Alainmendez

Manga inspired TV anime in July 2018

Author to conduct research during break

07th Expansion is working with Witch Hunt to bring an English version of Ciconia When They Cry. You can now test out a demo that just released on PC, and it is also available in English.

 

Whether you know it firsthand or just from its catchy theme tune, odds are you're aware of 1999's Steel Angel Kurumi. And if you happen to be a die-hard fan, you'll want a look at the new 20th anniversary merch from Cospa!

 

Kurumi is looking appropriately angelic in a new visual drawn by her creator, manga artist Kaishaku. The piece graces a 100cm x 75 cm wall scroll in full color:

 

 

And is also available in monochrome on a roomy tote bag:

 

 

The goods will be up for pre-order starting September 13, and will go on sale for a limited one-year run in November.

 

On the day they go on sale, Cospa will host "Gee! Store Akiba Presents xxxday the 13th" in Event Space 13. Atsuko Enomoto, the voice of Kurumi, will be on hand. More information on the festivities will be available closer to time.

 

>> Steel Angel Kurumi Goods from Cospa

Source: Comic Natalie

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

 

Tokyo's Comic Market is the biggest fan event in the world, with half a million attendees or more populating Tokyo Big Sight at each event. This year, though, they surpassed even those impressive numbers.

 

Comiket made two major changes to its standard style this year, in line with losing a portion of their space to Summer Olympics construction. On the one hand, they stretched the event out to four days rather than the standard three, with today marking the final day of Comiket 96. On the other, entry this year required a paid wristband. A full weekend cost 2,000 yen, or 2,500 yen with a special booklet; single-day wristbands could also be purchased for 500 yen.

 

Paid entry was instated both to offsets costs for an extra day of operation and to lighten attendance within the decreased available space. It didn't seem to stop attendees, though.

 

 

As of Sunday, attendance was on par with last year's summer Comiket at 530,000 people. But today brought in 200,000 more, pushing attendance to 730,000—far surpassing the previous record of 590,000 at 2013's Comiket 84.

 

Comiket 97 and 98 will both run for four days and require purchase of a wristband for entry, and once again place corporate booths in Aomi Exhibition Hall due to the loss of the East Hall to Olympics construction. The Olympics themselves mean next summer's Comiket 98 will take place during Golden Week.

 

Source: Mantan-Web

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

 

Next month's Macross 7 anniversary concert has released a new key visual that has us all fired up!

 

The concert, titled "Basara Explosion 2019," will feature a live performance by Yoshiki Fukuyama. The JAM Project member, in addition to performing themes for shows like Overman King Gainer, provided the iconic singing voice of Basara Nekki in Macross 7.

A new visual for the anniversary concert has been released, created by Macross Frontier character designer Risa Ebata and regular Macross mechanical designer Hidetaka Tenjin. Check out these cool shots of Basara and his VF-19 Custom Fire Valkyrie:

 

 

The new art will be available on concert merchandise available both at the event and online at the official Macross Portal.

 

Basara Explosion 2019 takes place Friday, September 13 at Tokyo's Zepp DiverCity. Tickets for the event are already sold out.

 

>> Basara Explosion 2019 Website

Source: Anime! Anime!

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

 

The official website for GUNDAM BUILD DIVERS Re:RISE, the latest installment of the Gundam Build anime series has posted a 75-second trailer introducing its characters and mechas, and also announced it will start streaming on the newly-launched Gundam Channel, GUNDAM.INFO and other sites globally in October 2019.

 

 

Key visual:

 

ガンダム公式 YouTube チャンネル「ガンダムチャンネル」開設！『ビルドダイバーズRe:RISE』10月配信決定！ https://t.co/DGcdauD9yp

— ガンダムインフォ (@gundam_info) July 31, 2019

 

 

Main staff:

 

• Director: Shinya Watada (Gundam Build Divers) 
• Series composition: Yasuyuki Muto (Deadman Wonderland) 
• Original character design: Kazuhiro Hara 
• Character design: Juri Toida (Gundam Build Divers) 
• Mechanic design: Kunio Okawara, Kanetake Ebikawa, Junya Ishigaki, Ippei Gyobu, Fumikane Shimada, Shinya Terashima, Takayuki Yanase 
• Action director: Masami Obari (Gundam Build Fighters: Battlogue)
• Chief mecha animator: Shinya Kusumeki, Teruko Utahaya 
• Art: Studio Naya 
• Music: Hideakira Kimura (Gundam Build Divers) 
• Planning cooperation: BANDAI SPIRITS Hobby Division 
• Production cooperation: ADK 
• Anime production: SUNRISE BEYOND 
• Production: SUNRISE, SOTSU

 

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"Gundam Channel" offers more than 300 episodes from the Gundam franchise in three categories:

 

- Regular Library:

 The first two episodes from the 22 series (mainly from TV series) are streamed for free.

