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.