Death-bats and other strange creatures menace the survivors of a worldwide epidemic in the new sci-fi anime movie KING OF THORN.
© 2010 Yuji Iwahara, Enterbrain, Inc./Ibara Committee

New Anime Film to Screen at JAPAN CUTS in New York City
Source: Japan Society
Official Site: Japan Cuts
Official Movie Site: kingofthorn.net
Special Thanks to Shannon Jowett and Tahmid Mannan

Win tickets to see KING OF THORN for free, courtesy of
Jpan Society and SciFi Japan. © 2010 Yuji Iwahara,
Enterbrain, Inc./Ibara Committee

The 2010 New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema are now in full swing. Running from June 25-July 8 at the Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater, July 1 – 16 at Japan Society, and midnights June 25/26 and July 2/3 at IFC Center, the combined festival is featuring dozens of films, international and world premiere screenings, Q&A’s with filmmakers, and other special events.

Earlier this month, NYAFF and SciFi Japan held a contest for tickets to the world premiere of the daikaiju movie DEATH KAPPA. Now our friends at Japan Society are presenting SFJ readers with two chances for free passes to selected films playing at Japan Cuts in July.

First up is the North American premiere of KING OF THORN, the new science fiction anime movie film which will screen at the Japan Society on Sunday, July 11 at 6pm. Based on the long-running manga by Yuji Iwahara, the film was released in Japan by Kadokawa Pictures this past May.
Continued…

Dual language Anime Expo 2010 logo, courtesy of Anime Expo. © 1992-2010 Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation.

Source: Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation press releases
Official Site: anime-expo.org
Special Thanks to Kimberly Groomes

Anime Expo, the nation’s largest anime/manga convention, begins tomorrow and runs through July 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California. Check out the previous coverage here on SciFi Japan for full details on AX 2010, and enjoy these final updates regarding expo guests and events.
Continued…

Legendary Special Effects Master Celebrates his 90th Birthday
Author: Loren Portillo
All photos courtesy of Loren Portillo

Ray Harryhausen poses the original MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, a movie
that launched his film career.

Stop motion animator and visual effects legend Ray Harrryhausen celebrates his 90th Birthday today June 29, 2010.

With a film career that has spanned approx forty years, fifteen feature films and various short subjects, Ray Harryhausen is a without question a living legend.

Ray’s illustrious career has been well documented over the years. His film credits include such classic titles THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, VALLEY OF GWANJI, ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. and THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, which was a direct inspiration for the original 1954 Japanese film GOJIRA. After his 1981 film CLASH OF THE TITANS, Ray officially announced his retirement from the film Industry to concentrate on his own foundation, which helps preserve his animation puppets and sculpture work.
Continued…

© ULTRAMAN ZERO THE MOVIE Production Committee

Tsuburaya Announces Production of 45th Anniversary Ultraman Movie
Author: Jim M. Ballard
Source: Asahi.com
Official Movie Site: ultramanzero.com

Advance poster for the latest Ultraman movie
© ULTRAMAN ZERO THE MOVIE Production Committee

In celebration of the Ultraman series’ 45th anniversary in 2011, production has begun on Tsuburaya Productions’ latest feature film ULTRAMAN ZERO THE MOVIE: SUPER DECISIVE BATTLE! BELIAL’S GALACTIC EMPIRE (Urutoraman Zero THE MOVIE Chou Kessen! Beriaru Ginga Teikoku), due for nationwide theatrical release this December in Japan.

The latest Ultra hero Ultraman Zero, the son of Ultra Seven, takes on the role of the protagonist in this production, while Ultraman Belial, history’s first evil Ultraman who rampaged screens in last year’s ULTRA GALAXY: MEGA MONSTER BATTLE (Daikaiju Battoru Urutora Ginnga Densetsu THE MOVIE) has survived, returning in a powered-up form and proclaiming himself to be “the galactic emperor Kaiser Belial”. Building up an enormous galactic empire, Kaiser Belial aspires for universal conquest in revenge against the Ultra warriors. The young hero Ultraman Zero joins successive generations of Ultra warriors, as well as some new friends, to crush Kaiser Belial’s aspirations.
Continued…

Interview with Producer/Director Michael Wang.
Author: Bob Johnson
Official Website: Kamen Rider Dragon Knight
CW 4Kids-TV Kamen Rider Dragon Knight

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

An unmasked Dragon Knight stuntman rehearses for a scene from KAMEN RIDER
DRAGON KNIGHT. ©2008 Adness Entertainment Co., Ltd.

