Official Website of Sacred Seven

The official site of animation, The Sacred Seven, which is coming on this July 3rd, has opened.

This animation series is a super solid battle action shows portrays battle with monsters called Ashi.

Source: Sacred Seven Official Website

Media Blasters Licenses Shinryaku! Ika Musume (Squid Girl) on DVD

CEO John Sirabella of the North American anime distributor Media Blasters confirmed with ANN that his company has acquired the license to the television anime series Shinryaku! Ika Musume (Squid Girl). The company will release the first six episodes of Squid Girl on DVD on September 27. The release will include English-dubbed and -subtitled tracks and have a suggested retail price (SRP) of US$24.99. The solicitations also describe the release as "loaded with extras."

The anime adapts Masahiro Anbe's comedy manga about a squid girl who vows to invade the beaches of mankind since humans have polluted the seas. However, her invasion is less than successful, and she ends up on dry land. The first season premiered last October, and the media-distribution website Crunchyroll streamed the anime outside Japan as it aired. The upcoming second season is called Shinryaku!? Ika Musume.

Source: Fandom Post [Via ANN]

Baka to Test 2 BD & DVD Volumes to Add Another Anime Extra

The six Blu-ray and DVD volumes for the Baka to Test to Shōkanjū Ni! television anime will include more bonus anime extras in addition to the previously announced anime adaptation of the Sore ga Bokura no Nichijō "spinout" manga. Each volume will have an "Shichōkaku-shitsu no Chūshin de Baka to Yobu" ("Call 'Baka' in the Middle of the Audiovisual Room") anime extra. Each volume will also have a live-action "Real F Class no Nichijō" (The Daily Life of the Real F Class) extra with the main cast (Hiro Shimono, Hitomi Harada, Kaori Mizuhashi, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Emiri Katou, Kouki Miyata, Tomomi Isomura, and narrator Kumiko Inoue), as well as an audio commentary.

Baka to Test to Shōkanjū Ni! is the second television anime season based on Kenji Inoue's Baka to Test to Shōkanjū (Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts) comedy light novel series about students in the hapless F Class at a magical academy.

Source: Amazon Japan via Ota-Suke

Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon Promo Video Streamed

The official website for Manabu Ono and Sunrise's Kyōkai Senjō no Horizon (Horizon on the Middle of Nowhere) anime formally launched with a new 90-second promotional video streaming off the YouTube service on Saturday. Minoru Kawakami's original school fantasy light novel series is set in a distant future when Japan is divided into feudal territories and conquered by other countries. There is a floating city named Musashi that is composed of eight ships in the skies. A war that will determine the fate of the world will be fought by students on the Musashi. The anime will premiere in October.

Another New Gundam Project to Be Announced June 25

The Bandai Channel's website for live streams revealed on Monday that another new project in the Gundam franchise is launching. The official portal site Gundam.info and other venues will make the announcement on June 25. Bandai Channel just streamed the official announcement for the Kidō Senshi Gundam AGE (Mobile Suit Gundam AGE) anime series.

Gundam AGE Promotional Video Streamed Outside Japan

On Monday, the English version of the Gundam.info portal site officially began streaming the promotional video for Mobile Suit Gundam AGE, the new anime series which will premiere in October. The same promotional video, which premiered during Monday's announcement for the anime, is also on the official Gundam AGE website, but that website's video is restricted to Japanese IP (Interenet Protocol) addresses.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira's 2nd Promo Video Posted

On Monday, the Saishin Anime Jōhō website began streaming the second promotional video for Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira, a new original video anime series that celebrates the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni horror franchise's 10th anniversary next year. (The video plays in Microsoft Internet Explorer, but may not play in other browsers.) The site is still streaming the first promotional video.

The four bimonthly Blu-ray Disc/DVD volumes will ship between July 21, 2011 and January 25, 2012. The first volume will adapt the Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Kai software's Batsukoishi-hen storyline, while the remaining volumes will have all-new original stories: Ayakashisenshi-hen -Do-, Kichienshi-hen -Ai-, Yumeutsushi-hen -Raku-. Ryukishi07/07th Expansion created the original story, and Toshifumi Kawase is again supervising the scripts. Hideki Tachibana is directing at Studio DEEN.

