Get a Copy for Free, Courtesy of Titan Books and SciFi Japan
Source: Titan Books
Official Site: schoolgirlmilkycrisis.com
Special Thanks to Tom Green

Win a copy of Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in
the Anime and Manga Trade from Titan Books! ©2008
Muramasa Industries Ltd.

Titan Books is offering SciFi Japan readers a chance to win a copy of their new book Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade.

For anyone wondering “What the heck is Schoolgirl Milky Crisis?”, the answer is that the book is a collection of articles and essays on manga, anime, and Japanese movies written by British author and scriptwriter Jonathan Clements. Clements is a highly respected authority on the subject, having co-authored The Anime Encyclopedia, written The Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama, and provided liner notes for anime and Japanese movie DVDs. He has been a writer and columnist for the UK Sci-Fi Channel website, the BBC, Newtype USA, Judge Dredd Megazine, NEO, 2000 AD, and SFX Total Anime. Clements has also created scripts for audio dramas and novels based on popular series such as DR WHO and JUDGE DREDD, and has worked as a director, translator, and voice actor for the English language versions of more than 70 anime and manga titles, including SOL BIANCA, USHIO & TORA, HUMMINGBIRDS, and PLASTIC LITTLE.

This is a fun and informative book that should appeal to anyone who enjoys manga, anime, and Asian cinema… particularly those who are interested in what goes on behind the scenes. But don’t take our word for it… enter the contest and find out for yourself!
Continued…

Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press release
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

The new issue of Shonen Jump includes a password for
readers to unlock a free 120 page online preview of Naruto
manga Volume 45. © Masashi Kishimoto/SHUEISHA Inc.

VIZ Media announced today that Shonen Jump magazine has a special treat for readers—an invitation to read a free preview of the upcoming Naruto manga Volume 45 (rated ‘T’ For Teens)— online at shonenjump.com, for a limited time only. These chapters will not run in the magazine and will not be available in graphic novel form until July 2009.

The 120-page preview will be available online beginning today through May 5th exclusively at shonenjump.com. A preview link appears on the homepage. Visitors must type in the password that appears on page 20 of the May issue of Shonen Jump to access the chapters.

Naruto depicts the adventures of a young boy named Naruto Uzumaki who trains to become a ninja, and through his exciting adventures, the young ninja learns the importance of friendship, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, creativity, ingenuity, and right versus wrong. Created by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto was first introduced in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens, and more than 85 million copies to date have been printed. The manga series has captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America.
Continued…

Nishizaki Gives Fans the End(?) of Yamato!
Author: Tim Eldred, Starblazers.com and Greasemonkeybook.com

Japanese poster art for the second film, ARRIVEDERCI
YAMATO. ©1978 Tohokushinsha Film Corp.

When we last left our heroes, SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO had gone through an honest-to-gosh Cinderella story. From the depths of obscure early-70s TV animation, the great ship rose again to blindside all of Japan and turn into the biggest thing to happen to anime since… anime began. The movie scored boffo box office, the tone was set for a future of prodigious commerce, and the door was wide open for a sequel. Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki had, in fact, already expressed an interest in making one a month before the YAMATO movie premiered.

Flush with success, he was now keen on an entirely new story that would, in his words, depict “the end of Yamato.” He’d had a vision of the ship disappearing into infinite space, taking all the characters with it, and worked the idea backward from there. In hindsight, it seems a bit ridiculous to end your franchise just as it was beginning, but franchise thinking wasn’t yet in vogue at the time. In fact, ARRIVEDERCI YAMATO itself was going to get it started.

