The Amano Monochromes; 1: Girl’s Profiile, 2: Boy, and 3: Lady with Sword will be auctioned to support Japanese disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Photos courtesy of NEW PEOPLE. © 2011 Yoshitaka Amano

3 New Bush Works by the Acclaimed Artist to be Auctioned at Special Event on July 9th
Source: NEW PEOPLE, MediaLab press releases
Special Thanks to Erik Jansen

Don’t miss a rare opportunity to own an original artwork by pop and anime artist Yoshitaka Amano as NEW PEOPLE presents Yoshitaka Amano: FOR JAPAN, a very special art exhibition and auction event at the venue’s SUPERFROG Gallery to fund ongoing Japanese disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts. The special auction event is scheduled for Saturday, July 9th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. Guests must RSVP here to attend. NEW PEOPLE is located at 1746 Post St. in San Francisco’s Japantown. Additional details are available at newpeopleworld.com/arts/yoshitaka-amano-for-japan.

Yoshitaka Amano has donated three striking new brush works on canvas to be auctioned for the tsunami and earthquake victims of Japan. Fully 100% of all proceeds will be received by the Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund by JCCCNC.
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Woody Harrelson, Josh Hartnett, and Gackt star in the martial-arts action fantasy film BUNRAKU, which will have a sneak peek at AM² this weekend.
Photo courtesy of BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions.

3-Day Anime, Music, and Manga Event in Anaheim this 4th of July Weekend
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases
Official Site: am2con.org
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

Schoolgirls and maids will be back for the AniMaid Café. Photo courtesy of BAM!
Marketing, Publicity & Promotions. © 2011 AM².

AM² kicks off its 3-day, 24 hour event July 1st at the Anaheim Convention Center in sunny Anaheim, California. Current Guest of Honors include Masao Maruyama, Sunao Katabuchi, Akihiko Yamashita, Miho Shimogasa, Scandal, Sadie, Kanon Wakeshima, kanon x kanon, heidi., Gashicon, IBI and MINT.

AM² activities include Exhibit Hall, AMV’s, Arcade, Summer Festival, World Cosplay Summit, Behind the Voice Actors Studio, Rum Party Pirates, Masquerade, Cosplay Chess, Dances, Fashion Shows, Table Top, Console Gaming, AniMaid Café, AniMaid Café Host Club, Workshops, Panels, Concerts and more!

Entrance to the event is free, but attendees the anticipated huge lines at autographs, premiere screenings, workshops, main events, concerts and panels by purchasing a Passport fast pass for the event. The Passport fast pass will also provide holders with premier seating options at Main Events and at Concert events as well as major discounts with theme parks, retailers and local restaurants. Bypass the lines and get your Passport today.
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Dual language Anime Expo logo, courtesy of Anime Expo. © 1992-2011 Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation.

New Guests, Musical Performers, and Events Added for Anime and Manga Festival
Source: Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation press releases
Official Site: anime-expo.org

Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration, has announced some new guests when it returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011. Tetsuro Araki, Masayoshi Tanaka and Kentaro Hashimoto of Madhouse Studios will attend as Guests of Honor. The trio will be present for a special July 2nd screening of the acclaimed zombie apocalypse series HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD and will host a creator’s panel. Video game producer and developer Sohei Niikawa amd voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro are also Guests of Honor while Takanori Aki, President of Good Smile Company, will be an industry guest. Additional Guests of Honor include the production team behind LASTEXILE -FAM, THE SILVER WING-, giving fans of the series a chance to meet and hear from Koichi Chigira, Makoto Kobayashi, Takaaki Suzuki from GONZO and Hiroyuki Birukawa from flyingDOG. They all join the Anime Expo 2011 guest line-up that includes chart-topping Japanese pop trio Kalafina, Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo, voice actor Vic Mignogna and video game developer Sohei Niikawa, as well as Anime Expo’s first ever Virtual Guest of Honor, Digital Pop Idol Hatsune Miku.

