News In Anime!

2/2/2005
Teen Titans - Vol 1: Divide And Conquer, released last September, contained 6 episodes from the first season of the hot Cartoon Network series. Now Warner Home Video has announced Teen Titans - Vol 2: Switched for release on April 12th, containing the other 7 episodes which will finish off the first season of the show.

Additionally, extras will include Bonus "Toon Topia" webisodes, along with bonus trailers plus ultra-hip pop female group Puffy Ami Yumi sing and get interviewed regarding their hit Teen Titans theme song. Full-screen video, Stereo Soundtrack in English, French, and Spanish, and subtitles in each of those languages as well. SRP is $19.97 for 151 minutes, and here's a pic of the box:

 
*click to enlarge*

1/26/2005
Otakon is contemplating a $5 increase to the registration fee for Otakon 2005 in order to bring in " a major star -- like someone your dad would recognize."

Examples given included asian action stars like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Sammo Hung, as well as "mega-stars of anime" such as Hayao Miyazaki, Rumiko Takahashi and Megumi Hayashibara.

To this effect, Otakon is running a poll to see what convention attendees think of the issue. The poll is only open to people who are registered for the Otakon BBS or mailing list.

Thanks to Kun Sun Sweeley for this news.

December 1,2004
TitansGo.Net reports: "It was said in Disney's "Adventures" magazine, and now it has been confirmed to us from a reliable source: Season 3 resumes January 8th, and will segue straight into season 4!" Look for "Bunny Raven" on January 8th!

November 26, 2004
Back in September, Nintendo's adviser Hiroshi Yamauchi announced at a press conference that Nintendo would be investigating the possibility of forming an animation studio. Now Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that Nintendo will enter the anime business in 2006. It will produce properties with anime and video game tie-ins. Source: Magic Box

Atari has announced that Dragon Ball Z: Sagas will be released for the Xbox and other platforms sometime in 2005. This will be the first DBZ game available on for the Xbox. Team Xbox has posted an interview with one of the games producers with more information about the game as well as Funimation's involvement in the creative process. Source: Team Xbox

September 26,2004
ADV Films has solicited a number of new releases for November, including the first volumes of Petite Princess Yucie and Cyber Team in Akihabara, as well as the last volume of Azumanga Daioh. Also confirmed is the first volume of D.N.Angel, also available with an artbox.

Sony and Comcast have signed a deal to launch at least three new cable TV networks in North America.

Animax was mentioned by insiders as a network that could be offered to North Americans. AXN and Sony Entertainment TV were also mentioned. All three of the networks are already available in South America.

Sony is reported by the Financial Times to be "keen" to launch an American version of Animax, a network specializing in animated content. In addition to Japan and South America, there are Animax networks for Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Asia, and India.

Animax's tag line is "Anime for Everyone." The company's catalog of titles includes Stand Alone Complex, Gokusen, Dr. Dokkiri, Inuyasha, Astro Boy as well as classics such as Mobile Suit Gundam, Little Princess Sarah and Rose of Versailles.

Teen Titans

Bad news for Titans fans looking forward to the final four episodes airing May 5th and 6th: The wait is going to be even longer. The two-part season finale ["Aftershock"] will air in the summer - and episodes "Betrayal" and "Fractured" have yet to be scheduled. But the month of May now has no new episodes scheduled at all.

Initially, the final four episodes were scheduled for May 5th and 6th and appeared as such on the Cartoon Network program grid. In the past week, reruns appeared in place of the new episodes. I'm not sure the reason for the change - perhaps there was already enough new program and events scheduled for May; The network likes an influx of new programming all year round. The episodes are indeed rescheduled.

Yumeta Company has confirmed that Akitaro Daichi's Animation Runner Kuromi 2 OAV will be released in Japan on January 28, 2004 and will include optional Japanese subtitles. According to MovieWorld, the DVD will be 43 minutes long and retail at 4,800 yen ($44).

The third Hunter x Hunter OAV series will be titled "G.I. Final" (Greed Island Final). The first DVD volume containing episodes 1 & 2 of 14 episode series will go on sale in Japan on February 18th at 6,800 yen ($62).

TRANSFORMERS SERIES SEASON 2 - PART 2 TO BE RELEASED ON DVD
Remaining 25 episodes available to collectors from 3rd May

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ADV ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR FINAL FANTASY: UNLIMITED - PHASE ONE

FIRST VOLUME OF 25-EPISODE VIDEOGAME TIE-IN SERIES AVAILABLE 15th MARCH 2004

Producers for the series are SQUARE TV Tokyo (NOIR) and Dentsu (Princess Mononoke, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), with animation produced by Gonzo Digimation, animators of Hellsing, Full Metal Panic!, Zaion and several more of anime’s most popular recent titles.