SciFi Japan presents the third chapter in author Tim Eldred’s series of articles looking back at the influential anime series SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO. Chapters will run monthly through most of 2009!
Continued…

The feature film ORIGIN: SPIRITS OF THE PAST is just one of the many Gonzo Inc. anime titles screening this month at the Barbican Centre.
Photo courtesy of Barbican. © 2006 Gonzo/Gin-iro no kami no Agito Project

Barbican Centre Hosts Three Days of Anime From Gonzo Inc.
Source: Barbican Centre, Sarah Harvey Publicity press release
Special Thanks to Laura Bushell

As part of Animate the World 2009 (Saturday 4 to Sunday 12 April), Barbican Film is delighted to present a special Japanimation: Gonzo Focus. Gonzo Inc. was founded in 1992 and founder Shouji Murahama chose the Italian name, a slang term for ruffian, because he imagined the company as a gang of ruffians. Over sixteen years, the studio has preserved its core attitude of a band of pop culture adventurers, keen to sniff out new opportunities and follow unmarked roads.

Curated and introduced by anime expert and author Helen McCarthy (The Anime! Movie Guide, Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation, and founder of the magazine AnimeFX), Japanimation: Gonzo Focus offers an opportunity to review the highlights of Gonzo’s catalogue on the big screen, looking at major series and movies past and present and celebrating its range of art, design, direction and writing skills. And to conclude, Barbican Film is delighted to host a special Gonzo: New Horizons – Japanimation Surprise Sneak Peak!, a very exciting look at what’s to come, free to ticket holders of Gonzo events.
Continued…

New British quad poster design for BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE. Photo courtesy of The Associates and Pathé. © 2009 East Wing Holdings Corp. and SAJ.

The Live Action Adaptation of the Hit Anime Comes to Britain this June
Source: Pathé, The Associates
Official Movie Site: Blood The Last Vampire movie (UK, coming soon), Last Blood (Japan)
Special Thanks to Farhana Shaikh

SciFi Japan has just received the new British quad poster design for BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE. The highly anticipated feature film is a live-action adaptation of the award-winning 2000 anime from Production I.G. (GHOST IN THE SHELL, KILL BILL VOl. 1).

BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE will be released theatrically in the UK by Pathé on June 12 and in France on June 17. In Japan — where the film will be called LAST BLOOD (Rasuto Buraddo)— Asmik Ace Entertainment will open the picture on May 29. Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights, but have not announced a US release date.

The original MOTHRA and the 1990s REBIRTH OF MOTHRA trilogy air in HD this month in Japan. © Toho Co., Ltd

All four Mothra movies air in HD for the first time
Author: James Ballard
Source: Japanese Movie Speciality Channel

Last year, the Japanese Movie Speciality Channel worked closely with Toho Co., Ltd to restore all twenty-eight Godzilla films. Over a three month period starting from October 2008, the channel broadcast the entire newly-restored series in high definition for the first time. The broadcasts were met with great praise from both genre fans and general audiences alike, with the channel reportedly receiving countless requests for other special effects series to be broadcast in HD.
Continued…

Online Media Distribution Leader to Release Anime and Live Action Titles from TV Tokyo, Tezuka Productions, CoMix Wave, Gonzo, Munhwa Broadcasting and More
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

The online media distribution giant Crunchyroll has announced a stunning number of new acquisitions and business partnerships over the past month. More information on each of these announcements can be found at crunchyroll.com.
Continued…

The Korean Monster Hit Invades Japanese Home Video Market
Author: Kim Song-ho
Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Japan
Official Movie Sites: D-WAR (Korea), D-WARS (Japan)
Special Thanks to Mr. Yang Hee-seung

Cover art for the Japanese DRAGON WARS Blu-ray. © 2007 Younggu
Art Entertainment Co., Ltd.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Japan announced that it will release a two-disc DVD and single-disc Blu-ray of DRAGON WARS (D-War, 2007) on June 3. Formerly, the film was released theatrically in Japan on November 29, 2008. The Japanese title is D-WARS (ディー・ウォーズ), which was somewhat reminiscent of the US title DRAGON WARS.

Both the Region 2 DVD and Blu-ray Disc feature more than 2 hours of bonus features. The DVD will include 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen feature, along with Dolby Digital 5.1 original English/Korean sound. As with many Japanese titles, the Japanese dub (also DD 5.1) will be added. Blu-ray will feature the 2.35:1 widescreen film and Dolby TrueHD (original English/Korean and Japanese dub) sound.

