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Model and actress Yu Yamada (Akihabara @ DEEP, Paradise Kiss) will star in a live-action television adaptation of the autobiographical essay Kono Yo de Ichiban Daiji na "Kane" no Hanashi by Mainichi Kaasan creator Rieko Saibara. The Gakeppuchi no Erii ~ Kono Yo de Ichiban Daiji na "Kane" no Hanashi television series, which will premiere this July, will be the first such work in which Yamada is starring. Muga Tsukaji (Shibatora), Kōtarō Koizumi, Yoji Tanaka (Summer Wars), Ren Osugi (Uzumaki), Takanori Jinnai (Detective Conan), and Eri Watanabe (Twilight of the Cockroaches) will also appear in the television series.

The Anime Network video-on-demand service has posted a list of episodes that it began streaming during the week of May 10 on its website, including a new series, Neo Angelique Abyss:

The offical website of the Japanese publisher Frontier Works has announced on Friday that a live-action film adaptation of Hyouta Fujiyama's Pure Heart (Junjō) boys-love manga has been green-lit. According to the website, the story of the film will be "somewhat different" from the original three-volume manga series and the two drama CDs.

In this romance story, a writer named Tozaki happens to come across his first high school crush, Kurata, while on assignment. After the assignment, the two go out drinking, and Tozaki ends up confessing his old feelings for Kurata.

Rakuto Tochihara (RH Plus, Aquarian Age, Kamen Rider Hibiki) will play Tozaki, while Yūta Takahashi (Hana Zakari no Kimitachi e: Ikemen Paradise, Café Kichijouji de, The Prince of Tennis musical) will play Kurata. Satoshi Kaneda (Ai no Kotodama) is directing off a screenplay by Hirotoshi Kobayashi (Dr. Pinoko no Mori no Bōken, Miracle Girls) and Kozuru.

Digital Manga Publishing's Juné imprint released the first volume of the manga series in North America last year.

Activision has been served a lawsuit from 38 plaintiffs, including present and former Infinity Ward employees, demanding up to half a billion dollars. The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for 'unpaid bonuses, royalties, profit sharing and future profits from games such as Modern Warfare 3 and punitive damages.'

"AP is reporting that Activision has countersued former Infinity Ward executives Jason West and Vince Zampella. Activision claims West & Zampella 'morphed from valued, responsible executives into insubordinate and self-serving schemers who attempted to hijack Activision's assets for their own personal gain and whose actions threatened both the future of the Call of Duty franchise and the future of Activision's (Infinity Ward) studio.'"

This follows Activision's firing of the execs earlier this year. Legal documents indicate that this legal dispute has caused delays in the production of Modern Warfare 3. Lawyers for the two fired execs say Activision's claims are ridiculous, citing Modern Warfare 2's overwhelming financial success. Meanwhile, it's rumored that EA is seeing the whole fiasco as an opportunity.

KOMAKI, Japan — It's springtime in Japan and that means one thing. Actually, two things. Penis festivals and vagina festivals. It may sound like a sophomoric gag. But these are folk rites going back at least 1,500 years, into Japan's agricultural past. They're held to ensure a good harvest and promote baby-making. Maybe they should hold more such festivals. Japan has one of the world's lowest birthrates (1.37 children per woman), which experts blame on stagnant incomes and changing gender relations.


The center-left government that came to power last year hopes to make child-rearing more affordable with a $280 monthly stipend per kid.

The live-action movie adaptation of "Maria-sama ga Miteru" was confirmed on Wednesday with further details. The film will co-star fashion models Honoka Miki (13) and Haru (18), associated with the magazines Love Berry and SEVENTEEN, respectively.

A live action adaptation of Hideyuki Kikuchi's Vampire Hunter D may see the light of day.

In a post script written in the 13th Volume, of the Vampire Hunter D series, Twin-Shadowed Knight, Kikuchi thanked the success of Twilight for moving the cogs forward on a project that had been otherwise stalled.



Further information regarding the project such as which novel will be adapted, has not been provided.

Source: Hideyuki Kikuchi's Twin-Shadowed Knight

Meiji University announced on Thursday its proposed aims to build a manga library in 2014. The tentatively titled Tokyo International Manga library will be home to two million items of manga, anime, games and other media. The collection is said to include tie-in books, magazines, doujinshi, manga and anime artwork, cels, game software and consoles, character goods, figures, and more.

The library will be built at the Surugadai campus in the central Tokyo ward of Chiyoda, with the university aiming to have a five-storey complex featuring 8,500 square meters (~2.1 acres) of floor space. The university has yet to decide if it will build an entirely new facility or renovate existing buildings for the project. In addition, the planners are exploring the prospects of including a museum and theater.

The work is in collaboration with the Comic Market dōjinshi convention's preparations committee, Tokyo's Contemporary Manga Library, the Arcade Game Museum Project, the model kit company Kaiyodo, and the Comic1 and Comitia dōjinshi conventions' preparations committees.

