Logo handmade by Bannister Column by Scott Green

Because the column hasn't really aggregated news in a while...

New Media Blasters License

Media Blasters announced that it will be releasing Kujibiki Unbalance, the parody series that was watched within geek comedy Genshiken (along with the new Genshiken OVA series released with Kujibiki Unbalance on DVD). The company also picked up the Ikko Tousen: Dragon Destiny series. The original Ikki Tousen fighting series was released by Geneon. The new Kite Liberator OVA as co=produced by the company, who will be releasing the title in North America. Former ADV release Golden Boy and CPM title Angel Sanctuary will be re-released by the Media Blaster.

Studio 4°C's Next Geniuses

Anime News Network notes that Studio 4°C (Mind Game, Animatrix, Tekkonkinkreet) has announced the winners of its Next Genius animated short film competition on its MySpace here. The winning entries, that will be added to the Genius Party events and DVD extras include "O-hanashi no Hana: Bloomed Words" by Amica Kubo "Apartment!" by Kiyoshi Aoki "Mimi Carina" by Helole Cedric "The Naked Ape" by Daishichi Hashimoto "Kanashii Asagohan: The Last Breakfast" by Akiko Ichise "XOI" by Victor Courtright "Denshin-bashira no O-kaasan" ("Telephone Pole Mother") by Yusuke Sakamoto All entries are viewable at Genius Party's MySpace page here.

Game News

Gamespot reports that Namco Bandai showcased a teaser trailer for their Afro Samurai game at its 2007 Editors' Day event. According to a spokesperson, the game, which appears to be a third-person action game, will push the boundaries of it "M-rating". The popular Haruhi Suzamiya will be adapted into a Playstation 2 fantasy adventure game, called Ultra Hero Haruhi and scheduled for January 2007 and a PSP game. The recent Lucky Star will also be adapted into a Playstation 2 game. Viz and Sega have announced that Bleach will be announced into a Wii game (Bleach: Shattered Blade) and a Nintendo DS game (Bleach: The Blade of Fate). Both are scheduled for release in early 2007.

DC Invests in Flex Comix

DC Comics announced today an investment in Flex Comix, a newly established manga production and publishing company in Japan. Flex Comix is comprised of a diverse consortium of investors including DC Comics, SOFTBANK TECHNOLOGY, Archetype Technologies, MOVIDA ENTERTAINMENT and T&M. Flex Comix will create original manga titles that will be distributed digitally across the web and on mobile phones with subsequent print editions available through traditional book trade outlets throughout Japan. The agreement will position DC Comics as the worldwide English language print and digital publisher of titles created by Flex Comix. In March 2007, DC established DC Comics Japan, Ltd. to invest into and manage its interest in Flex Comix. This marks the first time an English-language publisher has made a significant investment in an overseas manga company. The move will complement DC's existing manga imprint, CMX. The company is also launching the Zudacomics.com webcomics site.

Upcoming ADV Releases

8/14 AIR TV (1 of 4)

Best Student Council: Special Talents - Crazy Times (5 of 6)

Kurau Phantom Memory: The Binary Complex (3 of 6)

Paniponi Dash!: Delinquent Genius (5 of 6)

8/21 009-1: Volume 2 (of 3)

Innocent Venus: Cruel World Order (1 of 3)

Le Chevalier D’Eon: Ancien Régime (4 of 6)

8/28 Utawarerumono: The Beast Within (5 of 6)

9/4 Kaleido Star: New Wings True Star Collection ($59.98)

UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie 4: Banquet Of Time, Dreams & Galaxies

9/11 Ah! My Goddess: Flights Of Fancy (3 of 6)

Best Student Council-Don't Go! Hello (6 of 6)

Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor (6 of 7)

Xenosaga: Enter the Gnosis (1 of 3)

Dark Water/Princess Blade Double Pack (live action, $19.98)

