Animanga in the News: 2/4 - 2/10

Yohoho there everyone! It's time for this week's animanga news again :D This week we have 3 articles about one piece, the return of Vagabond from hiatus, a naruto anime theme park and much more! To find out more, just read on~




The Japanese company Toei Animation filed a copyright infringement complaint against 869 "John Does" on September 29, 2011 over the 515th episode of the One Piece television anime.

According to the suit, which was filed in district court for the District of Columbia, the unidentified defendants "worked in concert, via the internet ... to reproduce and distribute unlawful, digital copies" of the episode "One Piece: No 515, I Will Get Much, Much Stronger! Zoro's Pledge to his Captain!" via the BitTorrent file-sharing protocol. The suit lists defendants by their host IP (Internet Protocol) addresses and Internet service providers. The alleged incidents of copyright infringement took place between September 16 to September 23.

Toei Animation also filed a Motion for Leave to Take Discovery in order to find the names and addresses of the defendants, which the court granted on October 5. Toei claims in its suit that these defendants in turn "may lead to the identification of additional infringing parties.

" The filed complaint identifies the representative "hash" number of the file as 5683D0EFD0C703237918E2A626D8DAD89D02046D. Toei Animation is filing the suit in the District of Columbia because Toei claims "on information and belief ... at least a portion of the Defendants reside or may be found in [that] District."

The suit notes that users in a BitTorrent "swarm," by design, are simultaneously downloading parts of the file and distributing parts of it to others. The suit also notes that it can join multiple parties as defendants if "the right to relief which Plaintiff is seeking arises '... out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences;' and a '...question of law or fact is common to all Defendants will arise in the action.'"

Toei Animation is asking the court to stop the defendants from infringing on Toei's copyrights for this episode and any other videos now or in the future. Toei is also requesting that the defendants "shall destroy all copies of Plaintiff's [videos] that Defendants have downloaded onto any computer hard drive or server without Plaintiff's authorization and shall destroy all copies of those [videos] transferred onto any physical medium or device in their possession, custody, or control." Toei Animation is also seeking damages, costs, and attorney's fees.

In January 2011, Funimation filed a similar copyright infringement complaint against 1,337 "John Does" over the 481st episode of One Piece. Funimation later removed all defendants except one from its lawsuit. According to the judge's order in that case, the actions of each defendant did not constitute "acting in concert" but rather acting individually, although identically. Funimation then dismissed the case against the last defendant in March 2011.

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The Japanese publisher Shueisha produced four million copies of the 65th volume of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece pirate manga — tying the previous volume's record for the book with most copies in its first printing in Japan. The volume shipped on Friday.

The 64th volume set the 4-million-copy record last November. As of the 65th volume, Shueisha has published over 260 million copies of the manga series; One Piece has had the highest number of copies printed of any Shueisha manga series in Japan. Shueisha attributes this to new readers who are buying up the earlier volumes (as opposed to those who shoplift them).

One Piece has been setting records in first printings since volume 56, which held the manga record in December of 2009 for 2.85 million copies. Volume 57 was the first volume to hold the record for all books in Japan, since its 3-million-copy first printing topped Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix's 2.9 million. Since then, every volume except volume 62 (published two months after the March 11 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake disaster) and volume 65 has set a new record in first printing

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One Piece Grand Collection, Namco Bandai's game for Japanese mobile phones, has attracted over 2 million users as of Thursday. This game inspired by the One Piece pirate anime just launched 17 days earlier.

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Manga creator Takehiko Inoue revealed on Wednesday that he is planning to resume his Vagabond series next month. The next installment is now being colored.

Inoue put Vagabond on indefinite hiatus due to his health in August of 2010. While he reported later that month that the brain and heart tests revealed that he was fine, he continued to rest his body and delayed Vagabond's return. He later explained in December of 2010 that the hiatus will not end until he regains his enthusiasm for working on the series.

