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Former Crunchyroll Executive Miles Atherton Joins Anime Trending Site's Board
― The anime news and statistics website Anime Trending announced on Thursday that Miles Atherton (formerly Miles Thomas) has joined the site's board of directors as an advisor. Atherton joined Crunchyroll in 2013 as a sales consultant. He eventually became a content analyst, brand manager, and then the senior manager of social media and editorial programming before becoming the director of audience ...
Motion Picture Academy Splits Short Films, Animation Branches
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday that it has voted to make two new branches: a Short Films Branch and Animation Branch, both derived from the formerly combined Short Films and Feature Animation Branch. The Short Films Branch will have 200 Academy members and one governor overseeing live-action short films, while the Animation Branch will have 700 Academy members ...
Reports: Nintendo Switch Successor to Launch in 1st Quarter 2025
Brazilian journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe reported on Friday in a video that, citing five sources, Nintendo recently told publishers that its successor to the Switch console would launch in the first quarter of 2025. After the report, Video Games Chronicle (VGC), Eurogamer, and Bloomberg also cited sources who corroborated that report. Bloomberg said a Nintendo spokesperson said the company ...
Square Enix Absorbs Tokyo RPG Factory
― Square Enix reported in the National Printing Bureau's Kanpō publication on Wednesday that the company will absorb the the video game developer Tokyo RPG Factory, dissolving the subsidiary in a merger. Square Enix will assume all rights and obligations. The developer was behind video game titles such as 2016's I Am Setsuna, 2017's Lost Sphear and the 2019 game ONINAKI (Japanese title: Oni no Naku...
MyAnimeList Partners with 33 Inc. to Form MAL33 Industry Marketing Service
― Entertainment marketing agency 33 Inc. and anime database website MyAnimeList announced a new partnership on Thursday to form MAL33, a marketing service targeted toward the anime and manga industry. The company will offer services for PR, brand development, social media marketing, advertising, and creative. MyAnimeList launched in 2005, and DeNA purchased the site in 2015. Media Do Holdings later ...
Omdia Analyst: Nintendo Switch Successor to Launch This Year With 8-Inch LCD Screen
BNN Bloomberg reported on Thursday that according to analyst Hiroshi Hayase from the technology research and advisory group Omdia, Nintendo will launch a new game console this year with an 8-inch LCD screen. Hayase said that the new device would be responsible for a doubling in shipments of "amusement displays" this year. A Nintendo spokesperson told BNN Bloomberg it had nothing to comment on. Acc...
Rob Pereyda Launches Henshin Anime Consulting Practice
Former Crunchyroll, Viz Media, and Netflix executive Rob Pereyda announced on Friday that he is launching his company Henshin as the first dedicated management consulting practice for the anime industry. Henshin (Japanese for "transformation") aims to strategically help organizations with anime industry insights, business growth, and content innovation with a focus on the intersection of anime, ga...
Netmarble Appoints Byung Gyu Kim as New Co-CEO
― South Korean game developer and publisher Netmarble announced on Wednesday that it has appointed Byung Gyu Kim as co-CEO alongside Young-sig Kwon. Kim will be formally appointed at the company's shareholders' meeting in March and was previously the company's vice president. Gi-wook Do, the company's former co-CEO, will now serve as CFO (chief financial oficer). The company's Seven Knights game ins...
Film Studios Reveal Plans to Lobby for Anti-Piracy Site Blocking
― Deadline reports that a top executive with the Motion Picture Association (MPA) urged lawmakers to pass legislation for site-blocking piracy sites in a hearing Wednesday. The hearing took place before the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. The MPA is suggesting legislation that would require internet providers and third-party intermediaries to blo...
Yen Press Opens Job Listing for Freelance Light Novel Translators
Yen Press revealed on Tuesday it is looking to hire freelance Japanese-to-English translators for light novels. Those interested can submit an application with a resume attached to [email protected]. The position is 100% remote. Information regarding start date, length of position, and pay will be provided once a candidate makes initial contact. Yen Press was founded in 2006 and aside from ma...
Best Buy Announces End of Blu-ray Disc, DVD Sales
― Electronics retailer Best Buy revealed on Friday it is ending sales of DVDs and Blu-ray Discs both in-store and online in early 2024, citing changing media consumption models. Sales will be discontinued in the new year. The outlet will continue sales of video games. DVD and Blu-ray Disc sales have been gradually shrinking over the years. According to data from the trade association DEG: The Digit...
Yen Press Opens Job Listing for Freelance Translators
Yen Press revealed on Friday that it is looking to hire freelance Japanese-to-English translators. Those interested can submit an application with a resume attached to [email protected]. Yen Press stated to ANN that it is accepting applications from anyone who is fluent in Japanese. The translators will be freelancers for Kadokawa World Entertainment. Yen Press was founded in 2006 and aside fr...
