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London Expo May 2009 Event Details

Date: 2009 April 20 16:43 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Anime fans who can get to London on the weekend of the 23rd to the 24th of May 2009, will want to visit the London MCM Expo at the Excel Centre. As always anime is well represented, with many of the UK anime and manga companies having a stall or some sort of presence, along with lots of dealers selling great merchandise. The event is also a huge draw to cosplayers, with many of the attendies in fancy dress!

Like last time, the event also plans to smash its current world record for the amount of video game related cosplay. It's set to be a fun weekend! So keep your calendars free. ^_^

Interview with Helen McCarthy

Date: 2009 April 05 16:42 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Anime

Audio interview with Japanese culture expert Helen McCarthy in conjunction with Irish Film Institute.

Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie London Screening

Date: 2009 March 24 11:45 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

London's Barbican continues show a great selection of anime. Fans should note that on Tuesday 26th May 2009 at 8:30pm, the centre will be showing Revolutionary Girl Utena, along with a talk from anime expert Helen McCarthy.

As always with these screenings we recommend fans book early to avoid disappointment.

Read More... | Souce: Barbican

Japanimation: Gonzo Focus at The Barbican: 7-9 April 2009

Date: 2009 March 19 10:16 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

London based anime fans are in for a real treat from the 7th to the 9th of April 2009. The Barbican will be holding a series of screenings all focusing on fan favourite studio Gonzo. Curated by anime expert Helen McCarthy she’s really managed to arrange an interesting line up. Apart from all the great Gonzo titles what’s really got our interest is the Surprise Sneak Peak, scheduled for Thursday 9th April.

As always with these events we advise that fans book early to avoid disappointment.

Read More... | Souce: Barbican

Evangelion Merchandise Selection

Date: 2009 March 08 14:58 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Retail

Anime and merchandise naturally go hand in hand, with some titles just a thin excuse to create merchandise. Generally the more popular the series, wider and crazier the variety of merchandise available. With Neon Genesis Evangelion, regarded one of the most popular titles of all time, I thought it would be worth looking into the more unusual merchandise available from the franchise. When researching this article I expected to find some oddities, after all you can even get an Eva Unit-01 mountain bike. However I was really surprised by what's out there!

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Schoolgirl Milky Crisis Book Competition

Date: 2009 March 05 15:28 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

We've teamed up with the good folks at Titan Books to give away copies of the new book Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in The Anime And Manga Trade. The book written by Jonathan Clements reveals in inner workings of the anime and manga business.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

AyaCon 2009 registrations now open

Date: 2009 February 16 17:24 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

UK anime fans looking for 3 days of fun on Friday 14th to Sunday 16th August 2009, will be pleased to hear that the registration for AyaCon 2009, known as Aya Revolution 09 is now open.

The convention will once again be held at the Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, near Coventry. The AyaCon crew have run many successful conventions before and as a result it proves popular with fandom. Bookings are filling up fast, so book now to avoid disappointment.

Souce: Aya Revolution 09

An interview with Andrew Driver

Date: 2009 February 13 17:19 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Anime

In April 2009, Alma Books will publish an English translation of Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel Paprika. The basis of Satoshi Kon's award-winning animated film of the same name, the English translation was handled for Alma by Andrew Driver. Otaku News can now present an interview with Mr. Driver which he graciously agreed to do with Eeeper on behalf of Otaku News in which he talks about his work on the novel.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Paprika original novel to be released in UK in 2009

Date: 2009 February 04 10:57 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Anime

Original novel Satoshi Kon based anime film Paprika upon will be released in the UK

Hetalia Anime causes a storm in South Korea

Date: 2009 January 26 17:16 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

The Daily Yomiuri are currently running an article about Hetalia causing an uproar among South Koreans.

The show was set to be broadcast on Japanese satellite channel Kids Station on January 24th 2009. However on January 16th the station cancelled their plans to run the show.

Helen McCarthy on RightStuf's Anime Today Podcast

Date: 2009 January 20 16:12 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

Anime fans will want to check out RightStuf's latest podcast. It features an interview with anime expert Helen McCarthy who promotes her book 500 Essential Anime Movies. In the podcast she explains how she narrowed down her choices in the book to just 500 shows. Along with how anime production and writing about anime has changed over the years.

Souce: RightStuf Anime Today Podcast

London Barbican Japanimation: After Tezuka Season

Date: 2009 January 18 14:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

London anime fans will want to head over to the Barbican for their upcoming season Japanimation: After Tezuka. It's considers Tezuka's legacy and the works he inspired.