Although the CW has parted ways with KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT, the series continues to receive the notice of fans and now television peers. Recently it was announced that KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT has been nominated for a daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Stunt Coordination. The nomination came for episode 18, in which Len (aka; Kamen Rider Wingknight) battles the Cho Brothers.

On June 25th, the winners of the Daytime Emmys were announced and the winner of the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Stunt Coordination went to, KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT!

In a SciFi Japan Exclusive, producer/director Michael Wang discusses the series and what lead to the Emmy nomination.
Continued…

Trailer Premieres July 1, 2010 in Los Angeles at Club Nokia
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release
Official Site: club2themax.com
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

Studio Ghibli’s TALES FROM EARTHSEA will finally be released
in the United States. English promotional materials courtesy
of Madman Entertainment. ©2006 Nibariki – GNDHDDT

Club 2 the MAX will present the exclusive trailer of Academy Award winning Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli’s feature TALES FROM EARTHSEA (Gedo Senki) during its activities on July 1, 2010 at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles at L.A.

Based on the Earthsea novels by Ursula K. Le Guin, TALES FROM EARTHSEA was directed by Goro Miyazaki, the son of Studio Ghibli co-founder and legend Hayao Miyazaki. The film was theatrically released in Japan on July 29, 2006, with most international markets following in 2007. But distribution in the US was delayed for several years because Hallmark Entertainment had previously optioned the Earthsea books for film and television, and produced the mini-series LEGENDS OF EARTHSEA which aired on the Sci-Fi Channel in 2004. With Hallmark’s rights having expired, the Walt Disney Company will finally release TALES FROM EARTHSEA through their Touchstone Pictures division. The movie will open in American theaters on August 13, 2010. The English voice cast includes Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe, Cheech Marin, Mariska Hargitay, and Jean Smart.
Continued…

Hikari Mitsushima stars in director Sion Sono’s internationally acclaimed four-hour pervert epic LOVE EXPOSURE, coming to DVD from Madman Entertainment.
Photo courtesy of Madman Entertainment. © 2008 “Love Exposure” Film Partners.

Source: Madman Entertainment

The Australian distributor Madman Entertainment is releasing the several anime and Asian live action titles on Region 4 DVD in July, 2010. The selection includes the anime collections of KANON and AIR, the live action classics AN ACTOR’S REVENGE and FLOATING WEEDS, INITIAL D THIRD STAGE- THE MOVIE and the series INITIAL D FOURTH STAGE, and the indie fave LOVE EXPOSURE.
Continued…

A heroic Kappa protects Kanako (Misato Hirata) from deranged Japanese imperialists. Photo courtesy of Fever Dreams. © 2010 Fever Dreams LLC

New Film from the Producers of THE MACHINE GIRL and TOKYO GORE POLICE
Source: Media Blasters, Inc. and Fever Dreams LLC press release
Special Thanks to Victor Bonacore

DEATH KAPPA is the latest is a decades-long line of
Japanese monster movies. © 2010 Fever Dreams LLC

Media Blasters, Inc. and Fever Dreams LLC. are proud to present the world premiere of Special Effects Master Tomoo Haraguchi’s new kaiju epic, DEATH KAPPA, at the 2010 New York Asian Film Festival at the IFC Center on June 25th.

In the tradition of GODZILLA and GAMERA, DEATH KAPPA is a new, exciting chapter in classic old school Japanese monster mayhem! DEATH KAPPA is directed by Tomoo Haraguchi, the veteran creature creator of GAMERA: THE GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE, GAMERA 2: ATTACK OF LEGION and GAMERA 3: REVENGE OF IRIS and the director of KIBAKICHI.

