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LOS ANGELES (May 31, 2010) – Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration, has announced voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro as its newest Guest of Honor when it returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011. Sawashiro will participate in autograph sessions, an attendee panel and a fan meet-and-greet.

Sawashiro’s voice is recognizable to fans from such popular anime series as “Beelzebub,” “Angel Beats!,” “Durarara!!,” “PERSONA -trinity soul-,” and “Arakawa Under the Bridge,” in which she portrays the character Maria and also performs the theme song. In honor of Sawashiro’s appearance, Anime Expo will present a special screening of “Arakawa Under the Bridge.”

LOS ANGELES (May 31, 2010) — Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration, has announced the President of Good Smile Company, Takanori Aki, as an industry guest. Mr. Aki will be holding an attendee panel at Anime Expo when it returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011.

In keeping with its mission to connect fans with creative leaders and the latest trends from Japan, this panel will give attendees insights into one of the country’s most successful figure-making companies, famous for its “figma” (multiple articulated joint figures) and “Nendoroid,” (cute, pint-sized “chibi” figures).

“The Radius”

Title: Zatoichi The Blind Swordsman DVD Collector’s Edition Box

Directors: Various (Yauda Kimoyoshi, Katsu Shintaro, Okamoto Kihachi etc)

U. S. Distributor: AnimEigo

U. S. release date: May 17, 2011

Format: 7 DVDs /  671 minutes + Extras

Genre: Samurai, Drama, Historical

Age Rating: 18+ (violence warning on the box)

Overall Personal Rating: A-

Synopsis:

Jin, Omiya-san, Toriko, Pokémon, Precure, Tamagotchi! on top 10 charts

The television drama adaptation of Motoka Murakami’s Jin manga aired on Sunday, May 22 at 9:00 p.m. as the #1 drama of the week. It earned a 18.8 rating.

The eighth live-action drama adaptation of Shotaro Ishinomori’s Omiya-san mystery manga earned a 12.1 rating when it ran on Thursday, May 19 at 8:00 p.m.

Title	Station	Date	Time	Length	Average Household Rating
Sazae-san	Fuji TV	May 22 (Sun)	18:30	30 min.	20.3
Chibi Maruko-chan	Fuji TV	May 22 (Sun)	18:00	30 min.	15.0

The North American manga publisher Viz Media announced at its FanimeCon panel on Sunday that it licensed the film comics for Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Studio Ghibli’s Arrietty the Borrower (Karigurashi no Arrietty) movie. The film comics will launch in two volumes in North America in January of 2012. (The film comics had originally shipped in four volumes in Japan last August and September.) Viz has not announced the suggested retail price for the project.

Viz also indicated more Arrietty publications are in the works, but did not make specific release announcements. The film news website Deadline.com reported in January that Disney will release the film itself in North American theaters next February.

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.

2 video projects on August 24 & September 21, film on October 26

The production company Aniplex of America announced at its FanimeCon panel on Saturday that it will release the 1997-2001 Rurouni Kenshin original video anime (OVA) projects and 1997 Rurouni Kenshin film on Blu-ray Disc in North America — on the same days that they ship on Blu-ray in Japan. The Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal (Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuioku Hen) prequel OVA will ship from Right Stuf and Bandai Entertainment’s online stores on August 24, and the Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection (Rurouni Kenshin: Seiso Hen) sequel OVA will ship on September 21. Finally, Rurouni Kenshin The Movie will come out on October 26.

Publisher closing in 5 days; classified ads posted on Craigslist

The classified ad service Craigslist is hosting two ads from the international manga publisher Tokyopop, which is in the process of shutting down its North American publishing division in Los Angeles. Tokyopop has confirmed with ANN that the posts are legitimate.

The ads are for the sale of two lighted signs, both featuring Tokypop’s name and “robofish” logo on metal. One sign is four inches deep and 2.5 feet by 3.5 feet (10 by 80 by 100 centimeters), and the other (pictured) is much larger: 11 feet by 8.5 feet (3.4 by 2.6 meters).

The Yahoo! Auctions Japan website is hosting an auction by the user “katsudouka” for a moped customized after the MS-06S Zaku II from the Mobile Suit Gundam anime. The MS-06S Zaku II robot with the distinctive red color scheme served as the personal unit for Mobile Suit Gundam character Char Aznable, the nemesis of the Gundam protagonist and pilot Amuro Ray.

news provided by our frinds at ICv2

And Keanu Never Came

Albert Hughes, who’d signed to direct the two-picture Hollywood remake of Akira with his brother Allen (see “Hughes Brothers Helming ‘Akira’”), has left the production, according to Deadline Hollywood. This comes only a short time after a flirtation with Keanu Reeves as the lead (see “Keanu Reeves in Talks for Akira”) ended, as first reported by Joblo.

