According to the latest issue of Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Ken Akamatsu’s long running “Negima! Magister Negi Magi” is coming to a conclusion in chapter 355.

Synopsis

After graduating from magic academy, 10-year-old genius Negi Springfield is assigned a post in a Japanese school teaching English to an all-girl class. On top of trying to teach a class who consider him too adorable to take seriously he tries to keep his magical skills a secret and look for his missing father, who was once a legendary wizard known as "Thousand Master".

Chapter 353 will be published on the 29th of February.


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A teaser website for Kenji Nakamura’s latest project was created last month with images hinting at what the anime was going to be and now details have been released.

Synopsis

Adolescence, sci-fi and fishing – Tsuritama concerns the lives of four high school boys on the island of Enoshima. The first, Yuki Sanada, lives with his French grandmother and is uncommunicative and has not got a single friend. One day he meets Haru, a boy who thinks he is an alien and is visiting earth to indulge his love of fishing. They are soon joined by Natsuki and the mysterious Indian Akira who has a friend named Tapioca. Who is a duck. Just as they happen to kick things off together the island becomes the stage of an event that will affect the earth.

Interest is high because Kenji Nakamura has directed of notable titles like Mononoke and C while character design comes from Uki Atsuya (Cencoroll) with Yûichi Takahashi (Macross Frontier) adapting them. Kuricorder Quartet (Allison & Lillia) is composing the music.

This is being produced by A1 pictures (Blue Exorcist, Fairy Tail) and it will be aired in Fuji TV’s noitaminA block in April.

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Nico Nico Douga will stream the first episode of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica television anime with English dubbing into six countries on February 10 at 11:30 p.m. EST. The countries are Japan, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

The stream will also include a special feature with English voice actresses Christine Marie Cabanos (Madoka), Cristina Vee (Homura), and Cassandra Lee (Kyubey).

Now here’s another chance to view this great mash-up!

 
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Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine will announce that the manga Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden, a spin-off from Naruto, will get a television debut in April.

Is Naruto still popular amongst UK fans?

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For anybody who follows the world of film one of the big festival names is Rotterdam and that is the place where the world premiere of Takashi Miike’s version of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney took place and where he expressed his hope that it will see international distribution.




Synopsis

In the near future, serious crime is on the rise and in response the justice system has changed the rules of a trial:

Cases last a maximum of three days and sentences are usually imposed immediately.

This has led to exciting face-offs where the public prosecutor and the lawyer have to score points with the judge rapidly.

Takashi Miike, confirmed during a Q&A session that there are plans to release the Ace Attorney movie worldwide, with “each region receiving subs and dubs using the character names from the Phoenix Wright games for that region.” So far no concrete deals have been announced but surely it is only a matter of time.

Takashi Miike announced that he was working on an adaptation of long-running Nintendo DS franchise during a press conference in Cannes last year where he stated that his next film “…is a very light comedy that I am filming now, a court drama, based on a video game, the Nintendo game DS”. Now that the film has premiered he elaborated on his reasons for taking on the director’s job,

“Japanese films and novels often embody the message that as long as you work hard, you will develop and improve. What I loved about this game is the fact that it had none of that. The lead doesn’t develop, doesn’t get better over time. He is driven by the desire to help others, but doesn’t know much about the legal system.”

Early reviews are positive and it is in the top 20 festival films as selected by the public.

Phoenix Wright was portrayed by Hiroki Narimiya one of the stars in the ninja adventure Azumi and Sakuran. Phoenix Wright’s assistant, Maya Fey, was portrayed by Mirei Kiritani who has recently worked on the live-action TV version of Arakawa Under the Bridge and Miles Edgeworth was portrayed by Takumi Saito who starred in Thirteen Assassins.

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MBS chief producer Takeda Seiji revealed news of a film adaptation of the anime Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto at the recent Anime Business Forum +2012 event.




Synopsis

South of Japan is a tropical island resting under brilliant blue skies named Southern Cross Isle. This is the island that a boy name Takuto Tsunashi has washed up on after swimming from the mainland alone and without any possessions. After enrolling in the local senior high school he makes a positive impact due to his happy-go-lucky personality and scores some friends in Wako Agemaki and Sugata Shinou. What he does not know is that beneath the school sleep giants named “Cybodies” and Takuto will find himself caught up in this secret as an epic story unfolds.

