SciFi Japan http://www.scifijapan.com/articles Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:49:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 NEW PEOPLE Expands 2010 J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL With a Week of Events http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/09/01/new-people-expands-2010-j-pop-summit-festival-with-a-week-of-events/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/09/01/new-people-expands-2010-j-pop-summit-festival-with-a-week-of-events/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:49:34 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16498 NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco has announced a week of festivities leading up to their 2010 J-Pop Summit Festival. Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2010 VIZ Media Japanese Film, Fashion, Music and Art Celebrated in a Week of Activities Leading Up to All-Day Event Showcasing the Best in Modern Asian Popular Culture Source: VIZ Pictures, MediaLab press releases Official Site: J-Pop.com Special Thanks to Erik Jansen
More than 33,000 people attended the 2009 J-Pop Summit Festival which marked the grand opening of NEW PEOPLE. Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2010 VIZ Media
NEW PEOPLE, a dynamic entertainment destination bringing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture to North American shores, will expand its upcoming 2010 J-Pop Summit Festival, happening on Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco’s Japantown, with a special series of events taking place at the venue each night during the week leading up to the Festival. Beginning on Monday, September 13th and continuing every evening through Friday, September 17th, different aspects of Japanese and Asian film, anime, fashion design, music and other forms of pop culture will be celebrated in a series of unique screenings, interactive discussions, multimedia presentations and live performances. Special gift bags containing a variety of fun premiums will be given to all ticket holders each night. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/09/01/new-people-expands-2010-j-pop-summit-festival-with-a-week-of-events/feed/ 0 CASSHERN SINS Now on Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/31/casshern-sins-now-on-region-1-dvd-and-blu-ray/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/31/casshern-sins-now-on-region-1-dvd-and-blu-ray/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:53:48 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16919 DVD cover art for CASSHERN SINS. Photos courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. © 2008 Tatsunoko Production/ Casshern Sins Project Source: FUNimation Entertainment Official Site: casshern-sins.jp (Japan), funimation.com/casshernsins (US) Special Thanks to Jackie Smith and Manny Alcala The complete 24 episode anime series CASSHERN SINS (Kyashan Sins, 2008) has been released on North American DVD and Blu-ray by FUNimation Entertainment. The series is loosely based on the original NEO-HUMAN CASSHERN (Shinzo Ningen Casshan, aka CASSHAN), a 1973 superhero show produced Tatsunoko Production (SPEED RACER, GATCHAMAN). CASSHERN SINS is set in a post-apocalyptic world where mankind is nearly extinct. Robots far outnumber humans, but the inhospitable environment has begun to destroy even their metal bodies as well. Into this world comes the humanoid cyborg Casshern. Extremely powerful but suffering from amnesia, the first things Casshern discovers is that he is responsible for what has befallen the world... and now everyone wants to kill him. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/31/casshern-sins-now-on-region-1-dvd-and-blu-ray/feed/ 0 Tokyo Realtime: Akihabara Audio Tour Released by White Rabbit Press http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/30/tokyo-realtime-akihabara-audio-tour-released-by-white-rabbit-press/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/30/tokyo-realtime-akihabara-audio-tour-released-by-white-rabbit-press/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:19:17 +0000 Bob Johnson http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16680 www.TokyoRealtime.com
Cover for White Rabbit Press' Akihabra audio tour. © 2010 White Rabbit Press
White Rabbit Press is proud to release the world’s first professionally produced audio guided walking tour for Tokyo’s Akihabara district. With TOKYO REALTIME: Akihabara, visitors and residents alike can experience a unique behind-the-scenes tour of Tokyo’s ‘Electric Town’, a subculture hotspot for anime, games, manga, maids and more. Assisted by his sentient GPS ‘Navi’, Akihabara expert Patrick W. Galbraith, author of The Otaku Encyclopedia, guides visitors through all the must-see places. Patrick provides historical background and cultural insight along the way, as well as breaking down insider jargon such as otagei, moé and itasha. The release of TOKYO REALTIME: Akihabara marks the second volume in the highly-acclaimed Tokyo Realtime audio tour series. Interweaving narration and interviews within a soundscape of location ambience and music, Tokyo Realtime audio travel guides deliver a seamless mix of adventure and cultural insight while navigating real-world spaces. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/30/tokyo-realtime-akihabara-audio-tour-released-by-white-rabbit-press/feed/ 0 FUNimation Acquires EVANGELION: 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE from NTV http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/29/funimation-acquires-evangelion-2-0-you-can-not-advance-from-ntv/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/29/funimation-acquires-evangelion-2-0-you-can-not-advance-from-ntv/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:59:08 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16896 Eva Units 02 and 00 battle the Angel Sahaquiel in EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE. The film will be released in North America next year by FUNimation Entertainment. © 2009 Khara Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Movie Site: funimation.com/evangelion (US), evangelion.co.jp (Japan) Special Thanks to Jackie Smith and Manny Alcala FUNimation Entertainment announced that it has acquired the North American home entertainment, broadcast, digital and merchandise rights to the animated sci-fi action film EVANGELION: 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE (Evangelion Shin Gekijoban: Ha, 2009) from international sales agent NTV (Nippon Television Network). FUNimation will release the film on Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray in 2011. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/29/funimation-acquires-evangelion-2-0-you-can-not-advance-from-ntv/feed/ 0 Haruo Nakajima Attends Publishing Party for Autobiography Kaiju Jinsei http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/haruo-nakajima-attends-publishing-party-for-autobiography-kaiju-jinsei/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/haruo-nakajima-attends-publishing-party-for-autobiography-kaiju-jinsei/#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 22:08:33 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16927 Haruo Nakajima sucker punches Gaira (the monster he played in WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS) during the publishing party for his autobiography Kaiju Jinsei. Photo courtesy of Daisuke Ishizuka. Godzilla Suit Actor Celebrates Launch of New Book Author: Daisuke Ishizuka Source: Yosensha Co., Ltd.
Cover art for Kaiju Jinsei, courtesy of Yosensha Co. © 2010 Yosensha Co., Ltd.

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Today a publishing party was held for the autobiography Kaiju Jinsei (Kaiju Life) by Mr. Haruo Nakajima. Mr. Haruo Nakajima is a pioneer of monster suit acting who is well known as the suit actor who played Godzilla and various Toho monsters. He has often been invited to conventions in America; Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, etc. and he is familiar with Tokusatsu fans in the U.S. I attended the G-Fest convention in Hollywood in 2000 and it was my first time to see him. I had chance to hear about his career at that time. In 2010, we now have a chance to know about him more deeply because his autobiography was published in July by Yosensha Co., Ltd. In Kaiju Jinsei, Mr. Nakajima details his life, from his youth to the present day. Needles to say, he focuses on his career as suit actor. In addition, he talks about Mr. Eiji Tsuburaya as well as the filmmakers and his friend and co-workers at Toho. The book is valuable resource for Tokusatsu fans. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/haruo-nakajima-attends-publishing-party-for-autobiography-kaiju-jinsei/feed/ 0 EUREKA SEVEN: THE MOVIE to Screen at London’s Barbican Center http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/eureka-seven-the-movie-to-screen-at-londons-barbican-center/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/eureka-seven-the-movie-to-screen-at-londons-barbican-center/#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:13:56 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16213 Barbican Centre, Sarah Harvey Publicity press release Special Thanks to Helene Muron
Japanese poster art for EUREKA SEVEN: THE MOVIE. © 2009 Bones/ Project Eureka Movie
The Barbican Centre in London continues their JAPANIMATION event series in September with EUREKA SEVEN: THE MOVIE. The screening will once again 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 Friday 24 September, 8.30pm EUREKA SEVEN: THE MOVIE (Kokyoshihen Eureka Sebun: Poketto ga Niji de Ippai, 2009) Director: Tomoki Kyoda Running Time: 115 min Certification: 12A* In Japanese with English Subtitles EUREKA SEVEN: THE MOVIE is a complete re-imagining of the popular TV series, an emotional tale of love and survival amid spectacular aerial maneuvers. When Renton is cruelly separated from his childhood playmate Eureka, a girl who cannot survive in sunlight, he vows to rescue her. Years later Renton, a mecha pilot on the airship Gekko, is finally reunited with the girl he loves, only to discover her true nature and dark fate. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/eureka-seven-the-movie-to-screen-at-londons-barbican-center/feed/ 0 Latest Anime DVDs and Blu-ray from FUNimation http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/latest-anime-dvds-and-blu-ray-from-funimation-2/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/latest-anime-dvds-and-blu-ray-from-funimation-2/#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 07:52:03 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16609 FUNimation Entertainment press releases Special Thanks to Jackie Smith and Manny Alcala
MASTER OF MARTIAL HEARTS cover art, courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. © Master of Martial Hearts Committee
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... MY BRIDE IS A MERMAID, Parts 1 and 2 SOUL EATER Part 4 DRAGON BALL Season 5 ONE PIECE: SEASON 3- SECOND VOYAGE MASTER OF MARTIAL HEARTS FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD Part 2 Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/28/latest-anime-dvds-and-blu-ray-from-funimation-2/feed/ 0 Satoshi Kon: 1963-2010 http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/satoshi-kon-1963-2010/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/satoshi-kon-1963-2010/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:20:03 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16833 Three of the amazing works created by anime director Satoshi Kon. MILLENNIUM ACTRESS image courtesy of The Associates. © 2001 Chiyoko Committee. TOKYO GODFATHERS courtesy of Sony Pictures. © 2003 Satoshi Kon, Madhouse and Tokyo Godfathers Committee. PARANOIA AGENT courtesy of The Associates. © 2004 Satoshi Kon • Madhouse / Paranoia Agent Committee. Internationally Acclaimed Anime Director has Died Author: Kyle Byrd Source: Tokyo Shimbun, Anime News Network, Polymetrica, Sony Pictures Classics, The Associates, various
Satoshi Kon died this past Tuesday.