As an added bonus, the first pressings of DVD will include a lenticular sheet.
Continued…

The Korean Horror Remake is Invited Back to Its Native Country
Author: Kim Song-ho
Source: CJ Entertainment
Official Site (US): uninvitedmovie.com

The Korean poster of THE UNINVITED, retitled ANNA AND
ALEX: A TALE OF TWO SISTERS. Photo courtesy of CJ
Entertainment. © 2008 DW Studios LLC. and Cold Spring
Pictures / CJ Entertainment.

DreamWorks Pictures’ THE UNINVITED, the US remake of the Korean horror film A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (Janghwa, Hongryeon, 2003), will be released in its native country on April 9. CJ Entertainment will handle the distribution in Korea. CJ changed the original title to ANNA AND ALEX: A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (Anna wa Alex: Du jamae iyagi) for the Korean release. ANNA AND ALEX reflects the Korean title of the original film JANGHWA, HONGRYEON (which translates as “Rose Flower, Red Lotus”), which was taken from the Korean folk tale that inspired it. In the Korean film, the sisters were actually named Soo-yeon (Lotus, played by Moon Geun-young) and Soo-mi (Rose, played by Lim Su-jeong), respectively.

The original film was financially and critically successful, attracting more than 3 million admissions to become the highest-grossing Korean horror film of all time. It also won several domestic and international awards, most notably the 2003 Blue Dragon Award (Lim Su-jeong, best new actress) and the 2004 Silver Raven award at the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film (Yeom Jeong-ah, best actress). Kim Ji-woon, director of the film, went on to make high profile movies such as A BITTERSWEET LIFE (Dalkomhan insaeng, 2005) and THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD (Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom, 2009).

The remake THE UNINVITED was released in the US on January 30, 2009. It received mixed reviews and has grossed $28 million so far. The Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray Disc will be released on April 28.
Continued…

The classic MOTHRA is one of several Toho monster movies that can be viewed for free on Sony Pictures’ Crackle video network.
© 1961 Toho Co., Ltd.

Online Video Service Features Toho Titles Distributed by Sony Pictures
Source: Crackle, Inc.
Special Thanks to Chad Kaszer

In 2007, Sony Pictures Entertainment launched Crackle, Inc., a multi-platform next-generation video entertainment network that distributes digital content including programming from Sony Pictures’ vast library of television series and feature films.

Among the many titles in the Sony Pictures library are a number of monster and sci-fi movies produced by Toho, plus Sony’s own American GODZILLA remake and the animated series spin-off from that film. Crackle Community Manager Chad Kaszer has announced that they have recently added several Godzilla/Toho videos which can now be watched for free at crackle.com.
Continued…

Three-Part Chapter Book Series, Junior Novel, Collectible Sticker Book and Posterzine Based On The New Feature Film
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press release
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Cover for the DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION Sticker Book. Photo
courtesy of VIZ Media. DRAGONBALL © 2009 Fox, Based on
Dragon Ball series by Akira Toriyama. Dragon Ball TM & ©
Bird Studio/Shueisha, Inc.

VIZ Media, LLC is releasing an array of DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION publications based on the upcoming live-action film from 20th Century Fox starring Justin Chatwin as Goku, Emmy Rossum as Bulma, Jamie Chung as Chi Chi, and Chow Yun-Fat as Master Roshi. Rated PG, the movie centers on a team of warriors, each of whom possess special abilities. Together, they protect Earth from a force bent on dominating the universe by controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name. DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION opens nationwide on April 8th and is inspired by Akira Toriyama’s smash hit Dragon Ball manga series, also published domestically by VIZ Media and featured in Shonen Jump magazine.

DRAGON BALL has become a global pop culture and entertainment phenomenon that has generated more than $3 billion in worldwide sales of a vast array of products including manga, DVDs, video games, toys, apparel and other collectibles. Over 1.6 million copies of the manga series have been sold in North America to date, while the animated counterpart remains the most successful domestic anime series ever with over 500 episodes and 17 animated movies broadcast or released on DVD to date.

