June 2011
June 28, 2011
Anime Expo is coming up and we will be attending on its 20th Anniversary. If you want to come join us, we will be at booth #445 right next to Artist Alley waiting to meet all of you. (Trust me. You won't miss us.!) Anime Expo will start this Independence weekend in good old Los Angeles, California at the Los Angeles Convention Center July 1-4, 2011.
Since we will be attending the convention, there will be a delay in shipping out orders. Please do not freak out if we don't ship your orders out in time. We will get to it as soon as we can.
If you are coming in, we will be waiting for you!
June 18-19, 2011
June 16, 2011
Remember: Father's Day is this weekend.
Also, we would like to invite you to the next convention that we will be attending - Kintoki-Con! This is the first year that Kintoki-Con will shine and we want you to be part of the grand opening! It will be held this weekend at Sacramento, California. For more information, please check out the link below.
NEWS!!!
The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross creator draws Nakano Fujo Sisters' male alter ego
Manga creator Arina Tanemura will launch her new series, tentatively titled Fudanjuku Monogatari (The Fudanjuku Story), about the idol group Fudanjuku in this year's 16th issue of Shueisha's Margaret magazine on July 20. The creator of Full Moon O Sagashite, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, Kamikaze Kaitō Jeanne, I.O.N, and Time Stranger Kyoko appeared at a press conference with the members of Fudanjuku on Thursday. The Comic Natalie website posted a preview image of the manga.
Fudanjuku is actually the male alter ego of the seven-member female idol group Nakano Fujo Sisters (Yatterman). The members of Nakano Fujo Sisters (both as themselves and as Fudanjuku) present themselves as otaku. Fudanjuku leader Yōsuke Shijūin — the alter ego of Nakano Fujo Sisters member Yōko Inui and a self-professed cosplay otaku — confessed an interest in cosplaying as characters from Tanemura's works.
Tanemura revealed at the conference that she decided to draw a shōjo manga of Fudanjuku when she attended the group's concert for the first time. She then pitched the project to the editors of Margaret magazine. Tanemura has serialized most of her work in Shueisha's Ribon magazine, so this will be her first work in Margaret. She explained that she plans to complete the manga in seven chapters, so she decided to serialize it faster in the semi-monthly Margaret instead of the monthly Ribon.
The manga will run as an omnibus of seven self-contained stories — one for each of the members. The first chapter will feature the member Kojirō Akazono (Yuka Konan). The compiled book volume for the manga will go on sale in early 2012. Margaret magazine first revealed Tanemura's plans for a new manga series last month.
Tanemura launched her Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura manga in 2009, and Viz Media began publishing this manga in North America in April. Viz Media also published most of her other titles except for Kamikaze Kaitō Jeanne, which CMX published.
Only performer listed for both; 2 musical gigs in 2 consecutive days
Southern California anime conventions Anime Expo and AM2 have announced American singer Stephanie Yanez as the only advertised performer participating at both conventions. Anime Expo and AM2 are being held simultaneously during the first weekend of July.
Yanez, a Los Angeles local and 2004's AX Idol winner, is scheduled to perform for Anime Expo at downtown LA's Club Nokia Saturday night, July 2. She will then make the 30-mile (about 50-kilometer) trip to Anaheim for her AM2 performance the following morning.
"I think it will be wonderful for all of us fans to be able to attend both conventions on the same weekend, but for me personally, it will be an amazing experience as an indie artist to be invited to perform at both conventions," said Yanez.
First to announce Yanez as a guest, AM2 is a new convention located at the Anaheim Convention Center - the former venue of Anime Expo from 2003 until 2006. Yanez will be performing Sunday, July 3, as part of the free Summer Festival event. She will be joined by other American bands such as Icarus Kid, Kazha, Ajuku Girls, akai Sky, Dream Rush, REOG, the Slants, Nocturra, Midnight Shinigami, and Heat.
Anime Expo announced on Wednesday that Yanez will join LA-based DJ group Tune in Tokyo and local hard rock band Dig Jelly in hosting an all-night music event at Club Nokia beginning Saturday, July 2. The event is scheduled to run until 2 a.m. the following morning.
"It's a great honor to be invited to perform at Anime Expo 2011 because that is where I had the opportunity to participate in AX Idol, which opened up a lot of doors for me within the indie anime J-pop music scene. I am very excited to also perform at AM2 because I believe this new convention has a very promising future," Yanez said.
Vampire Hunter D illustrator's art auction on July 9; San Francisco's New People center also holds Linda Linda Linda benefit screening
Final Fantasy and Vampire Hunter D illustrator Yoshitaka Amano has donated three pieces of brush art paintings for an July 9 auction to aid the recovery and reconstruction efforts after the March 11 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Daishinsai) disaster. The live auction will run at 7:00 p.m. on the last day of Yoshitaka Amano: FOR JAPAN, a June 18-July 9 art exhibition at the New People entertainment and shopping center in San Francisco's Japantown district.
All proceeds raised in the auction will go to the Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund by the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California.
