Alainmendez

Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha's manga website Comic Ruelle & Comic Jardin has posted a short prologue of Rui Takato's Pale Blue Dot Battle Athletes Daiundoukai ReSTART!, an upcoming original sequel manga to the Battle Athletes mixed-media franchise in the 1990s. Its last page announces that a new anime project is in the works.

The sci-fi sports franchise tells heated battles by the sports elite in the entire solar system for the title of the greatest athlete, Cosmic Beauty. The six-episode OVA Battle Athletes Daiundoukai was released from May 1997 to June 1998, and the 26-episode TV anime of the same name (Battle Athletes Victory in the West) was aired from October 1997 to March 1998.

The story of the sequel manga is set in in A.D. 5100, 100 years after the original series. And according to the author Takato's tweet, no descendants of the original series' characters are planned to appear. Its first two chapters will be posted on the site in July.

新作アニメーション企画も進行中！　あの名作SFスポーツアクションが、「はぐれアイドル地獄変」も話題沸騰中の高遠るいの手による新作ストーリーで、2020年の夏に蘇る！　今年のスポーツの祭典は「ペイル・ブルー・ドット バトルアスリーテス大運動会ReSTART！」で決まり！https://t.co/j739HTf1Ab

— 【COMICリュエル&COMICジャルダン】実業之日本社・漫画 (@comic_ruelle) June 26, 2020

歴代宇宙撫子がラーリ四連覇のあと5001年クリスというのは小説準拠で、あかりはあのあと流石に一回くらい優勝してんじゃない？という感じで描きました。まあ別に子孫とか出てくるわけではないので細かいことなんですが。そんなわけで今後ともお気軽にお読みください。 pic.twitter.com/NR4OFUNzjV

— r_tkt (@r_tkt) June 26, 2020

Source: Comic Ruelle & Comic Jardin's website / Twitter, Rui Takato Twitter

The quest for Camelot, at least for Fate fans, will be delayed.

It was announced today that the first half of the next Fate/Grand Order adaptation, which pits humanity's final Master against the knights of Camelot, has suffered production delays due to COVID-19. Initially the film was scheduled to premiere in Japan on August 15; at present, a new release date has not been scheduled.

Fate/Grand Order THE MOVIE -Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot- will be an adaptation of the popular mobile game's sixth Singularity, in which the kingdoms of Ancient Egypt and Camelot clash outside their own times. A summary from Aniplex:

The wandering knight, Bedivere, reaches the end of his journey.

The year is A.D. 1273 in Jerusalem.

The Holy Land has been transformed into a massive desert, the people have been forced out of their homes, and three major powers wage war with each other in this wasteland.

The Knights of the Round Table come together to protect the Holy City and their Lion King. With the whole of his kingdom summoned into a strange land, Ozymandias, the Sun-King, quietly plots against the tyranny of this bizarre realm.

The mountain people, protectors of those who were stripped of their land, await their chance at rebellion. In order to fulfill his mission, Bedivere heads for the Holy City where the Lion King rules. There he meets humanity’s final Master, Ritsuka Fujimaru, who has come to Jerusalem, accompanied by his Demi-Servant, Mash Kyrielight, in their quest to restore human history.

>> Fate/Grand Order THE MOVIE -Divine Realm of the Round Table Camelot- Website

Source: Ota-Suke

Journey to the past with Chaldea in Fate/Grand Order -Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia- on Crunchyroll!

Some quick news for all you lovers of gratuitous puppet violence out there: Thunderbolt Fantasy is coming back for a third season of martial arts mayhem at some point in the near future, and now the official homepage for the series has published a teaser visual for the new season. The series is a Japanese / Taiwanese co-production featuring talent from Pili International Multimedia, Good Smile Company, and Nitroplus, including series composition from Gen Urobuchi.

The key visual (above) features main characters Shāng Bù Huàn, Lǐn Xuě Yā, and Làng Wū Yáo, as well as the villainous demoness Xíng Hài, who appears to be returning to the series after scurrying off at the conclusion of the first season. Although the teaser visual notes that the new series is "coming soon", the exact release date has not yet been revealed.

Source: Official Thunderbolt Fantasy home page and Twitter feed (@TBF_PR)

Copyright notice: © Thunderbolt Fantasy Project

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Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.

Virtual cons are a great way to work around all the current global issues, and the latest to announce an online celebration is Anime Limited, which has a special weekend event called Cloud Matsuri on the calendar for May 30-31. The event will be free for all to attend via CloudMatsuri.com and YouTube, and you can look forward to a handful of guests over the course of the weekend celebration. 