DEATH KAPPA mixes high tech towering terror with traditional Yokai folklore! When an extreme imperialist group’s experiments go haywire and trigger an atomic explosion, the dire consequences are of global proportions. A giant monster attacks in the midst of the nuclear fallout and Japan’s defenses are helpless against it. Mankind’s only savior is an irradiated water goblin from Japanese folklore called the “Death Kappa.” The two rival monsters must go head-to-head in the ultimate titanic duel between good and evil with the earth’s very survival at stake!
Continued…

Source: Barbican Centre, Sarah Harvey Publicity press release
Special Thanks to Helene Muron

The 2005 anime film MOBILE SUIT Z GUNDAM: A NEW
TRANSLATION – HEIRS TO THE STARS will be shown at the
Barbican Centre on July 20th. Photo courtesy of VIZ
Media. © 2005 Sotsu, Sunrise

The Barbican Centre in London continues their JAPANIMATION event series in July with MOBILE SUIT Z GUNDAM: A NEW TRANSLATION – HEIRS TO THE STARS. The screening will be 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
MOBILE SUIT Z GUNDAM: A NEW TRANSLATION – HEIRS TO THE STARS (Kido Senshi Zeta Gundamu I: Hoshi o Tsugu Mono, 2005)
Tuesday 20 July, 8:30pm
Dir. Yoshiyuki Tomino
94 min
cert tbc

The first feature in the film trilogy based on the GUNDAM ZETA anime series, in celebration of its 20th anniversary and updated for a 21st Century audience. MOBILE SUIT Z GUNDAM: A NEW TRANSLATION – HEIRS TO THE STARS is set in the year 0087, when the Anti-Earth Union Group (AEUG) are waging a bloody war against the Earth Federation’s elite military force, the Titans. A magnificent mecha trip and a must-see for fans of the anime, the gorgeous animation is an amalgam of the digitally remastered original with completely new footage. Shigeaki Saegusa’s musical score from the TV series is also reused for the film with the addition of new songs by Japanese pop star Gackt.
Continued…

Source: 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing press release
Official Movie Site: 20th Boys (Japan), 4digitalmedia.com/20cb (UK)
Special Thanks to Alexandra Beedell and Louise Rivers

Three SciFi Japan readers have each won the UK DVD
collection 20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY: THE COMPLETE SAGA!
Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing.
©1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan. ©2008
“20th Century Boys” Film Partners

SciFi Japan would like to thank 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing, and everyone who entered our recent “20TH CENTURY BOYS: THE COMPLETE SAGA” giveaway competition. The following randomly drawn entrants correctly answered the contest question:

Steven Sloss
Robert Phillips
Emma Anderson

Congratulations to all the winners! Each of you has won a free copy of the new 20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY: THE COMPLETE SAGA 4 disc box set from 4Digital Media. Organic Marketing has already shipped out the DVDs.
Continued…

The giant monsters Hangyolas and Death Kappa clash in the new movie DEATH KAPPA, making its world premiere this Friday at the 2010 New York
Asian Film Festival. Photo courtesy of NYAFF. © 2010 Fever Dreams LLC

Who Will See Japan’s Latest Daikaiju Film for Free, Courtesy of NYAFF and SciFi Japan?
Source: Subway Cinema/New York Asian Film Festival
Special Thanks to Kristen Osborne and Grady Hendrix

Nuclear radiation turns an innocent yokai into a murderous monster. Photo
courtesy of Fever Dreams. © 2010 Fever Dreams LLC

Thank you to everyone who entered New York Asian Film Festival and SciFi Japan’s contest for free passes to the world premiere of the new daikaiju movie DEATH KAPPA. The screening takes place at the IFC Center on the night of Friday, June 25 at 12:15 AM. The IFC Center is located at 323 Sixth Avenue (between 3rd and 4th Streets), New York, NY 10014.

The following randomly drawn entrants correctly answered the contest question:

Vincenzo Averello
Carlotta Bombard

Congratulations to the winners! Each of you has won a pair of tickets to see the feature film DEATH KAPPA.

More NYAFF/Japan Cuts ticket contests are coming up, so keep checking back with SciFi Japan for more chances to see some of the other great films playing at these festivals!
Continued…

A new and improved giant robot is unleashed 17 years after the events of the “Bloody New Year’s Eve”. © 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/ Shogakukan.
© 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

Sci-Fi Movie Trilogy Ends on a Strong Note
Author: Elliot Gay
Official Movie Site: 20thboysfilms.com (US), 20th Boys (Japanese)

For those of you who would rather avoid any and all spoilers concerning the third film in the 20TH CENTURY BOYS series, let me state here and now: if you at all enjoyed the first two movies you will enjoy the third and final film just as much as– if not more than– the previous. Director Yukihiko Tsutsumi provides a satisfying and all-encompassing finale to a trilogy that had a great deal of sub-plots and loose ends to tie up. Against all odds, Tsutsumi manages to provide the sort of closure that few manga adaptations are granted. So let out a big sigh of relief; 20Th CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION (20-Seiki Shonen: Saishusho-Bokura no Hata, 2009) does not disappoint.
Continued…

GOLGO 13 COLLECTION 1 Available on July 6th
Source: Section23 Films press release
Special Thanks to Mike Bailiff

GOLGO 13 COLLECTION 1. Photo courtesy of
Section23 Films.

