Japanese Box Office, October 1–2

The live-action film sequel to the manga-based television series Moteki stayed at No. 2 for a second weekend on Kogyo Tsushinsha's chart, and dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 on Box Office Mojo's chart. It earned the equivalent of US$2,761,642 on 276 screens for a new total of US$11,134,811.

Madhouse's anime adaptation of Koroku Inumura's aerial adventure light novel To Aru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku opened at No. 15. It earned US$271,722 on 91 screens.

Priest, the loose live-action adaptation of Min-Woo Hyung's manhwa, dropped from No. 16 to No. 17 in its second weekend. It added US$30,885 on 32 screens for a grand total of US$193,478.

From Up on Poppy Hill (Kokuriko-Zaka Kara) is no longer listed on either box office charts. Justin Lin's Fast Five opened as the new No. 1 film.

(ANN)

Nagayama Kento, Nishiyama Maki, Kanai Yuta, Tayama Ryosei are The newest “Ranma 1/2″ cast

Several more cast members have been announced for the live-action “Ranma 1/2” drama special that was announced last week. The newest additions are Nagayama Kento, Nishiyama Maki, Kanai Yuta, and Tayama Ryosei.

Based on the classic manga by Takahashi Rumiko, the drama was already known to be an original script starring Aragaki Yui as Tendo Akane, with Kaku Kento and Natsuna playing the two halves of Saotome Ranma.

Nagayama will play Ranma’s rival Kuno Tatewaki, while Nishiyama will play Akane’s sister Nabiki. Kanai has been cast as Gosunkugi Hikaru.

Tayama will play an original character named Okamada, who is the vice principal of Akane’s school and serves as an antagonist to the main characters.

NTV will broadcast the “Ranma 1/2″ drama special this December.

(TokyoGraph)

K-ON! Film's Streamed 30 Second Television Commercial on Tuesday

The official website for the K-ON! film adaptation began streaming a new 30-second television commercial on Tuesday. The ad contains no new footage but condenses the film's full trailer.

The K-ON! film will open in over 130 theaters in Japan on December 3. It will depict the five female members of Sakuragaoka High School's light music club in a story not seen in the television series. The official website also began streaming two teaser trailers for the film in April and June.

(ANN)

Naruto Shippuden the Movie - Bonds Premieres at New York Comic Con on October 15th

San Francisco, CA, October 4, 2011 – Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, complements its presence at the 2011 New York Comic Con with the exclusive U.S. theatrical premiere of the latest NARUTO SHIPPUDEN feature film, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS (English subtitled), on Saturday, October 15th at 7:00pm at the New York School of Visual Arts Theatre. A special pre-show red carpet event featuring Japanese voice actress Junko Takeuchi, who provides the original voice for Naruto, will take place at the theatre beginning at 6:00pm.

The School of Visual Arts Theatre is located at 333 West 23rd Street, within walking distance of the Jacob Javits Convention Center where the 2011 New York Comic Con will take place October 13th–16th. Seating is on a first-come/first-served basis. Comic Con attendees can secure free tickets to the premiere at Viz Media's Booth #932. Check a schedule posted at the Viz Media booth for the designated times for free ticket giveaways!

The first 200 attendees in line for the premiere will receive a NARUTO plush toy. Premiere attendees will also receive a special Viz Media Heroes Of Anime gift bag with an amazing assortment of goodies, including the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™: Ultimate Ninja Impact™ video game for the PSP (courtesy Namco Bandai), NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Collectable Card Game packs (courtesy Bandai America), NARUTO keychains (courtesy Great Eastern), and other assorted collectibles.

“Junko Takeuchi is one of the most respected voice actors in the Japanese anime industry and we're honored to welcome her as a very special guest of honor for this theatrical premiere event,” says Candice Uyloan, Director, Marketing. “NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS is the second feature film in the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN story arc and Naruto and his friends must face down a dangerous new airborne menace in this latest action-packed adventure. Don't miss this fun event which is sure to be a must-attend for every anime and action film fan during New York Comic Con!”

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS (rated T+ for Older Teens), a group of mysterious flying ninja have arrived from overseas to launch a sudden attack against the Hidden Leaf Village, leaving behind a wake of destruction. The group is revealed to be the “Sky Ninja” from the Land of Sky, a nation thought to have been destroyed by the Hidden Leaf Village long ago. To save their village, Naruto and his friends set out to stop this new threat. During the course of the mission, Naruto crosses paths with Sasuke, his friend who has parted ways from the Leaf Village.

About Viz Media, LLC:
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Viz Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha, Inc., Shogakukan, Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., Viz Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, Viz Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. Viz Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about Viz Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

(ANN)

Actress Ayase Haruka Starring Role in “Himitsu no Akko-chan”

Akatsuka Fujio’s classic magical girl manga “Himitsu no Akko-chan” has a live-action movie in the works. Actress Ayase Haruka (26) will take on the starring role, while Okada Masaki (22) will play the male lead.

“Himitsu no Akko-chan” was first published in 1962, so next year will be the manga’s 50th birthday. The story has been adapted three times as a television anime series, but this will be its first live-action adaptation.