Cloud Matsuri will be host to exclusive interviews and talks with its guests, a few of which have already been announced along with the initial reveal. Here's a breakdown from the official website: 

Eunyoung Choi
CEO & Executive Producer, Science SARU

Making her first public appearance since becoming the CEO of the studio she is a co-founder of earlier this year, Eunyoung Choi will be joining us to discuss her career and give you some insight into the industry and Science Saru’s impressive work, including the recent fan favourite Keep Your Hands off Eizouken.

Eiji Inomoto
President & Founder, Studio Orange

Studio Orange are specialists in CG animation, and we’re delighted to be welcoming the President and founder of Studio Orange, Eiji Inomoto, to Cloud Matsuri. Mr Inomoto will be discussing the history of the studio, as well as some of their output including Land of the Lustrous and the recent global smash-hit series Beastars. 

Shuzo Shiota
President, Polygon Pictures

With over 35 years in the industry, Polygon Pictures have been a major part of the evolution of CG animation production. We’re delighted to welcome the President and founder of Polygon Pictures, Shuzo Shiota, to Cloud Matsuri to discuss the history of Polygon Pictures including its involvement in CG anime (such as Knights of Sidonia and AJIN: Demi-Human) and even major global western properties.

Yasuhiro Kamimura
CEO, GroundWorks Co., Ltd

Born in 1962, Mr. Kamimura met Director Hideaki Anno and other original members of Gainax through amateur activities during his college days. In 1991, he started working at Gainax, becoming its license manager in 2001.

In 2010, Mr. Kamimura set up GroundWorks Co., Ltd and became the CEO, managing character licensing of Evangelion and other works. In 2020, he was appointed as the CEO of Gainax Co., Ltd. holding the two posts concurrently.

Yasuhiro Kamimura will be joining us at CloudMatsuri to talk about his career to date, including managing a massive megabrand like Evangelion.

Look for more announcements as we get closer to the event. 

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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox. 

The Archer of Shinjuku awaits—at Good Smile Company!

First seen in the Shinjuku chapter of Fate/Grand Order's "Epic of Remnant" arc, James Moriarty is recreated here as a 1/8-scale ABS/PVC figure. The figure reproduces artist Honjou Raita's Stage 1 art of the Archer, including his swallowtail butterfly-inspired cape.

The Moriarty figure is currently available for pre-order from Good Smile Company for 18,700 yen (about $174.10), tax included. Pre-orders are open until August 26, and figures will are due to ship out in July 2021.

>> Pre-order Fate/Grand Order's Moriarty from Good Smile Company

Source: Anime! Anime!

In the mood for more heroic adventures? Watch Fate/Grand Order -Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia- on Crunchyroll!

Lina Inverse of Slayers knew good food when she saw it... so of course an anniverary celebration for her series has to include a collab café!

The 30th anniversary of the light novel series turned anime is ramping up its celebration with a themed dining experience, courtesy of Animate Café and Good Smile. Visitors can try out real-world versions of some of Lina's favorite dishes... or at least as close as we can get in real world terms. On the menu are black dragon donburi (made with pork and cabbage), White Mail pizza pie, and lamb chops with herbs, among others:

Dessert options include a limited-time Valentine's Day plate, which you can get with your choice of character image, and a pudding parfait reminiscent of Naga the Serpent...

The drink menu includes a variety of non-alcoholic options inspired by the show's characters. If you're feeling lucky, you can order a Giga Slave (non-alcoholic sparkling wine, lemon juice, and a lemon slice)—the drink comes with a die, and if you roll an odd number you'll get a limited-edition present. If you'd like something alcoholic, there's a Fireball (hot mulled wine) and a Freeze Bullet (vodka, soda sherbet, carbonated water, and lemon zest).

Goods, gifts, and tableware at the café will feature new art by Slayers illustrator Rui Araizumi:

The café will run from January 15 to February 17 at Animate Café locations in Akihabara and Osaka.

>> Slayers 30th Anniversary Café Website

Source: Comic Natalie

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Kara Dennison is the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of OEL light novel series Owl's Flower, with writing credits across the Internet. She blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos. Her latest book, Vanishing Tales of the City, is now available from Obverse Books.

The long wait is finally over. The official website for the Evangelion anime franchise announced today on December 27 that Evangelion: 3.0+1.0, the fourth and final installment in the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy film series, is finally set to be released in Japan on June 27, 2020.

