Ayumi Hamasaki Sings 1st Anime Film Theme in 12 Years for Buddha 2!

Her 1st since Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time's "No More Words"

Singer Ayumi Hamasaki wrote and sang the theme song "Pray" for Buddha 2: Tezuka Osamu no Buddha ~Owarinaki Tabi~, the second film in the planned trilogy based on the late Osamu Tezuka's Buddha manga. It will be Hamasaki's first theme song for an anime film since her "No More Words" song for Inuyasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time in 2001, and only her seventh theme song for any film, live-action or anime.

Hamasaki acknowledged that she had not read the original manga before, but she took the opportunity to read the entire manga and the script and drew inspiration from them to write the lyrics. She added that she was completely immersed into the unique world view and read the entire 14-volume manga in one sitting. The film's general producer Kozo Morishita commented that he cannot help but feel the link to Siddhartha's hope for people's happiness in Hamasaki's lyrics, which pray for the happiness of loved ones.

In the original 1972-1983 manga, Tezuka (Mighty Atom/Astro Boy, Black Jack, Jungle Emperor/Kimba the White Lion) recounts the life of the young prince Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism. Vertical released the entire manga (reorganized into eight volumes) in North America in hardcover and paperback, and the story won Harvey Awards in 2004 and 2005. Hideaki Maniwa designed the characters in the first film, and Toei Animation produced the project in association with Tezuka Productions. X Japan contributed the song "Scarlet Love Song" for the first film.

Toshiaki Komura is directing the second film off a screenplay by Reiko Yoshida. The film stars Sayuri Yoshinaga as Queen Māyādevī, Hidetaka Yoshioka as Siddhārtha, Ken'ichi Matsuyama as older Tatta, Kiyokazu Kanze as King Śuddhodana, Nana Mizuki as the thief Migaila, and Tetsuo of the comedy duo Waraimeshi as Brahman.

Hamasaki also contributed theme songs to the Inuyasha television anime series, the live-action film SHINOBI - Heart Under Blade, and the live-action Dragonball: Evolution film. She played Yuri Sakazaki in the original anime video Art of Fighting (Battle Spirits Ryuko no Ken), and her "Connected" song inspired an animated music video.

Buddha 2: Tezuka Osamu no Buddha ~Owarinaki Tabi~ will open in Japanese theaters on February 8, 2014.

src: 
www.oricon.co.jp
animenewsnetwork.com

Watch: Log Horizon Episode 3

Taku Tsumugi's Hot Road Shoujo Manga Will Have a Live Action Film!

And Rena Nounen stars in summer 2014 film as girl who feels unloved.

Taku Tsumugi's Hot Road shoujo manga will have a live-action film adaptation on summer 2014. The film will star Rena Nounen (Confessions, Ama-chan) as Kazuki Miyaichi.

The manga revolves around Kazuki, a girl who feels that she does not receive any love from her mother. As she carries anxiety about not being needed by anyone, she begins to feel attracted to a juvenile delinquent named Haruyama.

Tsumugi published the manga in Shueisha's Betsuma magazine between January 1986 and May 1987, and Shueisha published four compiled volumes. The manga has 7 million copies in print. Takahiro Miki (Solanin, Bokura ga Ita) is directing the film, with scripts by Tomoko Yoshida (Kanojo wa Uso o Ai Shisugiteru). Tsumugi is supervising the scripts. 

sources:
natalie.mu
www.animenewsnetwork.com

For PLatinum

Stop-Motion Figures Latest Attack on Titan Parody!

Asuna, Madoka, Mikoto Misaka suit up to fight "titans"

If you want the details on how the one-month shoot took place, Moonshine Animations is also streaming a behind the scnenes video

src: animenewsnetwork.com

Oneechan ga Kita Manga will have an Anime Adapatation!

Takeshobo's Manga Life Magazine announced on Thursday that Oneechan ga Kita (My Big Sister Arrived) will premiere next January!