It starts on Wednesday 28th January 2009 and is set to run to Sunday 1st February. Curated by anime expert Helen McCarthy, she always manages to arrange a selection of animated treats. Her introductions are worth attending too, as she manages to cram plenty of facts about each screening.

The line up is as follows:

Dororo 18:00 Wednesday 28th January 2009
Black Jack: Episode 15:00 Saturday 31st January 2009
Phoenix: Immutable Conclusion 13:45 Sunday 1st February 2009
Akira 15:45 Sunday 1st February 2009
(also later on in February)
Tekkonkinkreet 20:30 Tuesday 24th February 2009

With the Tokyo City Promotion 2009 in London at the same weekend it looks like the end of January is a great time for anime fans to visit London! As always with popular screenings we advise that you book early to avoid any disappoint.

Read More... | Souce: Barbican

Tokyo City Promotion 2009 in London

Date: 2009 January 16 09:10 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

London anime fans are a in for a real treat on Saturday 31st January 2009, where a special Tokyo Day will be running. Organised by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Day is set to be packed with tons for otaku to see and do.

The event will be held at Lawrence Hall at the Royal Horticultural Halls and Conference Centre.

Admission is free. It's set to run from 10am to 8pm.

Naruto Shippuden on-line an hour after Japanese Broadcast

Date: 2009 January 02 06:35 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

We've just recived an exciting press release from Crunchyroll, who will be streaming Naruto Shippuden on-line an hour after Japanese broadcast. This sort of distribution model has been talked about for ages in the anime press, but until now it's never actually officially happened.

Klaatu as Spike Speigel?

Date: 2008 December 19 21:55 | Posted By: Queen Of Swords

Category > Anime > Film

The star of The Day The Earth Stood Still, The Matrix trilogy, and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure wants to play Spike Speigel in a live action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop.

Schoolgirl Milky Crisis Blog

Date: 2008 December 05 18:49 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Production

Anime expert Jonathan Clements has just launched a blog to promote his new book Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade, which is due for publication in early 2009.

The blog has some interesting insights that will no doubt also appear in the book, even an article about writing the index for the book proves to be amusing.

Souce: Schoolgirl Milky Crisis Blog

Lincolnshire anime screenings

Date: 2008 December 03 18:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

UK based anime fans who can get to Lincolnshire will want to visit the Hub National Centre for Craft & Design in Sleaford, as they'll be showing the How Manga Took over the World Exhibition, from 7th February 2009 to 19th April 2009. The exhibition is touring after a successfully run at Urbis.

Souce: Hub National Centre for Craft & Design

Last London Anime Club Meeting

Date: 2008 November 23 14:31 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Anime fans who can get to London on Sunday 7th December 2008 should do so for the last meeting of the London Anime Club. The LAC has been running for 15 years now, but attendance has been dropping for various reasons, so they've decided to halt it's regular meetings. The Christmas meetings always have lots of people going, along with extras such as a prize draw, DDR:UK will be there with games and the bring and buy, along with all the usual things like the video room, and dealers selling anime and manga merchandise.

Souce: London Anime Club

Thought Bubble Festival

Date: 2008 November 07 13:43 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

UK anime fans who can get to Leeds will want to keep the 13th to the 16th November 2008 free for the Thought Bubble Festival. The Festival will have a great selection of anime and manga stuff, including film screenings too.

The Convention on Saturday 15th November 2008 (10am - 5pm) will have free entry to cosplayers!

They'll be screening the following films:
Sword of the Stranger
Mind Game
20th Century Boys
Detroit Metal City

We've already seen Sword of the Stranger, and watching it on a big screen is recommend.

The Akiba: A Manga Guide to the Akihabara

Date: 2008 November 07 13:04 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Press Releases

We've been sent a press release for a new book that sounds perfect for otaku paying a trip to Tokyo. The Akiba: A Manga Guide to the Akihabara (published by Japan Publications Trading), is an interesting blend of manga and travel guide.

Update: We've reviewed The Akiba: A Manga Guide to the Akihabara

Gundam 00 Coming to US Sci Fi Channel in November

Date: 2008 October 29 20:06 | Posted By: Queen Of Swords

Category > Anime

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 to start airing on SciFi Channel in November.

Kitacon Announces New Guests

Date: 2008 October 28 18:20 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

We've just been sent news from the good folks at Kitacon (the UK anime Convention in Northampton 17th-19th April 2009), informing us that they've got two more guests. Voice actors Laura Bailey and Travis Willingham will be attending the convention.

Could Manga Inspire A Murder?