07th Expansion's original Higurashi no Naku Koro ni visual novel software revolved around murders that coincide with an annual festival in a quiet rural village. The software inspired two television anime series, several video anime projects, two live-action films, and manga adaptations by several artists.

The game publisher MangaGamer licensed the rights to translate the original visual novel software for personal computers, and it has released them in English. Funimation took over North American distribution of the first Higurashi television anime series from Geneon Entertainment. Funimation released the first DVDs in 2008, but let the license expire due to poor sales. North America's Yen Press acquired the Higurashi manga for its Yen Plus anthology magazine and later for compiled book volumes.

Image © 2011 Ryukishi07/Hinamizawa Gosanke

Aniplex of America adds the Garden of Sinners to PlayStation Network

Aniplex of America has announced that the seven chapter movie Kara no Kyoukai (The Garden of Sinners) is now available for rent on PlayStation network's video-on-demand service in the US and Canada. The following seven chapters are available in Japanese with English subtitles for $2.99 each in standard definition widescreen:

• Chapter 1: Thanatos (Overlooking View)
• Chapter 2: …and nothing heart (Murder Speculation, Part A)
• Chapter 3: ever cry, never life (Remaining Sense of Pain)
• Chapter 4: garan-no-dou (The Hollow Shrine)
• Chapter 5: Paradox Paradigm
• Chapter 6: Fairy Tale (Oblivion Recording)
• Chapter 7: …not nothing heart (Murder Speculation, Part B)

The Garden of Sinners was only previously available in North America as an import boxset, which completely sold out.

Source: Aniplex USA | the Garden of sinners

Image © KINOKO NASU / Kodansha, Aniplex, Notes, ufotable

Anime Tourism of Hanasaku Iroha Revives the Model Spa

According to Hokkoku Newspaper, Yuwaku Hot Spring , the model town of Hanasaku Iroha, has been humming with business since the start of the anime. After the earthquake in March, nearly 1,500 guests have canceled the hotel reservations in Yuwaku but the rooms of all the nine hotels were fully booked by the anime fans just before the holidays in May. The bottles of Yuwaku Cider have been flying off the shelves because the cider was shown in the ED.

Iroha fans taking pictures of the sign of the model train station

Comparisons between the real sceneries in Yuwaku and the scenes in the anime

Entrance of the hotel area

Yuwaku - Anime

Main street

Yuwaku - Anime

Bridge Ohana walks on

Yuwaku - Anime

Bench Yuina sits with a Yuwaku Cider

Yuwaku - Anime

The rival hotel

Yuwaku - Anime

Yuwaku Spa Tourist Association said they expect the anime fans to visit the town repeatedly.

Source: Hokkoku Shinbun

FUNimation Acquires We Without Wings, Zebraman 2, City Under Seige

FUNimation has announced the licenses to Oretachi ni wa Tsubasa wa Nai or Oretsuba or Oretsuba (We Without Wings - Under the Innocent Sky), and the live action films Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City, and City Under Seige at their A-Kon 22 panel.

Oretachi ni wa Tsubasa wa Nai or Oretsuba (We Without Wings - Under the Innocent Sky) was developed by Navel, the same company behind Shuffle, which was a hit for FUNimation. FUNimation will release the series on DVD and Blu-ray in 2012. FUNimation will also begin streaming the series on June 24th at noon CDT on http://beta.funimation.com/we-without-wings.

Source: FUNimation News

Image ©Navel ©Oretsuba Committee

In Japan, ∀Gundam, Yamato, Ouran High Go Blu-ray

FUNimation released the series on upscaled Blu-ray back in March 2010, but Japan will its Ouran High School Host Club BR release on August 24th. The 5 disc limited edition set will retail for ¥ 25,000 (around $ 311).

Despite Bandai Entertainment announcing a license, North America hasn't seen a release of ∀Gundam (or Turn A Gundam). So, if you're intrigued by a Gundam that not only features mecha marching onto a landscape of World War I tech, but also the work of franchise creator Yoshiyuki Tomino, in addition to Yoko Kanno music, as well as design design by futurist Syd Mead and Capcom's Akira Yasuda, you may be jealous when you find out that Japan is getting Blu-rays of compilation movies Earth Light and Moon Butterfly on July 22nd. A set with special Akira Yasuda designed sleeves will retail for ¥ 14,700 (around $ 182), while standard editions will sell for ¥ 6,300 (around $ 78) each.

