Spice & Wolf II

The official website for Isuna Hasekura and Jū Ayakura's Spice and Wolf fantasy light novels has begun streaming a new 46-second special movie for the upcoming Spice and Wolf II television anime series on Wednesday. The second season will premiere on July 8 in Japan. Yen Press acquired the original light novels and Keito Koume's manga adaptation for English translation last year, and Funimation announced in May that it acquired the first anime season.

Sea Story

The "transforming magical girl action" story centers on Marin and Urin, two "pure" sisters who live alongside the fish in the sea, but yearn to be in the world beyond the water and above ground. One day, a beautiful ring falls in the middle of the sea, and Marin and Urin retrieve it. The two decide to leave their waterbound world for the first time to deliver the ring. After an arduous journey, they come across an isolated island where a high school girl named Kanon lives. The encounter between Marin and Kanon — the maiden of the sea and the maiden of the skies — awakens a hidden power as the world is threatened by an enveloping darkness.

DOGS Bullets and Carnage

The story takes place in a future European city where a genetically altered albino gunman, a chain-smoking mercenary, a former assassin, and a katana-wielding orphan ply their deadly trades on the streets and below the surface.

The first anime volume will ship in Japan with the fourth volume of Miwa's Dogs: Bullets & Carnage manga on May 19. The second anime volume will ship with the Dogs: Stray Dogs Howling in the Dark manga volume on July 17.

Kiss X Sis

Keita is living many junior high school boys' dream. He has two older step twin sisters who compete for his romantic love in so many ecchi ways: good morning kisses and panty flashing. Their parents openly support the sisters' feelings and advances because they are step-siblings and are not related by blood, in fact they even have a bet going as to which sister Keita will accept. Now, if only the sisters were not so popular, because they have asked their little brother to attend their high school where there are certain to be problems.

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (2009)

A re-airing of the original Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu series with brand new episodes thrown into the mix, based on Tanigawa Nagaru's "Suzumiya Haruhi" series of novels, illustrated by Itou Noizi

A far from ordinary school story starts here!

This is a story of Suzumiya Haruhi, who upon enrollment at school announced, "I have no interest in ordinary humans. If there are any aliens, beings from the future, or super-humans, come see me. That is all!"

Naturally, any normal person would think "What the...?" but Haruhi is dead serious. Things get crazy when everyone realizes just how serious she is about it all and establishes the "SOS Dan".

Suzumiya Haruhi is a good-looking high school girl who has a clear head, naughty personality and very egocentric thought. She has an unimaginably tremendous power to change the world, but she is totally unaware of her own power and so she is also unaware of the effect of her power on the outside world.

A delightfully strange, yet marvelously interesting story!

Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE

The official website for Seven Arcs' Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE 1st project has launched with a promotional movie. The same promotional movie was screened at the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2009 this past March. The film will remake the first 13-episode season of the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha television series with entirely new, theatrical-quality animation. It will open in Japan this year.

Tayutama -Kiss on my Deity-

Adaptation of the adult visual novel game Tayutama -kiss on my deity-, from Japanese developer Lump of Sugar. The erotic harem game revolves around schoolboy Yuri Mito, who discovers a mysterious religious relic shortly before equally mysterious girls (who are actually the area’s forgotten gods) begin turning up.

First Squad: The Moment Of Truth

The story is set during the opening days of World War II on the Eastern Front. A group of Soviet teenagers with extraordinary abilities have been drafted into a special unit to fight the invading German army. Opposing them is a Schutzstaffel (SS) officer who is attempting to raise from the dead an army of crusaders from the 12th-century Order of the Sacred Cross and enlist them in the Nazi cause.

It is 1942. The Red Army is putting up a violent and effective resistance against the German invaders. 14 year-old Nadya is a medium. In a deadly air raid the girl is shell-shocked. Recovering from her concussion, Nadya discovers her new gift – the ability to foresee the “Moments of Truth” - the most critical moments of future combat encounters, in which one person’s actions will decide the outcome one way or the other.

Nadya’s ability is indispensable for the classified 6th Division of the Russian Military Intelligence, which is waging a secret war against the “Ahnenerbe” – an occult order within the SS. The Ahnenerbe summons from the realm of the dead the powerful prince of darkness, Baron von Wolff. With him on their side they hope to change the course of history and achieve world domination. To oppose the Baron Nadya decides to enlist the support of her old friends from the beyond – the Pioneers of the First Squad.