Themed the “Year of the Fan,” Anime Expo 2011 will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese animation, manga, music and fashion. Anime Expo is a non-stop marathon of Japanese pop culture that’s been likened to Halloween in July.
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Source: Eleven Arts Entertainment press release
Official Movie Site: funimation.com/trigun (US), trigun-movie.com (Japan)
Special Thanks to Shun Ohara

Photo courtesy of Eleven Arts. © 2010 Yasuhiro Naito/ Trigun the Movie
Production Committee

Eleven Arts and FUNimation Entertainment will launch a fun WANTED campaign on Facebook in advance of the US release of TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE (トライガン The Movie 公式サイト, 2010) opening from July 8th. Fans can visit the TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE Official Facebook Page today at noon to have their Facebook profile picture put in a TRIGUN “WANTED” frame.

Set on a remote planet in the near future, TRIGUN is a popular sci-fi action anime series created by Yasuhiro Naito. It portrays the life and actions of a wanted man named Vash, an extreme pacifist by nature with the unique nickname the “Human Typhoon”. The movie TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE debuted on April 24th 2010 in Japan, and was a box office hit.
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The complete anime series HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD will be available On Demand from Comcast in July. © 2010 Daisuke Sato/ Shouji Sato. © 2010 Fujimishobo

Source: Anime Network press release
Official Site: geneonuniversal.jp/hotd (Japan)
Special Thanks to Christian Lopez

Anime Network and Comcast will team up this Summer to bring fans one of the hottest anime in recent memory, HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD! The world is turned on it’s head when the dead begin to rise, and for a group of high school students survival is their only option! All 12 episodes of this sizzling hot series will be available to rent on Xfinity Top Picks this July.
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Atomsk, the most powerful space pirate in the universe, emerges in the GAINAX anime series FLCL. © 1999 Gainax/KGI

Author: Elliot Gay
Official Site: funimation.com/flcl (US), gainax.co.jp/flcl (Japan)

One of studio GAINAX’s most famous projects, FLCL (フリクリ, Furi Kuri, 2000) was a six episode OVA series that at first made absolutely no sense to me. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what this show was trying to be. What I did know was that it had an unexplainable pull on me. Something about the characters, their interactions and even the breakneck pace of it all drew me toward it in a way I hadn’t experienced with any animated production. I was looking at each episode, each scene and shot in a way that was new to me. It’s no exaggeration to say that my encounter with FLCL at the age of 15 served as a springboard into becoming who I am today in many ways.

This is not a review. This is also not a preview. This is a personal look back at what I feel to be one of the greatest anime of all time, and something anyone with a passion for any visual medium needs to watch.
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Anime fans gather for FanimeCon 2011 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, CA.

Authors: Chris Taylor and Daisy Evans
Official Site: fanime.com

Fanime is one of the largest anime conventions in North America. Held in San Jose, CA during Memorial Day weekend, Fanime is a very fan centered convention and features many fan-run panels and events, as well as some notable guests of honor. The Japanese band FLOW was particularly popular. We heard people talking about their concert all weekend. The dealer’s hall and artist alley were both quite sizable and offered a large assortment of wares.
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Kei Kishimoto (Natsuna Watanabe) battles weird aliens in GANTZ. Photo courtesy of Japan Society. © Hiroya Oku/Shueisha © 2011 Gantz Film Partners

See Both Movies for Free, Courtesy of NYAFF and SciFi Japan
Source: Subway Cinema/New York Asian Film Festival
Special Thanks to Kristen Osborne and Grady Hendrix

Next week sees the launch of the 2011 New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Running from July 1-14 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and July 7 – 22 at Japan Society, the combined festival will feature dozens of films, international and world premiere screenings, Q&A’s with filmmakers, and other special events.

This year’s lineup a double feature of the new live action sci-fi movies GANTZ (前編, Gantsu, 2011) and GANTZ: PERFECT ANSWER (前編 PERFECT ANSWER, Gantsu Pafekuto Ansaa, 2011). Presented back-to-back and in the original Japanese with English subtitles, the screenings will mark the New York Premiere of the subtitled GANTZ and the North American Premiere of GANTZ: PERFECT ANSWER. And if that’s not cool enough, our friends at NYAFF are offering SciFi Japan readers a chance to win free tickets to see both movies!
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A living god challenges those who profit from war in THE GOD OF CLAY, a new Japanese short film making its world premiere this Thursday in Los Angeles.
Concept art by the late Tetsuzo Osawa, SFX production designer for the Heisei Godzilla films. Photo courtesy of Marbling Fine Arts. © 2011 Marbling Fine Arts