AIR TV From famed production studio Kyoto Animation (Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid, Inuyasha) and Director Tatsuya Ishihara (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Kanon) Synopsis: Yukito is a traveling performer - a wanderer. He survives with only the clothes on his back, a puppet, and a story from his mother -- the story of “The Girl in the Sky.” He doesn’t know who or where she is; only that he must find her. On the verge of starvation, he is befriended by a young misfit named Misuzu, whose eccentricities serve to hide a troubled home life. Misuzu offers Yukito a place to stay, and in return he listens to her dreams -- dreams in which she lives in the sky. To make ends meet, Yukito takes odd jobs from the local doctor, where he meets Kano - another girl with an odd fascination with the sky. As his search moves forward, Yukito finds that the possibilities are as numerous as the pitfalls. Will he find the girl in the sky? Does she even exist? The answers change with the breeze. The questions are up in the Air. Innocent Venus Hailing from famed production studio Bandai Visual (Mobile Suit Gundam, Cowboy Bebop) and directed by Jun Kawagoe (New Getter Robo), Innocent Venus is anything but your run-of-the-mill mecha story. Synopsis: A mass of violent storms ravages the planet, and over 60 percent of the world’s population is wiped out in an instant. What remains of life on Earth is a broken and barren existence. But in Japan, there is an exception. Here, the wealthy rule. They own the war machines, they suppress the masses, and they have a very dark secret. Caught in the middle of this conspiracy is an innocent child, a girl, codenamed Venus. The military has her in their crosshairs, but the rebels are determined to protect her. What is her purpose? What are her powers? Can she offer new hope for a world so drastically changed? Innocent Venus is a compelling adventure painted with stunning images that are horrifying and beautiful at the same time. The world as you know it is about to change… for better or worse. 009-1 Volume two of 009-1 will be available in a custom series embossed tin attaché case. The case will contain the second volume of 009-1 and is sized to carry and collect the entire three volume series.

Xenosaga Synopsis: Over 4,000 years after abandoning the Earth, humanity is in peril. Under attack by a merciless enemy from another dimension, the crew of the spaceship Woglinde is fighting not only to save their own lives, but also to defend a mysterious monolith with unknown powers. It is called the Zohar, and the evil Gnosis will stop at nothing to get it. Enter KOS-MOS, a robotic black-box weapon as dangerous and misunderstood as she is beautiful. Designed to protect humankind, she could very well be the downfall of her creators – or she may be their only hope. From the wildly popular video game series, it’s Xenosaga the Animation. If you’re into mystery, intrigue and out-of-this-world action, it’s GAME ON!

New York Anime Festival News

The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) announced that anime legends Peter Fernandez and Corinne Orr will participate in the inaugural New York Anime Festival as its first Guests of Honor. Mr. Fernandez and Ms. Orr have lent their talents to hundreds of projects including Castle in the Sky, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Kaidohmaru; however, both are most known for their roles as Speed and Trixie in the iconic classic Speed Racer. The New York Anime Festival will host the North American Premiere of the anime film CATBLUE Dynamite. CATBLUE Dynamite, set in the 1970s, is the story of a girl named Blue who gets mixed up with the mob over a missing Frank Sinatra album. But while going up against an army of hitmen might make a normal woman shake, Blue's anything but normal. Blue has all the agility and finesse (and ears and a tail) of a cat, and when her reflexes alone aren't enough, she can also count on an undead sidekick. Sinatra, catgirls, and ghosts are just the start of the psychedelic motion picture that is CATBLUE Dynamite. CATBLUE Dynamite is the latest work from Romanov Higa, Director of URDA and TANK SWAT 01 and Action Director of the Hellsing Ultimate series. As noted, the premiere of the film will be a highlight of the New York Anime Festival which takes place December 7 - 9 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. The exact time and location of the premiere will be announced in the near future. The North American premiere of CATBLUE Dynamite is presented by Wedge Holdings, the producer of the animation and an Official Sponsor of the New York Anime Festival. An updated site for the event is online here.

