Category > Events
With the competition deadline edging ever close, the nice folks at IMAF have sent us some more details for their London event.
Highlights include Sweatdrop Studios, a special screening of Millennium Actress, along with the Europe Premiere of Streetfighter - Alpha Generation. Even Garnier will be their with its Manga haircare range. The IMAF is certainly worth attending to see the wonderful range of entrants.
Read More... | Souce: IMAF
Category > Retail
Anime-related novels turn out to be big sellers in American bookstore market.
Read More... | Souce: ICv2
Category > Anime
Viz are set to enter the European anime and manga market,partnering with Copyright Promotions Ltd they will form Viz Media B.V. Titles appearing in the press release include Bleach, Deko Boku Friends and Mar.
We at Otaku news have also noticed one title surprisingly not mentioned in the press release has already appeared on the CPLG website, with a page now listing the Inu Yasha anime.
Souce: AnimeUKNews
Category > Manga
Tokyopop announces November release of manga series from Rising Stars of Manga entrants.
Read More... | Souce: Tokyopop
Category > Current Affairs
Anime News Network has reported that manga-ka Rieko Saibara, creator of the manga strip Mainichi Kasan and winner of the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize earlier this year, is in dispute with the school where her eldest son attends. The dispute is in regards to a panel of the manga published last November, which the school claims is too closely inspired by real events and people.
Mainichi Kasan, which translates as "Daily/Everyday Mom", depicts the daily life of a woman and her children. The panel in question shows five school children being referred to as "the Five Class Dummies". Following the panel's publication, Saibara was called in to her son's school (the name of the facility has not been given), where she was told that she was causing trouble for them and demanded that she refrain from depicting school scenes in her strip. Saibara argued that her work is fiction and that she has the freedom of expression. The school, however, said that she should take more consideration for the other children and their patrons and that her manga clearly depicts that school, even featuring their name. While there is no indication of any lawsuits having been filed by either party involved, the dispute currently remains unresolved.
Souce: Anime News Network
Category > Manga
According to Manga News, Togashi Yoshihiro wants to end his popular Manga ‘Hunter x Hunter’ some time in the near future. Apparently the reasons for this decision are headaches and lack of sleep.
Hunter X Hunter is currently running in Weekly Shounen Jump, with 22 volumes out, and chapter 252 coming out this week in Jumps.
Souce: Manga News
Category > Manga
The folks over at Antarctic Press have sent us the details for their new guide to becoming a professional comic book creator. It covers all aspects from writing, drawing and submitting comic book work. We think it's worth a look into since it's only $2.99, and concise at 22 pages long.
Read More... | Souce: Antarctic Press
Category > Manga
According to Mainichi Daily News, the popular cartoonist Izumo Matsumoto, 46, who made his debut at the age of 23 with the famous manga "Kimagure Orange Road" will return with a new Manga after battling with an illness for the past 6 years.
Read More... | Souce: Mainichi Daily News
Category > Manga
Production IG are currently working on a short anime based on the King of Fighters videogame from SNK. News on the actual release is currently unknown, but sources tell me to await further news at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2005, held on the 16th September.
You can see some concept art at the Game Watch website: http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20050823/kof.htm
Souce: NeoGeoForLife Website
Category > Manga
Seven Seas Entertainment are now accepting submissions for manga artists, though sadly they can not accept unsolicited submissions from writers at this time. Seven Seas already have a number of excellent titles , and we heartily recommend you read some of their established work before submitting,the first volume of many of their books are available online and for download on the PSP.
Souce: Seven Seas Entertainment
Category > Manga
Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. has announced that it will triple the number of comics books it formats for viewing on cell phones making it the Number 1 provider of ‘Manga’ in Japan said a company official.
According to Sony spokeperson Hidekazu Tanaka, "Manga are a Japanese institution, but viewing comics on mobile phones is an entirely different experience altogether, He added that Sony signed a contract with 10 popular Manga artists including Shigeru Mizuki, creator of Gegege no Kitaro -- a 1970s classic featuring a young ghoul boy who fights monsters.
"We want to rein in middle-aged mobile phone users, as well as teenagers," he said.
Read More... | Souce: Mainichi Daily News
Category > Manga
Here is some interesting news for those manga readers who are possibly looking for some new manga titles.
A new manga series by You Higuri & Shinji Wada will be coming out in the September issue of Princess Gold and will contain the first installment of ‘CROWN’.