Kadokawa World Entertainment to Hire Designer, Yen Press to Hire Freelance Translators
― Kadokawa World Entertainment has announced that it is looking to hire a full-time designer. The full-time position will pay US$55,000-US$63,000 per year, and is a hybrid position that will require the new hire to work from the company's Manhattan office at least once a week. Duties will include creating logos and digital cover designs of digitally serialized titles, creating designs for convention...
Viz Media to Hire Marketing Manager
Viz Media has announced that it is looking to hire a Marketing Manager. The full-time position will pay US$75,000-US$95,000 per year. Skills required include 5+ years of marketing experience, computer skills including MS Office and Google Business Suite, project management skills, analytical skills, collaboration skills, and the ability to copywrite creatively, among other skills. A Bachelor's deg...
Yen Press to Hire 4 New Editorial Assistants
― Yen Press has announced that it is looking to hire four Editorial Assistants. The full-time position will pay US$40,000-US$45,000 per year. Skills required include Japanese language skills with JLPT level 3 or higher; computer skills including MS Word, Excel, Adobe Suit, and databases; time management skills; and a knowledge of and interest in manga and light novels; among other skills. A Bachelor...
Japanese Streaming Service GYAO! Shuts Down on March 31
― The Japanese streaming service GYAO! announced on Monday that the service will shut down on March 31. The GYAO! Store will also shut down at that time. The streaming service launched in Japan in September 2009 after combining the USEN-managed GyaO and Yahoo! Japan-managed Yahoo! Douga services. No membership registration is required to view videos on GYAO!. Users can watch movies, live-action show...
del Toro's Pinocchio Film Wins Golden Globe Award Over Inu-Oh
― Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio won the Best Motion Picture – Animated award in the 80th Golden Globe Awards on Tuesday. Inu-Oh, Masaaki Yuasa's musical anime feature film of Hideo Furukawa's Heike Monogatari: Inu-Oh no Maki (Tales of the Heike: Inu-Oh) novel, was nominated in this category. Other nominees include Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Turning Red. Aside ...
Bloomberg: Netflix's Ad-Supported Subscription Plans to be Priced at US$7-US$9
Bloomberg reported on Friday that Netflix is considering pricing its advertisement-supported subscription tier at US$7-US$9 per month. The company plans to rollout the new subscription plans in at least six markets from October through November. The ad-supported accounts would stream four minutes of advertisements for every one hour of content streamed. The plan would cost approximately half as mu...
Crunchyroll Lowers Monthly Price in Almost 100 Territories
Crunchyroll announced on Monday that it has immediately reduced its monthly subscription price in almost 100 countries and territories, including: Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bosnia And Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cayman Islands
China
Colombia
Croatia
Czech Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
French Guiana
F...
AJA Releases Anime Industry Report Summary for 2020 in English
The Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) released the summary of the Anime Industry Report for the year 2020 in English on Monday. AJA released its report in Japanese in November (and released a free summary in Japanese), after releasing a preliminary report in Japanese last June. (The report is called the Anime Industry Report 2021 but it is based on data from the year 2020.) The report found...
Netflix Tests New Payment Model for Account Sharing
Test takes place in Chile, Costa Rica, Peru
― Netflix announced on Wednesday that it is testing a new payment model for users who wish to share accounts between separate households. The test will place over the next few weeks in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru. Users with Netflix's Basic, Standard, or Premium plans will be able to share a single account with an additional user outside the household for 2...
Journal of Anime and Manga Studies Joins Directory of Open Access Journals
― The staff of the Journal of Anime and Manga Studies (JAMS) announced on March 1 that the journal has joined the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The staff of JAMS describes the journal:
The Journal of Anime and Manga Studies (JAMS) is dedicated to the scholarly analysis of anime, manga, cosplay, and the fandom surrounding these areas for researchers and those interested in anime and its c...
Bloomberg: Dark Horse 'Weighs Options That Could Include Sale'
― The Bloomberg news website reported on Wednesday that North American comic book and manga publisher Dark Horse Comics is "working with an adviser to weigh options that could include a sale." Bloomberg said its reporting was according to "people familiar with the matter," and added it could not reach a Dark Horse representative for comment. Bloomberg mentioned the situation in an article about a cu...
Ransomware Attack Hits Diamond Comic Distributors
― A ransomware attack hit Diamond Comic Distributors and Alliance Game Distributors on Friday, according to media news website ICv2. The companies released a statement to their shareholders on Sunday. ICv2 stated the attack affected the companies' websites and order processes. As of press time, Diamond's website is down, but its retailer services website is online. The companies' statement reads tha...
