Finally! Just a few days before the first episode of Studio Gonzo’s Shangri-La anime series airs on Japanese TV (and Crunchyroll), the official Japanese/English website has been update with a 16 seconds long TV spot and the complete opening featuring the series’ theme song “Kimi Shinitamō Koto Nakare” by May Nakabayashi aka May’n.

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Very good and not so good news for all Studio Ghibli fans who want to see Hayao Miyazaki’s latest work Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea in their own home. AV Watch reports that the Japanese DVD will be released on July 3, 2009 with English subtitles! Those of us who want to enjoy Ponyo in high definition will have to wait until December for Studio Ghibli’s first “real” film (some documentations have already been released) to be released on Blu-ray Disc.
There will be a Ponyo related BD release on July 3, but this one will “only” include a twelve hour long making-of the film with mastermind Mr. Miyazaki himself and no English subtitles!

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Samurai Princess (GEDÔ-HIME) is the latest work by Tokyo Gore Police writer Kengo Kaji and should, if we can trust the already released synopsis, please fans of the neo-japanese trash cinema just as well as TGP did. The screenplay was written by Sôtarô Hayashi, Tokyo Gore Police director Yoshihiro Nishimura) was responsible for the special make-up effects. The story takes place in an alternative Samurai era where people live together with highly developed mechanical dolls until some of them begin to run amok and slaughter people in gory bloodsheds. After hearing of these incidents, a mad scientist develops a nearly indestructible female ninja mechanical doll and equips her with 11 types of built-in (of course!) weapons to stop her mechanical brothers once and for all…
The film’s official Japanese website went online a few days ago, but currently only features the teaser motive shown above. Some early shots can be found at the CREi online catalogue:

[via AV Maniacs Forum]

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DVD Times has update it’s story on Sony Pictures’ US Blu-ray Disc release of Mamoru Oshii’s The Sky Crawlers with the official cover art. Doesn’t look to bad, except for that unnecessary quote at the bottom, but I think Sony Pictures focuses a bit to much on the aerial fights/action aspect of the film which could lead to some bitter disappointment for people expecting an action film…which The Sky Crawlers is clearly not!
DVD Times also mentions, that the disc will be coded for all regions, so it’s safe to place your order now, no matter where you live. The Sky Crawlers will be releases on May 26, 2009.

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The Japanese soft rock duo Chage and Aska asked Hayao Miyazaki to produce a music video for their 1995 song On Your Mark and here’s what Studio Ghibli’s mastermind came up with. More a short film than just a music video, On Your Mark has all the motives a full Miyazaki film has to offer. Friendship, a never-give-up! attitude, nature’s victory over technology and of course good ol’ Hayao’s dream of flying like the wind.

The English translation of the song, Castles in the Air is available here in an unplugged version.
[via Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow]

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Just before the first episode airs on April 2nd, an almost four minute long preview clip for the unusual mecha sport anime Basquash! in which giant robots challenge each other on oversized basketball courts, appeares online. A nice Japanese lady tells us some background information and production details while we see footage from the first episode.
The whole setting seems a bit too kid-oriented for my taste but I think I’m gonna give the series a chance, just because I kinda dig the design and Shoji Kawamori’s name (he worked on Escaflowne, Macross, Ghost in the Shell and Patlabor) is attached to it.

[via Catsuka]

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Amazing how far you can stretch the term “maker” when in comes to fill the empty spots on film posters…

[via SciFi Japan]

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High-caliber announcement for this year’s Animotion fim festival that will take place during the AnimagiC convention in Bonn, Germany. According to this announcement, Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance will be shown just one month after the Japanese theatrical premiere, from July 31 to August 2 in the WOKI Filmpalast with English subtitles!
Other than this German (or even European?) premiere, the announcement mentions Afro Samurai: Resurrection, The Piano Forest and Summer Days with Coo as other anime highlights for the festival.
[via SOS Brigade]
[23.07.2009] Update: I just got the confirmation that the Gurren Lagann movies and Evangelion 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance will NOT be screened during the AnimagiC!

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Nippon Cinema‘s very own Kevin has found a brand new, two minutes long trailer full of madness and cartoon violence for Hideaki Hosono’s debut Donju on the film’s wacky website. An older teaser trailer and a short summary for this tale of murder and mayhem is available here.

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This afternoon, the first but absolutely amazing teaser trailer of Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak‘s Where the Wild Things Are aired after the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Luckily, Warner Bros. didn’t tantalized us for long an put the whole furry teaser online just now!

Where the Wild Things Are tells the story of the young boy Max (Max Records) who is sent to bed without supper and creates his own world where ferocious wild creatures crown him as their ruler.
The song used in the trailer is Wake Up from The Arcade Fire (thanks @René).
[via Ellen]
Update: Apple.com now has the high definition version: 480p – 720p – 1080p

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