Anime News
On June 27, Papercutz restores the Power Rangers to comic book duty in Power Rangers Super Samurai VOn June 27, Papercutz restores the Power Rangers to comic book duty in Power Rangers Super Samurai Vol. 1: Memory Short, the first in a series of 64-page graphic novels (available in both softcover and hardcover formats) expanding on the Nickelodeon live action series with original stories by Stefan Petrucha and artist Paulo Henrique. In addition to the preview page at the official Papercutz site, the publisher has also provided us with a look at five action-oriented pages from the upcoming comic featuring a battle between the rangers’ Claw Armor Megazord and a very brainy monster. You can check out the five-page preview of Power Rangers Super Samurai Vol. 1 after the cut.
From PaperCutz’s official solicitation info:
On a rare day off, the Power Rangers attend a free rock concert dressed as civilians, blending in with the rest of the attendees. Unbeknownst to the Rangers, the evil Master Xandred has been watching them closely, and plans to trap them by turning the crowd of thousands against them. Can the Rangers stop Master Xandred’s plot without harming any of their fellow teens?
CLICK THRU to read the five-page preview on www.comicsalliance.com
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A year after the once mighty kids entertainment powerhouse 4Kids filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (see “4Kids Files Chapter 11”), and just a month after settling a lawsuit over its rights to the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime property, 4Kids has sold its YGO rights to Kidsco, an affiliate of the Saban Capital Group (that rose to success in the world of children’s programming on the backs of the Power Rangers) for 10 million dollars.
Thus ended a remarkable run for 4Kids and Yu-Gi-Oh!, which remains a popular Saturday morning cartoon series and one of the top collectible card games (which is distributed here by Konami Digital Entertainment and will likely remain unaffected by the sale of the rights to the YGO anime) in both the mass and hobby channels (see “Top Collectible Games—Q4 2011”).
Meanwhile 4Kids, having shed its most potent license, has signed a deal that will give it international rights to the 52-episode Beastkeeper cartoon series produced in Italy by Mondo TV, Starbright, and Ponpoko Productions. Mondo TV began as a distributor of anime and manga in Italy, and the Beastkeeper series reflects a heavy anime influence, both stylistically (check out the hairdos on the series’ tween protagonists) and thematically (the young boy at the center of the series possesses an ancient artifact that gives him the power to control and merge with Beasts, legendary creatures who are hidden in every part of the world).
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For a small sub-section of a generation raised on the special effects-enriched slugfest Power Rangers franchise — in any of its many, many flavors, from the classic Mighty Morphin to Samurai, through things like Ninja Storm, Dino Thunder and the classic* Mystic Force — there is likely no cooler idea than getting drunk in the company of an honest-to-goodness Power Ranger. To those dreamers, however, some good news: if you travel to Japan, you can now legitimately make that happen.
Former Power Ranger Masaru Shishido — he played the Red Ranger known as Oh Red in ChÅriki Sentai Ohranger, which had its footage localized in the States as part of the 1996 Power Rangers Zeo series — is opening a tokusatsu-themed bar in Japan, dedicated not only to Power Rangers but to all manner of genre television. “There are lots of regular bars [but] I wanted to do a bar done up after my [Oh Red] color,” explained Shishido.
Part of that color includes Rangers memorabilia, overpriced drinks and bartenders who call each other “captain.” According to Kotaku, the bar also has “events” planned for the truly faithful – Perhaps if we’re lucky, Shishido will don his Ranger uniform and try out some of his former stunts for old times’ sake… Preferably sober, of course, just in case.
See on www.comicsalliance.com
In sports, not everyone can be winners. Some must come in second, or third place. Some must come in dead last. Some don’t even do that.
Just ask Hiroshi Matsuyama. He’s the head of Japanese game developer, CyberConnect2, and to mark Naruto selling ten million video game spin-offs, Matsuyama decided to run the Paris
Matsuyama revealed that he failed to finish the race, and uploaded photos of the game exec honcho with with “loser” written on his cheeks in Japanese. Loser or not, it seems like he has a good attitude about the whole thing.
See on kotaku.com
Star Wars Re-enacted by Ponies
May the horse be with you. CLICK THRU TO WATCH THE VIDEO See on www.youtube.com
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The Walt Disney Studios has announced the May 22nd release of the Studio Ghibli film The Secret World of Arrietty, which broke the Ghibli record for a North American theatrical release with $18.6 million. Anime grandmaster Hayao Miyazaki wrote the screenplay for Arrietty, which is based on Mary Norton’s children’s classic The Borrowers, but Miyazaki didn’t direct the film, leaving that task to Hiromasa Yonebayashi, a talented animator who made his directorial debut on Arrietty.
