Samuel Goldwyn Films Releases Live Action Film Based on Hit Anime
Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films press notes
Official Movie Site: Blood The Last Vampire
Special Thanks to Teresa DiMartino, Jean McDowell, and Sharon Siegel

US poster art for BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE, the live
action adaptation of the hit anime film. Photo courtesy
of Samuel Goldwyn Films. © 2009 East Wing Holdings
Corp. and SAJ.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie.

Following theatrical releases in Japan, France, Hong Kong, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, Chris Nahon’s martial arts action thriller BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE will open this month in American cinemas. The film is a live action adaption of the award-winning anime of the same name from Production I.G. (GHOST IN THE SHELL, KILL BILL VOl. 1) and Aniplex. The new movie was created by an international partnership that includes East Wing Holdings Corp., Pathé, the Hong Kong-based EDKO Film, the French production company SAJ, and cooperation and support from Production I.G.

BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE will be released theatrically by Samuel Goldwyn Films in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, Seattle, Berkeley, Boston, Cambridge, Waltham, Washington DC, San Francisco, Honolulu, Aiea, San Diego, Dallas, Houston, Irvine, Seattle, Las Vegas, and New York on Friday, July 10th.

SciFi Japan presents an early look at BLOOD with press notes, photos, promotional art, the US trailer, and video clips courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
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Major Motoko Kusanagi makes her escape in the opening sequence of GHOST IN THE SHELL 2.0. The updated version of the popular anime will
be shown this month at the Barbican Centre in London. © 1995/2008 Shirow Masamune/Kodansha · Bandai Visual · Manga Entertainment

Updated Anime Classic to be Screened in London
Source: Barbican Centre, Sarah Harvey Publicity press release
Special Thanks to Laura Bushell

Barbican Film continues their JAPANIMATION series with a special preview of the classic GHOST IN THE SHELL in its newly remastered form GHOST IN THE SHELL 2.0 (Kokaku Kidotai 2.0) on 21 July. The film has now been thoroughly updated, with all the original CGI shots completely re-digitised to enhance their quality. There’s a new 6.1 surround soundtrack, and a remix of Kenji Kawai’s disturbing and evocative score from Oscar-winning sound mixer/editor Randy Thom at Skywalker Sound.
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On July 30, the Egyptian Theatre presents a double feature of Toho sci-fi/monster movies. BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE © 1959 Toho Co., Ltd.
GODZILLA, MOTHRA AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK promotional art courtesy of Toho. © 2001 Toho Co., Ltd.

Toho Sci-Fi Double Feature in Hollywood on July 30
Source: American Cinematheque
Special Thanks to Chris D

Toho returns to Hollywood, CA this month with a great sci-fi double feature at the Egyptian Theatre. On Thursday, July 30 at 7:30pm, the theater will screen the 2001 hit GODZILLA, MOTHRA AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK (in Japanese with English subtitles), followed by the classic BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE (English dubbed version).
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Guilala— the X from Outer Space— returns in MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G8 SUMMIT. © 2008 Guilala Production Committee

Who Will See Two New Daikaiju Films for Free, Courtesy of NYAFF and SciFi Japan?
Source: Subway Cinema/New York Asian Film Festival
Special Thanks to Toyah Attwell and Grady Hendrix

Thank you to everyone who entered New York Asian Film Festival and SciFi Japan’s contest for free passes to MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G8 SUMMIT! and GEHARHA: THE DARK AND LONG HAIR MONSTER. The screening takes place at the IFC Center on Sunday, June 28 at 11:00am. The IFC Center is located at 333 East 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues), New York, NY 10014.

The following randomly drawn entrants correctly answered all contest questions:

Bill Pierson
Andrew Wong
William D’Annucci

Congratulations to the winners!

Each of you has won a pair of tickets to see the feature film MONSTER X STRIKES BACK, the short film GEHARHA, and the DEATH KAPPA sneak preview.
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FUNimation Entertainment will premiere their new English dub of EVANGELION: 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE on July 3rd at Anime Expo 2009. The movie is
the first of four “Rebuild of Evangelion” feature films from the creators of the original NEON GENESIS EVANGELION anime. © 2007 Khara/Gainax

Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release, FUNimation
Official AX Site: anime-expo.org
Official Movie Site: Evangelion 1.0
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

FUNimation Entertainment has announced that it will premiere the English dubbed version of Hideaki Anno’s EVANGELION: 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE at Anime Expo, held this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center July 2-5, 2009.

EVANGELION: 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE is the film sequel to the sci-fi animated series blockbuster NEON GENESIS EVANGELION (also written and directed by Hideaki Anno) which aired on Japanese television in the mid 1990’s.

The movie will be shown on Friday, July 3, in room LP1 at Anime Expo.
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The masked criminal K-20 battles battles circus acrobat Heikichi Endo (Takeshi Kaneshiro) on the rooftops of the Japanese capital in K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY
FACES. The Japanese sci-fi mystery adventure has been picked up for release in North America. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 2008 “K-20″ Film Partners

Premiere Theatrical Screenings this Month at New York Asian Film Festival
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Additional Material: NTV (Nippon Television Network)
Official Movie Site: K-20 (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Promotional art featuring the film’s US title. Photo courtesy of VIZ
Pictures. © 2008 “K-20″ Film Partners

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has licensed the new action film K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES (K-20: Kaijin Nijumenso Den) and announced special theatrical screenings at the New York Asian Film Festival 2009.

