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My Mighty Marvel First Book: Fantastic Four

Art by Jack Kirby

24 pages/Abrams Appleseed/$12.99

Marvel Hello Heroes: Spider-Man Swings Through

By Sabrina Moyle & Eunice Moyle

48 pages/Abrams Books for Young Readers/$14.99

Abrams’ various imprints have done a fine job producing works for Marvelites of all ages, notably a series of board books for their youngest readers, indoctrinating them early. What I find most interesting about their My Mighty Marvel First Books is that they all use classic Silver Age artwork to tell bare-bones origin stories.

For their thirteenth offering, they finally get around to Marvel’s first family, the Fantastic Four, just months before the feature film is in theaters. No writer is credited, but all the art dates back to the series’ legendary run, except the cover, which is penciled by Jack Kirby, who receives a nice bio in the back. To my practiced eye, there are costume details...

Episode 2 is available now on the official AnimEigo YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/@AnimEigo/videos

In the latest installment, Robert Napton recalls his days at U.S. Renditions, which was the Special Projects Division of Books Nippan (the American branch of Nippon Shuppan Hanbai) and one of the pioneers of anime home video distribution in North America. Napton reminiscences about titles such as Gunbuster, Eureka Seven, Appleseed, Black Magic M-66, Dangaio The Complete Series, and Outlanders as well as his tenure at Bandai Entertainment and releases such as Lucky Star and more.

The Anime Business Episode 1 is also now available to stream on the AnimEigo YouTube channel and features an interview with John O’Donnell, former Managing Director of Central Park Media.

All episodes will be available in English. Japanese subtitles will also be available via a special grant from the Kleckner Foundation. Additional episodes and interviews are in production now.

For fans looking into get into anime for the first time, free streaming service Tubi is honestly one of the best places to start. Although Tubi's anime collection isn't quite as big as what's available on designated anime streamers like Crunchyroll or Hidive, there's a library of eclectic anime series to stream.

In addition to recent series like One-Punch Man, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and My Deer Friend Noko-tan, there's an especially impressive collection of anime from the 1990s and early 2000s: the original Japanese version of series like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura that were never made available in English at the time they originally aired in North America, the cult classic English dub of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! and other classic series including Inuyasha, Naruto, Death Note and Appleseed.

One of the major gems available for free streaming on Tubi is the iconic and influential 1995 cyberpunk anime movie Ghost in the Shell.

One of the most enduring images in all anime and pop culture as a whole is the famous "Akira Bike Slide." From other anime to every other medium like live-action film, video games and even children's cartoons, countless artists referenced the iconic moment Shotaro Kaneda stopped himself from crashing by sliding his signature red motorcycle across the highway. Not only does this speak to Akira's undying influence, but also that of cyberpunk anime's love of motorcycle gangs as well.

Akira is easily the most famous cyberpunk anime to prominently feature motorcycle gangs, but it wasn't the first or last to do so. Motorcycle gangs are practically their own cliché in the realm of anime, but they're especially synonymous with sci-fi and cyberpunk stories. This isn't just because anime and manga artists love Akira so much that they constantly reference it, but because motorcycle gangs are a part of Japanese...

The Niigata International Animation Film Festival returns to the Chubu region city in spring for a six-day event from March 15 to 20. The festival will be full of talks, screenings and retrospectives on the history of anime in Japan. Today, the festival revealed the line-up for the Satoshi Kon retrospective, the first screening in Japan of the Studio Bones documentary Bones 25: Dreaming Forward and the first screening of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within since 2001 and more. As part of the festival’s Satoshi Kon retrospective, which already includes screenings of all his feature films, Niaff also confirmed that Roujin Z (which Kon worked as Art Director) will also recieve a screening. There will also be talks after the screenings of Millennium Actress , Paprika and Perfect Blue . On March 15, the A Turning Point in Japanese Anime CG event will be held all night . It will include a screening of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within...

Robin Williams is an esteemed actor celebrated for his contribution to the Hollywood film industry. Be it John Keating in Dead Poets Society or Alan Parrish in Jumanji, Williams was a versatile character in every aspect.

Little do people know that Williams was obsessed with anime. In particular, he was drawn toward the cyberpunk genre as a whole be it Apple Seed or Ghost in the Shell. However, his film featured a cameo so iconic, that fans remember it to this date.

Asuka in a still from the anime | Credit: Gainax

The film featured a cameo of Neon Genesis Evangelion and its misaligned theme. The clip garnered an array of comments which are nothing short of hilarious. The misinterpreted essence coupled with the fan edit made it comical.

Interestingly, it sheds light on the disturbing and unsettling themes in the anime. As one of the revolutionary series in the mecha genre,...