Hellman & Friedman Enters Agreement to Acquire Bookscan-Owning Market Information Company NPD Group
NPD Group announced on Monday that private equity firm Hellman & Friedman has entered into an exclusive agreement to acquire the market information company NPD Group. Following completion of the notification and consultation process with NPD's employee-works council, Hellman & Friedman and NPD are expected to enter into a definitive sale agreement, and the transaction is expected to close by the e...
Crunchyroll Surpasses 5 Million Subscribers
― Crunchyroll announced on Tuesday that it has garnered more than five million subscribers and more than 120 million registered users. The service had surpassed four million subscribers and 100 million registered users in February. Crunchyroll also announced that it is developing the space opera animated series "Dark Star Squadron" with Zoe Saldana's Cinestar Pictures. Todd Ludy (Voltron: Legendary ...
GONZO's 'SAMURAI cryptos' NFT/Blockchain Project Reveals Fall Launch, Symbol, double jump.tokyo's Support
NFT game sales and development company double jump.tokyo announced on Friday that it is supporting animation studio GONZO's "SAMURAI cryptos," a new project that will use blockchain and NFT technology, and both companies revealed that the first NFT release is scheduled for this fall. GONZO and double jump.tokyo revealed the project's symbol: Gonzo president Shinichiro Ichikawa said that the projec...
GONZO Announces 'SAMURAI cryptos' NFT/Blockchain Project
Animation studio GONZO announced "SAMURAI cryptos," a new project that will use blockchain and NFT technology, on Friday. Gonzo president Shinichiro Ichikawa said that the project will create "a new era of animation for the NFT era with Japanese samurai," and will focus on the keywords "Cypher," "Decentral," and "Solidarity." The project will feature designs by Makoto Kobayashi (Last Exile, Mobile...
Ghibli Museum, Kyoto Int'l Manga Museum, Namco Namjatown Reopen During Extended COVID-19 State of Emergency
The Ghibli Museum, the Kyoto International Manga Museum, and Namjatown all reopened within the past two days, in light of lowered restrictions on certain businesses during the newly extended state of emergency. All three venues will continue to require masks for visitors, and will limit the number of visitors. The Ghibli Museum's theater will not screen its exclusive anime shorts from June 4 until...
Crunchyroll Surpasses 4 Million Subscribers, Announces 'Dantai' Series
Crunchyroll announced on Tuesday that it has garnered more than four million subscribers and more than 100 million registered users. The service had surpassed three million subscribers and 70 million registered users in July 2020. Crunchyroll also announced that it is developing the dark fantasy animated series “Dantai” (working title) with Idris and Sabrina Elba. Idris' Green Door Pictures and Sa...
The Hollywood Reporter: WarnerMedia Cuts About 1,500 Jobs
― Entertainment website The Hollywood Reporter reported on Tuesday that WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar sent out a memo to employees stating that staff reductions will be taking place at the company. According to the memo obtained by the The Hollywood Reporter, the company is cutting 5% to 7% of its workforce, which amounts to 1,250 to 1,750 jobs. WarnerMedia owns Crunchyroll's parent company Otter Medi...
Regal, Cineworld Theaters Close Again But AMC, Cinemark Remain Open
― U.S. cinema chain AMC Theatres announced on Tuesday that its theaters will remain open despite the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and despite other chains — such as Cineworld and Regal — temporarily reclosing. The theater chain Cinemark announced on Monday that it will also remain open. AMC, Regal, and Cinemark are the #1, #2, and #3 largest theater chains in the United States, w...
Crunchyroll Surpasses 3 Million Subscribers
― Crunchyroll announced on Tuesday that it has garnered more than three million subscribers and over 70 million registered users. The service previously announced that it had reached more than two million subscribers in October 2018 and more than one million subscribers in February 2017. Crunchyroll also revealed the top viewed anime series (quantified by views per subscriber; listed in alphabetical...
Sunrise Registers 'Love Live! Superstar!!' Trademark
― Sunrise filed to register a "Love Live! Superstar!!" trademark on June 16. The filing was made public on June 30. The Love Live! franchise has an upcoming new television anime that does not yet have an official title. The anime is set in a new school named "Yuigaoka Girls High School," focusing on characters named (from left to right in image below) Chisato Arashi, Sumire Heanna, Kanon Shibuya, Ta...
Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 Building Demolition Completed
NHK reported on Tuesday that demolition work on Kyoto Animation's 1st Studio Building concluded on Tuesday. Preparation for the demolition began last November. Kyoto Animation's lawyer offered a comment to NHK, saying that a decision will be made regarding what will be done to the location "after meeting and considering the viewpoints of the bereaved families and those involved with the local comm...
Super Nintendo World Confirmed for Universal Orlando on Previously Reported 2023 Date
― Comcast confirmed during an earnings call on Thursday that it will open a Super Nintendo World area in a new Universal Orlando theme park named Universal's Epic Universe. The park plans to open the new area in 2023, as the Orlando television station WFTV had reported in April 2018. Universal Orlando purchased a 400-acre lot across the street from the main Universal Orlando Resort park in 2018. It ...
