anno's co-worker Kazuya Tsurumaki will direct the film.

The August issue of Dengeki Daioh Magazine includes the official announcement that Yu Aida's Gunslinger Girl manga is to be adapted into anime.

Random House Publishing has announced plans to begin releasing translated manga through its Del Rey Books line early next year. Del Rey will partner with Japanese publisher Kodansha and have the first licensing option on many popular Kodansha manga titles.


6/22/03 This Tuesday the following will be released on Region 1 DVD: Ai Yori Aoshi Vol. 3: Hugs and Kisses, Bible Black Vol. 3, Countdown Conjoined!, Cowboy Bebop Movie: Knocking On Heaven's Door, Devil Lady Vol. 5: The Purging, Gatekeepers 21 Vol. 2, Gun Frontier Vol. 2: Midnight Samurai, His and Her Circumstances Vol. 4, If I See You in My Dreams TV, Inu Yasha Vol. 7, KO Beast Vol. 1: Password to Treaure!, Mazinkaiser Vol. 2, Mirage of Blaze Vol. 1, Mirage of Blaze Vol. 1 W/Box, New Angel Vol. 2, Noir Vol. 4, Pokemon: Crash of the Dairy, Pokemon: Journey to the Johto League Champion Vol. 3, Samurai Deeper Kyo Vol. 1, Samurai Deeper Kyo Vol. 1 W/Box, Virus Vol. 3, and Y’s II: Castle in the Heavens.

Through the Tokypop website various acquisitions can be found, some new ones are the manga for Fruits Basket, Love Won't Stop (being called A.I. Love You), Psychic Academy, Ai Yori Aoshi: True Blue Love, Get Backers, Cyborg 009, Saiyuki and Pitaten.


6/21/03 At Fanime Bandai has announced their acquisition of Dragon Drive and Tenshi no Shippo.

ADV Films has acquired Wedding Peach and all three parts of MegaZone 23.


6/20/03 I put up a Pen Thought in the Pen Penny section and moved one to Previous Pennys.

The upcoming (July) issue of Newtype USA will feature a first look at the upcoming Live-Action Neon Genesis Evangelion feature film, as part of its "Inside Gainax" cover story.

The Mahoromatic Natsu no TV Special will air in Japan on BS-i at 1 AM on August 15th.

The first of two Little Snow Fairy Sugar Special episodes will air on BS-i at 1 AM on August 22nd. The second half of the special will air at 1 AM on the 29th.

Decipher, Inc. has announced its development of an American created trading card game titled ".hack//ENEMY," based on the popular Japanese multi-media project, with an expected release in September.

Manga Entertainment's official page for the upcoming English language release of Kai Doh Maru now features an English dubbed QuickTime trailer for the film.

Tokyopop has updated its website with two new American manga, World of Hartz by Terrence Walker and @Large by Laurence Ahmed Hoke.

Kazumi Kawashiro, president of Bandai Visual, announced today that the release of Steam Boy is to be delayed and released sometime 'next year.'



6/18/03 Pioneer has confirmed that Cardcaptor Sakura: The Sealed Card has been licensed with an expected release date of November 18th.

ShoPro Entertainment has added Croket to their website, which means they have liscensed it.

Pioneer has announced these titles, all of which are released on 11/05/2003: L/R Original Soundtrack, Someday's Dreamers Original Soundtrack, and X TV Soundtrack 2.

Bandai's handheld WonderSwan Crystal game system will get "Saint Seiya: Legend of Gold Perfect Edition" on July 31st. The game is a remake of the two St. Seiya Legend of Gold RPGs released for the Famicom in 1988.

Lupin the 3rd: Umi Nor Kieta Hihou (Lupin the 3rd: Lost Treasure of the Sea) will be released for the Japanese GameCube on July 31st. The game will be an interactive anime movie featuring 500 anime clips and over 15,000 frames of animation



6/17/03 Gainax has announced on their Evangelion webpage that, following the recent announcement of the live action Evangelion movie, Gainax will be making another big announcement in the later summer. They unfortunately aren't giving any clues as to what sort of announcement.

