Classic Media’s latest DVD release includes the Japanese and American versions of Toho’s RODAN and WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS, plus the new documentary
BRINGING GODZILLA DOWN TO SIZE. Photos courtesy of Classic Media. © 2008 Classic Media, Inc./© 1956, 1966 Toho Co., Ltd.

Source: Classic Media, Inc.
Official site: Godzilla on DVD
Special Thanks to Lisa Bull

Classic Media completes their “Toho Master Collection” with a 2-disc set of RODAN (Sora no daikaiju Radon, 1956) and WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (Furankenshutain no Kaiju: Sanda tai Gaira, 1966), featuring the American and Japanese versions of both films. As an added bonus, the RODAN DVD also includes the brand-new feature length documentary BRINGING GODZILLA DOWN TO SIZE.

The RODAN and WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS DVD collection is available now from Classic Media’s Godzilla on DVD website. The set will be available from online retailers and in stores on September 9, 2008. The suggested retail price is $19.95.

SciFi Japan presents an early look at the upcoming DVD set with screenshots from all five films.
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Mach 5 packaging tin and contents for Lionsgate’s upcoming SPEED RACER COMPLETE CLASSIC SERIES COLLECTION DVD set.
Photo courtesy of Lionsgate and Bender/Helper Impact. © 1966 Speed Racer Enterprises, Inc.

Entire 1966 Anime Series on DVD; Packaged in Mach 5 Tin
Source: Lionsgate
Offical Site: The Official Store of Speed Racer
Special Thanks to Katie Walsh and Marissa Weinstein

Go back to the roots of the animation-craze and relive the classic SPEED RACER series from the beginning as Lionsgate releases the SPEED RACER COMPLETE CLASSIC SERIES COLLECTION. The collection is packaged in a stylish tin shaped like the classic Mach 5 and features all 52 episodes of the hugely successful animated series on 5 discs. The set also features a sixth disc packed with bonus material. SPEED RACER COMPLETE CLASSIC SERIES COLLECTION will be available on October 7th for the suggested retail price of $49.98.
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Source: Kodansha International Ltd.
Special Thanks to Matt Alt and Gregory Starr

Cover art for the new book Yokai Attack!: The Japanese
Monster Survival Guide. Photo courtesy of Kodansha
International. © 2008 Kodansha International Ltd.

The legends of Japan are replete with tales of the strange creatures known as yokai. Not quite apparitions, monsters, or ghosts, the yokai are mystical beings that secretly live in the world of men. Mostly unseen, they come in a variety of bizarre forms— some hideous, some cute— and have incredible supernatural powers. They tend to be mischievous and playful, but they are sometimes dangerous towards humans because the yokai are not restrained by the laws of nature. Most avoid people and simply haunt the province where they were “born”, but others enjoy the company of men and travel all over Japan.

Following their prominent place in Japanese folklore, the yokai have been the subject of numerous films over the years. Notable examples include the classic trilogy produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company in the late 1960s; THE HUNDRED MONSTERS (Yokai Hyaku Monogatari, 1968), SPOOK WARFARE (Yokai Daisenso, 1968), and ALONG WITH GHOSTS (Tokaido Obake Dochu, 1969); plus Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar winning blockbuster SPIRITED AWAY (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, 2001), director Tomoo Haraguchi’s SAKUYA (Sakuya Yokaiden, 2001) and KIBAKICHI (Kibakichi Bakko Yokaiden, 2004), Takashi Miike’s THE GREAT YOKAI WAR (Yokai Daisenso, 2005), and the recent box office hit KITARO (Gegege no Kitaro, 2007).

Now publisher Kodansha International is releasing the first English-language guide to yokai. Entitled Yokai Attack!: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide, the book is a fun and informative look at nearly 50 of these odd creatures by authors Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt (Hello Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan) and manga artist Tatsuya Morino (Kibakichi).

The book was released in Japan this past June and is now on sale in North America and Europe.
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The fan-favorite Ryuk the Shinigami is back int he conclusion of the Death Note saga; DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME.
Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2006 [Death Note] Film Partners

Film to be Digitally Screened in Nearly 400 Theaters on October 15 and 16
Source: VIZ Media
Official Movie Site (Japan): Death-Note-Movie
Official Movie Site (US): Death Note Films

Ad for the upcoming US theatrical screenings of Shusuke Kaneko’s
DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME. Photo courtesy of VIZ Media.
© 2006 [Death Note] Film Partners

VIZ Pictures has announced that it will again team with NCM FATHOM, the entertainment division of National CineMedia, to present a special two-night, multi-city event — DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME at nearly 400 theatres across the United States on October 15 and 16 at 7:30pm local time.

