Anime Magazine: March 2017

Friday, March 31, 2017

It's Hard to Say "I Love You" in "Tsure x Dure Children" Teaser Trailer

A new teaser trailer is now available online for Tsure x Dure Children, an upcoming TV anime based on the manga by Toshiya Wakabayashi about love-struck teenagers who have a hard time finding the courage to express their true feelings to one another.

The original Tsure x Dure Children manga began life as a web comic before being picked up for publication in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine and then moving to Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Described as a "heart-pounding love comedy", the series features young people who find themselves in various embarrassing and awkward situations when they try to confess their romantic feelings to one another.

The Tsure x Dure Children TV anime is directed by Hiraku Kaneko and features animation by Studio Gokumi. It will begin its Japanese broadcast in July of 2017.

Source: Ota-suke

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

Go Behind the Scenes of "Godzilla: Monster Planet" with Project PV

For a limited time only, the official home page for the upcoming 3DCG anime film Godzilla: Monster Planet has published a preview video that goes behind-the-scenes of the production of Toho's latest entry in their long-running giant monster movie series. The video will only be available for 2 weeks beginning on March 31, so watch it while you can.

Gozilla: Monster Planet is directed by Kōbun Shizuno and Hiroyuki Seshita and features animation by Polygon Pictures. The film is set in the far-flung future, when the Earth has been completely overrun by giant monsters. After a deep-space colonization attempt fails, a small group of survivors tries to take back the planet.

Godzilla: Monster Planet hits Japanese theaters in November of 2017. It will also be distributed via online streaming via Netflix.

Source: Ota-suke

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

Fighter Jet Girl Takes Off in DLE's "Henkei Shojo" 1st Clip

Tokyo-based animation and entertainment company DLE's official YouTube channel has posted the 60-second first episode of its Henkei Shojo (Transformation Girls), a short anime series featuring girls who transform into machines. The first girl Haru can transforms into a fighter jet.

The first clip is now screened on the train channels of the main lines in Tokyo from March 27 to April 2. Four more girls are scheduled be added subsequently in late April, May, June, and July.

Main visual

via: Netlabo

"BLAME!" Anime Film 2nd Trailer Introduces Theme Song by angela

The official website for the upcoming anime film adaptation of Japanese manga artist Tsutomu Nihei's first serialized manga work BLAME! today released a 100-second second trailer introducing its theme song "Calling you" performed by two-member unit angela.

2nd trailer

BLAME! is based on Nihei' short story BLAME (without the exclamation mark) that won the Special Jury

Award in the Four Seasons Award manga contest held by Kodansha's Monthly Evening in summer of 1995.

The long story version was serialized in the magazine from 1997 to 2003, then compiled in 10 tankobon

volumes. The srory is set in the distant future where what’s left of the human race resides within the

Megastructure, a vast and dangerous labyrinth that has grown wild and out of control. Thrown into this

world is the mysterious Killy, a strange individual who is on a quest to bring civilization back from the

brink of oblivion.

Polygon Pictures, previously worked on the anime adaptations of Nihei's Knights of Sidonia series, again

works on anime production. Hiroyuki Seshita, who directed the Knights of Sidonia anime and the recent

Ajin: Demi-Human, serves as the director. The original manga creator Nihei supervises the anime project

that tells an all-new story, handling script and character design. The film will be released in 27 theaters

in Japan on May 20 for a limited time of two weeks, and will be simultaneously streamed on Netflix globally.

The second edition of the advance tickets with a 1/35 scale figure of Safeguard (Extermination TYPE-01)

will be available at the theaters from tomorrow, April 1.