Date: 2008 October 24 18:46 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

Sky News are running an article about the possibility that manga could inspire murder, and how it frustrates anime fans. It cites the current case of Meredith Kercher, a 21 year old student who was stabbed to death in Italy in a house she shared with other students. It mentions that the prosecution of the case are highlighting that Raffaele Sollecito (one of the accused) was acting out a "dark fantasy", inspired by his manga collection. BBC News have more coverage of the same story.

Revelation Films 2009 Q1 anime UK DVD release schedule

Date: 2008 October 21 16:32 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > DVD

The nice folks at Revelation Films have sent us details of their 2009 Q1 line up. For the first three months of 2009 promises to see the UK release of:

Fullmetal Alchemist Season One Part One - January.
Spiral The Complete Series Box - February
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle (the final instalment) - March
Tsubasa The Complete Series Box Set - March

What's interesting in the press release is that it actually states sales figures, something you rarely see for the anime industry. It'll be nice if all anime companies releases sales figures for their titles. However this is valuable information for sales and marketing teams, which is why most companies like to keep this these details secret.

Grand International Cosplay Ball

Date: 2008 October 07 15:19 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

We've got some exciting news about the Grand International Cosplay Ball, which is set for Sunday 30th November at the Clapham Grand, London, England.

This is the first event to our knowledge that is aimed at cosplayers, and not an event like an anime convention with cosplayers as a feature.

The event looks to be a sure fire hit, with live bands, DJs, ballroom dancing, a kimono fashion show, fire and burlesque performances and even an Alice-In-Wonderland themed photography area.

As always with such events we advise that you book soon to avoid disappointment.

Kitacon Fan Choice Awards

Date: 2008 September 18 18:53 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Fandom

UK anime fans looking for convention fun in April 2009 will be pleased to hear that Kitacon will be holding a Fan Choice Awards, where fans get to vote for their favourites, anime, manga, characters and more. They'll even be able to collect them on behalf of the nominees. This does sound like an interesting concept.

Helen McCarthy and Jonathan Clements London Book Signings

Date: 2008 September 15 16:53 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Anime fans in London who can get to the Barbican on Saturday 20th September 2008 will want to drop in between 3pm and 6pm where expert writers Helen McCarthy and Jonathan Clements will be signing their books.

While in the Barbican don't forget to enjoy the great Tezuka Movie Season that Helen's curating.

Souce: Barbican

An interview with Kari Wahlgren

Date: 2008 September 07 11:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

Thanks to go the great folk at AmeCon 2008, we were able to interview their main guest, voice actress Kari Wahlgren. You may have heard her in the American dub of FLCL as Haruko, or Robin in Witch Hunter Robin or Scarlett in Steamboy to name a few of her roles. As well as many video games you've probably played.

Eye On Anime Interview Helen McCarthy

Date: 2008 August 31 13:18 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

With the upcoming Tezuka Season at London's Barbican, the folks at Eye On Anime have interviewed anime expert and season curator Helen McCarthy.

Souce: Eye On Anime

Fanboys wanted for MTV's True Life

Date: 2008 August 19 16:09 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Fandom

Our US based readers who like the idea of appearing on TV should consider this request from MTV who are keen to do a True Life episode on Fanboys.

Totoro Forest Project

Date: 2008 August 12 17:26 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Fans of Studio Ghibli and those concerned with conservation will be interested to hear about the project to save Sayama Forest, which is also known as Totoro Forest. The project aims to auction off original artwork and sell a book with the collected art, in order to raise money to protect Sayama Forest.

"A fund-raising exhibition / auction to benefit the Totoro No Furusato National Fund, the Japanese non-profit foundation established by Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, which is leading efforts to preserve and protect the Sayama Forest. The auction will feature original art created by internationally-acclaimed artists in the fields of animation, comic books, and illustration."

Fans will have to travel to Pixar Animation Studio in Emeryville, California.

Souce: Totoro Forest Project

500 Essential Anime Movies by Helen McCarthy - out now

Date: 2008 August 05 18:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

We've received details regarding anime expert Helen McCarthy's new book 500 Essential Anime Movies. It's out now in the UK and will be released in the US in a few weeks. You can buy it Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

We've always recommend Helen's books for several reasons - they're well written and they're well researched that and they're enjoyable to read. ^_^

Helen goes to a lot of effort to check the facts and details when writing books and it does show. We also recommend Helen McCarthy's publications when researching anime and manga, especially for academic purposes, you can never go wrong citing her work.

