Late February Anime News Round-up

Typical: I slack for one week, and that's when all the anime news start piling up. Or maybe not all, but still plenty of February's new anime announcements were made during its final week, prompting the need for another "round-up" on our part. So, let's see...

- Charady no Joke na Mainichi (Charady's Daily Joke) - a new comedy anime that will run for 365 days, each day bringing a new joke from around the world, told by the titular character Charady (website). Begins on April 1, 2009.

- Cookin' Idol Ai! Mai! Main! - some cooking TV series for kids, half animated and half live-action. To be ignored unless you fail at cooking. Begins on March 30, 2009.

- Kara no Kyoukai - a new "remix" movie was announced under the title Kara no Kyoukai Remix: Gate of Seventh Heaven, compiling the first 6 chapters into a single feature set to premiere this March 14. Meanwhile, the 7th and final Kara no Kyoukai movie is also expected some time this spring in Japan. And over in America, the 5th movie (The Garden of Sinners: Paradox Paradigm) will premiere at the Anime Boston convention on May 22.

- Kiddy Girl-and - a Kiddy Grade spin-off! More about it in a separate news post, coming up...

- Kigurumikku V3 Best Episode Collection - some sort of OVA coming from studio AIC ASTA and Hisashi Saito (Bamboo Blade). And no, there was no other Kigurumikku anime, despite the misleading title. Releases on May 20, 2009.

- Lucky Star OVA - licensed by Bandai Entertainment.

- Marvel & Tatsunoko anime - a vague project planned by the toy giant Takara Tomy (owner of anime studio Tatsunoko Production) and the comic giant Marvel, whose collaboration will spawn a TV anime featuring characters from both Marvel's comics and Tatsunoko's superhero anime calssics (Speed Racer, Yatterman, Casshern etc.). Begins in... 2012.

- Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z-Hen - just a website for this mecha remake. Begins in 2009.

- Sora no Manimani - just a website for this recently announced anime. Begins in July 2009.

- Strike Witches 2 - Hell yeah! More about it in a separate news post, coming up...

- Umi Monogatari (Sea Story) - a "magical maiden fantasy" anime spinoff based on some pachinko games (allegedly Japan's most popular), coming from studio ZEXCS and Aria director Junichi Sato. "The "transforming magical girl action" story centers on Marin and Urin, two "pure" sisters who live alongside the fish in the sea, but yearn to be in the world beyond the water and above ground." Two "pure" mermaids? Approved! Begins in summer 2009.


And some less anime-centric news condensed from late February...

- Azumanga Daioh - the manga is getting a new edition to mark its 10th anniversary, promising to include "new exclusive artwork". A new anime would be mighty fine, too!

- Shaman King - the manga's "true ending" is being posted online, starting with chapter 287 from the series' "complete edition" ("Kang Zeng Bang"). Dedicated to Shammy King fans who didn't get much of a closure after the original manga's sudden ending back in 2004. The complete edition's 27th and final volume should ship in early April 2009.

- The world's largest anime / manga museum was announced to be in the planning stages by Tokyo's Meiji University. "Once open, the museum's collection will consist of over 2.5 million items, including manga volumes, magazines, fanzines, videos and DVDs, toys, figures, and other materials. There will also be screening rooms, a dedicated library, and (...) a research center hosting Japanese and international scholars specializing in anime and manga studies." I can has scholarship for loli pantsu research?