Some say it's still just a rumour floating around on Japanese forums, while others are firmly convinced that the announcement is official: the To-LOVE-Ru manga (or simply Toloveru, a crazy Japanese pun for "trouble") is being made into an anime series.

Why should you care? Well, other than it being a generic ecchi comedy, here's one reason (a 1280x960 picture is worth over nine thousand words). And if that's not flat enough for you, the manga also features an imouto called Mikan - who some say would make a perfect twin-sister for Puchiko, from Winter Garden (and we all know Puchiko is made of win).

Last, and pretty much least, fans of Black Cat might also consider setting their alarm clocks for April 2008 - when the Toloveru anime will supposedly start airing - since both bear the graphic signature of Kentaro Yabuki.

Various raw versions of the full Byousoku 5 Centimeter (5cm per Second) have been roaming around freely over the past couple of weeks, and, finally, the subbed version has also found its way onto the internets this week - putting an end to our long stretched waiting. Or at least my long stretched waiting, since my pessimistic comrade-in-loli-arms bets that "it's teh gay suxxorz", end quote. Well I sure hope not, not after Makoto Shinkai's previous animation movie - Beyond the Clouds (Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho) - which we both have come to praise.

If 5cm is still not licensed in your neighbourhood, I suggest you download it first, doubt its greatness later. Besides, how could an anime with pink umbrellas be anything but great?!


Later edit: Well... having just watched the ending credits of Byousoku 5cm scroll by a minute ago, I can see why some might find it less gratifying, and certainly less intense than Beyond the Clouds. It's perhaps somewhere between that, and Voices of a Distant Star (Hoshi no Koe) - from a multitude of reasons, in fact. I don't wish to go into detail, but rest assured that 5cm is yet another great work of mr. Shinkai, quite moving and superbly illustrated, as expected. And needless to say, a "must-watch".

Update: One final edit, to point out this latest - and longest - preview trailer for 5cm, even including some scenes that seem to be missing from the final cut.

It's no doubt about it, people from all over the world are expecting The Rebuild. Another short commercial has found it's way to Youtube, depicting 15 seconds of sheer boredom mecha action. Suzumiya Haruhi fans can still enjoy their minutes of fame until this comes out, after that, it's going to be "OMG I R ROBOT" all over again. Add that to the global warming, and you've got yourself a pretty nice apocalyptic setting.

We all know how Japanese people tend to censor certain NSFW scenes, be it in movies or in animated shows. Well, it seems like the TV Aichi network let loose upon the unsuspecting crowd of anime fans some Moetan episodes, in which the transformation scenes (you know, the classical „HI, I'm a little girl that's going to get naked really soon and turn into a magical princess with random useless superpowers") were showing off the lolis' full, undressed, potential. Due to this, a certain fan site called Sazanami Kaihen decided to host a thorough and professional comparison between those screenshots, and the ones from the other, censored (and totally not cool) versions.

What's the point of a Magical Girl show without naked transformation scenes?

The guys at ADV Films have decided to stream the first episode of Innocent Venus for free, via IGN.com. I sense some otakus gathering in the depths of this once_an_objective gaming site...

I highly recomend this show, as it features one of the cutest lolis in the history of cute lolis (and, of course, some of the most retarded male characters in the history of cute lolis).

Less coding for me, means more trailers up on TVkon. Moetan, Sky Girls, Potemayo, Zero no Tsukaima 2, Umisho, hell, even Baccano! looks pretty decent (for a loliless anime), and they're all showing themselves in various clips, along with these others listed below:

- Zero no Tsukaima 2 promo (HD)
- Moetan OP
- Moetan promo
- Umisho promo
- Sky Girls promo
- Potemayo promo
- Higurashi 2 trailer (updated) (HD)
- Doujin Work promo
- Baccano! promo long
- Baccano! promo short (HD)
- Sky Girls preview trailer
- Nanatsuiro Drops preview trailer
- Code-E preview trailer
- Tetsuko no Tabi preview trailer
- Doujin Work preview trailer
- Masaru 2 erogame trailer

Update: Also added the Appleseed Ex OP, though it's only for the PS2 game, not the upcoming CG movie, Ex Machina.

Previously, the Internetz was infested with low-quality trailers for Rebuild of Evangelion. Some of you may have seen them, some of you may have not. If you are a fan of this - and I expect lots of folks to be - you may want to check Gainax' latest "good quality" version of the trailer, that can be hunted down on Youtube.

I really *HATE* this series. Dunno why, I just do.


Plus, a trailer with no loli is an epic fail.

I.G announced on June 13 that its recalculated profits for the fiscal year ending in May 2007 dropped 36% from last year to 273 million yen (about US$2.23 million). The company cited the broadcast end of several of its series as well as a decline in DVD and merchandise sales. The sales-profit ratio dropped three points as revenue increased 2% to 5.546 billion yen (US$45.34 million).

Taken from ANN.
Production I.G is one of the major Japanese animation companies, and seeing its profits drop so much over one damn year is not helping my eyes. The causes may vary, but I somehow doubt that piracy might be the main issue here.

Eric Calderon, the producer of Afro Samurai (a show that I try to avoid at all costs, due to the fact that it has „black" and „samurai" in the same freaking context - and no, I ain't being racist), announced a brand new upcoming show, a Japanese-American co-production entitled „The Five Killers". This here action series is being developed side by side with screenwriter George Krstic and comic writer Mark Waid, while directed by Tomohiro Hirata (former director of Trinity Blood). Gonzo will take care of the animation.

Looks pretty decent, and it might just provide enough violence to satisfy the thirsty mob. More desu details here, and we also have the trailer here.

Usually, erogames are the ones who get first dibs on animation. Due to various reasons, all of them more than obvious. Here to break the ice is Enterbrain, a Japanese Publisher that recently announced the upcoming animation for Night Wizard, it's famous and quite popular tabletop roleplaying game. So far, we know that this show will be directed by Yūsuke Yamamoto (the genius behind Welcome to the NHK), original character designs will be handled by Hiroyuki Ishida, while the actual animation will be mastered by Hal Film Maker (Angel Sanctuary, Slayers Premium).