- Pick Up Library:

 One episode from the 22 series' third to 13th episodes will be streamed weekly.

- 40th anniversary special content:

 The 43 episodes from the first Mobile Suit Gundam TV series will be added one by one weekly. 

 

「ガンダムチャンネル」配信スケジュール https://t.co/Zhn9cyjSlY

— ガンダムインフォ (@gundam_info) July 31, 2019

 

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Source: "GUNDAM BUILD DIVERS Re:RISE" official website, Gundam info.

 

©SOTSU, SUNRISE

 

 

Bruno is here to get his Sticky Fingers all over your toy shelf!

 

The Golden Wind character is the latest to join GOODSMILE's Nendoroid line, alongside previous addition Giorno Giovanna. Bruno comes with multiple face plates and body parts for a variety of poses... along with Sticky Fingers effects bits:

 

 

If you order Bruno directly through the GOODSMILE online shop, you'll get a bonus ladybug brooch/hand part!

 

 

Pre-orders are open until August 22 for 4,980 yen (tax not included). Figures are expected to ship out in January 2020.

 

>> Bruno Bucciarati Nendoroid on GOODSMILE

>> Watch JoJo's Bizarre Adventure on Crunchyroll

Source: Comic Natalie

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

 

 

In addition to the product photos released last week, Good Smile Company's official YouTube channel has started streaming a 90-second PV to introduce the details of the 1/48 scale paint ABS model of the protagonist Spike Spiegel's personal space fighter Swordfish II from the Cowboy Bebop anime series. The clip features the anime's famous OP theme "Tank!" composed by Yoko Kanno.

 

The price of the 360 mm-long model in Japan is 36,000 yen (before tax/about 333 US dollars) and its scheduled shipping date is December 2019.

 

 

紹介動画を公開ぐま！：「1/48スケール完成品 ソードフィッシュII」

TVアニメ『カウボーイビバップ』主人公スパイク・スピーゲルの愛機「ソードフィッシュII」の1/48スケール完成品モデルが只今ご予約受付中！

▼Youtubehttps://t.co/1RfeSAkSfc#goodsmile #カウボーイビバップ #CowboyBebop

— ぐま子（グッドスマイルカンパニー） (@GSC_GUMA) July 26, 2019

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

TV anime Cowboy Bebop is available on Crunchyroll:

  

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Source: Good Smile Company official YouTube channel

 

(C) SUNRISE

 

 

The legendary battle continues this fall, and you can get an extended look now!

 

Yoshiki Tanaka's Legend of the Galactic Heroes has received many adaptations over the years, the most recent being the Die Neue These anime remake. The show's second season kicks off this September as a three-part theatrical release, combining a season's worth of content into a film trilogy.

 

Fans looking forward to a preview of the film event can enjoy a new two-minute PV showing off scenes from the film. You'll also get your first listen to voice actors in new roles, like Kana Hanazawa as Hildegard von Mariendorf, Toru Furuya as Flegel, and Issei Futamata as Arthur Lynch:

 

 

The first chapter premieres in Japanese cinemas on September 27. The second chapter will run starting October 25, and the third and final will hit theaters on November 29.

 

>> Watch Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These on Crunchyroll

Source: Anime! Anime!

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

 

Head's up, puppet fans! Another installment of the Japanese / Taiwanese martial arts glove puppet extravaganza known as Thunderbolt Fantasy is heading to Japanese theaters in October of 2019 with Thunderbolt Fantasy: Seiyuu Genka ("Western Ballad"), and now a new teaser trailer and a new key visual have been revealed for the film.