Home video distributor Section23 Films’ July 2010 slate of releases includes the new English dubbed release of the hit series GOLGO 13 from Section23 client Sentai Filmworks.

Also releasing in July are the DVD and Blue-ray Editions of LEGENDS OF THE DARK KING COMPLETE COLLECTION, HELL GIRL: TWO MIRRORS COLLECTION 2, and EYESHIELD 21 COLLECTION 2. Read on for plot descriptions, DVD/Blu-ray specs, and cover art for all these titles.
Continued…

More than 50 Asian Films to Screen at Huge Festivals in New York City
Source: Subway Cinema, Japan Society
Special Thanks to Kristen Osborne, Grady Hendrix, Tahmid Mannan, and Shannon Jowett

Beginning June 25th, New York City once again plays host to America’s leading large-scale festival of popular Asian cinema. Subway Cinema’s New York Asian Film Festival (June 25- July 8 ) and Japan Society’s JAPAN CUTS: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema (July 1-16) combined will feature more than 50 movies, world and US premieres, exclusive Q&A’s with filmmakers, and other special events. This year also marks the fourth annual collaboration between JAPAN CUTS and NYAFF, who will co-present several films at the Japan Society from July 1-4.
Continued…

Get a Bundle of 20TH CENTURY BOYS Goodies for Free, Courtesy of VIZ Pictures and SciFi Japan
Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Movie Site: 20thboysfilms.com (US), 20th Boys (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

VIZ Pictures is offering SciFi Japan readers the chance to win
a free 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION Gift Pack. Photo
courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio
Nuts /Shogakukan © 2008 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION is the third and final chapter of the mega hit 20TH CENTURY BOYS sci-fi action film trilogy from Japan. Attracting attention as the biggest film project of the century in the Japanese film industry, the production of the trilogy cost over $60 million, stars over 300 all-star cast members, with shooting taking place for an entire year.

To celebrate the new Region 1 DVD release of this film, VIZ Pictures is giving SciFi Japan readers in the United States and Canada a chance to win a free 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3 Gift Pack. The pack includes a 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION US theatrical poster, a ‘Tomodachi’ T-shirt featuring the infamous Friend symbol, a mini-flag, and a 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3 button.

All three films in the 20TH CENTURY BOYS movie series are now available on DVD in North America from VIZ Pictures. The suggested retail price is $24.92 each.
Continued…

The giant monster Hangyolas rampages through the streets of Yokohama like he owns the place in DEATH KAPPA. Japan’s latest daikaiju movie will be
making its world premiere at the 2010 New York Asian Film Festival. Photo courtesy of NYAFF. © 2010 Fever Dreams

See the Latest Japanese Giant Monster Movie for Free, Courtesy of NYAFF and SciFi Japan
Source: Subway Cinema/New York Asian Film Festival
Special Thanks to Kristen Osborne and Grady Hendrix

The New York Asian Film Festival is offering SciFi Japan
readers a chance for free tickets to the premiere
screening of DEATH KAPPA. © 2010 Fever Dreams

Next week sees the launch of the 2010 New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Running from June 25-July 8 at the Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater, July 1 – 16 at Japan Society, and midnights June 25/26 and July 2/3 at IFC Center, the combined festival will feature dozens of films, international and world premiere screenings, Q&A’s with filmmakers, and other special events.

Last year’s NYAFF daikaiju double feature of MONSTER X STRIKES BACK and GEHARHA also included an exclusive video message from director and FX makeup great Tomoo Haraguchi (the 90s Gamera trilogy, GAMERA THE BRAVE, SAKUYA, UZUMAKI, KIBAKICHI, REIGO: THE DEEP-SEA MONSTER VS THE BATTLESHIP YAMATO) introducing his latest project, DEATH KAPPA… an “old school” Japanese giant monster movie done in the spirit of those creature classics of decades past. DEATH KAPPA is a Tokyo Shock original production from Media Blasters, Nikkatsu (GAPPA, THE TRIPHIBIAN MONSTER), and Fever Dreams (MACHINE GIRL, TOKYO GORE POLICE).

