One Piece episode 490 simulcast delayed

FUNimation Entertainment has announced that, due to the situation in Japan, tonight's One Piece simulcast has been delayed. Funimation will release additional updates when information is made available to them.

Sunday morning's Japanese broadcast of One Piece episode 490 is expected to be pre-empted by Fuji TV's ongoing coverage of the situation in Japan.

Funimation simulcasts episodes of One Piece every Saturday at 9pm CDT, one hour after the Japanese broadcast. The last episode to be simulcast was episode 489.

source: ANN

All Crunchyroll simulcasts put on hold until further notice

Due to the tragedy in Japan, Crunchyroll has announced on its forum that simulcasts for this weekend of March 11 through March 13 will be hold until regular programming in Japanese TV resumes.

The series affected are:

Beelzebub

Mitsudomoe 2

Lilpri

Letter Bee 2: Reverse

Naruto Shippuden anime March schedule!

The plot thickens! Sasuke mirrors Nagato in his hate! A new ninja war could be brewing!

Also, we will be getting a new Opening and Ending in April!

Opening will be by the song 'Lovers' by group '7'. And the ending will be 'Freedom' by 'Home Made Kazoku'.

201 "Painful Decision" "Kujū no Ketsudan" (苦渋の決断) March 3, 2011
202 "Racing Lightning" "Hashiru Ikazuchi" (疾走る雷) March 10, 2011
203 "Sasuke's Ninja Way" "Sasuke no Nindō" (サスケの忍道) March 17, 2011
204 "The Five Kage's Power" "Gokage no Chikara" (五影の実力) March 24, 2011
205 "Declaration of War" "Sensenfukoku" (宣戦布告) March 31, 2011

Source: (2chan, wikipedia, narutoforums.com)

Toei Animation Incorporated got sued for 1 billion!

Japanese studio Toei Animation announced that a man, named Isaac A. Potter, Jr, filed a lawsuit against Toei's American subsidiary, Toei Animation Incorporated (TAI), over rights related to the Knights of the Zodiac (Saint Seiya in Japanese) anime series.

Potter alleges that TAI's Knights of the Zodiac infringed on his copyrights and trademarks. In addition to TAI, Potter named the United States of America as a defendant. Potter is seeking an injunction against TAI, US$1 billion in punitive damages, and additional statutory damages.

Toei adapted Masami Kurumada's 1986-1990 mythological fantasy manga Saint Seiya into a 1986-1989 television anime series of the same name. ADV Films and DiC Entertainment released the anime in North America in two versions: a version with English subtitles under the original name, and a version with English dubbing under the name Knights of the Zodiac. As such, Toei filed for registration on a U.S. trademark on "Knights of the Zodiac" for animation, trading cards, clothing, and toys on May 20, 2002, and received the registration on May 20, 2008. The dubbed Knights of the Zodiac version premiered on the American Cartoon Network on August 30, 2003.

The plaintiff and his brother Samuel J. Potter, under the name Potter Boys' Creations, obtained copyright protection for a drawing entitled "Zodiac Knights 2000" on October 10, 1995. They then filed a U.S. trademark for "Zodiac Knights 2000 ZK" for clothing, games, advertising, and other services on February 24, 1997, although the status of this trademark has been "abandoned" and "dead" since April 9, 1998. They also filed the trademark "Zodiac Knights 2000" separately in Indiana on March 1, 2004, and the status of that registration is "live."

In May of 2003, the Potters published a book called Zodiac Knights 2000 Featuring Creatures of the Knights: Creatures of the Knights (A New Era). Potter used the services of 1st Book Publishing, a company that offers to print books for authors seeking to self-publish their works.

Toei consulted with its legal representation and asserts that it finds no legal grounds for the plaintiff's current lawsuit. Toei said that it will fight the suit and could try to dismiss it. The studio added that it does not believe the suit will affect its business.

Talk about absurd!!! Looks like someone wants to churn money out of the wrong pothole!!!

Bleach Fillerology anime March schedule

It seems this month will be about cute, silly Soul Society fillers.

Episode 312 "Inauguration! The Brand New 2nd Division Captain!"
"Shūnin! Arata naru ni ban tai taichō!" (就任！新たなる二番隊隊長！) March 8, 2011

Episode 313 "The Man Who Takes Command of the 11th Division!" "Jūichi ban tai ni inochi o kaketa otoko!" (十一番隊に命を懸けた男！) March 15, 2011

Episode 314 "Secret of a Beautiful Office Lady" "Bijin OL no himitsu" (美人OLの秘密) March 22, 2011

Episode 315 "Yachiru's friend! The Shinigami of Justice Appears!"
"Yachiru no tomo! Seigi no shinigami toujou!" (やちるの友！正義の死神登場！) March 29, 2011

I still think this is better than no Bleach at all.