So far details are few but the list of people who worked on the film is impressive including Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo) and Kanji Nagasaki (Monster) directing episodes and Yoji Enokido (FLCL, Redline) writing the scripts. VA’s include Mamoru Miyano (Taihi in Chihayafuru) who voiced Tsunashi, Saori Hayami (Eden of the East) voiced Agemaki and Jun Fukuyama (Yukio in Blue Exorcist) voiced Shindou. The film is being produced by Bones (Un-Go, Fullmetal Alchemist) are animating it.

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TV Tokyo announced that the second season of Pretty Rhythm will premiere on the 7th of April.



Synopsis

The story focusses on a new form of entertainment named Prism Show which takes place on ice. Prism Stars are idols who take to the ice and sing and display their fashion sense. Aira Harune and Rizumu Amamiya are two of these stars and they aim to be the best but in the second series which takes place three years after the first they are coaching a new group of aspiring idols when a five-girl Korean idol unit take the roles of rivals.

The second season is called Pretty Rhythm Dear My Future and is the sequel to the first Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream. The entire franchise is based on Takara Tomy’s Pretty Rhythm Mini-Skirt arcade game for girls. For the second series the Korean idol group Kara's junior members, will debut and Japanese girl group Prizmmy☆ will also be animated.

Amamiya is voiced by Sayuri Hara (Primula and Johann in Last Exile: Fam of the Silver Wing) while Harune is voiced by Kana Asumi (Kana in Bokurano). This is a coproduction between Nomad (Rozen Maiden) and Tatsunoku Productions (C).

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The official website for the TV anime series adaptation of the Zetman manga is streaming this 90 second trailer.



Synopsis

Jin is a poor kid living with his grandfather and other destitute people near a river. His life, despite the poverty, is relatively normal apart from a strange angel mark on his hand. Then, one day, his life changes forever when a monster known as a ‘Player’ appears and starts to massacre the riverside residents. Jin has to do something and transforming into Zet might be a good idea.

Zetman is based on Masakazu Katsura’s series of one-shot stories dating from 1989 to 1994 in Weekly Shōnen Jump before restarting in Weekly Young Jump in 2002.

TMS Entertainment (Brave 10, D.Gray-man) is producing the show with Osamu Nabeshima, director of D.Gray-man, handling this series.

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The Gateshead Central Library Library in Prince Consort Road, Gateshead will host two cosplay and manga-related events at the beginning of March.

Friday 2nd March: "Nintendisco,"

7 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is open to 16s-and-over, and tickets are £5. The facebook page is here. Tickets can be bought online here, at Gateshead Central Library reception, or at the Cybergamezone in Newcastle City Centre.

Friday 9th March "Manga Recon 1.5,"

A two-hour event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m which will include manga art and cosplay competitions, quizzes, gaming and Japanese snacks. The facebook page is here. Tickets are £2, available from Gateshead Central Library reception.

There will also be a two-day "Anime Attacks" event at the library on July 13 and 14, facebook page here.

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Everybody’s favourite moe alternate-reality World War II anime is due out in cinemas soon and the plot has been revealed.

Synopsis

It is 1945 and Yoshika Miyafuji, who lost her magical witch powers during the Strike Witches' last mission against the alien Neuroi, has decided to follow the family tradition of medicine and is studying to become a doctor. Shizuka Hattori, a witch from Fuso and a cadet in the Imperial Fuso Navy, arrives to deliver a message: Yoshika is to be transferred for study abroad in Europe.



Strike Witches’ mixes war, ecchi and moe through the anthropomorphisation of various World War II aircraft in the form of young women with magical powers and short shorts. In the film Yoshika is voiced by Misato Fukuen (Yin in Darker than Black) while Saori Seto (Evergreen in Fairy Tail) and Mie Sonozaki (Kotoha in Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto).

The film is part of a multi-media project originally stemming from Humikane Shimada’s magazine illustration columns. The franchise has seen two light novels, three manga, numerous videogames and anime adaptations. It comes from AIC studio who have handled similar concepts from Tenchi Muyo, Solty Rei, Nyan Koi! and Pants no Ana.

