QC Anime-zing! Announces At-Con Registration Discounts

Bettendorf, IA - May 25, 2010 - QC Anime-zing!, the first anime convention on the Iowa/Illinois border, is excited to announce at-con registration discounts for single-day registrations for their June 18-20, 2010 convention. The biggest part of the announcement includes the addition of single-day registrations. Friday costs $25, Saturday is $35, and Sunday is only $15. Full weekend registration is $50 at the door.

"We've toppled all of our pre-registration goals," said Ryan Kopf, the convention's senior executive organizer. "We want to make sure everyone gets a chance to enjoy what we're putting together."

Dragon Ball® Downloadable Demo Available on May 31

DRAGON BALL®: ORIGINS 2 FOR NINTENDO DS™ HAS GONE GOLD AND DOWNLOADABLE DEMO AVAILABLE ON MAY 31

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (May 24, 2010) – Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., announced today that Dragon Ball®: Origins 2 exclusively for Nintendo DS™ has gone gold and will be available in North America on June 22, 2010. In addition, a free downloadable demo version of the game will be available via the Nintendo® Channel on the Wii™ console starting on May 31, 2010. Dragon Ball: Origins 2 is the sequel to the original Dragon Ball: Origins for DS. The new game takes players on an action-packed adventure around the world, as young Goku and his friends battle against the nefarious Red Ribbon Army as they hunt for the legendary Dragon Balls.

Yu-Gi-Oh New Gold Series 3

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s TRADING CARD GAME
DELIVERS 24 KARAT VALUE IN NEW GOLD SERIES 3
Strike the Mother Lode with 18 Phenomenal Gold Rare Cards

El Segundo, CA (May 24, 2010) – Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. digs deep into its vault with the latest release for the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s TRADING CARD GAME: Gold Series 3. This hobby exclusive product releases on June 23 and has all of the glint and glitz that Duelists have come to expect from Gold Series.

CMX Manga Shutting Down

What is the industry coming to? One after another bad news: manga sales have been down; Yen Plus goes out of print; Viz Media lays off a bunch of people and now a manga line is going to become extinct. Yes, to all fans of CMX manga, it will come to an end on July 1, 2010. Can things get any worst for the industry? I sincerely hope not...
© 2010 Linda Thai

DC Closes the Door on CMX! Submitted by ashley76, DC Collector, May 18, 2010

DC Comics To Shut Down CMX Manga Line by Calvn Reid, Publishers Weekly May, 18, 2010

Breaking: DC Comics Announces End of CMX Manga in July by Deb Aoki, About.com Guide to Manga, May 18, 2010

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Chaos;HEAd

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Chaos;HEAd

Flower Mound, TX (May 15, 2010) – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired the home entertainment, broadcast, digital, mobile and merchandise rights to the action anime “Chaos;HEAd” from Madhouse Studio, Inc.

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Chrome Shelled Regios

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Chrome Shelled Regios

Flower Mound, TX (May 15, 2010) – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired the home entertainment, broadcast, digital and merchandise rights to the sci-fi action anime “Chrome Shelled Regios” from Kadokawa.

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Gun X Sword

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Gun X Sword

Flower Mound, TX (May 15, 2010) – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired the home entertainment, broadcast, digital and mobile rights to the sci-fi western anime “Gun X Sword” from d-rights.

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Heaven’s Lost Property

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Heaven’s Lost Property

Flower Mound, TX (May 15, 2010) – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired the home entertainment, broadcast, digital and merchandise rights to the romantic comedy “Heaven’s Lost Property” from Kadokawa.

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Rideback

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Rideback

Flower Mound, TX (May 15, 2010) – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired the home entertainment, broadcast, digital, mobile and merchandise rights to the action drama “Rideback” from Madhouse Studio, Inc.

FUNimation Entertainment Rosario + Vampire

FUNimation Entertainment Rosario + Vampire

Flower Mound, TX (May 15, 2010) – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired home entertainment, digital and merchandise rights for the supernatural comedies “Rosario + Vampire” and “Rosario + Vampire CAPU2” from studio GONZO.

FUNimation Offers Chance for Fullmetal Free Ride

FUNimation Entertainment Offers "Fullmetal Free Ride” to Comic-Con International® 2010

Flower Mound, TX (May 15, 2010) – FUNimation Entertainment invites anime fans to try their hand at filmmaking while expressing their Fullmetal Alchemist fandom. Be it an action flick, guerilla documentary, or biopic – the entry which best shows that its filmmaker is the most ardent fan of the hit anime series “Fullmetal Alchemist” and “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” will win that filmmaker a free trip to the mecca of animation: Comic-Con International.