He then revealed last November that he was drafting the layouts for the return of the manga. Being mindful of his health, he is also finding a good pace for himself and consulting with his editors.

Inoue launched Vagabond in Kodansha's Morning magazine in 1998, and Kodansha published the 33rd compiled volume in Japan in May of 2010. Viz Media published the 33rd volume in North America in October in 2010.

Viz also publishes Inoue's Slam Dunk and REAL manga. The 11th volume of REAL shipped in Japan on November 11, and Viz published the 10th volume on November 15. The 20th volume of Viz's edition of Slam Dunk shipped this week.

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In his author's note section of the March issue of Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace magazine, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto reported last Friday that he will do his best to release the 13th volume as planned this year. The 13th volume will be the first new volume in two years. However, neither Sadamoto nor Kadokawa has confirmed that the 13th manga volume is still the final one.

Sadamoto resumed the manga last April after a 14-month hiatus, and the 90th chapter ran in the most recent issue with a "to be continued" note. Kadokawa published the 12th volume in March of 2010, and Viz Media published the 12th volume of the manga last February in North America.

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The North American anime licensing company Sentai Filmworks announced on Thursday that it acquired Gintama: The Movie (Gintama: Shinyaku Benizakura-Hen). According to the company, the action comedy film will soon be available digitally, with a home video release on DVD and Blu-ray Disc scheduled for later this year.

Sentai Filmworks confirmed that it will include an English dub on its upcoming release of Gintama: The Movie (Gintama: Shinyaku Benizakura-Hen) on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, noting its policy to dub titles it releases on Blu-ray Disc. Sentai Filmworks added that the English dub cast has not been set yet, but Kyle Jones will be directing the dub.

The 95-minute feature retells a story from the Gintama television series, which is set in an alternate version of Tokyo that Amanto aliens have invaded. Former samurai Gintoki Sakata investigates the disappearance of a legendary sword named Benizakura, while his partners Kagura and Shinpachi Shimura try to find out what happened to Gintoki's friend, Kotaro Katsura.

Gintama: The Movie is currently the only theatrical anime adaptation of Hideaki Sorachi's bestselling manga series. The film opened in limited release (90 screens) in Japan in April 2010, and then had its international premiere in Montreal in July of that year. The first film eventually earned 1.07 billion yen (about US$12.86 million) at the box office. Sentai Filmworks already licensed the television anime series, and Section23 Films released the first 49 episodes on DVD.

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The North American publisher Digital Manga announced on Thursday that it licensed the Erementar Gerad manga series from Mag Garden. Mayumi Azuma's 18-volume manga series was first published in North America by Tokyopop (under the name Elemental Gelade), but the company only released 12 volumes before it shut down its North American publishing operations. The manga finished its run in Monthly Comic Blade magazine in Winter 2010, and Azuma is still continuing her Erementar Gerad: Flag of Bluesky spinoff manga in Monthly Comic Blade Avarus (Monthly Comic Avarus) magazine.

The story involves a sky-pirate named Coud Van Giruet, who discovers Ren, a living weapon that interacts with a human to become the ultimate fighting machine. When Ren is captured by an evil arms dealer, Coud rescues her, and the two set off on adventures.

The anime adaptation was first announced by ADV Films in 2004, but was never released by them. The title was finally released on DVD in North America by Geneon Entertainment in 2006, but has since been discontinued along with the rest of Geneon's North American operations. The anime is currently out of print and unlicensed in North America.

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Sentai Filmworks announced on Monday that it licensed Jun Awazu's (Negadon: The Monster from Mars) computer-animated Planzet film. The company will release the film digitally and on DVD and Blu-ray disc later this year.

