I have a problem with how John Sirabella handled the publication of the ANN report because his reaction was completely uncalled for. I struggle with giving him the benefit of the doubt, since he also had a responsibility and opportunity to provide his side of the story to make sure that the details and facts had context, but only did so after the initial report was published, which greatly reduced the impact of his quickly prepared rebuttal.

I commend ANN for standing by the story as initially written because the facts were presented in proper context, despite Sirabella’s attempts to discredit it. Those that attacked ANN for publishing the story as it stood do not understand that it’s very common for companies to outright refuse to comment on a story if it presents facts that companies would rather remain out of public view for fear of negatively affecting perception. If those facts would be of interest to the public which the story is being written for and subsequently presented, journalists have to rely on the evidence gathered and presented to speak for itself.

I would suggest to anyone that wants to avoid a similar situation take a step back and cordially email/contact someone if a story is missing context, instead of exploding in a public forum and resorting to attacks. To close this part out, I never thought I would be stepping up to defend ANN for a story that they wrote, especially considering my previous low opinion of them. I’ve come to realize it’s not much different from my day job and ended up seeing why they eventually let it go and gave him the benefit of the doubt after all.

As some of you may know, this site is not my day job (yet), this is something I do because of my desire to add to the anime/manga fandom and it’s panned out pretty well for me, what with getting picked up by Crunchyroll and a couple of other sites.

My day job involves writing for PhoneNews.com as its Editor-in-Chief, a position that demands hours of constant communication with PR and other such menial work just to make sure I don’t piss anyone off unintentionally, but end up doing so anyway. This situation that I recently found myself in involved a little-known virtual operator and its representative. My business partner/boss is the founding editor of the site and is also a user of this service, which merited the coverage.

While I was busy writing up the news of the day, a comment popped up in this article from someone claiming to represent this virtual operator, accusing us of painting the provider in a bad light despite the article having nothing negative to say, as it was merely reporting on a new offering that went unannounced via the usual PR and taking the information from its web page. Rather than being polite, he posted multiple comments disparaging our coverage of the company as purposely negative in order to push an agenda.

Now, at this point my business partner/boss and I were discussing what to do as this representative had realized what he did and desperately emailed to beg us to remove the offending comments. Officially, as the Founding Editor he could not make the call on what to do, that was now my job. After about an hour of discussion, it was determined that we would be nice and let the comments slide, on the condition that he not repeat the behavior again.

We gave the representative an ultimatum stating that if he repeated the behavior, any future comments made would stand and appealing for deletion or modification would be ignored and he agreed, giving us a prepared apology in return. We have a standing policy to make ourselves available via email for this reason, since we hardly have time to monitor comments. I take it a step further here by turning off comments and having a Contact email page available as well as links to my Twitter and Facebook page.

So far, the representative in question has complied and I tell all of our PR contacts to refrain from using article comments to issue corrections or additional details and instead offer our email, that way we have a record of exactly what was said so that there’s less chance of confusion. It’s rather amazing how one calmly written email or one phone call could have prevented this particular situation from happening, and sometimes, that’s all it takes.

TMS Entertainment/Hulu

The animated series also ran in the US as a part of two major animation blocks, as the series was edited for content and dubbed for broadcast on the syndicated BKN and Fox Kids blocks over three seasons in the early 2000s. The series comprises a total of 73 episodes and Hulu currently has the first 12 English dubbed episodes posted.

The series also has a checkered home video history, as ADV Films previously released the complete first season on VHS and the first 12 episodes on DVD only to halt the releases after the series was pulled from TV broadcast. License holder BKN attempted home video again in 2005 and licensed the DVD rights to a Canadian firm that failed to complete the releases, as it only managed to release one barebones volume containing 5 episodes, then re-releasing the same first volume with 8 episodes before halting production entirely and going dormant as of 2008.

The series being posted on Hulu may also signal another home video release, as this long running thread on Anime News Network’s forum indicates that the series being posted on Hulu is the precursor to a brand-new home video release of the series, with the complete series including English and Japanese dubs as well as unedited footage for both versions.

[via The Fandom Post Forums]

In 2010, DiskoWarp Music approached me with the request to review their latest project known as Anime Love Hardcore, which featured high-energy covers of well-known opening and closing themes from well-known anime titles that were licensed. I came away with a generally favorable impression and liked what it was trying to do and figured it would do great on the con rave circuit.