Valkyria Chronicles / Senjou no Valkyria: Gallian Chronicles

When Imperial forces attack the small border town of Bruhl, Welkin Gunther, son of late General Belgen Gunther, is forced to fight for his life alongside Town Watch captain Alicia Melchiott. Along with Welkin's adopted sister Isara, the three escape to Gallia's capitol and subsequently join the country's militia forces. As members of the newly-formed Squad 7, they must work to repel the invading Imperial forces and discover the true purpose of the invasion itself.

An anime adaptation of the Japanese tactical role-playing game developed by Sega exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

Guin Saga

"The seal will be broken after many years". In the land of Nospherus, four heroes embark on a patch of destiny that will weave a new legend. The story follows Guin, a powerful swordsman with a leopard head, the adolescent royal twins Remus and Rinda, and the young and ambitious mercenary named Istvan.

The Guin Saga is an epic heroic fantasy in the same vein as Robert E. Howard's Conan, the Barbarian. More than a hundred manga books strong, Guin's saga has sold more than twenty-five million copies in Japan.

Slap Up Party -Arad Senki~

Adapted from the MMORPG Arad Senki originally developed in South Korea under the name Dungeon & Fighter, where NHN Japan says is it the most popular action RPG.

The anime will follow the adventures of Baron, a man living on continent of Arad in the year 981 after "the cursed light of Kazan" has fallen across the land. Thanks to the curse, one of his arms has become possessed. After finding a sword that has been possessed by the spirit Roxy, he embarks on a quest to unravel the secret of the curse and meets various people who also join his party.

Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas

The official website for the video anime adaptation of Masami Kurumada and Shiori Teshirogi's Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas - Meiō Shinwa manga has begun streaming a 150-second promotional movie on Wednesday. (In the linked page, select the "Special" button on the bottom.) The video features "The Realm of Athena" opening theme from Eurox. The mythical action manga's story is set in the middle of the 18th century, 243 years before the first Saint Seiya storyline. Artist Teshirogi focuses The Lost Canvas - Meiō Shinwa on the friendship of Tenma and Alone — the previous incarnations of the characters Pegasus Seiya and Hades who would become mortal enemies in the original Saint Seiya. The first DVD and Blu-ray Disc volume will ship in Japan on June 24.

07-Ghost

Set in a gothic fantasy world, this is the story of Teito Klein, an orphaned slave who became the top military academy student. However, an unexpected turn of events left him pursued by the forces of the Barsburg Empire. Now an escaping convict, Teito's sheltered by the church and it’s law of sanctuary. Here, he discovered many mysteries surrounding himself, the church, and the Empire itself. The fact that he might be connected to a dethroned king and the mystical stone of god, 'The Eye of Mikhael' made him the target of the empire more than ever. Fortunately the church is under the mythical 7 Ghost protection. But who are the Ghosts really. Will Teito be free from the military's clutch, And what of his said mission to uncover the history. And who is the military's Chief-of-Staff Ayanami exactly. Teito's future seems to have spiraled into an unexpectedly perilous path.

Tears To Tiara

Based on the strategy role-playing eroge by Leaf.

After a Demon King named Arawn who was sealed away for 1,000 years is being released by girl named Rhiannon (who is made for sacrifice for his resurrection), they start to travel together and she becomes emotionally attached to him.

Asura Cryin'

Adaptation of Gakuto Mikumo and Nao Watanuki’s light novel series. The novel series relates the story of a high school boy haunted by the ghost of a childhood girl friend

Sengoku Basara

In the age of the Warring Countries, Japan was fragmented in semi-independent provinces, governed by feudal lords or daimyo, who confronted each other in an endless struggle for power. Ambitious daimyos from every corner of the Archipelago had shouted their battle cry. They were Takeda Shingen from Kai, Sanada Yukimura, Uesugi Kenshin from Echigo, Azai Nagamasa from Omi, Tokugawa Ieyasu from Mikawa, and many more...

Those were days of unrest and chaos. As war spread throughout the country, the map of power underwent rapid and dramatic changes.
In this never-ending conflict, one man finally seemed to be just one step from establishing total control over the country. He was the lord of Owari, the Sixth Heavenly Devil King. His name was Oda Nobunaga.

But now, a young general clad in azure makes his unexpected appearance in this confused scenario, heading a huge army of cavalrymen from the Northern provinces. He is known as Date Masamune, the One-Eyed Dragon. And he is coming for Oda Nobunaga's head, and for ultimate supremacy!

Queen's Blade~Rurou No Senshi~

Queen's Blade is a series of visual combat books published by Hobby Japan, based on the licensed works from Lost Worlds. First published in 2005, it features only female characters.

Beginning with the 7th series, it uses all-new game rules compatible with the Lost Worlds books.