Veteran Toho SFX Director Helmed New Indie Giant Monster Short, Making Its U.S. Debut This Week
Author: Steve Ryfle
Translation: Oki Miyano
Special thanks to Toshiko Iwasaki, Norihiko Iwasaki, Dennis Bartok, and Elliot Gay

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

GOD OF CLAY co-director Koichi Kawakita supervising a special effects scene for
GODZILLA VS SPACE GODZILLA. © 1994 Toho Co., Ltd.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Koichi Kawakita brought Godzilla back to life. When he took over as special effects director of the long-running film series with GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE (ゴジラ VS ビオランテ, Gojira tai Biorante, 1989), Kawakita rejuvenated a franchise that was creatively and technically moribund and introduced a new-look Godzilla that redefined the monster for a whole new generation of fans worldwide. Kawakita went on to work on a total of six Godzilla movies, the last being GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH (ゴジラ VS デストロイア, Gojira tai Desutoroia, 1995).

More recently, Kawakita was a creative force behind a project that is decidedly smaller in scale yet has much in common with the Godzilla franchise, from the antiwar theme that propelled the original GODZILLA (ゴジラ, Gojira, 1954) to the traditional Japanese analog special-effects techniques that define the entire genre it begat. THE GOD OF CLAY (ねんどの神さま, 2009/2011) is a 13-minute short film that pays homage to the classic tokusatsu films and television shows of the 1950s and 60s. The film, on which Kawakita shares co-director credit with Nobuaki Sugimoto, has never been shown publicly, not even in Japan. Its world debut will be held at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23 at the Bigfoot Crest Theater in Westwood, CA.
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Check out SFJ’s breaking news on the GODZILLA VS MEGALON Blu-ray/DVD plus classic Gamera films streaming online for free.
GODZILLA VS MEGALON © 1973 Toho Co., Ltd. GAMERA VS GYAOS © 1967 Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.

Source: Media Blasters, Inc., Golden Media Group
Special Thanks to Carl Morano and Roy McAree

SciFi Japan has received some news updates today that should be of interest to daikaiju fans…

• Media Blasters informed us that GODZILLA VS. MEGALON is scheduled for DVD and Blu-ray on November 29, 2011.

• In response to demand, the GooHead.com Internet Channel will add the original Japanese (with English subtitles) versions of the Gamera films to their lineup, beginning with GAMERA vs GYAOS (English dubbed versions are already available). All of the Gamera movies will be streamed for free.

For much more information on these topics, please see the previous coverage here on SciFi Japan:

• GODZILLA VS MEGALON Region 1 DVD/Blu-ray Rumors False
• Media Blasters Discusses DVD and Blu-ray Plans for DESTROY ALL MONSTERS and GODZILLA VS MEGALON

And:

• Gamera Movies and More Now Streaming Free on GooHead Internet Channel

Wolfwood wields his giant cross in TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE, playing in theaters across the United States starting next month.
Photo courtesy of Eleven Arts. © 2010 Yasuhiro Naito/ Trigun the Movie Production Committee

Author: Elliot Gay
Official Movie Site: funimation.com/trigun (US), trigun-movie.com (Japan)
Special Thanks to Eleven Arts Entertainment

Back in college, I powered through all 14 volumes of the original Trigun manga series, and then went on to watch the complete TV anime. I could not help but find myself disappointed with the fact that the anime begins to move away from the original material early on in the story. The new film, TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE is something of a fresh breath of air. Clearly this film was made for TRIGUN fans rather than any possible newcomers. The upside of this is that the story told here, while separate from the manga, captures the spirit of said source natural perfectly. This is the manga version of Vash the Stampede, brought to life in all of his glory.
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Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release
Official Site: am2con.org
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

Photo courtesy of BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions.
© 2011 AM².

From AM² representative Chase Wang…

I am writing to see if you would be willing to help us spread the word of AM² being held July 1-3, 2011 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Over this past weekend, individuals hacked into our website and put up a very incorrect and false statement claiming that our event was “Cancelled” and that all our guests were going over to a different event. THIS IS COMPLETELY FALSE.