 

 

Thunderbolt Fantasy: Seiyuu Genka is a prequel film set in the Western nation of Xī Yōu, and it focuses on the adventures of Làng Wū Yáo as a young man. The cast for the film includes:

• Takanori Nishikawa as Làng Wū Yáo.
• Katsuyuki Konishi as Líng Yá.
• Nao Tōyama as Mù Tiānmìng.
• Rie Kugimiya as Cháo Fēng.
• Tarusuke Shingaki as Xiào Kuáng Juàn.
• Kikuko Inoue as Làng Wū Yáo's Mother.
• And Others. 

 

Additionally, the new film features a theme song entitled "Cresent Cutlass" that is performed by Takanori Nishikawa and Hiroyuki Sawano. 

 

 

Thunderbolt Fantasy: Seiyuu Genka features a story, screenplay, and general direction by Gen Urobuchi and puppetry and camerawork by Pili International Multimedia. The film hits theaters in Japan on October 25, 2019.

 

Sources:

MoCa

Official Thunderbolt Fantasy: Seiyuu Genka home page

 

 

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Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.

 

 

Hiroyuki Morioka and Toshihiro Ono's Crest of the Stars series became an anime in 1999, followed by Banner of the Stars... and to celebrate its 20th anniversary, fans can pick up a massive BD box set with all the Stars that's fit to print!

 

The box will include the entirety of both series, as well as the film and OVA installments. Series guides and a PV/CM collection will be included as video extras, and several episodes will include commentary tracks from the writer, director, and members of the voice cast.

 

Also included will be 58 episodes of related audio dramas, some never before released on CD. Last but not least (at least for now), there will be three new booklets of art, reference material, and production information.

 

 

Pre-orders are currently open, with some stores offering bonuses. Animate and Amazon orders will include new books, A-on Store orders will include a new drama CD, and Rakuten Books and Yodobashi Camera will include acrylic art pieces (currently in production):

 

 

The set is currently available for pre-order for 40,000 yen. Pre-orders close November 18, and the set becomes available December 25.

 

>> Official Crest of the Stars/Banner of the Stars Website

Source: MoCa-News

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

 

Atlus has been steadily pumping out character trailers for Persona 5 Royal, reintroducing everyone to the Phantom Thieves at the heart of the enhanced RPG. The latest is the Aoi Yuuki-voiced Futaba Sakura, so don your best hacker gear before diving into her promo below. 

 

 

Persona 5 Royal hits PS4 in Japan on October 31, followed by the west in 2020. 

 

 

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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox. 

 

Another special guest was announced for this year's Anime NYC event, which will be held November 15-17 at the Javits Center in Manhattan. This one has Vertical and EVA Air teaming up to bring Taiwanese illustrator VOFAN—known for his work as cover illustrator for NISIOISIN's Monogatari light novel series and more—over to the states as an official guest. 

 

VOFAN will be available for panels, workshops, and signings during Anime NYC, and Vertical will be presenting a special gallery of his work over the weekend. 

 

In addition to publishing the Monogatari series in English, Vertical will have COLORFUL DREAMS, a 96-page collection of VOFAN's original art, available in time for Anime NYC. Here's a look at the cover:

 

 

More about VOFAN:

VOFAN is a Taiwanese illustrator. He has been the cover illustrator for video game magazine Famitsu Weekly Taiwan since 2004 and served as the head of character design for the PS3 game Time and Eternity. Since 2006, he has been the cover illustrator for the Monogatari light novel series as well as for the mystery series The Forgetful Detective, both written by NISIOISIN. He also illustrates PlayStation Network Taiwan’s virtual avatar AI-Chan. As a photographer, he sometimes combines photographs with illustrations in his work. His other publications include the COLORFUL DREAMS series of illustrations and poems and the album series VOFAN OTONA FANTASY.

 

 

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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox. 

Tower Records Japan, the last remaining vestige of the former Tower Records has long been known for its campaigns that emphasize its dedication to Japanese anime fandom, such as the NO ANIME NO LIFE campaign, and its constant promotion of anime franchises with special tie-ins. SSSS GRIDMAN is the latest franchise to get the Tower pop up shop treatment with store exclusive merchandise. The tie-in sees Akane and Rikka team up with an Anti to form a band, with apparel and acrylic stands forming the bulk of the merchandise.

