The Pirate King Has Fallen
In a shocking report from the Oricon charts, the Attack on Titan manga sold more individual copies than One Piece in the first half of 2014. Previously, One Piece held the #1 position for five straight years in the biannual reports. Manga-ka Hajime Isayama commented on the triumph by thanking his readers for this honor. Link
Kill la Kill Dub Cast Announced
In a big announcement last Thursday, Sentai Filmworks announced the English cast for the 2013 epic smash hit Kill la Kill. The cast includes Carrie Keranen, David Vincent, Matt Mercer, Christine Marie Cabanos, and relative newcomer Erica Mendez as Ryuko Matoi. The first volume hits shelves July 15th.
The Hunting of Haruhi Suzumiya
In collaboration with the release of a pachinko series featuring the series, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya released the first new footage in four years. Scattered around Japan are 707 frames of animation. When all the frames are “hunted”, a new piece of film will be revealed. What it contains is yet to be revealed.
Classic Franchise Returns Home
The city of Takahashi of Okayama prefecture has announced a campaign to fund advertising for a new Tenchi Muyo! series. Riding on the success of the anime pilgrimage frenzy, the prefecture hopes to generate income via tourism, as the anime franchise is set in Okayama. The series is set to premiere in October. Link
Miyazaki Inspired By Christmas Classic
This weekend marked the opening of the exhibit “The Nutcracker and The Mouse King” at the Ghibli Museum. According to sources, director Hayao Miyazaki was enthralled by E.T.A. Hoffman’s original romantic novella, which inspired Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker. So much so, that the exhibit is his tribute to what he calls a “fairy tale treasure”. The exhibit is set to last until May of next year. Link
Former Index Heads Charged With Revenue Scandal
Masami and Yoshimi Ochiai, former heads of Index Corporation, have been arrested for misreporting income during the 2011 fiscal year. According to the investigation, Index never reported revenue of 17.9 billion yen (176 million US dollars). Index, who is associated with Atlus and Sega, filed for bankruptcy last June with a 24.5 billion yen debt. Link
Kinect System, Meet Sibyl System
Game developer 5pb. has announced a video game adaptation of the 2012 anime Psycho-Pass for the Xbox One. According to the release statement, the game will center on the first six episodes of the first season, and will be set on an isolated island rather than the metropolis of the anime. In addition, two new characters will serve as the main protagonists.
One Piece Enters Short Hiatus
According to Shonen Jump magazine, the next two issues of One Piece will be delayed due to Eiichiro Oda’s current health. Reports say he is undergoing a tonsillectomy, as he has been hospitalized prior for similar problems. According to Oda himself, the surgery should also include “a bazooka installed on my shoulder”. Link
No Game, No Life Faces Plagiarism Accusations
The committee for the currently airing No Game, No Life admitted to using another artist’s work in Episode 7 on Wednesday. The work in question is a magic circle design that was created by pixiv artist Unicorn. The artist responded by forgiving the committee, with assurance that the image would be edited in the home release. Link
We’re On Our Way Home
Online retailer Amazon noted that the upcoming volume of Kuroha’s manga Chronicles of the Going Home Club will be the last. Adapted last year into an anime, the story follows five girls who form an after school club with no real purpose except to get together and enjoy each other’s company. Link
The Past Catches Up
ARIA magazine announced the end of the spinoff manga Attack on Titan: No Regrets. The series, created by Hikaru Suruga and Gun Snark, told the history of Captain Levi of the Survey Corps, and how he came to join the military with a chance meeting with Captain Erwin Smith. Link
Bushy Brows Makes His Exit
Saikyo Jump magazine has announced the end of the Naruto spinoff manga Rock Lee and His Ninja Pals. Written by Kenji Taira, the series followed secondary character Rock Lee and his teammates in chibi form, as they go about their daily assignments. The series spawned an anime, which ran between 2012-13. Link
Old School, Meet New School
In a well-received announcement, it was revealed that Nintendo would allow Gamecube controller adaptability for the WiiU for the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Additionally, Nintendo of America teased a photo that appears to be a redesign of the original controller, complete with the SSB Final Smash logo. Link
The Kings of Smash Reunite
Additionally, Nintendo announced that the new adapter would be featured at the E3 2014 Super Smash Bros. Invitational. Featuring sixteen of the greatest competitors in the game’s history from both The United States and Japan and hosted by video game industry journalist Geoff Keighley. The event takes place June 10th.
Anime Premieres
- Hanamonogatari
Anime Releases
- DearS - Complete Collection DVD (English)
- Motto To Love-Ru - Complete Series Blu-Ray (English)
- Tenjho Tenge - Complete Collection DVD (English)
- Love, Chunbiyo, And Other Delusions - Complete Collection DVD/Blu-Ray (Japanese)
- Lupin the 3rd - The Complete First Series DVD (Japanese)
- Lupin the 3rd: The Hemmingway Papers - Film DVD (Japanese)
- Servant x Service - Complete Collection DVD (Japanese)
Manga Releases
- Attack on Titan [Colossal Edition] Volume 1
- Btooom! Volume 6
- Cage of Eden Volume 14
- High School DxD Volume 1
- My Little Monster Volume 2
- Peulla Magi Kazumi Magica - The Innocent Malice Volume 5
- Soul Eater Volume 20
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Volume 18
- Triage X Volume 6
- Until Death Do Us Part Volume 6
Video Game Releases
- A Story About My Uncle (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Bound by Flame (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Gone Home (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Ibb and Obb (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Insanity's Blade (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Kick Ass 2 (PS3/360/PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Kill the Bad Guy (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Mario Kart 8 (WIIU) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Monochroma (PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Monster Monpiece (VITA) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Sniper Elite 3 (PS4) (USA)
- Watch Dogs (PS3/PS4/360/ONE/PC) (USA/EU/AUS)
- Worms Battlegrounds (PS4/ONE) (USA/EU/AUS)