Category > Events
London based fans of Maid Cafes and Anime/gaming/vocaloid/Japanese music and clubbing will want to keep Sunday 22nd January 2012 free when WOTA London returns. From 13.30 to 18.00 the event will be a Maids & Butlers Cafe run by Maid Planet, then at 18.00 until 22.00 it will be an Anison and A-Pop Dance Party. The venue this time around is B1F Royal George, 133 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0EA, near Tottenham Court Road Tube Station.
You can buy tickets on-line for a discount, either paying £4 for a Maid pass or £6 for a day pass. Alternatively you can turn up and pay £6 for a Maid Pass, £3 for a WOTA Pass or £8 for a day pass.
The event is for over 18's only.
Read More... | Souce: WOTA London
Christmas is coming, but already many UK anime companies are looking ahead to January. There are two key releases UK anime fans should be waiting for.
First up is Cowboy Bebop Remix due for release on Monday January 2nd 2012. The lovely folks from Beez have re-released Cowboy Bebop Remix under their Anime Legends range. The Remix edition has Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Surround Sound, along with remastered video. The 6 DVD set contains all 26 episodes from the series.
If you haven't seen Cowboy Bebop yet, then you should. This is one of those truly rare must see titles. Plenty of anime fans agree as it was rated number 2 on the Newtype USA Top 25 Anime Titles of All Time. Number 1 was Neon Genesis Evangelion. You can pre-order the DVD from Amazon.co.uk for £16.99.
2011's big Studio Ghibli cinema release Arrietty is due out on Monday 9th January 2012. On DVD, Blu-ray, and a Collectors Edition Combi Pack, which contains both the DVD and Blu-ray and costs £2 more than the regular blu-ray only edition.
Souce: Otaku News
UK readers are in for a treat this Christmas 2011 as Film 4 have a special Studio Ghibli Season.
They'll be showing 13 Ghibli movies over the holidays. The season opens on Saturday 10th December with Ponyo, which will also be repeated on Christmas Day. The screenings will be a mix of subtitled and dubbed features. This is a perfect chance to get your friends and family into Studio Ghibli titles over the Christmas holidays!
Read More... | Souce: Film 4
We've received news from US Anime Distributor Sentai Filmworks that they've licensed Grave of the Fireflies. The Ghibli classic is emotional story of the cold realities of war, and often forgotten victims, the children.
Sentai Filmworks will begin digital distribution of the title this winter and a digital restored DVD will be released next year.
Read More... | Souce: Sentai Filmworks
Category > Current Affairs
The folks at FrontTowardsGamer.com have got in touch with us to spread the word about their charity auction. They've got a copy of the Cowboy Bebop Movie Script, which has been autographed by the US voice actors.
The charity auction aims to raise money to build video game stuffed care packages for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Souce: FrontTowardsGamer.com
Category > Nostalgia
We're going all nostalgic here at Otaku News and have decided to dig up some old articles from our archive that are not published on-line, either because they were originally for print or from websites that are now off-line.
Just because they're old doesn't mean they're not relevant to today's otaku.
Before Otaku News, we used to run Anime Digital, a website hosted by the London Anime Club. In October 1999, we were lucky enough to interview Helen McCarthy, who is an anime expert, author, speaker and so much more. Although the interview is over 10 years old, it's interesting to see how many things are still the same in the industry and fandom. We've reprinted this article with Helen's permission. Readers familiar with Helen's work will note that she did write an award winning book about Tezuka in the end!
Update: Helen has also blogged about this article.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Retail
We've received some rather interesting news from Digital Manga Inc. They've just opened a new site Anime Cel Art, which like the name implies is dedicated to selling anime cel art. They've currently got Naruto, Bleach and One Piece cels for sale.
Collectors should note, that these are not production cels used to make the anime as production now is digital. These are officially licensed reproductions. They are hand painted, and made exactly the same as production cels, but these images have never been used to make anime. As a result you get more for your money. You get a high quality image along with a background for a reasonable price.
Read More... | Souce: Anime Cel Art
Category > Anime
Just a quick reminder for those in the US (or those who can buy DVDs and Blu-rays from the USA). Section 23 films have sent us details of the Blu-ray release of Clannad. The complete collection is out now.
Buy Clannad now from Amazon.com.
Read More... | Souce: Section23 Films
The good folks at Viz have sent us details of the up coming US release of Naruto Shippuden The Movie: Bonds which is due out on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday October 25th 2011.