VIZ Pictures previously teamed with NCM FATHOM to present the first DEATH NOTE live-action theatre event earlier this year. Based on the enthusiastic attendance and the continued success of the DEATH NOTE franchise, the companies will stage another unique event, this time with the live-action DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME (English dubbed) appearing in nearly every major U.S. city with this next chapter of the thrilling saga based on the popular Japanese manga series.

The theatre event will also feature an exclusive behind-the-scenes look about the creation of this breakthrough live-action event, an in-depth interview with director Shusuke Kaneko, who also directed DEATH NOTE, and a unique profile of the cast. For a complete list of theatre locations, prices and ticket information, please visit FathomEvents.com (theatres are subject to change). Additional information about DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME, trailers and background on the manga and animated series are available at Death Note Films.
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All-Star Korean Cast Teams with US FX Crew for Large Scale Disaster Movie
Source: Polygon Entertainment official press release, official Korean press release
Translations and Additional Material: Kim Song-ho (Loomis)

The popular Haeundae Beach will be wiped out by a tsunami in the South
Korean disaster film HAEUNDAE. Photo courtesy of Polygon Entertainment

On August 18, 2008, Doosaboo Film, Inc. began principal photography on the disaster film HAEUNDAE at the beaches of Busan, South Korea. Besides serving as the name of the movie, Haeundae is one of the most popular beaches in Korea; on any given day one can find more than 100,000 tourists packed on its narrow one-mile strip of sand. The beach is also home to Korea’s world-famous Pusan International Film Festival.

In the upcoming film— billed as “South Korea’s first big-budget disaster movie”— Haeundae Beach and the surrounding district will be utterly destroyed by a tsunami.

The American feature film production company Polygon Entertainment will create the special effects and provide the CGI for the picture. Director Youn Je-Kyoun enthusiatically announced, “With Polygon Entertainment’s founders’ impressive resume of past productions like THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, THE PERFECT STORM, and MASTER AND COMMANDER we are all excited to see what they come up with for this action-packed film. We know it’s going to be footage never before seen!”
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Combined US/Japanese Effort Preserves a Landmark in Japanese Cinema; Academy Presents 3 Month Celebration of Akira Kurosawa
Source: Kadokawa Pictures, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Special Thanks to Oki Miyano

Toshiro Mifune stars in Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 masterpiece RASHOMON, now
fully restored due to the efforts of Kadokawa Culture Promotion Foundation, The
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and The Film Foundation. Photo
courtesy of Kadokawa Pictures. © 1950 Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.

Akira Kurosawa’s RASHOMON (1950) was one of the first Japanese films to receive widespread international recognition. After winning the Grand Prize at the 1951 Venice International Film Festival, RASHOMON was released in the United States to successful box office and great critical acclaim. Both the movie and its director won top honors from the National Board of Review, and RASHOMON was also awarded an honorary Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

In 2004, Kadokawa Pictures’ Film Preservation Project began the task of inspecting, restoring and duplicating the fragile original negatives of their classic films. RASHOMON was one of the first titles chosen; and the film has now been digitally restored thanks to the efforts of Kadokawa Culture Promotion Foundation, The Film Foundation and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Kadokawa Pictures President Taiichi Inoue stated that the movie “will appear on the screen with the same power and beauty as when it was first released”.

Kadokawa Pictures and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have issued press releases that include details on the restoration of RASHOMON as well as news on the first US theatrical screening of the restored film and a massive exhibition of Kurosawa’s movies and artwork.
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Upcoming anime DVDs from VIZ include DEATH NOTE Volume 6 (with Limited Edition Collector’s Figure of Rem) and BLEACH Volume 12.
Photos courtesy of VIZ Media. DEATH NOTE © 2003 by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata. © Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot

Standard and Deluxe Box Set Editions for Popular Series DEATH NOTE, BLEACH, NARUTO, INUYASHA And RANMA ½
Source: VIZ Media

VIZ Media, LLC has announced an exciting array of new DVD releases for the 3rd Quarter of 2008 that expand some of the most popular animated series in North America. The new releases include DVD Box Sets and Special Editions containing limited edition collectible figurines, as well as the latest single disc editions for popular series including BLEACH, NARUTO, and DEATH NOTE, as well as much-loved classics like INUYASHA and RANMA ½.
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11 Japanese Directors Explore the Writings of Revered Author Natsume Soseki
Source: Cinema Epoch
Japanese Movie Website: yume-juya.jp
Special Thanks to Gregory Hatanaka

US poster and DVD art for TEN NIGHTS OF DREAMS. Photo
courtesy of Cinema Epoch. © 2006 Ten Nights of Dreams
Film Partners/2008 Cinema Epoch

“I am an ambitious man who wants the people of 100 years hence to solve my riddle.”
– author Natsume Soseki (1906)

In 1906, Natsume Soseki— the most renowned author of the Meiji Era— challenged audiences of this modern age to solve the riddle of his stories. In 2006, eleven of Japan’s top directors took up that challenge and created the anthology film TEN NIGHTS OF DREAMS. Based on the same-titled short story collection, TEN NIGHTS OF DREAMS delves into the surreal subconscious with ten madly imaginative, reality-subverting visions that range from wonderfully wacky to nightmarishly unsettling.