【前売特典第2弾発表！】
全国共通特別前売券の特典第２弾は、1/35スケールフィギュア・セーフガード（駆除系TYPE-01）！
4月1日より上映劇場にて発売開始！
販売劇場: https://t.co/fOO1Bq9Vj5 #BLAME_anime pic.twitter.com/s9fUZyFpME
— 「BLAME!」5/20 劇場全国公開 (@BLAME_anime) March 24, 2017

銀袋の正体は前売特典の1/35スケールフィギュア・セーフガード（駆除系TYPE-01）でした！コップのくじょ○さん的な使い方も・・・！？今にも飛びかかってきそう・・・4月1日より上映劇場にて発売！販売劇場: https://t.co/TSU2VnkPjB #BLAME_anime pic.twitter.com/cWrQHrPxHV
— 「BLAME!」5/20 劇場全国公開 (@BLAME_anime) March 24, 2017

Poster visual

1st trailer for Netflix

Tankobon 1st volume: Original (1998) and New Edition (2015)

Source: "BLAME!" official website

© Tsutomu Nihei, Kodansha/BLAME! Production Committee

Check Out Behind-the-Scenes of Live Animation Project "Heart x Algorhythm"

The official YouTube channel of the upcoming live animation Heart x Algorhythm has posted a three-minute clip to introduce the behind-the-scenes of the Japanese-Chinese co-production project. It is scheduled to start streaming on Nico Nico and two Chinese streaming services simultaneously this summer. The clip was screened at the project's booth in the Anime Japan 2017 last weekend.

The two main virtual idols, native Japanese speaker Kirin (CV: Minori Suzuki) and Chinese speaker Sai (CV: Emiri Iwai/Singing Voice: Xiao Wu), are designed by KEI, best known as the original package illustrator of Hatsune Miku. The characters' 3DCG in the live-animation are created with Sega Interactive's real time CG animation system called "DL－EDGE."

"Heart x Algorhythm" behind-the-scenes report

Photos from the Anime Japan booth (taken by the writer)

Kirin/Minori Suzuki (Freyja Wion in Macross Delta)

Sai/Emiri Iwai (female student in Love Live! Sunshine!!)

Flyer

Source: "Heart x Algorhythm" official website

© NTT DOCOMO, INC. © MIGU Co., Ltd

"Kemono Friends" Final Episode Viewed by 276,789 People on Nico Nico

Following the TV broadcast on March 29, Nico Nico Live streamed the final 12th episode of the Kemono Friends TV anime for its members in the next night, and it was viewed by an amazing number of 276,789 people with 1,250,413 comments during the 30-minute period. And 98.5% of the viewers said the episode was "Excellent" after watching, while only 0.8% answered "No Good."

The viewer number was 5.5 times more than that of the final 10th episode of another popular winter 2017 TV anime, KONOSUBA -God's blessing on this wonderful world! 2, and the comment number was a huge 38 times more. The final episode of KONOSUBA 2 was viewed by 50,164 people with 32,855 comments on Nico Nico Live on March 22.

Director Tatsuki is surprised at the great number and posts an appreciation message to the fans on his

official Twitter.

"Thank you for also watching it on Nico Nico! I never expected such a thrilling turn was waiting after the

ending..., and 1.25 million comments!? I have enjoyed a wonderful journey with you like a child for this

three months. Well, let me take a break for a while..."

ニコ生もありがとうございました！まさか放送終了後に手に汗握る展開が待っているとは…そしてコメントが１２５万！？　この３ヶ月皆さんと一緒にどえらい旅ができて子供のように楽しかったです。それではしばらくお休みなさい…　#けものフレンズ
— たつき／irodori（けものフレンズ） (@irodori7) 2017年3月30日

As reported, the official website for the Kemono Friends project has announced that a new "clip" was

decided to be produced. Details will be updated on the project's official site and Twitter later. And a

screening event for the 11th and 12th episodes is also scheduled to be held at Science Museum Science

Hall in Tokyo on April 15. The main voice actresses, director and two producers are confirmed to join,

so some announcement for the future project may be expected?

The first two volumes of the guidebook with the TV anime's Blu-ray are confirmed to get reprints, and

it is the second reprint for the first volume.