To celebrate US based readers can watch on-line for a limited time a marathon of all five Naruto movies! The stream is avaiable this weekend until Sunday October 23rd 2011.
Read More... | Souce: VizAnime.com
Category > Events
London based fans of Japanese culture will want to keep Friday 24th to Sunday 26th February 2012 free for Hyper Japan 2012 Spring. The successful J-Culture event returns for it's third run. Ever growing they'll be at a bigger venue - Earls Court - Brompton Hall.
Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan
London based anime fans who like staying up past their bedtimes will be interested in the famed Anime All Nighter at Sci-Fi-London. It's set to run from 11:30pm on Saturday 8th October 2011 and ends about 8am on the Sunday. The venue for this year is the Odeon Cinema Camden.
They'll be showing -
Trigun Badlands Rumble
Eden of the East: Paradise Lost
Welcome To The Space Show
Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade
Tekken Blood Vengeance
There's a 350 seat capacity, so remember to book early to avoid disappointment.
Souce: Sci-Fi-London
Category > Retail
Popular UK on-line DVD retailer Play.com have been bought by Japanese group Rakuten. Play.com is the UK's biggest seller of DVDs online with estimated annual sales of about £500m. It has 14 million registered users and a staff of 500.
It was sold to Rakuten for £25m. Play.com have been successful due to a tax loop-hole that allows purchases under £18 to be VAT free when shipped from the Channel Islands to the UK mainland thanks to EU rules drafted almost 30 years ago. In November 2011, the government will reduce the amount for VAT free purchases to £15 and intend close this loop-hole totally by March 2012. The sales tax issues along with declining DVD sales is why Play.com was sold for £25m and not considerably more. The Guardian article states that DVD UK sales dipped 6% last year, while downloading and streaming rose 18%.
Play.com is popular with the UK anime fans and is often the first port of call along with Amazon.co.uk when buying DVDs and Blu-rays.
Rakuten are keen to increase their global presence, which is why they've purchases Play.com along with the French site PriceMinister and German site Tradoria.de.
Souce: The Guardian
Category > Events
The UK Summer Convention season is coming to an end, but fear not as AmeCon will be opening their 2012 registration on Sunday 25th September 2011.
AmeCon 2012 is set to run 10th - 12th August 2012, at Keele University, Newcastle-under-lyme. Registration will be on-line using the standard first come first served basis.
Read More... | Souce: AmeCon 2012
Category > Events
Scotland Loves Anime Festival returns to Glasgow and Edinburgh in October with Tow Ubukata's Mardock Scramble.
Read More... | Souce: Scotland Loves Animation
Category > Fandom
Cosplay Ireland website announces a cosplay event in Dublin in early September. Attendees are encouraged to cosplay but event is open to all aged 18 and up.
Read More... | Souce: Cosplay Banter in the Attic
Category > Anime
The excellent folks from Right Stuf/Nozomi are now streaming the anime Emma: A Victorian Romance on YouTube. They'll be showing one new episode of Emma per week for the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. They're showing the episodes subtitled. So if you fancy an anime series set in Victorian England, now's your chance to watch it for free.
You can get Series 1 and Series 2 from Amazon.com. You can also pre-order The Complete Series Limited Edition Bundle, which features Season 1 and Season 2, it's out on September 13th 2011.
Souce: Right Stuf
Category > Events
The good folks from Hyper Japan have sent us details of the JETRO Japanese Multimedia Seminar held at this years Hyper Japan on Friday 22nd July 2011.
JETRO is the Japan External Trade Organization, who would like to help people build a business with Japanese multimedia content.
We've been sent a link to videos of the seminar on YouTube.
Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan
Category > Culture
Fans of Tezuka, the arts and dance will be pleased to hear about London's Sadler's Wells' up coming production TeZukA. The world premiere dance work is set to explore Tezuka's fascinating world with help of cast of 10 performers, two musicians and a calligrapher. They'll cover a wide range of his work, including Astro Boy and Buddha.
So keep Tuesday 6th - Saturday 10th September 2011 free and head over to London.
On Thursday 8th September 2011 at 6:15pm they'll also be a special pre-show director's conversation.
Read More... | Souce: Sadler\'s Wells Theatre
Category > Production
Every now and again at Otaku News, we like to interview voice actors, the very people who provide the voices for anime. At the May 2011 MCM London Expo we were lucky to catch up with Ben Diskin and Brian Beacock.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
London based anime fans looking for something to do at the beginning of August will be pleased to hear that there will be some free screenings at Canary Wharf.
