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Mar 17 – Otaku Madness - Posted By Hisaishi
Anime News of the Week (3/10 - 3/16)
The Ikebukuro Streets Beckon
It’s been ten years since Ryohgo Narita began serializing his light novel, Durarara!!. A new anime series will celebrate this milestone. Taking place six months after the original story, the anime reunites the main staff, including director Takahiro Omori, character designer Takahiro Kishida, and composer Makoto Yoshimuri. Below is the official announcement video.
Three Years Later
As the 2011 Tohoku earthquake/tsunami passes another anniversary, there are still those in need. In honoring the millions of children affected by the disaster, charity organization Zapuni has partnered up with Domo-kun creator Tsuneo Goda and English pop artist Sade to bring you “By Your Side.”
FUNimation Makes Attack on Titan Cast Announcements
The highly anticipated English dub of Attack on Titan is quickly approaching. FUNimation has released a list of the show’s voice actors. The role of Eren Jaeger will be revealed at Anime Boston, which runs March 21-23.
* Josh Grelle as Armin Arlert
* Trina Nishimura as Mikasa Ackerman
* Matthew Mercer as Captain Levi
* Lauren Landa as Annie Leonhart
* Jessica Calvello as Zoe Hange
* Mike McFarland as Jean Kirschtein
* R. Bruce Elliot as Dot Pyxis
* Patrick Seitz as Keith Shadis
* Ashly Burch (anime premiere) as Sasha Blouse
The Moon Rises
Toei Animation has announced more information regarding the new Sailor Moon series. The work, now titled Sailor Moon Crystal, will arrive in July and stream on Niconico. In addition, a countdown has begun until the first glimpse of official animation will be released to the public. Link
Level 2 START
A-1 Pictures has confirmed that Sword Art Online II will premiere in July. The sequel will adapt the 5th and 6th novels in Reki Kawahara’s original series. Tomohiko Ito returns to direct and Shingo Adachi returns as character designer. The roles of Kirito and Sinon will be reprised by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka and Miyuki Sawashiro, respectively. Link
Back to the Guild Again
After much hyping, the first trailer for Fairy Tail’s new series has arrived. For those wondering, the new look is courtesy of Aoi Yamamoto (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Episode Denzel: Final Fantasy VII), hired to be the new character designer. The new series premieres April 5th.
Life In Its Purest Form
The official site for the anime Mushi-shi began streaming a video for the sequel series that was teased back in January. Mushi-shi: The Sequel Chapter marks the return of director Hiroshi Nagahama and Yuto Nakano in the role of Ginko. The sequel premieres April 4th. Link
Toshio Suzuki, Nana Mizuki Honored At MEXT Awards
The Japanese government has announced winners in the 64th Annual MEXT Awards. Awards are presented to exemplary individuals within fine arts divisions. The Film category honored Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki for his work on The Wind Rises and The Tale of Princess Kaguya. Additionally, voice actress Nana Mizuki (Naruto, Tiger & Bunny) was honored in the Popular Entertainment category. Link
P.A. Works Crafts A Delicate Wonder
Studio P.A. Works (Angel Beats!, The Eccentric Family) has announced their newest work for this summer. Glasslip follows the life of Tōko Fukami, a woman from Fukui Prefecture who dreams of crafting glass art. There is yet to be a release date. Link
Is There A Stranger Combination?
Production studio J.C. Staff has announced an adaptation of selector infected WIXOSS, based on a card game that premiered back in April. Blending the shoujo, psychological, and card game genres, the series follows six high school girls as they begin to play a popular card game, only to find their amazing skills have a sinister side.
DWMA Class of 2014
Studio BONES and Shounen Gangan Magazine have announced an April 8th premiere date of Soul Eater Not!’s anime adaptation. The spinoff to the shonen classic Soul Eater, the story tells of a new group of students attending Death Weapon Meister Academy during the timeline of events that took place during the original story. Link
The Mega Dragon Cometh
Coro Coro Magazine has announced a Pokémon X/Y special that will feature Mega Charizard. The show will premiere on April 3rd. This marks the first TV special for the X/Y generation.
Link
The Shadow Passes On
24 years after the original serialization, Megumu Okada’s manga Shadow Skill has concluded. In a Twitter post, Okada thanked his fans for sticking through several magazine changes and two hiatuses. Shadow Skill was the story of Gau Ban, whose quest for power set him against his sister Elle Ragu, the strongest warrior in the land. Link
The Sound of Silence
Mangaka Yoshitoki Ōima has announced that her manga A Silent Voice will conclude in three chapters. Since 2011, the manga told of a schoolboy named Shoya and the deaf girl that transfers into his class. After he is pressured into bullying her, Shoya seeks to right the wrong, only years later. Link
Anime Fight Club
A collaboration between SEGA and ASCII Media Works has gifted the world with Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax. Set to premiere on April 18th in Japanese arcades, the fighting game pits eight characters from well-known anime. Some of the names include Sword Art Online, Oreimo, Durarara!!, and Shakugan no Shana.
Inafune Project Sees Western Release
Last week, we told you of Azure Striker Gunvolt, the upcoming game from CAPCOM artist Keiji Inafune and developer Inti Creates. It has been announced that the title will be released in North America and Japan simultaneously. Also considered is a European release at a later date. Link
Pass Hyrule Forest. Collect 200 Rupees
Though Nintendo has previously collaborated with vanity Monopoly distributor USAopoly, both have announced rereleases and premieres of new Nintendo properties. Specifically, the companies talked up the release of Pokémonopoly and The Legend of Zelda Monopoly. Both are set for a September release. Link
RIP Runa Akiyama
Voice actor Runa Akiyama passed away on March 8 due to acute heart failure. She was 61. Akiyama was best known for her role as Yumeko Kawai in the long-running series Ninja Hattori-kun. Other acting credits included Kuniko Kaga in Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl, Jinjur in 1968’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Megumi in Detective Conan, and Tsukubō Natsuyama in The Flying House. Link
Anime Releases
- Accel World - Set 2 DVD/Blu-Ray (English)
- Digimon Data Squad - Season 5 DVD (English)
- Digimon: Digital Monsters - The Official Second Season Vol. 6 DVD (English)
- Ikki Tousen: Xtreme Xecutor - The Complete Series + OVA DVD (English)
- Psycho-Pass - Season One Complete Collection Premium Edition Blu-Ray (English)
- Psycho-Pass - Season One Part 1 Blu-Ray (English)
- Psycho-Pass - Season One Part 2 Blu-Ray (English)
- Sword Art Online - Vol. 4: Fairy Dance Part 2 DVD/Blu-Ray (Australia Release)
- The Pet Girl of of Sakurasou - Collection 2 DVD/Blu-Ray (Japanese)
Manga Releases
- 07-Ghost Volume 9
- Angel Para Bellum Volumes 3 & 4
- Attack on Titan: Junior High Volume 1
- Fullmetal Alchemist [Omnibus] Volume 7
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Char & Sayla Volume 5
- My Little Monster Volume 1
- Ranma 1/2 [2-in-1 Edition] Volume 1
- Sherlock Bones Volume 4
Video Game Releases
- 1954: Alcatraz (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Dark Souls 2 (PS3/360) (USA/EU/AUS)
- TitanFall (ONE/PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Vessel (PS3) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Windforge (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