I am extremely disappointed that there are individuals out there that are so willing to stoop to such levels to disrupt and harm our event after all the work and planning that has been done to bring as much fun to our attendees as possible. We’ve beefed up our security a bit to prevent this issue from happening again. Sorry for the inconvenience and scare. AM² is NOT cancelled. It is still happening and it will rock. See you there!
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ANGEL BEATS COMPLETE COLLECTION Available on July 26th
Source: Section23 Films press release
Special Thanks to Mike Bailiff

Photo courtesy of Section23 Films.

Home video distributor Section23 Films has provided details on its July 2011 slate of releases, including the white-hot anime series ANGEL BEATS. The complete collection will be released on DVD & Blu-Ray by Section23 client Sentai Filmworks.

Also scheduled for July are DVD editions of ORPHEN COMPLETE COLLECTION, HIDAMARI SKETCH: HOSHIMITTSU, and ALLISON & LILLIA GENERATION 2.

Read on for plot descriptions, DVD specs, and cover art for all of these titles.
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Huge Festivals Return to New York City with Screenings of 70 Asian Films
Source: Subway Cinema, Japan Society
Special Thanks to Kristen Osborne, Grady Hendrix, and Shannon Jowett

Beginning July 1st, 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 (July 1-14) and Japan Society’s Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema (July 7-22) combined will feature 70 different movies, world and US premieres, exclusive Q&A’s with filmmakers, and other special events. This year also marks the fifth annual collaboration between Japan Cuts and NYAFF, who will co-present several films at the Japan Society from July 7-10.
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Get Strong or Get Schooled in New Action Manga from VIZ Media
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen

Cover for Tenjo Tenge Volume 1. Photo courtesy of VIZ
Media. © 1997 Oh!great/Shueisha Inc.

VIZ Media, LLC, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, brings gnarly, knuckle-busting action to readers with the release of the manga series, Tenjo Tenge, on June 21st. Created by Oh!great, the debut volume features 16 full-color pages and a selection of alternate color cover images. Tenjo Tenge will be published by the VIZ Signature imprint, is rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences, and will carry an MSRP of $17.99 U.S. / $21.00 CAN.

Welcome to Todo High, home of the toughest student brawlers and sexiest badass babes in high school history. The only rule is: get strong or get schooled.

Soichiro Nagi and Bob Makihara have always been the meanest street brawlers around. When they enter Todo High they plan on carving out a reputation as the strongest fighters in their new school – easier said than done in a place that’s dedicated to training its students in the art of combat! After realizing they’re the new fish swimming in a tank full of sharks, Soichiro and Bob enter the Juken fight club as rookie members. However, the Executive Council – the archrival of the Juken Club – soon launches a surprise attack. Soichiro and Bob have a chance to show their stuff, as long as they don’t get curb-kicked in the process!
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44 years after its theatrical release, the Korean monster movie YONGARY, MONSTER FROM THE DEEP will be broadcast for the first time on Korean television.
© 1967 Keukdong Entertainment Company

The Quintessential Korean Monster Movie is Finally Shown on Korean Television
Author: Kim Song-ho
Source: EBS, Korean Film Archive
Special Thanks to Ms. Shin Ye-won and Mr. Kim Bong-young

On June 19, 2011, the Korean network EBS (Educational Broadcasting System) will air YONGARY, MONSTER FROM THE DEEP (대괴수 용가리, Daegoesu Yonggary, 1967). This marks the first ever domestic TV broadcast of the film, 44 years after its theatrical release in Korea. It is also the first HD broadcast of the movie. EBS will air YONGARY as part of its weekly movie program, KOREAN MOVIE SPECIAL (한국영화 특선), which shows classic Korean movies at 11:00pm KST every Sunday.
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Vash the Stampede is still getting into trouble in TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE, playing in theaters across the United States starting next month.
Photo courtesy of Eleven Arts. © 2010 Yasuhiro Naito/ Trigun the Movie Production Committee

Anime Film Begins US Run on July 7th
Source: Eleven Arts Entertainment press release
Official Movie Site: funimation.com/trigun (US), trigun-movie.com (Japan)
Special Thanks to Shun Ohara

