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Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 26, 2013 in Anime 
Yes, you read that right. Shinichiro Watanabe’s new anime series, Space Dandy (about a dandy man in space) will air on Cartoon Network a day before the show airs in Japan! Not only that, it will be dubbed! What a massive undertaking. CN’s Toonami block will be expanded along with it and the first episode will air January 4th at 11:30pm. That’s really impressive that FUNimation was able to pull together a dub that fast as well as airing it before the Japanese premiere. I hope this does well for everyone involved, because I’d love to see more of this in the future! Read more…
Tags: Cartoon Network, Space Dandy
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 17, 2013 in Anime 
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has been running in manga form since 1986, but until last year, only its third part (Stardust Crusaders) had ever been adapted into an accessible anime, and even that was split into two parts across seven years. A movie was released of the first part (Phantom Blood) in 2007, but a new anime adaptation began in late 2012 that fully adapted parts one and two (Battle Tendency). However, it stopped before beginning the third and most popular part, merely teasing a future animation with the above image. But now the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, which serialized the earlier parts of the manga, has announced that production has been green-lit for a new adaptation of Stardust Crusaders. Read more…
Tags: Shonen Jump
Posted by Michael Pinto on Oct 11, 2013 in Anime, Comic Books, Fandom 
It’s time of year in New York City and as usual the Javits Center is packed with fans at this year’s New York Comic Con. This collection of cosplay photos is by Christian Liendo: Read more…
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 3, 2013 in Anime, Videogames 
Nintendo already announced that Charizard (and fellow Kanto starters Blastoise and Venusaur) would have new Mega Evolutions in Pokemon X & Y. But did you know that Charizard would get two Mega Evolutions? Like Mewtwo’s new Mega Evolutions, there will be a different item each in X & Y, with the one we saw before going by the name Mega Charizard Y. That new one up above is Mega Charizard X, which just debuted in Japan in Pokemon Origins, an anime special based on the original Pokemon games. Unlike the Fire/Flying Charizard, its type is (finally) Fire/Dragon. Even though it’s not a flying type, it seems that it gets the benefit of the doubt and can keep flying due to the fact that it starts the battle flying as regular Charizard. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 25, 2013 in Anime 
Dragon Ball Z has always had some crazy hairstyles. Many anime since have had even more ridiculous hair, but DBZ was a pioneer, with its blonde Super Saiyan transformation primarily marked by a change in hairstyle. So now, 17 years after the show went off the air (yes, there have been sequel series, movies, and rereleases since), you can finally buy official DBZ hair wax for making your own hair stick up. They come in three levels, marked by how Goku’s hair looks: 3 (Goku’s regular hair), 5 (Goku using Kaio-ken), and the strongest hold, 7 (Super Saiyan Goku). Best of all, the hair wax comes in Dragon Balls! This seems to be a Japan-only product, but it would be awesome to see this released in America whenever the movie DBZ: Battle of Gods is released. Read more…
Tags: Dragonball
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 20, 2013 in Anime, Videogames 
In a kind of crazy turn of events, an anime film about Bayonetta has been announced called Bayonetta Bloodyfate (in the tradition of anime spin-off films having bizarre names). The cast is exactly the same from the games, and the film will be animated by Gonzo. If you’re an anime fan, the name Gonzo probably gives you a sense of dread. Granted, it’s a feature length film, so perhaps it’ll have a longer period in the oven, but I’m not too optimistic given Gonzo’s previous output. Still, Bayonetta could work as an anime film, but this trailer isn’t giving me the right vibes. Check it out below. Read more…
Tags: Bayonetta
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 2, 2013 in Anime 
At the Venice Film Festival, Studio Ghibli’s president Hoshino Koji officially announced some sad news: Hayao Miyazaki will be retiring. It was implied that Miyazaki would stick around at Ghibli to offer mentorship and possibly work on small projects, but his time on large films is over. Granted, this is not the first time Miyazaki has attempted to retire — but it’s also the first time a press conference has been held to announce it. Hoshino Koji said there will be another press conference next week to provide more details. Will The Wind Rises be Miyazaki’s final film? It sure seems that way. Miyazaki has had a long and prosperous run at Ghibli, I don’t fault him for wanting to retire now, though I will certainly miss his filmmaking. Now the real challenge: Ghibli must find suitable directors to take up the mantle. Give Hiromasa Yonebayashi another feature film! Read more…
Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 1, 2013 in Anime 
This past week, it seems every anime studio wanted to get their trailers out in front of the world! First up we’ve got out first real look at Kill la Kill, Trigger’s October anime series featuring dueling ladies in a fantasy school (made by Gurren Lagann director Hiroyuki Imaishi!). A clear look at Space Dandy also showed up! This is a January 2014 series from Cowboy Bebop creator Shinichiro Watanabe, featuring… well… a dandy guy in space! Both look really impressive. Lastly, a short trailer for Ghost in the Shell Arise: border 2, Ghost Whispers was uploaded, which is the next chapter in the direct-to-video reimagining of the series. Check out all the trailers below! Read more…