Upcoming Geneon Releases

9/11 Kyo Kara Maoh, Season 2 volume 6 Shonen Onmyouji volume 2 9/18 Black Lagoon volume 3 Karin-Thicker Than Blood (volume 3) The Law of Ueki-The Cold Survival Game (volume 9) 9/25 El-Hazard 2 OVA ($14.98) Ergo Proxy - DEUS EX MACHINA (volume 6) Kamichu! Complete Box Collection ($79.98) 10/2 When They Cry volume 3 10/9/07 Fate/ Stay Night The Holy Grail (volume 6) Dog Warriors - The Hakkenden volume 3 ($14.98) Kyo Kara Maoh! Season 1, Complete Set ($139.98) Tenjho Tenge Complete Multi-case Collection ($99.98) 10/16/07 Zipang Return to the Future (volume 7) 10/23 Rozen Maiden Traumend - Puppet Show (volume 1) 12/18 Rozen Maiden Traumend - Revival (volume 2) 1/8/08 Shonen Onmyouji 4 Geneon will also be distributing the following Bandai Visual Releases 9/11 Royal Space Force-The Wings of Honneamise - Blu-ray & DVD combo pk ($79.99) Royal Space Force-The Wings of Honneamise - HD-DVD & DVD combo pk ($79.99) 10/9 Galaxy Angel Rune (volume 3) $49.99

New and Upcoming in Japan

Twitch's Logboy points out that a site has been launched for the Japanese release of the Afro Samurai anime. A trailer of Ghibli's Iblard adaptation can be seen here. Anime studio Gonzo's ad work for Panasonic can be seen here Previews of BONES' samurai movie Stranger ~ Mukoh Hadan are online on the feature's site. Madhouse's Shigurui has a trailer here. A second Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, following up on the popular geek comedy, has been confirmed. A site for the new OVA Strait Jacket, to be released in North America by Manga Entertainment, has gone online. Fullmetal Alchemist creator Hiromu Arakawa's Jyushin Enbu will be adapted into an anime series. A finale Code Geass, referred to as Lelouch of the Rebellion will air on Japanese TV on July 28th. A follow-up is only is the works. Via Gunota, the official site for Mobile Suit Gundam 00, the next Gundam series, directed by Fullmetal Alchemist's Seiji Mizushima. For more information, see here A new St. Seiya: Meiou Hades Elysion Hen will continue the classic fighting anime. Anime News Newtork translates Mamuro Oshii's comments on his upcoming Sky Crawlers here. A follow-up to Oshii's Tachiguishi Retsuden, entitled Shin Onna Tachiguishi Retsuden (True Female Tachigui: The Amazing Lives of the Fast Food Grifters) will be released in Japanese this November. Blue Drop, the latest manga from Akihito Yoshitomi of Eatman and Ray, both of which were released in North America, is scheduled to air as anime this fall. Masahiko Ohkura with direct the BeSTACK anime series. The Kodomo no Jikan manga, which was almost released in North America as Nymphet before it teacher/pre-teen sexual suggestiveness lead to its preemptive cancelation, will be adapted into a one episode OVA. The DVD, packaged with a limited edition of volume four of the manga, will be released in Japan on September 12th. Shonen Jump's Yusei Matsui manga Majin Tantei Nogami Neuro will be adapted into an anime. Light novel series Kure-nai will be adapted into anime and manga series. Shouji Kawamori mecha series Sousei no AquarionM.s< will be recied two movie follow-ups starting in September. A site has gone online for Tensai? Dr. Hamax Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell) has been talking about a host of new projects. A site has gone online for the OVA Tokyo Marble Chocolate. The Shioya Naoyoshi directed Tanigawa Fumiko manga adaptation is scheduled for a Japanese DVD release in December. A three episode OVA, Production I.G produced, anime based on CLAMP's Tsubasa world travelling fantast manga, entitled Tsubasa -Reservoir Chronicle- Tokyo Revelations, will be released starting on November 16. The Tsubasa anime TV series is being released in North America by FUNimation. A trailer of Production I.G's Masamune Shirow (creator of Ghost in the Shell) collaboration Ghost Hount is online here. A sequel to Sisters of Wellber is also be produced by Production I.G. In more buisness related new, Production I.G will merge with manga publisher Mag Garden, to be completed by December. A trailer for Skygirls is online here Previews of violent horror anime Higurashi's new season Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai can be seen here, here and here According to ComiPress, Supreme Quality Manga Magazine, the replacement for Monthly Shonen Jump for feature the following creators Nobuhiro Watsuki Hajime Kazu Fujiko Fujio (A) Norihiro Yagi (Claymore) Hiroyuki Asada (Tegami Bachi, also known as Letter Bee) Kousuke Masuda (Gag Manga Biyori) Masanori Katakura (A new manga, Kurohime will be serialized on Jump SQ's website) Akihisa Ikeda (Rosario + Vampire) Hiroyuki Kaidou Katayama Kentaro X Yamamoto Yamato Masanori Morita X Takeshi Obata The site for the live action version of wizard in school action/comedy/drama Mahou Sensei Negima (the manga is released in North America by Del Rey and the anime is from FUNimation) is online here. A DVD includes preview episodes of The Third, Suzuka and Girl’s High.