 

 

 

 

 

The pop up shop will run at multiple Tower Records locations in Japan and online from the 26th of this month to August 12th. If you were able to go and see the shop, what would you buy? I'm in for that ANTI longsleeve.

 

via Comic Natalie

 

 

 

It is officially confirmed today that a TV anime adaptation of Kei Okubo's human drama manga ARTE is now in the works. The anime's official website, Twitter, and Instagram have opened with a teaser visual introducing its protagonist Arte Spalletti and the town of Firenze in the 16th century.

 

Mikako Komatsu (Madoka Kaguya/Cure Selene in Star Twinkle PreCure) is cast as the title character, while Katsuyuki Konishi (Diavolo in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind) to voice Leo, the young owner of the workshop who takes her as his apprentice. Further information including staff and broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.

 

 

 

＜漫画「アルテ」、TVアニメ化決定!!＞
16世紀フィレンツェを舞台に、画家という夢を目指して箱入りお嬢様アルテは人生最大の決断をする!? 果たして数々の困難をはねのけて、アルテは女流画家になることが出来るのか!!

コミックゼノンで連載中の人気漫画がついにアニメ化!!#アルテ pic.twitter.com/bEP9YckQqj

— TVアニメ「アルテ」公式 (@arte_animation) 2019年7月19日

 

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The manga has been serialized in North Stars Pictures' Monthly Comic Zenon since January 2013, and has released ten tankobon volumes with 750,000 copies so far. Its latest 11th volume is set to be released in Japan tomorrow, July 20.

 

Its story is set in Firenze, Italy, in the early 16th century. The protagonist Arte Spalletti is the only daughter of a noble family, and has showed her love for painting since her childhood. Despite strong opposition by her mother who wishes her to marry an ordinary man, she refuses to give up her dream and has independence away from home. Then she meets Leo, the young owner of a workshop where she can finish her training as his apprentice.  

 

 

Manga tankobon 1st and 11th volume covers:

 

 

Manga author also reports the news on Twitter:

原作の大久保圭先生（ @ookubo_tanuki ）から応援イラスト＆コメントをいただきました！#アルテ pic.twitter.com/ArYnR8zAs5

— TVアニメ「アルテ」公式 (@arte_animation) 2019年7月19日

 

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Source: TV anime "ARTE" official web site / Twitter

 

© Kei Okubo/NSP, ARTE Production Committee

 

 

 

She's brutal, she's on fire, and she's pocket-sized!

 

Fate/Grand Order's Jeanne Alter is the latest Servant to join the Cu Poche line. The tiny figure features all sorts of intricate details, from her armor to her bright red hem:

 

 

She also comes with two versions of her pennant—rolle and unrolled—and a transparent base.

 

Pre-orders are now open for 5,800 yen, with orders expected to ship out in December.

 

>> Jeanne Alter Order Page

Source: Anime! Anime!

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

 

A new collaboration is on the way to Pokémon GO, and this time the pirates of One Piece are getting in on the fun. From July 22 to July 29, players around the world will be able to run into a special Straw Hat Pikachu, and a Straw Hat outfit will be available to Trainers. 

 

As you can see, it's the pika-perfect fit:

 

 

A statue is also on the way to Kumamoto, Japan, complete with PokéStop artwork by One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda. This is being put in place to support earthquake rebuilding efforts in the region. You can see a sample in the image at the top of the article. 

 

Source: One Piece Staff Instagram via Siliconera

 

 

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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox. 

 

Fans of the long-running shonen manga and TV anime Case Closed (known as Detective Conan in Japan) will soon have a chance to prove their bona fides, because Shogakukan and CYBIRD are offering an online certification exam that will test the limits of the participants' knowledge on Gosho Aoyama's pint-sized, crime-fighting sleuth.

 

 

The exam features three grades of advancement based on the number of correct questions answered, with each grade awarding official certficates featuring illustrations by Gosho Aoyama. Registration for the first section of the exam (which tests for a grade three level certification for Case Closed) begins in September of 2019, with the actual test to take place in October of 2019. Registration for the exam costs 4500 yen ($41.58 US).

 

More details will be revealed at a later date at the official Case Closed certification exam home page.

 

Sources:

Anime! Anime!

