Category: Anime

BEET THE VANDEL BUSTER: THE SACRIFICE, the premiere anime release under the new partnership between Illumitoon Ent. Ltd. and Westlake Ent., arrives on DVD Jan. 30, 2007. Featuring four 30-minute episodes, the disc will be available for $24.98.

Nelvana and Spin Master Ltd. have teamed up on a line of specialty toys and games developed from two new animated action adventure series. The toys and games from the animated series DI-GATA DEFENDERS and BAKUGAN, which is in production and will begin airing in 2007, are set to make their debut at the Spin Master booth at the Canadian Toy & Hobby Fair on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto (Booth #602). Both companies, headquartered in Toronto, are working together to market and promote the toys.

Netflix Inc. introduced a new feature that allows people to immediately watch movies and television series on their personal computers and said it will make the new feature available to its subscribers in a phased roll-out over the next six months.

GD Multimedia, a recently launched global distribution company, will attend NATPE 2007 for the first time with a brand new animated comedic adventure series, GOING WILD, available to U.S. and international broadcasters.

Actor Dean Turner, who voiced many English dubs of anime series, died Dec. 28, 2006, at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center in Hawaii, reports BCDB.COM. He was 84. Turner died of respiratory failure after fighting diabetes for several years, said his partner of 40 years, actor Richard Pellett.

Turner voiced Lee and the Secretary Of Commerce in GASARAKI (1998), the Department Chief in HEPPOKO [SILLY] ANIMATION EXCEL SAGA (QUACK EXPERIMENTAL ANIME EXCEL SAGA) (1999), the Maitre D in A.D. POLICE: TO PROTECT AND SERVE (1999), and a driver and council member in NOIR (2001).

Beginning Jan. 5, 2007, the Independent Film Channel will air a new anime block, featuring GUNSLINGER GIRL at 11:00 pm, followed by BASILISK at 11:30 pm.

Produced by Madhouse, the series is directed by Morio Asaka (STREET FIGHTER, CHOBITS, CARDCAPTOR SAKURA).

Nippon Television is set to air a TV anime based on the current MONTHLY SHONEN JUMP manga CLAYMORE, reports Animaxis.com. The series is set to air in April 2007.

The popular fantasy epic made its debut in SHONEN JUMP in July 2001. The series follows the struggles of Claire, a Claymore -- half-human, half-monster swordswomen created to battle shape-shifting beasts.

The Japanese VOD series, BEST STUDENT COUNCIL, will premiere Dec. 28, 2006 on Anime Network.

At first glance, Miyagami Private Academy seems like a typical all-girls' school. But beneath its placid surface is a highly-disciplined student council engaged in an unceasing struggle to keep Miyagami Private Academy safe from the outside (adult) world. Complete with covert and assault divisions, all student council members have their own special abilities.

For more information, visit www.theanimenetwork.com.