FUNimation Entertainment to Acquires Hetalia World Series

FUNimation Entertainment to Acquires Hetalia World Series
and the Movie HETALIA AXIS POWERS: PAINT IT, WHITE

Flower Mound, TX - July 30, 2010 – Flower Mound Texas, FUNimation Entertainment, the leading distributor of Japanese anime in North America, announced today it has reached an agreement with Japanese production studio Media Factory, Inc. for the online simulcast and home entertainment release of the comedy series “Hetalia World Series” in the United States.

FUNimation Acquires Okamisan

The FUNimation.com video portal will also soon be the online simulcast home for the fairy-tale-ish parody, “Okamisan”, exclusively in the U.S. on behalf of Media Factory, Inc.

FUNimation Entertainment’s rights also include home entertainment, digital, broadcast and merchandise for the 13 episode series with plans to release the title on DVD in 2011.

FUNimation Acquires Blessing of the Campanella

FUNimation Acquires “Blessing of the Campanella”
Simulcast to begin in August, DVD release planned for 2011

Flower Mound, Texas (July 30, 2010) - FUNimation Entertainment, the leading distributor of Japanese animation in North America, announced today it will partner with Marvelous Entertainment for the online simulcast of the “Blessing of the Campanella” exclusively in the United States.

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Strike Witches 2

FUNimation Entertainment has been tapped for the online simulcast of the 13 episode World War II adventure anime “Strike Witches 2”. Through an agreement with Kadokawa Pictures, Inc. fans can catch new episodes, in addition to already aired episodes of the series through the FUNimation video portal at www.funimation.com/video.

First Anime Branded Pre-Paid Debit Cards

FUNimation Entertainment to Offer
First Anime Branded Pre-Paid Debit Cards

Flower Mound, TX (July 30, 2010) – FUNimation Entertainment has partnered with Plastyc Inc. to distribute a new series of UPside Visa® reloadable prepaid cards to customers who want to keep a little anime in their wallet.

Video-Based Social Networking Website for Anime Fans

FUNimation Entertainment Introduces Video-Based Social Networking Website for Anime Fans
Users Can Sign Up Now For Beta Test

FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS – July 30, 2010 – FUNimation® Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Navarre Corporation, has announced that the anime leader is launching an anime-focused social media and video hub in an all new FUNimation.com. FUNimation is inviting fans to participate in a private beta test in September, with the public launch to follow in October.

Introducing the English Dub Cast of Black Butler

FUNimation Entertainment Announces English Dub Cast of
Black Butler

Flower Mound, Texas – July 30, 2010 -- FUNimation® Entertainment has announced the English cast of the supernatural anime “Black Butler.”

The cast:
CIEL = Brina Palencia
SEBASTIAN = J. Michael Tatum
ABBERLINE = Jonathan Brooks
AGNI = Patrick Seitz

Introducing the English Dub Cast of Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom

FUNimation Entertainment Announces English Dub Cast of
Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom

Flower Mound, Texas – July 30, 2010 -- FUNimation® Entertainment has announced the English cast of the anime series “Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom.”

The cast:
ABEL - Mike McFarland
ANTON - Eric Vale
CAL - Brittney Karbowski
CARLO - Ian Sinclair

Introducing the English Dub Cast of Oh! Edo Rocket

FUNimation Entertainment Announces English Dub Cast of
Oh! Edo Rocket

Flower Mound, Texas – July 30, 2010 -- FUNimation® Entertainment has announced the English cast of the 26-episode animated series “Oh! Edo Rocket.”

The cast:
AKAI = Chuck Huber
ANKLES = Mike McFarland
ARMS = Jeremy Inman
BLUE GIRL = Colleen Clinkenbeard

FREE TRIAL of Yen Plus: The Digital Edition!

Hey everyone!

Yen Press announced the debut of Yen Plus, the digital version. However, fans can read the August issue for free! All you have to do is sign up for the free trial. If you like what you read, subscription is "$2.99 per month with the September issue." Also, what makes the September issue special is that Yen Press will begin showing their Japanese content. Supposedly, there is a "little green-haired girl" in it. I wonder who might that be? Hmmm....