Planzet's story is set in 2053 when mankind faces annihilation from space. Sentai Filmworks describes the film as follows:




CoMix Wave produced both Negadon and Planzet as well as the works of anime auteur Makoto Shinkai. Shin Miyahara (Karas) directed the film's CGI, and Shingo Terasawa (Negadon) handled the film's music. Chitose Hajime (Blood+, Ayakashi - Samurai Horror Tales, The Beast Player Erin) sang the film's theme song "Ryūgū no Tsukai." Planzet originally opened in Japan in May 2010. Central Park Media released Negadon: The Monster from Mars in North America.

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Thursday was the 23rd anniversary of Osamu Tezuka's death, and many Japanese manga and anime artists posted images on the Twitter and Togetter websites to remember the "God of Manga." The creators drew characters from Tezuka's works such as Astro Boy, Black Jack, Phoenix, and Princess Knight for "Manga Day."

Take a look at some of their contributions:




Tezuka's Black Jack manga will return this year in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shonen Champion magazine this year. The North American publisher Digital Manga is raising funds to publish Tezuka's Barbara manga in English, and his Hidamari no Ki manga will also receive a live-action television adaptation.

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This year's 11th issue of Akita Shoten's Weekly Shonen Champion magazine revealed on Thursday that the Black Jack manga will return in the magazine this fall featuring real-life medical stories. The magazine is currently accepting applications of those with personal stories of receiving treatment from medical personnel. Selected stories will be turned into manga form in the new Black Jack, and those whose stories are published will have their names included in the publication.

Applicants must send their application with their name, age, address, occupation, place of employment, address, telephone number, and story of their personal experience with medical personnel by mail to Akita Shoten or by e-mail to [email]bj-entry@tezuka.co.jp[/email] by April 30. Tezuka Productions will announce the contest's winners on its website and in Weekly Shonen Champion in July. A total amount of 1,000,000 yen (about US$13,000) will be given to the winners, with the grand prize winner receiving 100,000 yen (about US$1,300). Winners will also receive a copy of the magazine publishing their story as well as a copy of their story in compiled book volume form.

The new serialization is a part of a project to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Osamu Tezuka's original serialization of Black Jack. Black Jack originally ran in Weekly Shonen Champion from 1973-1983. Vertical published the 17th and final volume of the series in North America in December.

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The light novel author Kazuma Kamachi (Toaru Majutsu no Index, Toaru Kagaku no Railgun) will launch the Waltraute-san no Konkatsu Jijō (Waltraute's Marriage Hunting Situation) series in the March issue of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Bunko Magazine on Friday.

The story will center on an ordinary boy and the valkyrie Waltraute, a young female warrior with superhuman powers, as their unusual relationship develops.



The artist Nagi (Feng Shui Academy) is illustrating the romantic comedy novel with Kamachi's story. Kamachi and Nagi are also collaborating on the Heavy Object light novel series that debuted in October 2009, and the fifth volume shipped in November.

Kamachi's original Toaru Majutsu no Index light novel series inspired two television anime series, as well as A Certain Scientific Railgun manga that inspired its own anime franchise. A Toaru Majutsu no Index film adaptation was green-lit in October. The third volume of the Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index sequel novel series topped Oricon's bunko (trade paperback book) sales chart during the December 5-11 week.

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The Laguna Gamagori marine resort complex announced on Monday that it will host a "Naruto - Memories of Chakra in Lagunasia" theme park attraction from March 17 to September 2. The event will commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Naruto action television anime series and coincide with the resort's own tenth anniversary.

The event's main attraction will be "Memories of Chakra," a recreation of the anime's famous scenes from the time Naruto sets out on his ninja journey to the beginning of the Shinobi World War. The Lagunasia theme park's nine areas will also include the "Hokage Monument," "Konohagakure Village Ninjutsu Dojo," "Hokage Palace," and "Ninpoudo" shop where guests can enjoy a menu inspired by the anime and purchase exclusive promotional goods.

Every area of Lagunasia complex will be decorated with a Naruto motif, and visitors can experience all the displays and attractions by participating in the "Sharingan Stamp Rally." Character shows will also take place during the event.