Be it fashion or music, the 80s was a true trendsetter. But when it comes to inspiring pop culture hits, Akira takes the cake. From the iconic bike slide to color-coded leather jackets, the film is a visual treat. What makes the movie impeccable is its animation and well-written characters. The trope of telekinesis paved the path for several iconic shows and movies.

Shotaro Kaneda and his infamous bike slide in a still from the film | Credit: Tms Entertainment

This includes the iconic and successful Netflix series Stranger Things. Created by the Duffer Brothers, the show follows a similar trope of a superhuman kid. While both stories differ in most ways, it’s time Katsuhiro gets his deserved and due recognition. This also extends to his pivotal role in revolutionizing the anime industry through his works.

Akira inspired this iconic and successful Netflix series.

Akira (1988) is one of the most...

Anime distributor AnimEigo announces the upcoming home media Blu-ray release of the Megazone 23 Ova on November 12th.

Making its debut in 1985, Megazone 23 ignited the Japanese Original Video Animation (Ova) boom. It proved there was a market for direct-to-video anime films and paved the way for anime to become not just a niche genre, but a world-wide phenomenon. It was soon joined by a visually mind-blowing sequel, and a 2-part spinoff that takes place centuries later.

The new release from AnimEigo compiles the complete Megazone 23 trilogy along with an array of bonus features that includes the original Adv Films commentary track, Adv Films English dub tracks for all 3 parts (4 episodes), UK dubs for Megazone 23 Part III, an English subtitled Japanese commentary track with illustrator Gaku Miyao and producer Hiroki Sato, line art galleries, liner notes by noted anime author Giles Poitras, and more.

Pre-oders are available now at: https://www.

In the year 2070, evolution has begun to give birth to a new race of humans: the Espers. Blessed with psychic abilities, many of them choose to live in peace. Some, though, have chosen to use their gifts to assert dominance over humanity. In response, others have opted to join the advanced defense agency known as Minerva to stop them. One of them, Luna, has now been bonded with a Neurodiver, a lab-grown cephalopod Esper that enhances her abilities, allowing her to explore memories as if she’s living them.

On paper, that sounds like an ambitious, big-budget remake of David Cronenberg’s Scanners, one of many a sci-fi fan’s dreams, and really, that’s part of the problem with Read Only Memories: Neurodiver. Its premise opens the door to an immense, far-reaching embarrassment of creative options that the game—a bright, breezy, anime-flavored follow-up to 2064: Read Only Memories...

Most people with even a cursory interest in anime likely have, at some point or another, Googled something like "best anime movies of all time" or "best anime to get into anime." Despite excluding far more than they include, lists can be useful, providing an idea of consensus and recommendations for personal investigation. Suppose you were or are one of those people who looked up either of the aforementioned queries. In that case, you've undoubtedly encountered director Mamoru Oshii's 1995 adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Appearing on almost any list combining "best" and "anime," it's undoubtedly secured its place in the pop cultural canon. It has garnered approval from the Wachowskis, Lilly and Lana, James Cameron, and countless mangaka. But besides a traceable paper trail of influence, Ghost in the Shell is a sui generis work that is often cited but rarely matched.

Adapted from Masamune Shirow's manga of the same name,...

Toei Animation announces upcoming science-fiction CGI film called Hypergalactic, highlighting the involvement of Naoto Oshima and Western creators. The movie, described as a "multicultural" adventure, features a co-created story concept between Oshima and producer Joseph Chou. Hypergalactic aims to attract a Western audience, but it remains to be seen if the anime aesthetics will appeal to them. Producers have experience with 3D animation and cross-border projects.

Toei Animation, the studio behind hits like Dragon Ball and One Piece, revealed the existence of an upcoming science-fiction CGI film titled Hypergalactic. Among its points of promotion, Toei was eager to call attention to the contributions of Naoto Oshima, Sega's character designer responsible for inventing Sonic the Hedgehog. More curious, however, is that the movie appears to be an international effort, with Western creators and voice actors included in its staff.

Details are scarce at this point, though a list of staff...

Tubi offers a selection of classic anime films for free, with no subscription required, making it a great platform for anime fans. The anime films available on Tubi in September are highly acclaimed, culturally significant, and have a dedicated fan base. Notable films like Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Harlock: Space Pirate, Paprika, and Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo are among the exciting offerings on Tubi, showcasing a range of genres and animation styles.

Are you an Anime fan? Do you want some classic anime films but don't want to pay a monthly subscription fee? Here comes Tubi to save the day, as their anime offerings in September are sure to excite fans young and old alike. Tubi has always been a fascinating place for its inclusion of obscure anime shows, but its selection of anime feature films is no slouch either. Just about all of them are either critically acclaimed,...