For more information, check out the link below:
Announcing Yen Plus July 23rd, 2010 yenpress
© 2010 Linda Thai

New York Comic Con 300+ Guests in the Artist Alley

NEW YORK COMIC CON ANNOUNCES 300 GUESTS IN ARTIST ALLEY AND THE LIST IS GROWING!
Recently Added Artists Include J. Scott Campbell, Tom DeFalco, Steve Scott, Mark Morales, among many others …

Norwalk, CT, July 29, 2010: New York Comic Con (NYCC) has announced the preliminary line up of artists who will be appearing in Artist Alley this year. More than 300 guests have already signed up and show officials note that the list will continue to grow as the annual pop culture convention gets closer. This compares with 250 artists who appeared in Artist Alley last year. NYCC, which will be co-located with the New York Anime Festival (NYAF) in 2010, will take place October 8 – 10 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Among the artists who have joined the top headliners in Artist Alley include: J.Scott Campbell, Jimmy Cheung, Chris Clarmont, Geof Darrow, Tom DeFalco, Leo Leibelman, Mark Morales, Steve Scott, and Leinil Francis Yu.

YuGiOh TCG at 2010 Gen Con Indy

KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT BRINGS NON-STOP
Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME MADNESS
TO 2010 GEN CON INDY
Four Days Jam Packed with
Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Duels

EL SEGUNDO, CA. – (July 28, 2010) – Indianapolis, get ready to Duel! Konami Digital Entertainment (KDE) – the biggest name in the game – is gearing up for 4 action-packed days of incredible Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) competition, game demonstrations, and previews of upcoming products.

Site Announcement - Other Ways to Stay Connected (^_^)

Hello Everyone!

Something Deeper: Anime, Manga and Comics is on FACEBOOK and Twitter!

”Like” us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SomethingDeeperAnimeMangaandComics
Follow us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/lynthatye

Check it out! Help spread the word! Thank you for the support!
© 2010 Linda Thai

Getting to Know: Robert Napton and Bandai Entertainment Part 3

Please read Part 2 of the interview before reading Part 3

Anime and Manga

Napton grew up watching Speed Racer and Kimba and felt the series were different, but did not know the reason. In 1979, he learned the origins of said shows during his youth, when he came upon a series called Star Blazers, which also originated from Japan. As a result of his new found interest, he participated in fan clubs and obtained newsletters and information about anime in the United States. In 1984, Napton moved to Los Angeles and noticed the appearance of anime at local clubs and conventions.

AniMiniCon SoHo with the SoHo Host Club

THE SOHO GALLERY FOR DIGITAL ART PRESENTS
ANIMINICON SOHO:
AN ANIME, MANGA AND JAPANESE CULTURE EVENT
FOR NEW YORK CITY AREA FANS,
FEATURING THE DEBUT OF THE SOHO HOST CLUB

NEW YORK CITY, July 6, 2010 - ANIMINICON SOHO takes place from Friday, July 30 to Sunday, August 1 at THE SOHO GALLERY FOR DIGITAL ART. It features the first appearance of the SOHO HOST CLUB, a group of young gentlemen fans of anime, manga and Japanese culture. They will be circulating among the attendees and presiding at several of the events.

Getting to Know: Robert Napton and Bandai Entertainment Part 2

Please read Part 1 of the interview before reading Part 2

History and Business of the Bandai

Bandai Entertainment has over a decade of history. It was “run by President Ken Iyadomi, who is one of the pioneers of bringing anime to the U.S. going back to the late 1980s.” The sub-division was started to “satisfy the growing need for the U.S. anime market which really took off in the 1990s and with the advent of DVD you really started seeing anime sections in DVD stores.”

Getting to Know: Robert Napton and Bandai Entertainment Part 1

This is a vintage interview I did with Naption. Unless new historical information has been discovered, I presume some of the information has not changed. Hope you enjoy the interview!!

Introduction

Please welcome the person who oversees publishing and marketing at Bandai Entertainment, the Director of Marketing, Mr. Robert Napton. (Applause) Before joining team Bandai, Napton has worked in the anime industry for 6 years at a company called Books Nippan (Nippan Shuppan Hanbai, USA), which was from 1988 to 1994. “We released the first subtitled VHS of anime in Gunbuster and other anime titles and imported anime books, cds, and other merchandise from Japan for sale in the U.S. I was a part of the team that did that for the company.”