And pre-orders for the "MovieTicket" advance tickets with bonus items will be accepted on record stores (for King Redords edition), Evangelion Store, 7-Eleven, and LAWSON from 14:00 today (JST). 

#evangelion #eva pic.twitter.com/Pz7Lx0ICwC

— エヴァンゲリオン_official (@evangelion_co) December 27, 2019

Trailer 2.5

Source: "Evangelion" anime official website 

©khara, inc

Crunchyroll came through with two more announcements today, with some wuxia puppet action joining the catalog ahead of the Winter 2020 lineup. Starting at 8:00pm Pacific Time, you'll be able to dive into the Thunderbolt Fantasy -Bewitching Melody of the West- movie. There's also a new addition to the Mr. Osomatsu fun, including all six versions of the Mr. Osomatsu THE MOVIE Prologues. Check out the details below.

Thunderbolt Fantasy -Bewitching Melody of the West-

Launch Time: December 24 at 8:00pm PT

Territories: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Middle East

Synopsis: 

Làng Wū Yáo is a boy born with a supernatural singing voice. Secluded in the snowy mountains, he is put through severe training by his blind mother. Her wish is for her son's voice to be unrivaled, so that it will be heard by the imperial court. But the intense training results in a tragic accident, where she dies.

Left an orphan as a result, Làng wanders the land. His voice is used as a tool by the wicked and greedy, with his heart being ground down in the process.

Eventually his strange singing catches the ear of the princess of Xī Yōu, and Làng is elevated to the stage his mother had dreamt of. But what awaits him is a life or death battle performance against other musicians for the amusement of the members of the court.

Until one day, Làng learns of the rumors of the Sword Plundering Nemesis, an infamous bandit known through all of Xī Yōu for stealing magical weapons. What he doesn't know is that the  next weapon in the sights of this thief has been hidden by the emperor in the same castle Làng has been performing in.

Mr. Osomatsu THE MOVIE Prologues

Launch Time: Coming later tonight!

Territories: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Middle East

This includes all six versions of the prologues that played before the movie in theaters. 

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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox. 

Drop anchor for a bit, Azur Lane fans—the boat girl anime is going on hiatus until spring.

The official website announced today that episodes 11 and 12, originally scheduled to air on December 19 and 26, will be postponed to March 2020. The studio has apparently taken note of fan concerns with regards to animation quality on previous episodes, and are looking to boost the quality of the final two episodes in a way that will "make more people happy."

Episode 10 is still scheduled to air tomorrow. In the interim, the series so far will be re-run on participating channels. TOKYO MX, Sun TV, KBS, and BS11 will air the series again on Fridays starting January 3, and AT-X will start their replay on February 14.

Azur Lane is based on the popular Chinese mobile game of the same name. The game, which is available in regions around the world and puts you in charge of a fleet of boat-inspired girls, has received multiple awards and accolades since its its initial release in 2017.

>> Azur Lane Website

Source: Esuteru.com

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Kara Dennison is the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of OEL light novel series Owl's Flower, with writing credits across the Internet. She blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos. Her latest book, Vanishing Tales of the City, is now available for pre-order.

The new movie from Miss Hokusai and Colorful director Keiichi Hara—The Wonderland, known in Japan as Birthday Wonderland—is officially coming to theaters in North America. ELEVEN ARTS Anime Studio announced plans for screenings to kick off in the US and Canada on January 31, and you can see some of the work of anime studio Signal.MD (Recovery of an MMO Junkie, Napping Princess) in the trailer below.

Based on Sachiko Kashiwaba's "The Mysterious Journey from the Basement" story, The Wonderland features character and visual designs by Ilya Kuvnishov. 

Synopsis: 

On the day before her birthday, young Akane meets the mysterious alchemist Hippocrates who brings her through a basement and into a fantastical world full of magic and color. He reveals that this world is in danger, and as the "Green Goddess" it is her destiny and responsibility to save this world. The only problem? Akane just wants to go home.

You'll be able to check for theaters and grab tickets via the official website soon. 

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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox. 

Can't wait for the return of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen? Neither can we... and neither can Myne!

The Ascendance of a Bookworm protagonist sings the praises of the series in a new crossover CM, even quoting his Sword of Light spell:

The commercial will air during tomorrow's broadcast of Ascendance of a Bookworm. Plus, we can look forward to crossover art featuring Orphen and Myne swapping styles. So far, we have this silhouette to work from:

Ascendance of a Bookworm is currently streaming on Crunchyroll, following a hopeful librarian reincarnated into a world where books are only for the upper classes. To sate her need for reading, she sets out to create books and spread knowledge.

