AnimeTrader ramblings

Neo-Tokyo author Taku Mayumura‘s story of kids who rise up against iron-fisted student president

Sunrise‘s Studio 8 (My-HiME, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere) is producing an anime film adaptation of Taku Mayumura‘s science-fiction children’s novel Nerawareta Gakuen with director Ryosuke Nakamura (Mōryō no Hako, Aoi Bungaku Series).

The story is set in Abeno 6th Middle School, a prep school attended by the main character Kōji Seki. The school puts a high emphasis on studying, but the resulting stress leads to unruly students. Michiru Takamizawa is elected the student council president, and she begins ruling over the school with a brutal iron fist. Kōji rises up against Michiru, and Kazumi Kusumoto joins him in the battle with the student council.

Mayumura has written scores of novels, and some of them — Manie-Manie Meikyu Monogatari (Neo-Tokyo) and Toki no Tabibito -Time Stranger- — have inspired earlier anime films. The Nerawareta Gakuen novel already inspired four live-action television adaptations and two live-action films, but Sunrise‘s film will be the first anime adaptation. Nobuhiko Obayashi (Shounen Keniya) directed the 1981 live-action film with Tomoyo Harada (Shounen Keniya, You Are Umasou), Ryoichi Takayanagi (Shounen Keniya) and Kazue Itou (Mori no Senshi Bonolon, Rurouni Kenshin) as Kazumi, Kōji, and Michiru, respectively.

The release date of the anime film has yet to be announced.

Source: Eiga.com

The character goods maker San-ei Bōeki announced that it will release Kitsune Luigi plush toys in early June. The toys will recreate Luigi in the Kitsune Suit from last year’s Super Mario 3D Land platform game. The 1,400-yen (about US$18) small version will measure 12 by 11 by 24 centimeters (about 4.7 by 4.3 by 9.4 inches), while the 2,600-yen (US$34) medium version will be 16 by 17 by 33 centimeters (6.3 by 6.7 by 13 inches).

The kitsune (fox) transformation appears in Super Mario 3D Land when players use the Super Leaf item with Luigi. Tanooki versions of Luigi appeared in previous Super Mario Bros. titles, but only Mario gains the classic Tanooki Suit in Super Mario 3D Land.

San-ei Bōeki released similar Tanooki Mario plush toys last month.

Source: Inside Games via Hachima Kikō

Images © Nintendo

A papercraft version of the Puella Magi Kazumi Magica ~The innocent malice~ spinoff manga’s title character has been posted online. Parts and instructions for completing the detailed Kazumi figure are available for download here. (Click the “[ Li_128041.zipをダウンロードします。 ]” button and then the “<ダウンロードする | click here to start download. >” link.)

Inspired by the original Puella Magi Madoka Magica television anime series, Houbunsha published the first volume of Puella Magi Kazumi Magica ~The innocent malice~ in May 2011, followed by the second volume in October. The publisher released the magical girl series’ third book on March 12. Houbunsha has also published three volumes of the Puella Magi Oriko Magica side story manga. Both titles landed in the top five on Oricon’s comic sales chart last May.

The model gun and accessory maker Dai-Nihon Giken sold 50 plans to make papercraft versions of the Magical Musket from Puella Magi Madoka Magica in February. Dai-Nihon Giken offered the plans on DVD-ROM for 3,000 yen (about US$39) each at the Wonder Festival 2012 [Winter] event.

The Puella Magi Madoka Magica television anime premiered in Japan in January 2011, and the manga adaptation debuted the next month. Houbunsha will launch Manga Time Kirara Magica, a magazine dedicated to the Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise , on June 8.

---

[Via 0takomu]

The official blog for the new computer-animated Starship Troopers: Invasion film posted designs for the anime’s bug enemies on Friday. The film will feature bugs similar to the Warrior bugs from Paul Verhoeven’s loose 1997 live-action film adaptation of the original novel, but scaled down in size to better fit inside the CG ships’ corridors. The staff also created an entirely new species of bug referred to as “Plasma Grenadier Bug.” Its design is inspired by the beetle, grub, mantis, pill-bug, and other insects. The alien insects’ shrieks were provided by Japanese actor Baku Owada and then digitally processed for the film.