Manga Entertainment UK and the folks at the Barbican have teamed up to show these titles.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time - Tuesday 2nd August 2011, 6.30pm, FREE
Review
Professor Layton and The Eternal Diva - Wednesday 3rd August 2011, 6.30pm, FREE
Review
Summer Wars - Thursday 4 August 2011, 6.30pm, FREE
Review
As they're free screenings we suggest you arrive early to avoid disappointment. If you're coming to Canary Wharf from Central London, we suggest you take the DLR from Bank or Tower Gateway. DLR Trains going to Lewisham will stop at Canary Wharf. The Jubilee Line also goes to Canary Wharf, but we advise you to take the DLR if you've got the choice.
Please note space is unreserved and sometimes limited. Portable furniture, glass bottles or glasses are not permitted.
Souce: My Canary Wharf
On Wednesday 6th July 2011 we went to the London Barbican sell out screenings of the latest Ghibli movie to make it over to the UK.
Arrietty is due for a wider cinema release in the UK on 29th July 2011.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Anime
We're going all nostalgic here at Otaku News and have decided to dig up some old articles from our archive that are not published on-line, either because they were originally for print or from websites that are now off-line.
Just because they're old doesn't mean they're not relevant to today's otaku.
We start with an article originally published in the AmeCon 2007 Conbook about why UK anime fans owe a debt of gratitude to their Australian counterparts. Please note that it was written for a UK anime audience in mind, Australian readers might find it interesting to know how important they are to the UK industry and how the UK industry helps Madman out.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Anime
Australian media company Siren Visual has licensed three series for streaming and DVD releases for this year.
Dennou Coil, Usagi Drop and Angel Beats will all get a DVD release either in September or further down the line.
Read More... | Souce: Siren Visual
US based readers who can receive Mnet will want to tune in July 5th 2011 at 9:30pm ET/PT to catch Culture Japan which stars expert otaku Danny Choo. Each week Danny will explore different aspects of Japanese pop culture.
You can also catch the show on Crunchy Roll.
Read More... | Souce: Mnet
The good folks from Sentai Filmworks have sent us details about their latest license. They've got the US rights to Mardock Scramble The First Compression. We've seen it, it's good.
It's due out on DVD in the US this September 2011, both English dubbed and subbed. They're also planning a Blu-ray release sometime in 2012.
Read More... | Souce: Sentai Filmworks
Category > Culture
As an avid follower of Japanese popular culture and a regular anime viewer, I am more than familiar with the style of dance routines that have become inseparable from so many titles and credits sequences. From classics such as Urusei Yatsura and more recently popularised by Kyoto Animation's iconic series Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, shows have taken to inserting dances at any available opportunity to arrest a fan following with catchy tunes and infectious dance moves. The indigenous para para dance style steps are synonymous with series such as Super Gals! where character Kotobuki Ran regularly regales audiences through her hyper rhythmic routines.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Events
US readers who can make it to Anaheim, California should head over to AM2 on July 1 to 3 2011 get a chance to view a special Passport holders only screening of Mai Mai Miracle.
We've seen Mai Mai Miracle, and must say it is worth seeing, especially on the big screen. It's everything you'd expect from a high budget Madhouse production. It's one of those films screaming out for a Blu-ray release. It's a title making the effort to get out and watch. It's in instant classic.
Read More... | Souce: AM2
Category > Events
Everyone's getting ready for the London MCM Expo this weekend (Friday 27th to Sunday 29th May 2011) at the ExCel Centre in London.
The good folks at Manga Entertainment UK have sent us details of their plans at the London Expo. They've got two stands, a treasure hunt, plenty of bargain priced DVDs and Blu-rays.
Voice actors Ben Diskin (voice of Sai in Naruto Shippuden and Syzal in Bleach) and Brian Beacock (voice of Walter Yumasaki in Durarara!!) will both be at a panel and QA at the London MCM Expo too.
Read More... | Souce: Manga Entertainment UK
Category > Anime
London anime fans have got a lot to look forward over at the Barbican. They'll be showing the latest Ghibli movie - Arrietty on Wednesday 6th July 2011 at 7pm which is the UK Premier and on Saturday 9th July 2011 at 11 am (all adults must be accompanied by a child to this screening).
On Thursday 7th July 2011 the Barbican will be showing -
Laputa: Castle in the Sky at 6pm. It'll be introduced by anime expert and Ghibli fan Helen McCarthy.
Trigun: Badlands Rumble will be shown at 8:45pm. Both films are part of the We Love Anime Tour.
