‘Dragon Ball: Origins’ Goes Gold
– Atari Completes Development on the First Action-Adventure Dragon Ball Game Featuring Goku and Bulma as Kids –
NEW YORK, NY – October 15, 2008 – Atari announces that development of the latest hit from the Dragon Ballfranchise, Dragon Ball: Origins for Nintendo DS™, is complete! Developed by NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc., Dragon Ball: Origins takes players back to the original Dragon Ball series and around the world for a thrilling action-adventure game with innovative stylus controls. Marking the first ever Dragon Ball game to feature Goku and Bulma as kids, and filled with several new gameplay elements including puzzle solving, fighting action, and mazes, Dragon Ball: Origins will be an essential and unique part of any Dragon Ball collection. Rated T for Teen, Dragon Ball: Origins will be available in North American retailers on November 4, 2008 for the suggested price of $29.99.
Presenting an all-new story line that takes place before the Dragon Ball Z sagas, Dragon Ball: Origins introduces Goku and his clever sidekick Bulma who must travel the world overcoming enemies and obstacles to collect the 7 Dragon Balls. Players control Goku in two modes: Combat and Power Pole mode. Each mode allows Goku a new set of enemy attacks to protect Bulma from incoming assaults while Bulma’s brains and her knack for inventing machines and weapons out of discarded spare parts help the formidable team to defeat the strongest of enemies and overcome the trickiest of obstacles.
Dragon Ball: Origins immerses fans with vibrant 3D graphics on both screens and further pulls players into the spectacular universe with the lively humor well-known to Dragon Ball games. This unique action-adventure game includes dozens of challenging puzzles and problem-solving obstacles, as well as plenty of room for exploration and treasure hunting – with, of course, an array of enemies on which to practice signature Dragon Ball fighting elements.
Through Goku and Bulma’s travels, players can progress through the game using the stylus to direct the character, control action, and unleash a variety of attacks. For example, a double tap on Goku followed by tapping on the Ka-me-ha-me-ha letters unleashes his famous devastating move. Another DS feature available for the first time in aDragon Ball title is a unique Wi-Fi exchange, which will enable players to wirelessly trade items, vehicles, costumes and weapons.
The immensely popular Dragon Ball Z® series is the gold standard of anime-based video games, with more than 30 different games and over 12.7 million units sold since May 2002.
For more information on Dragon Ball Z® video games, please visit http://www.atari.com/dragonballz.
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About FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation® Entertainment is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation and the market share leader for the home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation is known for acquiring top-rated anime series from Japan and for developing some of North America’s most popular anime series. The company has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution.
About Atari, Inc.
One of the world’s most recognized brands, New York-based Atari, Inc. is a third-party publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company’s 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as Test Drive® and mass-market and children’s franchises such as Dragon Ball Z®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext – ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit http://www.atari.com .
‘Dragon Ball Z®: Infinite World’ Goes Gold
-Development Complete on Final Dragon Ball Z Game for PlayStation 2 System that Combines the Greatest Elements from the
World-renowned Dragon Ball Z Series –
NEW YORK, NY – October 15, 2008 – Atari announced today that the development of the ultimate PlayStation®2 system Dragon Ball Z game, Dragon Ball Z®: Infinite World, is complete! Representing the last “Z” title for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World combines many of the best elements from the previous Budokai and Shin-Budokai series, as well as the recently released and much-admired next-genDragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, to deliver the definitive DBZ experience on the PlayStation®2 system. Moreover, Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World will boast several special features including “Dragon Missions”, new battle types, and dramatic cut scenes that enable fans to delve deeper than ever before into the Dragon Ball Z universe. Developed by NAMCO BANDAI Games, Inc. and rated T for Teen, Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World will be available in North American retailers on November 4, 2008 for the suggested price of $29.99.
The new “Dragon Missions” in Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World will include many famous scenes from the Dragon Ball Zseries never before seen in a video game. A range of missions from time attack in the “Snake Road Mission” alongside other action and racing-style missions puts players’ strategy and quick-thinking skills to the test beyond simply showing off their deadly fighting skills.
