Friday, January 31, 2014

VIDEO: Rookie Voice Actress Yurika Endo's Solo Debut Song "Monochrome Overdrive" PV

Pony Canyon has posted a two-minute short version promotional video for 19-year-old rookie voice actress Yurika Endo's first solo single "Monochrome Overdrive" on its official YouTube channel. The song is written/composed/produced by Japanese rock band GLAY's lead guitarist HISASHI. He also plays all of the instruments for it.  


 


Endo won the first prize at the 2nd Ponycan Koetama Grand Prix Audition last year, and formed a voice actress idol unit YURI*KARI with the winner of the 1st audition Karin Takahashi. The unit released its 1st single "Kimi to Futari," the ED theme for the 2013 TV anime The Severing Crime Edge on April 17, 2013. She made her debut as an anime voice actress for Haruno Yoshikawa in Ace of Diamond last fall, and is currently voicing Rina Sakai in Sakura Trick.


 


"Monochrome Overdrive" is now featured as the ED them song for the 2014 winter TV anime Z/X IGNITION


in which Endo plays Aina Mikage. The CD single will be released on February 5 in two editions.


 


"Monochrome Overdrive" short PV



 



Limited edition


 



Regular edition


 



Artist photo


 


© Pony Canyon

"Pupa" First Three Uncensored Episodes DVD will be Bundled with the Magazine

Prior to the official release of the DVD/Blu-ray containing all 12 episodes on March 28, the March 2014 issue of EARTH STAR Entertainment's monthly manga magazine Comic Earth Star, which is scheduled to be released on February 12 in Japan, will come with a DVD containing the first three uncensored version episodes of the pupa TV anime.


 


The TV anime adaptation of Sayaka Mogi's horror manga is produced by Studio Deen (Maria Watches Over Us, Hetalia, Rozen Maiden 3rd season) and has been aired in Japan and simulcasted by Crunchyroll since January 9. Due to its incest and cannibalism-related contents, the broadcast version episodes are edited to some degree. In response to the fan's request, a special screening event for the uncensored version of its first eight episodes was held at the Aeon Cinema Makuhari Shintoshin theater in Chiba Prefecture on December 21, 2013.


 


The manga was serialized in Comic Earth Star from March 2011 to December 2013. It has sold more than


650,000 copies so far. The final/fifth tankobon volume will be released on the same day with the March


2014 issue of the magazine, February 12.


 




The scenes from the anime


 



Comic Earth Star March 2014 issue  


 



The 5th volume of the manga tankobon


 


 


2nd PV



 


 


1st PV



 


Source: Akiba Souken


 


© Sayaka Mogi/EARTH STAR Entertainment/pupa Production Committe



VIDEO: 2014 Winter TV Anime "Magical Warfare" ED Song PV by nano

Following the OP song "Senkou no Prisoner" by Yuuka Nanri, a promotional video for the ED song for the 2014 winter TV anime Magical Warfare, "Born to be" by New York-born bilingual singer nano is now online. The singer was hospitalized with acute pancreatitis on December 2, 2013 and took a hiatus from musical activities for a month.


 


After being released from the hospital in the end of the month, the singer announced its activity restart plan with the release of the fourth single "Born to be" on February 19. The CD single will be released in two editions. "nano ver." includes "Born to be" and "Happy Ending Simulator," and "Mahou Sensou ver." with an anime illustration jacket includes the title song and an insert song for the anime "NEW WORLD."


 



 



"nano ver." CD jaket


 



"Mahou Sensou ver." CD jacket


 



Artist photo


 


Source: Natalie


 


© HoriPro Inc



Kahotan Shows Off Parfom Aigis

What happens when Phat! Company and garage kit dealer RyunRyunTei's Toona Kanshi team up? We get a new line of articulated figures, Parform. Kahotan showed off their Aigis from Persona 3, which is already on pre-order.


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis


 


parform aigis



Aigis is curvier than a figma but more womanly than a Nendoroid. This series will also feature triangular stands to make posing figures together a little easier, space-wise (the square Nendoroid bases are a little clunky when you have several posed together). Aigis is highly expressive, which bodes well for the new line.


 


According to Phat! Company’s Ootani-san, Ryunryuntei’s Toona Kanshi isn’t a fan of articulated figures, so they worked together to make an articulated figure that would appeal to fans of scaled figures. The line is aimed at creating chibi designs that don’t affect the sculpt, reduction of bulk around the joints and a sculpt that stays true to the atmosphere of the source. They’re also slightly larger than figmas.


 


Are you guys ready for a new articulated figure line?


 


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Amanda Rush is the Associate Editor for Ani.Me. You can pester her on Twitter or My Figure Collection.

Retailer Hot Topic Adds "Attack On Titan" Shirts to Product Line

Evergreen tenant of American shopping malls Hot Topic has now added Attack on Titan to its lineup of pop culture merchandise with an online test run of shirt designs for Boys and Girls. Both designs are currently online exclusive, but as FUNimation has confirmed on its Facebook page, if there is enough sales volume this week, the possibility exists that the shirts will be rolled out to locations nationwide. So what do the shirts look like? Have a look below:


 


Hot Topic AoT shirts


 The Girls shirt goes straight for the cute chibi look whle the Boys shirt goes for the bog standard group pose for the main cast. Kind of plain and unexciting, but if these are popular enougth, they could lead to more designs and merchandise. While I could have thought of better designs, I'll be buying the Boys shirt if it means more merch down the road. Would you buy either of these shirts?




