This coming week, Akira finally comes out on Blu-Ray. As Akira (the film) has not been reviewed here at the Bureau, now is the perfect time to correct this oversight, with a review of the film (as well as a few quick notes comparing the special features from the upcoming Blu-Ray release and the Pioneer DVD release from 2001).
Author Archives: Alexander Case
Star Trek Movie Blu-Rays to release in April, May
TrekMovie.com is reporting that we will finally get a Blu-Ray release of the first 6 Trek movies, as well as the high-def version of the first season of the original series in May and April of this year. The article includes a list of the special features from the Blu-Ray releases. I’ve got a comparison of some of the features for the movies below the cut. UPDATED: Fiziko adds comments about the TV releases at the end of the article.
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Hawk the Slayer gets Sequel.
Screen Daily is reporting that the 1980s cult “classic” fantasy film Hawk The Slayer is getting a sequel. The film rights have been purchased by Jinga Films, and the sequel, currently titled Hawk the Hunter has Tom Hardy (Star Trek: Nemesis, RocknRolla) attached to play the title role, and the director of the first movie, Terry Marcel is returning for the sequel.
Ghost in the Shell gets Blu-Ray release
ICv2 is reporting that the original Ghost In The Shell film is due for a Blu-Ray release through Anchor Bay), the film will be re-mastered, with some touch-up work done on the minor CGI effects (computer displays, among other things). Fizko reviewed the film back in 2007.
Also, I want to thank AnimeVice for getting the scoop on this – I found out about it through them.
Funimation Licenses Tower of Druaga, others…
AnimeNewsNetwork.com is reporting that Funimation has licensed 5, well, 4 more series – both seasons of Tower of Druaga (Sword of Uruk and Aegis of Uruk) which is based off the Namco game series, Blassreiter (about a demon hunter with demonic powers), Dragonaut – The Resonance (about Humans breeding dragons to fight off an alien menace), and Bamboo Blade (a sports anime about a Women’s Kendo team).
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Rumiko Takahashi starts new manga, Viz licenses it.
Now that Rumiko Takahashi, creator of Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku, Urusei Yatsura & InuYasha has finally finished up the InuYasha manga, AnimeNewsNetwork is reporting she’s working on a new manga, which will be serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday this spring, the same magazine that ran InuYasha. The manga has already been licensed by Viz.
As yet, there is no information available on the manga whatsoever. The first volume will be available in English by the end of the year.
Ten Most Expensive Comic Books at Comic Con
chad writes, Here’s a list of the 10 most expensive comics available for sale at the 2009 New York Comic Con. No surprises as to which comic is #1, but it was one that I didn’t expect to be up for sale.
There’s some pretty impressive stuff on that list, some of which, DC & Marvel, if you haven’t already made them available in Showcase Presents or Essential collections, needs to be made available. I want to read them!
Viz launches imprint for translated Japanese SF
Sci-Fi Wire is reporting that Viz Media has launched a new imprint, Haikasoru, to bring translate Japanese SF and Fantasy novels into English and release them in the US. The imprint will mainly focus on “Light Novels” shorter novels, often serialized in Japanese SF magazines.
A not-insignificant amount of Japanese Anime has begun to be adapted from Light Novels instead of Manga (notably the “Full Metal Panic” series, as well as the “Crest/Banner of the Stars” series and well before that the “Slayers” series. The first novel scheduled to be released is The Lord of the Sands of Time by Issui Ogawa.
Video Game Review – Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerebus (PS2)
We’ve got a review for you of the first installment of the “Compilation of Final Fantasy VII” series that Square Enix was putting out. Yes, it’s been out for 3 years, but it still may be worth a shot.
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The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Series 2 starts in April
AnimeVice.com is reporting that the upcoming March issue of the Japanese version of Newtype (which has not hit newsstands yet) Japan will reveal the long-awaited 2nd series of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya will start running in April. We know this before the issue actually comes out because it’s the cover story and a TV ad ran on Japanese television showing the cover.