VIZ DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION releases include a Junior Novel, a Sticker Book, a Posterzine, and a trio of Chapter Books. Each of the books include glossy color pages with photos from the movie.
Continued…

A New Spin on the Japanese Horror Film
Source: Tidepoint Pictures, LLC
Official Movie Site: Late Bloomer
Special Thanks to Shade Rupe and Tetsuki Ijichi

DVD cover art for Go Shibata’s horror film LATE BLOOMER.
Photo courtesy of Bone House Asia. © 2004 Shima Films

He was disabled with Cerebral Palsy, but all he wanted was to hang out with his friends, just like anybody else. Beer, rock and roll, and women. But when his best friend steals his secret love, he launches into a cold-blooded rampage of revenge. Directed by the powerful new Japanese talent Go Shibata, LATE BLOOMER features stark and highly stylized camera work and a soundtrack by World’s End Girlfriend.

Fresh from week-long runs in New York, Seattle, and Chicago, director Go Shibata’s critcially acclaimed cult hit LATE BLOOMER (Osoi Hito, 2004) comes to DVD from Bone House Asia and Facets.

“Weird, wicked and wonderfully perverse”—THE NEW YORK TIMES
“ ***1/2 ” —ROGER EBERT
“Gets under your skin, then immediately starts eating away at your internal organs.”—TIME OUT NEW YORK
“One of the best films that has come out of Japan recently”—MIDNIGHT EYE
“Highly unusual spin on the serial killer/horror film mix”—VARIETY

Bone House Asia’s DVD presentation of LATE BLOOMER includes a greeting from director Go Shibata, interviews with the director and actors, and a trailer gallery. In Japanese with English subtitles.
Continued…

See the Latest Live-Action DEATH NOTE Film for Free, Courtesy of VIZ Pictures and SciFi Japan
Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Movie Site: Death Note Films: L
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Ad for April’s US theatrical screenings of L, change the
WorLd. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 2008 L Film
Partners. © 2008 L Plot Produce

Following successful nationwide screenings of DEATH NOTE and DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME in 2008, VIZ Pictures and NCM Fathom are teaming up once again for a special two night, multi-city US theatrical event for the third live-action DEATH NOTE feature film, DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd, on April 29th and 30th at 7:30 pm local time. By popular demand, a subtitled version will be presented on April 29th and an English-dubbed version on April 30th with L’s voice played by Alessandro Juliani from the anime series. Both nights will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews of Kenichi Matsuyama (L), Alessandro Juliani, and director Hideo Nakata.

DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd introduces the unwritten chapter of DEATH NOTE and reveals how the legendary detective “L” spends the final 23 days of his life. The story begins as L takes on the “Kira” case, in which countless criminals are dying under mysterious circumstances. L successfully solves the case and stops Kira, but only after sacrificing his life, leaving himself with only 23 days left to live.

Tickets for this special event will be available at participating theater box offices and online beginning March 23rd. For a complete list of theater locations and ticket information, please visit FathomEvents.com/DeathNoteL.

As an added bonus, our friends at VIZ Pictures have offered SciFi Japan readers a chance to win free tickets to see this hit film on the big screen. We have ten (10) passes to give away…and here is your chance to grab a pair for yourself!
Continued…

Source: The Japan America Media Association
Special thanks to Andrea Prieto

Ad for the Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles Short Film
Screening. © 2009 Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles

The Japan America Media Association— presenter of Japan Film Festival– Los Angeles 2009— in conjunction with Royal/T Café, a fusion café/shop/art space, will present the Special Short Film Screening. Featuring Japanese culture and young Japanese filmmakers, this event is set to take place Saturday, March 14th at Royal/T Café in Culver City, starting at 7pm (8910 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232); admission is $5.

Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles 2009 (JFFLA) sent out the call for submissions in January and more than 30 films have been submitted. JFFLA aims to support young filmmakers, full of potential, by offering opportunities for their films to be shown in the center of the entertainment industry—Los Angeles. All of the submitted films were either directed, produced, or written by Japanese filmmakers, or the theme was related to Japan if the filmmakers were not Japanese.

The organizers will be screening 3 shorts; RIVER, THE FIARY OF DOROBO and ROSE-COLORED FREEWAY. The audience will vote for their favorite and the winner will be screened at this year’s festival. They will also be showing THE 8TH SAMURAI, which was very popular at the Butterfly Event Screening on March 1st. It recently won 3 awards at the Show Off Your Shorts Film Festival 2009; Best Student Film, Best Director and Best Actor.
Continued…

April 2009 Issue Covers Visual Arts And Techniques Taught By Leading Manga Creators Well As Fashion, Crafts And More
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press release
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Cover of the April 2009 Annual Art Issue of Shojo Beat.
Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © VIZ Media, LLC

VIZ Media, LLC’s annual Art Issue of Shojo Beat magazine is expected to hit newsstands nationwide on March 17th. In addition to the next installments of the currently serialized shojo manga series HONEY AND CLOVER, HONEY HUNT, CRIMSON HERO, SAND CHRONICLES, HARUKA: BEYOND THE STREAM OF TIME and VAMPIRE KNIGHT, this special issue will allow readers to explore the latest trends in Japanese kawaii artwork, evaluate the approaches of top shojo manga creators and more!

The special April 2009 Art Issue of Shojo Beat, a continual favorite with readers, takes a broad approach to art, focusing not only on visual arts but also fashion, crafts, and cooking. “The Fine Art of Kawaii” spotlights five key Japanese artists who have captured the often elusive cutting-edge of cute. “Manga Art Schooled” analyzes the varied and distinctive art styles of five master shojo manga creators including Matsuri Hino (VAMPIRE KNIGHT), Arina Tanemura (THE GENTLEMEN’S ALLIANCE †, FULL MOON), and the talented female artists who compose CLAMP (X/1999). Readers and budding artists can gain tremendous insight into each of these artists’ styles and understand and apply these unique techniques to their own work. Finally, “Cooking: Feast for Your Eyes” will offer up 10 easy and creative tips for artistic food plating.
Continued…

Brand New Print to be Shown at “Spooktacular” Event
Source: Mark Nelson
Official Site: Spooktacular: King Kong vs Godzilla

Flyer art for the Spooktacular screening of KING KONG VS
GODZILLA. Photo courtesy of Mark Nelson. KING KONG VS
GODZILLA © 1962 Toho Co., Ltd.

The creators of New Hampshire’s first horror-host television show, SATURDAY FRIGHT SPECIAL (seen on public access stations throughout the United States), have announced their second live “Spooktacular” event at the Colonial Theatre in Keene, NH. On Friday, April 24th at 7PM, the Spooktacular will present an exceedingly rare screening of the classic KING KONG VS GODZILLA— so rare, in fact, that a brand new print has been struck for this screening, and Spooktacular audiences will be the first to see it.

Screening Curator Mark Nelson explained, “We’re honored that Universal is striking a new print for this event, as their previous repertory print was lost in the fire last year. I’m THRILLED to be able to be doing another show like this, and can’t wait to see Kong and Godzilla duke it out on the big screen!”

The Spooktacular will also feature vintage monster movie trailers and theater ads, in person visits from all of the SATURDAY FRIGHT SPECIAL crew, and tons of giveaways that include T-shirts and DVD copies of the new horror host documentary AMERICAN SCARY.