Queen's Blade is Hobby Japan's Japanese spinoff from Flying Buffalo's Lost Worlds game series. In combat picture book games, players simulate turn-based fighting with books that each represent a character.

The original game books feature characters designs by many popular artists, including Hirokazu Hisayuki (My-HiME), Kazuhiro Takamura (Mahoromatic), and Katsuzo Hirata (Hand Maid May).

Hatsukoi Limited

The Hatsukoi Limited television anime's website has begun streaming a new promotional commercial with several seconds of animated footage.Mizuki Kawashita's original manga portrayed vignettes in the everyday lives of a junior high school girl named Ayumi and several other junior high and high school girls. Director Yoshiki Yamakawa (Hells Angels) is collaborating with the J.C. Staff animators on the anime version, which will premiere on April 11 in Japan.

Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~

The official website for the Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ television anime series has begun streaming a 30-second promotional video and a 30-second TV Tokyo advertising commercial on Tuesday. The anime adapts the Phantom of Inferno suspense visual novel software from the multimedia studio Nitroplus and writer Gen Urobuchi (Blassreiter). The story centers around "Phantom," the Inferno organization's most elite assassin whose true identity — a girl named Ein — is compromised by an unwitting witness. The witness is brainwashed into become another Inferno assassin named "Zwei."

The anime will premiere in Japan on April 2.he original visual novel software was previously adapted in 2004 as a three-volume video anime series, Phantom - The Animation, which Media Blasters released in North America

Shangri-La Science Fiction Anime's Commercial Streamed

The official website for Gonzo's anime adaptation of Eiichi Ikegami's Shangri-La science fiction novel has begun streaming a 16-second promotional commercial on Tuesday. (In the linked page, select the green "CM" text link.) The story tells what happens to Tokyo when global warming turns the city into a tropical city in the middle of the 21st century. To reduce the temperature at the heart of the city by 5°C (9°F), the city is being reborn as the world's largest forest city. However, despite the flow of refugees to the new city of Atlas, there are not many residents who can actually live in this sanctuary for the elite. Moreover, anti-government guerillas are attempting to stop the re-forestation.

The staff includes director Makoto Bessho (Ah! My Goddess: The Movie, Armitage: Dual-Matrix), series script supervisor Hiroshi Ohnogi (Arjuna, Noein - to your other self), and character designer Range Murata (Blue Submarine No. 6, Last Exile). An English version of the official Japanese website for the anime launched last week, and the anime itself will premiere in Japan on April 5. The Crunchyroll website will stream each Shangri-La episode with English subtitles within an hour of its Japanese airing.

Japan's Stitch! TV Series Gets 2nd Season Green-Lit

2nd season of Japan-based spinoff from Disney film to premiere this fall.The official anime and special-effects programming blog of NTT Communications' OCN portal website reports that the second season of Japan's Stitch! animated television series has been green-lit for this fall. Unlike the previous spinoffs that Walt Disney
developed for its 2002 Lilo & Stitch! animated film, the Madhouse anime studio is producing the ongoing Stitch! television series specifically for Japanese television.

Whereas the previous Lilo & Stitch! sequels co-starred a Hawaiian girl named Lilo, Madhouse's Stitch! series is based in a fictional island in southern Japan with a Japanese heroine named Yūna. The title character Stitch, a runaway alien test subject, remains largely unchanged in Madhouse's version.

Akikan! OVA Green-Lit for Production

The official website for the television anime adaptation of Riku Ranjō and Hiro Suzuhira's Akikan! romantic comedy light novels has announced on Sunday that production on an Akikan! OVA project has been green-lit. More details will be announced later. The television anime ran in Japan from January 3 to March 28.

The story revolves around a typical high school boy named Kakeru Daichi and the can of melon juice soda that he bought from a vending machine. The can suddenly transforms into a beautiful but standoffish girl that Kakeru nicknames "Melon," and more "Akikan!" ("empty can" or "A-Machine") girls appear. However, Akikan! girls need to be infused with carbon dioxide from kissing to survive.

Hayate The Combat Butler!! 2nd Season

The story follows a boy named Hayate who serves as a butler, bodyguard, confidante, and more to a girl named Nagi to pay off a 156,804,000-yen (about US$1.6-million) debt. The second season will premiere in Japan on April 3.

The North American distributor Bandai Entertainment announced at Anime Expo 2008 in July that it licensed the first season. Viz Media published the 10th volume of Kenjirou Hata's original manga in North America last month.