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen returns next month as a brand-new anime production, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the series. The first episode is set to premiere January 7

>> Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Website

Source: Ota-Suke

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Kara Dennison is the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of OEL light novel series Owl's Flower, with writing credits across the Internet. She blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos. Her latest book, Vanishing Tales of the City, is now available for pre-order.

The official website for the upcoming TV anime adaptation of Suu Minazuki (Heaven's Lost Property)'s action fantasy manga Plunderer has posted a main visual featuring its main characters and a seven-and-half minute clip including a 60-second third PV to introduce Jail Murdoch and Nana, along with interview footage with their voice cast, Yuichiro Umehara and Shizuka Itoh.

The TV anime adaptation is directed by Hiroyuki Kanbe (Oreimo, Gonna be the Twin-Tail!!), alongside series composition writer Masashi Suzuki (Seven Mortal Sins, Lord of Vermilion: The Crimson King) and three character designers: Yuka Takashina (Dance With Devils), Yuuki Fukuchi (Brave Witches key animator), Hiroki Fukuda (PERSONA5 the Animation episode animation director). GEEKTOYS (RErideD: Derrida, who leaps through time) works on anime production.

It is set to premiere in Japan in January 2020. Prior to the TV premiere, an advance screening event for its first three episodes is planned to be held at EJ Anime Theater Shinjuku in Tokyo on December 8, 2019.

Main visual:

⚡️2020年1月放送⚡️
TVアニメ「プランダラ」

／
メインビジュアル公開‼️
＼#プランダラ #pldr pic.twitter.com/choJQJW3gs

— TVアニメ「プランダラ」公式 2020年1月放送‼ (@plundereranime) November 18, 2019

3rd PV:

The manga has been serialized in KADOKAWA's Monthly Shonen Ace since December 2014, and so far 12 tankobon volumes are available in Japan. Its English edition has been published by Yen Press since March 2019. The publisher introduces its first volume's story as below:

In the world of Alcia' where rank is determined by "counts" a young girl named Hina scours the land for the fabled Ace-the legendary hero of the Waste War. With only the last words of her missing mother to guide her search' she wanders from town to town until she meets Licht' a clownish masked vagrant with a count of --999. Girl-crazy and unpredictable' he's the exact opposite of a hero...or at least' that's how he appears...

Source: TV anime "Plunderer" official website / Twitter 

©2020 Suu Minazuki/KADOKAWA/Plunderer Production Committee

©Suu Minazuki 2018

Nowadays we associate Studio Pierrot with hit series like Bleach, Naruto, and Black Clover. But a new mook is is focusing much earlier, on three early shows that cemented the studio's name as a source of quality anime.

The magazine-style book, titled Studio Pierrot Daikaibou, will focus up on 1981's Urusei Yatsura, 1983's Magical Angel Creamy Mami, and 1987's Kimagure Orange Road. Each section will include art, a cast list, a digest of major episodes, and broadcast information.

The mook will also include interviews with Studio Pierrot founded Yuji Nunokawa, artist Akemi Takada (who provided character designs for all three series), and Creamy Mami star Takako Ohta. There will also be a gallery of artwork by Takada and a retrospective of Pierrot's early magical girl series.

Studio Pierrot Daikaibou is on sale now.

>> Studio Pierrot Daikaibou

Source: Comic Natalie

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

A new key visual (below) and some Japanese broadcast details have been revealed for The Case Files of Jeweler Richard (known as Housekisho Richard-shi no Nazo Kantei in Japan), an upcoming TV anime based on the mystery light novel series written by Nanako Tsujimura and illustrated by Utako Yukihiro about a pair of young men who run a jewelry shop and solve gem-related mysteries.

The story of The Case Files of Jeweler Richard follows Seigi Nakata, an earnest college student, who rescues Richard Ranashinha Dvorpian, a strikingly beautiful British jeweler, one evening when Richard is being harassed by a group of belligerent drunks. Later Seigi asks Richard to identify a ring that he inherited from his deceased grandmother, and in the process Richard reveals not just the ring's background but also the past, secrets, and feelings of Seigi's grandmother. Seigi decides to take a part-time job at Richard's shop, the "Jewelry Etranger" in Ginza, and together the two men solve jewelry-related mysteries.

The original The Case Files of Jeweler Richard light novels are published in Japan by Shueisha under their Shueisha Orange Bunko imprint. The Case Files of Jeweler Richard TV anime is directed by Taro Iwasaki and features animation production by Shuka. The series will broadcast in Japan on Tokyo MX, BS11, WOWOW, and other stations beginning in January of 2020.