Comic Natalie

 

 

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Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.

The Pokémon Company announced the next big collaboration coming to Pokémon GO is with Eiichiro Oda’s manga and anime series, One Piece. The event starts July 22 with a special Straw Hat Pikachu.

 

There's murder and mayhem hiding just beneath the glitzy surface of Kabukicho in a new trailer for Kabukicho Sherlock, an upcoming original TV anime that re-imagines the characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective stories as modern day sleuths prowling the shadows of Tokyo's "Sleepless Town".

 

In addition to highlighting the cast and the setting, the new trailer (below) also samples the ending theme for the show, entitled "Hyakuoku Kounen" ("Ten Billion Light Years"), which is performed by Lozareena.

 

 

Set in modern day Kabukicho in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, Kabukicho Sherlock follows the comedic, mysterious, and dramatic adventures of a ragtag band of detectives as they live together in a tenement above Mrs. Hudson's bar in the red light district and attempt to solve an unusual string of killings known as the "Jack the Ripper Murders".

 

 

Kabukicho Sherlock is directed by Ai Yoshimura and features animation production by Production I.G. The series will broadcast in Japan on Mainichi Broadcasting System, Tokyo Broadcasting System, and BS-TBS as part of the "Animeism" programming block beginning in October of 2019.

 

Source: Ota-suke

 

 

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Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.

 

TMS Entertainment is home to lots of legendary titles, from Lupin the 3rd to Detective Conan. So their 55th anniversary film festival is sure to be full of fun and nostalgia.

 

EJ Anime Theater in Shinjuku is prepping for a three-week marathon of some of TMS's most iconic titles. Screenings will include selections of Lupin the 3rd and Detective Conan films and episodes, the Lupin vs. Conan special, Sherlock Hound, Magic Kaito 1412, and Panda! Go, Panda! A trio of Osamu Dezaki works — Aim for the Ace!, Ashita no Joe 2, and Gamba no Bouken — will be the subject of their own evening of viewing.

 

 

Fans of the company's shoujo selections will also have screenings to look forward to. Two separate events will celebrate the respective 25th anniversaries of Magic Knights Rayearth and Saint Tail, each featuring a selection of popular episodes followed by an interview with the main cast.

 

The TMS Entertainment Summer Festival at EJ Anime Theater runs from July 19 to August 8. A gallery and collab café are also in the works.

 

>> TMS Entertainment Summer Festival Website

Source: Anime! Anime!

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

Studio MDHR revealed that a Cuphead cartoon, appropriately called The Cuphead Show, is in development and will air on Netflix.

 

Get ready for another dose of eldritch romance—this time, the definitive edition.

 

JAST USA announced at Anime Expo this past weekend that they're putting together a remastered version of Song of Saya, the eldritch horror romance eroge Nitroplus. The Lovecraftian visual novel is getting pieced back together from the ground up, it seems, on a new engine with new artwork.

 

 

Written by Gen Urobuchi (Psycho-Pass, Puella Magi Madoka Magica), Song of Saya casts the player as medical student Fuminori Sakisaka, whose life is coming undone after an accident leaves him with severe agnosia. Now, everything in the world appears to be covered in gore, and all other humans are terrifying monsters. Only a stranger named Saya looks at all human to him anymore, leading the pair down a romantic road that could lead to the end of themselves or the end of everything.

 

JAST USA has said the new release will be available on Steam for PC later this month. At present, the release appears to be Western-only, with no announcements yet for a Japanese release.

 

Source: Otakomu.jp

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

 

It looks like space just wasn't big enough for the both of them... so Gundam and Hello Kitty are taking it to the stage for a DJ battle like no other!

 

Tokyo Mystery Circus, SCRAP's event space devoted to puzzles and escape rooms, will be hosting the night of music to celebrate events currently being hosted themed to both franchises. "Gundam Launch Strategy" and "Hello Kitty's Riddle-Solving Museum" will be held simultaneously at the venue to celebrate the two-in-one anniversary project.