Glass Rabbit In Canada

Anime News Network notes that Vancouver's Pacific Cinematheque film society is screening World War II autobiography Garasu no Usagi (The Glass Rabbit).

July NewType USA

The July 2007 issues of Newtype USA features a covery story on the very-popular-among-anime-fans Haruhi Suzumiya, which includes a interview with director Tatsuya Ishihara. English Language Voice Vast According to Anime News Network, the following FUNimation releases have been casted for their English language audio tracks: School Rumble: Tenma - Luci Christian Harima - Brandon Potter Karasuma - Eric Vale Mikoto - Brina Palencia Eri - Leah Clark Yakumo - Caitlin Glass Akira - Trina Nishimura One Piece: Luffy: Colleen Clinkenbeard Nami: Luci Christian Zorro: Chris Sabat Usopp: Sonny Strait Sanji: Eric Vale Chopper: Brina Palencia Robin: Stephanie Young

New Dark Horse Solicitations

Blade Of The Immortal #130: Badger Hole part 3 (of 4) Hiroaki Samura On sale Oct. 10 Features a full-color pinup by rising star Joshua Boulet

Mpd-Psycho Volume 3 Eiji Otsuka (W) And Sho-U Tajima (A) On sale Dec. 05 b&w, 184 pages $10.95 The uncensored, uncut MPD-Psycho manga series continues, with another volume of creative crimes, slippery criminals, and an enormous, disturbing puzzle that’s slowly unraveling with each inventive atrocity. The Isono Criminal Research Lab trusts that Kazuhiko Amamiya, their maverick multiple personality detective, can crack any murder case—as long as he can keep all of his other personalities in check. His latest mystery involves a serial killer who uses body doubles and is actually famous for his macabre murder scenes and attempts at dark humor. More clues on the Gakuso Group emerge, and their top “company man”—the white-haired, maniacal Zenitsu—just can’t stay out of the Isono Lab’s business. Toguchi, the tough, one-eyed video journalist, now feels that he deserves a worldwide spotlight . . . and he’s on the verge of making a deal with a laughing devil!

