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Welcome to our News archive for May 2005 - to see this month's news
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Howl Release Date and Porco Rosso Hint Optimum Releasing have been kind enough to give us some hints as to their cinema plans for this year! First up is the confirmed release date for Howl's Moving Castle, which will receive a massive theatrical release similar to that given to Spirited Away on 30th September 2005. Howl is our most anticipated release of the year and we will be amongst the first in line to see it! Optimum are also pencilling in plans for a 'Ghibli Tour' of cinemas throughout the country, although at present titles and dates are TBC - we'll keep you posted as and when we hear more. And last but most definitely not least, Porco Rosso looks likely to have a theatrical release next year, although it is unclear when or if this will be through Optimum (however, we assume that it is, considering their record with Ghibli titles). It is great to see Ghibli titles coming to cinemas where they belong, and we really hope that the Ghibli Tour Optimum are planning will include as many as possible as these films deserve to be seen by a much larger audience. Source: Optimum Releasing |
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The Cat Returns Cinema Screenings Optimum Releasing have kindly provided us with a list of cinemas which will be showing The Cat Returns in the UK, check it out and if it's showing near you then go and see it!!! Week Commencing May 27th UGC Shaftsbury Avenue - shows TBC Week Commencing June 10th Tyneside Newcastle Week Commencing June 17th PicHouse Liverpool @ FACT Week Commencing June 24th June 25/26th - NFT Week Commencing July 1st Riverside Hammersmith (Subtitled) Week Commencing July 8th Bristol Watershed Week Commencing July 15th Metro Derby 22nd-28th - CineCity Norwich Chichester New Park 13th / 14th August - Welwyn Campus West Barn
Dartington Parkway Cinema, Cleethorpes David Lean, Croydon Source: Optimum Releasing |
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More Barefoot Gen News Following on from our previous announcement of Optimum Asia's forthcoming release of the harrowing Barefoot Gen we have since learned that the release will also include the sequel. Barefoot Gen 2 is set three years after the horrifying events depicted in the first film and follows Gen as he tends to his ill mother and adopted brother. We assume that the set will be two disc, considering the two films, but according to information on Play.Com it looks to have a standard retail price. Play.Com also has a street date of 1st August 2005 for the DVD, and we will be keeping tabs on the release and updating you as more information becomes available. Source: Play.Com; Neo |
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MVM Release Dates MVM have pencilled in release dates for a host of titles due out at the end of the year, including several new licenses and a boxset! The releases are as follows (these dates are of course subject to change): 5th September 2005 Chobits vol 4 3rd October 2005 Burst Angel vol 1 7th November 2005 Haibane Renmei vol 4 EyeOnAnime have reported that the first volumes of both Paranoia Agent and Tsukihime Lunar Legend (due out in July and June respectively) will be available with artboxes designed to hold the entire series. These artboxes are limited to 1000 units per title, and the volume 1 + artbox sets will retail for £19.99. These are bound to be popular so make sure you grab yours! Source: MVM, EyeOnAnime |
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The Cat Returns Hits the Cinemas As previously reported, Optimum Asia's latest Ghibli acquisition hits cinemas in the UK from Friday 27th May. A highly entertaining family film, The Cat Returns is being released just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend in both English dubbed and original (subtitled of course) Japanese versions. Unfortunately the release seems limited to art-house cinemas and those in big cities, so we'd advise you to check your local listings before heading to town. To whet your appetite for the film's release have a look at Optimum Asia's site for and overview and cast info. Source: Optimum Asia |
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Competition Deadline Extended The deadline for our current (and extremely excellent) Ghost in the Shell competition is being extended from 28th May 2005 to 17th June! We have unfortunately got a lot of things to do over the weekend of the 28th and so there may not have been able to send out the prizes, and Ric is decamping to Download Festival the following weekend, so we decided to give everyone an extra few weeks to enter. Those how haven't entered yet, what are you waiting for?? Enter now!! Source: Animetion UK |
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Miyazaki on Mastermind Seems that quality anime is reaching the younger generation! According to various TV listing magazines, a contestant on the next episode of Junior Mastermind - due to be screened tomorrow on BBC1 at 7pm - has chosen 'The Films of Hayao Miyazaki' as their specialist subject! We will be watching with interest to see what kind of questions are asked, and will see how many we can answer... Source: TV Quick |