YuGiOh 2010 Collectible Tins

Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME FANS GET TRIPLE THE FUN IN
THE FIRST WAVE OF 2010 COLLECTIBLE TINS

El Segundo, CA (July 26, 2010) - Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) players can expect three times the action and excitement next month when Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. introduces the initial wave of 2010 Collectible Tins. This awesome assortment of stellar cards will be the first offering of this year's foremost product; in total five Collectible Tins will be released in 2010. Each uniquely designed tin makes for a perfect way to store Decks, cards and anything else for safekeeping.

Singapore Toy, Games & Comic Convention's First Guests

SINGAPORE TOY, GAMES & COMIC CONVENTION
ANNOUNCES FIRST GUESTS AND PARTNERS
STGCC provides fans access to East and West
pop culture icons through content, buzz and partnerships

Singapore, July 20, 2010: Reed Exhibitions, the world’s leading organizer of trade and consumer events, confirmed today the first guests and partners for the 2010 Singapore Toy Games, & Comic Convention (STGCC). The event, taking place December 10-12 at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, is being co-produced by Reed's Singapore office as well as ReedPOP in the USA -- the team behind events including the New York Comic Con, New York Anime Festival, and Star Wars Celebration. STGCC's inaugural guests include comic book illustrators Salvador Larroca and Giuseppe Camuncoli, cartoonists Phil Ortiz and Phil Yeh, and apparel, toy, and art designers Simone Legno. Additionally, Animax will serve as a key partner, not only promoting and featuring highlights of this event with over 40+ million Animax viewers across Asia but also presenting screenings and premieres at the convention as well as a unique opportunity for youths in Southeast Asia to become famous.

Marvel Anime Series

According to ICv2, the G4 gaming network will be broadcasting the four Marvel Anime series, twelve episodes each. The four series are "Iron Man," "Wolverine," "Blade," and "X-Men." "Iron Man" will be the first series to debut in spring 2011. However, there is uncertainty on whether or not it will be broadcast with English dub or Japanese dub with English subtitles.
© 2010 Linda Thai

From more information check out the ICv2 links below:
Marvel Anime on G4 'Iron Man' Debuts in Spring 2011 Published: 07/25/2010 11:40am
Wolverine, Iron Man Anime From Madhouse Published: 08/25/2008, Last Updated: 08/26/2008 11:32am

Fall 2010 Tokyopop Internships

Hello Everyone!

Tokyopop has announced another round of internships for the upcoming school semester.

Click on the links below to find out more about the internship and how to apply:
Business & Legal Internship
Design Internship
Film & Television Internship
Marketing Internship
Editorial Internship

Check out the list of available internships.

Gain experience and build up your resume with Tokyopop!

Good Luck Everyone!

Twilight Werewolf Joins Guardians of Luna’s Animated Pack

Twilight Werewolf Joins Guardians of Luna’s Animated Pack

Los Angeles, CA, July 16, 2010 – Today Cybergraphix Animation announced the addition of Boo Boo Stewart (Seth Clearwater, Twilight Saga) to the cast of the upcoming anime DVD feature Guardians of Luna. Boo Boo will play Jake Segerstrom alongside fellow Twilighter Kellan Lutz in the dark-action film, which will be completed in Fall 2011, and distributed by FUNimation Entertainment in North America.

Celebrities at New York Comic Con 2010

NEW YORK COMIC CON ANNOUNCES GUESTS FROM ENTERTAINMENT WORLD
Celebrity Appearances at NYCC Span the
Pop Culture Universe

Norwalk, CT, July 15, 2010: New York Comic Con (NYCC) has today announced a line up of celebrity actor guests who have starred in television, film and theater and who will appear at the show to autograph and mingle with fans. The introduction of these Special Guests highlights the scope of the convention’s guest appearances and underscores the broad appeal of New York Comic Con which has rapidly become a pre-eminent pop culture event. The entertainment guests who have been announced are: Christopher Judge, James Marsters, Katee Sackhoff, and Ian Whyte. They join other celebrity guests from the world of comics including Stan Lee, John Romita, Sr., and John Romita, Jr. among many others. Officials at NYCC recently announced a line up of comic guests including Adam Hughes, Steve McNiven, Steve Epting, Bob Layton and Greg Pak. The New York Comic will be co-located with the New York Anime Festival (NYAF) this year and will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City, October 8 – 10, 2010. Both shows are produced by ReedPOP, a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions.