Sources:

Ota-suke

MoCa

Official The Case Files of Jeweler Richard TV anime home page and Twitter feed (@jeweler_richard)

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Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.

It's a double dose of Ikuhara! Seven Seas Entertainment is bringing the novels of the Penguindrum anime out in English, as well as the self-contained manga spinoff to the Sarazanmai anime, Sarazanmai: Reo and Mabu.

Kunihiko Ikuhara and Kei Takahashi's Penguindrum series is coming out in single volume editions for the first time in North America in print and on digital platforms starting with the first volume on May 19, 2020.

Synopsis:

Twins Kanba and Shoma live with their terminally ill little sister, Himari. One day, they visit the aquarium, a place full of warm memories for Himari, but she suddenly falls ill—and dies! At that very moment, a voice cries out, “Survival Tactic!” and Himari, wearing a penguin hat, comes back to life…?! After licensing the PENGUINDRUM manga series earlier this year, Seven Seas is excited to bring the fans another iteration of this intriguing series.

Kunihiko Ikuhara and Misaki Saitoh's Sarazanmai spinoff manga is due out on May 12, 2020.

Synopsis:

Reo and Mabu, supernatural cops and agents of a certain empire, are surprised to find a baby lying on a plate in the street! They take her in as they search for her parents, but their bizarre lives keep leading them in wild directions. Strangely, this baby--whom they name Sara--seems to have supernatural powers as well...and these two men are starting to love her as if she were their own.

Source: Press release

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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox. 

It is confirmed today that acclaimed Japanese manga artist Hideo Azuma passed away at a hospital in Tokyo on October 13. He was 69. He had received treatment for esophageal cancer. His funeral was already held by his relatives, and his farewell party is planned to be held soon.

Hideo Azuma was born on February 6, 1950, in Hokkaido, then started his professional career as a manga artist in 1969. He was well known for his science fiction and comedy works featuring bishoujo characters and was called the founder of the Japanese otaku and "moe" culture. After gaining huge popularity in the 1970s, he came to a standstill, disappeared for a long time twice and was hospitalized due to alcohol intoxication. In 2005, he published a manga journal of his experience titled Shissou Nikki / Disappearance Diary, which was critically acclaimed and received the Grand Prizes in the 9th Japan Media Arts Awards and the 10th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.

The announcement on his official Twitter:

吾妻ひでお（本名：吾妻日出夫）、かねてから食道がん治療中でしたが、2019年10月13日未明、都内の病院で永眠いたしました。享年69歳。ここに謹んでご報告申し上げます。合わせて永年の読者の皆様のご支援と励ましのお言葉に改めて御礼申し上げます。

— 吾妻ひでお (@azuma_hideo) October 21, 2019

His notable manga works include:

• "Futari to 5-nin" (1974–1976) 
• "Olympus no Pollon" (1977) 
• "Yakekuso Tenshi" (1977–1980)
• "Fujouri Nikki" (1979)
• "Nanako SOS" (1983–1986) 
• "Shissou Nikki / Disappearance Diary" (2005)
• "Utsu Utsu Gideo Nikki" (2006) 
• "Toubou Nikki" (2006–2007)

 

「失踪日記」の漫画家、吾妻ひでおさんが死去#吾妻ひでお #失踪日記 #漫画家 #ふたりと５人 #アルコール依存症 #日本漫画家協会賞大賞 https://t.co/xGQivAUT8d

— 産経新聞社 広報室 (@sankeikoho) October 21, 2019

Source: Hideo Azuma official Twitter, Sankei

The main staff for Space Battleship Yamato 2205: Aratanaru Tabidachi/The New Voyage were announced at the concert event for the Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love series held at Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo on October 14. 

The story of Yamato 2205 is set three years after 2202, and is expected to be produced as a remake of the 1979 TV special Space Battle Ship Yamato: Aratanaru Tabidachi/The New Voyage. 

In place of 2199's Yutaka Idebuchi (general director) and 2202's Nobuyasu Habara, Kenji Yasuda (Shugo Chara!, Macross Delta) is newly attached to direct. Hideki Oka (Ultraman Saga) continues to join as a screenplay writer alongside series composition writer Harutoshi Fukui. and the previous two's character designer Nobuteru Yuuki provides original character designs. Junichiro Tamamori, Mika Akitaka, and Taishi Isuzu work on mechanic designs. And Akira Miyagawa serves as soundtrack music composer.