Tags: Ghost in the Shell, Kill la Kill, Space Dandy
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 17, 2013 in Anime 
There’s a lot of Ghibli goodness in the pipeline. The Wind Rises, Hayao Miyazaki’s latest feature film, is already out in Japan and doing well, but we’re only just now getting a subtitled trailer for the film. Tiff has uploaded the trailer we shared before, but now with subtitles. Also, Isao Takahata’s upcoming movie, Kaguya-hime no Monogatari, has gotten some new images on Japanese TV. It looks absolutely gorgeous, and I love the style that they’ve adapted here — it really contributes to the storybook feel of everything. Check out the videos for both after the break. Read more…
Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 14, 2013 in Anime, Videogames 
Arc System Works has released a trailer for the first anime adaptation of BlazBlue, their spiritual successor to Guilty Gear. Titled BlazBlue: Alter Memory, the trailer first recaps a bunch of anime intro footage from the games, as if you remind you that yes, they have been animating fights all along and this is a natural extension. And then, there’s the new footage, which is looking pretty sharp. The anime will supposedly adapt the tangled plot of the first game (BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger), but I’d hope that they consider continuing it into the sequels. Hideki Tachibana (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira) will direct with Seiji Mizushima (Fullmetal Alchemist, Mobile Suit Gundam 00). Read more…
Tags: BlazBlue
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 12, 2013 in Anime 
Here’s another little tidbit of news coming out of Otakon: Cowboy Bebop will be back in print again in the US. FUNimation announced that they’ll be releasing the popular anime classic series digitally and on Blu-ray in 2014. Sadly, the Blu-ray probably won’t be as impressive as the Japanese box set, but it also won’t be $350. If you’re not into owning things, Daisuki has you covered. The streaming service has confirmed they have licensed Bebop for release in 2014 as well, and are anticipating it to go up just before FUNimation’s release. Good time to be a Bebop fan! Read more…
Tags: Cowboy Bebop, Daisuki, FUNImation
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 11, 2013 in Anime 
Otakon is in full swing this weekend! If you’re not there you’re missing out on Cowboy Bebop creator Shinichiro Watanabe’s panel, at which he announced his next anime: Space Dandy. It’s a comedy about a crew of alien hunters lead by Dandy, the dandiest man in space. Dandy and his two partners, Meow and QT (a robot Dandy bought thinking it would be cool, but was actually “a Roomba”), travel the galaxy in search of new aliens not yet discovered. Watanabe promised “old school” Flash Gordon-styled space adventures with tons of crazy alien designs each week. And, the staff list looks incredibly solid, with Dai Sato and BONES on the list. Check out an off-screen video below of the trailer as well as more images. Read more…
Tags: Shinichirō Watanabe, Space Dandy
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 6, 2013 in Anime 
I’m still a little surprised that Sailor Moon is poised to make a comeback after so many years of laying low. But there’s a new anime on the way this winter after a delay from its original air date this summer. This anime apparently won’t be a remake of the original anime, but will instead take a different direction. This could mean that it will simply interpret the original manga in a different way, or it could mean a new story. The makers are still figuring some things out, since there are no voice actresses confirmed, not even for main character Usagi (Serena for you American fans). Read more…
Tags: Sailor Moon
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 5, 2013 in Anime, Hobbies and Collections 
Attack on Titan has been a runaway success of an anime, so thus there must be merchandising opportunities everywhere. However, none might be as cute or pudgy as this one: a Nendoroid figure of the Colossal Titan. While a Colossal Titan Nendoroid is pretty cool on its own, it also comes with a model of the wall and surrounding houses, along with two smaller titans and an assortment of humans to be devoured. You also get a steam effect piece as well – this model really has it all. You can now pre-order one so you’ll have your name in for the December release date. Read more…
Tags: Attack on Titan
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 25, 2013 in Animation, Anime, Cinema 
Okay, so Japan’s CG isn’t quite on Hollywood’s level. But this trailer for Space Pirate Captain Harlock looks pretty awesome, possibly because of its $30 million budget, the highest ever for Toei Animation. I’ve never seen the original anime of the same name, but I have always loved the look of the titular character (designed by Leiji Matsumoto). So for me, this trailer hits all the important bits — namely, Harlock looking bad-ass and piloting his giant, bad-ass ship the Arcadia. The movie opens in Japan on September 7, and while a US release hasn’t been announced, GFM Films (located in London) is working on a dub. Read more…
Tags: Captain Harlock
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 24, 2013 in Anime, Cinema 