The Pirate Anime FAQ Returns

Date: 2008 August 03 16:31 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

8 years ago, I wrote an FAQ about piracy in anime, and how to avoid buying pirate goods. It started off as a simple guide as part of a site called Anime Digital, but evolved and improved over the years. It's generally regarded as the most comprehensive guide to pirate goods in anime fandom. A mini version has been printed at many anime conventions and distributed among convention staff to quickly spot pirate goods. The anime industry also use it to make anime fans aware of bootleg goods.

For the last 8 years the Pirate Anime FAQ was hosted on the London Anime Club's web server. Unfortunately it's been unavailable since April because of server problems so we have decided to host the guide on Otaku News instead. We'd like to thank the London Anime Club for hosting the Pirate Anime FAQ for the last 8 years.

The Pirate Anime FAQ has been translated into French and German, thanks to the kind help of anime fans. I'll put the French and German translations up soon. However I've made a few small changes to the FAQ to make sure it will fit with the formatting of Otaku News. As a result the translations will need to be updated too.

The old content from Anime Digital is not lost and we're currently deciding if we should integrate the articles into Otaku News, or archive them as a separate site.

So please update your bookmarks, the new URL for the Pirate Anime FAQ is http://www.otakunews.com/piratefaq.php.

Souce: The Pirate Anime FAQ

Naruto PS3 Game Demo Out

Date: 2008 July 31 19:55 | Posted By: LittleWoodenBoy

Category > Gaming > Consoles

A demo of the new Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm PS3 game is now available to download

Read More... | Souce: PlayStation Network

AmeCon 2008 Competition

Date: 2008 July 20 10:54 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

With Leicester based UK anime convention AmeCon less than a month a way, they've decided to launch a great competition where you can win two tickets to the convention, plus free accommodation for the length of the convention.

The press release also details the guest for this year will be voice actress Kari Walgren, who has done a large variety of voice work, including the American dubs for a few anime series - Haruko in FLCL, Scarlett in Steamboy, Robin in Witch Hunter Robin and Lavie in Last Exile.

London Barbican Osamu Tezuka Season

Date: 2008 July 17 15:37 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

We've received some exciting news from the London Barbican about a special Osamu Tezuka Season they'll be running from Thursday 18th to Wednesday 24th of September 2008.

The season is curated by anime expert Helen McCarthy (who's written tons of good books and articles on anime and manga). The line is up a great showcase of Tezuka's work, with The Film Is Alive: Osamu Tezuka Filmography looking especially interesting, as it we're certain Helen will bring an informative take on the panel with the event.

Osamu Tezuka is the granddaddy of anime and manga, without doubt the most influential and inspiration artist, as always with these events we suggest you book early to avoid disappointment.

Read More... | Souce: Barbican

Manga Matinee at the Institute of Contemporary Arts

Date: 2008 July 02 08:31 | Posted By: Voxie

Category > Anime

The Institute is nicely located, just around the corner from Trafalgar Square, London. Throughout July 2008, there will be a run of the following manga-inspired shows, both animated and otherwise:

Origin: Spirits of the Past (12th-14th July)
Ping Pong (19th July)
Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storm (26th July)
Hellboy Animated: blood and Iron (27th July)
Vexille (20th July)

Tickets: £8 / £7 Concessions / £6 ICA Members.

Souce: Institute of Contemporary Arts

An interview with Makoto Shinkai

Date: 2008 June 22 18:17 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

Otaku News went to a BFI screening of Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimeters Per Second and was lucky enough to get an exclusive chance to have a private chat with Mr Shinkai, the writer and anime director.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

PiQ To Stop

Date: 2008 June 17 17:31 | Posted By: LittleWoodenBoy

Category > Culture

PiQ's July issue to be its last.

Manchester Cosplay Competition

Date: 2008 June 05 16:39 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Cosplayers who can get to the Urbis in Manchester will want to visit on Saturday 28th of June for a cosplay competition with a unique prize, a manga portrait of the winner.

New Non Photographic Law is a bit vague

Date: 2008 May 29 18:12 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Current Affairs

Some anime and manga fans in the UK might have heard about the new proposals which would ban obscene images of children. The proposals mainly cover drawings and computer-generated images, however due to certain parts of the proposals being a bit vague, it's not exactly certain what images are classed as obscene. The mainstream press are keen to wrongly cite manga as one such example.

Bleach Creator Tite Kubo to attend 2008 San Diego Comic-Con

Date: 2008 May 21 16:27 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

We've got some exciting news for American anime fans who can get to the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con International, where Tite Kubo the creator of Bleach will be making an appearance from July 25th.

London Anime Screenings at the BFI Southbank

Date: 2008 May 14 08:47 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

We've got some great news for anime fans who can get to London on the weekend of the 20th to 22nd of June 2008. The BFI Southbank will be showing a great line up of anime features. Including a special screening of 5 Centimetres per Second with the director Makoto Shinkai!