Fifth Ao no Exorcist trailer released!!

On the very same official website of this series, there's a fifth promo available with more scenes and characters!



The premiere date is April 10!!!!

X-Men anime teaser!!

I was a bit dissappointed with how the Wolverine anime produced by Madhouse turned out. The story and plot were just...off.

But now I'm getting my hopes up again with the teaser of this upcoming series which will premiere on April, produced by the same studio.


You can either see it here, at the official website, or here in youtube:

Shima Kosaku anime pilot is online on youtube!

The anime adaptation of the business drama manga by Kenshi Hirokane is online for free viewings on Youtube.

Shima Kosaku stands for Shimako Daikaiju Shima Kosaku no Maki. It depicts the life of a salaryman, a Japanese white-collar worker who devotes his life to his company. It won the Kodansha award in 1991.

It is quite an interesting initiative of a completely flash based anime, as it shows you the possibilities of doing so for aspiring anime/manga artists.

Here it is!

The Ao no Exorcist contest on DeviantArt is on!

To celebrate the fact that the anime premieres on April (tentatively April 3rd since it's going to air on Sundays), we, at our group #Ao-no-Exorcist on DeviantArt are organizing a contest in which the winners get some nice prices!

Here's the info from our Ao No Exorcist page:

NEW CONTEST!

Contest Title: Risin' up, the Anime!

Theme: The AnE Anime! Artworks based on the trailers are good shot.
Start: March 1st*
End: June 1st*
*Dates may change if needed be.
Rules:

During te contest there will be a file named "Contest",that's where you must submit your art.
Before or after you submit your art you must comment on the blog post with something like: "I submited <link> for the contest." Just to let me know, so I can put your name and the link on the post. ALL SORTS OF ARTWORKS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Drawings, written works, whatever.
 The theme is the AnE anime, I highly recoment you all to watch the trailers again and base yourself on this.
It would be apreciated if you'd put on the Artist Comment part something like "This deviation is for the contest on the Ao no Exorcist group." with our link or banner, something like that.
It has to be Ao no Exorcist related.
It has to be an original piece, no stealing.
It has to be something made for this contest, not something you had already submited on the group.

 PRIZES!

 FIRST PLACE.
- Their Artwork on our Featured spot!
- Their Artwork featured on  Nakamura's blog, [link] !
- Get to choose 3 of the prize donators to make yourself a prize!

 SECOND PLACE.
- Their Artwork on our Featured spot!
- Get a prize from one of the prize donators to make yourself a prize!

 THIRD PLACE.
- Their Artwork on our Featured spot!
- Get a prize from one of the prize donators to make yourself a prize!

 FOURTH PLACE.
- Their Artwork on our Featured spot!


 PRIZE DONATORS!
- Just to remember you, those guys can also take part in the contest, just can't get a prize from themselves!

 dragonlurker
 mayamei
 Danyeda
 L3gitimat3
 jkingbudha


What are you waiting for? Do your best!

Feel free also to join our group anytime and always check out the latest updates on both the anime and manga of this great series by Kazue Kato!!!

Bleach anime is not going to end: we'll have fillers until the new arc begins!

The calendar for Bleach episodes in March hints that we're going to have a fillerology ala Naruto before the new arc post-timeskip begins.

How much will this fillerology last? 3 months? 6? 1 year?

311	"The Soul Detective・Karakuraizer Takes Off Again!" "Tamashī no keiji・Karakuraizā sai hasshin!" (魂葬刑事・カラクライザー再発進！)	March 1, 2011	—
312	"Inauguration! The Brand New 2nd Division Captain!" "Shūnin! Arata naru ban ni ban tai taichō!" (就任！新たなる二番隊隊長！)	March 8, 2011

Could this be true? Or is this a distraction to throw us off?

Hakuōki Hekketsu-roku will get its OVA series

According to the official website of this game adapted into a historical romance anime, the 5 OVAS dedicated to each protagonist will premiere on summer of this year.

So, if you wanted to see more bishonen, this is it!

The series will feature volumes devoted to the characters Toshizō Hijikata, Sōji Okita, Hajime Saitō, Sanosuke Harada, and Heisuke Tōdō, although the volume order has not been decided yet.

Soji Okita

Sanosuke Harada

Another interpretation of Hajime Saito?