Oh My Goddess! Volume 28 Kosuke Fujishima On sale Dec. 12 b&w, 160 pages $10.95 Ever since a cosmic phone call led to five literal young goddesses Belldandy, Urd, Skuld—and, like occasional vowels, Peorth and Lind—to live in college student Keiichi’s residence, his personal life has been turned upside down, sideways, and sometimes even into strange dimensions! After the drama of the familiar, we return to the comedy of the even more familiar, as Oh My Goddess! goes back to school—Nekomi Tech, that is, only to find the campus festival tradition has lost none of its lunacy. Tamiya and Otaki are bringing all their idol graces to the stage in a karaoke contest, with a special surprise entrant from way back . . . versus the indescribable voice of Belldandy! Plus your fan art and letters!

Path Of The Assassin Volume 10 Kazuo Koike And Goseki Kojima On sale Dec. 26 b&w, 296 pages $9.95 TPB, 4" x 6" The fighting clans of pre-Tokugawa Japan are gathering their arms and are on the move. Classic historical warlords, such as Takeda Shingen, Oda Nobunaga, and a young Ieyasu Tokugawa himself take the field in this quasi-historical graphic novel series, Path of the Assassin. This volume of Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima’s rich series finds Ieyasu both fighting for his life and looking to the future. First, a couple of eerie and mysterious ninja try to take his life, but find themselves foiled by the increasingly able ninja Hattori Hanzo. And then a nation’s tribes face off and spin through intrigue and tactical webworks, all while fascinatingly dark ninja politics weave subtext and sexy action throughout the masterly drafted pages.

Qee Journal w/ Mini Qee And Stationery Set On sale Oct. 31 Qee Journal 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" spiral-bound journal with attached mini-Qee figure $14.99 Qee Stationery Set 8 letter sheets, 6 envelopes, 5 3/4" x 8 3/4" $4.99

Style School Volume 2 On sale Dec. 12 FC, 160 pages $14.95 TPB, 8 7/8" x 10 1/8" Dark Horse’s second volume of Japan’s leading manga and anime instructional magazine is on the way! Learn the techniques of Japan’s top manga and anime artists in Style School, showing step-by-step methods to help today’s up-and-coming illustrators master the use of pen, brush, paint, marker, screen tones, computer modeling, and other tricks of the trade. Gain insight into the weapons of choice of today’s top creators, especially those brands and tools that are so hard to find outside Japan. See for the first time the eye-popping art of tomorrow’s manga and anime stars, with page after gorgeous page of spectacular visual imagination. And find out how to submit your work to be considered for publication in upcoming issues of SS Magazine in Japan! includes eight “how to” techniques: watercolor pen, photoshop style, colored ink, watercolor brush, utilizing Liquitex, and effective use and combination of 2D and 3D software art.

Xs Hybrid Volume 3 S Jihyung On sale Dec. 05 b&w, 192 pages $10.95 Huin Chang and Mina have known each other since they were kids, growing up like brother and sister. Chang has always been Mina’s protector. But as the story of the mysterious biomechanical viruses inside their brains continues to develop, one begins to wonder if the two might be together for a greater purpose. It could be the world hanging in the balance. Maybe it’s a secret weapon, the likes of which could topple the power structure of our planet’s body politic. These facts have yet to see light. Until then, the street fights and frantic fracases continue, through malls and subways, on sidewalks and staircases. It’s action at its most stylish, and purely of Korean creation.

The Third News

Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc./Nozomi Entertainment and Kadokawa Pictures USA have announced that THE THIRD: THE GIRL WITH THE BLUE EYE, DVD VOL. 2: TENDING WOUNDS will be released on September 25, 2007. The 24-episode anime, also known as “The Third – Aoi Hitomi no Shoujo,” is based upon a popular series of novels and short stories written by Ryou Hoshino and illustrated by Nao Goto. Spanning more than 16 volumes, the original fiction has appeared in Japan’s Dragon Magazine since 1999, alongside the serialized novels that inspired the hit Full Metal Panic! and Slayers anime series. Additionally, a manga adaptation of The Third – which is scheduled for a 2008 North American release by TOKYOPOP – ran in Dragon Age magazine, home to the Full Metal Panic!, Slayers and Chrono Crusade manga. XEBEC (D.N.Angel, Negima!, Fafner, Elemental Gelade) produced the animation for the TV series, which ran on Japan’s WOWOW satellite channel – known for original anime programming such as Cowboy Bebop, Ergo Proxy, The Big O and Paranoia Agent – from April through October of 2006. After their last devastating encounter with Blue Breaker, Honoka and the others try to pick up the pieces, but there’s not much time to recover. The cold blue enforcer is closing in fast, and this time, there’s nothing holding him back. She may be outmatched and outgunned, but Honoka isn’t about to give up without a fight! Meanwhile, something dangerous has begun to stir out in the desert. It’s got the Third worried, and when the Third are worried, others should be terrified... Contains episodes 5-8.