The complex is located in Gamagori City in the central Japanese prefecture of Aichi. Laguna Gamagori already held a "Mighty Atom Exhibition in Lagunasia" event from September to November 2009 and ran a "One Piece Memorial Log in Lagunasia" event from March to June 2010.

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"Cinemas," the film distributor Shochiku's social media service, announced the company's film lineup for 2012. The tentatively titled Gekijō-ban Tiger & Bunny -The Beginning- film, the first of the two planned Tiger & Bunny films, will open in Japan in September. The live-action film adaptation of Fujio Akatsuka's Himitsu no Akko-chan manga will also open that month. Ōoku [Emonnosuke Tsunayoshi-Hen], the new live-action film adaptation of Fumi Yoshinaga's Ōoku: The Inner Chambers manga will open on December 22.

As previously announced, the Blood-C: The Last Dark film will open on June 2, and the Fairy Tail film will open on August 18.

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"Project Anime," a new two-day conference aimed at convention organizers and vendors, will be held on June 27 and 28 at the JW Marriott Los Angeles LIVE hotel, just before this year's Anime Expo (AX). Co-produced by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) and production company Green Mustard Entertainment (A.K.A. Wasabi Anime), the event will have roundtable discussions, panels, and presentations involving conventions and the vendors that support them.

The Project Anime event is intended to bridge the gap between the staff members of different conventions, and to share ideas that might boost both convention attendance and the industry in general. The event's organizers say that the idea was spurred by the decreasing number of anime and manga publishers over the last several years.

"The benefit of putting it next to Anime Expo is that, after two days of discussing conventions, attendees can spend a few days walking around the largest anime convention in North America and seeing the good, the bad, and what can be improved," Convention Chair Tom Croom told ANN.

The current schedule includes panels on industry, advertising and social media, operations, security, programming, and guest relations. Additionally, five hours of programming are designated as "sponsor panels." The event will focus on bringing in sponsors related to convention services (such as printing, logistics, and ticketing systems) and plans to use sponsorship revenue to subsidize attendance for organizers of the 10 largest anime conventions in North America.

Attendance is priced at US$45, and a package deal, which includes six meals, a reception, and an all-inclusive four-day pass to AX, is priced at US$350 per person. A complete conference package, which adds round-trip airfare (from anywhere in the continental United States), five nights at the JW Marriott, and airport transportation, is priced at US$1,750 per person.

While the first year's Project Anime event will be connected to Anime Expo, its organizers plan to attach it to a different convention each year.

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The staff and cast of the live-action Futari Ecchi (Futari H) films announced on Sunday that a third film is being produced. The announcement was made at the DVD launch event for Futari H: Second Kiss, the second film inspired by Aki Katsu's romantic comedy manga. The manga follows an inexperienced couple and their comic adventures as they explore intimacy with each other.

Yūri Morishita (Hotel Flowers) starred in the first two live-action films as the wife Yura, and she appeared at Sunday's event alongside actress Kirara Asuka (Jō-ō 3: Special Edition). Asuka played the younger sister of Yura's husband Makoto. Hikaru Okada (Hana Zakari no Kimi-tachi e: Ikemen Paradise) replaced Riki Miura (Here is Greenwood) as Makoto in the second film.

Aki Katsu (Psychic Academy, The Vision of Escaflowne) has been drawing the manga, which describes itself as a "love bible" or a "user's manual" for people in love, in Young Animal and Young Animal Arashi since 1997. The manga has sold 23 million copies so far, and Hakusensha published the 51st compiled book volume last month. Tokyopop published the manga in North America under the name Manga Sutra - Futari H before announcing that it would close its North American publishing operations.

Media Blasters released the 2002-2004 original video anime adaptation of the same manga under the name Step Up Love Story. There was a previous live-action television mini-series adaptation of the manga in 2003, and a separate live-action net series premiered in Japan last July.

