Category: Anime

DZP Marketing Communications (www.dzpusa.com) has added Ray Rainville as the company's exec producer. Rainville comes to DZP following a year as the exec producer of Design VFX for post house Betelgeuse Prods, New York. At Betelgeuse, Rainville led the launch of the Betelgeuse division, BETSY Design VFX, a design/visual effects boutique.

In an effort to help its local industry produce another global sensation, the Japanese government is offering financial support to cash-strapped animation houses, reports THE JAPAN TIMES.

Anime imports into the U.S. has grown from 23 in the 1980s to 42 in the 1990s and has already reached 40 during the four years through 2003, according to a survey by the government-affiliated Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). The organization also found that the anime market in the U.S. is worth $4.36 billion, which is 3.2 times the value of Japanese exports of steel products.

ADV Films has announced its July 6, 2004 street dates. The releases include EXCEL SAGA: IMPERFECT COLLECTION, FINAL FANTASY: UNLIMITED - PHASE 7, NADIA THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER: COLLECTION 2, ALL PURPOSE CULTURAL CAT GIRL NUKU NUKU TV: NINE LIVES, THE DEVIL LADY: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION and THE SUPER MILK-CHAN SHOW: 100% WHOLE.

This week the Theatrical Release Database features new pages and two new trailers. Gaining new pages, featuring trailers, are Spike Lee's newest film SHE HATE ME and the sci-fi flick CODE 46. We also have new pages for the live-action SPEED RACER, Frank Miller's 300, Bryan Singer's remake of LOGAN'S RUN and the anime sensational APPLESEED. As well we have updated info on ZATHURA and AEON FLUX.

ACM SIGGRAPH announced the program for the Computer Animation Festival for SIGGRAPH 2004, the 31st international conference on Computer Graphics & Interactive Techniques, to be held Aug. 8-12 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The Computer Animation Festival jury chose 83 selections out of a record 643 entry for exemplary use of computer-generated imagery and compelling storytelling. There are 40 international selections and 27 student pieces in the Festival.

V12 and Panopoly Pictures are merging their respective design and production departments to form Full Circle, a the new company that will provide live-action production, branding motion graphic design and animation to clients in the feature film, commercial and broadcast arenas. Leading the joint venture are V12 founder David Hwang and Panopoly Pictures co-founder Kathryn Peaslee.

Professor Ron Morse, as part of the Asian studies program, will start a new course on anime and manga at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, reports THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL.

"Most people stop reading comic books when they're six years old," said Morse. "It's more than childish stuff. It's a serious sociological critique."

The class was spurred by the growing influx of anime in the U.S. Morse comments that serious issues such as drug addiction, prostitution and murder make anime worth studying at a university level.

4Kids Ent. has announced it has added anime series ONE PIECE to its FOX BOX lineup for this fall. ONE PIECE, from Toei Animation Co. Ltd., is one of the most popular children's animated series in Japan and took 4Kids a year of negotiating to secure the rights.