English Dub Cast for Shikabane Hime

FUNimation® Entertainment today announced the English dub cast for the 13-episode supernatural anime series “Shikabane Hime” (Corpse Princess).

The main cast:
Keisei Tagami - J. Michael Tatum
Makina Hoshimura - Luci Christian
Ouri Kagami - Aaron Dismuke
Rika Aragami - Cynthia Cranz

Cast and Crew for Sci-Fi Anime Series Casshern Sins

FUNimation® Entertainment today announced the cast and crew for the post-apocalyptic sci-fi anime series "Casshern Sins".

Main Cast:
Braiking Boss - Paul Slavens
Casshern - Eric Vale
Luna - Trina Nishimura
Lyuze - Brina Palencia

English Dub Cast of Eden of the East

FUNimation Entertainment Announces
English Dub Cast of Eden of the East

Flower Mound, Texas – May 15, 2010 -- FUNimation® Entertainment has announced the English cast of the 11-episode original animated series “Eden of the East.”

The main cast:
Akira Takizawa - Jason Liebrecht
Saki Morimi - Leah Clark
Juiz - Stephanie Young
Kuroha Diana Shiratori - Christine Auten

America's Greatest Otaku and the TOKYOPOP Tour

CALLING ALL OTAKU...
Announcing America's Greatest Otaku and the TOKYOPOP Tour
The search is on for the most talented fan in the nation!

Los Angeles, CA (May 13, 2010) - This summer, TOKYOPOP will hit the road on a 12,000-mile journey to find America's Greatest Otaku, the person who best exemplifies a truly unique fervor and passion for all things influenced by Japanese pop culture. This nationwide competition will be part of the ambitious "TOKYOPOP Tour," a road show that takes a tour bus to hundreds of thousands of fans, in dozens of cities across the United States-including five fan conventions-to discover and embrace manga and anime fan culture around the nation.

Namco Bandai Games Announces Two AdrenalineE Pumping Dragon Ball® Z Titles

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES ANNOUNCES TWO ADRENALINE PUMPING DRAGON BALL® Z TITLES
Duo of Hyperkinetic Dragon Ball Games Blasts onto
Multiple Consoles This Fall

BARCELONA, Spain, (May 11, 2010) – Leading video games developer and publisher NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., announced today two highly anticipated Dragon Ball® Z fighting titles, Dragon Ball® Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team™ for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Dragon Ball®: Raging Blast™ 2 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

NYAF and NYCC 2010 Tickets for a Low Price

So who wants to save money on tickets for the New York Anime Festival and New York Comic Con 2010? There is an early bird special from the folks at the conventions.

The usually standard prices are: weekend pass is $50; Friday pass is $30, Saturday pass is $40 and Sunday Pass is $30. However, if you buy your tickets by Saturday, May 15, 2010, you get to save money! The discounted prices are as follows: weekend pass is $45, Friday pass is $25, Saturday pass is $30, and Sunday passes is $25. This means that you can save $5 on weekend, Friday and Sunday passes and $10 on Saturday passes.

Also your single pass can get you into both conventions. How cool is that?

For more information, check out the conventions' ticket information.

Gook luck and enjoy!
© 2010 Linda Thai

Nothing Beats the Smell of Gunpla in the Morning

Article by Chet Royer

OH BOY! Now to talk about one of my favorite hobbies! Model Kits! More specifically, Bandai Mobile Suit Gundam model kits. There are tons of model kits out there made by many different brands like Kotobukiya or Wave and even knock off brands like TT Hongli. However, I specifically enjoy Bandai Gundam model kits more. Bandai makes many different model kits for different series, so it is important that I clarify that my interest lie in Gundam. I believe the term Plamo is a kind of slang used for any plastic modeling.

YuGiOh World Championship Qualifier is Lima, Peru

KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT, INC. SELECTS LIMA, PERU AS THE HOST CITY OF ITS ELITE Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER 2010 FOR SOUTH AMERICA June 26-27

Hundreds of Duelists from around the South Continent to attend this premier Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME event One of two World Championship Qualifying Events
to be held in June

LIMA, Peru (May 6, 2010) – Nestled in the valleys of the Chillon, Rimac and Lurin rivers, Peru’s capital, Lima, is often referred to as the City of Kings. During the last week in June, there will be a new “king” annointed after Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.’s (KDE) Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) World Championship Qualifier 2010 is complete and a new champion has been crowned. KDE is pleased to announce that it will bring its Guinness World Record best-selling Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) to the Centro de Convenciones Atlantic City. Hundreds of players representing ten South Continental countries are expected to attend and vie for the coveted title of Continental Champion and the opportunity to compete in the World Championship in the United States in July. The “new” king of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG will rule Latin America with the other Champion from the Central Latin American World Championship Qualifier held in Guadalajara, Mexico in June.