The studio still wants to make the film and likes the current version of the script by Steve Kloves, according to the Deadline report. Actors from an earlier list remain under consideration (although that casting direction has taken heat over the race of the candidates, see “Akira Casting Draws Ire”).

This chart of the “Top 10 Shojo Properties” reflects sales in all channels for Q1 2011.  The “Top 10″ chart is based on interviews with retailers, distributors, and manufacturers.

Gardena, CA (May 25, 2010) – Digital Manga, one of the manga industry’s most unique and creative publishers, is proud to announce its digital distribution expansion on to Google Books! http://books.google.com/ebooks

Digital Manga has so far launched over 90 titles from their DMP, Juné, and 801 Media imprints into the Google ebookstore, with more to follow in the coming weeks and months, including popular manga titles like Vampire Hunter D and Maiden Rose. Kindle blocked titles like The Color of Love, Weekend Lovers and The Selfish Demon King, are also available in the Google ebookstore.

“The Radius”:

Title: Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 25

Authro: Hiromu Arakawa

Distributor: Viz Media

American Release Date: June 7, 2011

Genre: Steampunk, Action, Adventure, Shonen

Publisher Age Rating: T (For Teen)

Review Grade: A-

Similar Series: Qwaser of Stigmata

With only two volumes left, how will Arakawa set up for the end of one of the greatest manga series?

Synopsis:

1, 2, 3… 3 and a half… where the heck is the last human sacrifice?

HOUSTON, MAY 21, 2011—Sentai Filmworks today announced its acquisition of the animated romantic omnibus AMAGAMI SS.  Based on Enterbrain’s (KIMIKISS) hit dating simulation game for the PS2, and produced by Enterbrain themselvess in cooperation with animation by the legendary AIC (Ah! My Goddess, Angel Beats, Bubblegum Crisis, Tenchi Muyo,), the 26 episode series, which includes two bonus episodes, was directed and co-written by Yoshimasa Hiraike and takes a truly unique spin in its adaptation from the original material.  Daring to go where few anime based on role-playing games games have dared, AMAGAMI SS eschews the traditional practice of focusing on a handful of characters and instead presents multiple storylines that follow the paths of each of the potential romantic relationships in the original games as a series of separate, alternate stories rather than a single hybrid story.

HOUSTON, MAY 21, 2011—Sentai Filmworks today announced its acquisition of MM! (pronounced Emu! Emu!) the outrageous new animated series comedy that takes a decidedly different bent when it comes to looking at people of a decidedly different bent.  Based on the twelve novel series of the same name by the late Akinari Mitsuno, and subsequent manga adaptation illustrated by Issei Hyoujyu with character designs by QP: Flapper, the new series features direction by Tsuyoshi Nagasawa (storyboards for To Loveru), and follows the adventures of a character who discovers that, while he, himself, might be a masochist, there are other people he knows with equally life affecting fixations.

Life is just an eating trip.

A contemporary Japanese food culture documentary.

People eat. It is a universal experience and that is how we survive. However, eating has become more than a replenishment of nutrients. It has become an opportunity for bonding with others as well as an act of interacting with nature. The film explores the interpersonal relationships that food nurtures and takes you on a journey throughout Japan looking at how life can be led richly through the daily ritual of eating. From the Tsukiji fish market to an Okinawan farm, the film offers poignant interviews with intriguing personalities.

“The Radius

Title: Butterflies, Flowers volume 7

Artist/Author: Yuki Yoshihara

Distributor: Viz Media

American release date: June 7, 2011

Format, Genre and length: Shojo Manga, 200 pages

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: M   Mature

Overall Personal Rating: C+

Similar series or titles to check out: Previous Volumes of Butterflies, Flowers

Time hasn’t solidified Choko and Masayuki’s relationship. It seems just as vulnerable as ever, at least from Choko’s point of view.

Synopsis:

Title: Pokemon: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles DVD Box Set 1

Distributor: Viz Media

American Release Date:  Mar 15 2011

Format: DVD 350 Minutes

Genre: Action Adventure

Publisher Age Ratting: PG

Overall personal ratting: B

As Ash continues his adventure to become a Pokemon Master, he finds himself in all sorts of crazy situations ranging from a haunted mansion, to fighting team Galactic, not to mention, Ash also challenging another gym leader. The first box set of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles is sure to be an exciting one.

“The Radius”

Dance in the Vampire Bund: Complete Series L .E.

Director: Akiyuki Shinko

Studio: Shaft

U.S. Distributor: FUNimation

U.S. Release Date: June 14th, 2011

Format: DVD/ 12 Episodes / 300 minutes

Genre: Supernatural, Shojo, Romance

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: B+

Similar Series:  Vampire Knight and Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase.

The Vampire society has lived behind veils of secrecy for centuries, so what has prompted the Princess and ruler of the Vampire world to expose them and try to create a place they can all call home?