The hit football anime EYESHIELD 21 has been added to the Crunchyroll lineup.
© 2005 NAS, TV Tokyo, Shueisha

Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

The online media distribution distribution giant Crunchyroll has announced a new partnership with CoMix Wave Films to provide streaming and subscriptions for the Japanese entertainment company’s popular anime titles KAEDE NEWTOWN (available now) and YONNA IN THE SOLITARY FORTRESS beginning in January 2009.

In separate deals, Crunchyroll will also begin distributing the hit American football anime series EYESHIELD 21 as well as the video game adaptations NEO ANGELIQUE ABYSS and NEO ANGELIQUE ABYSS SECOND STAGE. ANGELIQUE and the first eight episodes of EYESHIELD 21 will be available for ad-supported free streaming to all users on January 2nd, 2009, while Crunchyroll Anime Members can enjoy a higher quality ad-free experience.
Continued…

All 28 titles in Toho’s Godzilla series have been restored in high definition ©2008 Nihon Eiga Satellite Broadcasting Corp., © Toho Co., Ltd

Restoring the iconic series for the future of high definition
Author: James Ballard
Official Website: Japanese Movie Speciality Channel

Earlier this year, a joint collaboration between Toho and the Japanese Movie Speciality Channel saw the restoration of the entire Godzilla series in high definition. Between October and December, all 28 of the newly remastered titles were broadcast in HD on the Japanese Movie Speciality Channel in Japan.

Join SciFi Japan as we take a look at the tremendous work undertaken to prepare Godzilla for the world of high definition!
Continued…

Koichi Takano (standing, center) supervises the filming of Gomora for ULTRAMAN Episode 26, “The Imperial Monster”, in 1966. The talented producer and special
effects director passed away in November. Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions.© 1966 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.

Author: Bob Johnson and Brad Warner
Translations: Brad Warner
Special Thanks to James Ballard, Keith Aiken, Norman England, Shusuke Kaneko and Takeshi Yagi

Former Tsuburaya Productions managing director Koichi Takano passed away on November 30, 2008 at a hospital in the Tokyo metropolitan area at the age of 73 from emphysema.

Takano started as a cameraman at Toho on films like GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN before being invited by Eiji Tsuburaya to join Tsuburaya Productions in 1963. He worked on ULTRA Q then became a Director of Special Effects on ULTRAMAN. Takano would have a hand in most of TPC’s shows up through ULTRAMAN COSMOS in 2002.

SciFi Japan remembers Koichi Takano with a biography and filmography plus rare behind the scenes photos of Takano at work on various Tsuburaya shows. We’re also honored to present personal messages from Takano’s friends and co-workers Brad Warner, Shusuke Kaneko (director of GMK and DEATH NOTE), and Takeshi Yagi (director of the new movie SUPERIOR ULTRAMAN 8 BROTHERS).
Continued…

Online Media Distribution Leader to Broadcast Anime Sequel on January 8, 2009
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release
Official Site (Japanese): druaga-anime
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

The popular THE TOWER OF DRUAGA characters return in
the new series THE SWORD OF URUK. © 2008 NBGI/Izumi
Project

On April 1, 2008, Gonzo animation premiered THE TOWER OF DRUAGA- ­THE AEGIS OF URUK (Doruaga no To -ji Ijisu obu Uruku), a 12 part anime television series based on Namco’s popular THE TOWER OF DRUAGA video games. The hit show was also simulcast online in Japanese and with English subtitles.

Now fans can return to the exciting world of THE TOWER OF DRUAGA in the sequel to ­THE AEGIS OF URUK with the Crunchyroll Anime Membership. Following on the suspense of the original title, the sequel THE TOWER OF DRUAGA-THE SWORD OF URUK promises to continue with many surprises in store. More information can be found at www.crunchyroll.com.

Crunchyroll Anime Membership will begin on January 8, 2009-in conjunction with the first ever world wide simulcast of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN and has a SPECIAL pre-order price of $6.95/month. Fans are encouraged to pre-order the subscription plan by January 8, 2009 to lock in the special holiday deal and begin enjoying over 100 fantastic anime titles in January. All fans can enjoy all content on the site for free, including the upcoming THE TOWER OF DRUAGA- ­THE SWORD OF URUK, but Anime Members will enjoy some additional special privileges.
Continued…

New Drama from the Award-Winning Director of THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI
Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Special Thanks to Aki Harimoto

Director Yoji Yamada will soon begin shooting OTOUTO.
Photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd.