Gainax also announced that a new Manga based on the second Koutetsu no Girlfriend (Iron Maiden) Evangelion game will be serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Asuka. The game was released last month, and the manga will begin serialization in the October issue of Monthly Asuka, due out on August 24th.

CPM has officially placed the Heroic Legend of Arslan DVD on moratorium, meaning that the DVD is now out of print and the copies available in retail stores now are among the last available copies.

Manga Entertainment has confirmed that the Ninja Scroll 10th Anniversary DVD, originally scheduled for release on the 24th, has been delayed until September 30th.

Central Park Media has officially announced that 2 different versions of the Cat Soup (Nekojiru-so) DVD will be released on September 9th. The DVD will include the OAV with optional subtitles for on-screen text (since the film has no spoken dialogue), a subtitled director commentary track, a subtitled interview with director Tatsuo Sato, a trailer, and an art gallery. It will be in standard and Liquid Art. The "Liquid Art" Package, an innovative packaging concept that has never been done before for a DVD release, and is so different that CPM will not give any sneak peeks.


6/16/03 I moved the rest of May updates to Old News.

According to an official Cartoon Network representative, the premier of Blue Gender has been moved up to August 4th at 12:30 AM while the first new Inuyasha episode has been delayed until midnight August 25th.

FUNimation has created series specific sites for Kiddy Grade and Tenchi Muyo GXP. They also made a page on their site for Sakura Wars.

AnimeTrax announced Giant Robo Original Soundtrack 2 and Princess Nine Original Soundtrack 2 will be released on 09/30/2003.

Bandai Entertainment has moved the DVD release of Please Teacher Vol. 2 and .hack//SIGN Vol. 3 LE w/CD back one week from July 1st to July 8th. Infinite Ryvius Vol. 1 regular and limited edition have been moved to October 21st.

Animate.TV has announced the upcoming web-cast of Vie Durant. Distribution will begin on July 15th

According to the July issue of Animage, a new series called Rumiko Takahashi Theater will begin airing on TV Tokyo on July 5th.



6/13/03 An official representative of the Cartoon Network has reportedly confirmed on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim Forum that new episodes of Inuyasha have been scheduled to begin airing on Monday, August 4th.

Blue Gender has been announced as beginning on Adult Swim on August 25th.

ICv2 News has confirmed that the "Rave Master" (Groove Adventure Rave) anime TV series from 2001 will be translated by TOKYOPOP and broadcast as part of the Cartoon Network's Toonami programing next year.

Cartoon Network is advertising that Lupin the 3rd is returning to Adult Swim in the 1:30 time slot where Cowboy Bebop has been airing. CN's online schedule confirms this. Cowboy Bebop is not currently scheduled for air time. Trigun is also being dropped from the schedule to be replaced by Reign.


6/12/03 TOKYOPOP has announced plans to release Card Captor Sakura manga volumes 1-3 in "unflipped" Japanese right-to-left format in a single 3 book boxed set later this year. Manga volumes 4-6 will also be reprinted in Japanese right-to-left format at a later date.

Beginning in next month's issue of Animerica Extra magazine, translated chapters of the Fushigi Yuugi, Short Program 2, Utena and Banana Fish manga serials will be published in Japanese format right-to-left. Video Girl Ai and Steam Detectives will remain published in American format left-to-right.

According to The Right Stuf, the Angel Links DVD Collection release has been delayed from June 3rd to July 1st, and the release of the limited edition and disc only version Infinite Ryvius DVD 1 has been rescheduled for October 21st.



6/11/03 According to the Hollywood Reporter, producer Don Murphy and writer/producer Tom DeSanto have partnered to develop a feature-length, live-action Transformers movie. Presently the production is still in the planning stages with no studio support, so only time will tell if the project will move forward into actual production.

Final Fantasy X-2 for the Playstation 2 and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube will both be released in America on November 8th.

Dark Horse has officially announced that its upcoming translations of the Ring, Berserk, Hellsing and Trigun manga will be published in Japanese right-to-left format. This will be a first for Dark Horse Comics.