CBC News: Moving Picture Company Closes Vancouver Office
― The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's (CBC) news department reported on December 11 that Moving Picture Company has announced that the visual effects company is closing its Vancouver office. According to CBC, Moving Picture Company stated in an email sent to staff that "increasing external market pressures" and "more attractive opportunities in other locations" were reasons for the office's clos...
Crunchyroll Finalizes Deal to Become Majority Owner of Viz Media Europe Group
― Crunchyroll and Viz Media Europe announced on Wednesday that they have finalized the deal for Crunchyroll to become the majority owner of Viz Media Europe Group. The companies announced the agreement in September. Crunchyroll and Viz Media Europe Group also announced that they appointed John Easum in the new role of Head of Crunchyroll EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa). The Hitotsubashi Group...
Kyoto Police: 'Multiple Deaths' Confirmed in Kyoto Animation Fire
Kyoto Prefectural Police confirmed with NHK News on Thursday that it has confirmed "multiple deaths" during the fire due to alleged arson that broke out at Kyoto Animation's 1st Studio building earlier on Thursday. The police have not stated the exact number of deaths. Kyoto Prefectural Police have apprehended a man who supposedly used a "gasoline-like liquid" to start the fire. According to a rep...
Netflix Subscription Price Increase Rolls Out for Existing Subscribers in May
― Netflix announced on Wednesday that its planned increase of subscription plan prices will take effect for existing subscribers in May. Netflix announced the price increase in January, but it only took effect immediately for new subscribers, with a roll out to existing subscribers planned at the time for the "next three months." The increase affects users in the United States, as well as in 40 Lati...
Warner Bros. Chairman, CEO Kevin Tsujihara Resigns Amid Sex Scandal
― Warner Bros. announced on Monday that company chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara will leave the company amid allegations that Tsujihara used his position to secure roles and auditions for actress Charlotte Kirk, with whom he had been in a sexual relationship with. WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey said in a statement that Tsujihara's "mistakes" are "inconsistent with the company's leadership expectations...
Crunchyroll Hires New Events, Marketing Heads
― Crunchyroll announced on Wednesday that it hired former Lucasfilm events manager Mary Franklin as head of events in February, and former Yahoo! executive Julia Renda as head of marketing in January. Franklin has previously organized fan events and international events, and will manage Crunchyroll events in her new role. Renda previously headed marketing for the Yahoo! View video-on-demand service,...
Corus Entertainment Launches 24-Hour Adult Swim Channel in Canada on April 1
― Corus Entertainment announced on Monday that it will launch the first-ever 24-hour Adult Swim channel in Canada on April 1. On that day, Corus' "ACTION" channel will rebrand as Adult Swim, and Adult Swim programming on Cartoon Network and the Teletoon at Night programming block will move to the new channel. The announcement stated that the channel will feature new and returning animated comedies a...
Samsung Cancels Production of New BD Players in U.S.
― CNET reported on Friday that Samsung is halting production of new Blu-ray Disc players for the United States market. A Samsung representative told the website, "Samsung will no longer introduce new Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray player models in the US market." Samsung launched a new 4K-enabled player in 2017, but did not introduce any new models in 2018. According to a report from Forbes, the company was ...
Sony's Shawn Layden Discusses Sony's Absence From E3
― Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden discussed Sony's decision to skip the 2019 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show event in an interview with CNet on Monday. Layden explained that E3, held in June, is too late in the year for a trade show where the company has Christmas holiday discussions with retailers. "Now we have an event in February called Destina...
UltraViolet Digital Media Platform Ends Service
― The digital video platform UltraViolet announced at the end of January that it is closing down on July 31. Until this time, users will still be able to access their UltraViolet library of digital movies and TV shows. In most cases, movies will remain available in the user's library on digital retailer platforms that are linked to UltraViolet. The staff advised users to not close their UltraViolet ...
Nexon Founder to Sell Company
― The Korea Economic Daily newspaper reported on Thursday that Kim Jung-ju, the founder of South Korean game developer Nexon, will sell his controlling stake to Nexon's holding company NXC Corp. According to the report, which cites unnamed industry sources, the founder and related parties are selling a 98.64-percent stake, valued at 10 trillion won (US$8.9 billion). Nexon was founded in South Korea ...
Funimation Adds Episode Download Feature to iOS/Android Apps
― Funimation Entertainment announced on Thursday that its FunimationNow iOS and Android app now offers subscribers the ability to download episodes. The app allows users to download up to 13 episodes at a time. Downloaded episodes will default to the language preference in the user's account settings, but for Android the language can be changed at any time. This feature is planned for iOS. Funimatio...