Collection DX notes that Japan will be getting DVD and Blu-ray releases of the live action Space Battleship Yamato on June 24th. Standard Edition DVD and Blu-Ray will be running ¥ 2500 (around $ 31) and ¥ 4800 (around $ 59) and include a trailer, teaser, and TV spot for special features.

Collector Editions of the DVD and Blu-Ray will be running ¥ 8800 (around $ 109) and ¥ 9800 (around $ 121) and inlucde more special features and collector items.

Ga-rei Zero Added to Netflix Streaming

Netflix's streaming service has begun offering AIC Spirits & Asread's 12 episode anime series Ga-rei Zero. This prequel to Hajime Segawa's Ga-rei manga series has been released in a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack in North America by FUNimation.

Directed by Ei Aoki (Hourou Musuko: Wandering Son), the series follows Kagura Tsuchimiya, the daughter lineage of demon beast controllers, who'll eventually use her spirit dog Ga-Rei Byakuei in the service of the Japanese Ministry of Defense's anti-paranormal forces, and, unfortunately, against her adopted sister Yomi. (Beyond the demon battling brutality, the anime is often remarked upon for scenes of Kagura and adopted sister Yomi Lady and the Tramping sticks of Pocky.)

Source: Netflix

CLAMP Ending Kobato Manga Series

Manga author team CLAMP announced that the Kobato manga series will conclude in the August issue of Newtype magazine. According to Animate, Volume 6 of the Japanese collections will be released July 25th.

The series, launched in 2005, follows cheery Kobato, who, with the help of her spirit companion/dog plushie, aims to heal people's hearts and in doing so fill a bottle that will grant her a wish.

Kobato also ran in the English language Newtype USA, and following the closure of that magazine, and its publisher, the series was picked up by Yen Press. Its anime adaptation is coming to North America from Sentai Filmworks.

Source: CLAMP's Official Website

Naruto Fight Highlights and More... Some Sakuga For Your Saturday

Every month, the best bits of sakuga, full motion in anime, are put together into compilation videos. Some of you might have already seen one, but here's a second, annotated look at what's been eyed to be the cream of crop for May, 2011.

Also, here's a video compilation of the work of Gorou Sessha, who did work of Kannagi, Sengoku Basara, Precure and Toradora, but who perhaps made his biggest mark on Naruto Shippūden, particularly its Sasuke fights.

Type-Moon Gears Up for Summer With Carnival Phantasm

Type-Moon, the folks behind visual novel based series Tsukihime and Fate/stay night, have launched their site for TYPE-MOON10 Animation Anniversary OVA Carnival Phantasm.

Scheduled to hit for this August's Comiket doujinishi event, the anime is directed by Angel Beats' Seiji Kishi from a script by his Astro Fighter Sunred collaborator Makoto Uezu (Is This is a Zombie?). Voice acting favorites will be revisting familiar roles, such as Ayako Kawasumi as Saber, Ryoka Yuzuki as Arcueid, Kana Ueda as Rin Tosaka, Kenji Nojima as Shiki Tono and so on through the Type-Moon pantheon.

Source: Type-Moon's Carnival Phantasm

New OVA of Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai (The World God Only Knows) Announced

This year's 29th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine is announcing on Wednesday that the 14th volume of Tamiki Wakaki's Kami no Mizo Shiru Sekai (The World God Only Knows) manga will bundle an original video anime (OVA) on September 16.

The romantic comedy manga centers on Keima Katsuragi, a high school boy who is known as the "Capturing God" for his success at romance simulation games. However, thanks to a contract with a devil, he now has to capture the hearts of real girls to catch the runaway spirits hidden in those hearts.

The manga already inspired two television anime seasons last year and this year, and the website Crunchyroll streamed both outside Japan as they aired. The limited edition of the 10th manga manga bundled a prologue anime last September.