But no Dragon Ball Z game would be complete without its fair share of spectacular battles. Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World uses a simplified battle system taken from the recently released next-gen Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit for thrilling hand-to-hand fighting on the ground, or flying leaps and aerial combat in the skies. Defeat your opponent by blasting damaging Ki attacks from the sky or by diving into him and launching an explosive smash attack.
The game features over 40 unique characters, not counting the various character transformations which multiplies the playing potential. On top of characters, fighting techniques and battle stages, Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World also includes selected drama scenes from the previous games all presented using beautifully refined effects and shading techniques.
Dragon Ball Z marks the gold standard of anime-based video games. The catalog is currently comprised of over 30 games that have sold more than 12.7 million units since May 2002.
For more information on Dragon Ball Z® video games, please visit http://www.atari.com/dragonballz.
# # #
About FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation® Entertainment is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation and the market share leader for the home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation is known for acquiring top-rated anime series from Japan and for developing some of North America’s most popular anime series. The company has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution.
About Atari, Inc.
One of the world’s most recognized brands, New York-based Atari, Inc. is a third-party publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company’s 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as Test Drive® and mass-market and children’s franchises such as Dragon Ball Z®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext – ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit http://www.atari.com.
Production I.G Presents a New Mamoru Oshii & Production I.G Collaborative Project Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai
Animated Feature Film to hit the screens in 2009
OVERVIEW The creative team of Ghost in the Shell, Innocence and The Sky
Crawlers resurrects the legendary swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi on the big
screen!
Maverick filmmaker Mamoru Oshii is the mastermind behind the original
concept for this project, in collaboration with top-notch studio Production
I.G – the team that brought you cutting edge anime such as
“Patlabor: The Movie” (1989), “Patlabor: The Movie 2″ (1993), “Ghost in the
Shell” (1995), “Innocence” (2004) and “The Sky Crawlers” (2008).
This new full-length feature film entitled, MUSASHI: THE DREAM OF THE LAST
SAMURAI (original Japanese title: Miyamoto Musashi – Soken ni Haseru Yume)
is slated in Japanese theaters for summer 2009.
SYNOPSIS Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) was an unrivalled swordsman in the
days when internal wars in Japan had virtually ended. Nevertheless, he wrote
a master treatise on military strategy, “The Book of Five Rings”
and sought “the way” to enlighten his spirit and cultivate his mind. But
could this image have been manufactured by the generations that followed…?
Mamoru Oshii will take on an unusual portrayal of this legendary and aloof
warrior, between spectacular duels and a tragic life in pursuit of
greatness. With “The Book of Five Rings” as his guide, Oshii will unsheathe
the true vision of the greatest swordsman in Japanese history!
Medieval chivalry, horsemanship, swordsmanship and the essence of “The Book
of Five Rings” will be pure entertainment!
The impressive production staff includes director Mizuho Nishikubo (also
known by his alias Toshihiko Nishikubo) who has worked on numerous Oshii
films including “Ghost in the Shell” (1995), “Innocence” (2004) and “The Sky
Crawlers” (2008), as well as directed “Otogi Zoshi” and the epic series
“Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato“. Kazuto Nakazawa, director of the
mind-blowing animation segment in Quentin Tarantino‘s “Kill Bill Vol.
1″ (2003) and creator of innovative characters as seen in “Samurai Champloo”
(2004), will design the characters for MUSASHI.
Format: Animated Feature Film
Release Date: Early Summer 2009
Animation: Production I.G
Distributed in Japan by Pony Canyon
MAIN STAFF
– Original Concept / Screenplay: Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell, The Sky
Crawlers)
– Director: Mizuho Nishikubo
(Innocence, The Sky Crawlers, Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato, Otogi
Zoshi)
– Character Design: Kazuto Nakazawa
(Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Samurai Champloo, Asience: Hairy Tale)
– Animation Director: Kazuchika Kise
(Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire)
– Art Director: Shuichi Hirata (Innocence, XXXHOLiC – A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, Asience: Hairy Tale)
– CG Animation: Makoto Endo
(Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Le Chevalier D’Eon)
– Animation Studio: Production I.G
(Ghost in the Shell, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, The Sky Crawlers)
ABOUT PRODUCTION I.G
Established by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa in 1987, Production I.G is one of the
world’s leading animation studios. With its cutting-edge works, such as
“Ghost in the Shell” (1995), “Jin-Roh” (2000), “Blood: The Last Vampire”
(2000), “Kill Bill: Vol. 1″ (animation segment, 2003), “Innocence” (2004)
and “The Sky Crawlers” (2008), I.G has gained high reputation around the
globe, inspiring Hollywood creators such as James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino
and the Wachowski brothers.
