AKIRA film in doubt…again
Looks like we might not get that "New Manhattan" live-action version of AKIRA after all. I know you're all crying. Maybe Warner Bros. knows that too, as they shut down the Vancouver production office:
Continue ReadingActual Asian person Ken Watanabe potentially offered role in AKIRA remake
The long on-again, off-again life action Akira movie is decidedly on again at Warners, with Jaume Collet-Serra to direct the Steve Kloves script. Given that AKIRA is a worldwide classic of anime and Japanese film in general that hugely influenced both animation and the cyberpunk movement, it seems ripe for reinvention in that Hollywood way. And of course, also in that Hollywood way, despite the story being set in and infused with Japanese culture, because American moviegoers are all white and cannot be persuaded to pay money to watch Asian people on the screen, the film is being moved from New Tokyo to "New Manhattan " (essentially New New York) and replacing all the Asian characters with white people if casting rumors are true.
Continue ReadingLive action AKIRA is GO once more at WB
After many starts and stop -- an Albert Hughes directed version had the plug pulled after pre-production had already started earlier this year -- Warner Bros has greenlit a live action AKIRA remake again. This time Jaume Collet-Serra (ORPHAN) is set to direct. The movie apparently got new life after the budget was cut to a practically spartan $90 million.
Continue ReadingOtakon draws 31,000
Otakon, the anime/manga show held each year in Baltimore, drew a record 31,000 fans. Brigid Alverson runs down the announcements from Viz, Bandai, Funimation and Aniplex .
Continue ReadingUrasawa’s MONSTER debuts on Netflix streaming
A growing body of comics observers have jumped on the bandwagon for Naoki Urasawa as the best genre cartoonist currently working with his layered, dynamic storytelling. But not everyone has gotten the religion! His 21st CENTURY BOYS is currently coming out from Viz, but with 15 volumes in print it could be a bit daunting to jump into. For those who prefer a video introduction, MONSTER, based on the manga of the same name, just began streaming from Netflix. The 74-episode series deals with Dr. Kenzo Tenma and his efforts to stop an insane killer whose life he saved as a boy.
Continue ReadingTokyo International Anime Fair 2011 canceled; Viz releases a statement
With the ongoing tragedy in eastern Japan unfolding before our eyes, it's inevitable that there will be cancellations to many planned Anime/Manga events. Although Tokyo is not affected directly by the quake, given the difficult conditions -- potential blackouts and crisis management-- the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2011, which was to be held March 24-27 has been canceled, according to the website of the venue, the Big Site in Tokyo. According to posts on the Anime convention mailing list, the Big Site venue was damaged in the quake; in addition, air travel to Japan is being limited. The Anime Contents Expo is also expected to be canceled.
Continue ReadingMust watch: CAT SH*T ONE
Because you can't get enough surreal cartooniness today,. here's the first episode of CAT SH*T ONE, an anime version of the war in the MIddle East starring violent bunnies and camels. It's based on the manga series by Motofumi Kobayashi, which was set in the VIetnam War, but there's plenty of guerilla war to go around for reboots. Sadly, the kitty kat Viet Cong in the original are replaced by camel terrorists here.
Continue ReadingMMORPG-addicted China to get even more animated
Share this link on Facebook!Tweet A story in The Hollywood Reporter suggests that China is looking to get bigger in the international animation/comics field: Leading the charge is the city of Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province in southwest China. Since 2007, the city has been staging an annual Asian Youth Animation and Comics Contest, which this year [...]
Continue ReadingSD10: Sunday in a nutshell
DC Peter David will be writing episodes of the upcoming cartoon Young Justice, which is based on the comic of the same name that he wrote for an almost five year run.
Continue ReadingManga eyes worry feds
Share this link on Facebook!Tweet The New York Times reports on the new manga eye fad, popularized by Lady Gaga, of giant contacts that make you look like an anime freak. These lenses might be just another beauty fad if not for the facts that they are contraband and that eye doctors express grave concern over [...]
Continue ReadingRIP: Carl Macek (1951-2010) | Cartoon Brew: Leading the Animation Conversation
Share this link on Facebook!Tweet Carl Macek, a pioneer of bringing anime to America, died of a heart attack on Saturday, April 17th. He was 58. Jerry Beck, who founded Streamline Pictures with Macek in 1988, has his thoughts here, and the conversation is ongoing in the comments. It was Macek who put together three [...]
Continue ReadingThe Manga Moment
Share this link on Facebook!Tweet Yesterday we trekked out to the Brooklyn Art Museum to see the Takashi Murakami show on its very last day, and so did a lot of other people. Old people, young people, white people, brown people, tan people. Obvious androgynous anime/otaku type folks with thrift store clothes made from a symphony [...]
Continue ReadingAnime Expo reports
Share this link on Facebook!Tweet The big news this weekend was the Anime Expo in LA, with over 40,000 manga, anime and cosplay fans lining up to hear news from all the major players in the field. ComiPress has an exhaustive round-up of links that tell you everything you could ever want to know. Brigid Alverson has [...]
Continue ReadingADV sells furniture, anime
Share this link on Facebook!TweetThe news that ADV was selling off a bunch of office furniture drew the expected cries of alarm: From http://www.windsorauction.com/auction.asp : Thurs., June 26 at 10:00 am: Consolidation of Large Video / DVD Co. 10501 Kipp Way Dr., Suite 300, Houston, TX Very large quantity of oak, walnut & Ikea style office [...]
Continue ReadingPiQ Magazine bites the dust
Share this link on Facebook!TweetPiQ magazine, the successor to NewType, has bitten the dust with its 4th issue: The current issue of PiQ (Issue 4, July 2008) will be our last. It’s unfortunate that we’ll never get a chance to see how successful PiQ could have been, but a combination of low advertising revenue, poor business management [...]
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