Recently in anime news Category

English-dubbed uncut episodes of "Naruto" started airing on Joost.com and Hulu.com on Wednesday, according to VIZ Media.

Joost and Hulu are online video services that offer TV shows, movies and clips for free. The first five episodes of "Naruto" were made available April 15 with a new English-dubbed episode launching every Wednesday. Each episode will stream on both Joost (US and Canada) and Hulu (US) for about five weeks then rotate off the site making room for the next new episodes.

Joost.com and Hulu.com began showing episodes of "Naruto" with English subtitles last September.

For more info on the show and if you want to watch free episodes of "Naruto Shippuden" (English subtitled), head to www.Naruto.com.

Attention Naruto fans.

VIZ Media announced today that the latest installment of "Naruto Shippuden" will be shown free March 26 on its official Naruto Web site, www.naruto.com , the same day it will air in Japan.

Episode 101 (with English subtitles) can also be viewed in Canada but on www.Joost.com

VIZ points out that this is the first time the official U.S. Naruto Web site will air an episode with the broadcast in Japan. As the company says in its release: "The special simulcast is part of VIZ Media's ongoing plan to bring hit animated properties and the latest content to its audience via the Web."

I suspect it's a way to bypass fansubs.

"Naruto" is a popular anime and manga here and in the land of the Rising Sun. Anime conventions always seem to have tons of fans dressed up as the teen-aged ninja Naruto or other characters from the show. OK the correct term for such a fan is a "cosplayer".

Final parting shot from VIZ. Earlier "Naruto" episodes are available for free on several Web-based, video streaming outlets that partnered with VIZ Media, including HULU and JOOST. "Naruto Shippuden" episodes can be viewed for free on www.naruto.com

As part of a promo, VIZ Media announced that the first episode of "Blue Dragon" can be downloaded for free on the iTunes Store until March 10. Go to www.itunes.com/tv/bluedragon.

The animated series is based on the Xbox 360 role playing game. As the company describes it: "Seven Soldiers of Light must awaken the Shadow within themselves in time to overcome a despotic power and bring peace to their land. Their ensuing journey through a rich fantasy world is also an internal journey to awaken the great power within each of them."

The Xbox 360 game "Blue Dragon" was developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi who is the creator of Final Fantasy. The anime aired on TV Tokyo in Japan on April 7, 2007 and was produced by Studio Pierrot.

For more information on the show, head to Bluedragon.viz.com, which features trailers, character descriptions, artwork from the animation and news related to the show.

VIZ Media announced it will be releasing the following shojo manga series during the first quarter of 2009.

Published under the company's Shojo Beat imprint, the new series will include "Heaven's Will," The Magic Touch" and "Otomen" as well as VIZBIG editions of "Fushigi Yugi" and "Hot Gimmick."

The VIZBIG titles is bigger than a regular manga and has new cover art and added content such as author interviews, updated text and character art.

"FUSHIGI YUGI VIZBIG · Rated "T+" for older teens. $17.99. Available now. The fantasy series is from Yu Watase, one of Japan's top manga creators. It is a tale of a normal junior-high-school girl who is transported into a fictional version of ancient China after reading a strange book called "The Universe of the Four Gods". While there she becomes a High Priestess and encounters an array of villains and dashing heroes but yet she still manages to worry about her grades and her next school banquet. Each VIZBIG edition contains three volumes, bonus color content, and updated text.

HOT GIMMICK VIZBIG · Rated "T+" for older teens. $17.99. Available March 17, 2009
In tiny, company-owned rabbit-hutch apartments live tenants who can't afford to live anywhere else. This apartment complex, in which high-school girl Hatsumi Narita lives, is ruled over by the rumor-mongering, self-righteous Mrs. Tachibana. Get on her bad side and life becomes hell. One day Hatsumi buys a pregnancy test for her popular but flirty sister Akane. Mrs. Tachibana's son, Ryoki, who used to bully Hatsumi as a kid, promises not to tell the world about Hatsumi's secret, only if she will become his slave. Soon after a boy named Azusa, who was Hatsumi's protector in their youth, reappears to save her again! He's moving back into the neighborhood, and despite a budding romance between Hatsumi and Azusa, Ryoki continues to have control over her through the secret pact that could ruin the lives of everyone in Hatsumi's family. Usually a sensible and mild-mannered young girl, Hatsumi suddenly finds herself in a swirl of drama that threatens to drive her totally crazy.