Legendary comic artist Steve Bissette— known for his work with Alan Moore on Swamp Thing and for writing and drawing the first Dark Horse Godzilla King of the Monsters Special— will be donating six signed sets of his critically acclaimed dinosaur-themed title Tyrant plus and an original KING KONG VS GODZILLA sketch for the event.
Continued…

Japanese advertisement for 20TH CENTURY BOYS -CHAPTER 2-. ©1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan.
©2009 ”20th Century Boys” Film Partners

The Filmmakers Discuss Their Blockbuster Japanese Sci-Fi Movie Series
Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network)
Official Movie Site: 20th Boys
Special Thanks to Asuka Kimura and Tzeling Huang

Following our recent 20TH CENTURY BOYS -CHAPTER 2- Production Notes report, SciFi Japan presents comments from director Yukihiko Tsutsumi, original manga artist/screenwriter Naoki Urasawa, producer/screenwriter Takashi Nagasaki, stars Etsushi Toyokawa, Takako Tokiwa, and Airi Taira, and the supporting cast, courtesy of Nippon Television Network.
Continued…

Save Money, Save Time, Register Online… and be Entered in the Grand Prize Getaway to Japan!
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases
Official Site: anime-expo.org
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

Fun at last year’s AX masquerade. Photo courtesy of Anime Expo. © 2008
Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation/Anime Expo. © 2008 D. Shaw.

Anime Expo 2009 will be held during the 4th of July weekend (July 2-5, 2009) at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. Pre-registration is now available for attendees, industry members and press representatives. A pre-registration special for attendees of $50.00 U.S. for all four (4) fun-filled days and nights of anime/manga goodness will be available till March 15th. Early registration will then be offered for $55 from March 16th to April 19th. Online pre-registration accepts American Express, MasterCard and VISA. Attendees, industry members and press representatives that do not pre-register can also register onsite during the convention.

Registered attendees will also have access to purchase premium seats at the convention’s main events including the Morning Musume concert (Friday, July 3rd, 2009; $20.00 U.S.), AX Idol (Saturday, July 4, 2009; $20.00 U.S.), Masquerade (Saturday; July 4, 2009; $20.00) and other highlighted events! In addition, pre-registered attendees will be able to obtain their hotel rooms within the official Anime Expo 2009 room blocks as well.

In addition, all pre-registered attendees who register prior to June 15, 2009 will be automatically entered in the Anime Expo 2009 and Intermixi Japan Tours Pre-Registration Grand Prize Getaway to Japan!
Continued…

Celebrate Anime, Manga, Cosplay, and Japanese Pop Culture in NYC
Source: Roger Bilheimer Associates press release

The New York Anime Festival is partnering with Del Rey Manga, Japan Society, Karaterice, Keio Academy , Samurai Beat Radio, and Yen Press to hold an Anime Day at the largest Japanese bookstore in North America— New York City ‘s Kinokuniya Bookstore.

Taking place Sunday, March 15, Kinokuniya Bookstore (located at 1073 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan ) will present a day-long series of events showcasing the cute, cool, and diverse worlds of anime, manga, cosplay, and Japanese popular culture.

“We’re thrilled to be behind Kinokuniya’s Anime Day,” NYAF Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. “The anime fanbase in NYC in hungry for events, and we plan to provide them with a number of unique activities and attractions in the months leading up to this year’s Anime Festival.”

Anime Day at Kinokuniya will include a special all-day raffle as well as a series of speakers and presentations.
Continued…

The live action adaptation of the hit anime film BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE will be released theatrically in the UK in June.
Photo courtesy of The Associates and Pathé. © 2009 East Wing Holdings Corp. and SAJ.

Source: Pathé, The Associates press release
Official Movie Site: Blood The Last Vampire movie (UK, coming soon), Last Blood (Japan)
Special Thanks to Farhana Shaikh

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

One of the most eagerly anticipated live-action adaptations of any anime ever produced, BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE caused a major stir of interest amongst fans when its all-too-brief teaser trailer debuted on the internet last month. Now, Pathé and The Associates exclusively reveal the amazing full theatrical trailer for the horror movie that breathes new life into the groundbreaking anime feature from 2000.

Directed by Chris Nahon (KISS OF THE DRAGON) and featuring stunning action sequences choreographed by legendary action director Corey Yuen (TRANSPORTER 1 and 2; Jet Li’s THE ONE, X-MEN), BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE tells the story of a mysterious girl known as Saya (Gianna Jun), who is employed by a covert US government agency to eradicate a species of vampire-demons that is about to threaten mankind. Half-demon herself, and armed with just a samurai sword and a whole bunch of attitude, Saya kicks vampire ass like nobody you have ever seen before.