CLAMP's Mangettes: Gate 7's

The cover to the upcoming 80-page Mangettes: Gate 7 book release by the popular manga quartet CLAMP (Tsubasa, Chobits, X, Magic Knight Rayearth) has appeared in the listings of the Amazon Japan retail website. This book is listed as Dark Horse Comics' English version, which has a projected release date of August 15, 2010. This is the same release that was listed (without the cover image) in Amazon's Canadian site late last year, but was subsequently removed. That deleted Amazon Canada listing gave the following story description:

Between our conscious, waking world and the subconscious state of slumber, there is a thinly veiled plane of lucid dreaming. While the conscious state belongs to individuals, the hidden plane of dreams is one shared by all human minds, past, present, and future. Yet only a few have ever possessed the power to enter this secret realm at will - where a war is being waged to control the waking world. For our earthly wishes and desires are not our own, but under the manipulation of these unseen masters of dreams. The heroine of Gate 7 is Hana, a high-school girl hailing from Kyoto, the daughter of a temple caretaker. Her peaceful ways give her the self-control to act in the hidden realm. But Hana can only reach it through the strange beast that acts as her totem in the world of dreams - and her companion on a journey to confront the puppeteers of our reality!

Sora No Manimani

The official website for the television anime adaptation of Mami Kashiwabara's Sora no Manimani manga has relaunched with a promotional video on Wednesday. In the story, Saku Ōyagi (Tomoaki Maeno) is a quiet bookworm who moves back to his former hometown as a high school freshman. He meets his childhood friend, Mihoshi Akeno (Kanae Itō), although a traumatic incident long ago had left their friendship in an awkward state. Despite this, Mihoshi brings Saku into the astronomy club she founded, and this sets the stage for the slapstick romantic comedy that ensues.

With the relaunch, the site has announced that the series will premiere on Japanese broadcast and satellite television in July. The site also has further information about the staff, the cast, and the characters. Shinji Takamatsu (Gintama, School Rumble) will direct the animators at Studio Comet. Hajime Watanabe (Hime-chan's Ribbon, Kodocha, School Rumble) will create the character designs and supervise the animation production.

Blood The Last Vampire ; Live Action

The release in France of Chris Nahon's live action remake of Blood: The Last Vampire is still a few months off, but we've just discovered the French official site for the film is now partially live. What treats are there to see if were to look inside? How about some new, never before seen, action-packed high def stills from the movie. Oh go on then, we'll force ourselves. Blood: The Last Vampire opens in Japan in May, the U.K in June and great news for U.S fans - Samuel Goldwyn Films have apparently just picked up the North American rights, release date still tbc.

South Korea's Jeon Ji-hyun (under her English name, Gianna Jun) plays the main character Saya, a 16-year-old sword-wielding girl hunting down supernatural creatures. Japanese actress Koyuki plays her opponent Onigen.

The film will open in Japan on May 29 (under the title Last Blood), in the United Kingdom on June 12, and then in France on June 17. Samuel Goldwyn Films submitted the film to the Motion Picture Association of America for an R rating for “strong bloody stylized violence,” but has not announced its American release plans yet. Tickets are being sold in Japan in an exclusive package with Last Blood's original "My Chopsticks."

Pokemon New Adventure

LOS ANGELES, February 18, 2009 – Today, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and
Inc., announce they are collaborating on the all new Pokémon adventure, Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky
Warrior, which will make its North American DVD premiere March 31, 2009. The DVD is priced at $19.98
MSRP. Preorder close is February 17, 2009.

Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior features the powerful Pokémon Giratina and its epic struggle with
another legendary foe, Dialga. Ash and his companions, characters beloved to Pokémon fans the world
over, become entangled in a dimension-spanning conflict when they befriend the feisty and sharp-witted
Pokémon named Shaymin and stumble upon Giratina's mysterious Reverse World. In the course of the
heroes' thrilling adventure, they meet a helpful researcher as they all try to battle a dangerous villain who
wishes to control Giratina and rule the Reverse World.

SYNOPSIS
Deep in the heart of a mysterious forest, a Pokémon named Shaymin stumbles into the midst of a battle
between two powerful Pokémon, Dialga and Giratina. While it watches, Shaymin is thrust into a mysterious
realm known as Reverse World, which is an alternate world that is somehow related to the real world. Their
subsequent adventures bring them back and forth between the two worlds they inhabit.

Full Metal Alchemist Second Season

FullMetal Alchemist Season 2 is scheduled to air April 5th 2009! If you like Gundam 00 you’ll love FullMetal Alchemist. The release of Volume 20 of FullMetal Alchemist manga included a wrap-around that announced the second season.