Official Website: http://www.production-ig.com
Yumemiru Musical Paradise Event Welcomes Iconic Designers Angelic Pretty and Gothic Folk Duo Kokusyoku Sumire
California-based Lolita Fashion Collective Cosplay Oneesan will host celebrated Japanese clothing label Angelic Pretty and eclectic New Classical ensemble Kokusyoku Sumire at “Yumemiru Musical Paradise” an exclusive event at Los Angeles’ Kyoto Grand Hotel, Nov 8-9, 2008.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA Oct 16 ,2008 — Cosplay Oneesan will host Yumemiru Musical Paradise, an all Lolita fashion event featuring Angelic Pretty and Kokusyoku Sumire band members, Sachi and Yuka, as guests of honor. A celebration of Lolita fashion, lifestyle and community, this will be the first event of its kind held in the US. American Lolita enthusiasts will be able to purchase clothing and accessories from the popular Sweet Lolita brand Angelic Pretty. The label’s Magical Boutique, a treasure trove of lace, frills and ribbon, will be open for guests to peruse at their leisure. The event will also feature the first US performance by Kokusyoku Sumire, whose unique blend of traditional and avant-garde Japanese music has cultivated a devoted following both at home and abroad.
For the uninitiated, Lolita fashion is a Japanese subcultural phenomenon, that is distinctive for its intricately crafted, historically influenced clothing. While there are many subgroups within Lolita fashion, designs are invariably bold, eccentric and unashamedly cute. The fashion has inspired a whole lifestyle in and of itself in both Japan and abroad.Cosplay Oneesan is a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Lolita Fashion in the US. Brought together by a shared love of high-quality lace and oversized bows, Oneesan members seek to preserve the integrity and the independence of this comparatively new movement.
“I believe, like with any subculture, evolution is inevitable,” contends Cosplay Oneesan member Lynda Leung, a force within the US Lolita community for over ten years. “However, Lolita fashion is still in its early stages, and is extremely vulnerable to influences who may not appreciate the nuances of this self-contained movement. There are entities who would seek to exploit the popularity of Lolita fashion and do not care about its long term prosperity. We are holding this event to encourage Lolitas to remain independent of these influences, and we hope to guide the fashion in a direction that remains authentic to its origins.”
Cosplay Oneesan’s event will be a rare opportunity for US Lolita enthusiasts to purchase from Angelic Pretty’s coveted Magical Boutique. The majority of the brand’s merchandise is only available in Japan, and is relatively difficult to acquire internationally. An iconic name among Sweet Lolita devotees, Angelic Pretty emphasize depictions of childlike innocence and are famed for their innovative fantasy themes.
Formed in 2004, Kokusyoku Sumire (Japanese for Black Violet) are a musical duo who combine classical Japanese opera and folk styles with a modern Visual Kei-inspired twist. Multi-instrumentalists Yuka and Sachi are model poster girls for the Lolita movement, both in their highly stylized appearance and their fondness of fairytales and traditional Japanese folklore. With an eclectic sound that draws from many musical genres, Kokusyoku Sumire will treat guests to the enchanting spectacle of their live show, and undoubtedly add to their rapidly growing international fanbase. The band will be building on the success of their 2007 appearances in France with their debut performance in the US.
About Cosplay Oneesan:
Founded in 2004, Cosplay Oneesan (NPO) is the premier Gothic & Lolita fashion event company in America. Our focus is on forming communities that are self-sufficient and non-profit based to enhance and enrich the enjoyment of their participants, by creating and sponsoring large scale events that bring Japanese fashionable culture to America in an unadulterated, true to it’s roots format.