Forget Blade, forget Buffy, and check out the trailer to witness, in action, the hottest and gutsiest vampire slayer ever to grace the screen.
Continued…

L, change the WorLd, the third film in the hit DEATH NOTE series, will be screened next month in theaters across America.
Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2008 L Film Partners. © 2008 L Plot Produce

VIZ Pictures and NCM Present a Special 2-Night Event for Latest Live-Action DEATH NOTE Film
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Movie Site: Death Note Films
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji, Evelyn Dubocq, and Erik Jansen

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced that it will team with NCM Fathom to present DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd, a live-action two-night, multi-city event on April 29th and 30th at 7:30 pm local time. By popular demand, a subtitled version will be presented on April 29th and an English-dubbed version on April 30th with L’s voice played by Alessandro Juliani from the anime series.

DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd is inspired by the immensely popular DEATH NOTE features, which are based on the best-selling supernatural action manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, but this spin-off follows a new original storyline. DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd was directed by Hideo Nakata, who also directed the U.S. #1 hit horror movie THE RING TWO (2005), which was remade from his own smash hit Japanese horror trilogy, RING (Ringu, 1998).
Continued…

Source: Alex Hernandez, New York-Tokyo
Official Movie Site: tokyothemovie.com

Poster art for the new movie anthology TOKYO!
Photo courtesy of Liberation Entertainment. © 2009
Liberation Entertainment

In TOKYO!, three visionary directors (Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Bong Joon-ho) come together for an omnibus triptych examining the nature of one unforgettable city as it’s shaped by the disparate people who live, work (and run amok) inside an enormous, constantly evolving, densely populated Japanese megalopolis — the enchanting and inimitable Tokyo.

Rhapsody, psychogeography, urban valentine, freak show, mindwalk and many other things, TOKYO! is a fantasy in three movements that will make you see one of the world’s greatest cities— if not any city— with a new point of view. In the tradition of such films as NEW YORK STORIES, NIGHT ON EARTH, PARIS JE T’AIME and its forthcoming sequel NEW YORK I LOVE YOU, TOKYO! addresses the timeless question of whether we shape cities, or if cities shape us— while in the process, revealing the rich humanity at the heart of modern urban life. An Official Selection Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard.

TOKYO! opens on March 6 in New York at the Sunshine Theater, located at 143 East Houston Street. During the opening weekend Michel Gondry and Leos Carax will follow selected shows with question and answer sessions. The film opens nationally following the New York showings.
Continued…

Today marks the third anniversary of SciFi Japan! This gives us the perfect opportunity to once again thank everyone who has been a part of the site these past three years.

We’re incredibly lucky to have such a great team of writers and contributors from all over the world. They’ve provided everything from articles to information to technical know-how…. you couldn’t ask for a better group!

A big ‘thank you’ also goes out to all the people, studios, companies and distributors who have provided news, information, photos and video to SciFi Japan. We launched this site in 2006 with the intent of ignoring the rumor mills and going straight to the source for accurate news and info… and because of you we’ve been able to accomplish that. And we’re excited that, as SciFi Japan becomes more established, we’re developing new connections with more companies in North America and Japan as well as countries like the UK, Germany, and South Korea to better present in-depth coverage of projects new and old to our readers.

Speaking of our readers, while it’s fun putting together SFJ there would be no point in doing it if people weren’t visiting the site and reading the articles. We were thrilled with the site traffic we were getting in our first year– and the numbers have grown exponentially since then! Traffic has been going up steadily month by month, and we really appreciate all of you visiting SciFi Japan and will be doing our best to make make this site something you’ll want to keep coming back to, month in and month out.

Last but certainly not least, thanks to our sponsors who have not only contributed financially to SFJ but have also provided information and helped spread the word about this site. You’ve been a tremendous help.

And now on to another year of SciFi Japan!