Top Shelf at the San Diego Comic-Con

Mark your calendars for two Top Shelf panel sessions at Comic-Con as well! The first is MANGA FOR GROWN-UPS: GARO, AX, GEKIGA, AND THE ALTERNATIVE MANGA REVOLUTION (Thursday, July 22, 12:30-1:30), featuring Sean Michael Wilson and friends discussing the amazing history of adult-oriented "alternative" manga in Japan and its recent arrival into the English-speaking world, including the debut of our AX anthology. And the second one is TOP SHELF 2010: SWEDEN, JAPAN, AND SO MUCH MORE (Friday, July 23, 5:30-6:30) as we celebrate our most international year ever and announce a whole pile of new projects!

~~~

Top Shelf Productions Press Release

The Cultyard, Inc. and Reed Exhibitions

THE CULTYARD™ COMES TO NEW YORK CITY
The Cultyard, Inc. Joins Forces with Reed Exhibitions to Create a
Premier Art and Design Pavilion at the 2010 New York Comic Con

Norwalk, CT, July 13, 2010: ReedPOP's New York Comic Con (NYCC) and The Cultyard, Inc. have today announced a partnership which will bring a new and focused pavilion for Art, Design, Collectible Toys, Pop-Tech, and Fashion to the New York Comic Con, October 8-10th, 2010 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Working as consultant and ambassadors, the Cultyard will work to assist ReedPOP in expanding their hugely popular show, already the second largest event in NYC -- enlisting the tastemakers, virtuosos, trendsetters, artists, thinkers, movers-doers and shakers of this potent design community and the potent brands they create. ReedPOP's NYCC draws nearly 80,000 passionate fans, followers, exhibitors, and press. The Cultyard is excited to bring a unique brand of art, art-related ideas, and products into this dynamic event.

NYCC 2010 First Round of Guests

NEW YORK COMIC CON ANNOUNCES
FIRST ROUND OF GUESTS!
Comics Are “Heart and Soul” of Convention!

Norwalk, CT, July 9, 2010: New York Comic Con (NYCC) has today announced its first major round of comic guest appearances at this year’s show which will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City, October 8 – 10, 2010. Convention officials note that while the final NYCC guest list will span the pop culture universe, including authors, writers, film actors and directors, by far the largest contingent of guest appearances will be from the world of comics. A few of the many guests who have been revealed in today’s announcement include: Adam Hughes, Steve McNiven, Steve Epting, Bob Layton and Greg Pak. Organizers note that Adam Hughes was also a guest at NYCC in 2008. Hughes has drawn for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and many other companies, and he has also done work for Lucasfilm and Warner Bros. He is currently working on many projects, including a hardcover collection of his work for DC Comics.

Minori Chihara NYAF 2010 Guest of Honor

MINORI CHIHARA
GUEST OF HONOR AT NYAF
Japanese Seiyuu And Singer To Appear At
New York Anime Festival

Norwalk, CT, July 8, 2010: The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) and Bandai Entertainment, Inc. (BEI) today announced that prolific Japanese voice actress and singer Minori Chihara will be appearing at the 2010 New York Anime Festival as a Guest of Honor. The New York Anime Festival, an anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture convention, will take place October 8-10, 2010 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan. It is created by and co-located with the New York Comic Con. NYAF has already announced Japanese bands VAMPS and Puffy AmiYumi will appear as guests, and comics legends Stan Lee, John Romita, Sr., and John Romita, Jr. will headline the New York Comic Con. Ms. Chihara is most well-known as the voice of Yuki Nagato in the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya franchise. Her appearance at NYAF will include panel sessions, autograph signings, a concert, and an introduction to the new film The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Anime-SPARK! Guest of Honor Chris Rager

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – July 11, 2010 – Anime-SPARK!, the newest anime convention to be announced for Iowa, is excited to announce guest of honor Chris Rager will be attending the convention February 10-14, 2011.

Chris Rager is an American voice actor for Funimation studios. More notable performances are as Mr. Satan and King Yemma on “Dragonball Z”, as well as, Arlong the leader of the fish people on the popular “One Piece”. Chris has been seen in national and regional T.V. commercial ads like Taco Bell, Southwest Airlines and Visa. Although he enjoys the T.V. exposure, Christopher holds voice acting closer to his heart. You may have also heard Chris in Animes such as Blue Gender, Case Closed, Black Cat, Desert Punk, Lupin III, Full Metal Alchemist, Yu Yu Hakusho, Samuri 7 and Sgt. Frog. Chris has also been heard in such video games Spike out: Battle Street, Stuntman Ignition, Bloodrayne, Roadkill and many others. Chris always looks forwards to his next voice over role, hoping he can bring a high level of talent and professionalism to such characters.

NYCC and NYAF Special Ticket Packages on Sale July 15, 2010

NEW YORK COMIC CON &
NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL
REVEAL SPECIAL TICKET PACKAGES
Tickets, Special Access, Autographs, and Much More are Included in Unique Combinations!

Norwalk, CT, July 7, 2010: Officials at New York Comic Con (NYCC) and New York Anime Festival (NYAF) have today revealed their Special Ticket Packages which will go on sale via the NYCC and NYAF websites beginning July 15, 2010. General tickets to both conventions are available now and provide attendees access to the show floor, panels, screenings, autographing, and guests; however, for fans wanting additional perks, earlier access, or guaranteed seats, NYCC’s and NYAF’s special packages offer an array of opportunities to purchase tickets with added benefits to both shows. Ranging from general packages which supply convenience for fans who seek easy access, to reserved seating for NYAF’s Saturday Night concert, to a Stan Lee Dream Package which supplies exclusive merchandise and a meet-and-greet with Stan Lee, the NYCC and NYAF Special Ticket Packages are designed to serve a wide variety of needs for fans wishing to get more from the cons.

Early Look at Duelist Revolution YuGiOh Booster

KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT, INC. GIVES
Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME DUELISTS AN EARLY LOOK AT
DUELIST REVOLUTION AUGUST 7-8
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Sneak Peeks to be Held at Official Hobby Stores

EL SEGUNDO, CA – (July 6, 2010) – Getting a head start against an opponent is key to being a great Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) Duelist. Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (KDE) has just made it easier to jump start your Deck with its planned Duelist Revolution Sneak Peek on the weekend of August 7th at Official Tournament Stores (OTS).

Are "Anime" Eyes Bad For You?

According to ABC News, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved of the circle contact lenses that makes your eyes look wider. Doctors are worried, because the lenses may carry risks, such as loss of vision or infections. I am not a doctor, but maybe we should just stick to special effects...So, are any of you worried??
© 2010 Linda Thai

Check out the link below for more information:
Worries Over Circle Contacts Trend - ABC News

Stuart Levy and the Tokyopop Tour

With the nationwide search for "America's Greatest Otaku" well on its way, I recently spoke with Stuart Levy, who is the Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer of Tokyopop, about the event and the awesome looking tour bus.

Linda: You have come a long way Stu. How do you feel about having something the company can travel in nationally, while showing off their Tokyopop spirit?

Puffy AmiYumi Perform at New York Anime Festival

PUFFY AMIYUMI TO PERFORM AT
FAR EAST TO EAST SHOWCASE AT NYAF
Duo To Headline Concert At NYC's Irving Plaza

Norwalk, CT, July 2, 2010: The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) and Superglorious today announced Puffy AmiYumi, an iconic Japanese girl rock band, will perform at the Far East To East Showcase (FETES) on Sunday, October 10, 2010. FETES is produced by Superglorious, a live event production firm responsible for orchestrating events with a very eclectic and exciting mix of artists. The New York Anime Festival, an anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture convention, will take place October 8-10, 2010 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan. It is created by and co-located with the New York Comic Con. Puffy AmiYumi will be appearing at NYAF prior to their FETES performance. NYAF has already announced Japanese rock band VAMPS will appear as guests, and comics legends Stan Lee, John Romita, Sr., and John Romita, Jr. will headline the New York Comic Con.

FUNimation Entertainment and Nikkatsu Corporation partnership

THE SUSHI TYPHOON AND FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT,
A MATCH MADE IN CULT MOVIE HEAVEN
FUNimation Entertainment and Nikkatsu Corporation
partner to bring films from the Sushi Typhoon label to
North America

Flower Mound, Texas - June 30, 2010 – Nikkatsu Corporation, Japan’s oldest film studio, and FUNimation® Entertainment, the leading distributor of Japanese animation in North America, announced today an agreement that gives FUNimation Entertainment an exclusive first look option on the home entertainment distribution of titles premiering from Nikkatsu Corporation’s new genre film label, The Sushi Typhoon. The first two films slated for release on DVD and Blu-ray through the partnership are the action gore comedy film ALIEN VS. NINJA and the splatter action comedy MUTANT GIRLS SQUAD in early 2011.