The story is about TOmoya Mizuhara, a 13 year old boy who suddenly had a big sister when his father married again. Ichika, a 17 year old, is a a little strange and has an overwhelming affection for Tomoya. Ichika's friend, Ruri, is an ulitmate sadist, and Marina, a girl with super huge plots (=.,=)

src: 
saiani.net
animenewsnetwork.com

ゆい

SAOのゆい

Futari wa Milky Holmes

Plot Summary: Fans of the Milky Holmes detectives, Kazumi and Alice, decide to form their own detective unit, calling themselves Feathers.

Vintage: 2013-07-13

Opening Theme:
"Glory Glowin' Days" (ぐろーりーぐろーいん☆DAYS) by Milky Holmes

Ending Theme:
"Seishun Beginner!" (セイシュンビギナー！) by Milky Holmes Feathers

Official website:
milky-holmes-anime.com/futari/

watch here:
otakurama.tv/show/futari+wa+milky+holmes

src: animenewsnetwork.com

Live-Action Kamen Teacher Drama will have a Film Next Year!

Adaptation of Tohru Fujisawa's manga will open on February 22

The live-action Kamen Teacher television series based on Tohru Fujisawa's manga starring Kis-My-Ft2 idol group member Taisuke Fujigaya is getting a film follow-up next year. Kentaro Moriya will direct the film, which will open in Japan on February 22. The film will mark Fujigaya's first theatrical starring role.

The manga centers around Gōta Araki, a special instructor in the Kamen Teacher Program that gives problem schools a complete overhaul. When he dons a mask, Araki becomes "Kamen Teacher Hayato Jūmonji," a hero for justice. He brings light to troubled schools by putting down delinquents.

In the live-action version, Araki has been transferred to another high school after a certain incident. There, he is handed the second year's Class C, which only has problem students led by a powerful student nicknamed "M4." Araki wants to reach out to the students without resorting to using the power of the mask, but he reluctantly puts it on to bring the students in line and rehabilitate them.

Aya Ōmasa also starred in the television series an English teacher (Paradise Kiss), while Idol group Sexy Zone's Fūma Kikuchi (Future Diary -Another World-) played the powerful student leader "M4." Other cast members included Johnny's Jr. members Jesse, Yūta Kishi, Taiga Kyōmoto, Shō Takada, and A.B.C-Z's Ryōichi Tsukada.

The manga ran in Shueisha's Weekly Young Magazine from 2006 to 2007, and Shueisha published four volumes. Fujisawa launched a sequel called Kamen Teacher BLACK in Weekly Young Magazine in April. The television series premiered in Japan on July 6.

src:

animenewsnetwork.com

cinematoday.jp

jefusion.com

Hello Kitty to Collaborate with... The Simpsons?

Crossover merchandise will celebrate momentous anniversaries for both properties.

In an announcement that is both delightful, shocking, and weird, Sanrio has announced that there will be a special crossover line of products featuring Hello Kitty and The Simpsons set to launch in 2014.

2014 is huge for both properties‒Hello Kitty is celebrating its 40th anniversary, while The Simpsons will be celebrating its 25th. According to USA Today, the collaboration between Sanrio, Inc. and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products "will target collectors with limited-edition collectibles, while offering something for all fans."

The article also quoted Sanrio president and COO Janet Hsu, who said that the line will be "a fun and unexpected take on The Simpsons' transformation within Hello Kitty's super-cute world."

No further details have been revealed yet, but the products are expected to launch in mid-2014, just in time for back to school shopping.

src: 

animenewsnetwork.com  

usatoday.com

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax Arcade Game's Gameplay Video Streamed!

Shizuo, Shana, Asuna, Kuroyukihime, Kirino, Mikoto, more fight in Sega x Dengeki Bunko crossover

Sega began streaming a new promotional video for the upcoming anime-based fighting game, Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax, on Tuesday. The trailer features six of the game's previously announced characters as they fight in the upcoming 2-D, side-scrolling fighter.