More lovely Ghibli features can be seen at the Barbican throughout July -
Saturday 9th July 2011 - 2pm - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Sunday 10th July 2011 - 4pm - Princess Mononoke
Saturday 16th July 2011 - 11am - Laputa: Castle in the Sky (all adults must be accompanied by a child to this screening).
Saturday 23rd July 2011 - 11am Kiki's Delivery Service (all adults must be accompanied by a child to this screening).
Saturday 30th July 2011 - 2pm - My Neighbour Totoro
Sunday 31st July 2011 - 2pm - My Neighbours the Yamadas
Sunday 31st July 2011 - 2pm - Spirited Away
I've you've never seen any of these films before, or never seen a Ghibli feature on a proper cinema screen, then now's your chance. These movies are special and always deserve watching in the cinema.
The Barbican have a full listing of all the Ghibli features this July here.
As always with such features, we advise booking early to avoid disappointment.
Souce: Barbican
Category > Anime
The good folks at legitimate anime streaming service Anime On Demand have sent us details about there latest stream to hit the UK. [C] - Control - The Money and Soul of Possibility. The show will start streaming Thursday 21st April 2011 at 17:45 BST (British Summer Time), just one week after it's Japanese debut. Each week a new episode will be added to the site in the future.
Read More... | Souce: Anime on Demand
Category > Anime
Whilst creative accounting is nothing new in the entertainment industry anime fans will no doubt be interested to hear TV Tokyo and Nihon Ad systems have pulled the rights to Yu-Gi-Oh! from 4kids, after an audit found a number of irregularities.
Read More... | Souce: Hollywood Reporter
Category > Events
We've been impressed with the UK Zipangu Fest line up so far. But we believe that this latest screening is something special.
Londoners will be treated to Beyond Anime: CALF Animation, at 6pm, Sunday 3rd April 2011 at the ROXY Bar and Screen.
Apart from a rare chance to see an alternative side to anime, what makes the event so special is the ticket pricing. There is no set price for admission, you pay what you want with all proceeds going toward the Japan Society Tohoku Earthquake Relief Fund.
ROXY Bar and Screen
128-132 Borough High Street
London
SE1 1LB
Nearest Tubes Borough and London Bridge.
Read More... | Souce: Zipangu Fest
Category > Fandom
The great folks at UK convention AmeCon have sent us details of a volunteer role that needs filling. They're looking for a new Events Officer.
Apart from being able to pay something back to anime fandom, this is a great opportunity to participate in a large UK convention, see it's inner workings and meet others who are passionate about anime, manga and all other things otaku love.
Read More... | Souce: AmeCon
Category > Production
Last year, the second annual MCM London Expo returned to bring together a myriad of media and popular culture exhibitors and merchants. It is an exciting occasion for anime fans who attend to meet, mingle and fight their way through the melee of merchandisers and organisers.
Expo is an event that I attend on the front line behind the dealers' tables as an assistant for sales. I am predominantly positioned ready and waiting to serve customers who are on the hunt for anime, manga and figures from the store United Publications. It is an intense and demanding event and catering for the volume of visitors is often a challenge that affords little time to explore the wonders of the wider event. This time, however, I had to make the exception for a remarkable appearance amongst October's exhibitors.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
The good folks at Sentai Filmworks have sent us details of the new US DVD release of You're Under Arrest: Fast & Furious Complete Collection, which goes on sale today (February 1st 2011). The 26 episode set is subtitled only, and is available from Amazon.com.
Read More... | Souce: Sentai Filmworks
Category > Retail
Evangelion Fans can rejoice! Manga Entertainment UK have announced that the second new movie is now available for pre-order. The DVD and Blu-ray of Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance will hit UK shelves on 30th May 2011.
American readers can get the DVD or Blu-ray from March 29th 2011 from the good folks at Funimation.
UK readers can pre-order the title from Amazon.co.uk -
Pre-order the Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk for £16.09
Pre-order the DVD from Amazon.co.uk for £13.99
Alternatively you can pre-order from HMV.com, which is apparently the cheapest.
Pre-order the Blu-ray from HMV.com for £14.99
Pre-order DVD from HMV.com for £10.99
US readers can pre-order from Amazon.com
Pre-order the Blu-ray from Amazon.com for $22.99
Pre-order the DVD from Amazon.com for $12.99
Souce: Manga Entertainment UK
Category > Retail
The lovely people at UNIQLO have sent us details of their up coming line of t-shirts. They've had an excellent range of gaming and classic anime t-shirts in the past and this season they've teamed up with Manga Entertainment UK to release Naruto t-shirts in the UK. They've got 32 styles based on the series, priced at £12.99 you can buy them soon from UNIQLO stores or from their website.