Death Notes Anime News

VIZ Media, LLC has announced the availability of DEATH NOTE, on a Download-To-Own basis beginning June 28, 2007 on TotalVid.com. The first 16 subtitled episodes will be available at launch, with one new episode added each week thereafter. TotalVid.com offers consumers unlimited on a subscription basis for $9.95 per month. Individual DEATH NOTE episodes will also be available on a download-to-own basis for $1.99 each. The first volume of Death Note will be released on November 20th. The DVD features four original and uncut episodes with English dub and Japanese with English subtitles for $24.98 or $39.98 for a Limited Edition Collector’s Figurine: Ryuk. Pre-sales for Death Note, vol. 1 w/ Limited Edition Collector’s Figurines began at store.viz.com and deathnote.viz.com. DEATH NOTE, based on the Shueisha manga series of the same name, is currently one of the hottest anime titles in Japan. Published in North America by VIZ Media, it depicts the adventures of Light Yagami, an ace student with great prospects but is bored out of his mind. All of that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to investigate, and he is soon hot on the trail of Light, who must now reevaluate his one noble goal. ComiPress points out that Kuro-Hane Fansubs, a group producing fans translations of the anime Death Note have received a cease and desist order to stop distrubiting digital subtitled copies of the anime from VIZ Media. A copy of the letter has been posted here.

Megatokyo to be Published in Japan

FredArt Studios and Dark Horse Comics announced that Kodansha will publish a Japanese language edition of Megatokyo Volume 1 under the Kodansha Box imprint. It will contain the same material as the English language Dark Horse edition with additional notes and commentary for Japanese readers. It is the first Original English Language manga title to be licensed by Kodansha for the Japanese market.

Go! Comi News

Go! Comi announced five major new manga licenses at its Anime Expo industry. KAMISAMA KAZOKU, the story of a high school student struggling to have an ordinary life and to romance the girl of his dreams, with one major problem: his interfering parents are gods! This shonen series is based on the highly popular anime from Toei, which aired last year in Japan. A WISE MAN SLEEPS, a mystery/fantasy series from Mick Takeuchi, creator of Go! Comi’s best-selling “Her Majesty’s Dog.” It’s the story of a mysterious jewel, a mysterious boy, and a girl whose hidden power is awakened by them both. In A.I. REVOLUTION the daughter of a scientist finds herself surrounded on all sides by violent bishonen robots who she must teach to live -- and love -- like humans. This long-awaited series is a fan favorite. ANGEL’S COFFIN by You Higuri, creator of Go! Comi’s “Cantarella” (one of YALSA’s “Great Graphic Novels for Teens” of 2007) is a standalone manga about a desperate girl who seeks the help of a god to capture the heart of the man she loves. CY-BELIEVERS is the new series by Shioko Mizuki, creator of Go! Comi’s highly popular “Crossroad.” When Ryo’s controlling father betroths her to a lecherous upperclassman, her only hope is a club of hot computer geeks! The first installment of Wendy Pini’s webcomic “The Masque of the Red Death” has gone live on www.gocomi.com. “Masque of the Red Death” is a science-fictional retelling of the classic Edgar Allen Poe horror tale. Pini describes the story as “a walk on the dark side,” featuring strong Gothic horror, erotica, and intense romantic relationships with yaoi overtones. New installments of the story will be added on a weekly basis. Go! Comi will eventually publish “Masque of the Red Death” as a three-volume series of graphic novels. Additionally, Go! Comi’s website has been completely redesigned and enlarged, and now includes forums, a release calendar, and numerous other enhancements.