＜お知らせ＞「けものフレンズBD付オフィシャルガイドブック」１巻、２巻の重版が決まりました！１巻は３刷となります。ネット書店等でのご予約も準備でき次第再開しているようですので、よろしくお願いします！ #けものフレンズ https://t.co/UQ4OextRCc pic.twitter.com/UBsSH6HsLD
— けものフレンズ＠公式アカウント (@kemo_anime) March 30, 2017

Souece: Nico Nico Live, Tstsuki Twitter

(C) Kemono Friends Project A

New "Welcome to the Ballroom" PV Features New Unison Square Garden Track

The third PV for the upcoming Welcome to the Ballroom has just dropped, featuring another track by three-piece rock band Unison Square Garden. The song, "mix juice no iu Toori," is the latest addition to the list of collaborative songs produced by the band for the series (with "Chandelier Waltz" preceding).

The series will be an adaptation of Tomo Takeuchi's manga of the same name, about a Japanese boy who finds himself pulled into the world of competitive ballroom dancing. The manga was nominated for the 6th and 8th Manga Taisho, and has placed high on many fan and shop rankings since its premiere.

Welcome to the Ballroom premieres this July.

Source: Anime PONY CANYON

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Kara Dennison is responsible for multiple webcomics, blogs and runs interviews for (Re)Generation Who and PotterVerse, and is half the creative team behind the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. She blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

Tatsunoko Teases Second Season of "Time Bokan 24"

If you're a fan of Tatsunoko's Time Bokan franchise and aren't ready to see Time Bokan 24 go, you're in luck -- it looks like it's coming back for a second season!

During AnimeJapan 2017, Tatsunoko tweeted a photo of its booth, complete with a large "Season 2" on the left.

It's a bit clearer in another photo they tweeted, this one during a visit from series ED singers Moso Calibration.

At present, there's no solid news to be had on the second season, other than the fact that it will exist and Bimajo and her crew will be back again. Hopefully more news will be forthcoming!

Source: @tatsunoko_pro

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Sentai Licenses "Frame Arms Girl" And "Atom The Beginning"

Sentai Filmworks has announced a painr of spring 017 anime simulcasts. Frame Arms Girl is inspired by the Frame Arm model kit series. It will soon be available to stream on select digital outlets with a home video release to follow. Atom The Beginning is based on the manga by Tetsuro Kasahara, which is prequel series to Tezuka’s iconic manga, The Mighty Atom. The series will air exclusively in the U.S. on Anime Strike.

They describe Frame Arms Girl

Ao Gennai, an ordinary high school girl, opens a package that was mistakenly delivered to her house. To her surprise, what lies within is a a small robot named Gourai, a Frame Arms Girl with an evolving personality. Ao discovers that Gourai is actually a newly developed prototype, and that she is the first person to activate her. Follow Ao’s antics as she learns the ups and downs of being Gourai’s owner ... which will include putting her into competitive fights!

The series will be directed by Keiichiro Kawaguchi (Phantasy Star Online 2: The Animation), with sound direction by Satoki Iida (Persona 4: The Animation, Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga) and series composition overseen by Deko Akao (Anonymous Noise, Flying Witch). The studios helming the project are studio A-CAT (Detective Conan: The Raven Chaser (movie 13)) and ZEXCS (Lady Jewelpet, Umi Monogatari).

They describe Atom The Beginning

After a great calamity in Japan, the world needed a hero: but did this hero need to be a god? Or a friend? Two young geniuses, Umataro Tenma and Hiroshi Ochanomizu, have labored extensively to create a powerful artificial intelligence to protect the future. The result of their collaboration was a robot, A106. In this previously untold story, Tenma and Ochanomizu lay the groundwork leading up to the birth of an android that would later change the world.

Katsuyuki Motohiro (Psycho-Pass, Ajin) acted as Chief Director, with Tatsuo Sato (Bodacious Space Pirates, Lagrange – The Flower of Rin-ne) as Director. Animation production for the series was helmed by Production I.G (Haikyu!!, Kuroko’s Basketball, Joker Game).

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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

TOKYO MX to Show "RWBY Volume 1-3: The Beginning"

Rooster Teeth joint RWBY, originally directed by the late Monty Oum, already has an impressive cult following in Japan. The series has even inspired spinoff prequel manga. This summer, for the first time, the series will be televised in Japan.