Masami Tsuda known for the popular Anime/Manga Karekano will have her one shot story ‘AKAI MI’ presented in the November issue of LaLaDX on sale October 8.
Ira Ishida the creator of Ikebukuro West Gate Park,has teamed up with a different manga artist for a new story, Akihabara @ DEEP. Drawings were made by Makoto Akane. Akihabara @ DEEP will premiere in the August 12th issue of Comic Bunch.
For Ai Yori Aoshi Fans the series has finally come to an end, in fact the popular Manga by Kou Fumizuki will end in Young Animal No 17 on sale August 26th. The Manga boasts two TV adaptations and has been running on Young Animal since 1995.
Souce: Anime News Network
Category > Manga
More movies based on Japanese Manga are taking Hollywood by storm. Hitoshi Iwaaki's popular manga Kiseiju is going to remade by Hollywood.
Takashi Shimizu, who made his Hollywood debut with the remake The Grudge, will be directing this project by New Line Cinema Productions. Shimizu will be a supervisor in the writing of the script and the film will be produced by his partner Takashige Ichise, as well as Don Murphy of Angry Films and Lisa Henson and Kristine Belson of Henson Pictures. The English title is Parasyte and it is said that production will begin once the sequel to The Grudge is finished.
Souce: Akadot
Category > Manga
According to Akadot, the popular manga of Naoki Urasawa 'MONSTER' will become a Hollywood Remake. The project that has been in the midst of production. Newline Cinema has hired Josh Olsen as the screenwriter, he is also known for the writing scripts for low budget movies including "A History of Violence," "Lethal Trigger," and "Killer Bugs". The contract contract allows for the possibility of sequels.
Souce: Akadot
Category > Fandom
Anime fans wanting to know more about all the various cultural references that pop up in their favorite anime can now rejoice. Anime News Network has announced that Stone Bridge Press, publisher of books about Japan, is releasing The Anime Companion 2: More... What's Japanese in Japanese Animation?, the follow-up to the popular book written by Gilles Poitras, who also writes the new volume.
Like its predecessor, The Anime Companion 2 contains glossary-style entries to help readers decipher anime's distinctive content, images and cultural motifs. Everything from city landmarks to food to clothing to historical figures is covered in fascinating detail, using illustrations anime images, film citations and numerous references to the related art of manga. With entries in both kanji (Japanese characters) and English, the book also contains maps of old provinces and current prefectures (and the 23 wards of Tokyo), making it an absolute must-have for those wanting to learn about Japan, whether they're otaku or not.
Souce: Anime News Network
Category > Manga
Everyone has heard about the genius designer of Art & Fashion Range Murata who left a mark on the design world of today. His portfolio of works include: media, anime character design, art books to fashion and industrial design.
Here is a summary of the Akadot Interview to Range Murata where he talks about the US release of his upcoming comic / art book Robots Vol 1 where he plans to conquer the manga world as well.
Read More... | Souce: Akadot
Category > Fandom
New anime and manga-based academic journal Mechademia is looking for sbumissions for future issues.
Read More... | Souce: Anime News Network
Category > Manga
The folks at eigoManga have sent us the details of their partnership with Viz Media. Apparently eigoManga will produce the English language versions of Basara and Flame of Recca. The press release is very thin on details and doesn't really explain what they mean by producing. It's uncertain if they'll be translating it directly or hiring a third party company or individual to do all the work and if they'll manage the logistics such as printing and so on.
Read More... | Souce: eigoManga
Category > Manga
Manganews.net has spotted an interesting article on comics212.net highlighting the difficulties of manga licensing. Japanese publisher Shueisha recently bought out Viz. Marmalade boy and Kodocha were both licensed to Tokyopop from Shuesha in Japan.
Comics212.net point out both are missing from the Toykopop website, leading to the speculation that Shueisha doesn’t want what are now it’s rivals owning it’s licences. So far none of this has been officially confirmed. This comes at an unfortunate time for Tokyopop since FUNimation have recently started releasing the Kodocha anime. The article also highlights the continuing struggle over the Japanese rights to popular magical girl series Sailor Moon.
Souce: Manganews.net
Category > Manga
Tokyopop announced it will be producing manga for two classic films from Jim Henson and Neil Gaiman's upcoming new film.
Read More... | Souce: Tokyopop
Category > Art
This years IMAF has just launched. They're looking for international talent in the form of artists and animators to identify the best. Entrants have a chance to win some of the $75,000 prize fund which is divided between the categories. The best overall entry will win a generous $30,000!