Shochiku Co., Ltd. announced today that they would start production of Yoji Yamada’s latest feature, OTOUTO (original Japanese title). The film will start shooting in mid-January 2009.

Yoji Yamada now returns to modern drama for the first time in 10 years, following the enormous success of the samurai trilogy that included the Academy Award nominated film THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI (Tasogare Seibei, 2002), THE HIDDEN BLADE (Kakushi Ken, Oni no Tsume, 2004) and LOVE AND HONOR (Bushi no Ichibun, 2006). His last feature was the highly acclaimed KABEI – OUR MOTHER (Kabei, 2008), which premiered at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival in competition and moved the audience to tears with the strong drama of a family’s struggles through the hard times of WWII.

Shochiku Co. Ltd., will produce and also distribute OTOUTO nationwide in Japan, set for release in early 2010. OTOUTO will mark the 81st film from helmer Yoji Yamada.
Continued…

THE UNIVITED, DreamWorks Pictures’ remake of the Korean horror hit A TALE OF TWO SISTERS, opens in theaters across America on January 30, 2009.
Photo courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures. © 2008 DW Studios LLC. and Cold Spring Pictures

Production Notes for DreamWorks’ Remake of the Korean Horror Hit
Source: DreamWorks Pictures
Official Site: uninvitedmovie.com

Anna Ivers returns home after spending time in the hospital following the tragic death of her mother. Her recovery suffers a setback when she discovers her father has become engaged to her mother’s former nurse. That night, Anna is visited by her mother’s ghost, who warns her of Rachel’s intentions. Together, Anna and her sister Alex try to convince their father that his current fiancée is not who she pretends…

Exactly one year ago today, SciFi Japan ran an article on DreamWorks Pictures’ TALE OF TWO SISTERS, a remake of the 2003 Korean film A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (Janghwa, Hongryeon). The original movie, written and directed by Kim Jee-woon (THE QUIET FAMILY), was a critical and box office hit, becoming the most successful horror film in Korean history.

DreamWorks’ plans for an English language remake were first announced in June 2006, and the American version was scheduled for a 2008 theatrical launch. That release was eventually pushed back to January 30, 2009 and the film will now come to US cinemas as THE UNINVITED.
Continued…

Ultraman takes some time off from fighting
giant monsters and aliens to play Santa Claus
and enjoy the Christmas spirit. ©Tsuburaya
Productions

Author: the SciFi Japan team

The staff of SciFi Japan wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.

Thanks to all of our readers, contributors, news sources, and sponsors for their help and support in 2008. We’re proud and thrilled over how much this site has grown this past year, and we couldn’t have done it without you. We’ll keep working hard to make SciFi Japan a great source for indepth news and exclusives.

Check back here for a few more updates before year’s end… and then it’s on to 2009!

Be good and be safe.

The online media distributor Crunchyroll is premiering episodes of the live action Japanese series DETECTIVE OFFICE 5. © 2008 Detective Office

Online Media Distribution Leader to Stream North American Premiere of Japanese Live-Action Detective Franchise
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release, Dream Kid, Inc., various
Official Site: Tantei5.com
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

There have been many mystery heroes throughout its times. To name a few: Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and Philip Marlowe. They are legends. Now from Japan come new heroes at ‘D’etective ‘O’ffice ‘5’. Located in the gritty underbelly of Tokyo’s neighboring Kawasaki City. DO5 has a rich 60-year history of crime solving and is the headquarters where 100 detectives are employed. They don’t go by names. Each is identified by a personal code: A 3-digit number beginning with the number 5: 500 to 599. They combine their unique skills with ‘7 tools of the trade’ to solve impossible crimes.

Crunchyroll of San Francisco, CA and Dream Kid, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan have announced a partnership to premiere the Japanese live-action drama franchise DETECTIVE OFFICE 5 (Tantei Jimusho 5, 探偵事務所5) on Crunchyroll for North American audiences. The program will launch today (December 23, 2008) at the official Crunchyroll D-5 community with feature videos, interactive chat, forums, photos, and more.
Continued…

King Kong and Bobby Bond in a famous shot from the Rankin/Bass Saturday morning cartoon show KING KONG. © 1966, renewed 1994 by Classic Media, Inc.