Source: Manga News

Images © Tamiki Wakaki/Shogakukan, Kaminomi Project, TV Tokyo

Blu-ray & DVD Only Episode of Ikoku Meiro no Croisée

According to the official website, an unaired episode of Ikoku Meiro no Croisée will be included in the third volume of the Blu-ray & DVD. It will be released on November 25th. Each of the seven volumes of the Blu-ray & DVDs will carry a short SD anime "Yune & Alice". The TV series is twelve episodes long. The first episode will be aired on July 3rd.

Plot: During the second half of the 19th century, Europe became intrigued by the Japanese culture. A Japanese girl named Yune travels to France, where she started working in the lower parts of a town in Paris at a craft store called Enseignes du Roy. She and the store owner named Claude communicate with each other in order to get over their cultural differences. This is the story of Yune's stay in Paris...

Source: Ikokumeiro official website

Usagi Drop/Bunny Drop's 1st Promotional Video Streamed

The website for Kanta Kamei and Production I.G's anime adaptation of Yumi Unita's Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop) manga began streaming its first promotional video on Friday. The anime will premiere in Fuji TV's Noitamina block on Thursday, July 7 at 24:25 (effectively Friday, July 8 at 12:45 a.m.)

In the story, 30-year-old bachelor Daikichi (Hiroshi Tsuchida) discovers a little girl named Rin (Ayu Matsuura) in his grandfather's garden while at his grandfather's funeral. Rin is the 6-year-old illegitimate daughter of Daikichi's grandfather, and Daikichi decides to take her in when no one in the family accepts the responsibility.

The Bunny Drop manga began in 2006, and the eighth compiled book volume shipped last October. Yen Press published the third manga volume in North America in March, and the title was nominated for this year's Eisner Awards. A live-action film version will open in Japan on August 20 with director Sabu, lead actor Ken'ichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City, Gantz), and lead actress Mana Ashida.

Source: Presepe News

Image © 2011 Yumi Unita/Shodensha/Anime Usagi Drop Production Commitee

Kyoto Animation Makes New TV Commercial

The animation studio Kyoto Animation announced earlier this week that it animated a 30-second "Ajisai-hen" (Hydrangea Ad) commercial. Shoko Ikeda (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-ON!!) was the storyboarder, character designer, director, and animation director for the commercial, and it stars 12-year-old actress Akari Kudou (Pénélope tête en l'air).

The commercial is about four sisters, and Ikeda noted that she created the commercial with the themes of "fun," "dreams" and "energetic" in mind. According to Ikeda, the protagonist in the commercial has the power to create anything she dreams.

The studio previously aired two other commercials last June and July. The "Ajisai-hen" commercial is now airing in Japan.

Source: Yaraon!

Level 5 to Help Create Gundam AGE Anime This Fall

The July issue of Shogakukan's Corocoro Comic magazine is announcing next Wednesday that the game developer Level 5 (Inazuma Eleven, Danbōru Senki) is working on all aspects of the new Gundam AGE anime for release this fall. In particular, Level 5 President Akihiro Hino is in charge of the story. There will also be a Gundam AGE manga running in the magazine.

Scan of Corocoro

Scan2

Scan3

The new series will have three generations of "father, child, and descendant" as the lead characters. The main characters pilot the Gundam unit to fight against an unknown attacking enemy (UE) and save Earth in a "One Hundred Year War" — an apparent homage to the One Year War of the first Gundam series.

The first main character is Furitto Asuno, who developed the Gundam AGE-1 mobile suit (humanoid mobile weapon) equipped with the AGE System (a self-adapting computer). The second main character is Asemu Asuno, Furitto's child. The third main character is Kio Asuno, Furitto's descendant who inherits the Gundam. The Gundam AGE-1 can be augmented as the Gundam AGE-1 Titus for more power, or as the Gundam AGE-1 Sparrow for more speed.

Other characters include Emily, Furitto's friend since he was 7. Guruudekku is a Commander in the Earth Federation Forces and the captain of the battleship Diva. Mireesu is a Lieutenant (junior grade) in the Federation Forces aboard the Diva.

Tied into the anime will be "four ultimate projects" in the works: manga, hobby (model kits and figures), games, and cards.

Source: 0taku.com

Image © 2011 Sunrise