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Final Fantasy Advent Children Release Date Announced! It has been a long time coming but Square Enix have finally confirmed the Japanese release date for the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII Advent Children! September 14th 2005 is the date you need to note in your advent calendar although there is sadly no European release date yet, however Square Enix have said it will be available over here by 'the end of 2005'. Square Enix have promised no more delays this time so, fingers crossed, the moment Final Fantasy fans as craved for so long is nearly upon us. Source: Adventchildren.net |
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New Title Announcements from Manga Entertainment and Optimum Asia! We're back from the MCM London Sci-Fi Expo with plenty of juicy news to report!! Here's the announcements made by Manga and Optimum Asia: Manga Entertainment Casshan: Robot Hunter The anime that inspired Momentum Asia's recent live action epic Casshern, due for a release commencing Sept/Oct 2005 Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Mamoru Oshii's visually stunning sequel to his 1995 hit Ghost in the Shell, due for a cinematic release this Autumn. The big news is that Manga plan to record an English dub featuring the cast of Stand Alone Complex, something the US missed out on. Richard Epcar - the English language voice of Batou - was certainly interested in reprising his role when asked by a Manga rep during a Q&A session at the Expo, so things look good! Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GiG Due to come to the UK in 2006, 2nd GiG was premiered at the Expo and looks to be every bit as good as the current series. Millennium Actress Mind bending feature film from Perfect Blue director Satoshi Kon, due in September 2005 Robotech Re-mastered version of the classic series, due to commence in September 2005. Manga have taken in to account the damage the epic 84 episode series could do to your wallet and are planning a Manga Collection style budget price point of between £10-£15 per volume. Streetfighter Alpha Generations New OVA series based on the classic beat-em-up, which Manga are planning for a simultaneous UK/US release in October. A sneak preview of a fight between Ryu and Akuma was superb, and this is one we will be very much looking forward to. The news didn't end there though!! Manga have got some other interesting stuff lined up too: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Manga will include some UK exclusive extras on the final 3 volumes of the first series, including interviews with voice actor Richard Epcar (Batou in the English dub) and designer Paul Nicholson from Terratag, creator of the Laughing Man emblem. They are also intending to release a box set of the entire series once volume seven has been released. Ghost in the Shell Artbooks Manga are planning to release a three volume series of Ghost in the Shell artbooks in the UK, which will feature art from both Stand Alone Complex series as well as a making of documentary. The artbooks are still very much in the pipeline, and will be limited when released. Robotech Shadow Chronicles Manga have acquired the first option on the brand new Robotech OVA sequel, and will be odds on to release it once it has been completed. Manga's enthusiastic rep Jerome confirmed to us that they are actively bidding on several other series (some of which you would not expect to be Manga targets), and look like they could have some very big announcements in the future! Optimum Asia Appleseed Barefoot Gen We will be writing up a full report of the event shortly, but as you can probably tell things are looking good for the future!! Source: Manga Entertainment, Optimum Asia |
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Manga Entertainment Announce Stand Alone Complex 2nd GiG, Innocence and Robotech!!! Yep, Manga Entertainment have given us a sneak preview of some of the license announcements due to be made at the MCM London Expo this weekend!! First up is Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, the sequel to Mamoru Oshii's 1995 smash hit film. However, what is very surprising is that Manga Entertainment are going to give the film a cinematic release in the UK and Eire later this year!!!! The film will come to DVD in 2006, when we will also see the (somewhat expected) release of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GiG. 2nd GiG is the sequel series to the excellent Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and there will be screenings of the first episode at the Expo, which will for once give UK anime fans the chance to catch the series not only way in advance of its UK release, but also in advance of its US release!! As well as these new titles Manga also look set to announce a retro acquisiton for 2005 in the form of the retro classic Robotech, which will also be seeing a screening at the Expo. The Expo will also host a 20th Anniversary Robotech exhibition, and an interview & signing session with voice actor Richard Epcar. There will also be a shedload of giveaways at the Manga Stand and yet more announcements to come, we will report on all of the news once we return from the Expo next week! Source: Manga Entertainment |
