Checkpoint: Idolmaster, Pleiades, Fractale, PSP2

Last update - Jan 24, 16:53 GMT (11:53 EST, 08:53 PST)

The cover of Megami magazine's latest issue gives the first look at the character designs for the recently announced TV anime series The Idolmaster. More details are expected to be revealed once the magazine's March issue goes on sale this January 29. The character designer is said to be Atsushi Nishigori, best known for his design work on the characters from Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt - so presumably studio Gainax is doing the animation for this project.




Speaking of Gainax, their imminent magical girls anime Houkago no Pleiades is being previewed today in a new trailer that you can watch locally. This "Hi-Def YouTube exclusive" web-anime launches on February 1, as a weird collaboration with car maker Subaru. Weird, but very cute-looking - not unlike Madoka Magica, up until its latest episode...


Update: Another twist today in FUNimation's no-longer-terminated simulcast of Fractale saga... Yesterday it appeared that Hulu would stream episode 2 today, but during the night they removed their listing. Now, however, FUNi has just issued a new statement on its official blog, saying that the anime's simulcast will in fact continue, thanks to their efforts to combat the first episode's illegal online distribution - as recognized by that "bullshit" production committee. Here's the deal.

"In recent days we have been diligently tracking the online illegal distribution of the anime series Fractale and on behalf of the rights holders we have been taking the appropriate legal action. As a result, we now have the approval of the Fractale Production Committee to stream episode 2 of the series starting today. We will make the episode available at 10:45 a.m CST and we are pleased to be able to continue the Fractale simulcast each Thursday as planned."

Update #4: And also on the topic of Fractale, the anime's director Yutaka Yamamoto will close his blog, following another one of his emo-rage outbursts. He previously stated that he would retire if Fractale fails, and more recently he announced his immediate retirement, when provoked by an anonymous comment that was posted on his blog. In the end, the "Noitamina" timeslot's producers Isoda and Shimizu talked some sense into Yamamoto, and he withdrew his retirement.

*sigh*... This could've been such a fine anime, if not for all the bullshit surrounding it!




Update #2: Is this how the new PSP2 handheld will look like? Supposedly so, according to a new image that has just popped up. As mentioned in yesterday's checkpoint, the PSP2 - Sony's next generation of PlayStation Portable - will reportedly have 3G support, an OLED touch screen, and a new processor for handling high resolution visuals, among other novelties. Official specs should be announced at Sony's conference this January 27, and a distinct "Playstation Phone" device is also expected to be unveiled next month.


Update #3: Three new anime adaptations are being announced in the March issue of Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine, respectively based on Haguki's Hato no Oyomesan gag manga, Yukari Takinami's Rinshi!! Ekoda-chan 4-koma manga, and Masayuki Kitamichi's Puu-Neko 4-koma manga. No release dates, formats and such are yet known about any of them.