The auction will take bids on-site or online. All potential bidders must register online or in person at the New People center's Superfrog Gallery. The New People Twitter account will post updates on auction bids.
Amano has been in the anime industry since he was 15, when he joined the veteran studio Tatsunoko Production. Among his character design credits at Tatsunoko are Time Bokan, Hutch, the Honeybee, Shinzo Ningen Casshan, and Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.
After he became a freelancer, he contributed visual conceptual art to the first of many Final Fantasy games from Square (later Square Enix). He also created Yasai no Yousei - N.Y. Salad, a television anime about the secret nocturnal life of vegetables in a New York kitchen, and that series inspired a 3D film this spring. He is currently working on his directorial film debut, the anime Deva Zan, for worldwide release next year.
New People is also holding a benefit screening of the live-action film Linda Linda Linda on June 24 at 7:00 p.m. 100% of net proceeds will be donated to Earth Day Tokyo Tower of Japan, a group that sends organized groups of volunteers into devastated areas to assist with clean-up, make food, hold events for children, and sets up food courts.
Kana Asumi, Azusa Kataoka, Sayuri Hara to perform as unit for last time on July 31
The official Twitter account of the voice actress group LISP (Kana Asumi, Azusa Kataoka, Sayuri Hara) announced at midnight on Friday that the group will suspend its activities as of the scheduled July 31 live concert. The group's official website also confirmed the suspension. The group apologized for the sudden notice. The July 31 concert in Tokyo will mark the one-year anniversary of the group.
The trio performed the opening theme songs for Haiyoru! Nyaruani: Remember My Mr. Lovecraft and Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream. They also performed the ending theme song for Bakugan Battle Brawlers: Gundalian Invaders in Japan.
Zone to reunite 10 years later to fulfill line in "secret base" song used in AnoHana
10 female musical acts, including SCANDAL, Sphere, Shoko Nakagawa (Shokotan), ClariS, and Stereopony, have contributed songs on a ZONE tribute album, which will be released on August 10. The tribute album, titled "ZONE Tribute ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~," will coincide with the band's reunion concerts, which will be held on August 14-15 at the Akasaka BLITZ event hall in Tokyo. The tribute album will contain song covers female artists from the "ZONE Generation" who followed in ZONE's footsteps.
ZONE debuted in 2001, and broke up in 2005. Three of the band members are reuniting in 2011 to mark their 10-year anniversary. The reunion is in commemoration of a line of lyrics in ZONE's first big hit song, "secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~," which says "Believe that we can meet again in August ten years later." ZONE band members Tomoka, Maiko and Miyu will perform at the reunion concert; band member Mizuho officially retired from show business.
Other bands who contributed to the tribute album include bump.y, Nagi Yanagi, Peaceful, Tomato n' Pine, and Tokyo Girls' Style.
The song "secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~" is currently being used as the ending theme song in Fuji TV's Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai. (AnoHana) anime, as sung by the characters Meiko Honma (Ai Kayano), Naruko Anjō (Haruka Tomatsu), and Chiriko Tsurumi (Saori Hayami). The story of AnoHana follows several childhood friends who try to reconnect in high school after drifting apart. SCANDAL will cover "secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~" for the ZONE tribute album.
This summer, the Noitamina Shop in Tokyo's Shinjuku PARCO Part 1 department store is recreating the secret base of "Chō Heiwa Busters," the childhood gathering of friends from AnoHana.
The new album's song lineup includes:
ClariS "true blue"
SCANDAL "secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~"
Stereopony "Akashi"
Sphere "Glory colors ~kaze no Tobira~"
Tokyo Girls' Style "Boku no Tegami"
Tomato n' Pine "Yume no Kakera"
Shoko Nakagawa "Shiroi Hana"
bump.y "Sotsugyō"
Peaceful "Good Days"
Nagi Yanagi "Hitoshizuku"
Toshihiro Fukuoka, the Chief Executive Editor of ASCII Media Works' ASCII Weekly Magazine and an editor at Tokyo Kawaii Magazine, reported in a Monday event that the Mikunopolis in Los Angeles concert at Anime Expo has booked the entire planned allotment of 3,500 seats. This overseas version of the 2010 "Miku no Hi Kanshasai 39's Giving" concert will add new musical numbers and stage costumes.
The maximum capacity of the Nokia Theater is actually 7,100, but the concert will use the DILAD Board system to project Crypton Future Media's Hatsune Miku character and other virtual idol singers. The projection system cannot be effectively viewed from all seats in the theater, and the organizers initially decided that only the first-floor seats were enough. The organizers are attempting to secure more seats on the second floor.
Source: Anime News Network
June 4-5, 2011
NEWS!!!
A Distant Neighborhood creator honored as chevalier for contributions to arts France announced that it will confer the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) decoration on manga creator Jiro Taniguchi. The order honors individuals who have contributed in art, literature, and other areas. Other Japanese citizens who have received the honor include filmmaker and actor Takeshi Kitano ("Beat Takeshi") and videogame designer Shigeru Miyamoto.
