New trailer for Production I.G and Kenji Kamiyama’s (GitS: Stand Alone Complex, Eden of the East) 009: Re-Cyborg, the CG rebirth of Shotaro Ishinomori’s classic 009: Cyborg.
It’s not quite as impressive as the four minute trailer that got released last October, but still promising. The film will open this Fall in Japan, just in time with Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo.

Synopsis (009: Cyborg)

During the tensions of the Cold War, a global organization led by Black Ghost wishes to lock the world in eternal warfare for profit. But in order to avoid destroying the world through nuclear warfare, Black Ghost has captured nine men and women. By turning them into cyborg soldiers, he aims to bring the war into the stars. However, Black Ghost did not count on his cyborg soldiers rebelling against his evil cause.

[via Wildgrounds]

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First short trailer for the upcoming anime series Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope) from Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo director Shinichiro Watanabe. Judging from the trailer the series focuses on Jazz music (and maybe some boys love), so I’m glad to report that Yoko Kanno (GitS:SAC, Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne…) will be responsible for the music.
The series will start airing in Japan in April.

Synopsis:

Summer, 1966. Kaoru Nishimi has moved to live with relatives in Kyushu. He’s been an aloof honor student his whole life, but that starts changing when he meets Sentarou Kawabuchi, the school’s notorious bad boy. Through him, he learns the appeal of jazz and forms his first real friendships.

[via Wildgrounds & ANN]

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First trailer for Niji-Iro Hotaru ~Eien no Natsu Yasumi~ (Rainbow-Colored Fireflies: The Eternal Summer Vacation) by One Piece and Galaxy Express 999: Eternal Fantasy director Kônosuke Uda.
The film from Toei Animation is based on a novel by and will open in Japan on May 19th.

Synopsis:

The film follows a sixth-grade boy named Yūta who slips back in time 30 years during summer vacation. After his father’s death, Yūta tries to reclaim what was lost by experiencing summer activities like insect collecting and fireworks and discovering his first love in a village that should be underwater.

[via ANN]

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[via Twitch & SkullKnight.net]

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First teaser trailer for Okami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki (The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki) by Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time director Mamoru Hosoda.
The film will open in Japan on July 21st, and thanks to the success of Hosoda’s former works it will certainly find a distributor for our regions quickly as well.

Synopsis:

The story covers 13 years and begins with a 19-year-old college student named Hana who encounters and falls in “fairy tale-like” love with a “wolf man.” After marrying the wolf man, Hana gives birth and raises two wolf children — an older sister named Yuki (“snow”) who was born on a snowy day, and a younger brother named Ame (“rain”) who was born on a rainy day.

The four quietly lived in a corner of a city to conceal the fact that the children are “wolf children.” However, when the wolf man suddenly dies, Hana decides to move to a rural town far removed from the city.

[via ANN & Catsuka]

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Music video for the ending theme of the upcoming theatrical Berserk movie from the Japanese singer Ai. Berserk: Golden Age Arc I: Egg of the Supreme Ruler will open in Japan on February 4th.

[via ANN & @muhootsaver_7]

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I already added these two discs some time ago to the Asian Blu-ray Guide database, but since the great cover artwork has only been revealed some days ago, I thought I should mention the upcoming US Blu-ray Disc releases of Battle Royale here as well.
Anchor Bay will release two edition of Kinji Fukasaku’s cult hit Battle Royale on March 20th. The single-disc regular edition comes with the director’s cut version of the first film while the Complete Collection will include both versions of Battle Royale, the director’s cut of Battle Royale: Requiem plus several bonus features on four discs.
The converted 3D version of the original film is still only available in Japan and Germany withouth English subtitles…

Pre-order Battle Royale and Battle Royale: The Complete Collection @ Amazon.com

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The Nippon Connection team issued a press release announcing the date for the 12th Japanese Film Festival in Frankfurt, Germany:

Der Termin für das 12. Japanische Filmfestival Nippon Connection in Frankfurt am Main steht fest. Vom 2. bis 6. Mai 2012 werden beim weltweit größten Festival für japanisches Kino wieder über 100 aktuelle japanische Filme sowie ein umfangreiches Kulturprogramm von Tradition bis Moderne präsentiert. Zahlreiche Filmemacher und Künstler aus Japan werden dabei ihre Werke in Frankfurt persönlich vorstellen.
[...]
Zum dritten Mal wird beim 12. Nippon Connection Festival von einer internationalen Jury der Nippon Visions Award verliehen: Der Regisseur des besten Nachwuchsfilms erhält von der Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy eine kostenlose Untertitelung seines nächsten Filmprojekts. In der Sektion Nippon Cinema kann das Publikum wieder seinen Lieblingsfilm auswählen, dieser erhält den mit 2.000 Euro dotierten Nippon Cinema Award, der zum achten Mal vom Bankhaus Metzler gestiftet wird.

Ein Schwerpunktthema des 12. Nippon Connection Festivals wird die Dreifachkatastrophe vom 11. März 2011 sein. Zahlreiche Filmemacher und Künstler setzen sich bereits mit dem Trauma und seinen Folgen auseinander. Neben einem Filmspecial wird es beim Festival eine Fotoausstellung, Podiumsdiskussion und Vorträge zu dem Thema geben.

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Just in time for the new year, the official website of the Rebuild of Evangelion project has been updated with the International title of the third (of four) Evangelion movie.
Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo is supposed to open in Japanese theaters in Fall 2012 followed by the final movie in 2013. A first teaser was released back in August.
[via Evangelion Blog]

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First trailer for the live-action adaption of Hikaru Nakamura’s Arakawa Under the Bridge manga.

Synopsis (Anime):

Kou Ichinomiya has always lived according to the creed of his wealthy, successful family: never be in debt to anyone. But one day, under the Arakawa Bridge, his life is saved by a homeless girl named Nino. In order to pay her back, Kou promises to be her boyfriend; and thus begins his new life under the bridge.

[via ANN]

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