Now almost two years later, Pete Ellison is back with another entry and has enlisted the help of some major talent, as three tracks feature the vocal stylings of one Cristina Vee and two tracks may prove to be the most surprising to those that have never heard her sing, as her covers of Azora no Namida from Blood+ and Discotheque from Rosario + Vampire are easily the standout tracks on the compilation. Aside from those two, she also does an on point cover of Still Doll from Vampire Knight.

The rest of the album is composed of covers from such series as Magic Knight Rayearth, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bakemonogatari, Black Lagoon, Gundam Wing, Doraemon, and Paradise Kiss. The covers of “Ready Steady, Go” and “Renai Circulation” were enjoyable and fun, but the cover of “Yuzurenai Negai” felt out of place as the closer and “Lonely in Gorgeous” as the opener fell flat for me. That’s not to say they were bad covers, because they weren’t; the arrangement of the tracks just needed a little bit more tweaking to get the most impact out of each song.

The album as a whole also benefits from a more consistent and improved production, as the first compilation sounded rather rushed at times. There’s also less of a reliance on samples and flourishes and they don’t dominate the track as they would have on the first album. The album taken as a whole is perfect if you’re into anime and happy hardcore, but this is an acquired taste after all.

Closing this out, would I recommend this album to anime fans? Yes, since this is an album ready made for the con rave circuit with its high energy and volume.  I liked this one a lot more than the first, that’s for sure and I’m not as enthusiastic about happy hardcore as I used to be. The crew at DiskoWarp should be proud their releases can make me like happy hardcore again, anime or no.

Anime Love Hardcore 2 will be released on Tuesday April 24th. A review copy was provided by the publisher.

The latest figures for the Ikkitousen Xtreme Xecutor series are sure to make people take notice as fan favorites Kanu Unchou and Ryofu Housen are represented in amazingly sculpted figures, Kanu at 1/6 scale and Ryofu at 1/4.5 scale with the price tags to match. Both figures are available now from J-List for pre-order at $240 each, with Kanu set for release in late August and Ryofu set for release later this month.

Kanu Unchou 1/6 Figure ~ Ikki Tousen XX  - Click for J-List!

Ryofu Housen 1/4.5 Cast off Figure ~ Ikki Tousen XX  - Click for J-List!

Back in February, Funimation Entertainment had finally confirmed that the second season of Sora no Otoshimono in Forte would be released on DVD/Blu-Ray as a combo pack  in March after months of delays, only to be forced to announce to retailers that the release would not be released as a Blu-Ray/DVD combo as originally solicited, but would only be released on DVD, with no real explanation on why the Blu-Ray version was excluded only after being solicited to retailers 2 weeks before.

The sudden exclusion of the Blu-Ray version after being announced as such for months came as a surprise to fans of the show and led many to cancel pre-orders due to the lack of a Blu-Ray version. While many were quick to point the finger at Funimation for screwing up the solicitations, the real blame should be placed at the feet of the master licensor of the show in Kadokawa Pictures, which controls international licensing for many of Funimation’s most popular shows.

Recently, in statements made by Manga Entertainment UK via Twitter, it was revealed that Kadokawa had issued new mandates on home video releases to its international licensing partners that allude to the requirement that no Blu-Ray releases by international licensors would be allowed this calendar year and to adjust release formats accordingly.

Specific reasons were not given as to why the rule was put into place by the company, but recent activity by Funimation involving home video announcements may have confirmed the veracity of the statements, as The Future Diary was only confirmed for a DVD release later this year while no mention was made of a Blu-Ray version. Kadokawa Pictures controls international licensing rights for the show as Kadokawa Shoten also publishes the manga.

While Funimation also announced Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt as a Blu-Ray/DVD combo release during Anime Boston, the earliest listings for the show are beginning to confirm that Kadokawa is indeed forcing international licensors to drop Blu-Ray releases from release plans and announcements.

Why Kadokawa is doing this now, when some of the most popular shows controlled by the conglomerate will see release on home video this year is unknown, but if I were to make an educated guess, the idea of reverse importation may be too great for the conglomerate to ignore and it appears perfectly willing to lose money on international licenses in order to protect its shrinking home market.

Unfortunately for Kadokawa Pictures, the home video market for anime in the US is moving swiftly away from DVD and rushing towards Blu-Ray as the preferred release method for newer shows, with many making purchasing decisions based on whether the series will have a Blu-Ray version available. For Kadokawa to make such mandates to its international licensor partners is not only short-sighted, but it only hurts those that want to support their favorite shows and the companies that work to license them.