Miki Aihara, who created "Hot Gimmick", made her debut in 1991 with Lip Conscious!, which was published in the Bessatsu Shojo Comic anthology and she remains a major contributor to the magazine.

HEAVEN'S WILL · Rated "T" for Teens. $8.99. Available now
Sudou Mikuzu has a very special talent/power - she can see ghosts. And because of this, she's become a magnet for all sorts of unwelcome spirits and monsters. Lucky for her she's just met Seto, a friendly, cross-dressing young exorcist. Sudou needs protection from all the creepy phantoms bugging her and Seto needs to practice his exorcism skills. Consequently, the pair decides to team up and help each other. In return for Seto's help, Sudou promises to bake him a cake every time a ghost gets zapped!

Created by Satoru Takamiya, HEAVEN'S WILL first appeared as a short story in Chu Chu magazine, a Japanese shojo manga anthology for teen girls published by Shogakukan.

THE MAGIC TOUCH · Rated "T+" for Older teens. $8.99. Available February 3, 2009.
Aside from being the star of her high school's Massage Research Society club, Chiaki Togu is a normal, quiet girl--until she falls head over heels in love with a gorgeous back, which happens to belong to Yosuke, the hottest guy at her school! Unfortunately, Chiaki's attraction to Yosuke is thwarted by her own insecurity and the scheming of other girls, especially those of her twin sister Sayaka! Although Yosuke seems out of Chiaki's league, she will do almost anything to give him a massage. The two eventually strike a deal where she will be allowed to touch his back if she can make him fall in love with her. What Chiaki doesn't know is the real reason Yosuke wants to hang around her: to avenge his younger brother, who was allegedly deceived and dumped by somebody named Chiaki Togu! Is this a simple case of mistaken identity or the beginning of a tragedy?

THE MAGIC TOUCH was created by Izumi Tsubaki, who began drawing manga during her first year of high school. She was soon selected to be among the Top 10 artists selected by manga anthology Hana to Yume and went on to win the publication's Big Challenge manga contest. THE MAGIC TOUCH was a best seller in Japan.

OTOMEN · Rated "T" for teens. $8.99 US. Available February 3, 2009
Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things-sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo manga. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and instead play the part of a masculine jock. Ryo Miyakozuka, on the other hand, is a girl who can't sew or bake a cake to save her life. Asuka finds himself attracted to Ryo, but she likes only the manliest of men! Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to the girl that he's falling for?

OTOMEN, created by Aya Kanno, is currently being serialized in Japan's BetsuHana magazine. OTOMEN is a best seller in Japan, with each new volume appearing in the Top 15 of Japan's Tohan rankings that chart manga popularity and sales."

Here's the latest news from VIZ Media which could mean less money in the pockets of the anime and manga addicts out there.

"VIZ Media announced a partnership with Zazzle to launch a new line of J-Pop, manga and anime-inspired apparel, stationery, and other items. VIZ Media's J-Pop Style Stop at Zazzle is located at www.zazzle.com/vizmedia and offers a variety of visually compelling and original designs inspired by a love of Japanese pop culture available on an on-demand basis with most products produced within 24 hours of ordering.

The Zazzle partnership represents VIZ Media's first foray into the 'on-demand' arena and is focused initially on several original (non-licensed) designs. The result will allow fans and the general public to show their enthusiasm for Japanese pop culture in a unique way with fun designs. The partnership is the initial phase of a larger projected product rollout with Zazzle that will tentatively include shojo (female)-focused fashion designs and other special designs to come in 2009.

The first VIZ Media design phase offers graphics that are available through Zazzle.com on T-shirts, note cards, real US postage, bags, and other fun items. The program allows fans and the general public alike to show their adoration for manga and anime by being able to choose from some great designs and customize them to their liking. This first phase of designs will include graphics with wording such as a manga panel that says 'I Love Manga' and a similar one that says 'I love Anime', available on T-shirts, note cards, stamps, bags and more.