The blog had previously posted starship designs, as well as power suits designed by Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) and Shinji Usui (Metal Wolf Chaos, Chromehounds). Aramaki is directing the new film, which is due out in summer 2012. A trailer for the film was streamed on IGN in March.

Flint Dille is writing the screenplay for the film after working as a story editor on The Transformers and G.I. Joe television series of the 1980s. The staff commissioned illustrator Hidetaka Tenjin (Macross Frontier, Macross Zero, Hellsing Ultimate) to create a teaser poster for the film. Joseph Chou (Appleseed films, Halo Legends, proposed live-action Evangelion) is producing the new project. Edward Neumeier and Casper Van Dien of the live-action Starship Troopers film are executive producers.

---

Black Rock Shooter Episodes 1- 8 Streaming
A TV series where psychedelic sci- fi trip and coming- of- age drama cross paths. This unlikely combination is surprisingly effective, if a little unbalanced at the end.

Kekkaishi DVD Set 4
The leads take a trip to Kokuboro as this TV series wraps up. Though it satisfactorily resolves its major story arc, it leaves some long- term objectives hanging at the end.

Skip Beat! [Omnibus] GN 1- 3
What is the most often aired complaint about Yoshiki Nakamura’s infectious shoujo revenge story? That each volume is too short and therefore over too quickly. That is certainly not the case with this volume, which packs in all three of the series’ first books in 562 pages of revenge, grudges, and generally enjoyable lunacy.

Legend of the Legendary Heroes Blu- Ray + DVD
Swords and flashy magic rule in this sprawling fantasy tale which bounces between being silly, serious, and extremely graphically violent. Ultimately it gets more ambitious than it can smoothly handle.

Black Butler Season 2 Blu- Ray + DVD
Still a decent piece of entertainment, but not much more. Intelligently written but lacking in audacity and imagination.

Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir
The Fatal Frame legacy is now bound up with Spirit Camera: short, and finicky, and not all that engaging. Compared to decrepit mental hospital or a decaying mansion, the well- lit confines of your living room never stood a chance.

Inu X Boku Secret Service Episodes 7- 12 Streaming
The last two episodes are mighty fine: sad, unsettling, achingly sweet; the kind that change how you look at previous episodes. It’s a shame in its own way. Why couldn’t the rest of them have been that good?

A Bride’s Story GN 3
With a slightly more urgent storyline than the previous two volumes, a change in point of view character, and even more exquisite artwork, this installment of A Bride’s Story continues to be an impressive addition to the catalog of English language manga.

Naruto Shippuden DVD Box Set 10
This mixed bag of hit- or- miss episodes results in a very average story arc: it has its pinnacles of greatness, but those are just as quickly canceled out by disappointing lows.

Shakugan no Shana III (Final)
Grand plans come to fruition as Flame Hazes and Denizens wage a massive final battle with the fates of two worlds (and a love triangle) at stake. The cumbersome, sometimes confusing approach at least does bring the overall story to a proper conclusion.

Sumire Uesaka, Yukana join school romance spinoff’s cast as new female students

Enterbrain‘s Famitsu website posted a new promotional video for the August 2 release of the PSP game Corpse Party -The Anthology- Sachiko no Renai Yūgi ♥ Hysteric Birthday 2U. The school romance spinoff is based on the original Corpse Party game from Team GrisGris. The original game followed a group of high school students trapped in an elementary school, which is haunted by children who disappeared.

The new game will introduce five new characters, including two second-year students from St. Kurusu Girls’ Academy. Ran Kobayashi will be voiced by Sumire Uesaka (Sora from Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!), and Azusa Takai will be voiced by Yukana (C.C from Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion). The game will also have four songs, including an opening theme by Asami Imai.

The spinoff features stories written by several guest writers such as Dragon Crisis! creator Kaya Kizaki and Koihime Musō anime scriptwriter Go Zappa. The game is set on the birthday of Sachiko, one of the schoolchildren who cursed the elementary school.