NickToons and Dragon Ball Z Kai

NICKTOONS LAUNCHES U.S. SERIES PREMIERE OF HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED ANIME SERIES
DRAGON BALL Z KAI MONDAY, MAY 24 AT 8:00 PM

Re-Mastered for Dragon Ball Z's 20TH Anniversary, Series Kicks Off with Double Episode Premiere Week May 24-27 0

NEW YORK - May 5, 2010 - Coming off its most-watched and highest-rated first quarter ever with boys 6-11 and 9-14, Nicktoons launches the U.S. premiere of Dragon Ball Z Kai with a special premiere week of back-to-back episodes Monday, May 24, through Thursday, May 27, from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. ET. The latest chapter in the Dragon Ball franchise, Dragon Ball Z Kai is a re-edited rendition of Goku's efforts to save Earth from destruction with the help of his friends and the seven magic Dragon Balls. The 99-episode series will continue to roll out Monday through Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET.

"We're excited to be the home and destination of first premieres in the U.S. for Dragon Ball Z Kai," said Keith Dawkins, Nicktoons Network General Manager, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Programming Partnerships. "It's a fresh take on one anime's top all time TV series, and now a new generation of kids, as well as fans of the original series, can enjoy the series' suspenseful, exciting action that stays true to the story's initial manga form."

"Thanks to our partner, FUNimation, we are delighted that Dragon Ball Z Kai, a reinvented, enhanced version of Dragon Ball Z will make its U.S. premiere on Nicktoons," said Kanji Kazahaya, Director of Toei Animation Co., Ltd. "MTV Networks has been our strategic partner in the global market and this new relationship with Nicktoons in the U.S. will attract a new generation of fans to the Dragon Ball franchise."

Nicktoons just saw its most-watched first quarter performance ever with kids 6-11 (+2%) and tweens 9-14, as well as its most-watched and highest-rated first quarter ever with boys 6-11 (+9%) and boys 9-14 (+4%) year to date. Currently, the network continues posting gains with its key demos boys 6-11 (+7) and boys 9-14 (+5%).

From FUNimation Entertainment and Toei Animation Co., Ltd., Dragon Ball Z Kai is an anime series that follows the adventures of Son Goku and his ongoing battles to protect the Planet Earth from destruction by the last descendants of an evil race of warriors known as the Saiyans. The Saiyans are on a collision course with Earth and Goku - the strongest fighter on the planet - is all that stands between humanity and extinction. To save his friends and the world he loves, Goku must travel to a realm from which few return, but should he survive, he'll discover the power to face the villainous Saiyan warlord, Prince Vegeta.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the legendary series Dragon Ball Z, show creator and acclaimed Japanese manga artist Akira Toriyama, along with Toei Animation Co. Ltd. and Shueisha Inc. created Dragon Ball Z Kai in which the Dragon Ball Z story is retold to more closely follow Toriyama's original tale about a brave young warrior named Goku. A project personally overseen by Toriyama, Dragon Ball Z has been re-edited and remade using the latest in digital technology, including a full HD-re-mastering of the original film. The series features updated opening and closing sequences, renewed soundtracks and a re-recording of the series by key members of the original English-voice cast, including Sean Schemmel, Christopher R. Sabat (director), Justin Cook and Mike McFarland, among others.

FUNimation Entertainment will release Dragon Ball Z Kai Part One on DVD and Blu-ray on May 18.

~~~

FUNimation Entertainment Press Release

Giant Robots and Old School Anime Hair Cuts

Article by Chet Royer

Hey! Listen! ...sorry... Well Ninja101 here to give you my review on Mobile Suit Gundam UniCorn. I must say that I really enjoyed this OVA(original video animation). After watching the OVA, I said out loud “Gundam has not been this good in a long time.” From watching many new Gundam series that have been set in their own universe, it’s like a breath of fresh air seeing that UniCorn returns to the Universal Century, which is where the original Gundam series took place. Also in returning to this Universe, it seems that the designers of UniCorn decided to give the characters that old school anime look. The protagonist is equipped with what I like to call hero side burns. Girls have that large hair volume that is almost equivalent to an afro. OK enough of my nerding out, on with the review.