This year, the New York Asian Film Festival is hosting the world premiere of DEATH KAPPA on Friday, June 25th as part of their “IFC@Midnight” series. Even better: our friends at NYAFF have offered SciFi Japan readers a chance to win free tickets to attend the premiere!
Continued…

Genetic engineer Elsa Kast (Sarah Polley) comes face-to-face with the result of her latest experiment in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Dark
Castle Entertainment’s newly-released science fiction thriller SPLICE. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. © 2010 Warner Bros. Entertainment

Author: Kyle Byrd
Official Movie Site: splicethefilm.com

US theatrical poster for SPLICE. Photo courtesy of
Warner Bros. Pictures. © 2010 Warner Bros. Ent.

SPLICE is a “science gone wrong” tale concerning two scientists who dare to play God. The film is a Freudian biological nightmare revolving around Clive and Elsa (played by Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley), a romantically involved pair of scientists who have helped revolutionize genetic engineering by splicing together the DNA of different animals to create new hybrid creatures. When they try to experiment with human DNA, the company that funds their research won’t let them due to their fear of public outcry. Knowing that doing so could lead to breakthroughs in science and medicine, Clive and Elsa decide to conduct the experiments anyway.

The result is Dren, a creature made up of human DNA, as well as the DNA of various animals. Dren appears and acts more human as she ages at an unusually fast rate. From there, the scientists develop all kinds of complex relationships with the creature from paternal to sadistic to sexual. Through it all, Clive and Elsa’s relationship grows extremely complicated and we see Dren put through an existential hell.

Directed by Vincenzo Natali (CUBE), and mentored/produced by horror guru Guillermo del Toro, SPLICE is a weird, freaky little film that goes in places that you probably won’t see coming.
Continued…

The 26 episode television series JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT will finally be released on DVD in America as part of Fox Home Entertainment’s new
MGM on Demand program. Photo courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment. © 1967 Toei Co., Ltd.

Author: Keith Aiken, Oki Miyano, and Kevin Grays
Source: Fox Home Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
Order Page: amazon.com/Johnny-Sokko-His-Flying-Robot
Special Thanks to Jennifer Lang, Mitzi Phung, Gary Teetzel, Ana Kono, and Garo Setian

Cover art for the MGM DVD on Demand complete set of
JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT. Photo courtesy
of Fox Home Entertainment. © 1967 Toei Co., Ltd.

Last December, Fox Home Entertainment launched a DVD on Demand program through online retailer Amazon.com’s CreateSpace service. Similar to Warner Bros’ Warner Archive Collection, CreateSpace DVD on Demand will allow Fox to make available classic titles from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) film and television library that would would most likely not be released as mass-market entries, particularly in today’s tough and over-crowded home video market. While mass-produced retail DVDs are manufactured by a factory stamping process, the CreateSpace program individually burns NTSC format, Region 1 DVD-Rs sourced from archived studio materials.

“MGM has a vast library of classic films and TV shows, which up until now have never been available for purchase,” said Eric Doctorow, general manager MGM Worldwide at Fox. “Working with CreateSpace gives us the opportunity to preserve and release some of these films and TV shows for fans everywhere.”

One title particularly of interest to SciFi Japan readers will be JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT (1967), the Americanized version of the Japanese FX show GIANT ROBO (Jaianto Robo). Fox Home Entertainment has announced that the complete 26 episode series will be released in a seven disc set through MGM DVD on Demand.
Continued…

J-Pop Idol Erina Mano will attend and perform at the world premiere of her feature film debut, KAI-KI: TALES OF TERROR FROM TOKYO, in Los Angeles.
Photo courtesy of Japan Film Society. © 2010 BS-i, King Records

J-Pop Idol Erina Mano to Attend and Perform at Premiere Screening of Her Feature Film Debut
Source: Japan Film Society, BAM! Marketing, Publicity and Promotions press releases
Additional Material: Kai Saari
Official Site: Facebook.com/TalesofTerror (US), shinmimi.net (Japan)
Official Twitter Profile: Twitter.com/ShinMimi

KAI-KI is the latest chapter in the long-running TALES OF TERROR FROM TOKYO
AND ALL OVER JAPAN franchise, which adapts urban legends and ghost stories.
Photo courtesy of Japan Film Society. © 2010 BS-i, King Records

J-Pop’s #1 idol and Hello! Project singing sensation Erina Mano will be attending and performing at the world premiere of her break-out feature film role in KAI-KI: TALES OF TERROR FROM TOKYO (怪談新耳袋-怪奇) on July 1, 2010 (World Premiere at noon and 2nd screening at 3:00 pm) at the world famous venue, Club Nokia, in Los Angeles, California. Advance tickets for both events are now available at club2themax.com.