The Otaku News Crew advise that our talented readers get to work, you've got until the 30th September 2005 to get your entries in!
Read More... | Souce: IMAF
Category > Anime
According to the Mainichi Daily News, Japan Mint is going to release two sets of coins to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the serialization of the popular comic Doraemon.
The first set of coins contains six color-printed coins, from the one-yen coin to the 500-yen coin, and a silver medal.The coins come in a leather case and it was called "Proof Coin Set". The Coins will be on a first come first serve basis because a maximum of 60,000 coins will be produced and sold in Japan for 13,000 Yen each including tax and postage.
The Other Coin set in a Doraemon-style plastic case plays a tune when the case is opened. It will be sold for 2,300 Yen and unlimited orders will be taken during the application period.
Applications can be made by postcard between July 21 and Aug. 10. Deliveries will begin in late August.
Souce: Mainichi Daily News
Category > Manga
Newtype USA will be releasing game-based Evangelion manga, Angelic Hearts, as serial starting in August issue.
Read More... | Souce: Newtype USA
Category > Fandom
Following up on our earlier story on the Otaku Test, The Japan Times Online are running a story on how big the response has been, apparently publisher Biblos expected only 1,000 people would apply, but it seems that the actual number will be much bigger. The article also has example questions for the test and a brief history of the origin of otaku.
Souce: The Japan Times Online
Category > Manga
Tokyopop has announced that it will be teaming up with CosmoGIRL!, the fastest-selling teen magazine on newsstands, to produce a monthly manga serial in the magazine’s pages. This August will see the debut of "The Adventures of CG!", a shojo-style manga written and drawn by Svetlana Chmakova, the creator of Tokyopop’s upcoming release Dramacon.
Read More... | Souce: Tokyopop
Category > Manga
Gollancz Manga have sent us the details for their UK Manga releases. Starting August they'll be releasing manga on the first Monday of every month. Gollancz entered into an exclusive arrangement with VIZ to publish their titles in the UK. The titles available will include Yu-Gi-Oh!, Fushigi Yugi, Dragon Ball and Case Closed.
Many UK manga fans would have already got these titles from certain retailers offering the American import versions, but since these are the official UK versions it means that they'll be more easily available. Libraries for example will be able to order manga if they so wish through their distributors. The Otaku News Crew are excited to hear about this and look forward to seeing even more manga in the UK.
Read More... | Souce: Gollancz Manga
Category > Manga
EigoManga have just sent us a press release of their latest announcement.
Read More... | Souce: EigoManga
Category > Manga
We've just got a press release from ICE Kunion, a joint enterprise between Korean publishing companies Sigongsa, Seoul Cultural and others. They mention their October line up, which includes Angel Diary, Chocolat, The 11th Cat and Bring It On, which have sold a combined total of almost a million copies in Korea alone.
The Otaku News crew note that this press release is interesting, since Korean comic books are normally incorrectly marketed as manga to people who automatically assume it is from Japan. ICE Kunion are marketing their titles are Korean and are taking pride in it claiming that "Korean Manhwa has taken over Japanese Manga to be the hottest books in the market".
Read More... | Souce: ICE Kunion
Category > Fandom
Who is the biggest otaku? Is your friend Steve a bigger otaku than you? If so why? Well publisher Biblos are going to solve this question finally by holding the first Japanese national unified otaku proficient exam in their August 5th Edition of Elfix Magazine.
They claim they want to nurture an "otaku elite to carry the otaku culture through the 21st century".
The Mainichi Daily News explain that the magazine will even grade their otaku awareness level if readers write their answers down on a postcard and send it to the Elfix staff. The best results will be printed in the October 5th edition of the magazine.
Read More... | Souce: Mainichi Daily News
Category > Manga
Going to school to learn about art just got a whole lot cooler. At least in Japan it has. Anime News Network has announced that the first ever Manga Department will begin next spring in 2006 at Kyoto Seika University in Japan. The school's already existing manga art courses will be merged together to form the new department. 200 students will have the option to take classes that not only include how to produce manga, but also animation courses as well. No details have yet been provided on exactly what classes will be available.