Since Miyazaki’s Ghibli releases have typically been the bestselling anime home entertainment release in North America of whatever year in which they appear, The Secret World of Arrietty, which will be available in a 2-disc Blu-Ray/Combo (MSRP $39.99) as well as a single-disc DVD version ($29.99), will likely take “Top Anime” release of 2012.
Also on May 22nd Disney is releasing the first high-def Blu-ray versions of two other Ghibli films including, most notably, Castle in the Sky (Laputa), one of Miyazaki’s very best films, which will be available in a 2-disc Blu-ray for an M.S.R.P. of $39.99. Castle in the Sky is one the great anime classics and it has never looked better than in its new Blu-ray edition. The other film debuting on Blu-ray is Whisper of the Heart (Mimi o Sumaseba), a brilliant, but lesser known Ghibli film from 1995 that Miyazaki wrote (adapting a manga by Aoi Hiragi), but did not direct (Yoshifumi Kondo helmed the film). Whisper of the Heart is also available in a two-disc Blu-ray edition for an M.S.R.P. of $39.99.
Via www.icv2.com
I’ll always remember the surprise I felt the first time I saw the famously bratty voice of Bart Simpson emerge from the mouth of a little blonde woman, voice actor Nancy Cartwright. I knew Bart was voiced by a woman, but knowing it didn’t make it any less weird to see it. I had a similar experience of cognitive whiplash the first time I saw the voice of sweet little Elmo come out of the mouth of the burly Kevin Clash. I expect to repeat that experience of whiplash at least a dozen times when I watch the forthcoming documentary, I Know That Voice, an upcoming documentary that features some of the best-known voice actors in animation, video games and more talking about their craft. You can watch the trailer after the cut.
The actors interviewed in this documentary are some of the unsung superstars of pop culture. John Di Maggio and Billy West are perhaps best known for their roles on Futurama, where they play Bender and almost everyone other character, respectively. Tom Kenney is SpongeBob SquarePants; June Foray is Rocky from Rocky and Bullwinkle; and Kevin Conroy is the Batman voice actor against whom all other Batman voice actors are measured. Perhaps best of all is Tara Strong, who voices Twilight goddamn Sparkle in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Bow down, bronies (and everyone else, for that matter). Most of these talents have played more superhero roles than all the best known stars in Hollywood put together.
I Know That Voice is currently slated for a 2013 release.
Via www.comicsalliance.com
Marry These Japanese Geeks! It’s a big decision. Choose wisely. And more and more Japanese women are supposedly picking towards otaku (geeks) for their marriage partners. The reason why otaku make attractive partners is that Japanese women think they won’t cheat on them and that they’ll be good listeners.
But not all geeks are the same! And not all geeks are guys. Here’s a field guide (via Gow!Magazine), which isn’t only applicable to women looking for a marriage partner, but also to anyone keen to date geeks. So which breed of geek is best for marriage? Let’s fine out.
•Anime Otaku: The stereotype is that anime otaku stay indoors all the time, watching and recording anime. For those who are already homebodies, an anime otaku might make a fetching catch, wrote Gow! It’s also possible that both of you will totally get into the same anime. Since anime otaku can be interested in figurines and voice actors, Gow! advised to check to see just how far your otaku is into anime as well as be aware of what your tolerance level is.
•Electronics Otaku: These geeks are into computers, audio equipment, and electronics. Since electronics are expensive and since this breed of otaku usually want the latest and greatest device, Gow! described them as “money draining landmine otaku”.
•Idol Otaku: Idols are typically young pop stars and pin-ups. Idol otaku go to concerts and meet-and-greet events, which is why Gow! described being in a relationship with an idol otaku as “difficult”.
•Game Otaku: The number of couples that are into gaming together is increasing, Gow! noted. Sharing the same interest is good for relationships. Though, Gow! warned that if the one partner stopped playing video games, then both might have nothing to talk about.
•Train Otaku: Train otaku don’t only enjoy taking trains, but they also love photographing them and building model train sets. Being in a relationship with a train otaku means that you’ll probably going on loads of train journeys together, even as you both get older. Gow! warned that model train sets are pricey as are cameras. Also some might not like if their partner is more interested in taking photos of trains than them. Gow! also referred to train nerds as “landmines”.