The Fall 2008 Anime Preview Guide
by The ANN Reviews Team, Oct 4th 2008
Welcome to Anime News Network’s Fall 2008 Preview Guide! You might remember our Spring 2008 preview guide, where our critics wrote up their impressions instantly and posted them as they go. We’re doing it again! Each critic will cover as many shows as they can handle, resulting in alternate takes on most every show.
This is an ongoing guide; throughout the next two weeks, we’ll be updating as often as possible with new perspectives on new episodes. New reviews will be posted as they’re written.
Please remember that this is a preview guide. It is designed to give you a taste of the first episode (or the first few episodes) of a show with a preliminary opinion. These are not intended to be blanket judgments of these series as a whole. All reviews use the same ratings scale: 1-5, with 1 being the lowest.
Click on the critic’s name to check out their episode reviews! The newest reviews will always appear at the TOP of each critic’s page, so if you’re wondering what’s new, just click the critic and their latest work will pop right up. Scroll down to see earlier reviews. The newest title in each critic’s page will also be bolded for your convenience.
Tokyo Film Fest to Host Anime/Manga Film Premieres
Oshii’s Kill, Hells Angels, Osaka Hamlet; Tezuka, Kawamori retrospective
The Tokyo International Film Festival will run from Saturday, October 18 to Sunday, October 26 with world premieres of several anime and manga films, as well as retrospectives for the “God of Manga”Osamu Tezuka and anime “multi-creator” Shoji Kawamori. Kill (trailer), the anthology of action sequences created by Mamoru Oshii, will premiere on October 19. Oshii’s three directorial colleagues,Kenta Fukasaku, Takanori Tsujimoto, and Minoru Tahara, will appear at the screening with their cast. Fujiro Mitsuishi’s live-action adaptation (trailer) of Hiromi Morishita‘s award-winning Osaka Hamlet manga will screen for the first time on October 21 and October 24, and Mitsuishi will make an appearance at the first showing. Yoshiki Yamakawa‘s much anticipated anime adaptation of Sin-Ichi Hiromoto‘s Hells Angels manga will also debut on October 18. Yamakawa, Hiromoto, character designer Kazuto Nakazawa (Samurai Champloo, El Hazard – The Magnificent World), and monster designer Yasushi Nirasawa (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Hellboy film) will all be guests at the showing.
The festival will host a retrospective for Tezuka with seven screenings: The Fantastic Adventure of Unico, Unico in the Island of Magic, Marine Express, Phoenix -Dawn-, Phoenix 2772 (Space Firebird), a selection of Tezuka’s television series, and a collection of his experimental films. “The Universe of Kawamori Shoji” screening will mark Kawamori’s career with a screening of Kenji’s Spring and selected clips from Macross Plus, Earth Maiden Arjuna, Macross Zero,Aquarion, Macross Frontier, and other titles. Keiichi Hara‘s Summer Days with Coo film will screen as part of a family film program that is co-hosted by the city of Minato.
Source: animeanime.jp
Image © Yasushi Nirasawa, Sin-Ichi Hiromoto/Shueisha/Hells Angels Production Committee
Yen Press to Hold Haruhi Day at NYC Kinokuniya Saturday
Event to mark the North American release of Haruhi Suzumiya manga
The North American publisher Yen Press will present Haruhi Day at the Kinokuniya Bookstore in New York City on October 18 from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET. The event is intended to mark Yen’s release of Gaku Tsugano‘s The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiyamanga series later this month. The bookstore will host a screening of Bandai Entertainment‘s Haruhi anime release, giveaways, raffles, and a panel of Yen Press‘ editorial team. The sponsors are offering a US$100 Kinokuniya Bookstore gift card, a one-year subscription to Yen Press, and other prizes.
Yen Press announced that it had acquired the Haruhi manga series in April, and it is working with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers to release the original novels byNagaru Tanigawa and Noizi Ito. Bandai Entertainment released the anime version in North America in 2006, while a second anime project has been in development for over a year.
Source: New York Anime Fest blog
Image © 2006 Nagaru Tanigawa / Noizi Ito / member of SOS
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