Souce: Anime News Network
Category > Anime
VIZ Media, LLC has announced on its website that it has made licensing deals with Bandai America and Hot Topic, Inc. for one of its most popular titles, "Naruto", the action-comedy about a young ninja, infused with the spirit of a powerful fox-demon, who strives to be the greatest ninja of all and learns life lessons along the way. This comes following the announcement of the "Naruto" anime, currently one of the highest rated shows in Japan, debuting on Cartoon Network this fall. VIZ Media currently publishes the "Naruto" manga in the monthly anthology "Shonen Jump", as well as in graphic novel format.
Read More... | Souce: VIZ Media
Category > Events
Popular UK Anime convention AyaCon are now down to their last 49 places. The convention always proves a hit and once it has sold out getting a ticket to the event is very hard, normally people have to wait for registered members to cancel.
AyaCon 5 is set to be the biggest UK anime convention to date with 1200 fans in attendance. Currently hosting an anime convention of this size is tricky and it's always nice to know that the people running the convention have experience and a proven track record at organising anime conventions. So book now to avoid disappointment.
What will be interesting to see is where will anime conventions go after this. Anime and manga is getting increasingly popular in the UK and more events are being held all the time. Surely more people will want to go to anime conventions run by anime fans like AmeCon, AyaCon and MinamiCon, however there are a only a limited number of venues that can cater for a fan run anime convention in the UK larger than 1200 people, anything bigger and all sorts of logistical factors kick in making organising an event a lot more complex. The Otaku News Crew wonder what will happen next, will these conventions continue with the same capacity, or will they be able to find even bigger venues to hold larger events? Whatever happens we certainly look forward to future fan run anime conventions.
Souce: AyaCon
Category > Fandom
Here at Otaku News, not only do we cover anime news, manga news and news for fans of Japan, but we also like to run stories on otaku! We have to, otherwise we would have to search for another name! ^_-
The Mainichi Daily News are currently running a story about Female Otaku in Japan and fandom from their perspective. It certainly makes an interesting read. You'll also learn that Ikebukuro is the otaku girls paradise, while Akihabara is the guys (but everyone probably already knows about Akihabara, the electronic district in Tokyo).
Souce: Mainichi Daily News
Category > Events
Sonia Leong over at Sweatdrop Studios has just sent us some details about a special discount at The Artists & Illustrators Exhibition (21-24 July, Business Design Centre, London, UK). For more details read the full press release.
Read More... | Souce: Sweatdrop Studios
Category > Manga
According to Manga News service, Japan’s National Tax Administration Agency released its annual figures for the highest taxable income of celebrities for May 16. This year Rumiko Takashi resulted the highest paid Mangaka.
Read More... | Souce: Manga News Service
Category > Manga
TokyoPop has announced that they will launch a new branch of their successful Cine-Manga line. This July, they will release the first of the new Jr. Cine-Manga books that will, they predict, revolutionize the children’s book market by bringing beloved characters and storylines from the screen to an original exciting visual format.
Read More... | Souce: TokyoPop
Category > Events
Sonia Leong from UK manga style art group Sweatdrop Studios has just sent us the details of a Manga Art Competition which will be held at the London Expo this weekend. The competition is sponsored by Letraset who will be giving the winners some highly desirable colour professional Letraset Tria Marker collections, worth over £70 each.
So if you can draw and will be at the London Expo then why not give it a shot? ^_^
Read More... | Souce: Sweatdrop
Category > Manga
One subsection of the Manga industry that is often ignored is that of ‘real-life’ manga, which in Japan is enjoyed by a wide range of people who are not necessarily what you would call otaku. In France a writer called Frédéric Boilet has made strong strides in trying to correct this fact as well as create a whole new manga subgenre.
Read More... | Souce: Ponent Mon
Category > Manga
Following on this story, Gollancz have confirmed more details of the release of the Dragon Ball Z and the Yu-Gi-Oh series in mainstream book shops. The cartoon series of both have caught the attention of the UK audience by their showing on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon and now it will be possible from August to buy the manga titles from all good book shops, with Ottakars especially making a push with these titles.
Read More... | Souce: Amazon.co.uk
Category > Manga
Following on from our earlier story Tokyopop are to offer a chance for UK creators to earn prizes and receive a chance to have their own Graphic Novel.