Eleven Arts and FUNimation Entertainment are bringing TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE (トライガン The Movie 公式サイト, 2010) to the big screen in theaters across North America in Summer 2011. The film will be shown in Canada on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, and open in the United States beginning in July. The initial US release schedule has just been announced, with another wave of theaters to be revealed early next month.
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DVD and Blu-ray cover art for the second volume of CASSHERN SINS. Photos courtesy of The Associates. © 2008 Tatsunoko Production/ Casshern Sins Project

Source: The Associates press release
Official Site: casshern-sins.jp (Japan), funimation.com/casshernsins (US)

Casshern – a cybernetic assassin with no memory of his past – awakens in a corrosive wasteland where nothing survives for long. A plague known as the Ruin sweeps across this once-vibrant world, reducing everything in its path to rubble and scattering any chance for salvation. Robots and humans alike – or what little remains of them – seek vengeance against Casshern for the life he took and the role he played in their Ruin. A machine built to kill, Casshern murdered the last hope for this world, but now, lost in a future he does not recognize, he will fight to save the dying.

CASSHERN SINS: PART TWO of two (containing Episodes 13-24) will be released as a three-disc DVD (Region 2, PAL) and two-disc Blu-ray (Region B) by Manga Entertainment on 18th July 2011.
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Available in Stores Everywhere on July 5
Source: Shout! Factory press release
Special Thanks to Tom Chen

Cover art for the DVD set TRANSFORMERS: THE JAPANESE
COLLECTION– HEADMASTERS. Photo courtesy of Shout!
Factory. © 1987/2010 Hasbro, Inc.

This summer, loyal fans and collectors can finally bring home a new installment of the ongoing animated saga of TRANSFORMERS as Fortress Maximus, Scorponok and the rest of the Headmasters make their U.S. home entertainment debut in TRANSFORMERS: THE JAPANESE COLLECTION– HEADMASTERS DVD set from Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro, Inc.

THE TRANSFORMERS– HEADMASTERS (トランスフォーマー ザ★ヘッドマスターズ, Toransufoomaa za Heddomasutaazu, 1987) is the first part of the rare Japanese trilogy that followed the popular “Generation 1” animated series. Available for the first time in North America , this collectible 4-DVD set features the complete action-packed episodes from the HEADMASTERS series and contains the original Japanese language tracks along with updated English subtitles, a rare art gallery and more! Poised to attract an audience of pop culture enthusiasts, kids and parents who grew up with the American animated series, TRANSFORMERS: THE JAPANESE COLLECTION– HEADMASTERS is priced to own with a suggested retail price of $29.93.
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FUNimation Entertainment has announced three new titles for release in 2011-2012. ZEBRAMAN 2: ATTACK ON ZEBRA CITY © 2010 Zebraman- Attack on Zebra
City Partners. WE WITHOUT WINGS- UNDER THE INNOCENT SKY © 2011 Navel. CITY UNDER SEIGE © 2010 Universe Entertainment.

ZEBRAMAN 2, CITY UNDER SEIGE, and WE WITHOUT WINGS- UNDER THE INNOCENT SKY to Get US Release
Source: FUNimation Entertainment
Special Thanks to Jackie Smith

This past weekend, FUNimation Entertainment announced it has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to three new properties. The live action film ZEBRAMAN 2: ATTACK ON ZEBRA CITY (ゼブラーマン -ゼブラシティの逆襲-, Zeburaaman -Zebura Shiti no Gyakushuu-, 2010) was directed by Takashi Miike (ICHI THE KILLER, 13 ASSASSINS) and is a sequel to Miike’s 2004 film ZEBRAMAN. The anime series WE WITHOUT WINGS- UNDER THE INNOCENT SKY (俺たちに翼はない, Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai, 2011) is a romantic comedy from director Shinji Ushiro (BLESSING OF THE CAMPANELLA) which revolves around a group of young people whose seemingly unconnected lives may be linked in an alternate world. The Hong Kong science fiction action film CITY UNDER SEIGE (全城戒备, Chun sing gai bei, 2010) was directed and co-written by Benny Chan (NEW POLICE STORY, FIST OF FURY, HEROIC DUO) and follows a group of circus performers who go on a rampage after accidental exposure to chemical gas left by the Japanese army in WWII grants them superhuman abilities.
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Quad poster for the upcoming UK theatrical release of award winning comedy SAWAKO DECIDES. Photo courtesy of Third Window Films. © 2010 PFF Partners