If I had the ear of the executives at Kadokawa Pictures, I would strongly suggest they reconsider their stance on international Blu-Ray releases outside Japan, otherwise they face the wrath of a fanbase that is perfectly willing to spend their money elsewhere, or worse, not give them any more money at all and even resort to piracy, which only hurts everyone in the end. I really would like to be proven wrong and see Panty & Stocking get a Blu-Ray release when it gets released later this Summer, but based on the previous release in Sora no Otoshimono Forte, that looks less and less likely and places other Kadokawa Pictures controlled titles in doubt for their own Blu-Ray releases.

Synopsis:
Due to some family issues, our protagonist finds himself going to live with his aunt, Kasugai Haruka. However, on his way to his new home, he has a bizarre run-in with a magical statue, where he’s saved by none other than Haruka and her friends, who show up as a magically transformed team. Once things settle down, he learns that they’ve formed a group of mages to combat the magical incidents cropping up in town. Our protagonist soon learns that he, too, possesses magical powers, and decides to help combat the magical menace as soon as he hears his crush, Haruka’s daughter, is helping as well…

In an unexpected turn of events during the annual Revolver/Metal Hammer Golden Gods heavy metal awards ceremony held in Los Angeles last night, X Japan beat out better known bands from Sweden, Germany, Italy, Poland and Brazil in the Best International Band Category with the accomplishment made all the more surprising by the fact that this was the first year the reactivated visual kei group to be selected for nomination in the category. Below, Yoshiki’s acceptance speech for the award:

“Thank you Revolver. Thank you so much for recognizing us,” “Some people might have heard of us, we’re from Japan. Well, our band name is X Japan. We toured North America in 2010, and did our first world tour last year. Now we are finishing our first worldwide debut album. And we are planning on doing another world tour soon. And to our beloved fans: Thank you so much for your support, we are going to keep on rocking. And we fucking love you.”

X Japan beat other equally established and more commercially familiar bands such as Sepultura, Behemoth, Lacuna Coil, Meshuggah and Rammstein. X Japan’s drummer and bandleader Yoshiki was also present at the awards ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of the rest of the group. The band is preparing for the release of its first international album this year and more touring after tours in 2010 and 2011 which included stops in Chicago and New York as well as Los Angeles.

The 2012 Revolver/Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards will be broadcast on Viacom’s VH1 Classic later this year in a condensed version, while the event was livestreamed on both Facebook and Xbox Live for Gold members. The band is best known in the West for providing opening themes to various anime titles, such as the X anime franchise.

SHIKI: Part One Blu-ray/DVD Combo Limited Edition:Synposis: When citizens of a secluded village begin dying off in alarming numbers, the sole hospital’s head doctor tries desperately to save his patients – but his efforts are in vain. Entire families are wiped out while others desert their homes. All hell breaks loose as the villagers discover their loved ones’ corpses are rising from the grave with an insatiable thirst for human blood. Who is safe when the urge to kill in order to survive blurs the line between man and monster? Technical Specifications: SHIKI: Part One Blu-ray/DVD Combo Limited Edition contains episodes 1-12, and comes in a collectible art box designed to hold both SHIKI Parts 1 and 2. Blu-ray/DVD Combo: Region A/1 SRP: $69.98 Street Date: May 29, 2012 Discs: 4 Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Audio: Japanese, English Subtitles: English Rating: TV-MA Running Time: 300 Minutes Special Features: Episodes 1 and 12 Commentary Preview Featurette Vols. 1-4 Textless Opening Song Textless Closing Song Trailers

Funimation Entertainment © Fuyumi Ono, Ryu Fujisaki /Shueisha, SHI KI Committee

SHIKI: Part Two Blu-ray/DVD Combo -Synopsis: When citizens of a secluded village begin dying off in alarming numbers, the sole hospital’s head doctor tries desperately to save his patients – but his efforts are in vain. Entire families are wiped out while others desert their homes. All hell breaks loose as the villagers discover their loved ones’ corpses are rising from the grave with an insatiable thirst for human blood. Who is safe when the urge to kill in order to survive blurs the line between man and monster?Technical Specifications: SHIKI: Part Two Blu-ray/DVD Combo contains episodes 13-22 plus episodes 20.5 and 21.5. Blu-ray/DVD Combo: Region A/1 SRP: $64.98 Street Date: May 29, 2012 Discs: 4 Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Audio: Japanese, English Subtitles: English Rating: TVMA Running Time: 300 Minutes Special Features: Episodes 18 and 22 Commentary Preview Featurette Vols. 5-9 Textless Opening Song Textless Closing Song Trailers

Funimation Entertainment . © Fuyumi Ono, Ryu Fujisaki /Shueisha, SHI KI Committee

Funimation is expected to make further announcements during this weekend at Anime Boston and Sakura-Con respectively. Based on the horror novel by writer Fuyumi Ono (12 Kingdoms, Ghost Hunt), the animated series was directed by Tetsuro Amino and produced by Aniplex.