K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES was released in Japan by Toho on December 20, 2008, and has been marketed internationally by NTV with the English title K-20: LEGEND OF THE MASK. The New York premiere will take place during NYAFF, with the next showing scheduled for 1:45pm on Tuesday, June 30 at the IFC Center (323 Sixth Avenue, at West 4th Street, New York, NY). More information on this film and the New York Asian Film Festival is available at the official NYAFF site.

VIZ Pictures will be releasing the DVD of K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES in 2010 through their distributor, VIZ Media.
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A mixture of the traditional and the modern: Shochiku’s updated studio provides a variety of filming locations in the Kyoto area, an extensive backlot,
and new state-of-the art production facilities. Upper right photo courtesy of Stuart Galbraith IV. © Shochiku Co., Ltd.

Author: Elliot Gay
Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Special thanks to Aki Harimoto and Stuart Galbraith IV

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Shochiku Co., Ltd. has been one of the top movie production and distribution companies in Japan since 1920. The studio has produced the works of some of Japan’s most respected directors, created long-running film series such as Tora-San, made popular samurai pictures and as well as cult film favorites, and won the 2009 Academy Award for their internationally acclaimed hit DEPARTURES.

On Tuesday, March 10 of this year, Shochiku hosted an opening ceremony for their newly renovated and modernized Shochiku Kyoto Eiga studio. SciFi Japan was invited to the event, and staffer Elliot Gay and contributor Stuart Galbraith IV attended the opening reception and tour of the upgraded studio. We are pleased to present Elliot’s account of the festivities along with photos provided by Stuart and Shochiku.
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The New York Asian Film Festival is offering SciFi Japan readers a chance for free tickets to the premiere screenings of two new Japanese giant monster movies!
MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G8 SUMMIT! photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. © 2008 Guilala Production Committee. GEHARHA: THE DARK AND LONG
HAIR MONSTER photo courtesy of NYAFF. © 2009 NHK ‘Geharha’ Project.

See a Japanese Monster Double-Feature for Free, Courtesy of NYAFF and SciFi Japan
Source: Subway Cinema/New York Asian Film Festival
Special Thanks to Toyah Attwell and Grady Hendrix

Next week sees the launch of the 2009 New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Films. Running from June 19-July 12 at the IFC Center (323 Sixth Avenue, at West 4th Street) and from July 1 – 5 at Japan Society (333 East 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues) in New York City, the combined festival will feature more than fifty movies, Q&A’s with filmmakers, and special events. The lineup also includes two new Japanese giant monster movies; MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G8 SUMMIT! and the short GEHARHA: THE DARK AND LONG HAIR MONSTER.

Now our friends at NYAFF have offered SciFi Japan readers a chance to win free tickets to attend the premieres of both movies— and a sneak preview of the next Tokyo Shock production, DEATH KAPPA— at the IFC Center on Sunday, June 28 at 11am!
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Manga Entertainment’s UK poster art for ICHI. Photo courtesy of The Associates. © 2008 ICHI Film Partners

Reimagining of the Legendary Blind Swordsman ZATOICHI Opens in Britain on July 10
Source: The Associates press release, Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Official Movie Site: ICHI (Japan), ICHI THE MOVIE (UK, coming soon)
Special Thanks to Farhana Shaikh

From Fumihiko Sori, the director of VEXILLE and PING PONG, comes the period martial arts action saga ICHI, a bold, gender-bending reimagining of the classic “Zatoichi” series of films and TV shows. Originally created by novelist Kan Shimozawa, the eponymous hero— a blind masseur and master swordsman— has traditionally been a male character (previously played by stars such as Shintaro Katsu, Takeshi Kitano and, in BLIND FURY, by Rutger Hauer). In a refreshing break from tradition that adds an intriguing twist to the story, Sori’s ICHI stars actress Haruka Ayase (HERO) in the title role playing a young and beautiful blind musician who also happens to be an adept swordswoman.
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Just some of the many Asian films onscreen this month in New York City. ROUGH CUT © 2008 Kim Ki-duk Film. LOVE EXPOSURE © 2008 “Love Exposure” Film Partners.
BE A MAN! SAMURAI SCHOOL © 2008 Shueisha/There’s Enterprise. MONSTER X STRIKES BACK: ATTACK THE G8 SUMMIT © 2008 Guilala Production Committee.
GO GO 70’s © 2008 Showbox Entertainment. GEHARA: THE LONG-HAIRED GIANT MONSTER © 2009 NHK. AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS © 2008 United
Filmmakers Organization, Ltd. IP MAN © 2008 Mandarin Films. Photos courtesy of NYAFF.