Ahead of the larger library, Meiji University will open the Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library of Manga and Subcultures on October 31. This institution will house the personal collection of over 140,000 items of the late Comic Market founder

Even though the manga series is about to end, there are plans for movie adaptations. Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters from Iwo Jima and bandmember of Arashi) and actor Kenichi Matsuyama already agreed to take part. Shinsuke Sato will take the part of the director and Yuusuke Watanabe (20th Century Boys) is said to deliver the script and Takahiro Sato will be the producer. Digital Frontier who contributed to Appleseed and Evangelion 1.0 You Are [Not] Alone are going to do the CG work. The movies are said to hit cinemas in 2011.


Source: Hochi Shimbun

Suzumiya Haruhi, being re-aired on Japanese TV will have its movie adaptation done in 2010, springtime. The show, first aired in 2006, is based on the light novels Suzumiya Haruhi.

Source: Animey

On August 22nd Chinese broadcaster in partnership with China's propaganda department released "Soul's Window", an "original production" aimed at children in order to teach a lesson in ethics. However online fans noticed a few similarities between this, and Makoto Shinkai's film "Five Centimeters per Second." Certain scenes were exactly copied, while others were just "filmed" at the same location, with the same camera angles.

Click through for a video comparison

The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival has announced on Wednesday that it will screen Hirokazu Kore-eda's live-action film version of Yoshiie Gōda's Air Doll manga, David Bowers and IMAGI's computer-animated remake of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy manga, and Yoichi Sai's (Choi Yang-il's) live-action film adaptation of Sanpei Shirato's The Legend of Kamui ninja manga. The festivall wil run from October 14 to 29.

Sources: Anime News Network
The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival

The Romantic comedy manga Nodame Cantabile is being made into two live-action movies and the official website for them is currently streaming a 70-second trailer and a 34-second teaser trailer. The first film is set to open in December (December 19, 2009) and the second at the end of the manga and anime next spring.



The webiste also announced in July that orchestra concerts will be held on October 31st and November 1st at the Tokyo International Forum to commemorate the opening of the first film. Portions of the first film will be screened at these concerts.

Source: Anime News Network

It should be nothing new to say that you know what Naruto is. Much like Harry Potter and Star Wars, Naruto is either something you hate or like and really doesn’t have much to offer in between. Also, because the anime and the manga are essentially the same thing, excluding the anime’s fillers, I figure it would be easier to just collectively do this instead of just making two.

So it’s around 450 manga chapters, some 250 episodes and several movies, and as I said, you either like it or hate it. I do think I know why. Whenever we think of something like that, we tend to also think of its fan base as a type of example of those who read or watch it like we do. In this case, we have the eloquently named ‘Narutard.’ Now, this is kind of mean if one thinks about it. Remember back in the days when you used to watch childish animes like Sailormoon, Dragonball Z, or Pokemon? Do you think those who watched anime or other stuff before you thought very highly of you? How about another one, you grow up as a child and a love Sesame Street, and then

The official website for the live-action adaptation of Kotomi Aoki's Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu (BokuKimi), has released a full 90 second trailer (third movie).

Directed by Takehiko Shinjo, Mayu (Mao Inoue) falls in love with Takuma (Masaki Okada); a boy with a heart condition who is being treated by Mayu's cardiologist father. To avoid saddening Mayu, Takuma tries to hide the possibility he may not live past the age of 20, although Mayu already knows. The film open in Japan on October 24.

Sources: Anime News Network

FUNimation Entertainment announced that Evangelion 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone film will be screened for free at the University of North Texas this evening. The screening is hosted by Mu Epsilon Kappa--UNT Anime Club. The screening will take place at ESSC Bld room 255 on the Denton campus at 6:00 p.m.

The film will also be screened for free at the Japan Information and Culture Center in the Embassy of Japan at Washington, D.C. on September 9, 2009 at 6:30pm. the center will also host a free screening of Death Note: The Last Name this Friday at 6:30pm. This film concludes the two-part live-action adaptation of Takeshi Obata and Tsugumi Ohba's Death Note manga.

Source: Anime News Network

Actor Karl Urban has joined the cast for the live-action film adaptation of Min-Woo Hyung's Priest horror manhwa. As written by the Hollywood Reporter newspaper, Urban will play the villain in the film. Karl Urban will be joined by Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet and Maggie Q.

The manhwa tells the story of an expert in ancient languages who accidentally resurrects an angel from Hell, Temozareal. The man is forced to sell his soul to the Devil in a attempt to correct his mistake. Cory Goodman (The Brood) wrote the movie adaptation's script. ~ Anime News Network



Source: Anime News Network

Psychological detective thriller; Liar Game by Shinobu Kaitani has been green lit for a second live action season and a theatrical film. Formally announced by Weekly Shonen Jump and Fuji TV, Erika Toda and Shota Matsuda will reprise their roles as protagonists Kanzaki Nao and Akiyama Shinichi, respectively.

The premiere date for Liar Game Season 2 and opening date for the theatrical release have yet to be announced however, Fuji TV has launched a mobile only website (http://mobile.fujitv.co.jp/i/sr/liargame), called Liar Game Project (LGP) that features the manga, drama and film. Those who register can receive more information and be able to participate in a "game" related to the story.