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The publisher Shogakukan released a compilation book of manga artist Osamu Tezuka's production notes and early works last Monday. For the first time, the Tezuka Osamu Sōsaku Note to Shoki Sakuhin Shū 2 (Osamu Tezuka Production Notes and Early Works Collection 2) includes the first creations from the "God of Manga" when he was a 14-year-old middle school student in 1943.

"Oyaji Tantei" (Old Man Detective; pictured right) and "Baritone Kōjō Jiken" (The Baritone Factory Case), Tezuka's earliest manga booklets, are reproduced in the collection. "Oyaji Tantei" was Tezuka's first pen and ink project, and an illustration of its star character serves as the new book's frontispiece.

The title moustached detective provided the basis for Higeoyaji, a prominent member of Tezuka's "star system" cast of characters and a recurring figure in many of his numerous stories. Tezuka modeled the old man after the grandfather of one of his classmates.



Production notes for Gessekai no Keisatsu (Life on the Moon) and Uchūtei Jiken (The Spaceship Affair), works that remain unpublished, appear in the book with notes for Tezuka's popular works such as Jungle Taitei (Kimba the White Lion) and Faust. The materials reveal that Tezuka first imagined Jungle Taitei's title character as a set of twins rather than a single lion.

After obtaining a medical degree, Tezuka abandoned his job as a doctor and went on to become a prominent and prolific manga and anime creator. Diary of Ma-chan, his first published manga, debuted in 1946. Astro Boy, Black Jack, and Phoenix account for some of the more than 150,000 manga pages produced by Tezuka before his death in 1989.

Shogakukan published the first Osamu Tezuka production notes and early works compilation book in December 2010.

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The March issue of Shodensha's Feel Young magazine announced on Wednesday that Yumi Unita (Bunny Drop) will launch a new manga series in the next issue. Itohen will debut in the magazine's April issue on March 8.

Shodensha will also publish the tenth volume of Unita's completed Usagi Drop: Bangai-Hen (Bunny Drop: Extra) spinoff manga on March 8. Unita launched a new design essay manga series in Kodansha's Digital Kiss online magazine on January 25.

Unita's original slice-of-life manga Usagi Drop began serializing in Shodensha's Feel Young magazine in 2005 and ended in April 2011. Yen Press is publishing the manga in North America. A television anime adaptation aired in Japan from July to September 2011, and the live-action film version opened in Japan on August 20.

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The wraparound jacket band on the 17th volume of Yasunori Mitsunaga's Princess Resurrection manga revealed that Mitsunaga's new manga series is titled Nakuaden. The new series will launch in the April issue of Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine, right alongside Princess Resurrection, on February 25.

Del Rey published the Princess Resurrection manga in North America. Sentai Filmworks re-released the television anime version of Princess Resurrection with an English dub on DVD on January 17. Originally released by ADV Films, Sentai Filmworks licensed the show in 2010 and released a Complete Collection with English subtitles only in August of that year.

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The agencies of former KAT-TUN singer Jin Akanishi and actress/singer Meisa Kuroki confirmed on Thursday that the two had married each other on February 2. The official statements from the agencies did not address the Sports Nippon and Nikkan Sports newspapers' Thursday reports that Kuroki is two months pregnant.

In addition to his singing career, Akanishi starred in the live-action drama adaptation of Yukari Ichijo's manga Yukan Club, which featured KAT-TUN single "Keep the Faith" as its theme song. Akanishi also starred in the second season of the live-action adaptation of Kozueko Morimoto's manga Gokusen. His voice acting debut was as the title role in the Japanese-language dub of the 2008 Warner Brothers film Speed Racer.



Kuroki starred in Takashi Yamazaki's live-action Space Battleship Yamato film and Mamoru Oshii's live-action Assault Girls film. She also voiced the title character in the Vexille - 2077 Isolation of Japan anime film.

Japan's sports newspapers reported on New Year's Day that two other performers, Aya Ueto and EXILE band leader Hiro, were planning to get married, but their agencies denied the reports on the following day.

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