Sony to Skip Next Year's E3 Event
― The Entertainment Software Association revealed in its announcement for its 2019 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) event that Sony Interactive Entertainment will not attend the event. It will mark the first time in the event's 24-year history that Sony will not attend. Sony confirmed with Game Informer that it will not hold an off-site press conference around E3. The company explained that it is ...
Square Enix Reports Initial Loss on Luminous Productions Studio for AAA Games
― Square Enix issued a notice on Wednesday to report an extraordinary loss for its new subsidiary studio Luminous Productions. The loss amounted to 3.733 billion yen (about US$33 million) for the six-month period ending on September 30, 2018. The company said the reason for the loss was the decision to focus on "large-scale, high-quality AAA game titles," which it said best leverages Luminous Produc...
GENCO Releases Anime Busience Industry Magazine in English at American Film Market Event
― Production company GENCO, Inc. announced on Wednesday that it is releasing an English version of its Anime Busience anime industry magazine at the American Film Market event. The event is being held in Santa Monica, California from October 31 through November 7. GENCO, Inc. launched the magazine in August 2013, and released the 14th and latest issue in Japanese in April. According to GENCO, the ma...
Crunchyroll Surpasses 2 Million Subscribers
― Crunchyroll's parent company Ellation revealed to ANN last Thursday that Crunchyroll has reached more than two million subscribers. The service previously announced that it had reached more than one million subscribers in February 2017. Crunchyroll's website lists that it has more than 40 million registered users. Crunchyroll also confirmed that it is collaborating with Adult Swim's Toonami block ...
Imagica Group Merges Subsidiaries to Form Imagica Lab
― Imagica Group announced on Monday that the new company formed by the merger of its subsidiaries Imagica, Imagica West, and Imagica Image Works is "Imagica Lab." The firm launched on October 1 as part of the holding company's restructuring. Imagica Lab will cover video production duties, including filming, dubbing, editing, restoration, and streaming. According to the press release, the new name wa...
Hasbro Lists Zoids in MIPCOM Lineup
― Hasbro Studios' advertisement in World Screen's TV Kids Guide 2018/2019 shows Zoids as part of the company's lineup for MIPCOM 2018. The content market in Cannes, France will take place on October 15-18. The advertisement simply says "Zoids" and the tagline "Build Them to Life" without specifying whether it is representing a specific Zoids series or the entire franchise. The image appears to show ...
Crunchyroll, VRV Plan to Expand Original IP Beyond Video
Eric Berman, the head of business development and content partnerships for Ellation's subscription video aggregation platform VRV, spoke with news website The Wrap regarding Ellation's new original content division in an interview published on Thursday. Berman said that the company plans to leverage the original IP from its new division to go "beyond just video." "You are not truly a media company...
Japan's Oldest Anime Magazine Animage Gets Digital Edition
― Tokuma Shoten launched the first digital edition of its Animage magazine with the October issue (pictured right) on Monday. The print edition will also continue. The contents of the digital edition will differ from the print edition in some places, and the digital edition will not include appendices and gifts with purchase like the print edition. Animage is the oldest monthly magazine on Japanese ...
Bakugan's Nelvana Signs DVD Distribution Deal With Cinedigm
Corus Entertainment's subsidiary Nelvana announced on Tuesday that it has signed a multi-year home entertainment distribution deal with Cinedigm for several of its children's titles, including Bakugan Battle Brawlers. As part of the deal, Cinedigm will release titles on DVD and electronic sell-through (EST). The companies have not announced a release window for Bakugan Battle Brawlers, nor have th...
Banks Take Control of Hollywood Tiger & Bunny Film's Studio Global Road
Screen Daily and The Hollywood Reporter reported on Tuesday that film studio Global Road Entertainment is now under the control of lenders. Global Road Entertainment is one of the partners for the proposed live-action Hollywood film adaptation of Sunrise's Tiger & Bunny anime. Employees were informed of the development on Tuesday, but they were not told the names of the banks that now control the ...
HIDIVE Android App Launches Chromecast Compatibility
Anime streaming service HIDIVE announced on Tuesday that its Android streaming video app is now compatible with Google Chromecast (first generation and later) digital media players. The Chromecast digital media player lets users browse for a video on their mobile device or Chrome browser, and then "cast" the video to their HDMI-compatible television via Wi-Fi. The HIDIVE streaming service launched...
Muv-Luv Rights Holder Ixtl Changes Name to anchor
Game developer Age announced on July 6 that its rights management company Ixtl will change its name to "anchor." The company's URL has changed to ancr.jp and the website teases a "New project coming soon." Age founded Ixtl in 2011 as a rights management company for its intellectual property, particularly for the Muv-Luv franchise. Avex Pictures acquired a controlling stake in ixtl in 2017 after pr...