The list of directors includes such high profile names as the legendary Kon Ichikawa (THE BURMESE HARP); the late Akio Jissoji (ULTRAMAN); horror maestro Takashi Shimizu (THE GRUDGE); Nobuhiro Yamashita (LINDA LINDA LINDA); Yudai Yamaguchi (CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL); and FINAL FANTASY character designer Yoshitaka Amano.

TEN NIGHTS OF DREAMS is now coming to America courtesy of Los Angeles-based Cinema Epoch. The film will have a one week theatrical run at the ImaginAsian Center in Los Angeles from August 22-28, with a premiere screening this Friday, August 22. Additional theatrical screenings and a DVD release have been announced.

Theater dates, DVD news, and additional information and photos are now on SciFi Japan.
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Screen shots from Warner Bros. Home Video’s new DVD of WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH. © 1969 Hammer Film Productions, Ltd./ Warner Bros.

Hammer Films’ Stop-Motion Animation Classic Finally Released Uncut and in Widescreen on DVD
Author: Loren Portillo
Special Thanks to Jim Danforth

Cover art the “Sci-Fi Double Feature” MOON ZERO TWO
/WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH. © 2008 Warner
Bros. Home Video

Warner Bros. Home Video’s latest wave of Best Buy exclusive “Sci-Fi Double Feature” DVDs includes the stop-motion animation favorite WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH paired with MOON ZERO TWO. This set has caught the attention of monster movie enthusiasts because it finally presents WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH uncut and in widescreen— unlike the earlier VHS and laserdisc versions from several years ago. The suggested retail price for the DVD is $19.98.

Released in 1970 by Hammer Films and Warner Bros., WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH is supposedly a direct sequel to Ray Harryhausen’s 1966 version of ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. starring Raquel Welch, but I view it more like a remake with a few new twists. Cavewoman Sanna (1968 Playboy Playmate of the Year Victoria Vetri) is being sacrificed by the Rock Tribe to their sun god for being of fair skin and blonde hair. She able to escape during a fearsome storm and is later saved by Tara (Robin Hawdon), a fisherman from another hostile tribe. The two fall in love, which angers Tara’s dangerous brunette girlfriend Ayak (Imogen Hassall).

Sound familiar? But let’s be honest:if you came to view a film titled WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH you came to see the dinosaurs, right? 29 year old special visual effects artist Jim Danforth— with assistance from Roger Dicken (ALIEN) and the late Dave Allen of EQUINOX fame— does not dissapoint. They put on an Oscar nominated show with some of the most realistic stop-motion effects ever commited to film.
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Cover art for the INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL two-disc Special Edition DVD, the single disc DVD, and the Blu-ray edition.
Photos courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment. © 2008 Lucasfilm Ltd.

Source: Paramount Home Entertainment and Click Communications
Official Website: Indiana Jones
Special Thanks to Scott Neumyer

From Paramount Home Entertainment…

On October 14th, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Entertainment will release the worldwide box office blockbuster INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL on DVD and Blu-ray! One of cinema’s greatest adventure heroes is back in this latest chapter of the immensely popular INDIANA JONES franchise! Directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Frank Marshall, with George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy as executive producers, the smash hit stars Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf, Ray Winstone and John Hurt, all following Indy on a perilous adventure to find the coveted Crystal Skull of Akator. Utterly packed with exciting bonus features, this may just be the biggest DVD and Blu-ray release of the year! Put on your fedora and grab your handy whip as INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL blazes onto DVD and Blu-ray October 14th!!

Packaging art, pricing info and DVD specs for the two-disc Special Edition DVD, the single disc DVD, and Blu-ray are now on SciFi Japan.
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Director Minoru Kawasaki’s EXECUTIVE KOALA, THE WORLD SINKS EXCEPT JAPAN, and THE RUG COP get the deluxe DVD treatment this November.
Photos courtesy of Synapse Films. © 2005-06 Klockworx Co., Ltd.

Synapse Films Presents Three Serious Satires from Japan’s Top Cult Comedy Director
Source: Synapse Films, Twitch
Special Thanks to Marc Walkow and Donald May, Jr.

In November, Synapse Films will release DVDs of three movies by cult filmmaker Minoru Kawasaki, the director of the internationally acclaimed comedy THE CALAMARI WRESTLER and the recent kaiju film MONSTER X STRIKES BACK/ ATTACK THE G8 SUMMIT!.