Whoever wins, we lose. When Disney wins, however, everyone loses. 

/Film reported back in May of 2023 that Disney, as part of its massive acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, had inherited an already-complete 10-episode anime TV series based on the nerd-sating "Alien vs. Predator" series. The show's existence was confirmed by Joshua Izzo, the former director of licensing at 20th Century Fox, on the "Perfect Organism" podcast. Izzo said that the 10-episode series was complete, but that it was locked in a vault at Disney, hidden from public view. This is a common practice during mergers and management changes. The new administration as a film studio or record label, wanting to work solely on their own projects, will often shelve the previous administration's projects as a mode of keeping the slate clean. This means a lot of excellent art has never seen the light of day, or was released with so little fanfare,...

Back in early 2020, we heard mention of an Alien vs. Predator anime series that had been made before the 20th Century Fox / Disney merger and never released. Now the folks at the Perfect Organism podcast have scored an interview with Joshua Izzo, who made Alien Day an official event while working at Fox. During this interview, Izzo confirmed that an Alien vs. Predator anime series was produced, all ten episodes were completed… and now they’ve just been sitting on a shelf (a shelf that is now inside the Disney vault) for years.

Izzo said (with thanks to Avp Galaxy for the transcript), “One thing that did not happen during Alien Day in 2016 was – there is sitting at Disney now, at 20th [Studios], 10 episodes of a fully completed Alien vs. Predator anime series that I produced. It’s done. It’s in the can. It’s mixed, it’s finished. It...

Netflix has given us our first look at their upcoming Ghost in the Shell: Sac_2045 anime series in the form of a brief teaser trailer. It’s doesn’t give us much, but it does show off the animation style of the series, which is different from anything I’ve seen from the Ghost in the Shell franchise in the past.

The series is set in the year 2045, and “after global capitalism has defaulted, Japan's elite Section 9 begins conducting covert cyber operations.”

The series will be directed by Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) and Kenji Kamiyama, and newcomer Ilya Kuvshinow is heading up the animation and character design for the series.

The new Ghost in the Shell anime is confirmed to have two seasons so far with 12 episodes planned for each. We don’t have any other info to share on the series right now, but check out the teaser below and...

Anime maniacs have been waiting for this day: Eight years ago, Hiroyuki Imaishi co-founded Studio Trigger with the goal of one day hatching a feature as wild and innovative as his TV series “Gurren Lagann” and “Kill la Kill.” Now he has. Every bit as loud and ambitious as one might expect from a visual artist with such a hyperactive imagination, .

With “Promare,” which has already earned $10 million in its native Japan, the payoff is the seamless mix of 2D elements in 3D environments with a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack that seeps in at the right times. Best seen with a rowdy audience — like those who came out for dubbed and subtitled versions shown via nationwide Fathom Events screenings on Sept. 17 and 19 — this cult-ready Gkids release will get a more traditional rollout in larger U.S. markets starting Sept. 20.

“Promare” opens as the people of Promepolis are taken over by...

This week, we’ve gotten to hear lots of really cool reports from the Annecy International Animation Festival in France. Once thing that is super cool is the first piece of character artwork that Netflix shared at their panel for the upcoming Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045. Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama (Ultraman) are set to direct, and newcomer Ilya Kuvshinow will head up animation and character design for the series.

Variety reports the following about the series:

The series will be the first time the IP will be fully-animated in 3Dcg. Kamiyama and Production I.G will team up with Aramaki and Sola Digital Arts, who have brought Japanese 3Dcg animation to the world on work such as 2004’s “Appleseed.” The Netflix reboot also marks the first time that the franchise will have two directors shaping its execution.

We don’t know much more about the series yet,...

Annecy, France — On Tuesday night at the Annecy Intl. Animation Festival, Netflix held one of its most highly-anticipated panels for one of its most dedicated fan-bases: Netflix Original Anime: A Celebration of Anime and a Look Ahead.

Appropriately enough, this year’s festival is honoring Japan and its animation tradition, past and present, as the official Guest Country. Netflix, eager to capitalize on that tradition, and embed itself in the Japanese market as a producer, has commissioned a strong slate of originals and reboots meant to honor the country’s animation history while pushing the envelope of narrative and technology.

Announced last December, Netflix has commissioned a new “Ghost in the Shell” reboot titled: “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045” from “Ultraman” directors Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama. The two confirmed on Tuesday night that relative animation newcomer Ilya Kuvshinow will head character design on the show. Accompanying the announcement,...

Netflix has announced via Twitter that a new “Ghost in the Shell” anime series will be coming to their streaming service, scheduled for release in 2020. Titled “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045,” this new show is being produced by Sola Digital Arts in collaboration with Production I.G. (the studio behind all of the franchise’s anime and most of the films).