GameStop in Talks for Potential Buyout
Game retailer GameStop confirmed on June 19 that it is in talks with third parties "regarding a potential transaction," but noted that it does not guarantee any agreement will result from the talks. The confirmation came after news agency Reuters reported the day before that the company was in talks with private equity firms regarding a buyout. Former GameStop CEO Michael Mauler recently resigned ...
AOKANA's fairys Game Brand Ends, Title Moves Under sprite Brand
The official website for the sprite/fairys brand announced on Sunday that the brand will discontinue under the current name due to the dissolution of the company fairys. The games will now all fall under the sprite brand regardless of rating, though the old brand name will remain on products that have already shipped. The change will affect the AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue franchise, which ...
Bandai Namco Ent. Launches Network Service Subsidiary
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced that it will launch a new wholly owned subsidiary titled Bandai Namco Network Service on October 1. The goal of the company is to more efficiently create better an more stable network connections for online services, starting with Bandai Namco game apps. Ultimately, the goal is to create a multifunctional company that can support all areas of business. Bandai N...
GameStop CEO Resigns After 3 Months in Position
Game retailer GameStop announced on Friday that CEO Michael Mauler resigned from his position, three months after taking the position. The company's board of directors has appointed company co-founder Daniel DeMatteo as interim chief executive officer. Entertainment news magazine Variety quoted a statement from a GameStop spokesperson who said that Mauler resigned due to personal reasons, and not,...
Dragon Ball FighterZ Sells 2.5 Million Copies, Tekken 7 Sells 2.8 Million Copies Worldwide
Bandai Namco Group revealed its financial report on Wednesday for the fiscal year ending on March 31. In the report, the company stated that the Tekken 7 game has sold 2.8 million copies, and Dragon Ball FighterZ has sold 2.5 million copies worldwide. The company also stated that while it expected sales of its older Dark Souls 3 and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 games to reach 2.09 million copies by Mar...
Viz Media Produces Animated Series Seis Manos for Netflix
Netflix announced on Wednesday that Viz Media is producing an animated series titled Seis Manos that will debut on Netflix in 2019. The show will be anime and manga licensee Viz Media's first original animated property. Netflix describes the story:
Set in Mexico in the 1970's era, Seis Manos centers on three orphaned martial arts warriors who join forces with a DEA agent and a Mexican Federale to ...
HIDIVE Adds Annual Subscription Option
Anime streaming service HIDIVE announced on Wednesday that it has added an annual subscription option for a one-time payment of US$47.88. The option offers 20 percent savings compared to the current month-to-month billing option (US$4.99 per month). It is the same total as the beta monthly plan (US$3.99 per month), which is locked in for the next two years for anyone who registered before May 1. H...
HIDIVE Launches on Fire TV
Anime streaming service HIDIVE announced on Tuesday that it has launched an app for Fire TV and Fire TV Stick (2nd generation and later) devices. The HIDIVE streaming service launched last June after acquiring assets previously held by Anime Network Online. The service has primarily streamed titles — including simulcasts and seasonal dubs — that are licensed for home video by Section23 Films and i...
PS4 Console Sells 79 Million Units Worldwide
Sony revealed in its financial results presentation for fiscal year 2017 (April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018) that it shipped 19 million PlayStation 4 units over the year, bringing its worldwide total to 79 million units. The console sold 2.5 million units during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year. Sony previously predicted that PlayStation 4 shipments would reach 79 million units by the end of fi...
Voice Actors Jun Fukuyama, Shinnosuke Tachibana Leave Axl One to Form Own 'Black Ship' Agency
Talent management agency Axl One announced on March 31 that voice actors Jun Fukuyama and Shinnosuke Tachibana left the agency to form their own company. The two voice actors then announced on April 2 that they have formed the new Black Ship agency. Fukuyama and Tachibana are listed as representative directors and CEOs of the company. Some of Fukuyama's notable roles include Lelouch from Code Geas...
Anime Consortium Japan's 'Anime Now!' Site Shuts Down
Anime Consortium Japan's Anime Now! website announced on Sunday that it has ceased updating as of Monday, January 1, and will be closed down completely on January 31. Anime Consortium Japan launched the site in June 2016, with the intent of providing updated information about anime debuting in Japan, providing exclusive information about anime production, and guiding users to legitimate streaming ...
Animate Channel Streaming Service Shuts Down in March
The official website for Animate's Animate Channel streaming service announced on Wednesday that the service will end on March 31, 2018. The website will start shutting down its enrollment services this month. The company then plans to give refunds on April 13 for those who fill out a form to request a refund. Animate launched Animate Channel on March 17, 2016 as a subscription service available o...