“Himitsu no Akko-chan” tells the story of an elementary school student named Kagami Atsuko, who receives a magical compact mirror that lets her transform into anything she wants. The live-action film will be an original story in which Atsuko turns into a 22-year-old woman, in a variety of costumes including a figure skater, a cabin attendant, an office worker, a police officer, and a bike racer. Okada plays her first love, an elite salaryman.

Kawamura Yasuhiro (“Kochikame”) is directing. Filming is scheduled to start in late October, and the movie will be released in September 2012. (Tokyograph)

Supporting Cast Members for Berserk Ōgon Revealed

On Wednesday, the Cinema Topics Online website revealed the supporting cast for Berserk Ōgon Jidai-Hen I: Haō no Tamago, the first film in the three-part retelling of the Golden Age arc of Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga:

Yuuki Kaji as Judou
Minako Kotobuki as Rickert
Takahiro Fujiwara as Pippin
Yoshirou Matsumoto as Corkus
Kazuki Yao as Gaston
Aki Toyosaki as Charlotte
Rikiya Koyama as Julius/Adon
Kenta Miyake as Zodd

None of the new film's cast thus far had also performed in the same roles in the earlier Berserk television series. Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine already revealed the three members of the new film's main cast last month:

Guts: Hiroaki Iwanaga (Tomica Hero Rescue Force, Moyashimon, Kamen Rider OOO)
Griffith: Takahiro Sakurai (Toriko, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai.)
Casca: Toa Yukinari (Grey's Anatomy dubbing, Naruto Shippūden)

Berserk Ōgon Jidai-Hen I: Haō no Tamago will open in Japan in January, and the next two films will follow afterwards. The staff intends to eventually adapt the entire story from the manga. (ANN)

Japan under threat of invasion

A video has leaked onto popular video site Youtube, detailing an oncoming invasion of Tokyo. Words cannot convey the severity of the issue, so I implore you to watch the video, which can be seen further on in this article.



In the above video, you will see that the Squid Girl herself is announcing that her invasion will begin on September 26th. The song in the background is performed by the group Sphere, so it seems that they are indeed in cahoots with the culprit at hand

Source: Japanator

1st 2011 Pokémon Film's English-Dubbed Trailer Streamed

The digital theatrical distributor Cinedigm began streaming an English-dubbed trailer for the Pokémon the Movie: White - Victini and Zekrom (Gekijōban Pocket Monster Best Wishes! Victini to Kuroki Eiyū Zekrom) film on Monday. The film is one of this year's two films in the Pokémon anime franchise. Cinedigm will handle the film's two-day theatrical release in more that 300 theaters in the United States on December 3-4.

The second 2011 film, Pokémon the Movie: Black — Victini and Reshiram (Gekijōban Pocket Monster Best Wishes! Victini to Shiroki Eiyū Reshiram), will also debut in December.

This year's two Pokémon films have collectively grossed over $53 million in Japan since they opened there on July 16. The newest Pokémon television series, Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes!, has been airing in Japan since last year.

(Source : ANN)

2011 Pokémon Films to Run in U.S. Theaters in December

Pokémon the Movie: White — Victini and Zekrom, one of this year's two films in the Pokémon anime franchise, will play in more than 300 American theaters during the December 3-4 weekend. The digital theatrical distributor Cinedigm will handle the limited two-day engagement of the film, which is known as Gekijōban Pocket Monster Best Wishes! Victini to Kuroki Eiyū Zekrom in Japan.

In addition, the second 2011 film, Pokémon the Movie: Black — Victini and Reshiram (Gekijōban Pocket Monster Best Wishes! Victini to Shiroki Eiyū Reshiram), will also debut in December. According to The Pokémon Company, details of the second film's launch "will be coming soon."

The official Pokémon.com website will stream the trailer for Pokémon the Movie: White — Victini and Zekrom this weekend after the on-demand, online screening of last year's feature-length movie, Pokémon Zoroark: Master of Illusions.

The official Pokémon site introduces the story of Pokémon the Movie: White — Victini and Zekrom:

During their travels through the Unova region, Ash and his friends Iris and Cilan arrive in Eindoak Town, built around a castle called the Sword of the Vale. The three Trainers have come to compete in the town's annual battle competition, and Ash manages to win with some unexpected help from the Mythical Pokémon Victini! It turns out Victini has a special bond with this place...
Long ago, the castle watched over the Kingdom of the Vale, and the partnership between Victini and the king protected its people who lived there. But that kingdom has since vanished into memory, leaving behind powerful relics and ancient Pokémon. Damon, a descendant of the People of the Vale, is trying to restore the lost kingdom with the help of his Reuniclus. His quest has taken him to the far reaches of the barren desert, and he has convinced the Legendary Pokémon Reshiram to join him in the search for truth!

Damon plans to trap Victini and harness its power, and as that plan gets under way, the entire town of Eindoak faces disaster! Can Ash awaken the Legendary Pokémon Zekrom to help him stop Damon and save Victini? The greatest adventure in Pokémon history approaches!

This year's two Pokémon films have collectively grossed over $53 million in Japan since they opened there on July 16. The newest Pokémon television series, Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes!, has been airing in Japan since last year.

(ANN)