•Superhero Otaku: These otaku are into Japanese superhero Ultraman and Kamen Rider. Because many of these otaku are collectors, that means your house could be covered in superhero items. Gow! warned that rare items can cost a considerable amount of cash. If the couple ends up with a child, then Gow! added that the superhero otaku can do a good job of explaining right and wrong and will probably be a good parent.
It was actually somewhat “in” to date otaku for like a weekend in either 2005 or 2006. Around that time, Train Man was a hit book, movie, and TV show. Otaku were viewed as diligent, earnest, and serious. They were good choices for dates.
Then, on June 8, 2008, a man named Tomohiro Kato went on a stabbing rampage in Tokyo’s geek district, Akihabara. Otaku, sadly, reverted to their default setting in the Japanese media: creepy, strange, and possibly dangerous.
Thankfully, it looks as though otaku are making the climb back to mainstream acceptance—and marriage. So don’t run from your geekiness when looking for a mate. Embrace it so your partner can embrace it, too. Because your otaku hobbies are probably not going away…
Culture Smash is a daily dose of things topical, interesting and sometimes even awesome—game related and beyond.
Via kotaku.com
Viz Media announced at its panel at Sakura-Con on Saturday that it has licensed the Berserk: The Golden Age Arc film trilogy. Viz Media plans to release the first film, Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – The Egg of the King (Berserk Ōgon Jidai-Hen I: Haō no Tamago), this fall. The film trilogy is Studio 4°C’s theatrical adaptation of Kentaro Miura’s Berserk manga.
The trilogy stars Hiroaki Iwanaga (Tomica Hero Rescue Force, Moyashimon, Kamen Rider OOO) as Guts, Takahiro Sakurai (Toriko, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, AnoHana) as Griffith, and Toa Yukinari (Grey’s Anatomy dubbing, Naruto Shippūden) as Casca. Toshiyuki Kubooka (Batman: Gotham Knight episode 5) is directing the films and Ichiro Okouchi (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion) is handling the screenplay.
Berserk Ōgon Jidai-Hen I: Haō no Tamago opened in Japan on February 4. The film will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan on May 23.
The second film in the series, Berserk Ōgon Jidai-Hen II: Doldrey Kōryaku (Berserk Golden Age Arc II: The Battle for Doldrey), is slated to be released in theaters in Japan on June 23. That film is scheduled to run for about 100 minutes and will focus on the epic battle by the Kingdom of Midland to retake Doldrey Castle from the Chuder Empire. Berserk Ōgon Jidai-Hen III: Kōrin (Berserk Golden Age Arc III: Descent) will open later in 2012 and run for about 110 minutes. In this film, the story “delves nonstop into the abyss of dark fantasy.”
Kentarou Miura’s Berserk fantasy manga began in 1989 and is still ongoing. Dark Horse Comics released the manga’s 35th volume last September. The manga was adapted into a television anime series in 1997, and Media Blasters originally released the series in North America in 2002.
Viz Media also revealed that it will simulcast the Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals (Naruto SD: Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden) spinoff television anime series. Crunchyroll previously announced that it is streaming the series worldwide outside of Japan starting on April 3. Viz Media will also release a manga box set for Ouran High School Host Club in October with a memo pad with character art.
Update: Viz Media confirmed at the panel that it will release Inuyasha: The Final Act on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in Fall 2012.
Image © Kentaro Miura, Hakusensha/BERSERK FILM PARTNERS
Via www.animenewsnetwork.com
During Anime Boston this weekend anime publisher FUNimation Entertainment announced four new anime series that will be added to their extensive library of titles.
The first title that the company has acquired the simulcast rights for is the action series Jormungand. It follows the journey of an arms dealer and a child soldier as they journey through the seedy underbelly of the world’s arms market. FUNimation has acquired both parts of the series with the first part airing in April and the second part in October.
Also acquired for simulcast is Lupin III ~Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna~, the first new chapter in the legendary series in twenty five years. Instead of following the talented thief Lupin though the series will be told from his love interest, Fujiko’s perspective and includes the story of how the two first met.
The last of the simulcast announcement is for Is This a Zombie? Of The Dead, the second season of the supernatural comedy Is This A Zombie? The series continues to follow Aikawa Ayumu, the zombie brought back by necromancer Eucliwood Hellscythe and though he had hoped his life would have calmed down after the first season he quickly learns that his crazy zombie adventures are just beginning.
Continue reading on Examiner.com New FUNimation acquisitions announced at Anime Boston – National Anime | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/anime-in-national/new-funimation-acquisitions-announced-at-anime-boston#ixzz1rP8eimfr
Via www.examiner.com