Source: Third Window Films, The Associates press release
Official Movie Site: kawasoko.com (Japan), thirdwindowfilms.com/sawako-decides (UK)
Special Thanks to Adam Torel

Yuya Ishii’s award winning comedy SAWAKO DECIDES (川の底からこんにちは, Kawa no Soko Kara Konnichi Wa, 2010), comes out in cinemas this July at the ICA in London and various other regional UK sites. SAWAKO DECIDES was the 19th Pia Film Festival scholarship winner and was picked as official selection for both the Berlin Film Festival and London Film Festival (among many others). It made its North American premiere at the 2010 New York Asian Film Festival/Japan Cuts, and won awards for ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best Actress’ at the Fantasia International Film Festival.

The film stars the critically acclaimed actress Hikari Mitsushima, who started her career as a child star in REBIRTH OF MOTHRA II (モスラ2 海底の大決戦, Mosura Tsuu Kaitei no Daikessen, 1997) before moving on to genre favorites such as ULTRAMAN MAX (ウルトラマンマックス Urutoraman Makkusu, 2005) and the DEATH NOTE films (2006). In recent years she has established herself with quirky performances in cult hits like LOVE EXPOSURE (愛のむきだし, Ai no Mukidashi, 2009) and KAKERA: A PIECE OF OUR LIFE (カケラ, Kakera, 2010). Mitsushima continues that trend with SAWAKO DECIDES, a touching story about “normal” life and trying to assert oneself in society.
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Sisters Miyuki (Yuri Nakamura) and Kaori (Mina Fujii) get into serious trouble in KYOFU, the sixth film in the J-HORROR THEATER series.
© 2009 KYOFU Film Partners

Movie from the Creators of RING to be Released July 20th
Source: Madman Entertainment
Official Site: sentoshojo.jp (Japan)
Special Thanks to Ben Pollock and Philippa Lamb

In 2004, producer Takashigi Ichise (the RING and JU-ON/THE GRUDGE films) launched J-HORROR THEATER (J horaa Shiataa), a series of six standalone horror films directed by genre favorites such as Hideo Nakata (RING, DARK WATER), Takashi Shimizu (JU-ON, THE GRUDGE), and Kiyoshi Kurosawa (CURE, PULSE). The final J-HORROR THEATER movie, KYOFU (恐怖, 2010), was written and directed by Hiroshi Takahashi, the screenwriter of the original RING (リング, Ringu, 1998) which made modern Japanese horror films a worldwide phenomenon.

Not yet released in North America, KYOFU will be available on DVD (Region 4, PAL) in Australia by Madman Entertainment this July.
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Giant trolls are a big problem in the new film TROLLHUNTER, now in limited theatrical release in America. Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.
© 2010 Filmkameratene AS

Norwegian Monster Movie Opens in US Theaters Today
Source: Magnolia Pictures
Official Site: trollhunterfilm.com

US poster art for TROLLHUNTER. Photo courtesy of
Magnet Releasing. © 2010 Filmkameratene AS

The government says there’s nothing to worry about – it’s just a problem with bears making trouble in the mountains and forests of Norway. But local hunters don’t believe it – and neither do a trio of college students who want to find out the truth. Armed with a video camera, they trail a mysterious “poacher,” who wants nothing to do with them. But their persistence lands them straight in the path of the objects of his pursuits: Trolls. They soon find themselves documenting every move of this grizzled, unlikely hero – The Troll Hunter – risking their lives to uncover the secrets of creatures only thought to exist in fairy tales.

From Norwegian writer/director André Øvredal comes TROLLHUNTER, a thrillingly entertaining creature feature filled with harrowing suspense – and the darkest of humor. Filmed in the stunningly beautiful countryside of Norway, from fjords to forests, TROLLHUNTER tells the story of a veteran hunter – and fed-up government employee – as he reveals the world of beasts known only to Norwegians in stories from their childhood. It’s not long before the students – and the audience – believe his unlikely tales.
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DESTROY ALL MONSTERS— featuring eleven Toho daikaiju stars— is one of two classic Godzilla movies coming to Region 1 DVD from Media Blasters.
© 1968 Toho Co., Ltd.