On Tuesday, August 24, renowned anime director Satoshi Kon passed away from pancreatic cancer at the young age of 46. Along with films like Katsuhiro Otomo's AKIRA (1988) and Mamorou Oshi's GHOST IN THE SHELL (1995), Kon’s films such as PERFECT BLUE (1997) and PAPRIKA (2006) helped popularize mature-themed Japanese animation in the United States by showing the West that animated films didn’t have to be for children. Kon’s films were often subversive, complex, and surreal examinations of the human condition, and he would prove to be an influence on filmmakers the world over. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/satoshi-kon-1963-2010/feed/ 0 Ban Daisuke Meets Fans in Little Tokyo http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/ban-daisuke-meets-fans-in-little-tokyo/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/ban-daisuke-meets-fans-in-little-tokyo/#comments Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:15:55 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16817 Ban Daisuke and Kikaida take part in the Nisei Week Parade in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo on August 15th. Photo courtesy of Richard Pusateri. Kikaida © 1972 Ishinomori Production Inc. and Toei Co., Ltd. KIKAIDA star appears at Los Angeles Nisei Week events Author: Richard Pusateri Official Sites: Anime Jungle, Generation Kikaida, www.bandaisuke.com Special thanks: Joanne Ninomiya, Tetsu Shiota, August Ragone Ban Daisuke's recent visit to Los Angeles, hosted by Anime Jungle, demonstrated that the appeal of KIKAIDA is not limited to markets where the Japanese TV program aired in the United States. After much success at personal appearances in Hawaii, San Francisco and at San Diego Comic Con in years past, Mr. Ban met his enthusiastic Los Angeles fans August 14 and 15 during Little Tokyo's Nisei Week celebration. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/ban-daisuke-meets-fans-in-little-tokyo/feed/ 0 Review: PIRANHA 3D http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/25/review-piranha-3d/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/25/review-piranha-3d/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:31:40 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16785 Kelly (Jessica Szohr) is about to become fish food in the new remake/update PIRANHA 3D. © 2010 The Weinstein Company Author: Kyle Byrd Official Site: piranha-3d.com
US theatrical poster for PIRANHA 3D. © 2010 The Weinstein Company
The PIRANHA series is simply one of the most bizarre footnotes in the history of b-movies. The Roger Corman produced 1978 film was the solo directorial debut of Joe Dante (THE HOWLING, GREMLINS, SMALL SOLDIERS), and the first screenplay by acclaimed writer and future director John Sayles (LONE STAR, PASSION OF FISH). The satirical horror/comedy was made to capitalize on the success of JAWS and came out on the heels of JAWS 2. For a quick cash-in/rip off of a big Hollywood production, PIRANHA was much better than it had any reason to be due to a great new talent behind the camera and a witty script. It spawned a below-par sequel (PIRANHA 2: THE SPAWNING), which was the first directed by James Cameron (THE TERMINATOR, AVATAR). For some reason, the series has been the launching pad for many people who would go on to do bigger and better things. There was also a cheap made for TV remake in 1995 which used stock footage and the same screenplay as the 78 original, but lacked everything that made it work. Now a proper remake has been made, directed by French horror darling Alexandre Aja (HIGH TENSION, THE HILLS HAVE EYES remake). Like Dante’s film, it tells the story of a pack of killer piranhas and the people trying to stop them from getting to a large beachside event (it was the opening of a water park in the original, it’s a college spring break site here). Of course, the fish get loose and cause all kinds of bloody carnage. Continued...
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