It was also announced that this new series (with an unknown number of episode) will be directed by both Kenji Kamiyama (“Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex“) and Shinji Aramaki (“Appleseed“).

Continue reading Netflix To Distrbute Brand-New ‘Ghost In The Shell’ Anime Series in 2020 at The Playlist.

With a brief tweet the streaming giant Netflix has announced that a new addition to the “Ghost in the Shell Universe” is officially in the making.

The upcoming brand new series, called “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045” will premiere in 2020 and will be co-directed by Shinji Aramaki from “Appleseed” and Kenji Kamiyama from “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex”. It will be a collaboration between studios Production I.G. and Sola Digital Arts.

Lots of media attention and hype had been gravitating around the last attempt to progress the popular “saga”, the controversial Rupert Sanders’ live action 2017 movie, casting Scarlett Johansson in the lead role of cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi and triggering a huge debate about Hollywood’s whitewashing issue.

“Ghost in the Shell” was originally a hugely popular manga series, written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. In 1995 it was adapted into an anime film of the same name,...

Netflix’s major push into anime continues with the announcement the streaming giant is planning a brand new “Ghost in the Shell” anime for a 2020 debut. The series, officially titled “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045,” is being co-directed by Kenji Kamiyama (“Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex”) and Shinji Araki (“Appleseed”). It’s unclear at this point whether or not the project is a feature film or a television series.

“Ghost in the Shell” originally started as a hugely popular manga series written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The series was famously adapted into a 1995 anime film of the same name, directed by Mamoru Oshii. The anime “Ghost in the Shell” is largely credited with influencing science-fiction cinema into the 21st century, most evidently “The Matrix” soundtrack.

While Netflix has not revealed further details about “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045,” here’s hoping the voice cast remains culturally appropriate.

A new adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell manga, titled Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, is coming to Netflix in 2020 — by wait of 3Dcg animation.

Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) are set to serve as directors on the project using next-generation animation, with Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell) and Sola Digital Arts (Netflix’s upcoming Ultraman anime) serving as the production studios.

The original Ghost in the Shell manga tells the story of Public Security Section 9, a counter-cyberterrorist organization led by protagonist Major Motoko Kusanagi, in mid-21st century Japan.

The new “Ghost in the Shell” animated series from Production I.G has landed at Netflix, the company announced on Friday.

The anime series, titled “Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045” will premiere worldwide on the streamer in 2020.

As previously announced, Kenji Kamiyama (“Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” series) and Shinji Aramaki (“Appleseed”) will co-direct the project, a new story based on the original manga series. Animation studio Production I.G will team with Sola Digital Arts, the studio behind Netflix’s upcoming “Ultraman.”

“Yes, A New Ghost In The Shell Anime Is Coming,” the company wrote on its sci-fi centric Twitter account. “‘Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045’ will be directed by ‘Appleseed’s’ Shinji Aramaki and ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’s Kenji Kamiyama.’ On @Netflix in 2020! *desire to explore...

Netflix continues to go big into anime, announcing a new Ghost in the Shell project set for worldwide distribution in 2020. The announcement was made via Twitter.

Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045 will have directors Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) & Shinji Araki (Appleseed) on board. The new title will be a collaboration between studios Production I.G. and Sola Digital Arts.

Production I.G animated all of the anime projects for Ghost in the Shell while Sola’s credits include Appleseed Alpha, Blade Runner Black Out 2022 and also the new Ultraman anime that will bow on Netflix next year. The anime will be “reborn,” according to Netflix, by changing itself into a new form, 3Dcg, pioneered by Aramaki and Sola. Netflix is touting it as a “next-generation animation film.”

Netflix this year has added such anime titles as Kyoto Animation’s Violet Evergarden, Science Saru’s Devilman Crybaby and Aggretsuko,...

There’s a new Blade Runner anime series going into development called Blade Runner - Black Lotus, and it was inspired by Blade Runner 2049.

We may never see another Blade Runner movie again because they have been box office bombs, but at least we will be getting more stories set in the universe in anime form! Hey, it’s better than nothing!

The plot of the series is being kept under wraps, it’s been confirmed that the story will “take place in 2032 and will include some familiar characters from the Blade Runner universe.”

The series will be produced by Alcon Entertainment, WarnerMedia’s Adult Swim, and Crunchyroll. The series will air on Adult Swim’s Toonami programming block. Crunchyroll will handle worldwide streaming.

Blade Runner – Black Lotus will consist of 13 half-hour episodes, and the animation is being done by Sola Digital Arts, who also worked on the new Ultraman series.