Tokyopop's Rave Master will debut on Toonami in the second half of 2004, according to an upcoming episode of Galaxy Anime. Also headed for the popular action block in 2004 is a new Transformer series, entitled Transformers Energon.

Dragon Ball Z is headed to the Game Boy Advance in the form of Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu. This fighting game stars the long running series' most popular characters

IFC Canada will run several anime titles this weekend. On Saturday, Kite, Princess Mononoke and Shinesman will play. Sunday will see Princess Rouge, Tokyo Vice, Ninja Cadets and Sailor Victory.

DIC Entertainment's Knights of the Zodiac heads into the U.S. on August 30 as a result of a deal between DIC and Cartoon Network and will run on the Saturday evening Action block.


6/10/03 I received another e-mail giving the code for buttons and such for the new link site. However, I tested it and the image didn't seem to work. I also put the link in Links.

AnimeNation fixed the link problem to the Cowboy Bebop videos, which can be found here.

The Official Homepage of Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi movie now hosts a teaser trailer.

Originally announced for release on May 13th, AD Vision has now scheduled the first Mazinkaiser DVD for release on August 26th.

Planet Anime has turned 9 and is now hosting anniversary sales.

Bandai Entertainment has announced that the upcoming limited edition Infinite Ryvius DVD will include an exclusive Ryvius Plushy amongst other extras.

A trailer for the Sakura Wars movie is available at the official website.


6/9/03 I received an e-mail from a Mr. "rye bread" informing me of a new anime 100 website list. So I joined, and currently, I'm number 2... of 2. The site doesn't have a page up to put a button on my page, so until then, it will remain in limbo, so to speak.

Animenation has an exclusive brief subtitled video clip of Japanese voice actor Yamadera Kouichi discussing his interpretation of Cowboy Bebop's Spike Speigel. Also available is the entire monorail shoot-out sequence presented with side-by-side storyboard to film comparison. However, they did not put up the link correctly and it cannot be accessed without it.

MetroCon, the Tampa Bay area's first exclusive anime convention, has announced that English-language voice actors Christopher Patton (Ayato Kamina), Monica Rial (Haruka Shitow) and Vic Mignogna (Mamoru Torigai) will present an exclusive "live commentary track" during the screening of RahXephon to be held on Saturday, July 19 at 1 p.m.

Here is a link to a Interstella 555 trailer.

The official Japanese site of Boku no Son Goku, now hosts a trailer for the upcoming adaptation.

Here is a link to a Battle Royale II trailer at AICN.



6/8/03 Here is a page from the current Japanese issue of Newtype. It is a designer of Weta Workshop, which is working in conjunction with ADV to make the Evangelion live-action feature.

The following are coming out Tuesday on Region 1 DVD: DNA2 Vol. 3: Mutation, F-Force, Full Metal Panic Vol. 1 (also w/box), Gatekeepers 21 Vol. 2, Hades Project Zeorymer Vol. 1: Separation, Hyper Police Vol. 6, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Vol. 1, Machine Robo Vol. 1, Master Keaton Vol. 1: Excavation, Project Arms Vol. 5, Ranma Forever Vol. 7, Saiyuki Vol. 2, Sugar Vol. 2, Trouble Chocolate Vol. 5, Voices of a Distant Star, and Wild Arms Vol. 4.

New episodes of Rurouni Kenshin will be airing on Toonami beginning tomorrow.


6/7/03 The July issue of Young You magazine has a statement from Naoko Takeuchi, the original creator of Sailor Moon, officially announcing the new Sailor Moon TV series that will air on Japanese TV this fall.

6/6/03 Hirameki International has opened its official site for AnimePlay Magazine, the latest English language anime magazine, and the first anime magazine to include most of its content on a DVD disc. The first issue of AnimePlay will go on sale on the 17th.

KyleHebert.com will host an online chat session with AD Vision voice actor Greg Ayres, Son Goku in Saiyuki, tomorrow evening at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific time.