Humberto Saabedra is the Owner of AnimeNews.biz, Editor-in-Chief of PhoneNews.com and a part-time recording engineer. He can also be found musing on things (and Nico Robin) at @AnimeNewsdotbiz

Nikkei: NTV Aims to Buy Anime Studio Tatsunoko Production












Takara Tomy owns 74.3% of studio; Nikkei projects price to be several million US dollars




The financial news source Nikkei reported on Wednesday that Nippon TV Holdings is aiming to acquire the anime studio Tatsunoko Production, a Takara Tomy Group company. Nikkei projects that the acquisition price will be several hundred million yen (several million US dollars). It also reports that Nippon TV Holdings is looking to diversify its production of entertainment content and expand its anime programming.


Tatsunoko became a subsidiary of the Japanese toy conglomerate Takara Tomy in 2005-2006. IG Port (the parent company of Production I.G, Xebec, Mag Garden, and the relatively new Wit Studio) acquired a 11.2% stake in Tatsunoko in 2010. Entertainment talent agency HoriPro acquired a 13.5% stake last February.


Takara Tomy currently still retains a 74.3% stake in Tatsunoko, but Nikkei characterizes the toymaker’s ability to create a synergy between its main business and its anime production as “limited.” Takara Tomy recorded a net loss of 7.097 billion yen (about US$70 million) in the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2013.


Tatsunoko Production was established in 1962, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012 with the Ippatsu Hicchū!! Devander anime. It holds the rights to Gatchaman, Speed Racer, the Time Bokan franchise, The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee, and other anime titles popular in Japan and overseas.


Nippon TV Holdings’ group companies already includes the anime studio MADHOUSE. Its NTV television network has long been a partner of Studio Ghibli, and its Mamma Aiuto Inc. and The Tokuma Memorial Cultural Foundation for Animation are involved in the operation of the Ghibli Museum.


[Via Yaraon!]






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“Pupa” First Three Uncensored Episodes DVD will be Bundled with the Magazine











Prior to the official release of the DVD/Blu-ray containing all 12 episodes on March 28, the March 2014 issue of EARTH STAR Entertainment’s monthly manga magazine Comic Earth Star, which is scheduled to be released on February 12 in Japan, will come with a DVD containing the first three uncensored version episodes of the pupa TV anime.


The TV anime adaptation of Sayaka Mogi’s horror manga is produced by Studio Deen (Maria Watches Over Us, Hetalia, Rozen Maiden 3rd season) and has been aired in Japan and simulcasted by Crunchyroll since January 9. Due to its incest and cannibalism-related contents, the broadcast version episodes are edited to some degree. In response to the fan’s request, a special screening event for the uncensored version of its first eight episodes was held at the Aeon Cinema Makuhari Shintoshin theater in Chiba Prefecture on December 21, 2013.


The manga was serialized in Comic Earth Star from March 2011 to December 2013. It has sold more than


650,000 copies so far. The final/fifth tankobon volume will be released on the same day with the March


2014 issue of the magazine, February 12.




The scenes from the anime



Comic Earth Star March 2014 issue  



The 5th volume of the manga tankobon


2nd PV


[embedded content]


1st PV


[embedded content]


Source: Akiba Souken


© Sayaka Mogi/EARTH STAR Entertainment/pupa Production Committe


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Wonder Momo Game Spawns Web Anime by Graphinica & New Game











1987 beat ‘em up arcade game inspires 5 shorts streamed worldwide & PC/Android game




Bandai Namco Games announced on Wednesday that its 1987 beat ‘em up arcade game Wonder Momo is inspiring a free web series of five five-minute anime shorts, as well as a new game. Bandai Namco Games describes the story:



One day, a group of aliens planing to take over the Earth invade Tokyo. Momoko, who aspires to be an idol, gets involved in the fight in an unexpected form. Warudemon, king of the alien empire, uses various tactics to hunt down Momoko and the people around her. Momoko has decided to stand up to the Warudemon plain and simple.




Yutaka Kagawa (Hajime Ningen Gon, Jagainu-kun, Nightwalker, Rainbow Samurai, Shin Mashin Eiyuden Wataru Majinzan) is directing the anime at Graphinica (Hellsing Ultimate, Rakuen Tsuihō -Expelled From Paradise-) with character designer/chief animation director Yūichi Yoshida and scriptwriter/lyricist Ayumi Inabe. Shigetaka Kurita is serving as general manager with producer Robert Pereyda (ShiftyLook) of the new projects.


Relative newcomers Yuka Fujiwara and Misaki Komatsu are not only starring as Momoko Kanda (Wonder Momo) and Akiho (Amazona), respectively, but also performing four of the anime and game’s five songs as the duo “Fujikomatune.”


