• The president of Sunrise, Kenji Uchida, had previously announced at the Tokyo International Anime Fair that the deciding factor to go ahead with the 20th Century Fox live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop was the casting of Keanu Reeves. Reeves made two visits to the studio to express his interest in the project which Uchida states was what made the deal go through. Interestingly enough Uchida noted that negotiations between the two companies went on for two years until it was agreed upon that Sunrise assert quality control. His exact words were, “If the script is terrible, the live-action film adaptation will not be approved.” Perhaps the film will exclude Reeves’ popular “I know kung fu” and “Woah” quotes.
  • Senjō no Valkyria -Gallian Chronicles- promotional video from the Tokyo International Anime Fair is streaming at the official website. The video game sounds interesting, but since I’m too lazy for video games these days hopefully the anime will be a good substitute.
  • FUNimation and GDH have announced a strategic alliance in which FUNi will stream its current and future works on their official website. There will also be a download to own feature on their site and others yet to be announced.
  • Tact Aoki is directing The Asylum Session 3D, a 60-minute 3D computer-animated film, that’s scheduled for release in two theaters this summer in Tokyo and Osaka.
  • Kazuya Minekura announced that her current manga project Saiyuki Gaiden will end this May.
  • This July Kadokawa Shoten plans to launch a new magazine entitled Young Ace and it will see the return of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto‘s Neon Genesis Evangelion, MPD-Psycho, Summer Wars, and Nagato Yuki-chan no Shōshitsu.
  • ADV Films and Anime Network adds Pet Shop Of Horrors, Tsukihime, Mahoromatic, Angelic Layer, and Saiyuki to the iTunes store. Good to see ADV digging themselves out of their grave.
  • Tokyo Tribes manga-ka Santa Inoue announced that he and his team are launching a new manga April 30th called Dan Da Barbarian. It will be in Gentosha‘s Monthly Comic Birz magazine.
  • Yutaka Izubuchi will return to his first manga Kishin Gensō Rune Masquer that has been on hiatus for 18 years in the Tokuma Shoten‘s Monthly Comic Ryu magazine this August.
  • The Linebarrels Of Iron anime adaptation will include an unaired 25th episode in its ninth and final DVD. The episode is a side story about Rachel Calvin who was the head of JUDA‘s research and development department.
  • A promotional video is being streamed for the Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica Crimson S anime at its official website.
  • Kigurumikku V3 Best Episode Collection has a promotional video up at the Nico Nico Douga website. The release date is set on May 20th.
  • The live action adaptation of the Production I.G. film Blood: The Last Vampire has a new trailer out. It is due in theaters in Japan on May 29th, the United Kingdom on June 12th, and France on June 17th. No release date has been set for the US. The film is directed by Chris Nahon who did the fun, but ultimately forgettable Kiss Of The Dragon.
  • Sony‘s Aniplex announced that they will release Atsuya Uki‘s Cencoroll anime this year more than two years after another company, Anime Innovation Tokyo, had previously revealed the project.
  • The promotional video for the Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~ anime is being streamed at their official website.
  • Death The Kid artwork courtesy of しぇんな on pixiv (account needed to access)

    26 Comments

    1. You’ve gotta play VC sometime. The gameplay is its strongest point.

      The storytelling gets kinda weak later. (and while it sounds like the anime is going to take a lot of liberties, I’m not holding my breath on them completely changing the later parts of the plot and making the cast less stupid)

      I’m looking forward to seeing some of the minor characters get screentime, though.

      anon111
    2. In before somebody implies that Sunrise supervising the script is not good enough even though they are giving Shinichiro Watanabe the first review and not say…..I don’t know…Mitsuo Fukuda.

      In either case I’d be worried about a live action adaptation of an anime regardless of who is behind it. They either just never seem to turn out well and have really bad acting and/or are porn. And then there was Negima Live Action……yeah….

    3. “If the script is terrible, the live-action film adaptation will not be approved.” you go dog!!! hope he stays true to it, cuz lord knows da dude behind dragonball evolution bent over and took that $$$ up the azz. as far as keanu….it might work…maybe?..possibly?? but damn all that. i;m just PRAYING that cameron doesn’t Fu@k up Battle angel Alita

      BROOKLYN otaku
    4. Woah, once I read the part about live action Cowboy Bebop it was like…oh crap, not another good series gone, but after reading what Kenji Uchida demands…oh lord there may finally be hope!! (Seriously, that man needs a raise or metal for demanding such high requirements from someone messing with such a great series as Cowboy Bebop.)
      Seriously looking forward to Valkyria Chronicles, really enjoyed the game, the battles though I think they can skip some of them from the game since quite a number just seemed placed in there for you to get something to actually do while waiting for the next arc to play through. Had a feeling it would be made into an anime, the Japanese voice actors for the game are all actors from anime series. (Had some deja vu though when King Maximilian came on screen and started shouting, brother actually came out and asked if I was watching Code Geass because he never changed his style from Lelouch while playing the character for the game. 😛 )

      akizuki09
    5. VC doesn’t just sound interesting, it also looks and plays interesting. Seriously, it’s a pretty good game (until your second playthrough, because everyone keeps their skills and a certain titular character is extremely overpowered… think Suzaku level overpowered… that person can clear most maps in one or two turns).

      The first part of the trailer is almost the same as what’s in the game, but I love seeing the characters in motion. Looks fluid. Welkin looks a bit off to me in some scenes, but Alicia, Isara, Rosie, and Largo all look great. It also looks like they are keeping the music from the game. Well, that’s not a bad thing, since the music was decent for the most part. And it seems that minor details of events in the first episode will be different from both the game and the manga, but with things generally going in the same direction.

      Bane
    6. “In before somebody implies that Sunrise supervising the script is not good enough even though they are giving Shinichiro Watanabe the first review and not say…..I don’t know…Mitsuo Fukuda.”

      Who would imply that? Code Geass is shakespherian in writing quality and in 00 stopping war because you know what everyone else thinks is brilliant and realistic, who would dare imply Sunrise can’t write for shit?

      Westlo
    7. Even if Keanu is Spike, he can be covered up with superb actors/actresses in other roles, a well written script, stylized music, and overall outstanding production values, like a Bebop film would demand. Once the production starts filling out with C-list directors/writers/producers/actors, that’s when I’d start to worry.

      kadian1364
    8. Actually YEAH!!! why the hell do they have to be live action!!!!! that what makes it sucky in the first place!!!! the fact that actors cant imagine most of whats going on so the fair BADLY!!! enough is enough !! i wish theyd stop doing that!!!

      WingZerozxt
    9. Keanu? I just don’t see him as Spike, he doesn’t have the charisma Spike has. Then again, i think cowboy beepop shouldn’t have a live action. I hope it won’t be too bad.
      And saiyuki gaiden is finally getting it’s ending. I really thought she wouldn’t finish it anymore.
      And yay for MPD psycho~

      Shiki
    10. Keanu Reeves? As SPIKE?

      ARE YOU SHITTING ME?

      Keanu’s acting is so wooden, he’s fucking Pinocchio. Spike is such a lively character, I would imagine an actor like Jensen Ackles or Ryan Reynolds playing the role.

      Katya

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