Adult Website Cosplay Deviants Relinquishes Trademark of 'Cosplay is NOT Consent' Phrase
Cosplay Deviants CEO Troy Doerner announced on Tuesday that he has legally abandoned the trademark for the phrase "Cosplay is NOT Consent." The trademark went into effect on November 22, 2016 and was surrendered on Tuesday. The phrase emerged as early as 2011 to address sexual harassment directed at cosplayers. Conventions have frequently used the phrase in recent years as part of harassment polic...
'Fandom Fund' Accelerator Launches to Support Fandom-Related Businesses
California-based event and marketing strategy firm Power Level Productions opened applications for a "fandom event and brand accelerator" titled The Fandom Fund on Monday. The fund will provide selected applicants with capital and consulting needed to launch or grow fandom-related businesses such as conventions. The fund has an initial investment pool US$10 million. Power Level CEO Ian Tingen told...
Shin Godzilla Director Shinji Higuchi to Unveil New Work on December 3
A website opened on Friday to tease the announcement of a new work by executive director Shinji Higuchi. The new work will be unveiled at the Tokyo Comic Con event on December 3 at 2:00 p.m. (midnight EST). The site features the Warner Bros. logo. Higuchi is a co-founder of anime studio Gainax, and worked on storyboards and scripts on some of its most notable projects, including Gunbuster, Otaku n...
Pixar's John Lasseter Takes Leave of Absence Amid Allegations of Sexual Misconduct
The Hollywood Reporter entertainment news source reported on Tuesday that John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios, is taking a six-month leave of absence after announcing it in a memo to staff. The leave of absence comes as The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and the Vanity Fair magazine have published articles regarding Lasseter's alleged se...
Studio Colorido Recruits Staff for Anime Feature Film
Studio Colorido began accepting job applications for a full-length anime theatrical film and anime commercials on October 10. Applications for production staff and animator will be accepted until November 30. Studio Colorido's previous films include Hinata no Aoshigure, Shashinkan, and Typhoon Noruda, all of which ran for less than 35 minutes. The studio has also animated a number of commercials, ...
Former Funimation Parent Company Navarre Enters Bankruptcy Protection
Navarre – the former parent company of the North American anime distributor Funimation – along with its current owner WYNIT Holdings, filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on September 9. Navarre Corporation acquired FUNimation Productions, LTD. in 2005, after which Funimation Productions changed its name to Funimation Entertainment. Navarre sold Funimation in 2011 to a...
Funimation, Sony Close Acquisition Deal
Funimation Entertainment revealed on Saturday that it has closed the deal for Sony Pictures Television Networks' acquisition of the majority stake in Funimation. Funimation CEO Gen Fukunaga retains position and a minority stake in the business, and Funimation's FAQ noted that its operations, streaming service, simuldubs, and release schedules will continue unchanged. The agreement values Funimatio...
Japanese Government Moves Forward With Plans to Relax Visa Restrictions for Foreign Animators
The Japanese government is moving forward with plans to relax visa status regulations for foreigners seeking to get jobs in Japan after graduating from Japanese colleges or vocational schools in fields such as animation, design, or cooking. In March, the government established the "Cool Japan Talent Raising Investigation Commission" to open communication with experts and industry professionals ab...
Sentai Filmworks to Phase Out DVDs by 2019
Sentai Filmworks announced on Monday that it will gradually phase out DVDs from its product lineup by 2019. However, the company will offer DVD releases for second or third seasons of titles that it has already released on DVD. The company will release older titles on DVD that have no existing Blu-ray Disc materials. Sentai Filmworks will design future premium box sets to house Blu-ray Discs only....
Sentai Filmworks Starts GoFundMe Campaign for Staff Affected by Hurricane Harvey
Houston-based company Sentai Filmworks launched a GoFundMe campaign on Friday to assist its staff members following Hurricane Harvey. All donations will go to employees whose homes have been damaged or lost as a result of the hurricane. The company's message is as follows:
Dear Anime Community, Hurricane Harvey has wreaked devastation on our beloved Houston and adversely affected numerous Sentai e...
Section 23 Films Updates on Hurricane Harvey
Section 23 Films confirmed with ANN that its Houston-based offices have not been affected by Hurricane Harvey. However, some of the staff members have homes that have been damaged or worse. Section 23's Sentai Filmworks label announced on Tuesday that this Wednesday's episode of Sagrada Reset will be delayed due to the hurricane. Funimation Entertainment is also based in Texas, but north of Dallas...
Rewrite/Grisaia/Kinmoza Director Teases Announcement
Anime director Tensho revealed on Twitter on Friday that "a certain announcement is planned for tomorrow night." Tensho's directorial credits include Kinmoza! Kiniro + Mosaic and its sequel, all three Grisaia anime (The Fruit of Grisaia, The Labyrinth of Grisaia, The Eden of Grisaia), and both seasons of Rewrite. He has also done animation and character design under the name Motoki Tanaka. [Via Ot...