The New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts to Screen More than 50 Feature Films in June and July
Source: Subway Cinema, Japan Society
Special Thanks to Toyah Attwell and Grady Hendrix

Beginning this month, New York City plays host to 24 days of Asian cinema. Subway Cinema’s New York Asian Film Festival (June 19- July 5) and Japan Society’s JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Films (June 30 – July 12) combined will feature more than 50 movies, exclusive Q&A’s with filmmakers, and other special events. This year also marks the third collaboration between JAPAN CUTS and NYAFF, who will co-present seven films at the Japan Society from July 1-5.
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The King of the Monsters returned to movie screens in GODZILLA 2000, one of two films playing this weekend at the Dryden Theatre. © 1999 Toho Co., Ltd

The Dryden Theatre to Screen GODZILLA 2000 and GODZILLA VS KING GHIDORAH this Weekend
Source: John Yeara
Official Site: George Eastman House

The King of the Monsters raids Rochester, New York once again when the historic Dryden Theatre (part of the George Eastman House motion picture museum) hosts the “Spaceships & Aliens & Godzilla Double Feature!” on June 5 and 7. The lineup includes GODZILLA 2000 and GODZILLA VS KING GHIDORAH, with both films to be introduced by Rochester’s local Godzilla authority, John Yeara.
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News on the Nation’s Largest Anime and Manga Convention
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases
Official Site: anime-expo.org
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

Anime Expo 2009 will be the place to be for anime and manga lovers this fourth of July weekend. The nation’s largest anime/manga convention 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 2009 will be held July 2 – July 5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Southern California.

Attendees, Press and Industry Members are invited to view the video coverage site of the 2008 convention at AXBackstage.org and to register for the 2009 convention at anime-expo.org. In addition, the convention recently launched a Japanese language version of its newly re-designed fan-friendly site to be used as a welcome portal to Japanese industry, press, attendees and fans.
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Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release
Official Site: anime-expo.org
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

Cast members from several POWER RANGERS series will
take part in a special reunion event at Anime Expo 2009.
©1993 BVS Entertainment, Inc. and BVS International N.V.

Last month, Anime Expo announced that this year’s convention (July 2-5 in Los Angeles) would feature a reunion of MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS stars.

AX has now greatly expanded the Rangers event with the addition of several more heroes and villains from POWER RANGERS: ZEO, POWER RANGERS: TURBO, POWER RANGERS IN SPACE, POWER RANGERS: LOST GALAXY, POWER RANGERS: TIME FORCE, and POWER RANGERS: SPD. With seventeen actors currently scheduled, this event will be one of the largest POWER RANGERS gatherings ever held in the United States.

Anime Expo 2009’s POWER RANGERS reunion will include a panel as well as a booth in the Anime Expo Exhibit Hall where fans can meet, take pictures with and obtain autographed head shots of their favorite convention-attending Rangers.
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Source: Barbican Centre, Sarah Harvey Publicity press release
Special Thanks to Laura Bushell

Tetsujin and Shotaro Kaneda battle evil in the 2004 incarnation of TETSUJIN 28.
© 2004 Hikari Production/Shikishima Juko

In June the Barbican Centre in London continues their JAPANIMATION event series with a night of Mitsuteru Yokoyama’s classic robot anime TETSUJIN 28 on the big screen. The screening will be introduced by anime expert Helen McCarthy (The Anime! Movie Guide, Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation, and founder of the magazine AnimeFX).

Mitsuteru Yokoyama was one of Osamu Tezuka’s legion of assistants, and shared his scepticism about Japan’s wholesale rush to embrace technology as an unmixed blessing. His best-known work in the West, TETSUJIN 28-GO (screened in the USA in 1966 as GIGANTOR) has the same deep, dark undercurrents as Tezuka’s TETSUWAN ATOM, and just as much of ATOM’s darkness was glossed over for his American debut as ASTRO BOY, the depths of Yokoyama’s original manga were ignored in GIGANTOR’s American TV incarnation.

Luckily, Yokoyama fan Yasuhiro Imagawa provided a definitively dark reading of the manga in his 2004 TV series. The first three episodes lead us in to a world of intrigue, corruption, selfishness and arrogance in which nobody, not even an innocent child, can escape the residual guilt and pain of the war.
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Early Celebration for DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd on April 28 at New York City’s Kinokuniya Bookstore
Source: Roger Bilheimer Associates, VIZ Pictures press release
Official Movie Site: Death Note Films: L

Come celebrate the final adventure of L (Kenichi Matsuyama) at Kinokuniya
Bookstore in NYC. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 2008 L Film Partners.
© 2008 L Plot Produce

The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) is partnering with VIZ Pictures to hold a special DEATH NOTE Day at the largest Japanese bookstore in North America — New York City’s Kinokuniya Bookstore. Taking place Tuesday, April 28, Kinokuniya Bookstore (located at 1073 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan ) will present an evening of DEATH NOTE events in celebration of the theatrical release of the third DEATH NOTE film – DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd coming to select theaters nationwide for two nights only on April 29 and 30.

“DEATH NOTE is nothing short of an international phenomenon, and we’re quite honored to help herald in the release of the latest film in the franchise,” NYAF Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. “We hope DEATH NOTE Day whets the appetites of all of NYC’s anime fans who have been eagerly anticipating the release of L, change the WorLd.”
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