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ADV Films to Premiere Titles at London Expo ADV Films are planning on premiering a number of new anime titles at the MCM London Expo (www.londonexpo.com) being held this weekend at the ExCel Centre, London Docklands. The titles due to be shown are as follows: Gravion These titles are all due to hit UK shores over the next six months, so visitors to the Expo will be able to get a sneak preview well before they're released! Source: ADV Films |
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ADV Press Release ADV Films have confirmed their release schedule for June, which will consist of the following: Azumanga Daioh vol 6 - Graduation! ADV may not have been releasing so many flashy titles as MVM this year, but they have definitely been building up a strong catalogue of excellent anime. A couple of brand new titles in there this month - Gravion (a retro styled mecha actioner) and Puni Puni Poemy (a mad as a spoon spin off from Excel Saga) - and also the final volume of the excellent Azumanga Daioh are all well worth a look, and who can be without Evangelion Platinum and Last Exile? Great stuff. Source: ADV Films |
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Anime Cinema Releases This Month 27th May 2005 The Cat Returns (Optimum Releasing) Cert: U If only we could put news items like this up more often! This month sees the theatrical release of The Cat Returns, a magical family film from Studio Ghibli which is brought to the cinema in subbed and dubbed versions by Optimum Releasing. Whilst not as amazing as some of Ghibli's other films, The Cat Returns is great fun and well worth a look, especially if you have kids to entertain. We'll post more details on the release as and when it becomes available. Source: FutureMovies.co.uk |
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Out in May!! 2nd May 2005 Kintaro Part 1 (Artsmagic) Cert: TBA 9th May 2005 Dominion Tank Police Acts 3 & 4 (Animazing) Cert: 12 16th May 2005 Adventures of Mini-Goddess vol 3 - The Urd
Files (MVM) Cert: PG 23rd May 2005 Cowboy Bebop vol 5 (Beez) Cert: PG 30th May 2005 Kintaro Part 2 (Artsmagic) Cert: TBA Source: MVM, Manga Entertainment, ADV Films, Play.Com |
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New Anime Games Out in May 6th May 2005 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Atari) - Sony PlayStation 2 20th May 2005 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Atari) -
Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) Once again all of the releases from last month have been delayed so get listed again, except for Yu Yu Hakusho Dark Tournament, which appears to have been delayed until September. First up is the third-person actioner Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, which we had a brief play of when in Japan (it's pretty good) and is being given a big PR push by Manga Entertainment and Atari so should hopefully sell as well as it deserves to. The other anime game releases for this month are apparently launch titles for Sony's new PSP console, however, most sites don't even list them which suggests that they may only be coming out in the US at present, so don't be surprised if they aren't on the shelves this month. Source: Play.Com |
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Comeback Kings! Manga Entertainment may have been pretty quiet for a fair while but they are certainly determined to come back with a bang! We're one of a select few UK sites to receive an exclusive press release (ah, smugness) from Manga which details some of their upcoming competitions and some new additions to their website, as well as confirming their presence at the upcoming London MCM Expo. Click here to read! By the way, we recommend you visit the London MCM Expo, this year launches the Anime Village for the first time and there will be the opportunity to meet people from Manga Entertainment, MVM, Neo Magazine and Sweatdrop Manga! There promises to be plenty of exclusives and freebies, as well as a cosplay competition, the chance to meet American voice actors and a Robotech Retrospective. We're planning on going so if you see a couple of West Country yokels (Webmaster Ric's fishing hat is a dead giveaway) wandering around come and say hello! Check out the Expo website for more info, and if you can't make it look out for a report on this site once we return. Source: Manga Entertainment |
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Casshern Comes To DVD With so few live action films based on anime & manga receiving UK releases (only The Guyver, Fist of the North Star and City Hunter spring immediately to mind) it's great to see the sci-fi epic Casshern receiving a release here! Out on the 25th April from Momentum Asia, Casshern is based on a classic 1970's anime series which boasted much of the same creative team as Battle of the Planets, as well as design by internationally renowned artist Yoshitaka Amano. The film version has earned rave reviews in many quarters and looks absolutely stunning - for a taste of what to expect check out the trailer, and keep your eyes open for a review in the near future.Source: Momentum Asia ___________________________________________________________________________ |
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