We are just having fun reviewing and discussing comic books, graphic novels, manga, anime/animation, music and movies that we have recently read, listened to or watched.
ICv2’s site, linked below, is reporting that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government revised it’s “Youth Healthy Development Ordinance” were the industry’s Publishing Ethics Convention and Publishing Ethics Discussion Group will determine what works fall under “harmful publications” that must not be sold or rented to people under the age of 18. The Group has already listed 6 titles that will fall under this revised ordinance. Link on over to see the 6 titles that the full article lists.
Dark Horse is having a Haiku contest for it’s Chobits title. Entries must be submitted by May 20th for a chance to win a FUNimation anime box set of Chobits or copies of Dark Horse’s Chobits Omnibus‘. Give the link below to your patrons that would be interested in this so they can enter.
http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/397/no-bits-chobits-haiku-contest
Don’t forget that this weekend Priest, based on the Korean Manwha, is hitting theaters. Thanks to Yahoo Movies for providing the trailer below.
AnimeNews Network’s site, linked below, has announced that the Japanese Band Sadie will be the music guest of honor for the Japanese Pop Culture Convention AM2, July 1-3. Librarians, in the Anaheim California area, can pass this along to their patrons that enjoy JPop and other Japanese music.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-05-06/california-am2-to-host-visual-kei-band-sadie
Anime News Network’s site has an article on the new Trigun: Badlands Rumble movie. This is an older series so some newer librarians might not be familiar with the title. This was one of the funnier series that I have seen. The site also states that the movie will get a limited release in were some theaters will show the English Dubbed version of the film and others will receive the original Japanese undubbed verision. Follow the link to get the English cast listing and the full article. No dates yet on when it will be released on DVD.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-05-05/funimation-confirms-english-trigun-movie-cast
AnimeNews Network’s site reports that the 15th annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prizes where announced in the Asahi Shimbun paper. This award is in recognition of manga that follow in Tezuka’s tradition of being a pioneer in manga. Grand Prizes went to the title Jin and Takemitsuzamurai, New Artist Prize went to the title Fullmetal Alchemist. The Short Work Prize went to Keisuke Yamashina. Congratulations to them all, follow the link back for the article.
Libraries in California let your anime and manga fans know that TokyoPop, which is closing it’s North American headquarters, is having a “Garage Sale” in mid-May. No specific date yet. Anyone can attend the public sale, if you want to travel to California for the sale go for it. The company is also having a contest on Facebook were ten fans will be chosen to get a pre-sale goody bag and be allowed to attend the Private Sale on May 4. The only catch is that you have to be able to go to their headquarters to claim the prize. To enter you have to post fan art, costumes, videos and the like on their Facebook page by May 1. Follow the link to AnimeNews Network for more details.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-04-28/tokyopop-to-hold-garage-sale-in-los-angeles
Akira is facing the same question that arose with the cast of The Last Airbender. Akira is being looked at for a live action movie from Hollywood. At this time Warner Bros. is wanting the location of the story changed from Tokyo to New York. By doing this they are also recasting the movie with Anglo actors, instead of casting actors with an Asian background. The question is why does Hollywood feel the need to change the ethnicity in a story to make a movie? Even with the location changed to New York, we are the United States where all ethnic backgrounds are to be blurred. Check out the full story at ICv2’s site linked below.
Librarians in the New York area mark your calenders. Make sure the patrons that read manga are aware of the appearance of Natsume Ono. Natsume Ono, sponsored by Viz Media, the Japanese store chain Kinokuniya and the Japanese publisher Ohta Shuppan, will be at the New York location of Kinokuniya on Tuesday May 10, at 7:00 p.m. Readers will know her from House of Five Leaves, Ristorante Paradiso and Gente. Thanks to Anime News Network for the info.
The movie Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen will more than likely appeal to your anime and manga fans. It does have a superhero feel to it, since the character wears a mask, so your patrons that like comic books might like this to. If nothing else the martial arts angle will be appealing to many people. This moive has a limited release so librarians will have to check local movie houses to see if it is showing in your area. Thanks to Yahoo Movies for the trailer below.