The line up is as follows:

Friday 20th June:
Paprika
5 Centimetres per Second

Saturday 21st June:
Death Note (Live action)
Death Note 2 - The Last Name (Live action) - Special double tickets available for both Death Note Movies).
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Tekkonkinkreet

Sunday 22nd June:
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Appleseed: Ex Machina
Vexille

This line up is fantastic, we recommend going to see at least one of these films if you can. As always this screenings are likely to sell out quickly, so book early to avoid disappointment.

Greenhunt proves to be popular

Date: 2008 May 10 13:28 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > TV

The Daily Yomiuri have an interesting article about Greenhunt, an up and coming anime series shown on satellite station Space Shower TV. What draws viewers to the show is that's it's spoken in the Toyama dialect, the same as the shows creator Toyoshi Miyasaka.

The show it's self appears to be a quirky hit, drawn in a web animation style familiar to those used to watching Flash based cartoons.

Souce: Daily Yomiuri

King's College London Japan's Manga and Anime Industries seminar

Date: 2008 May 01 17:14 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Readers who can get into London on Friday 16th of May 2008 will want to get to King's College London, from 1pm to 6pm to attend a seminar on Japanese comic book and animation industries.

The line up of speakers looks good, but Yoko Ono is not THAT Yoko Ono. It'll be interesting if they mention the difference between manga and manga style artwork in the talks too.

To go to the talk you will need to register via e-mail.

Free Anime Released to Raise Awareness of Abduction

Date: 2008 April 16 15:25 | Posted By: Voxie

Category > Anime

The Japanese government have produced and have released an anime to raise awareness of Japanese citizens being abduction by North Koreans.

"Story: In 1977, Ms. Megumi Yokota, a 13-year-old girl, disappeared on her way home from school. It was revealed later on that she was abducted by North Korea. This film features the anguish of Megumi’s family and their desperate effort to bring her back home."

An English version is available! Check it out at:

Souce: Japan Probe

From Maids to Mothers

Date: 2008 April 15 16:35 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Freaky Things

Mainichi Daily News have an interesting news story about the new craze in Otaku Cafe, the Mother Cafe.

Mother Cafe is in the new Mandarake outlet in Osaka (Mandarake are a chain of shops for anime and manga fans, and are evil as they are often packed full of delights to tempt otaku). Apparently the maids take on a maternal air, as they greet guests in motherly tones. Staff's age range from 19 to in their 40's, and they look older than they actually are. The aim is to become a therapeutic cafe, where people can open their hearts to the staff.

Souce: Mainichi Daily News

BFI Southbank London Anime Weekend in June 2008

Date: 2008 April 13 12:02 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

We've received some details about about an up coming anime weekend planned for 20th-22nd June 2008 at the BFI Southbank in London.

The programme hasn't been published yet, and won't be on sale until the end of the month, but the line up looks so good, it's worth mentioning now so you can keep the weekend free. ^_^

They'll be screening:

- Paprika
- 5 Centimetres Per Second,
- The Girl who Leapt Through Time
- Vexille
- Appleseed Ex Machina,
- The Place Promised in our Early Days
- Tekkonkinkreet
- Death Note/Death Note 2 (live action versions)

Anime fans should also keep the 20th June free, as they'll be hosting a very special guest, Makoto Shinkai, who will be giving an interview to accompany the screening of 5 Centimetres Per Second.

As mentioned before booking isn't open yet, but this even is likely to sell out quickly, so as always we advise to book early to avoid disappointment.

Souce: BFI Southbank

NewType USA's replacement PiQ out now

Date: 2008 March 13 18:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Press Releases

We've received a press release from PiQ LLC, the magazine which is essentially the replacement for NewType USA. The magazine is due out from March 14th 2008. Issue 1 will feature articles about Appleseed: Ex Machina, Code Geass and xxxHOLiC.

Neo Nohcon adds Japanese Performing Arts

Date: 2008 February 23 12:13 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Anime fans who can get to Amherst in New York, will want to go to Neo Nohcon on March 7th to 8th 2008. They've got an interesting line up of guests and events including Taisho-Koto and traditional Japanese Dance.

New Live-Action Akira Film Announced

Date: 2008 February 22 14:44 | Posted By: Spike

Category > Anime

Warner Brothers have recently announced the production of two new Akira films based on the original six volume manga by Katsuhiro Otomo. The new films, set to be re-imagined in New Manhattan which is probably nowhere near downtown Tokyo, will chronicle three of the original works each and be helmed by Otomo himself as executive producer.

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