Read More... | Souce: UNIQLO
Category > Retail
UK readers might be disappointed or unsurprised to hear that HMV will be closing 60 of their stores across the country as their sales and shares slump as reported by BBC News, The Guardian and other news sources. HMV have been scaling back recently closing their flagship Shibuya store in Tokyo in 2010.
Early estimates suggest that they will close 40 HMV stores, and 20 Waterstones stores across the country.
Anime fans may be interested to know that HMV account for 30% of Manga Entertainment UK's business.
Souce: BBC News
Christmas hasn't even arrived yet and the folks at Manga Entertainment UK have sent us the details of the Summer Wars release due out on 28th March 2011 in the UK and February 15th 2011 in the US.
The Summer Wars Trailer is up on Apple's Website.
The UK release is available on DVD and Blu-ray along with a double pack with The Girl Who Leapt Through Time as it's by the same director Mamoru Hosoda.
Having seen Summer Wars at the BFI Southbank earlier this year, we can confirm that it's an excellent title, and well worth adding to your collection.
UK Release - 28th March 2011
Pre-order Summer Wars / The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Blu-Ray Double Pack from Amazon.co.uk
Pre-order Summer Wars DVD from Amazon.co.uk
Pre-order Summer Wars Blu-Ray from Amazon.co.uk
US Release - February 15th 2011
Pre-order Summer Wars Blu-Ray from Amazon.com
Pre-order Summer Wars DVD from Amazon.com
Souce: Manga Entertainment UK
Manga Entertainment UK have sent us some sad news about the release of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood on Blu-ray. Due to the poor sales of Part 1 and 2 on Blu-ray they will discontinue the series on the format. Part 3 onwards will still be released on DVD.
This due to the high cost of producing Blu-rays and the low sales they've had of the format.
At least Manga Entertainment have sent a press release, other companies just silently pull titles.
Read More... | Souce: Manga Entertainment UK
UK based anime fans who can receive Film 4 will want to tune in today (Sunday 21st November 2010) at 3:05pm to enjoy the Miyazaki classic My Neighbour Totoro.
Film 4 can be seen on the following channels:
Freeview - 15
Freesat - 300
Sky - 315
Virgin - 428
Virgin (HD) - 429
If you've missed it, don't forget Film 4 + 1, so you can catch it at 4:05pm on the following channels -
Freesat - 301
Sky - 316
Virgin - 430
Failing that you can always buy Totoro on DVD from Amazon.co.uk for £7.
Souce: Film 4
Anime fans who can get to Leeds from 18th to 21st November 2010 are in a for a real treat. Thought Bubble and Leeds International Film Festival have some great anime features to enjoy. Including some European Premieres such as Mardock Scramble: The First Compression (review here), Gintama The Movie, along with some great anime titles you should see if you haven't already. -
Mardock Scramble: The First Compression
Gintama The Movie
One Piece: Strong World
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Redline
Interstella 5555: The 5tory Of The 5ecret 5tar 5ystem
Normally at this stage we'd cherry pick a title or two for suggestion as to what to watch, but they're all good, Interstella 5555 is always worth watching one more time too. ^_-
There's also some live action adventures with - Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City.
The Thought Bubble Festival are offering £20 passes for a day, or Individual tickets for £6.50/£5.00.
Read More... | Souce: Thought Bubble
Category > Anime
The good folks at Beez have sent us details of a a free preview of the first 14 minutes of episode 2 of Mobile Suit Gundam UC (Unicorn): The Second Coming of Char.
Gundam UC episode 2 is currently planned to be released November 12, 2010 on Blu-ray disc simultaneously in the US, Canada, and Taiwan.
It'll also get a PSN release too.
You can watch the first 14 minutes of Gundam Unicorn Episode 2 on the Bandai Channel.
Read More... | Souce: Bandai Channel
Category > Anime
Reni Mimura, a cosplayer and singer living in New York, was performing at this years New York Anime Festival. Despite her busy schedule, she found the time to sit down and chat with us for a brief time about her reasons for taking her work to New York, what she thinks of her fans and which she prefers: cosplay or singing!
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Anime
A quick reminder for UK anime fans, the Studio Ghibli classic Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind will be released on blu-ray on Monday 18th October 2010. This is one of those rare instances when UK anime fans get a release before the US.