 

Fans can look forward to a night of music and dancing, hosted by a DJ repping each title. For the Kitty side is, of course, DJ Hello Kitty, who has been dropping EDM beats around the world as an officially licensed Sanrio character since 2010:

 

 

And on Team Gundam is DJ Caesar: a formative presence in the anison DJ scene, and most recently the curator of the tunes for the Mobile Suit Gundam 40th Anniversary BEST ANIME MIX:

Each DJ will get their own half-hour set, followed by a dual session to close out the night.

 

Gundam vs. Hello Kitty DJ Night will take place July 17 at Tokyo Mystery Circus, with the Gundam and Hello Kitty events opening for business the following day.

 

>> Tokyo Mystery Circus Website

Source: Anime! Anime!

 

 

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

Good morning! Azuma Sara, here, dish! I’m on a very important mission today! I’ve got some great news for all of you, dish. Haven’t you heard? A new cafe opened up at the Tokyo Skytree, and it’s based on my show Sarazanmai, dish! What’s that? Sarazanmai is already over, dish? As sad as it is to say, my show did end recently. Luckily for us, the cafe is still open for a few more days, dish! That's right, everyone who enjoyed Sarazanmai can experience the cafe, and everyone who has yet to catch up to the finale still has time to join in on the fun! I can’t make my appearance in public just yet after the fiasco at the meet and greet, so I’ve sent a special kappaspondant out into the field to report on the cafe. Let’s all wish my friend Danni "Good sarakku!" on her report, dish!

Good sarakku!

 

 

Thank you, Sara! It’s always a pleasure to make your aplatence. I have a lot of good memories of Asakusa from my first trip to Japan, and have been a diehard fan of Kunihiko Ikuhara’s anime for a long time now, so Sarazanmai has been an utter delight for me to watch this past season. I was lucky enough to be staying near Asakusa when the finale aired and took the opportunity to see some of the sights from the show, including the massive Skytree tower standing just a short walk from some of the show’s most iconic locations. One of the cafes inside had been retrofitted into a Sarazanmai cafe, and at Sara’s behest, I dropped in for a report!

 

 

The location turned out to be rather small. Most of the seating was outside, and there were unfortunately few decorations and no memorabilia to appreciate. On the upside, there was no line, so I was able to just walk in and order as soon as I decided what I wanted from the menu. Speaking of which, the menu looked as humorous as it did tasty. On top of dishes like Enta’s Golden Pancakes and a chocolate banana designed to look like a cucumber, there was an entire selection of soft drinks that all had the word “butt” in the title and either gelatin or tapioca shirikodama pellets inside (I’ll never quite look at bubble tea the same way again).

 

 

I eventually settled on an order of Enta’s Golden Pancakes with Kazuki’s Cranberry-flavored butt juice to drink. Each order came with one random special coaster, and I was lucky enough to end up with the “never did anything wrong” duo of Enta and Toi. My food came out rather quickly, and I took a seat and went to work. Both items looked just as delicious in person as they did on the menu -- a true rarity in the food industry. 

 

Enta’s Golden Pancakes were very light, fluffy, and delicious on their own, and all the added flavors complimented them well. Where I’m from we only put butter and syrup on pancakes, but as it turns out, vanilla ice cream makes a pretty good pancake topping! Placed all around the pancakes was an assortment of peaches and toasted marshmallows, which were utterly delicious. Unsurprisingly, they were fantastic pancakes. If I had to make one criticism, I wasn’t a fan of the peaches. I don’t know whether it was intentional or not, but they were practically frozen, which I thought robbed them of some of their flavor. The tiny edible Enta on top was cute, though, even if eating him felt pretty weird.

 

 

Kazuki’s cranberry butt juice was pretty dang delicious as well. It tasted like regular cranberry juice, but thankfully all those extra garnishes weren’t just there to look pretty. In addition to the tiny pieces of fruit that had been placed in the drink, it was filled with tiny “shirikodamas” that were each like tiny concentrated pellets of sweet, tangy flavor. As soon as I’d finished draining my glass I was digging around through the ice looking for any leftover pellets. And of course, there was a tiny edible Kazuki placed on top. The Golden Duo were soon reunited. 

 

 

After finishing my meal, I went to check out the special Sarazanmai goods being sold next door. While not particularly wide, the selection was rather standard for anime goods. An assortment of keychains, acrylics, clear folders, cups, and hand towels were all being sold. The most unique items I found for sale there were the tiny plates being sold, my favorite of which was easily the one brandishing the character for “butt” on its face. I may or may not have walked out of the store that day having bought a butt dish, dish.