The film is released on the 17th of March

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AmeCon has announced that the voice actor Brad Swaile is set to attend. Swaile, who made a huge impression at the last amecon in 2010 should be familiar to people from his roles as Light Yagami in Death Note and Rock in Black Lagoon.

AmeCon is dedicated to the celebration of Japanese Animation and Comics, and the community that these media bring together. With a weekend of parties, videogames, artist’s alleys, cosplay events and competitions, a cosplay ball and AMV Disco, AmeCon 2012 looks set to be fun. AmeCon 2012 will commence on 10th - 12th August 2012 at the campus of Keele University, Staffordshire.

The registration process for AmeCon 2012 is open and with 273 of the 1350 spaces taken and registration places on a first come first served basis you better get your tickets fast!

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If you needed a reminder that there was a new Berserk movie coming out check out this five minute theatrical trailer for Berserk Golden Age Arc I: Egg of the Supreme Ruler.



The new Berserk feature is due out in Japanese theatres on the 4th of February 2012 and is the first of a trilogy of movies adapted from Kentarō Miura’s original manga. Alongside footage seen from previous trailers is even more new footage which makes this pretty interesting viewing. This trailer also features some impressive animation and samples of the film’s music including the main theme, Aria, which was composed by electronic artist Hirasawa Susumu (Paprika, Paranoia Agent).

The film is animated by Studio 4°C and directed by Toshiyuki Kubooka who has worked as animation director on notable titles like Gankutsuou, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, and the Working Through Pain Segment of Batman:Gotham Knight.

For more information check the film's website.

Thanks go out to bakum4tsu for spotting this!

The website for new television anime Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope) has revealed a trailer and revealed its production staff which includes composer Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Wolfs Rain, GitS: Stand Alone Complex) and director Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo).



Synopsis

It is the 1960s and the story focuses on Kaoru Nishimi, a smart but naïve young boy who has had to move around Japan a lot due to his father’s job. His circumstances make him something of an outcast but at his latest school he starts to get close with class president, Mukae Ritsuko, and bad boy Sentaro Kawabuchi who tends to skip class and get into fights. What unites the three is their shared love of jazz!

This is an adaptation of Yuki Kodama’s manga and will be the first time that Yoko Kanno and Shinichiro Watanabe will have worked together in the twelve years since the Cowboy Bebop movie. Other names in the production staff include Yuki Nobuteru (Escaflowne, Record of Lodoss War), Ayako Katoh (Chihayafuru) and Yuuko Kakihara (Sora no Otoshimono, Persona 4: The Animation). The anime is being co-produced by Studio Tezuka and MAPPA (Masao Maruyama’s new studio).

The anime will be aired in Fuji TV’s Noitamina block from April.

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Kadokawa’s official website and the March issue of Monthly Shōnen Ace both confirm that the anime Sora no Otoshimono (Heaven’s Lost Property) will get a third season.



Synopsis

High school boy Sakurai Tomoki finds that the only things disrupting his peaceful life of perversion are frightening dreams but all that changes when an angel falls from the skies. Sakurai finds out that she is an Angeloid named Ikaros and she is soon joined by another named Nymph.

AIC A.S.T.A. who have worked on Persona 4 The Animation, Bamboo Blade and previous entries in the Sora no Otoshimono franchise are back again. Ikaros is voiced by by Saori Hayami (Eden of the East), Nymph is voiced by Iori Nomizu (Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka). Monthly Shōnen Ace runs Suu Minazuki’s comedy manga.

Toei has releaed a new trailer for the latest instalment in the popular Precure anime franchise.

Synopsis

The city of Minato Mirai has been saved from Fusion by the Pretty Cures and they are the heroes of the hour. So much so that girls everywhere are trying to emulate them by dressing up as their favourites. Every girl except recent transfer student Ayumi Sakagami who is very lonely. Until she encounters a strange creature who she adopts and names Fuu-chan. She treasures its friendship but doesn't realise that it is a part of Fusion that has survived and it soon starts to cause chaos around the city. Can the Pretty Cures save the day? 

The new film is named Precure All Stars New Stage: Mirai no Tomodachi and it has been animated by Toei animation studios who have produced titles as diverse as Air, Dragon Ball, Devilman, Galaxy Express 999, Mononoke and other entries in the Precure franchise.

The film's theatrical released is scheduled for the 17th of March.