The cast also includes:



Alex Culang (Buttersafe, Katamari) is scoring the soundtrack. Overseas artists are also producing the songs — English rock band Area 11 on the anime theme song “Wonder Wars,” Los Angeles-based game composer Tommy Pedrini on “Picogram,” American electronic musician/DJ Dectronic and producer Anthony Seeha on “ticktack365,” and American chiptune musician Patrick Trinh (Space Town Savior) on “Iroha.” Inami is performing the fifth theme song “Colors” with Pedrini.


The anime will begin streaming every Thursday at 9:30 p.m. on Niconico in February in Japan, and Crunchyroll will be streaming the anime with subtitles every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in North America.


California-based WayForward Technologies (DuckTales Remastered, Contra 4, Shantae, Double Dragon Neon) is developing the new Wonder Momo game as an Eighties arcade-style 2D side-scrolling action game for the PC and Android platforms worldwide this spring. James Montagna is serving as the director and writing the game with Ko and Zub. Jake Kaufman is scoring the music with Culang.


The original arcade game was ported to the PC Engine console and the Wii Virtual Console platform, but only in Japan. It already inspired a Wonder Momo: Battle Idol web comic on the ShiftyLook site by Udon Entertainment founder Erik Ko, writer Jim Zub (Sky Kid, Klonoa, Skullkickers), and artist Omar Dogan (Street Fighter, Robotech: Invasion) in 2012. It is the most popular title on the site with over 150 installments, and it will be the story basis for the web anime shorts. Udon will publish the web comic in a hardcover graphic novel this April.


Source: Inside Games


Images © Bandai Namco Games Inc.





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VIDEO: 2014 Winter TV Anime “Magical Warfare” ED Song PV by nano











Following the OP song “Senkou no Prisoner” by Yuuka Nanri, a promotional video for the ED song for the 2014 winter TV anime Magical Warfare, “Born to be” by New York-born bilingual singer nano is now online. The singer was hospitalized with acute pancreatitis on December 2, 2013 and took a hiatus from musical activities for a month.


After being released from the hospital in the end of the month, the singer announced its activity restart plan with the release of the fourth single “Born to be” on February 19. The CD single will be released in two editions. “nano ver.” includes “Born to be” and “Happy Ending Simulator,” and “Mahou Sensou ver.” with an anime illustration jacket includes the title song and an insert song for the anime “NEW WORLD.”


[embedded content]



“nano ver.” CD jaket



“Mahou Sensou ver.” CD jacket



Artist photo


Source: Natalie


© HoriPro Inc



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Retailer Hot Topic Adds “Attack On Titan” Shirts to Product Line











Evergreen tenant of American shopping malls Hot Topic has now added Attack on Titan to its lineup of pop culture merchandise with an online test run of shirt designs for Boys and Girls. Both designs are currently online exclusive, but as FUNimation has confirmed on its Facebook page, if there is enough sales volume this week, the possibility exists that the shirts will be rolled out to locations nationwide. So what do the shirts look like? Have a look below:


Hot Topic AoT shirts


 The Girls shirt goes straight for the cute chibi look whle the Boys shirt goes for the bog standard group pose for the main cast. Kind of plain and unexciting, but if these are popular enougth, they could lead to more designs and merchandise. While I could have thought of better designs, I’ll be buying the Boys shirt if it means more merch down the road. Would you buy either of these shirts?




Humberto Saabedra is the Owner of AnimeNews.biz, Editor-in-Chief of PhoneNews.com and a part-time recording engineer. He can also be found musing on things (and Nico Robin) at @AnimeNewsdotbiz



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More Crossover Characters Reportedly Added to “Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax”


More Crossover Characters Reportedly Added to "Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax"



Dengeki PlayStation magazine is set to announced another wave of fighters for Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax, Sega's celebration of the Dengeki light novel imprint's 20th anniversary. Early reports have Ro-Kyu-Bu!'s loli basketball player Tomoka Minato being added to the main roster, along with a slate of new support characters including Hinata Hakamada from that series, Golden Time's freshman law student Kaga Kouko, Kino of Kino's Journey, The Pet Girl of Sakurasou's female lead Mashiro Shiina, and Erio Touwa from Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko.




Confirmed main characters include:



Shana from Shakugan no Shana



Asuna from Sword Art Online



Misaka Mikoto from A Certain Scientific Railgun



Kirino Kosaka from Oreimo



Shizuo Heiwajima from Durarara!!





Kuroyukihime from Accel World




and support characters include:



Wihelmina from Shakugan no Shana




Leafa from Sword Art Online




Touma Kamijou from A Certain Magical Index



Kuroneko from Oreimo



Celty from Durarara!!




Haruyuki Arita from Accel World




Holo from Spice and Wolf



Sadao Maō / Satan Jacob from The Devil is a Part Timer






Boogiepop Phantom




Boss


Akira Yuki from Virtua Fighter




via Shoryuken



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Scott Green is editor and reporter for anime and manga at geek entertainment site Ain't It Cool News. Follow him on Twitter at @aicnanime.

Read more here: Crunchy Roll