A Look Back at the Classic Rankin/Bass Show
Author: Keith Aiken
Source: Steve Vincent, Classic Media, various

King Kong
You know the name of King Kong
You know the fame of King Kong
Ten times as big as a man!

Thirty three years after King Kong first took the world by storm, the Eighth Wonder of the World returned in an all-new Saturday morning cartoon series. While rarely seen today, the show is fondly remembered by older viewers and holds a special distinction with Toho monster movie fans since it inspired both GODZILLA VS THE SEA MONSTER (Gojira, Ebira, Mosura: Nankai-no Daiketto, 1966) and KING KONG ESCAPES (Kingu Kongu no Gyakushu, 1967).
Continued…

Duchess Yoko Hashiba (Takako Matsu) is caught in a tug of war between Heikichi Endo (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and the masked villain K-20.
Photo courtesy of NTV. © 2008 “K-20″ Film Partners

The Creators of ALWAYS -SUNSET ON THIRD STREET Bring Japan’s Favorite Supervillain to Movie Screens
Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network)
Official Movie Site: K-20
Production Notes translated by Jason Gray
Special Thanks to Asuka Kimura and Tzeling Huang

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

The large scale action adventure film K-20: LEGEND OF
THE MASK opens this weekend in Japan. © 2008 “K-20″
Film Partners

No one has ever seen his face… He could be anyone…

Editor’s Note: Last month I visited the American Film Market 2008 in Santa Monica, CA to see some of the latest films from Japan. Among the screenings I attended was the world premiere of K-20: LEGEND OF THE MASK (K-20: Kaijin Niju-Menso Den), a great action adventure film set in an alternate reality version of 1949 Tokyo.

The film was produced by Nippon Television Network (NTV), Robot Communications, and Toho, and stars Asian superstar Takeshi Kaneshiro (RETURNER, RED CLIFF) as a circus acrobat who is framed by a mysterious Batman/Shadow-like villain. Toho is opening K-20 in theaters across Japan this weekend, while NTV is handling sales of the movie to foreign buyers.

NTV has provided images and English language production notes for K-20: LEGEND OF THE MASK. SciFi Japan is pleased to present this early look at the film, and we also invite our readers to check out the recent coverage of NTV’s upcoming adaptation on Osamu Tezuka’s MW and keep an eye out for our reports on the new disaster film 252: SIGNS OF LIFE (252: Seizonsha Ari) and Toho/NTV’s blockbuster sci-fi epic 20TH CENTURY BOYS (20 Seki Shonen).
Continued…

Latest News Includes Partnerships with Warner Home Video and Canadian iTunes Store
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

NARUTO UNCUT Box Set Vol. 13 will be one of the first VIZ
releases distributed by Warner Home Video. Photo courtesy
of VIZ Media. © 1999 by Masashi Kishimoto/Shueisha Inc.

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 distribution deals including a partnership with Warner Home Video and the release of their popular shows NARUTO, BLEACH and DEATH NOTE on the iTunes Store in Canada. In celebration of this launch, iTunes users in Canada will be able to download the first episode of NARUTO, BLEACH and DEATH NOTE for free until January 6, 2009.
Continued…

Online Media Distribution Giant Partners to Begin Online Streaming, Subscription and Download-To-Own of Anime Titles
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

The Steel Angel saga began with STEEL ANGEL KURUMI.
© 1999 Kaishaku/Kadokawa Shoten/Pony Canyon

The Japanese based multi-media entertainment company Pony Canyon Inc. has struck a partnership with online media distribution giant Crunchyroll to provide streaming and subscriptions for some of the company’s most popular anime titles. More information can be found at www.crunchyroll.com.

Pony Canyon Inc.’s Deputy General Manager Hideyuki Saida states, “Crunchyroll helps create a new business model for online monetization and we are looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship with them. We want fans abroad to know that we are here for them and want to bring them great anime titles for years to come.”

Vince Shortino, Crunchyroll General Manager comments, “Crunchyroll is proud to be working with Pony Canyon Inc. We are working hard to bring more amazing anime titles to the users of our community and we are thrilled to have a company like Pony Canyon Inc. join our family.”
Continued…

A homicidal maniac and a deadly chemical weapon threaten the entire world in the upcoming Japanese thriller MW. © 2009 MW Production Committee

Movie to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Tezuka’s Birth
Author: Keith Aiken
Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network), Vertical, Inc.
Official Site: mw.gyao.jp

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details and images from a movie scheduled for release in 2009.