The release of Volume 20 of FullMetal Alchemist manga included a wrap-around that announced the second season. Anticipation is high as we await FullMetal Alchemist Season 2.

Basquash!

Title: Basquash!
Japanese Title: バスカッシュ！
Genre: Mecha, Basketball, Sci-Fi, Drama, Action, Romance (in the background)
Premier: April 2009
Animation Studio: Satelight
Original Creator: Satelight, Shoji Kawamori and Thomas Romain
Director: Shin Itagaki
Project Director: Shoji Kawamori
Series Composition: Tatsuo Sato
Screenplay: Tatsuo Sato, Yuki Enatsu and Yuuko Kakihara
Music: Kei Yoshikawa
Character Design: Kazuhiro Soeta, SUEZEN and Takahiro Yoshimatsu
Art Director: Thomas Romain
Color Setting: Yuichi Kuboki
Mechanical Conceptual Design: Thomas Romain
Official Website: http://basquash.com/

Shoji Kawamori (Macross, Escaflowne, Aquarion) is collaborating with France's Thomas Romain (Oban Star-Racers) in this Satelight project that combines robots with basketball. Kawamori is developing this project as a deliberately lighthearted counterbalance to the more serious work he has done. Romain developed the conceptual designs for the mecha and the art direction. The series will premiere on Japan's MBS television station and its affiliates in April.

XXX HOLIC SHUNMUKI

Tsubasa/xxxHOLiC Project








A 4 part OVA will be released with limited editions of the Tsubasa and xxxHOLiC volumes. There will be two OVAs for each series, with plots linked together.

What material they cover has not been confirmed yet.

CLAMP-NET.COM no longer states its release for January, as it was first announced. Instead, the release date of XXXHOLiC's first OAD has been pushed to February/2009.

Source: http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/tsubaholi/ (Official Project Website)

Rebuild Of Evangelion(ROE)

Is a tetralogy of animated films which are a remake/re-imagining of the original anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion

Evangelion 1.0 : You Are Not Alone

The first international screening of the film was on October 12, 2007 as the closing film of the 2007 Pusan International Film Festival in Japanese with Korean and English subtitles.

There's new features inside this remake anime which include Nerv & Seele new logo.

Evangelion: 2.0 : You Can (Not) Advance

Is a 2009 Japanese animated film written and chief directed by Hideaki Anno. It is being produced and co-distributed by Hideaki Anno's Studio Khara.

The film was originally planned for release in January 2008, before being pushed back to December 2008, then "early summer 2009", and ultimately to a June 27, 2009 release.

The film's teaser trailer was shown during the end credits of Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone after it was released in Japan on September 1, 2007. It was narrated by Misato as she narrated the "next episode" previews in the TV series, and shows the film will feature:

• The launch of the provisional Unit 05.
• The adoption of Unit 02 and its pilot Asuka. This is shown in an air-drop sequence.
• The disappearance of Unit 04 upon its S² startup incident.
• The forced activation testing of Unit 03. Sequences featuring Unit 03 as Bardiel.
• Newly-designed Units 05 and 06 are shown. Unit 06 and its unnamed pilot fly down from the Moon.
• Ghostly floating humanoid entities as yet unidentified in the series, with haloes over their heads, along with the words "Adams" and "Lilin+?" flashing between them.
• Kaji briefly appears.
• A sequence between Misato and Ritsuko from the battle with Leliel.
• Asuka will be featured in this part. Scene is from when she fights Zeruel in front of the Geofront in the original series.
• A sequence featuring Shinji from the battle with Zeruel, suggesting that the film will lead all the way to or past the events of episode 19 of the original series.
• A sequence featuring Kaworu.
• A newly introduced female character with brown hair and glasses, staring at cross-shapes in the sky.
• Misato's narration finishes the trailer with her frequent sign-off phrase from the TV previews, promising "and of course, more fanservice!"

Like the previous film, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance will feature newly animated sequences, redesigned EVA units, inclusion of EVA-04 unit and a previously unanimated female character.Little conclusive information has been made public regarding the brunette in glasses who made an appearance in the trailer. However the marketers have given one small piece of information in the newly released Nintendo DS game, Petit Eva: Evangelion@Game. In the super-deformed Evangelion game, the player collects prizes by passing levels. The final prize in the game received from the last level is a character picture of a brunette girl with red-framed glasses named Mari . The description for the item simply reads "Mysterious girl."

Character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto designed three Be@rbrick toys for: Asuka, Rei, and a mystery character which will go on sale March 14, 2009. The toys will also be available in a bundle with advance film ticket purchases.