RWBY Volume 1-3: The Beginning will consist of the Japanese dubs of the first three series. The dub is headed up by a variety of well-known voice actors, including Saori Hayami, Yoko Hikasa, Yu Shimamura, and Ami Koshimizu as the members of Team RWBY.

The series will premiere on TOKYO MX this coming July.

Source: Warner Bros. Anime

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"Too Hot for TV": Japanese Fans Rank Risqué Anime

Anime can go in some pretty "adult" directions on occasions, even just in terms of jokes made -- not that Western television is any less guilty of jokes that go over kids' heads. But generally when something is a little too mature, it goes straight to DVD. Sometimes, that's a pretty fine line... and Japanese fans spoke up about which shows they think were too hot for TV.

Everyone's favorite ranking site Goo asked fans which shows they were shocked to see make it to television. The full results are available over on the site, but here's a run-down of the top ten.

10. Recently, My Sister Is Unusual

9. Ikkitousen

8. Manyu Hiken-cho

7. OniAi

6. High School DxD

5. Yosuga no Sora

4. So, I Can't Play H

3. Prison School

2. To Love-Ru

1. Ranma 1/2

Runners-up on the list included Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, Highschool of the Dead, and Cream Lemon.

Source: Otaku USA

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"My Hero Academia" Offers Another Look At "Training Of The Dead" OVA Designs And Cast

In addition to season 2 of the My Hero Acadamia TV anime, bridge special "Save! Rescue Training" from Jump Festa will be released April 4th, then the "Training of the Dead" OVA will be released with volume 14 on June 2nd. There's now a more complete, color preview of its characters and listing of their cast.

ヒロアカコミックス14巻限定版のオリジナルアニメDVD。羽生子役は内田真礼さん@MaayaUchida、藤見役は木村良平さん@Ryouhey_Drunk 、赤外役は吉川麻美さん@yoshikawa_asami、多弾役は峰岸佳さん@Minegishi_Kay！#heroaca_a pic.twitter.com/AMBkHnxPvl
— 僕のヒーローアカデミア_アニメ公式 (@heroaca_anime) March 29, 2017

Habuko Mongoose - Maaya Uchida

Romero Fujimi - Ryohei Kimura

Kashiko Sekigai/Sensor Girl - Asami Yoshikawa

Dadan Tadan/Lucky Strike - Kei Minegishi

There's also an extentend preview for the first episode of the new season

『僕のヒーローアカデミア』新シリーズ初回となる4/1(土)放送回の予告をアップしました！夕方5:30より読売テレビ・日本テレビ系全国29局ネットで放送！

予告ロングver.はこちら
↓https://t.co/Ha7BtSXwNH #heroaca_a #ヒロアカ pic.twitter.com/P18ZKlGFTa
— 僕のヒーローアカデミア_アニメ公式 (@heroaca_anime) March 30, 2017

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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

Haruka Chisuga Plays A Special Guest Role In "Miss Kobyashi's Maid Dragon"

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid has a special guest for the anime's episode 12, "Tohru and Kobayashi's Impactful Meeting! (We're Raising The Bar On Ourselves)." Singer/voice actress Haruka Chisuga (Miss Macross 30, Shirobako's Shizuka Sakaki) took the role of a bandit girl with a significant impact on Tohru's life.

TOKYO MXにて第12話「トールと小林、感動の出会い！（自分でハードル上げてますね）」をご覧頂いた皆様、ありがとうございました！次週最終回ですが、最後までお願い致します！この後、第12話はテレビ愛知、ABC朝日放送でも放送です！ https://t.co/U5xlkAyM7H pic.twitter.com/yAt6zUNcYN
— TVアニメ小林さんちのメイドラゴン公式 (@maidragon_anime) March 29, 2017

Speaking of special guests, Mutsumi Tamura joined the dragon girls for their latest radio show

「ちょろゴンずのこうかいなまほうそう」をご覧頂いた皆様、そして会場まで足を運んで頂いた皆様、本当にありがとうございました！本日24時〜TOKYO MXで第12話放送です！引き続き宜しくお願い致します！ #maidragon pic.twitter.com/xQQEwG40ii
— TVアニメ小林さんちのメイドラゴン公式 (@maidragon_anime) March 29, 2017