Funimation, Sony Comment on Majority Acquisition Deal
Funimation Entertainment posted an FAQ regarding Sony Pictures Television Networks' acquisition of the majority stake in Funimation. The company noted that its streaming service, simuldubs, and release schedules will continue unchanged. Services to regions outside the United States — U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand — will also remain unchanged. Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter record...
Canadian G4 Channel Stops Broadcast in September
Television provider Shaw announced on June 30 that the Canadian G4 television channel will stop broadcasting on September 1. Rogers Cable, another television provider, has confirmed on Twitter that the channel is shutting down. According to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the channel lost 35% of its subscribers in 2015. The American G4 channel was also shut ...
Weekly Shonen Jump Lists Hiroyuki Nakano as New Editor-in-Chief
The back covers of this year's 31st and 32nd issues of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump both list Hiroyuki Nakano as the editor-in-chief of the magazine instead of Yoshihisa Heishi. Heishi became editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump in 2011 after Hisashi Sasaki stepped down from the role. Heishi is the 10th editor-in-chief of the magazine. Both issues additionally list Heishi as the magazine's publi...
Viz Media Names Chris Butcher Consulting Editor-At-Large
Viz Media has named Christopher Butcher, former manager of Toronto comics bookstore The Beguiling, as consulting editor-at-large. In the new role, Butcher will spend time in North America and Japan to scout acquisitions, new talent, and new publishing projects. In addition to manga, he will also scout for original comics projects from outside Japan. Butcher is leaving his manager position at The B...
Nintendo Switch Surpasses 1 Million Units Sold in Japan
Kadokawa's video game news website Famitsu reported on Wednesday that the Nintendo Switch has sold more than 1 million units in Japan. As of June 25, 17 weeks since the Switch's March 3 launch, the estimated total is 1,016,473 units. Famitsu also reported the five top-selling Nintendo Switch games and their estimated total Japanese sales as of June 25: Mario Kart Deluxe (launched April 28): 501,61...
Anime Network Online to Cease Streaming on August 20
The Anime Network announced on Thursday that its Anime Network Online (ANO) streaming service will shut down on August 20 at 12:59 a.m. EDT (August 19 at 11:59 PM CDT). ANO transferred its assets to the new streaming service HIDIVE, which launched its beta version on Tuesday. Yearly ANO subscribers can receive a subscription credit at HIDIVE. HIDIVE currently offers an ad-supported free membership...
PlayStation VR Exceeds 1 Million Sales
Business Insider reported on Monday that Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) announced that it has sold over 1 million PlayStation VRs worldwide. As of February 27, Sony had sold 915,000 PlayStation VR units, and the system was available in 64 countries and regions. The PS VR shipped on October 13, 2016. Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida had unveiled the heads...
Kyoto Firm Acquires All Nippon Entertainment Works for Global Remakes of Japanese Content
Kyoto-based firm Future Venture Capital announced on Wednesday that it has acquired a 99.6% stake in All Nippon Entertainment Works (ANEW) from Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ). Future Venture Capital stated that it plans to invest in ANEW's production of remakes of Japanese content for the global market. The transfer is planned for June 8. ANEW was established in October 2011 with a...
Kickstarter to Allow Projects Directly From Japan Later This Year
Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter announced on May 18 that it will allow Kickstarter projects to launch directly from Japan later this year. The platform will announce more details at a later date. Previously, Kickstarter projects by creators from Japan had to required a person or organization outside Japan to act as a middleman for the project. Some anime that had Kickstarter projects include Und...
Tubi TV Raises US$20 Million in Round of Funding
Entertainment news magazine Variety revealed on Tuesday that streaming website Tubi TV raised US$20 million in a round of funding from Jump Capital, Danhua Capital, Cota Capital, and Foundation Capital. Tubi TV stated that it will use the funding to grow its staff and user base. TubiTV is a free, ad-supported streaming service that launched in April 2014. The company is headquartered in San Franci...
AR Game Maker Sues Milwaukee, Wisconsin for Legal Response to Pokémon Go
U.S. game company Candy Lab sued the county of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday over an ordinance that requires virtual and location-based augmented reality games to have a permit in order to operate in Milwaukee County Parks. Candy Lab is challenging the ordinance on the basis that it violates its First Amendment right to free speech. The county adopted the ordinance in January in response to the p...
Famitsu: PS VR Sells 102,000 Units in Japan
Kadokawa's video game news outlet Famitsu reported in a presentation on the state of the game industry on Friday that the PlayStation VR hardware has sold 102,000 units in Japan as of March 26. The report also noted that there continues to be a shortage on the market. The PS VR shipped worldwide on October 13. As of February 19, Sony Interactive Entertainment had sold 915,000 PlayStation VRs world...
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