The Sazae-san manga by Machiko Hasegawa has been running since 1946 and will now have it's own Live-Action TV Drama adaptation with Alisa Mizuki, the 32 year-old actress, playing the role of the housewife. The new live-action adaptation has been in the works for Fuji TV for about five years now and producer Yoko Matsusaki of the anime version is working on the new drama version as well.

The anime version of this long running series will be celebrating it's 40th anniversary on Fuji TV this October. Though this new TV Drama version is new for the series, a live action adaptation is not. Tonko Azumaya starred in a 1948-1950 series of live-action movies, and Chiemi Eri starred in a 1956 live-action film, as well as a live-action drsama that ran from 1965 to 1967 on TBS. Even the Television Drama isn't all that unusual; Tomoko Hoshino played Sazae-san in a live-action tv drama on Fuji TV from 1981 to 1985. The last life-action version was in 1992-1996 on Fuji TV with Atsuko Asano.

FUNimation Entertainment has added more to it's streaming service. The following episodes have been added in.

Count of Monte Cristo Episodes 7-8 (subtitled)
Devil May Cry Episodes 1-2 (dub)
Dragonaut Episodes 22-23 (subtitled)
El Cazador De La Bruja Episodes 3-4 (subtitled)
Gad Guard Episodes 1-4 (dub)
Heroic Age Episodes 5-6 (subtitled)
Ikki Tousen Episodes 1-2 (dub & subtitled)
Magikano Episodes 1-2 (dub)
Murder Princess Episodes 1-2 (dub & subtitled)
Nabari no Ou Episodes 1-3 ( subtitled)
Samurai Champloo Episodes 15-16 (subtitled)
Shakugan no Shana Episodes 1-4 (dub)
Soul Eater Episodes 1-2

Source: Anime News . Biz

Producer Andrew Lazar for Mad Chance (Space Cowboys, Jonah Hex) has told iFMagazine at Comic-Con International that while the writers for the Live Action Akira are working on a draf script it's not likely we will see the movie any time soon.
"It is a real priority project for Warner Brothers." he said "Sometimes movies need an enormouse amount of prep, like this one. It is not realistic to go before the third quarter of next year for a 2011 release."
This doesn't mean that the project has been given the green light for production yet either.

There is 'a lot of interest from a variety of people' for possible directors as indicated from Lazar. Lazar also emphasized that he is a 'very inclusive producer of underlying rights' and that the original manga creator Katsushiro Otomo is an executive producer and consultant on the proposed live-action project.

Much to the joy of fans all over the world, a new anime series based on the final unanimated volumes of the Inuyasha manga (36-56) will begin airing this fall, entitled Inuyasha: Kanketsu-hen (Inuyasha: Final Chapter).

Not much more is known at this time, but surely more information will be released as the fall approaches.

Source: Sankaku Complex

The award-winning actor Kenichi Matsuyama will reunite with Tatsuya Fujiwara onscreen for the first time since the Death Note films. Toya Sato is directing the live action film adaptation of Nobuyuki Fukumoto's Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji manga.

Fujiwara will be playing the star rolefo Kaiji, a gambler who is 3.49 million yen in debt. (That's about 36, 000 USD) Yuki Amami plays Rinko Endo a loan shark, a character that is originally a male in the manga. The character convinces Kaiji to board a gambling ship to clear his debt. Matsuyama will be playing the supporting role of Makoto Sahara, Kaiji's acquaintance who is in a similiar life or death situation.

Kaiji will be opening on October 10th in Japan.

Source: Anime News Network

Manga.com (US Site) is reporting that there might not be an end all to end all for the Live Action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira.

According to Manga.com Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the star of 500 Days of Summer, said "You never know" when asked if the project was truly dead. Though this is far from a confirmation it may be just the flicker of hope that most fans were looking for. Besides it's a lot better than his comments last year which did not even acknowledge any connection to the project.

Check out the trailer for Blood the Last Vampire Live action movie. This is the US trailer.



Looks goooood!!

Japanese publisher Futabasha has stated on Tuesday - in Japanese and in English - that its legal dispute with the South Korean studio Show East will not affect the planned Hollywood movie adaptation of the Old Boy manga. The original manga by Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi was published by Futabasha in 1996 to 1998 and Show East produced Park Chan-Wook's live-action Korean film adaptation in 2003. Futabasha filed a lawsuit in the Seoul Central District Court against Show East for alleged violations of their agreement, resulting in a breach in contract, on August 15. There is still no confirmnation if Show East is bankrupt, or if the studio even still exists as a coporate entity.

The support of Tsuchiya and Minegishi as well as the Japanese publisher was offtered to DreamWorks by Futabasha for DreamWorks plans to adapt the manga with director Steven Spielberg and actor Will Smith.

If you haven’t played Street Fighter IV yet, you have probably been living under a rock, with no kind of contact with the outside world, or you just don’t really care for fighting games.
However, no matter what your excuse is, you are reading this article now, so you need to click this link, watch the video, and then come back. Don’t worry, I’ll wait. Go ahead.
Street Fighter IV Opening

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