＊小林さんちのメイドラゴン＊
12話ありがとうございました！大切な居場所を作ってくれた、かけがえのない人。ありがとうでは伝えきれない思いをお芝居に込めました。

小林さんの言葉が嬉しすぎて、思わず違う台詞を言ってしまったところも。どの場面か、またお話する機会があると良いな♪ pic.twitter.com/usOcFoQRzZ
— 桑原由気（くわはらゆうき） (@yuuki_0624) March 29, 2017

There's also a glimpse at the next Miss Kobayashi's OOOO Dragon short, in which Tohru and friends swap Maid for something else

【BD＆DVD】「小林さんちのメイドラゴン」BD&DVD第2巻は4月19日発売！第2巻にも豪華な初回特典や、映像特典「小林さんちの○○ドラゴン」が収録！小林さんとトールとカンナが様々な○○ドラゴンになる！？ #maidragon https://t.co/ND0f0mxPZV pic.twitter.com/5BeCp16jNk
— TVアニメ小林さんちのメイドラゴン公式 (@maidragon_anime) March 29, 2017

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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

Crunchyroll Adds "Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ENDLESS WALTZ" to Anime Catalog!

The stampede of classic Gundam titles continues today at Crunchyroll with the addition of the Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ENDLESS WALTZ movie to the catalog!

This is a 1998 compilation film culled from the earlier 3-episode Gundam Wing ENDLESS WALTZ OVA, which functions as a continuation of the Gundam Wing TV series (also now available on Crunchyroll!)

This subtitled presentation of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ENDLESS WALTZ begins streaming today, Thursday, April 30, at 8pm PST and will be available to all members worldwide except Asia and Italian speaking countries.

About Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ENDLESS WALTZ

The Revolution Has Begun!

Mankind has moved into space. Thousands of people live on giant orbiting space colonies called "Sides." However, the Earth Government, which rules the colonies, is unjust and cruel. A group of revolutionaries builds five robotic weapons called Gundams and plans to send them to Earth to begin their fight for independence.

Piloted by five young men, these of freedom of the colonists with them as they descend to Earth to begin Operation Meteor!

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Patrick Macias is editor in chief of Crunchyroll News & Otaku USA magazine.

He is currently serializing his latest writing project, MONDO TOKYO, on Wattpad.

"Ninja Global Survey" Indicates Ninja Awareness At All-Time High

The Japan Ninja Council - an organization that promotes tourism through the study and spread of ninja culture - has released the results of its "Ninja Global Poll", an international survey that quizzed people from 11 countries around the world about their knowledge and opinions regarding the deadly art of assassination.

The survey was administered to about 200 people total from such places as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United States, Australia, France, and Germany. The survey was also administered to about 300 people from Japan, for a total of 500. Of this pool, fully 98.7% indicated that they were at least passingly familiar with ninja.

Furthermore, when quizzed about whether ninja were still up to their ninja-shenanigans in the modern world, 63.1% responded in the affirmative, ranging in belief from the idea that the ninja clans were still around (but with reduced numbers) to the idea that ninja are practically everywhere. Indonesia and the U.S. proved strongest in their ninja-faith, with 78.9% and 73.7% of the respondents respectively believing that even now ninja are on the prowl.

Finally, when asked if they'd like to be a ninja, 49.6% of the respondents agreed that they wanted to ninja in the night. (Apparently just over half of the respondents were, in fact, against the ninja.) The desire to be a shinobi was especially strong in Thailand, where 80.8% of the respondents declared their affinity for the shadow arts.

For more information about the Japan Ninja Council, please check out their official English language home page here.

Source: Excite News Japan via Otakomu

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

FEATURE: Anime/Game Street Ads in Akihabara: March 2017

One day before the main area of this year's Anime Japan opened for general visitors, March 24, I again visited the Akihabara town in Tokyo for a routine photo report for the CR News readers. Check out the latest anime/game street ads from the "Mecca of Otaku" below.

*all of the photos were taken by Mikikazu Komatsu on March 24, 2017

In the front of the JR Akihabara station (Denkigai-guchi)