Katanagatari Leak: Was It Deliberate?

Word reached me early this morning that White Fox, whose OVA project Katanagatari premieres on January 25, had one of their FTP servers hacked (a la Funimation, albeit with actual hacking.) Fortunately the only things leaked were production art, storyboards, scripts, a few music files, and the OP sequence.

In other words, nothing of any real value, and nothing that would cause any major monetary loss by White Fox, right? There’s already speculation that White Fox could have done this on purpose to drive off negative press surrounding their adaptation of the Katanagatari light novels.

But let’s not jump to conclusions.

Gonzo Shows Signs of the Times, But Nothing Surprising

Canned Dogs pointed out on Monday that Studio Gonzo’s official online store, through which they sell their DVDs, CDs and other merch, is closing at the end of September. “Gonzo Style” has been up since 2005, and their closing is noted as being rather abrupt.

However, as the Canned Dogs article mentioned, Gonzo has not confirmed any series since Saki and Shangri-La from spring 2009, and those are set to end this fall. Upon looking over our fall preview more closely, I realized that Gonzo indeed has no series set to air this fall. They also previously cancelled their planned adaptation of Alive, a highly anticipated series, and have remained rather mum about other franchises.

As we all know, store closing + lack of new series = possible meltdown/closing. But let’s not jump to conclusions too fast.

[Update 2] ADV Films Announces Shutdown; Assets Transferred to Other Companies

A.D. Vision, parent company of former anime industry leader ADV Films, announced its closure today, according to ANN and Anime Vice. The press release indicated that Seraphim Studios, Valkyrie Media Partners, Section 23 Films and AEsir Holdings, are receiving pieces of ADV Films’ company, including the on-demand programming and production studio. No word yet from the involved companies regarding series acquired and possible distribution/release issues.

ANN’s post and other sources imply that AEsir Holdings, the only company that has allegedly actually acquired series, has only obtained “selected programming” and not ADV’s entire library.

BH will keep updating this post as more info becomes available.

Edit/Correction: Updated with more detailed info, and an incorrect listing of VIZ Media as a company receiving assets was removed. Sorry for any confusion.

Edit 2: Sentai Filmworks, a close partner of ADV, has licensed the Blue Drop, Polyphonica, You’re Under Arrest season 2, Special A and Tears to Tiara anime series, and Section 23 Films will be releasing the series beginning in November. No word yet on dubbing or episode counts per DVD/box set. Also re-acquired are A Little Sugar Snow Fairy from ADV and some live-action series from Switchblade Pictures.

Kirameki ★ Yoko Box – S.t.a.r.S

Gainax…. you’re a loveable bunch of whores. For a project as self-promoting as this one (the sexy gun-toting Yoko singing a pop song?!? The fanboys drool at the mere thought!) you went and pulled out all the stops to make an epic, slickly animated PV that even cynical feminazi me can’t stop rewatching. Good job. Gurren-Lagann really is taking over the position as Gainax’s whoremobile cash cow. Sayonara, Evangelion?

(warning – screencap spammage below. Luckily, it’s all SFW, though the video itself has some skank moments…)

English Trailer of Ponyo released

http://io9.com/5301790/english+language-trailer-for-hayao-miyazakis-ponyo-surfaces

Ponyo, a studio Ghibli film which be released in theaters in August 2009, has put out an English trailer. I have to say, it’s very exciting to watch, even if it’s short. The film appears to be cross between the style of Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro and dare I say, Finding Nemo.

It’s hard to say which I find more exciting, the gorgeous ocean scenes that include comb jellies, the intense actions scenes, or the fact that Tina Fey is helping do the redub, as I do quite love Tina Fey.

While I’m guessing the film will be in the little art theaters rather then in a major theaters (although I secretly hope otherwise) and am going to have to wait patiently for our Little Art Theater. Although, in all honesty, I’d be willing to go up to Columbus just to see it.  No way am I waiting for it to come out on DVD.

Here’s to the the movie that officially has me more excited then even Up or Transformers.

-Janette E.

Funimation Wants Input

sushiwolf linked me this on LJ, and now I’m sending it to you here.  Funimation is holding a poll to gauge interest in anime series to dub.  Probably the most out of left-field here is a proposed redub of Sailor Moon.  So, take a few minutes out of your day and participate.

I’m personally hoping for a dub of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei…

http://blog.funimation.com/2009/05/we-need-your-input/

Full Metal Panic! Licensed For Film By US Company

In another example of the rising trend of ambitious anime-to-live-action US-based projects, Mandalay Pictures has acquired the film rights to the original Full Metal Panic! light novel series. No word has been released on direcotrs or writers, and no preliminary release year has been announced. Zac Efron is allegedly being considered for an unspecified role.

Zac Efron.

I’m hauling my butt off hiatus to rant about this, so you know the rest of this is gonna be venomous. You have been warned.

Deborah Fourzan found

Via America’s Most Wanted.

This is an update to a post I made almost two weeks ago.  And quite frankly I’ve never been so happy to eat my own words.  The missing congoing child was safely recovered in Washington state, and her abductor has been taken into custody.  So, if you were lying awake, wondering what, if anything, was going to happen with that, now you know.

If only more cases could end this way…

Deborah Fourzan Still Missing

Author’s Edit: She’s been found!

Via ANN.

For those of you that haven’t been paying attention for the last month, on February 2, Deborah Fourzan went missing from Tecumseh, OK.  Why does this have any bearing on you at all?  Well, in her note upon disappearing, she mentioned that she and her abductor were going to attend several anime conventions on the way out west to a big one in California.

TV Tokyo’s Overseas Plans

Via ANN.

So TV Tokyo is going to try and focus on overseas marketing in order to increase its revenue.  One of their executives cites this as the only way to preserve the industry in the long run.  Now the question is, is this a good idea?