KAI-KI: TALES OF TERROR FROM TOKYO is based on the hit Japanese TV franchise TALES OF TERROR FROM TOKYO AND ALL OVER JAPAN and is comprised of two separate short stories: TSUKIMONO: THE POSSESSED and NOZOMI, both starring Erina Mano. The film was written by Ryuta Miyake and directed by Makoto Shinozaki (TOKYO ISLAND), and features the song “Returning Home” performed by Ms. Mano.

Erina Mano will be in attendance at both screenings and will also partake in a Q&A session with audience members and perform a mini-live concert at the event as well. In addition, she will also be take part in a fan meet & greet and a mini-autograph session for a limited time at the event. Also in attendance will be legendary J-Idol producer Andrew Tamon Niwa (the man behind Pocky 4 Sisters, Tokyo Shojo, and Miyazaki Aoi; in addition to Miss Mano) and the acclaimed horror/ghost-folktale aficionado and Tales of Terror author Hirokatsu Kihara, whose work inspired the hit Japanese TV series and now the highly anticipated theatrical release.
Continued…

Nicely Packaged but Disappointing Volume Fails to Live Up to Its Title
Author: Ed Godziszewski
Official Site: harpercollins.com/books/Killer-Kaiju-Monsters

Drazoran, an original toy creation by Mark Nagata,
graces the cover of the new book Killer Kaiju
Monsters: Strange Beasts of Japanese Film. © 2010
HarperCollins Publishers

A year ago, New York-based publisher HarperCollins announced their upcoming release Godzilla and Friends: The Art of the Japanese Monster. After various delays, the book finally went on sale this past week with the revised title Killer Kaiju Monsters: Strange Beasts of Japanese Film. The hardcover volume was written and edited by Ivan Vartanian (Full Vinyl: The Subversive Art of Designer Toys) and features illustrations by Mark Nagata (Max Toy Company), Shoji Ohtomo (An Anatomical Guide to Monsters), Ryohei Tanaka (Panic Attack!), and a cut-out paper toy by renowned paper engineer Keisuke Saka.

Killer Kaiju Monsters: Strange Beasts of Japanese Film at first looks to be typical of what we come to expect from mainstream published books on Japanese movie monsters. The Japanese studios prohibit the use of the names or any likeness or their characters on the cover (hence the change from Godzilla and Friends), so a more generic title is used and any monster design is by necessity an original one, i.e. not of a movie monster. So ordinarily, the cover belies its contents. However, in the case of Killer Kaiju Monsters, the cover is oddly emblematic of what the rest of the book delivers.
Continued…

Anime Expo 2010 logo, courtesy of Anime Expo. © 1992-2010 Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation.

Source: Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation press releases
Official Site: anime-expo.org
Material Compiled by Kyle Byrd
Special Thanks to Kimberly Groomes

BLACK LAGOON: ROBERTA’S BLOOD TRAIL will make its
world premiere at Anime Expo 2010.

Located in Los Angeles, CA, Anime Expo is the nation’s largest anime/manga convention. The event serves as a key meeting place for the general public to express their interest and explore various aspects of anime/manga, as well as for members of the industry to conduct business. AX 2010 will be held July 1 – July 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California.

Attendees, Press and Industry Members are invited to view the video coverage site of the 2009 convention at AXBackstage.org and to register for the 2010 convention at anime-expo.org.