Read More... | Souce: Tokyopop.com
Category > Freaky Things
Anime and manga fans in the UK have always dreamed of their favourite hobby becoming more mainstream, without doubt over the last year or so this has happened. What key indicators are we using for this? Sales figures in highstreet retailers? Availability of manga in bookshops? No, we're using hair products. Anime and manga characters have always been noted for having very distinct hairstyles and beauty products company Garnier have just released Fructis Style Manga Head styling putty in the UK. It seems that either their marketing department are cool and hip or Garnier have found a niche market of otaku who want to emulate their favourite characters.
Read More... | Souce: Garnier Beauty Bar
Category > Events
The International Manga and Anime Festival have just announced the winners of their first international competition. The London based event started last year as a trial run and has proved very successful indeed. The entrants work was displayed in London County Hall in December. This was a very high profile event, located near the famous London Eye, with a $75,000 prize fund which even ran adverts in national newspapers. We covered the story originally here.
The Otaku News Crew would like to congratulate all the winners in this competition, especially talented artist Wing Yun Man, who is well known in UK anime fandom as part of the Sweatdrop Team, she is also a member of the Otaku News Crew and finds time post the occasional story and draw lovely artwork for us!
Read More... | Souce: IMAF
Category > Manga
Following on from our story about Viz being distributed in the UK, we now have the offical press release from Gollancz.
Read More... | Souce: Orion Books
Category > Manga
In regards to the previous article about 'Trick-Or Thieves', it turns out the original announcement on the author's deviantART account is actually an April Fool's joke!
M. Alice LeGrow stated that she would never write a story like this, although she is working on multiple projects for Tokyopop. Unfortunately, 'Trick-Or-Thieves' is not one of them.
Souce: deviantART
Category > Manga
Bizenghast writer & author M. Alice LeGrow has announced a second book deal with Tokyopop. The new series ‘Trick or Thieves’ follows three girls who steal candy from large candy factories to give to children, Legrow describes it as ‘like Robin Hood, but with a cute candy theme.’ The series is due to launch around Halloween next year, whilst Bizenghast is set to launch August this year.
Read More... | Souce: Deviantart.com
Category > Manga
For some time Viz titles have only been available through specialist importers in the UK, but thankfully for those without access to these services the UK will finally get versions of it’s own. UK publishers Gollancz have struck a deal with Viz and will be publishing Viz’s titles in the UK under the imprint Gollancz manga. Titles include: Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Case Closed and Fushigi Yugi. The books will be priced at £4.99 and be available from August.
Souce: The Book Standard
Category > Anime
Those nice folks from Newtype USA have sent us the details of their April Issue, which has features on Fearless Females (including the cute and shocking Elfen Lied and Gunslinger Girl), along an with interview from Seiji Mizushima the director of Fullmetal Alchemist. The free DVD includes the first episodes of Maburaho and Gravion Zwei.
Read More... | Souce: Newtype USA
Category > Press Releases
UK manga style art group Sweatdrop Studios has announced that they will be attending the London MCM Expo and will be running the artists alley section of the 'anime village'. The MCM Expo is running on the 14 & 15th May.
Read More... | Souce: London Expo
Category > Events
Comic Expo is a new UK comic convention in Bristol 14th - 15th MAY 2005. Which seems to be making an effort to include manga fans within the convention. The biggest news is that Tokyopop UK will be launching its new 'Rising Stars of Manga' competition which for the first time will be open to UK artists. The convention also lists a "Tokyopop cine-manga night" but there are no details so it's hard to understand what this means.
Tokyopop Cine-manga are comics made out of animation screenshots (which with Tokyopop aren't all based on anime e.g. Disney), so it's unclear if it's some sort of presentation, anime screening or broader animation screening.
Also of interest is a talk by Paul Gravett which is billed as 'PAUL GRAVETT gets Re-Animeted. Celebrating 60 years of the genre.'
Read More... | Souce: Comic Expo
Category > Press Releases
eigoManga have sent us a rather strange press release. Their titles Rumble Pak and Sakura Pakk are curently competing for a nomination for an the 2005 Eisner Award. Basically it means they've submitted a form to apply for what is know as the "Oscars" of comics. Still they've put up some of their stuff to look at for free!
Read More... | Souce: eigoManga
Category > Manga
The Otaku News Crew have been sent this request from a Publisher who requires someone with a large manga collecton -
Publisher seeks manga collectors in South East England with collections of 75-100 plus translated titles, mostly non hentai. Author and publisher would like to visit you and look at your titles as part of picture research for new book. Small fee and thanks in book. If interested send your list of titles/authors and your address to
chippymouseuk@yahoo.co.uk
Souce: Publisher