Distributor Dispels Recent Rumors and Provides Details on New Toho Acquisitions
Author: Keith Aiken
Source: Media Blasters, Inc.
Special Thanks to Carl Morano and Ed Godziszewski

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Gigan takes a swing at Godzilla in GODZILLA VS MEGALON. © 1973 Toho Co., Ltd.

On May 27th, the New York-based home video and theatrical distributor Media Blasters announced that they have acquired North American rights from Toho Co. for the Godzilla movies DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (怪獣総進撃, Kaiju Soshingeki, 1968) and GODZILLA VS MEGALON (ゴジラ対メガロ, Gojira tai Megaro, 1973). Both films will be released on Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray through the company’s live-action Asian cinema division, Tokyo Shock.

Media Blasters has provided SciFi Japan with an official announcement on their new acquisitions. And Media Blasters Managing Director Carl Morano also agreed to clear up some recent internet rumors and misinformation regarding GODZILLA VS MEGALON and answer questions about the company’s plans for the two Godzilla films.
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Lee Dae-ho (Kim Sang-kyoung) has some concerns about skyscraper fire safety measures in THE TOWER, a new Korean disaster movie in the style of
THE TOWERING INFERNO. Photo courtesy of CJ E&M Pictures and The Tower Pictures. © 2011 CJ E&M Pictures/ The Tower Pictures

Principal Photography Begins for New Korean Disaster Movie
Author: Kim Song-ho
Source: CJ E&M Pictures/ The Tower Pictures

CJ E&M and The Tower Pictures jointly announced on June 6th (Korean date) that principal photography for THE TOWER (타워) began on May 18 at KOFIC Studio in Namyangju, Korea.

THE TOWER depicts the desperate struggles of a group of people trapped in a giant skyscraper located in downtown Seoul, as a massive fire consumes the building on Christmas Eve. The movie is helmed by Kim Ji-hoon, director of the upcoming 3D creature feature SECTOR 7 (7광구, Chil gwanggu) which premieres in Korea August 4. His 2007 debut feature MAY 18 (화려한 휴가, Hwaryeohan hyuga), about the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement, was a critical and commercial success. SECTOR 7 is also expected to be a strong contender in the domestic box office battle this summer.
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25 Years of Storytelling and Pioneering New Paths in Global Entertainment
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Special Thanks to Jane Lui, Candice Uyloan, and Erik Jansen

Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2011 VIZ Media, LLC

VIZ Media, the largest distributor of anime and manga in the North America, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary on July 7th, 2011. Over its 25 year history, VIZ Media has led the transformation of manga and anime from a niche category sold only at specialty retailers into a mass media phenomenon popularized on Cartoon Network, Hulu and iTunes, and available at Barnes & Noble and Walmart. Today, VIZ Media is North America’s largest distributor of anime and manga, and is leading the global anime and manga industries to their digital futures. To celebrate 25 years of pioneering new paths in global entertainment and publishing, later this year VIZ Media will be unveiling new properties, marketing programs, and distribution partnerships.

“For 25 years, VIZ Media has been telling stories that resonate with audiences and fans all over North America,” said Hidemi Fukuhara, President and CEO of VIZ Media. “Even after two-and-a-half decades of explosive growth, we still see tremendous potential to adapt, grow and leverage our library of world-renowned and beloved characters. With a full slate of new anime and manga releases planned this year, VIZ Media has something for everyone.”
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COLD FISH, the acclaimed film from the director of LOVE EXPOSURE, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK by Third Window Films.
Photos courtesy of Third Window Films. © 2010 Sushi Typhoon/ Nikkatsu

Source: Third Window Films press release
Official Movie Site: coldfish.jp (Japan), thirdwindowfilms.com/cold-fish (UK), sushi-typhoon.com/coldfish (US)
Special Thanks to Adam Torel

UK label Third Window Films is pleased to announce the release of COLD FISH (冷たい熱帯魚, Tsumetai Nettaigyo, 2010), Sion Sono’s gruesome follow up to LOVE EXPOSURE, as a 2-disc DVD set and Blu-ray on June 27th, 2011. Inspired by and loosely based on the real-life exploits of serial killer couple Gen Sekine and his ex-wife Hiroko Kazama (the perpetrators of Tokyo’s notorious 1993 “Saitama serial murders of dog lovers” killings), COLD FISH is a psychotic cavalcade of sex, violence and comedy.
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VIZ Media has been named the exclusive U.S. product licensor for the new animated superhero series TIGER & BUNNY. © 2011 Sunrise/ T&B Partners, MBS

Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: tigerandbunny.net (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen

TIGER & BUNNY has already become a merchandising
success in Japan. © 2011 Sunrise/ T&B Partners, MBS,
Bandai

VIZ Media, LLC, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced it has been named the exclusive U.S. product licensor for the new animated crime-fighting action series TIGER & BUNNY (タイガー＆バニー, Taigaa & Banii). The company will showcase the property to a variety of potential merchandise partners during the 2011 Licensing International Expo, held in Las Vegas, June 14th-16th, 2011. VIZ Media will be located in Booth #2481.

The Licensing International Expo is held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center and is the preeminent marketplace for the hottest international brands and properties. The vent features a show floor of more than 7,000 properties from all of Hollywood’s major film studios, global entertainment companies, Fortune 500 consumer brands, sporting teams, interactive properties, fashion labels, and cutting-edge artists and designers. The annual event celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2010.

TIGER & BUNNY currently simulcasts the same day it debuts in Japan the SAME DAY it debuts in Japan (currently up to Eepisode 10) on HULU and VIZAnime, the company’s own exclusive web destination for anime. TIGER & BUNNY Blu-ray currently rank Number 1 on Amazon Japan, and a wide variety of toys, collectables, and other products are already licensed for the Japanese market.
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Ordinary Boy Becomes a Hero in the Land of His Dreams
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: VIZAnime.com
Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen

Key art for the anime series MÄR © 2005 Noboyuki Anzai/
Shogakukan, ShoPro, TV Tokyo

VIZ Media has announced the availability of the anime series, MÄR, on Netflix, Inc., the world’s leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV shows. 52-episodes of the animated fantasy adventure story are available to stream to subscribers in the U.S. as of May 31st.

MÄR (rated TV-PG, subtitled) is based on the hit 15-volume manga series created by Nobuyuki Anzai (Flame of Recca), published in North America by VIZ Media. The series joins several other popular VIZ Media anime titles such as BLEACH, DEATH NOTE, NARUTO, and INUYASHA, which can now be instantly streamed from Netflix.

An ordinary middle-school boy with an overactive imagination, Ginta Toramizu dreams about fairy tales and make-believe lands. One day at school, a gate appears and he enters the World of MÄR, the world of his dreams. Within the World of MÄR exist ÄRM: accessories with unique powers. Soon, Ginta stumbles upon Babbo, an ÄRM that can speak, and learns that he has been summoned to this mythical world to stop the Chess Pieces, a group of rogue soldiers, from destroying the World of MÄR. Now part of Team MÄR, Ginta and Babbo fight in War Games against the Chess Pieces to save the MÄR World. But will Ginta’s mission be compromised by his ally’s secrets?
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KING OF EDEN, the first of two EDEN OF THE EAST theatrical films, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia by Madman Entertainment.
Photo courtesy of Madman Entertainment. © 2009 EDEN OF THE EAST.

Special Edition Comes with Bonus Feature Film: EDEN OF THE EAST: AIR COMMUNICATION
Source: Madman Entertainment
Official Site: juiz.jp (Japan)
Special Thanks to Ben Pollock and Philippa Lamb

The Air King returns! The intrigue goes international in EDEN OF THE EAST THE MOVIE 1: THE KING OF EDEN (東のエデン 劇場版ⅠThe King of Eden, Higashi no Eden Gekijooban I: The King of Eden, 2009), a feature-length conspiracy thriller that continues the action of the anime series EDEN OF THE EAST. The deadly game that began in Japan now intensifies on the streets of New York City. The rules are the same: do whatever it takes to win. Die if you lose.

EDEN OF THE EAST THE MOVIE 1: THE KING OF EDEN will be released in Australia as a two-disc DVD (Region 4, PAL) and Blu-ray by Madman Entertainment on June 15th, 2011. Extra features include the EDEN OF THE EAST: AIR COMMUNICATION feature length film edit of the original 11 episode EOTE TV series.
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