For starters, just a late reminder that the Gundam 00 anime series began airing on Sci-Fi's "Ani-Monday" programming block last night, as intended. Plus a note that digital distribution of the series is starting today via iTunes and on Manga.com, although the latter has some nasty territorial restrictions in place. Anyway, each week will bring 2 new episodes on Sci-Fi from 11:00 PM (EST), and next year will bring Gundam 00's English DVD release from Bandai Entertainment.



Also coming to North America in 2009 is Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Gake no Ue no Ponyo), Hayao Miyazaki's latest anti-retirement endeavour at studio Ghibli. This alone has been known since September, as we mentioned at that time, but now ICv2 is speculating that Disney will release the animation film in theatres during Q1 2009.

Such an early premiere, they say, "will ensure the 2009 release of the Ponyo DVD, which is almost certain to be the #1 anime DVD of 2009". Their train of thought "makes a lot of sense" to them, but to me it just goes chu-chu!

Update: In other North American broadcasting news, the first season of Gurren Lagann will start airing in Canada next month, on the premium network Super Channel 2. The anime will debut on December 8 at 9:00 PM (ET), followed by episodes of two age-old animes: Now and Then, Here and There and Descendants of Darkness, both originally from 2000.