This year’s Anime Expo is offering several interesting registration options for attendees. The new Premier Fan package, filled with fun and exclusive benefits, is available to anyone who registers for a 4-day pass and books a hotel room within the AX hotel block before June 21st. Attendees who purchase tickets to the AX concert will save 50% when bought along with a 4-day Expo pass. Visit the official site for complete details.
Continued…

Special Promotion To Celebrate the Domestic Broadcast Launch of the Shonen Sunday Animated Series
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: shonensunday.com/series/kekkaishi
Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen

Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2006, 2010 Yellow Tanabe/ Shogakukan, Yomiuri
TV, Sunrise

VIZ Media invites fans to explore the demon-battling action adventure of popular Shonen Sunday KEKKAISHI anime series with a FREE Download-to-Own (DTO) episode through VIZ Media partners iTunes, Xbox Live’s Zune Marketplace, PlayStation Network and Amazon Video on Demand. KEKKAISHI Episode 1 will be available for free download now through June 17th to celebrate the recent domestic broadcast launch of KEKKAISHI on Adult Swim.

KEKKAISHI is based on the hit manga series by Yellow Tanabe (also published in North America by VIZ Media). A story of mystical forces powerful in the region known as Karasumori. For over 400 years, it has been the duty of a clan of “kekkaishi”—barrier masters—to guard this land and exterminate the supernatural creatures that are drawn to it night after night.
Continued…

Source: FUNimation Entertainment press releases
Special Thanks to Jackie Smith

DVD cover art for FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD
Part 1. © 2009 Hiromu Arakawa/FA Project・MBS

FUNimation Entertainment has provided details on their new and upcoming Region 1 anime DVD and Blu-ray releases.

Read on for cover art and specs for FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD Part 1, one of FUNimation’s big releases for 2010. Plus art and info on X: THE COMPLETE SERIES, SOUL EATER- Part Three, AFRO SAMURAI: The Complete Murder Sessions Blu-ray, KENICHI: THE MIGHTIEST DISCIPLE- Season Two Part Two, BECK: COMPLETE COLLECTION, GUYVER: THE COMPLETE SERIES Blu-ray, WITCHBLADE: COMPLETE COLLECTION, INITIAL D: PROJECT D, FOURTH STAGE- PART 2, HEROIC AGE: THE COMPLETE SERIES, and THE SLAYERS EVOLUTION-R.
Continued…

From left to right: Princess Yuki (Masami Nagasawa), Shinpachi (Daisuke Miyagawa), Takezo (Jun Matsumoto),and Rokurota Makabe (Hiroshi Abe); the heroes of
HIDDEN FORTRESS: THE LAST PRINCESS. Toho’s remake of the Akira Kurosawa classic is coming to DVD in the UK this month. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media
and Organic Marketing.© 2008 “Hidden Fortress: The Last Princess” Film Partners

50th Anniversary Remake of Akira Kurosawa Samurai Classic Comes to UK DVD on June 28th
Source: Toho Co., Ltd promotional materials, 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing
Official Movie Site: kakushi-toride.jp (Japan)
Special Thanks to Louise Rivers, Steve Beecham, and Stuart Galbraith IV

Toho’s international sales flier for HIDDEN FORTRESS: THE
LAST PRINCESS. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media.© 2008
“Hidden Fortress: The Last Princess” Film Partners

By the late 1950s. filmmaker Akira Kurosawa was internationally renowned for his serious, intelligent— and often bleak and pessimistic— dramas such as RASHOMON (1950), I LIVE IN FEAR (Ikimono no Kiroku, 1955), THRONE OF BLOOD (Kumunosu-jo, 1957), and the LOWER DEPTHS (Donzoko, 1957). For his next production, Kurosawa decided to do something different. With THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (Kakushi Toride no San-Akunin), Kurosawa explained that, “I want to make a 100% entertainment film, full of thrills and fun.” Working once again with his RASHOMON and SEVEN SAMURAI (Shichinin no Samurai, 1954) stars Toshiro Mifune and Minoru Chiaki, Kurosawa created a movie that has been long acknowledged as a masterpiece of entertainment.

For the film’s fiftieth anniversary, Toho and director Shinji Higuchi took a fresh look at the story and characters of THE HIDDEN FORTRESS. Higuchi’s unique imagination infused the classic tale with a 21st Century perspective to bring it back as a new, non-stop swashbuckling adventure… HIDDEN FORTRESS: THE LAST PRINCESS (Kakushi Toride no San-Akunin: The Last Princess).

While still unreleased in North America, HIDDEN FORTRESS: THE LAST PRINCESS is coming to DVD (Region 2, PAL, with English subtitles) in the United Kingdom from 4Digital Media. Available June 28th, 2010, the DVD will carry a 15 certification and a suggested retail price of £15.99.
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