Multi-Platform Availability for Geneon Titles

Geneon Entertainment has recently entered into strategic agreements with television networks fuse, ImaginAsian TV (iaTV), and G4 Tech TV Canada, as well as digital content distributors Akimbo, Azureus and Xbox LIVE Marketplace. With these partners in place, loyal fans of the genre now enjoy unprecedented access to content and options to view it via the Internet, cable, or on DVDs. While the digital download aspect represents a new delivery method for Geneon's anime products, television is no stranger to the company's programming slate. The fuse network, ImaginAsian TV (iaTV), and G4 Tech TV Canada, extend the broadcast relationships beyond those Geneon Entertainment enjoys with The Cartoon Network, Starz, among others. The Geneon series to be broadcast by the networks and available for digital distribution at launch include Akira (exclusive to Xbox LIVE Marketplace), Ayakashi (Samurai Horror Tales), Gankutsuou (The Count of Monte Cristo), Gun Sword, Last Exile as well as Lupin the 3rd.

Seven Seas Artist Wins International Manga Award

Seven Seas Entertainment has announced that Hollow Fields creator Madeleine Rosca is one of four winners presented with Japan’s first ever International Manga Award. A total of 146 works from 25 countries were submitted and Rosca, a 26-year-old former librarian from Tasmania, Australia, was one of four winners, and the only westerner, to be flown to Japan to receive her award. Dubbed by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso as the “Nobel Prize of Manga,” the International Manga Award was created by Mr. Aso as a way to promote Japanese culture abroad. 43-year-old Hong Kong artist Lee Chi Ching, whose work had been previously published in Japan, was the grand prize winner of the contest. Runner-up awards were given to Hong Kong artist Kai and Malaysian artist Benny Wong Thong Hou, as well as to Madeleine Rosca for her work on Hollow Fields. For the award, all four winners were flown to Japan by the Japanese Foreign Ministry for the award ceremony and a 10-day tour of Japan, including visits to manga publishers and manga-related museums. In addition to Hollow Fields, two other Seven Seas works placed in the top 15 of the contest: Mr. Grieves, by Jhomar Soriano, and Ravenskull, by Elmer Damaso. Hollow Fields is a three-volume manga series for all ages that tells the story of little Lucy Snow, who, in a macabre twist of fate, finds herself enrolled at Miss Weaver's Academy for the Scientifically Gifted and Ethically Unfettered—also known as Hollow Fields. Located on the outskirts of Nullsville and run by the insidious Engineers, the grim boarding school dedicates itself to raising the next generation of mad scientists and evil geniuses. The grand prize went to Hong Kong's Lee Chi Ching for his adaptation of Sun Zi's Tactics Hollow Fields will be in stores mid-July.

FUNimation Anime Through TopVid

FUNimation has announced that TotalVid.com, the Internet video-on-demand service from Landmark Communications will host five new FUNimation Entertainment series (Burst Angel, Kiddy Grade, Rumbling Hearts, The Galaxy Railways and Trinity Blood ). Anime can be seen on an unlimited bases as part of its $9.95 per month and they will be available download-to-own basis for $1.99 each. Additional content will be added to the service in coming months.

