Recent Anime News

Code-E Second Series Announced

The official Code-E anime series homepage reports that the series will be getting a second season.

Source: Anime News Network

Tokyo Marble Chocolate Trailers Released

The official homepage for Production IG's upcoming anime OVA "Tokyo Marble Chocolate" now hosts two short, streaming trailers. The OVA is scheduled for Japanese DVD release on December 19th.

Matai Mashou trailer
Zenryoku Shonen trailer

Source: Moon Phase

Aurora Launches Josei Line

Aurora Publishing will launch its "josei" ("female") line of English translated manga targeted at young adult and adult female readers in January. The "LuvLuv" line of translated manga will debut with the publication of Kanae Hazuki's romance manga short story collection "Voices of Love." Mitsuki Oda's romance manga "Real Love," will follow in March. All LuvLuv titles will be age-rated 18+.

Aurora Publishing is the American branch of Japanese publisher Ohzora.

Source: ICv2

Madhouse & Nikkatsu Partner in America

Anime production studio Madhouse and Japan's oldest film production studio, Nikkatsu, have jointly established an American company named Index Holdings. The Index Holdings office will open in Los Angeles in January to concentrate on marketing Madhouse and Nikkatsu properties internationally and develop original films with Hollywood companies.

Source: Variety

Anime DVD Sales in Japan Up

The latest half-year report from the Japan Video Software Association reveals that mainstream anime DVD sales in Japan during the first half of 2007 have increased by 15% from 2006 sales. First half 2007 mainstream anime DVD sales in Japan totaled 28.5 billion yen ($246 million USD).

Total sales of Japanese and foreign animation released on Japanese DVD during the first half of 2007 have increased by one million dollars since 2006.

Anime DVDs account for an estimated 29.4% of all Japanese home video sales and rental revenue generated during the first half of 2007.

Source: Anime News Network

First Look at New .Hack Anime

Japanese portal site Goo now hosts the first released screenshots from the upcoming .hack//G.U. TRILOGY full CG OVA. The OVA is scheduled for Japanese released on January 25th.

Source: Ultimatum

Dark Horse Talks Blade of the Immortal

ICv2 now hosts an interview with Dark Horse Comics editor Philip Simon regarding the transition of publishing Hiroaki Samura's Blade of the Immortal manga in monthly comic book form to graphic novel form.

Official English Translation of Manga Zombie Online

ComiPress has begun to host a serialized authorized English translation of manga scholar Udagawa Takeo's 1997 book "Manga Zombie." The book focuses on bringing attention to the work of 31 select "outsider" manga artists that were active primarily in the 1960s and 70s. Udagawa's book asserts that these 31 artists, "represent the most authentic and exciting work being done in the medium before market forces... squeezed the artists' freedom of expression to an absolute minimum in the late seventies."

Source: Anime News Network

New Look at Live Action Blood Movie

French movie news website Films Actu has secured the first production still from the currently filming live action Blood: The Last Vampire movie. The still features Korean actress Jeon Ji-Hyun as Saya.

Source: Twitch

Masamune Shirow Talks About Ghost Hound

As the Ghost Hound "spiritual animation" series, Production I.G's 20th-anniversary project, premiered on Japanese television earlier this week, creator Masamune Shirow has written a message to fans that has been translated and posted on I.G's website. He acknowledges that the anime series differs in some aspects from his original story but accepts these differences as inevitable. The original idea, which he created in 1987, deals with "recognizing and unlocking unworldly power." In the anime, this has been changed to the theme of losing the unworldly power as children are transformed into teenagers and adults.

Source: Anime News Network