Among Kawaski’s films are EXECUTIVE KOALA, a murder mystery involving an anthropomorphic koala bear businessman who lives in Japan, CRAB GOALKEEPER, about a crab who joins a Japanese soccer team, and THE RUG COP, in which a police officer uses his toupee like a flying guillotine. He also directed and starred in DEN-ACE, a series of comedic short films about an Ultraman-type superhero.

Synapse Films will be bringing Kawasaki’s EXECUTIVE KOALA, THE WORLD SINKS EXCEPT JAPAN, and THE RUG COP to DVD for the first time in America. Each film in the “Minoru Kawasaki Collection” comes with an anamorphic widescreen transfer, newly-translated, removable English subtitles, and a variety of bonus features. Complete details are now on SciFi Japan.
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US theatrical poster for the comedy HAPPILY EVER AFTER. The
film is based on a hit manga and stars Miki Nakatani (TRAIN
MAN: DENSHA OTOKO) and Hiroshi Abe (GODZILLA 2000) as a
married couple that doesn’t always see eye to eye. Photo
courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2007 HAPPILY EVER AFTER Film
Partners

Live Action Film Based on the Popular Manga Series Comes to America
Source: VIZ Media
Japanese Movie Website: jigyaku.com
US Movie Website: Viz Pictures: HAPPILY EVER AFTER

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced a series of special theatrical screenings of HAPPILY EVER AFTER (Jigyaku no Uta), a live-action comedy directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi (MEMORIES OF TOMORROW) and based on a popular manga series by Yoshiie Gouda. The manga was first published in 1996 and has sold more than 300,000 copies.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER will screen in Seattle, WA August 15-21 at the Grand Illusion Cinema, followed by Scottsdale, AZ for a showing on October 4th at the Scottsdale International Film Festival, and then onto Pittsburgh, PA for a screening on October 10th at the 2008 Japanese Film Festival at the University of Pittsburgh. VIZ Pictures also plans a DVD release of the film in February 2009.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER was the subject of controversy upon its initial release in October, 2007 for its depiction of a co-dependent and devoted, but troubled wife, and her boorish, unemployed and often abusive husband. But director Yukihiko Tsutsumi keeps the laughs coming as he explores a sensitive subject in a visually striking, and darkly comedic way.
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Among the VIZ 2009 titles is Naoki Urusawa’s 20th
Century Boys. The hit sci-fi manga is currently being
adapted into three live action films from Toho. Photo
courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2008 Naoki Urusawa
/Shogakukan Inc.

Latest News Includes New Manga Titles for 2009, an Eisner Award, and the Launch of Stan Lee & Hiroyuki Takei’s ULTIMO
Source: VIZ Media

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages.

VIZ has made several recent announcements about new and upcoming projects that includes an Eisner Award win for Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White, the launch of several major titles in 2009 (such as Naoki Urusawa’s 20th Century Boys and the Astro Boy update Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka), and the new Shonen Jump magazine series ULTIMO, which was co-created by comic book legend Stan Lee.
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BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

The online media distribution company Crunchyroll has signed licensing deals with the New York-based anime and live action DVD distributor Media Blasters, the Japanese media company GDH K.K., and the anime producer-distributor ADV Films to provide streaming, subscription, and download-to-own viewing for a number of animated series and feature film properties. These new offerings will begin appearing online later this month at www.crunchyroll.com.
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Front and back outer packaging art for the IRON MAN: 2-DISC ULTIMATE EDITION DVD; front cover for the Blu-ray edition.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment. IRON MAN, the Movie © 2008 MVL Film Finance LLC. Iron Man, the Character: TM & © 2008 Marvel Entertainment

Source: Paramount Home Entertainment and Click Communications
Official Website: Iron Man Movie
Special Thanks to Scott Neumyer

From Paramount Home Entertainment…

On September 30th, Paramount Home Entertainment will release the critically acclaimed box office smash IRON MAN: 2-DISC ULTIMATE EDITION on DVD and Blu-ray! What more can be said about this enormous blockbuster hit Super Hero film? IRON MAN is easily one of the year’s most exciting, inventive, and entertaining cinematic thrill rides. Directed by Jon Favreau (Elf) and boasting an all-star cast full of Academy Award nominees Robert Downey Jr. (Zodiac, Chaplin), Jeff Bridges (The Contender) and Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow) and Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare In Love). With several hours of exciting bonus features, this is easily a “can’t miss” release! Get ready as IRON MAN: 2-DISC ULTIMATE EDITION blasts off on DVD and Blu-ray September 30th!!

Packaging art, pricing info and complete DVD specs for the 2-DISC ULTIMATE EDITION DVD and Blu-ray plus the Single-disc DVD are now on SciFi Japan.
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