 

All in all, I was rather satisfied with my trip to the Sarazanmai cafe. While it’s true that most of the anime-themed cafes I’ve been to before had more in the way of decorations for fans to immerse themselves in, the food was above and beyond what I’m used to receiving at themed cafes. ¥1500 for the entire meal seems like a pretty reasonable price too, all things considered. The cafe is only open through July 12, so if you enjoyed Sarazanmai this past season and find yourself in the Asakusa area before then, drop in for a bite! You’re sure to have an otterly good time.

Which of these dishes would you most love (or desire) to try? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

New York-based film distributor GKIDS has announced that they've acquired the North American distribution rights for RIDE YOUR WAVE (known in Japan as Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara), the latest anime theatrical film from director Masaaki Yuasa (Lu Over the Wall, Devilman Crybaby) and studio Science Saru which tells a story of two young lovers that are torn apart when tragedy strikes only to be miraculously reunited.

 

 

GKIDS describes the story of RIDE YOUR WAVE as follows:

 

Hinako is a surf-loving college student who has just moved to a small seaside town. When a sudden fire breaks out at her apartment building, she is rescued by Minato, a handsome firefighter, and the two soon fall in love. Just as they become inseparable, Minato loses his life in an accident at sea. Hinako is so distraught that she can no longer even look at the ocean, but one day she sings a song that reminds her of their time together, and Minato appears in the water. From then on, she can summon him in any watery surface as soon as she sings their song, but can the two really remain together forever? And what is the real reason for Minato’s sudden reappearance?

 

 

RIDE YOUR WAVE hit theaters in Japan on June 21, 2019. GKIDS plans to distribute the film in North American theaters in early 2020.

 

Source: Official press release

 

 

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Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.

While we still don’t know much about Shantae 5, which was announced back in March, we now do know one more thing – that the opening animation will be done by Studio Trigger.

Chief director Yoshiyuki Tomino attends Paris screening

 

Internationally acclaimed director Masaaki Yuasa (Lu over the Wall, Devilman Crybaby)'s highly-anticipated new feature film Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara/Ride Your Wave was released in 299 theaters across Japan on June 21. Despite massive publicity efforts, it debuted in ninth place with a poor 80 million yen. It also ranked only fourth in Pia's first day satisfaction ranking. 

 

His previous feature film Yoaketsugeru Lu no Uta/Lu over the Wall won the Cristal for Best Feature film award at Annecy International Animated Film Festival in 2017, which gave him international fame as an animation director. However, the honor seemingly didn't have much influence on Japanese audiences.

 

Already out of the top 10 for a while, but the 23rd Detective Conan feature film Konjyou no Fist/The Fist of Blue Sapphire has finally crossed the nine billion yen mark in its domestic market. It still needs 140 million yen more to become the top-grossing film in the Conan anime franchise by surpassing the current record of 9.18 billion yen marked by the 22nd film Zero the Enforcer in 2018.

 

As a final push, the film plans to start its 4DX attraction screenings on August 23, 2019, so there is still a chance to break the record during this summer. 

 

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Weekend box office in Japan (June 22-23, 2019)

 (ticket sales basis)

 

 1 (1). "Aladdin" - 5.51 billion yen

 2 (new). "The Fable" - 396 million yen

 3 (new). "Dark Phoenix" - 132 million yen

 4 (2). "Men in Black International" - 690 million yen

 5 (3). "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" - 2.46 billion yen

 6 (5). "Confidence Man JP" - 2.68 billion yen 

 7 (6). "Uta no Prince-sama The Movie: Maji LOVE Kingdom" - 370 million yen

 8 (4). "Girls und Panzer das Finale Second Chapter" - 280 million yen

 9 (new). "Ride Your Wave" - 80 million yen

 10 (6). "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl" - 230 million yen

 

 

 

"Ride Your Wave" trailer:

  

Announcement PV for "Detective Conan: The Fist of Blue Sapphire" 4DX attraction screenings:

 

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Source: Eiga.com, Pixiin

 

©2019 "Kimi to Nami ni Noretara" Production Committee

©2019 Gosho Aoyama/Detective Conan Production Committee