Digital printing is considered the leading technology for on-demand apparel customization. It provides literally millions of colors and makes it affordable to manufacture even a single item, as opposed to other more cumbersome processes, which offer a limited color palette and often require the customer to order in bulk quantities because of high setup costs.

This partnership is just the first step for VIZ Media into the original design and the 'on demand' world - both of which will better serve fans old and new. This launch is the beginning of a projected 'bigger picture' rolls out with Zazzle, which ultimately may include more shojo-focused fashion designs, bigger statement 'otaku' (fan of anime and manga) designs and additional popular designs

Some of the new J-Pop designs were also included in the official gift bags that were distributed to the talent that presented and performed at the 2008 SPIKE TV Video Game Awards in December, where the VIZ Media-licensed video game, Ubisoft's Naruto: The Broken Bond, was one of the nominees for Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Show."

I enjoys fansubs like a lot of anime fans because I get to watch a series airing currently or just finished airing in Japan. However, I always make a point to buy the licensed versions of shows I like.

With the advent of the Internet, it has made it easier and faster for anime fans to see current shows. Not surprisingly, some anime companies are opting to license a series even before it finishes its run in Japan or they're choosing to show episodes online.

VIZ media announced that beginning January 15, it will begin streaming "Naruto Shippuden" just days after being shown in Japan. It will be free and available at www.Naruto.com There will also be an accelerated publishing plan for the "Naruto" manga beginning in February 2009.

"Naruto Shippuden" picks up the tale after a now 15-year-old Naruto returns to Konoha from his training with Jiraiya. Everyone in his group has advanced in rank except him. Gaara is now Kazekage and Sakura is now a medical ninja.

Here's the release from VIZ:

"This campaign is the latest expansion of VIZ Media's ongoing strategy to utilize the web to its maximum potential to stream a variety of hit animated properties.

Beginning on January 15, the latest episode of "Naruto Shippuden" (English-subtitled) will be available for free viewing on the official "Naruto" website, www.Naruto.com, within days of its original air date in Japan. A new English-subtitled episode will be added every Thursday thereafter.

On January 2nd, VIZ Media will also debut for free, eight uncut, English-subtitled episodes from the beginning of the "Naruto Shippuden" series on www.Naruto.com. Each Friday thereafter there will be an additional eight uncut, English-subtitled episodes added on Naruto.com until the series eventually catches up to the current third season of the hit program. Also, coming this week, an exclusive sneak peek of "Naruto Shippuden" debuting on Naruto.com.

On the manga side, VIZ Media has unveiled an accelerated publishing schedule for upcoming editions of the "Naruto" series, making them available to North American audiences sooner than ever before offered by VIZ Media. Beginning in February 2009, 11 new volumes of "Naruto" will be released over three months, moving the series from Volume 34 (February 2009) to Volume 44 (April 2009) before returning to a quarterly release schedule beginning with Volume 45 (July 2009).

Earlier "Naruto" episodes are also currently available for free through a variety of web-based, video streaming outlets that have partnered with VIZ Media, including HULU and JOOST."

VIZ Media is releasing a special Shonen Jump "Bleach" Posterzine, which features 11 posters inspired by the manga and animated series created by Tite Kubo.

The $9.99 Posterzine will be on sale starting Dec. 2. Each poster folds out to 16" x 22" and depicts Ichigo, his friends and villains. The special publication will also include two free "Bleach" sticker sheets and an iTunes gift card valid for a free download of episode 59 of the animated series and access to an interview with Tite Kubo. (NOTE: don't think it means you can interview Kubo.)

And for those of you who haven't heard of the show, here is a synopsis from VIZ: "Bleach" follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a 15-year-old student with the ability to see ghosts. His fate takes an extraordinary turn when he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who shows up at Ichigo's house on the trail of a Hollow, a malevolent lost soul. Drawn to Ichigo's high level of spiritual energy, the Hollow attacks Ichigo and his family, and Rukia steps in to help but is injured and unable to fight. As a last resort, Rukia decides to transfer part of her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo.