Anything interesting going on in the anime industry?

[d.yaro]

NIS America, US branch of Japanese game publisher Nippon Ichi Software, have announced that they will enter into the US Anime DVD Industry with an initial lineup of four titles below:

Toradora!
Persona ~Trinity Soul~
PandoraHearts
Wagaya no Oinari-sama

I think there will be a few happy people out there...

[Zanarkand Princess]

They are really my new favorite company. I want every single one of these series. Even Pandora Hearts and Wagaya no Oinari-sama (I'm a sucker for Alice in Wonderland and Kitsune characters ok?)

[Littlewolf]

I'm happy if this means the Persona anime will have the same voice cast as the game. Just a shame they couldn't get that Disgaea anime that came out a few years back... then again I could only watch one ep of that anime.

[Emerje]

Persona Trinity Soul only has one game cameo that I remember and it takes place some time after P3 so retaining the voice actor isn't really a necessity.

But I am very happy with these announcements. I never got around to watching Pandora Hearts, never got around to finishing Persona, stopped watching Wagaya no Oinari-sama when it got "licensed" by Kadokawa (and really regret it, though I was sure Right Stuf would get it), and of course I've been begging for a Toradora license while it was still airing. Wagaya is probably the biggest surprise for me, I was so sure it would never get licensed at this point. It was a good show with an interesting take on Japanese gods living in modern Japan and I really liked the character of Kuu and her/his unique way of adapting to things. Can't wait to finish it!

A lot of people seem to be instantly calling for a sub-only release, but with their history of trying to dub all of the games they work, and in some cases even leaving in Japanese track options, I doubt they'd go sub-only here.

Emerje

[Past]

Oh that's really cool. I've always liked NIS games and have never been disappointed with any of their RPGs. I knew they have become a household name with gamers after the release of Cross Edge, a PS3 fighter featuring Etna from Disgaea and characters from other popular publishers.

[Bonham]

Wasn't bowled over but did like the few episodes of Toradora that I saw, so I'll likely check this out.

[Jedi General]

Wasn't bowled over but did like the few episodes of Toradora that I saw, so I'll likely check this out.

It may not be completely suited to your tastes, but I personally adore Toradora!. I found the writing to be superb, considering the genre. In the end the series ended up being quite the pleasant surprise.

[Pastachan]

This article is giving me a headache.

Firstly, it only proves to me once again that Murata will never leave GONZO. They might as well be married. Kill myself. Also, when they say 3D, are they talking about the animation style? 'Cause if it's anything like what the original Mardock Scramble was supposed to look like, then I'll probably barf. One of the reasons MS was cancelled because of they weren't ready to use the new technology yet or something. And the promo looked awful.

[braves]

Given Zac's comment on Gonzo's 3D effort at TAF (showing off Last Exile and Blassreiter), I assume that it's going to be 2D animation, but the production will made for 3D TVs. I honestly don't care for 3D movies, so I'll care even less for 3D anime. Maybe it'll give Mahiro Maeda some work, though.

[Pastachan]

I assume that it's going to be 2D animation, but the production will made for 3D TVs.

I guess that's good...? I'm not even sure anymore. Either way, it's not going to be visually up to par with everything else (and I don't care about 3D TV). Please — just once! — let the story be a good one.

They were sampling a "new" kind of 3D animation on Mardock Scramble that was supposed to be revolutionary or something. So that's why I asked.

[braves]

Hiroshi Hamasaki is directing another anime after recently going freelance.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=11770

I'm not sure where to set my expectations given the source material....

[Emerje]

I'm kinda looking forward to Steins;Gate. It's from the same companies that put together Chaos;Head which was pretty good in the first half anyway. This story has a different writer (Hisashi Maeda) so I'm not expecting anything similar. Art is by huke (Black Rock Shooter creator) so it'll at least have some great designs, just have to wait to see how they translate into the anime.

Emerje

[Bonham]

Hiroshi Hamasaki is directing another anime after recently going freelance.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=11770

I'm not sure where to set my expectations given the source material....

There are so many contradicting feelings right now...

[braves]

No kidding. While he's due for a new TV series, I wouldn't have expected him to be adapting visual novels. Kinda like how I wasn't expecting Yuasa to be adapting light novels.

All I know for sure at this point is that if somebody doesn't get disemboweled or dismembered in the first episode of Steins;Gate, I'll be extremely disappointed. Having that kind of imagery is one of the key things Hamasaki learned from working under Yoshiaki Kawajiri for so long.

[Pastachan]

Art is by huke (Black Rock Shooter creator) so it'll at least have some great designs

Designs are basically the only reason I watch any anime anymore! J/k, though in this case it's true. LOVE huke's artwork.

Don't let the fact that it's a visual novel get in your way. Some of 'em can be pretty good, too, y'know!

[Bonham]

All I know for sure at this point is that if somebody doesn't get disemboweled or dismembered in the first episode of Steins;Gate, I'll be extremely disappointed.

Certain thematic quotas obviously must be satisfied. Causality that leads to (ending spoilers for Shigurui and Texhnolyze) [spoiler]utter tragedy[/spoiler] must also be included! Can't have Hamasaki gaining faith in humanity now.

Don't let the fact that it's a visual novel get in your way. Some of 'em can be pretty good, too, y'know!

Lies.

[braves]

Seems like every worthwhile R1 title from the past few years is getting released on Blu-ray for February and March of next year.

Redline
Moribito Set 1
Summer Wars (complete with Digimon cover)
Eva 2.22
FLCL
Eden of the East movie I
Shigurui (re-release, hopefully with the booklet this time)
Yu Yu Hakusho Season 1
FMA: Brotherhood Part 4
Soul Eater Pt. 1 & 2

Yeah..everything on there is on my to-buy list.

[Bonham]

Redline
Moribito Set 1
Summer Wars (complete with Digimon cover)
Eva 2.22
FLCL
Shigurui (re-release, hopefully with the booklet this time)

DO WANT.

The Yu Yu Hakusho Blu-ray is also tempting for nostalgic reasons.

[chrisb]

^^ So digging the Summer Wars and Eden of the East movie!

[iwatch2muchanime]

Most of those are a must have, except Shigurui of course.