"Blade Runner – Black Lotus", a new animated 13-episode TV series, set 25 years before the feature "Blade Runner 2049", based on author Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?" is from Alcon Television Group, a division of Alcon Entertainment, WarnerMedia's "Adult Swim" and Crunchyroll, to be directed by Shinji Aramaki ("Appleseed") and Kenji Kamiyama ("Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex") for Solar Digital Arts:

"I first saw 'Blade Runner' in 1982, at age 11," said Jason DeMarco, for "Adult Swim" on-air.

"It has remained one of the defining films of my life.

"To be able to explore more of this universe, with the incredible talent we have on board, is a dream come true..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Blade Runner 2049"...

Blade Runner – Black Lotus, an animated series inspired by the Oscar-winning movie Blade Runner 2049, is coming to Adult Swim. Alcon Television Group, a division of Alcon Entertainment, has teamed with WarnerMedia’s Adult Swim and Crunchyroll to produce and distribute the new anime series.

Blade Runner – Black Lotus will feature 13 half-hour episodes produced by animation studio Sola Digital Arts (Ultraman). The series plot is being kept under wraps, but producers have confirmed the story will take place in 2032 and will include some familiar characters from the Blade Runner universe.

Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) and Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) will direct all episodes of the premiere season, following their current directorial work on the upcoming Ghost in the Shell series reboot. Shinichiro Watanabe is a creative producer.

Adult Swim will have the worldwide rights (excluding Asia) to distribute the English dubbed versions...

Crunchyroll and Adult Swim are partnering with Alcon Television Group to produce and distribute “Blade Runner — Black Lotus,” an anime series inspired by Blade Runner 2049, the Oscar-winning 2017 sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic.

Adult Swim will have the worldwide rights — excluding Asia — to distribute the 13-episode series, which will air on the network’s anime programming block Toonami. Crunchyroll, an anime-centric streaming service, will handle worldwide distribution for its community of more than 45 million registered users and 2 million paying subscribers.

Produced by animation studio Sola Digital and directed by Shinji Aramaki (“Appleseed”) and Kenji Kamiyama (“Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex”), each episode will run for 30-minutes.

As of now, Crunchyroll and its partners are keeping the plot line of the series under wraps, but producers have confirmed the story will take place in 2032 and will include a few familiar faces from the dystopian Blade Runner universe where...

Ultraman is getting a new 3D CG anime series and it will be coming to Netflix! According to Anime News Network, the series will be an adaptation of the 12th compiled book volume of Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi's Ultraman manga that was recently revealed. For any of you that are fans of Ultraman, this is exciting news and if you're curious to know what the story entails, here's a synopsis for the manga that was released:

Decades ago, a being known as the Giant of Light joined Shin Hayata of the Scientific Special Search Party to save Earth from an invasion of terrifying monsters known as Kaiju. Now, many years later, those dark days are fading into memory, and the world is at peace. But in the shadows a new threat is growing, a danger that can only be faced by a new kind of hero - a new kind of Ultraman.

In an age where special effects reign supreme, there’s one aspect of the filmmaking process that hasn’t gone through a radical transformation — music. Some of the best movies in any given year would be sorely lacking without their memorable scores, and this has remained true well into the first two decades of the 21st century.

Read More‘Logan’ Composer Marco Beltrami on R-Rated Wolverine Minimalist Score

Film composers play an integral part in the filmmaking process, and there are a handful whose bodies of work stand out in recent years. Of course, this list of 12 major composers only begins to scratch the surface of the talent out there. There are plenty of other worthy contributors to the medium who didn’t make the cut — Danny Elfman and John Williams, we’re looking at you — but rest assured that this top dozen represent the cream of the crop.

Hans Zimmer...

Following last weekend's release of Paramount Pictures fantastic live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, we have word that Kodansha and the Japanese animation company Production I.G are developing a new Ghost in the Shell anime series.

There aren't a lot of details on the series, but THR says that it will be co-directed by Kenji Kamiyama, who worked on the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series and Shinji Aramaki, who worked on the anime Appleseed.

Production I.G. has been producing Ghost in the Shell projects since they produced Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 anime classic. The studio also produced Stand Alone Complex and several more. It only makes sense that they would be involved in this newest adaptation of the property.

I'll make sure to fill you in on any other details on the new anime as they become available. Are you excited that we are getting...

Publisher Kodansha and Japan-headquartered animation company Production I.G are working on a new animated production based on the classic Ghost in the Shell manga.

It will be co-directed by Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series) and Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed).

Also this week, Production I.G — whose animation credits includes Ghost in the Shell, Miss Hokusai and A Letter to Momo — announced the promotion of Maki Terashima-Furuta to the role of president of Production I.G. USA.

Terashima-Furuta founded the U.S. subsidiary of Production I.G. in 1997 and has served as vice president, during which time she has overseen development, production...