UK readers can pre-order Nausicaa on blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk.
US readers who can't wait will want to consider the Japanese release which also has English subtitles and is region free.
Update: A reader has noticed that The Digital Fix are running a Nausicaa blu-ray competition.
Souce: Optimum Releasing
Category > Press Releases
Bandai Entertainment have sent us details fresh from NYAF including that Lucky Star Manga Volume 6 is out today. You can order it from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.
The original Mobile Suit Gundam will be released as a two part DVD under the Anime Legend range.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is going to get a US blu-ray release, details and dates still to be confirmed.
Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society is coming to blu-ray.
K-ON! Season 1 will be released on DVD and blu-ray, and will be released over 4 parts. Additionally they'll be releasing a standard and special addition which features a CD (with tracks to be confirmed).
Gundam 00 movie: A wakening of the Trailblazer has also got a North AMerican release, again details and release dates to be confirmed.
Read More... | Souce: Bandai Entertainment
London based anime fans are in for a special treat thanks to the good folks at The Embassy of Japan. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time will be screened on Wednesday 10th November 2010 at The Embassy of Japan (101-104 Piccadilly, London W1J 7JT). The screening will begin at 6:30pm, doors open at 5:45pm. There will be no admittance after 7pm. Admission is free, but prior registration is essential.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a real delight to watch, if you haven't seen it already it's worth making the effort of going to see it. As always with popular events we suggest booking early to avoid disappointment.
Souce: The Embassy of Japan
As is tradition in October Sci-Fi-London will be screening a great selection of anime as part of their Oktoberfest. The festival starts on Thursday 14th October and ends early in the morning of Sunday 17th October 2010 (this is because of their great Saturday all nighters).
Friday 15th at 7:30pm they'll be screening Technotise: Edit & I, which is billed as Serbia's first animated feature film crossing Ghost in the Shell with Waltz with Bashir.
On Saturday 16th October at 3pm they'll be screening Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, the live action take of the Sci-Fi novel that inspired an anime feature film version along with a TV drama, manga and other feature films.
Saturday night from 10:30pm is when the fun starts for Studio Ghibli fans, with an all-nighter with the following features -
Spirited Away
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
The Cat Returns
Howl's Moving Castle
At the same time at 10:30pm there is an anime all-nighter as an alternative, screening 2 Ghibli features plus Eden of the East -
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
The Cat Returns
Eden of the East
As always with great events we suggest you book early to avoid disappointment.
Souce: Sci-Fi-London Oktoberfest 2010
We've mentioned it before, but it's always worth being reminded about from Tuesday 19th October to Sunday 19th December 2010 the Barbican in London will be running an Aspects of Japanese Cinema season. It's also worth noting that the screening of Kenji Mizoguchi’s The Water Magician is accompanied, for the first time in the UK, with traditional benshi narration and live music on a koto.
Benshi narration is the traditional form of Japanese silent film story-telling: the performer, or benshi, stands beside the screen and reads the intertitles as well as voicing the characters and commenting on the action.
The koto is the traditional 13-stringed zither of Japan whose shape has been likened to a crouching dragon. The history of the instrument spans at least twelve centuries during which time its form has changed little. It is made from the wood of the paulownia tree (or ‘Royal Empress tree’) and generally plucked with plectra worn on the right hand.
For those interested in the season, we suggest you look at our previous post, about the highlights (which is pretty much the whole season)!
Read More... | Souce: Barbican
Category > Retail
Anime expert and industry insider Jonathan Clements has just posted details on his blog about Schoolgirl Milky Crisis being released on Kindle.
It's available to buy from Amazon.com in the US and Amazon.co.uk in the UK.
Souce: Schoolgirl Milky Crisis Blog
Studio Ghibli fans will be very excited to to hear about the Japanese Blu-ray release of Laputa, the Castle in the Sky. The high definition 1080p release is due out on 22nd December 2010. Like the Japanese blu-ray release of Nausicaa, it should be region free, meaning it'll play on any blu-ray player, including the PS3. It will have English subtitles, but it does not appear to have an English dub track.
Details as follows:
English Japanese French Cantonese Mandarin Korean
Audio -
Japanese: DTS HD 2.0 Surround
Cantonese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
French: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
German: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Korean: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Mandarin: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
It retails for 6800 Japanese Yen, which is about 82 US Dollars or 52 Pounds (GBP / UK).
JBox/JList,Otaku.com and CDJapan are currently taking pre-orders for Castle in the Sky on Blu-ray.
Souce: Disney Japan