The limited edition of the game includes the Corpse Party Missing Footage video anime. The limited edition will retail for 7,140 yen (abbout US$89), while the regular edition will cost 5,040 yen (US$63).

XSEED Games released the PSP version of the original Corpse Party game in North America and Europe.

Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Haganai) Add On Disc is unaired 13th episode

The “Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Haganai) Premium Event” announced on Sunday that an original video anime called Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai Add On Disc was green-lit for release on September 26. The video anime is the unaired 13th episode.

This new original video anime is different from the original video anime that was released last September.

[Via 0takomu]

The cosplay outfit store chain Cospa will sell the trademark red jersey of lead character Akito from Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata‘s Bakuman manga in late May. The 100% polyester jersey will cost 12,600 yen (about US$158) and come in Japanese sizes XL, L, M, and S.

---

Source: Comic Natalie

Images © Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata, Shueisha/NHK, NEP, Sho-Pro

Kekkaishi DVD Set 4
The leads take a trip to Kokuboro as this TV series wraps up. Though it satisfactorily resolves its major story arc, it leaves some long- term objectives hanging at the end.

Skip Beat! [Omnibus] GN 1- 3
What is the most often aired complaint about Yoshiki Nakamura’s infectious shoujo revenge story? That each volume is too short and therefore over too quickly. That is certainly not the case with this volume, which packs in all three of the series’ first books in 562 pages of revenge, grudges, and generally enjoyable lunacy.

Legend of the Legendary Heroes Blu- Ray + DVD
Swords and flashy magic rule in this sprawling fantasy tale which bounces between being silly, serious, and extremely graphically violent. Ultimately it gets more ambitious than it can smoothly handle.

Black Butler Season 2 Blu- Ray + DVD
Still a decent piece of entertainment, but not much more. Intelligently written but lacking in audacity and imagination.

Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir
The Fatal Frame legacy is now bound up with Spirit Camera: short, and finicky, and not all that engaging. Compared to decrepit mental hospital or a decaying mansion, the well- lit confines of your living room never stood a chance.

Inu X Boku Secret Service Episodes 7- 12 Streaming
The last two episodes are mighty fine: sad, unsettling, achingly sweet; the kind that change how you look at previous episodes. It’s a shame in its own way. Why couldn’t the rest of them have been that good?

A Bride’s Story GN 3
With a slightly more urgent storyline than the previous two volumes, a change in point of view character, and even more exquisite artwork, this installment of A Bride’s Story continues to be an impressive addition to the catalog of English language manga.

Naruto Shippuden DVD Box Set 10
This mixed bag of hit- or- miss episodes results in a very average story arc: it has its pinnacles of greatness, but those are just as quickly canceled out by disappointing lows.

Shakugan no Shana III (Final)
Grand plans come to fruition as Flame Hazes and Denizens wage a massive final battle with the fates of two worlds (and a love triangle) at stake. The cumbersome, sometimes confusing approach at least does bring the overall story to a proper conclusion.

Higurashi: When They Cry GN 17
With heightened awareness of the situations facing them and a race to beat Rena to the edge, Higurashi’s Atonement Arc is racing towards its finish. With many clues to solving the mysteries of both Rika and Oyashiro- sama’s curse, the series remains compelling and chilling.

Last week, Tokyo’s Finnish embassy posted on its official Twitter account how to say a key phrase from the Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime in Finnish. The post included a Finnish translation of Kyubey’s signature line “Boku to keiyaku shite mahō shōjo ni natte yo!” or “Make a contract with me to become a magical girl!”: Teepa sopimus mun kaa, ja tuu taikatytoks.

The embassy explained that “Taikatytto” is Finnish for “magical girl” (mahō shōjo), and it even posted an audio demo of the phrase in Finnish.

The embassy had previously used its Twitter account to acknowledge that it was aware of the Strike Witches anime series and later to mark the birthday of Strike Witches character Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen.

[Via Hachima Kikō]