Get ready to hack the ghost.

The groundbreaking anime that lead to countless imitators both live-action and in the realm of animation, Ghost in the Shell has long been thought of as a masterpiece. With the new live-action feature lifting sequences right from the pages of Masamune Shirow’s manga, its the perfect time to ask why has Ghost in the Shell influenced so many? And despite the hotly debated casting choices, how will this new adaptation possibly live up to the legacy of its fore-bearer?

The cyberpunk series first got its start from the mind of Masamune Shirow. Shirow had been writing Manga throughout the 1980’s including one of his biggest hits, Appleseed. Appleseed had all the trademarks of Shirow Manga; philosophical, hard science-fiction stories with adequately sexualized female characters. That played well toward a Western market that was just beginning to have access to Japanese Manga and Anime in the early 90’s. When...

Harlock: Space Pirate will be available on Digital HD, On Demand and DVD on March 31. "Old Friend/Get Off My Ship" "This Doesn’t Change Anything" Related Content: English Dub Of Harlock: Space Pirate To Screen In Select Us Cities Anime: New Featurette For Space Pirate Captain Harlock Director Shinji Aramaki (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Halo Legends, Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina) unleashes an interstellar thrill ride with Harlock: Space Pirate on Digital HD, On Demand and DVD from Ketchup Entertainment! Based on the classic comic book and TV series, this adventure stars David Matranga (Appleseed, Journey to Agatha), Emily Neves (Starship Troopers: Invasion, Journey to Agatha), and Rob Mungle (Blue Seed, Lady Death). A mysterious space pirate of the future, Captain Harlock, is determined to return his death ship and loyal crew to a battered Earth, which has been declared off-limits by the intergalactic Gaia Coalition. The rogue captain comes up...

Los Angeles, CA – Director Shinji Aramaki (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Halo Legends, Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina) unleashes an interstellar thrill ride with Harlock: Space Pirate on Digital HD, On Demand and DVD from Ketchup Entertainment! Based on the classic comic book and TV series, this live action family adventure stars David Matranga (Appleseed, Journey to Agatha), Emily Neves (Starship Troopers: Invasion, Journey to Agatha), and Rob Mungle (Blue Seed, Lady Death).

A mysterious space pirate of the future, Captain Harlock, is determined to return his death ship and loyal crew to a battered Earth, which has been declared off-limits by the intergalactic Gaia Coalition. The rogue captain comes up with an incredible plan to go back in time to rescue Earth, but that includes the destruction of everything, as it exists. A young soldier of the Gaia Coalition volunteers to go undercover on the infamous skull ship and assassinate Harlock, but...

From the first imagery released from Neill Blomkamp's Chappie, anime and manga fans were quick to point out how similar that film's robot looked to the mechanical protagonist of the hit anime and manga, Appleseed.  Recently, Blomkamp addressed those similarities in a new interview [via Anime News Network] where he discussed being inspired by Appleseed's Briareos.  "Masamune Shirow, he has one robot called Briareos that has these rabbit ears. I just love that as a design feature, so I put that on the robot in the short... When I made Chappie, I was like, 'Obviously, the robot will be based on that robot, and the fictional company that made that robot will make the fictional robots in the full feature film." Appleseed is  a cyber punk mecha series which follows law enforcement officers  Deunan Knute and the bio-android, Briareos Hecatonchires.  The two protect the fictional city of Olympus in a post-apocalyptic future.

The Chappie trailer gave us a first look at the new film from the director of District 9 and Elysium. But what's beneath its 80s nostalgia.

From his earliest, eye-catching short films, South African director Neill Blomkamp showed off a style that already seemed fully-formed. As much inspired by manga and videogames as the more typical touchstones of science fiction cinema, Blomkamp's films are set in a recognisably grubby future, where the high-tech meets the tatty malaise of cities worn down through decades of use.

Those sensational short films, among them Alive In Joburg, Yellow and Tetra Vaal, led to a stalled Halo feature film project. This in turn led to his first feature, the surprise hit District 9 - based on Alive In Joburg - and then Elysium, the 2013 action film starring Matt Damon.

In Chappie, due out next spring, Blomkamp again draws on one of his early shorts...

Next year sees the release of Chappie, the next film from the director of District 9 and Elysium. Here's the first trailer and poster...

Well, this is delightful. We've known for some time that Neill Blomkamp, having directed District 9 and Elysium, is set to direct a film called Chappie, an expansion of his 2003 short,Tetra Vaal. The story appears to have a blackly comic tone to it: Chappie is a childlike robot kidnapped by a family of career criminals, and ends up accompanying them on their law-breaking exploits.