Fanfare / Ponent Mon has published such Taniguchi works as The Walking Man, The Ice Wanderer, and A Distant Neighborhood in English, and these three particular titles have been nominated for America's Eisner Awards. Viz also published his Benkei in New York manga.
A live-action film adaptation of A Distant Neighborhood (Harukana Machi e/Quartier Lointain) was produced in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany last year.
While Taniguchi has received manga and comic awards in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and other countries, this new decoration is his first national order of honor. France has not yet announced when the ceremony for the decoration will take place.
Anime Expo announced on Thursday that it will host four individuals in the Japanese software companies Crypton Future Media and Idea Factory as Guests of Honor at the July 1-4 event in Los Angeles.
As the CEO of Crypton Future Media, Hiroyuki Itoh oversaw the launch and rise of Hatsune Miku — the idol character, originally created to personify a synthesized vocal music software package, who has become a star in her own right. He also launched the Vocaloid website Piapro and the music aggregation service ROUTER.FM. Crypton Future Media producer Wataru Sasaki led the marketing for Kaito, Hatsune Miku, and other Vocaloid releases.
Kenta Sugano and Katsuyuki Hirano, a director and lead artist (respectively) from Idea Factory, will take part in a panel exploring the development of role-playing games (RPGs) in Japan. Sugano and Hirano are best known for their work on titles like Record of Agarest Wars and Hyperdimension Netpunia, both of which have been localized for American audiences.
Other guests at this year's convention include singer Maon Kurosaki, manga creator Izumi Matsumoto, comic creator Fred Gallagher, virtual pop idol Hatsune Miku, Japanese pop trio Kalafina, president of Nippon Ichi Software Sohei Niikawa, television host/blogger Danny Choo, voice actor Vic Mignogna, and Japanese voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro.
Sets trial dates, deadlines for 2-phase trial on license to 4Kids
On Thursday, United States Bankruptcy Judge Shelley Chapman ordered TV Tokyo and Nihon Ad Systems (NAS), the owners of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime franchise, to comply with an automatic stay on the anime's licensing. According to the order, the owners cannot re-license the franchise or otherwise exercise control over rights to the franchise. The rights were held by the North American distributor 4Kids under its 2001 and 2008 contracts with TV Tokyo and NAS.
TV Tokyo and NAS had announced in March that they would terminate 4Kids' Yu-Gi-Oh! license and sue the distributor. The owners claimed that 4Kids fraudulently hid income that should have been subject to royalties for the Japanese owners.
In her Thursday order, Judge Chapman also said that the trial on the franchise's licensing will proceed in two phases: the first will determine whether TV Tokyo and NAS' announced cancellation of 4Kids' license was valid, and whether 4Kids owes the owners money and exactly how much. 4Kids must respond to the lawsuit on June 10, followed by discovery, objections, and witness lists. The first phase of the trial will begin on August 29. Details on the second phase have not been revealed.
4Kids filed for bankruptcy in April; the company had previously stated it might have to file after the Yu-Gi-Oh! lawsuit. The lawsuit judge then remanded, or sent, the lawsuit to the bankruptcy court due to the relation between the two cases. When 4Kids learned that ADK, the owner of Nihon Ad Systems, would promote the new Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal anime series at the Licensing Expo International later this month, 4Kids filed a motion requesting enforcement of the automatic stay mentioned above.
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Bangkok, New York, London, Paris
The rock band L'Arc~en~Ciel will launch a World Tour in 2012, after the 20th L'Anniversary Live tour in Japan. The tour in Japan will start on September 10 and 11 at the Saitama Super Arena northwest of Tokyo. From there, the band will go to Marine Messe Fukuoka (September 17/18), Sapporo Kitayell (October 1/2), Aichi's Nihon Gaishi Hall (November 2/3), and finally Kyocera Dome Osaka (December 3/4).
L'Arc-en-Ciel will then hold a world tour in 2012 with stops in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Bangkok, New York, London, and Paris.
Aniplex's 26 English-dubbed episodes to also run on AdultSwim.com
The production company Aniplex of America announced at its FanimeCon Durarara!! panel on Saturday that the anime series will begin running on the American television network Adult Swim in June. The 26-episode anime will run during the network's Saturday evening programming block. Adult Swim's website will also stream episodes after their television run.
The 2010 Durarara!! anime adapts Ryohgo Narita's suspense action light novels of the same name. After launching his earlier Baccano! light novel series, Narita wrote Durarara!!'s "warped adolescent fantasy romance" about the colorful young denizens of Tokyo's Ikebukuro neighborhood. Narita has written nine Durarara!! novel volumes since 2004, and Akiyo Satorigi began drawing a manga series in Square Enix's G Fantasy magazine in 2009.
Aniplex shipped the first two parts of the anime on DVD, and the third and final part is shipping this month. The website Crunchyroll began streaming the anime outside Japan as it aired.
Source: Anime News Network
June 1, 2011
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