The survivors of the MW incident on Okino Mafune Island.
Top: Hiroshi Tamaki as mass murderer Michio Yuki.
Bottom: Takayuki Yamada as Catholic priest Yutaro Garai.
© 2009 MW Production Committee

The upcoming live action feature film MW is based on Osamu Tezuka’s manga of the same name. Originally serialized in the Shogakukan magazine Big Comic from 1976-1978, MW was a tremendous departure from the cute, Disney-esque style Tezuka was known for. A dark, downbeat, and violent thriller, the manga took a hard look at such topics as governement cover ups, religion, the nature of good and evil, homoeroticism, the effects of excessive technology on nature, and the US military presence in Japan. Thirty years after it was first published, MW still packs a punch.

The movie version of MW will commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Osamu Tezuka’s birth. The film is being developed DN Dream Partners LLP, a production company formed in April 2006 by the Nippon Television Network (NTV) and the telecommunications company NTT DoCoMo Inc.. Previous DN Dream Partners productions have included the hit DEATH NOTE anime and movie series as well as the TENCHI MUYO spinoff show SASAMI.

Playing the lead roles are Hiroshi Tamaki (WATER BOYS, MIDNIGHT EAGLE) as Michio Yuki and Takayuki Yamada (TRAIN MAN: DENSHA OTOKO, CROWS ZERO) as Yutaro Garai.
Continued…

Media Blasters’ Hit Sci-Fi Action Series Now Available Online in Both Dubbed and Subtitled Formats
Source: MediaLab press release
Special Thanks to Erik Jansen

KITE LIBERATOR is the first streaming anime title from Anime News Network.
© 2007 Yasuomi Umetsu, “Kite Liberator” Production Committee, Fever
Dreams LLC

Anime News Network, the world’s largest anime web publication, has released its first full anime video program for legal online streaming: the hit science fiction anime KITE LIBERATOR. The show is the first full-length anime to be distributed by Anime News Network’s new Video Player portal, which was unveiled over the summer.

As of December 9, 2008, KITE LIBERATOR is available for free, with limited commercial interruption in both English dubbed and Japanese-with-subtitles formats at www.animenewsnetwork.com/video/447.

Created by anime powerhouse Yasuomi Umetsu (ROBOT CARNIVAL, KITE, MEZZO FORTE), KITE LIBERATOR follows the life of teenager assassin Monaka, who’s a clumsy and shy girl by day and a mysterious, stealth-like killer by night. When her father, an astronaut on the International Space Station is the victim of a bizarre form of radiation poisoning, he becomes a hideous monster with lethal destructive powers. Filled with edge-of-your-seat action and tongue-in-cheek parody of established anime tropes, KITE LIBERATOR was released on DVD in Japan and North America in March of 2008.
Continued…

Mutsumi Toyoshima passed away last month. He designed such popular Toho mecha as the submarine Black Shark, the Maser Cannon, the Moonlight SY-3,
and the Super-X. Center photo by Ed Godziszewski. Toho images © 1966-1984 Toho Co., Ltd.

Top Toho Special Effects Designer has Died
Authors: Ed Godziszewski with Oki Miyano
Special Thanks to Yasuyuki Inoue

Mutsumi Toyoshima, widely regarded as one of the best production designers on Toho special effects movies from the 1960s through the 1980s, died November 17.

As a key member of Toho’s special effects art department, Toyoshima designed and created blueprints for many of the most famous vehicles, props, and machines seen in the studio’s monster, science fiction, and war films. Among his designs are the popular Maser Cannon (introduced in THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS in 1966), the Solgell Island silver iodide towers from SON OF GODZILLA (Gojira no Mosuko, 1967), the UN submarine Explorer from KING KONG ESCAPES (Kingu Kongu no Gyakushu, 1967), the Moonlight SY-3 from DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (Kaiju Soshingeki, 1968), the Black Shark from LATITUDE ZERO (Ido Zero Daisakusen,1969), and the Super-X from THE RETURN OF GODZILLA (Gojira, a.k.a. GODZILLA 1985, 1984).

SciFi Japan is honored to present a tribute to Mutsumi Toyoshima by Ed Godziszewski and Oki Miyano, who knew Mr. Toyoshima and had visited with him in recent years. The article includes photos and quotes from an unpublished interview conducted by Oki and Ed at Mr. Toyoshima’s home on August 13, 2004.
Continued…