I remember everyone clamoring for a Persona 3 anime after the game came out. I’d have to imagine all those fans were disappointed by Persona: Trinity Soul, which was actually a sequel (though now considered non-canon) with none of the likable characters from the game. But hey, Persona 4: The Animation did well enough, so now Persona 3 is getting an anime adaptation, starting with Persona 3 The Movie: #1 Spring of Birth. The first actual trailer has been released, and it’s looking great! Read more…
Tags: Atlus, Persona 3
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 23, 2013 in Animation, Anime, Cinema 
Though Ghibli has put out two films in the past few years, but while both were written by Hayao Miyazaki, neither were directed by him. His first film since 2008’s Ponyo is Kaze Tachinu, or The Wind Rises. It’s based on a manga that Miyazaki made in 2009, which is loosely based on Tatsuo Hori’s short ’30s novel The Wind Has Risen. It tells the story of Jiro Horikoshi, the man designed the Mitsubishi A6M Zero plane, one of the top fighters in World War II. But from watching this four-minute trailer, the movie seems to prioritize the joy of flight over pro-war statements. Read more…
Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 2, 2013 in Anime, Cinema 
This year, Studio Ghibli is releasing two new films in Japan — Hayao Miyazaki’s Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Is Rising) and Isao Takahata’s Kaguya-hime no Monogatari (The Tale of Princess Kaguya). Once they’re released, Studio Ghibli will have released 21 films since Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind in 1984 (which was actually pre-Ghibli, but is generally considered to be a Ghibli film), including one TV movie. To celebrate their achievement of creating some of the best animated films ever made, Ghibli made this mural for Japanese theaters. Read more…
Tags: Studio Ghibli
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 23, 2013 in Anime, Cinema 
Ever wanted to see a live-action version of Gatchaman, the popular Japanese anime (also known as G-Force, or Battle of the Planets here in the US). Gatchaman will finally gracing the big screen – but only in Japan for now. This live-action adaption from Japanese director Toya Sato (who previously did the Kaji live-action adaptions) looks to be taking itself pretty seriously here. While it has the typical lower-budget look of many Japanese anime adaptions, in many ways it’s kind of charming. The film will arrives in Japanese theaters August 24th. Perhaps it will make its way overseas eventually, but for now, check out the trailer below. Read more…
Tags: Gatchaman
Posted by Bob Muir on May 23, 2013 in Anime 
Sailor…Moon…in the coffee! If a barista is talented enough, they can make some intricate designs in your morning latte. One Japanese latte artist is using toothpicks, chocolate syrup and cocktail syrup to draw anime characters in coffee. Going by the name Sugi on Twitter, the artist hand-draws two or three cups a day. She only started working on latte art last April, but she has already done over 800 cups! Read more…
Tags: Food, Sailor Moon
Posted by Ben Huber on May 10, 2013 in Anime 
Remember how I was getting excited for Hiroyuki Imaishi’s new studio and their work? Well their first full-length series has been announced: Kill la Kill. This show will reunite a portion of staff who worked on Gurren Lagann, including Kazuki Nakashima (scriptwriter for the popular giant robot show), along with Imaishi. Sushio will be doing the character designs. The story will revolve around a post-apocalyptic all-girls school in which each girl has a uniform that match their skills and powers. The main character, Ryuuko, will battle against the equally powerful Satsuki, the Student Council President, who desires control of the school. Seems like a suitably ridiculous premise for a series. Check out some more concept and promotional art below. Read more…
Tags: Kill la Kill, Studio Trigger
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 27, 2013 in Anime, Fandom 
I’ve been on an Neon Genesis Evangelion kick recently (since the third movie is now out on Blu-ray in Japan), so this new model from Moko is perfect in its timing. He has made a nearly 4-foot tall Eva Unit 01, articulated, too! Kind of insane. And if you don’t know much about LEGO bricks: purple is a bit of a rare color in the LEGO world, so seeing so much of it in one place is pretty impressive. Usually LEGO mechas aren’t this big or lanky, due to their own weight, so it standing on its own is also quite a feat. Check out some more images of the model below, as well as Moko standing next to it for scale! Read more…
Tags: Evangelion, Lego
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 25, 2013 in Anime, Television 
In an interesting team-up, Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro has teamed up with Doctor Who and Sherlock writer Steven Thompson to adapt Naoki Urasawa’s critically-acclaimed manga Monster. It apparently took a while for del Toro to convince Urasawa, but he eventually accepted the proposal, and now Monster will be entering production on HBO. Urasawa’s original manga tells the story of a doctor who saves a child who grows up to be a sociopath, and the journey the doctor takes to right his wrongs. Read more…
Tags: guillermo del toro, HBO, manga
Posted by Michael Pinto on Apr 25, 2013 in Anime 
This just in from Discotek Media: “The English dubbed Samurai Pizza Cats complete series official release date will be July 30th 2013! We are doing a complete series box set with all 52 episodes on 8 DVDs. It will be $79.95 retail.” So now I guess some of you are asking “Who are these Samurai Pizza Cats?” Well here’s a taste: Read more…
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