The trailer features each of the character's individual play styles as well as reveals that each of the characters is allowed a supporting character from their respective series. Leafa will support Asuna (Sword Art Online), Wilhelmina will support Shana (Shakugan no Shana), Tōma Kamijō will support Mikoto Misaka (A Certain Magical Index), Kuroneko will support Kirino Kōsaka (Oreimo), Celty will support Shizuo (Durarara!!), and Haruyuki will support Kuroyukihime (Accel World).

Publisher ASCII Media Works and game developer Sega announced Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax, their crossover 2D fighting game, last month at the Tokyo Game Show 2013 event. The game is the fourth collaboration between ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Bunko imprint and Sega, and it marks Dengeki Bunko's 20th anniversary.

The title is a side-scrolling action game featuring such characters as Asuna from Reki Kawahara's Sword Art Online light novel series and Shana from Yashichiro Takahashi's Shakugan no Shana light novel series. The game will use a standard eight-way joystick and four buttons — A (weak attack), B (medium attack), C (strong attack), and D (support, to summon support characters). Players can also dash, back dash, and two levels of jump. A+B or A + B + down will unleash special Impact Skill attacks. Pressing A + B+ C simultaneously will expend one Blast icon for various Blast attacks.

src: animenewsnetwork.com

Kingdom Hearts III's D23 Expo Japan Game Footage Streamed!

PS4/Xbox One game previewed at this week's event

Disney Japan began streaming footage from Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts III game on Tuesday. The footage first debuted at the D23 Expo Japan event earlier in the week.

Kingdom Hearts III is slated for both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles.

src: 

0taku.livedoor.biz

animenewsnetwork.com

Anpanman Manga/Anime Creator Takashi Yanase Passed Away

Anpanman manga and anime creator Takashi Yanase passed away due to heart failure in a Tokyo hospital on Sunday, October 13 at 3:08 a.m. He was 94.

Yanase gained widespread popularity when the Soreike! Anpanman television anime premiered in 1988 and became a hit — not only in Japan, but overseas as well. His superhero character Anpanman has appeared in over three dozen anime projects since then.

Yanase was not only the oldest elder statesmen in the manga world, but he was also accomplished in music. He wrote the lyrics for the late Taku Izumi's song "Te no Hira wo Taiyō ni." (Izumi composed the music for the various Soreike! Anpanman anime projects.)

Before he became a full-time manga creator, Yanase worked in the Mitsukoshi department store chain's advertising department and contributed to its wrapping paper designs and other work. He was an ardent supporter of his hometown in Kami District, Kōchi Prefecture and designed the Gomen Ekio-kun character for Tosa Kuroshio Railway's Gomen Nahari Line.

Yanase served as the head of the Japan Cartoonists Association from 2000 until last year, when he retired due to his age and health.

src:
nikkei.com
animenewsnetwork.com

pixiv.com/chio

The Eccentric Family

Genres: comedy, drama, fantasy

Themes: family, Folklore, Gender switch, Shapeshifting, youkai

Objectionable content: Mild

Plot Summary: Shimogamo Yasaburō is a tanuki who is the third son of the Shimagamo family, who lives in Kyoto, along with humans, tanuki, and tengu. One day, Yasaburō's father is eaten as a hot pot by human members of a group known as the "Friday Club". As Yasaburō takes care of his teacher, an old tengu, fights with other tanukis, and plays with a psychic human girl, Yasaburō approaches the truth about his father's death.

Opening Theme:

"Uchōten Jinsei (有頂天人生)" by milktub

Ending Theme:
"Qué será, será (ケセラセラ)" by fhána

Official website:
TVアニメ「有頂天家族」公式サイト (Japanese): http://uchoten-anime.com/

watch here: otakurama.tv/watch=uchouten-kazoku

Get Your Kyousogiga Goods and Wallpapers at Pizza Hut!