Manga Entertainment Launcheding Re-Priced Line

Anime on DVD reports that Manga Entertainment will be releasing the following titles in their "Essence of Anime" line on September 4th, price for $19.98 each: Appleseed DVD Blood: The Last Vampire Ghost in the Shell Karas DVD 1: The Prophecy Ninja Scroll Perfect Blue Read or Die (R.O.D.) OVA Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie

Stonebridge Press News

Written by Tommy Yune, with a foreword by original Robotech producer Carl Macek, The Art of Robotech features includes series history, plot, character and mecha guides, and over 100 pages of concept art and production design — 475 color images — assembled by production insiders. For more, see here Eve Kushner, author of the forthcoming Stone Bridge title Crazy for Kanji, has a new blog. Kushner's essay from the April issue of The Monthly, "The Way of Kanji," is now online as a .pdf. Events include: July 21: Frederik L. Schodt at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. Schodt will give a lecture about Astro Boy and sign copies of The Astro Boy Essays. 2 p.m. July 28: Gilles Poitras at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. Poitras will lecture and give a video presentation on "Anime and Manga for Beginners" – great for parents and fans alike! 2 p.m. for more see stonebridgepress.blogspot.com

NYICFF to Screen Help! I'm A Fish

NY Int'l Children's Film Festival ill be showing HELP! I'M A FISH July 21 and 22 and 11:00am at the IFC Center. For tickets, see here HELP! I'M A FISH Sat & Sun, July 21 & 22 - 11:00am IFC Center - 323 6th Ave @ West 3rd In English Recommended ages 4-10 Help! I'm a Fish is the animated undersea adventure of three kids, Fly, his baby sister Stella, and cousin Chuck, who stumble upon the hidden cave-laboratory of mad professor MacKrill and drink a potion that transforms them into sea creatures. The chase is on when the antidote falls into the hands (or fins) of a lowly pilot fish, Joe, who drinks it and acquires the power of speech and a tyrannical desire for world control. Film features super-catchy Europop soundtrack, while the mix of computer and cell animation includes stunning hand- painted seascapes. With the voices of Monty Python's Terry Jones as MacKrill and Alan Rickman (Die Hard, Prince of Thieves) as the devilishly campy villain, Joe. From the Academy Award nominated director of When Life Departs.

Worth Checking Out

Via ComiPress, TONS of AX material Matt Alt has YouTube's of his Tokyo Eye debut here Anime on DVD interview's Dark Horse's linsesor Michael Gombos From Anime News Netwotk, Twitch has interviewed the live action Death Note's Shusuke Kaneko here. The animeOnline.com features interviews with Beck editor Yohei Takami" >hosts an interview with the Yohei Takama. Japanator interviews GONZOS's Touyou Ikeda and Daisuke Gomi. ANN also has an mausing story about Johnny Depp's anime cameo here Production I.G has an English interview with Yoko Kanno here and here Maaya Sakamoto here, Junichi Fujisaku (Blood+, the XX web comic) here and here, Idumi Hirose (Le Chevalier D'Eon) here. An overview of the studio's Asience: Hairy Tale (a shampoo commercial) is online here. A making-of article is online here JapanProbe translates Japan's Cultural Affairs Agency's top 50 anime and manga lists. A fans translation of Hayao Miyazaki's watercolor manga The Return of Hans is online here Same Hat! Same Hat! has Shintaro Kago’s Abstraction. AniPages Daily has a translated two part with Keiichi Hara (Crayon Shin-chan movies and the upcoming Summer with Coo the Kappa). ComiPress looks at the tradition of manga plagurism here TOKYOPOP's new site layout is online. The new Yen Press label has a site here Imagi Studios has posted a Q&A with director Colin Brady concerning their upcoming CGI Astro Boy adaptation on www.imagi.com.hk Kanye West has an Akira inspired music video, which can seen here A high-res of the GODZILLA '94 fan project poster can be seen here New episodes of Kung Fu Jimmy Chow are online here The new Transformers UK comic has its own MySpace page at here, featuring previews interviews with the editor, writers and artists, e-cards, desktop wallpaper and exclusive competitions. Speaking on Transformers, from The Cipha Sounds Effect...

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