Category: Anime News

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.

Death The Kid artwork courtesy of しぇんな on pixiv (account needed to access)

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Of The Sky has been green-lit as an anime adaptation. It will premiere April 12th on the Pokémon Sunday variety program. The Fanroad anime magazine ended it’s 29 year old run this Saturday with it’s April issue. The magazine was a spinoff of Big Comic magazine and it specialized in reader-submitted art and manga. Toy maker Yamato posted in their blog a multimedia project called Enka Ōdō Dai Shōgun. The project will include an anime adaptation by Studio Anima, illustrations, figures, novels, manga, drama CDs, and 3D computer graphics. The live-action Dragonball film opened as the #1 film in five of the eight Asian markets. The film opens in the United Kingdom on April 3rd and the United States on April 8th. I imagine this film turning out to be so bad that it’s good. Anybody else agree? Anon Pictures plans to exhibit the slapstick comedy Inuwari-san at the Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF). Keiko Yamamoto will play the canine police officer who loves law, order, and tea. Shirow Miwa debut manga Dogs will get an anime adaptation this summer with the fourth volume of the manga Dogs: Bullets & Carnage. The official website has launched with a promotional video. The adult-adventure game Princess Lover! will be getting an anime. Hiromitsu Kanazawa will be helming the project as director with Makoto Nakamura doing the scripting. The official website promises an update March 18th. The Kampfer light novel series has an anime adaptation in the works. Toshihiko Tsukiji also wrote the Maburaho light novels and the Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~ pachinko games. Lucent Pictures Entertainment and Studio 4°C are launching a new animation studio called Lucent 4°C (LFC). The first joint project will be announced sometime at the end of the year. The Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden manga will not resume until spring of 2010. Manga-ka Yuu Watase announced through her website that the delay is due to her physical condition and her commitment to her other titles. 4Kids Entertainment announced yesterday net losses of US $19.6 million in the last three months of 2008. Net revenues dropped to $14.3 million and contributed to the increase of total losses of the year as a whole. Doesn’t look so good for 4Kids. Hopefully 4Kids sees this as a sign that it’s time to stop focusing so much time selling toys to kids and spending a bit more time on the original material. Takashi Ikeda‘s Sasameki Koto yuri manga was green-lit for an anime. Manga-ka Rumiko Takahashi‘s latest work starts in the 16th issue of Shogakukan‘s Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine on April 22nd. The issue also marks Shonen Sunday’s 50th anniversary in which a special 30-page one-shot by Takahashi and Mitsuru Adachi will be published called My Sweet Sunday. According to Yahoo! research, Wikipedia is the third most credible source of information media in Japan. It fell behind newspapers and radio, but surprisingly it beat out television. Crunchyroll has announced that it will stream a worldwide simulcast of the Katekyo Hitman Reborn! anime. The episodes will be available for it’s Anime Subscribers within an hour they premiere on Japan’s TV Tokyo station every Saturday at 10:30 AM (Friday at 9:30 PM EDT). At the Tokyo International Anime Fair Studio Bones announced an original series entitled Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 this July. The series is about the 70% or higher possibility that a magnitude 7.0 earthquake will happen in Tokyo sometime in the next 30 years. The anime will follow a what-if scenario if an 8.0 earthquake took place. I really enjoyed Xam’d Lost Memories so I think this will be a series I’ll watch.

Clannad artwork courtesy of 茨乃 on pixiv (account needed to access)

Hey everyone, a lot of events that have occurred recently left Random Curiosity in a pinch, well kinda ^^’. Divine was a great asset but unfortunately he has left for personal reasons, leaving Omni to once again man the fort on his own. Over the past few months I’ve noticed that the Daily Dose hasn’t made much of a presence like it used to. It was a convenience since it supplied information that everyone looked forward to reading and I felt it made Random Curiosity unique in its own way. I’ve recently contacted Omni and offered my help by doing the Daily Doses in his place. I’m looking forward to working with all of you.

-Sixthdawn

New Anime Announcements: &#149Hetalia Axis Powers is getting animated. &#149Higurashi no Naku Koro no Rei (5-part OAV) will begin airing late December. &#149Kiss x Sis will be getting animated on DVD. &#149Bakemonogatari is getting animated. &#149Maria†Holic is getting animated. &#149Black God is getting animated. &#149A new season of Full Metal Alchemist has been confirmed. &#149Haruhi-chan, Churuya-san will be getting anime shorts. &#149Gonzo will be animating Dungeon & Fighter (Slap Up Party -Arad Senki-). &#149Hatsukoi Limited is getting animated. &#149Asakiyumemishi is getting animated and will premiere next January. &#149Minami-ke is getting a 3rd season. &#149Denpateki na Kanojo is getting animated. &#149Souten Kouro is getting animated. &#149Shangri-La is getting animated. &#149Zettai Yareru Greece Shinwa is getting animated. &#149Hajime no Ippo will be getting a new series January 2009. &#149Koi Hime†Musou is getting an OVA. &#149Sunrise‘s new upcoming series is Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo. &#149Spice and Wolf‘s second season has been confirmed. &#149Asura Cryin’ is getting animated. &#149Sengoku Basara is getting animated. &#149428 ~Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de~ is getting animated. &#149Street Fighter IV will be getting an anime adaption. &#149Project MP will be getting an anime adaption. &#149Kemono no Soja will be getting an anime adaption. &#149Before Green Gables will be getting adapted into an anime. Kannagi artwork at left courtesy of 真琉樹 on pixiv (account needed to access).

Much more accumulated news after the jump!