6/5/03 The International Channel has tentatively scheduled Lost Universe to start on June 30 at 11 pm Eastern time, after Soul Hunter ends.

The first episode of Risky Safety is available to download here. It requires Quicktime Player to view it.

Broccoli has announced that the first home video volume of Di-Gi-Charat Nyo (the current Di-Gi-Charat TV series) will be released in Japan on July 25 in three different versions: VHS, DVD, and Limited Edition DVD.


6/4/03 A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined yesterday that video games are a First Amendment protected form of free speech and overturned a three year old St. Louis County law limiting children's access to violent video games.

TOKYOPOP has announced that they will be publishing three new books based on Stray Sheep. Stray Sheep is a series of Anime shorts that debuted on Japanese TV in 1994, TOKYOPOP has the rights to the Stray Sheep Anime, but has yet to release it.

Bandai will release a new Inu Yasha game for the PS2 by the end of the year in Japan. A follow-up to the action/fighting InuYasha game on the PS1 entitled, InuYasha: Sengoku Otogi Kassen. The game was also released here in North America dubbed as, InuYasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale.



6/3/03 Tohokushinsha Film Corporation has officially announced that the winner of last year's Anime Plan Grand Prix, a competition open to Japanese anime fans to submit an idea for an anime series, will be adapted into a 2-3 part anime series by Production IG. Mamoru Oshii will personally direct the anime adaptation of "Fuujin Monogatari ~ Windy Tale" for Japanese television and DVD release next spring.

Bandai Entertainment has launched a new Scryed website at www.scryedanime.com. The flash website features information about the Anime, characters, a picture gallery, downloads and more.



6/2/03 4Kids Entertainment, in association with Nintendo, has announced the GBA-TV technology which will debut at the consumer level later this year. The new technology will allow the Gameboy Advance to play video. A single cartridge will include 2 episodes of shows including Pokemon, Kirby and Yu-Gi-Oh, along with full pause, play, forward, reverse and chapter search functionality. Each GBA-TV cartridge is expected to retail for under $20.

The third Zoids anime TV series, presumably the series comissioned by Hasbro and announced last February, will be titled "Zoids Fuzor."

Little Snow Fairy Sugar will have an hour long TV special (two 30 minute back-to-back episodes) broadcast on Japanese television later this summer.

Raimuiro Senkitan will be getting a 3 episode OAV series.

According to the Onegai Twins homepage, Kazami Mizuho and Morino Ichigo will appear in the Onegai Twins TV series premiering on July 15th.

The fifth and final episode of the full digital fan produced anime URDA, is now available on its official Japanese homepage.

Tampa Bay Area's first exclusive anime convention. Metrocon, will be held on July 18-20 at the Sabal Park Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Dark Horse announced at the Book Expo America this past weekend that it has acquired the manga rights for both Trigun and Hellsing. Reportedly, Trigun will be released starting in November and Hellsing starting in December.

Kikaider will premiere on Adult Swim next Monay night at midnight.

Central Park Media will be releasing the Patlabor OAVs in a double DVD box with commentary for all episodes.

Bandai has licensed Yukikaze, one of Gonzo's 10th anniversary series. Bandai has also confirmed that they have Love Hina Again, it should be out in September.



6/1/03 I put most of May news in Old News.

The following will come out on Region 1 DVD this Tuesday: Animatrix, Argentosoma Vol. 3, Blue Submarine No. 6 Special Edition, City Hunter: Bay City Wars & Million Dollar Conspiracy, Dragon Ball Z Box Set 8: Babidi Box Set, Dragon Ball: King Piccolo Box Set 2, Eden's Bowy Vol. 1, Inu Yasha Vol. 6, Ronin Warriors OVA Vol. 2, Rune Soldier Vol. 2: Adventures for Dummies, and Spectral Force.

The following soundtracks are being released on Tuesday: All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku Soundphase 4 and Super Atragon: Metal Pulse Music Edition.

According to a listing at Amazon, Viz will be releasing the Please Save My Earth manga series starting this November.

Home