Blomkamp's regular collaborator Sharlto Copley will play Chappie (he'll be performance captured, Andy Serkis-style), and he'll be joined by an eclectic cast which includes Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, Sigourney Weaver, and two members of South African rap outfit Die Antwoord - Ninja and Yolandi Visser.

The first poster gives an idea of the film's quirky tone, and a proper look at Copley's innocent robot.

The popular franchise Appleseed comes to new life in the CG-animated prequel Appleseed Alpha, available 13 October on Digital HD and Blu-ray™ & DVD 27 October from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. World-renowned anime filmmaker Shinji Aramaki (Starship Troopers: Invasion) directs the sci-fi adventure franchise based on the comic books by Shirow Masamune (Ghost in the Shell) published by Seishinsha with a screenplay by Marianne Krawczyk (God of War). We're now offering one lucky reader the chance to win a piece of concept art from the film's production process, signed by Shinji Aramaki! Entering couldn't be easier, so follow the instructions below for details on how to be in with a chance of getting your hands on this amazing prize! How To Enter 1. Like "ComicBookMovie.com" on Facebook by clicking Here. 2. To Double your chances of winning, Follow Me and then Retweet the Tweet below. Retweet & Follow @Josh_Wilding For A Chance To Win...

Anime fan favourite Space Pirate Captain Harlock stars in a new movie... but is it worth the wait?

If you're a fan of manga, you probably already know Harlock, although his fan following is much larger in France, Quebec and Japan. Harlock is the brainchild of Leiji Matsumoto (creator of Space Battleship Yamato/Star Blazers). Harlock was created in the 50s, but his breakthrough came in 1978 with the release of the original television series, Space Pirate Captain Harlock. He has since then seen many incarnations, but he had been absent from our screens since 2002. Given the current trend of revisiting old franchise favourites, Harlock was bound to suffer the reboot treatment at one point. Harlock has already been rebooted several times over the years, long before the term "reboot" was actually coined, so it shouldn't have been a big deal, but some fans feared that Harlock's move to the big...

This summer, we'll get a new Appleseed feature in cinemas, and the good people of IGN.com have just posted an English-language trailer for it. This iteration is called Appleseed Alpha, and shows the adventures of female supersoldier Deunan and her friend Briareos, who after grievous battle injuries has been resurrected as a giant cyborg. Together they travel across an urban landscape ravaged by war, looking for pockets of civilization. The director is Aramaki Shinji, who also did the previous two Appleseed cgi-films and, more recently, the Space Pirate Captain Harlock 3D movie. Plot-wise, it sounds like this film stays a bit closer to Masamune Shirow's manga stories. Image-wise, well... faces look a lot more realistic when compared to the earlier films, but Deunan now wears a...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Masamune Shirow's manga "Appleseed" has been adapted for the cinema several times already, and according to IGN.com, this summer we can add a new one: Appleseed Alpha. Details are sketchy, but apparently this is a "reboot" taking place before the previous films, with female supersoldier Deunan and her cyborg friend Briareos still traveling through a post-war wasteland, looking for the city Olympia. Sounds like a prequel to the previous two films, rather than a reboot, but it can (of course) be both. As evidenced by the first screenshot seen above, this will once again be a cg-animated film. Aramaki Shinji, who also directed Appleseed and Appleseed: Ex Machina, will take the helm. The production is in the hands of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Lucent...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (Spwa) and Lucent Pictures Entertainment have partnered up to co-finance the sci-fi adventure.

The Sola Digital Arts CG animation marks a reboot of the sci-fi action adventure franchise based on the original comic books by Ghost In The Shell creator Shirow Masamune published by Seishinsha.

The new instalment of Appleseed Alpha is scheduled for release release this summer and will depict the early days of Deunan and Briareos in search of the legendary city of Olympus. 

Shinji Aramaki directs and Joseph Chou is the producer.

"During the last Great War, a man rose to become a hero. But then he betrayed his country to become a pirate. Is he truly an enemy of the state? Or its last great hope?" A new behind-the-scenes feature for the cgi animated Space Pirate Captain Harlock has been revealed. It focuses on the performance capture for the animated film and also contains a new clip. The film recently premiered in Japan on September 7th. Appleseed's Shinji Aramaki directed the CG film which has been called a reinterpretation of the themes in Leiji Matsumoto's original 1977 manga. The film has Toei Animation's highest production budget ever which equates to about $30M U.S. Director James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic) previously praised the series as, "Mythic, epic and visually unprecedented, Harlock will take you to a whole new universe of ideas." Related Content: Anime: New Space Pirate Captain...