FOLKTALES FROM JAPAN will be available to Crunchyroll premium members worldwide except for Japan. For free members, this new series will be available in the following territories: US, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

“Like in any culture, Japanese kids grow up listening to the stories repeatedly told by their parents and grandparents. The boy born from a peach; the princess from the moon who is discovered inside a bamboo; the old man who can make a dead cherry tree blossom, etc. These short stories that teach kids to see both the dark and bright sides of life have passed traditional moral values from generation to generation.

Each half-hour episode of FOLKTALES FROM JAPAN consists of three self-contained stories, well-known and unknown, with a special focus on heartwarming stories that originate from Tohoku, the northern region heavily touched by the earthquake of 2011. May this program help cheer up earthquake victims and cast a light of hope for them.”

Episodes can be accessed from Crunchyroll.com, the free iPad and iPhone application, the Android application, Roku, Google TV, Boxee, Vizio VIA, WD TV Live and additional set-top channels, and affiliate partners.

Crunchyroll premium members will have access to the largest anime and drama selection, same-day access for simulcasted titles, no advertisements and can be viewed in up to 1080p quality on selected titles. More information about the Crunchyroll membership plan can be found at: http://www.crunchyroll.com/freetrial/

About Crunchyroll, Inc.

Crunchyroll is a leading global video network and developer of social media applications for Japanese anime and Asian media. Through applications like Crunchyroll for iPhone, iPad, Android, TV set-top boxes, affiliate websites and its own streaming website, Crunchyroll delivers officially-licensed content from leading Asian media producers directly to consumers.

Crunchyroll has offices in San Francisco, Calif. and Tokyo, Japan, and is a member of the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) and Licensing International Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA). Founded in 2006, Crunchyroll is funded by leading venture capital firm, Venrock, Japanese entertainment giant TV TOKYO, digital publishing leader Bitway and a group of angel investors representing some of the brightest and most successful entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. More information can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com.

The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause crunchyroll.com’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions. The Company may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the Company’s assumptions or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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Crunchyroll

SPACE BROTHERS will be available to Crunchyroll’s audience in the following territories: U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Brazil, and Portugal.

Crunchyroll’s senior brand manager Keith Kawamura said, “Chūya Koyama has become a master at storytelling, and this season we’re hoping to see that same storytelling brilliance translate over to the anime medium. Along with all the fans out there, I’m sure that the anime version will not disappoint!”

“Once upon a time there were two brothers, Hibito and Mutta. Hibito, the littler brother, had been blessed with good luck since the day he was born. Mutta, the elder, had always had bad luck. One day, the two brothers saw a UFO. This experience made them decide to become astronauts. And while Hibito succeeded, Mutta went to work for a car company. Then he caused an incident and had to quit. And then just as Hibito is about to fly to the moon…

To follow his brother Hibito to the moon, Mutta will attempt to become an astronaut at the age of 32. Unaware of his own talent, elder brother Mutta chases his dreams to get back in front of his younger brother. Believing the worlds: ‘The older brother should always be ahead of the younger one…’”

Episodes can be accessed from Crunchyroll.com, the free iPad and iPhone application, the Android application, Roku, Google TV, Boxee, Vizio VIA, WD TV Live and additional set-top channels, and affiliate partners.

Crunchyroll premium members will have access to the largest anime and drama selection, same-day access for simulcasted titles, no advertisements and can be viewed in up to 1080p quality on selected titles. More information about the Crunchyroll membership plan can be found at: http://www.crunchyroll.com/freetrial/

About Crunchyroll, Inc.

Crunchyroll is a leading global video network and developer of social media applications for Japanese anime and Asian media. Through applications like Crunchyroll for iPhone, iPad, Android, TV set-top boxes, affiliate websites and its own streaming website, Crunchyroll delivers officially-licensed content from leading Asian media producers directly to consumers.

Crunchyroll has offices in San Francisco, Calif. and Tokyo, Japan, and is a member of the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) and Licensing International Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA). Founded in 2006, Crunchyroll is funded by leading venture capital firm, Venrock, Japanese entertainment giant TV TOKYO, digital publishing leader Bitway and a group of angel investors representing some of the brightest and most successful entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. More information can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com.

The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause crunchyroll.com’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions. The Company may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the Company’s assumptions or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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