Space Battleship Yamato 2205: Aratanaru Tabidachi/The New Voyage is set to be released in Japan in fall of 2020. In addition, a compilation film of the 26-episode 2202 TV series is also confirmed to be released in the same year.

『宇宙戦艦ヤマト2205　新たなる旅立ち』

2020年 秋 上映予定！

原作：西﨑義展
製作総指揮／著作総監修：西﨑彰司
監督：安田賢司
シリーズ構成／脚本：福井晴敏
脚本：岡秀樹
キャラクター原案：結城信輝
メカデザイン：玉盛順一朗／明貴美加／石津泰志
音楽：宮川彬良#yamato2202 #yamato2205

— 宇宙戦艦ヤマト2202製作委員会 (@new_yamato_2199) October 14, 2019

本日は、「宇宙戦艦ヤマト2202」コンサート2019へ
ご来場いただいた皆様
そして、ご出演いただいた皆様
誠にありがとうございました！#yamato2202 pic.twitter.com/6amwWt3veE

— 宇宙戦艦ヤマト2202製作委員会 (@new_yamato_2199) October 14, 2019

Source: "Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love" official website / Twitter

© Yoshinobu Nishizaki/Space Battleship Yamato 2202 Production Committee 

Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan, a spin-off of the wacky anime series JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, which focuses on Part 4 character Rohan Kishibe, will be getting two new OVAs based off the manga of the same name. Instead of the usual route of releasing the episodes with a new manga volume, the OVAs will be toured around Japan with stage shows with the voice of Rohan, Takahiro Sakurai, hosting.

A new key visual (as seen above) was released to celebrate the commencement of the lottery for tickets to the stage shows and OVA screenings. The events will span across Japan in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima, Sendai and Saitama, with the stage shows starting from December 8 and lasting till March 29, 2020. The lottery concludes on October 23.

As reported on August 29, the new Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan OVAs will be adapting the manga chapters “At a Confessional” and “The Run” which are set in Venice, Italy.

Source: Comic Natalie

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Daryl Harding is a Japan Correspondent for Crunchyroll News. He also runs the YouTube channel about Japan stuff called TheDoctorDazza, tweets at @DoctorDazza and posts photo of his travels on Instagram. 

Japan's national public broadcasting station NHK announced the results of the national online poll project "All PreCure Mega-Poll" in the three and half hour live-broadcast program on NHK BS Premium aired from 21:00 to 24:45 (including a 15-minute break) on September 14.

Fans of Toei Animation's 16-year-old magical girl anime franchise were able to vote for their favorite series, PreCure girl, non-PreCure character, and song between July 12 and August 31. The project site had listed 42 titles (including films), 60 PreCure girls, about 900 non-PreCure characters and 150 songs. A total of 613,524 votes were cast during the seven-week period.

「全プリキュア大投票」に投票いただいたみなさん、そして生放送をご覧いただいたみなさん、本当にありがとうございました。ランキングは出ましたが、大切なことは順位ではなく、一人一人の心のなかにあるベスト・プリキュアですよね。#全プリキュア https://t.co/vumwynktD6

— NHKアニメ (@nhk_animeworld) September 14, 2019

Series Top10:

1. "Futari wa PreCure" (1st/2004–2005)

2. "HeartCatch PreCure! (7th/2010–2011)

3. "Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!" (5th/2008–2009)

4. "Hugtto! PreCure" (15th/2018–2019)

5. "Smile PreCure!" (9th/2012–2013)

6. "Yes! PreCure 5" (4th/2007–2008)

7. "Go! Princess PreCure" (12th/2015–2016)

8. "Futari wa Pre Cure Max Heart" (2nd/2005–2006)

9. "Fresh Pretty Cure!" (6th/2009–2010)

10. "Maho Girls PreCure!" (13th/2016–2017)

PreCure Top 10:

1. Cure Black/Nagisa Misumi (Futari wa PreCure/Futari wa PreCure Max Heart)

2. Cure White/Honoka Yukishiro (Futari wa PreCure/Futari wa PreCure Max Heart)

3. Cure Marine/Erika Kurumi (HeartCatch PreCure!)

4. Cure Dream/Nozomi Yumehara (Yes! PreCure 5/Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!)

5. Cure Peace/Yayoi Kise (Smile PreCure!)

6. Cure Passion/Setsuna Higashi (Fresh PreCure!)

7. Cure Lemonade/Urara Kasugano (Yes! PreCure 5/Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!)

8. Cure Yell/Hana Nono (Hugtto! PreCure)

9. Cure Milky/Lala Hagoromo (Star☆Twinkle PreCure)

10. Milky Rose/Kurumi Mimino (Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!)

Character Top 10:

1 Mofurun/Cure Mofurun (Maho Girls PreCure!)

2. Coco/Kouji Kokoda (Yes! PreCure 5/Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!)

3. FUJIWARA Haranishi (Smile PreCure!)

4. Dark Dream (Yes! PreCure 5 The Movie: Great Miraculous Adventure in the Mirror)

5. Rejina (DokiDoki! PreCure)

6. Hagutan (Hugtto! PreCure)

7. Nuts/Natsu (Yes! PreCure 5/Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!)

8. Ayumi Sakagami/Cure Echo (PreCure All Stars New Stage: Friends of the Future)

9. Bunbee (Yes! PreCure 5/Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!)

10. Fuwa (Star☆Twinkle PreCure)

Song Top 10:

1. "Danzen! Futari wa PreCure" by Mayumi Gojo (Futari wa PreCure OP)  

2. "PreCure 5, Full Throttle Go Go!" by Mayu Kudo with PreCure 5 (Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo! OP) 

3. "Alright! HeartCatch PreCure!" by Aya Ikeda (HeartCatch PreCure! OP)

4. "PreCure 5, Smile Go Go!" by Mayu Kudo (Yes! PreCure 5 OP)

5. "Danzen! Futari wa PreCure ver. Max Heart" by Mayumi Gojo (Futari wa PreCure Max Heart OP)

6. "Yay! Yay! Yay!" by by Hitomi Yoshida (Smile PreCure! ED)

7. "HEART GOES ON" by Aya Ikeda & Mayu Kudo (HeartCatch PreCure! insert song)

8. "Papepipu Romantic" by Chihaya Yoshitake (Star☆Twinkle PreCure ED)

9. "La La La Suite PreCure" by Mayu Kudo (Suite PreCure♪ OP)

10. "HeartCatch☆Paradise!" (HeartCatch PreCure! ED) 

Source: NHK

(C)ABC-A/Toei Animation

Two more series are coming to Crunchyroll's anime catalog today, so set aside some room in your queue. First up is Dai-Guard at 3:00pm Pacific Time, followed by Demon Lord Dante at 5:00pm. Both series will be available to Crunchyroll members in the United States and Canada.

Here's an overview:

Dai-Guard

Launch Time: September 16 at 3:00pm PT

Territories: United States and Canada

Synopsis:

We Only THOUGHT We Were Prepared… Twelve years ago, the Earth was attacked by giant invaders. To defend our planet, the Earth’s greatest minds and corporations assembled to design a giant robot of incredible power. Unfortunately, as with most government projects, the contract went to the lowest bidder. Fortunately, by the time the robot was ready, the mysterious invaders had already disappeared without a trace. The giant robot became first a curiosity, then a tourist attraction. But now the invaders are back and the only thing in their way is Dai-Guard and a young team of office workers who’ve been supplementing their regular incomes as part time pilots and tour guides. Can these reluctant heroes halt their alien foes while simultaneously concealing the defects in their giant robot?

Demon Lord Dante

Launch Time: September 16 at 5:00pm PT

Territories: United States and Canada

Synopsis:

Ryo Utsugi has been disturbed by nightmares of being attacked by a gigantic, demonic creature with blood dribbling from its teeth. One day, he develops a mysterious power to hear voices and foresee horrifying images of females being killed. At a cottage in the wintry mountains, he hears the same voice... Ryo runs out of the cottage, jumps off a cliff following the voice, and gets transported to the Himalayas in a blink. There, he encounters the monster from his nightmare: Demon Lord Dante, who has been sealed in ice by God for 2000 years. Hideous murders, Satanists' black mass, the secrets of the Utsugi family... mysterious things await Ryo, who is transfigured into Dante.

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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox. 

A new manga series from the Ghost in the Shell franchise, Ghost in the Shell: The Human Algorithm by Jun'ichi Fujisaku (story) and Hiroki Yoshimoto (art) started serialization on Kodansha's manga app/website Comic DAYS on September 16. It will be also run in the next October 2019 issue of the publisher's Monthly Young Magazine to be released on September 20.

Fujisaku previously joined the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex TV anime series (2002-2003) as one of the screenplay writers, and supported the Ghost in the Shell: Arise film series (2013-2104) as supervisor. 