"During the last Great War, a man rose to become a hero. But then he betrayed his country to become a pirate. Is he truly an enemy of the state? Or its last great hope?" Appleseed's Shinji Aramaki will direct the CG film which is said to reinterpret the themes in Leiji Matsumoto's 1977 manga for modern society. This film has Toei Animation's highest production budget ever which equates to about $30M U.S. and will be released to much fanfare in Japan on September 7, 2013. An international dub is currently in production for release in the Us and the UK. Director James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic) previously praised the series as, "Mythic, epic and visually unprecedented, Harlock will take you to a whole new universe of ideas." Related Content: Second Teaser Trailer For Live-Action 'Tiger Mask' First Still From Live-Action 'Rurouni Kenshin' Sequel James Cameron Says 'Battle Angel Alita' To...

News Ryan Lambie 11 Jun 2013 - 07:02

We can exclusively reveal that Elysium and District 9 director Neill Blomkamp's next film will be based on his 2003 short, Tetra Vaal...

From his earliest short films, filmmaker Neill Blomkamp has shown an uncanny ability to fuse the low-fi and the high-tech. His first feature, the Oscar-nominated District 9, did just that, while also matching incisive social commentary with huge sci-fi guns and exhilarating action.

Those now familiar themes and styles are again present in Blomkamp's latest film, Elysium, due out in August. Starring Matt Damon, it's about an injured factory worker trying to find a way onto an orbiting space platform that is home to the rich and powerful. In the process, he becomes drawn into a wider struggle that involves Jodie Foster's glacial Secretary Delacourt, and a ferocious assassin played by Sharlto Copley.

Interest in Blomkamp's films is such that...

Another awesome new trailer has been released for the great looking CG animated film Captain Harlock: Space Pirate. The film may look like a video game cut scene, but it doesn't make it any less cool.

The story follows Captain Harlock as he fights for humanity with his 40 crew members aboard the invincible space battleship Arcadia. I'm looking forward to checking this out as soon as it gets released, whenever that is.

The movie is an adaptation of the popular Japanese manga series, which was created by Leiji Matsumoto in 1978 that eventually spawned a TV anime series, a few features, and the sequel called Arcadia of My Youth: Endless Orbit Ssx.

The script was written by Harutoshi Fukui (Mobile Suit Gundam Uc novels, live-action Bōkoku no Aegis) and was developed to reflect the themes of modern society. It was directed by Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed). The movie should be released in Japan sometime this fall.

Via Anime New Network, we have new info on a proposed English dub for the ambitious CG remake of Space Captain Harlock (which looks to be retitled Harlock: Space Pirate for english speaking audiences). London-based Gfm Films is reportedly working on an English dub as the film works towards completion in post-production. There's also a figure line in the works from Square-Enix that will be unveiled at Square-Enix's San Diego Comic-Con along with a new trailer. Maybe we'll get a worldwide theatrical release for this film? The visuals shown so far are very impressive and with the right marketing push a limited international run would be warranted. Said Avatar director James Cameron, ‘Mythic, epic and visually unprecedented, Harlock will take you to a whole new universe of ideas.’ Appleseed's Shinji Aramaki will direct the CG film which is said to reinterpret the themes in Leiji Matsumoto's 1977...

"The most powerful force is hope." Who is Captain Harlock? Unless you're from Japan or otherwise familiar with Leiji Matsumoto's manga, this is likely a character many have never heard of (at least I haven't). But if you're a fan of Appleseed or Final Fantasy, you'll want to take a look. Captain Harlock: Space Pirate is a CG animated space epic that seems to involve some gnarly space pirate ships, apparitions with pointy ears and lots of long-haired characters. The animation in this looks incredible, all the fine details in the hair and environments around them. I'm interested in seeing this admittedly more for the visuals than anything else. Here's the first official trailer for Shinji Aramaki's Captain Harlock: Space Pirate first found on AICN: Captain Harlock is the archetypical romantic hero, a space pirate with an individualist philosophy of life. He is as noble as he is taciturn,...

A teaser trailer for the upcoming live-action Gatchaman has been released.

According to Anime News Network, Gatchaman was first broadcast in Japan in 1972. In 1978 it reached the Us under the title: Battle of the Planets. It would reach the Us again in the 1986 under the title: G-Force: Guardians of Space.

The plot for the original anime is as follows (from Anime News Network):

A new threat appears all over the world in the form of the terrorist group known as the Galactor. To combat the forces of Galactor, well-renowned scientist Kouzaburou Nanbu unleashes the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, a team of five young heroes skilled in the art of ninjutsu and dressed in unique bird-like costumes.

Orends: Range has the details on the cast:

The movie stars Tori Matsuzaka (Samurai Sentai Shinkenger) as Ken the Eagle, Go Ayano (Kamen Rider 555, Rurouni Kenshin) as Joe the Condor, Ayame Goriki (Mirai Nikki,...