Toshizo Hijikata

Heisuke Todo

Note that these characters are based off their historic counterparts, and also have been featured in other interpretations and series such as Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X).

Now you see why such names as Hajime Saito and Sanosuke Harada sounded familiar, eh? ;-)

Toei confirms that there's a new Saint Seiya movie in the works

But it will be a CGI one, which could mean a slap in the face for the hardcore old-school fans that hated the 3D effects in the first Ovas of Hades Sanctuary.

However, the plot could turn out interesting, if they follow the Tenkai-hen saga, and have a Final Fantasy feel to it.

The film marks the 25th anniversary of this classic cult series by Masami Kurumada.

There's even a stream trailer available on Toei's official page.

New Ao no Exorcist stream trailer!!

This would be the third trailer from the upcoming series, as it shows more details on the dialogues and more insight on Rin.

The quality of the animation is top-notch! This series will be a hit!

The trailer is available here, at the official website of the series.

An alternate, abridged version is on youtube:

Uta no Prince-sama will get an anime!!!!

This must be my bishonen dream come true!!!!

The March issue of Newtype magazine announced that the PSP romance game will get an anime adaptation this year courtesy of A-1 studios.

The story is a 'reverse-harem' type in which a girl attends a performing arts school full of bishonen, idol-type pretty guys!!!!!

Kyaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

Just look at the trailers for the game!

Samurai Harem manga will end in March

This story by Yuu Minamoto will be shipped in its last and 15th volume in March.

A great harem series with battle and comedy elements, it started in 2006 in Shonen Champion magazine, as it tells the story of a young man who learns martial arts in a dojo with four sisters.

The anime was released by Section23 studios in North America last year.

This is the official description:

His Skill with a Sword is Magnificent but His SOCIAL Skills Still Need a LOT of Work! After many long years perfecting the art of fighting, 17 year old Yoichi Karasuma is sent down from the remote mountains where he has been raised thinking that hes going to study some new martial arts techniques but what hes really going to learn about are some slightly more practical things, like electrical appliances, modern clothing and, most especially, how NOT to make girls to want to kill you! Unfortunately, that last lesson is one Yoichi may not survive, as his new Dojo is infested with the infernal creatures in the form of the Ikaruga sisters, and they dont really seem to understand how proper girls are supposed to behave! Will Yoichis bushido blade be struck down by the fearsome charms of Ibuki, Ayame, Chihaya and Kagome? Or will the equally lethal girls from the rival Tsubame School be his undoing?

It's also known as Asu no Yoishi!

High School Debut trailer!!

The live-action film adaptation of this manga by Kazune Kawahara will premiere on April 1st on Japanese theathers.

This is a shojo story about a girl named Haruna (interpreted by fashion model Ito Ōno), who recruits a boy named Yoh (Junpei Mizobata) to remake her image and get a boyfriend. Under Yoh's "coaching," Haruna transforms from a softball-playing tomboy to a feminine girl. However, Yoh adds one catch to their agreement: Haruna cannot fall in love with Yoh himself.

Here it is:



The trailer is also available at the official site: http://koigashitai.com/

New Soul Eater soundtrack tribute album available!

Musician Sinitus Tempo, the same creator who brought us his Samurai Champloo tribute soundtrack, now released on his website a tribute album for Soul Eater.

It is available here. (opens in a new window)

Keep it up!!!!! Truly badass!!!!

Naruto Shippuden anime February schedule!

It seems the fillers will be finally over, though there still remains to be confirmed whether we will get a two hour special on February 10?

But we're looking forward to some interesting developments for Sai and his boss Danzo!

197- The Sixth Hokage Danzo" "Rokudaime Hokage Danzō" (六代目火影ダンゾウ) February 10, 2011
198- TBA February 10, 2011
199- Enter the Five Kage "Gokage Tōjō" (五影登場) February 17, 2011
200- Naruto's Appeal "Naruto no Kongan" (ナルトの懇願) February 24, 2011

A Thundercats anime???

Warner Bros. has officially released the first high resolution image of Studio 4°C’s new take on the classic ’80′s Thundercats franchise. Warner’s Japanese produced Thundercats anime will premiere later this year.


The animation was produced by 4°C studio.


This is it:

The full resolution pic can be seen here: http://twitpic.com/3tfrip/full

(source: Ain't it cool news, Anime News)

Hmm...weird. It reminds me a bit of the New Young Justice series going on in Cartoon Network. Not really fond of that kind of animation.

Second Hokago No Pleiades trailer released

The web anime based on the origins of the logo of the Subaru brand of cars will premiere on Youtube on February 1.

It looks really cute with great quality!