Based on Shirow Masamune's Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human-Error Processor, The Human Algorithm focuses on Section 9 members' everyday activities in Japan after the disappearance of the Major. The members of course includes Togusa, Batou, Azuma, Ishikawa, and a new character who is recruited from the Psychic Division, Tsunagi.

Comic DAYS' official Twitter has posted three sample pages from the manga's first chapter:

『攻殻機動隊　THE HUMAN ALGORITHM』が、コミックDAYSで9月16日より連載開始！
『攻殻機動隊1.5 HUMAN ERROR PROCESSER』をベースにした完全新作が世界同時連載で始動！　新作は、草薙素子がネットに姿を消してしまった世界における公安９課メンバーの日常を描く物語。https://t.co/NDzfsrhGfz pic.twitter.com/H9VHO8nZjI

— 講談社「コミックＤＡＹＳ」コミックデイズ (@comicdays_team) September 16, 2019

Source: Kodansha press release, Comic DAYS official Twitter

Following the most recent one for the PreCure franchise announced last Saturday, Japan's national public broadcasting station NHK has launched a new national online poll project "All Rumic Anime Mega-Poll" to decide the most popular anime series based on internationally acclaimed artist Rumiko Takahashi's manga series, as well as character, TV episode, and song from them.

61-year-old Takahashi started her professional career as manga artist in 1978, and most of her popular series were adapted into anime, from her first serialization work Urusei Yatsura (1978-1987) to one of her recent works Kyoukai no Rinne/Rin-ne (2009-2017).

Fans will be able to vote for their favorite ones between today, September 17 and November 4 at 23:59 (JST). The project site now lists 52 anime titles (including TV series, films, and OVAs), 1,100 characters, 700 TV anime episodes, and 160 songs.

The results will be revealed in a special live-broadcasting program to be aired on NHK BS Premium at 18:30-22:00 on November 16. In addition, a special program "Rekishi Hiwa (Secret stories in the history): Rumic Historia" to introduce the 38-year history of her manga's anime adaptations that started with Urusei Yatsura in October 1981, will be aired on October 14, and the interim report of the poll will be also revealed.

✨全るーみっくアニメ大投票がスタート✨

「うる星やつら」「らんま1/2」「犬夜叉」など、コメディからラブストーリー、ホラーまで数々のヒット作を生み出すマンガ家・高橋留美子原作のアニメ作品がテーマです。あなたのお気に入りはどの作品ですか？https://t.co/TgOPmJTtVb #全るーみっく pic.twitter.com/ke8UhhuwNy

— NHKアニメ (@nhk_animeworld) September 17, 2019

Source: NHK Anime World

Get ready to set sail for an adventure in the land of skies, because a new trailer has been published for GRANBLUE FANTASY: The Animation Season 2, a sequel series based on the popular smart phone RPG by Cygames. The new trailer (below) highlights opening theme, entitled "Stay With Me", which is performed by Seven Billion Dots.

「GRANBLUE FANTASY The Animation Season ２」のPV第２弾を公開いたしました！

オープニングテーマは、Seven Billion Dots「Stay With Me」に決定！

最速放送は、TOKYO MX、とちぎテレビ、群馬テレビ、BS11、AbemaTVにて10月４日(金)24時から放送です！https://t.co/6NKqieW2GJ#アニメグラブル pic.twitter.com/CVlwyOm5zP

— TVアニメ「グランブルーファンタジー」 (@anime_gbf) September 13, 2019

Crunchyroll currently streams the first season of GRANBLUE FANTASY: The Animation, which is directed by Ayako Kurata and Yuuki Itoh and features animation production by A-1 Pictures. Crunchyroll describes the story of GRANBLUE FANTASY: The Animation as follows:

This is a world of the skies, where many islands drift in the sky. A boy named Gran and a speaking winged lizard named Vyrn lived in Zinkenstill, an island which yields mysteries. One day, they come across a girl named Lyria. Lyria had escaped from the Erste Empire, a military government that is trying to rule over this world using powerful military prowess. Gran and Lyria, in order to escape from the Empire, head out into the vast skies, holding the letter Gran's father left behind - which said, "I will be waiting at Estalucia, Island of the Astrals"

GRANBLUE FANTASY: The Animation Season 2 is directed by Yui Umemoto and features animation production by MAPPA. The series will broadcast on Tokyo MX, Tochigi TV, Gunma Television, and BS11 beginning on October 04, 2019, with additional broadcasts to follow later on Mainichi Broadcasting System and AT-X. The series will also be digitally distributed in Japan on AbemaTV.

Sources:

Ota-suke

MoCa

Comic Natalie

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Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.