Pizza Hut fans, you could get your hands on some sweet Kyousogiga merchandise... if you live in Japan, that is. (And even if you don't, you can download exclusive wallpapers of your favorite characters chowing down on some pizza.)

The fast food pizza chain is holding a giveaway until November 10 to give Kyousogiga fans the chance to win 37 web-exclusive, one-of-a-kind merchandise. The lottery prizes include:

Episode 1 voice-over script with cast signatures autographed by Rie Kugimiya (Koto), Aya Hisakawa (Koto), Kenichi Suzumura (Myōe), Akira Ishida (Inari), Shigeru Nakahara (Kurama), Eri Kitamura (Yase), Chiwa Saito (Doctor Shōko), Eiji Takemoto (Fushimi), Noriko Hidaka (Aun Brothers A), Ryoko Shiraishi (Aun Brothers Un), Kazuki Yao (Chief Priest) [5 winners].
Original poster [8 winners]
Two volumes of Kyousogiga manga with mercre's autograph [5 winners]
Web-exclusive Kyunchara Koto figure [1 winner]
Event-exclusive Koto figure [1 winner]
1,000 piece Kyousogiga jigsaw pizzle [1 winner]
Kyousogiga artbooks + 4 bookmarks [16 winners]

In order to win, contestants must be registered Pizza Hut members. To enter, contestants must use Pizza Hut Online to place an order, and add the "Kyousogiga entry" to their cart.

In the series, a mirror version of Kyoto exists where yokai, humans, and even robots coexist. Koto is a 14-year-old girl who visits that world to find her mother.

src: animenewsnetwork.com

Kanjani Eight's Shingo Murakami Stars in Live-Action Hakushon Daimaou!

Comedy anime about clumpsy genie gets 1st live-action adaptation in TV special!

Fuji TV announced on September 30 that KANJANI Eight's Shingo Murakami will be staring in the first live-action television adaptation of the Hakushon Daimou (The Genie Family) anime. Tatsunoko Productions' popular gag comedy anime ran on Fuji TV from 1969 to 1970. In honor of the 40th anniversary of the anime, the 31-year-old actor will play the main character, the genie Gejigon. The two-hour special is premiering this fall.

In the original anime, a young boy finds a bottle in his attic with a genie who can be summoned by sneezing. Unfortunately, the genie is not very good, and his wishes have a tendency to go wrong. Hakushon Daimou had been in the top 100 in TV Asahi's Top 100 anime in 2005 and Japan's top anime in 2006.

Murakami is joined by seven-year-old Konomi Watanabe as Akubi (another genie who is summoned by yawns) and eight-year-old Homare Mabuchi as Kan-chan (the boy who finds the bottle). Kan-chan's father will be played by 39-year-old Youichi Nukumizu, and his mother will be played by 35-year-old Miho Shiraishi. Murakami also sings the special's opening theme, which is a revamped version of the original anime's opening.

The special is expected to use full use of CG animation to recreate the magic seen in the original anime. It took one and a half hours to transform Murakami into a genie with special makeup, giant nose, and ears.

src: 
www.sanspo.com 
animenewsnetwork.com

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX PS3 Game Coming in 2014!

Includes Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Birth by Sleep Final Mix, Re:coded cutscenes

Square Enix Associate Product Manager Mat Kishimoto revealed on Monday on the official Sony PlayStation website that a second HD remaster of its Kingdom Hearts video game series is in production. A promotional video also began streaming for the PlayStation 3 game:

The game, titled Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, will be released globally in 2014. The game will contain Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix (an updated version of the second numbered Kingdom Hearts game originally released for the PlayStation 2 only in Japan), Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix (an updated version of the prologue PSP game that was only released in Japan), and HD remastered cutscenes of the Kingdom Hearts Re:coded Nintendo DS game.

Square Enix released the first PlayStation 3 HD remaster of its Kingdom Hearts RPG video game series in March in Japan, and it was released in North America, Australia, and Europe in last month.

src: anime news network