Today, trailer of the live-action adaption of Ai Ore! gets streamed, Digimon World Re:Digitize to spawn manga adaption, and Nana Mizuki’s new song will appear in Blood-C The Last Dark.

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Today, AM2 announces more guests, Shinichi Ishizuka’s Gaku manga comes to an end, and Steins;Gate will not be getting a movie this fall.

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  This year1s highly anticipated summer event, AM2, June 15-17, 2012 that will be held in sunny Southern California (Anaheim, California) proudly announces the attendance of Japanese animator, designer and director (recipient of the 11th Animation Kobe/Individual award in 2006) Hiroshi Nagahama as an official 2012 Guest of Honor. Nagahama-san has been involved with some of the most popular animes of our time including FRUITS BASKET, MUSHISHI, REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA, X-MEN and DETROIT METAL CITY. More info and convention registration can be found at www.am2con.org

  Hiroshi Nagahama started his career at MADHOUSE as a mechanical designer for (THE) COCKPIT and was also a part of the production staff for AZUKI-CHAN. After leaving MADHOUSE, he became a freelancer and worked on the conceptual design for the REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA series and the storyboard writer and animation director for SEXY COMMAND-GAIDEN SUGOIYO! MASARU-SAN and OJAMARU. Nagahama-san was also involved with DORAEMON, POKEMON, FRUITS BASKET, KIMI NI TODOKE, X-MEN and was also the director for the highly acclaimed MUSHISHI (TV Series), DETROIT METAL CITY and HATSUNE MIKU music videos “DOWNLOADER” and “CHIME”.

  “We are so honored to have Nagahama-san join us at AM2,” states Convention Representative Chase Wang, “His talent is amazing, and our attendees will have an amazing time getting to know the man who has been involved with some of the most popular recent animes. Get your Passports today and join the fun!”

  3 Day Passport Holders that also stay within the official hotel room block will be treated to a “private” panel/meet-and-greet with Guests of Honor during the convention?the official hotel is the Anaheim Hilton Hotel.

  Please note that ALL Guest of Honor activities (i.e. panels, autographs, appearances, etc.) are ALL Passport preferred activities. There will also be a private Meet & Greet event for each Guest of Honor EXCLUSIVELY for Attendees that are 3 Day Passport Holders and Anaheim Hilton Room Block Attendees (room key proof is required).

  Please note that ALL film premiere events (i.e. ACE ATTORNEY, KAIBUTSU-KUN, KAIJI 2, etc.) will consist of an initial First screening (Passport ONLY & Hotel Priority) and a 2nd Screening (Passport Preferred & General Audience). All screenings are based upon seat availability.

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Today, MangaGamer announces guests for Anime Expo, Anime News Network announces a Book of Bantorra Collection 1 and 2 giveaway, and Section23 Films announces its August releases.

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  May 15th, 2012–We at MangaGamer are proud to announce some of our guests for Anime Expo 2012!

  This year at Anime Expo, we’ll be having our friends at OVERDRIVE joining us once again! The president of OVERDRIVE, Bamboo, will be with us as usual along with their artist, Katakura Shinji, who will be offering autographed Dengeki Stryker shikishi (art-boards) this year! In addition, they’ll also be joined by a special guest: the voice actress Tamiyasu Tomoe, who played Yayoi in DEARDROPS, in addition to many of her other roles. She’ll be signing autographs at our booth during the limited time she’s there, so make sure you’re following us on twitter to find out when those times are!

  We’ll also be presenting something very unique this year: an exhibition of eroge artwork! We’ll be bringing in all kinds of cels, rough sketches, line art, etc. from various different companies and games to put on display. So come on by, enjoy a glimpse at the work which goes into your favorite eroge, and help yourself to some pictures of these rare items!

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  HOUSTON, TX ? May 15, 2012 ? In celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, Anime Network invites fans to enter this summer’s hit series Book of Bantorra promotional giveway. The first 13 episodes of this hit series are now airing on Video on Demand and Xfinity’s Top Picks.

  Successful entrants will watch the first six episodes of Book of Bantorra now through June 30 and visit the Book of Bantorra Contest Page to answer a few simple questions.

  Book of Bantorra is among four anime titles featured in May’s Xfinity Top Picks section celebrating Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, Anime Network. Along with Angel Beats, Elfen Lied and Infinite Stratos, Book of Bantorra was selected because they represent the unique use of colorful illustration, pop music and storytelling indicative of the Japanese art form that has grown in worldwide popularity.

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  HOUSTON, May 15, 2012 – Home video distributor Section23 Films today announced its August slate of releases; including THIS BOY CAN FIGHT ALIENS. Written and created by director Soubi Yamamoto, the newest and most innovating creator in the anime field, and produced by CoMix Wave Inc., THIS BOY CAN FIGHT ALIENS will be released on DVD & BLU-RAY by Section23 client, Sentai Filmworks.

Today, Kaigai Manga Fest, Akiba Showroom, and Dir en Grey Documentary!

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Today, where are Mangaka-san and Assistant-san, Hero Live Special includes PreCure, and PreCure Musou is a lie?

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Today, Nico Nico Super Kaigi Convention loses 400 million yen, Kimi ni Todoke has 20 million plus in profits, and the first day of the Super Junior Super Show 4 concert draws 50,000 fans.

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Today, Anime Expo to showcase Animetal USA’s first American concert, Sony stock falls lowest in over 31 years, and Street Fighter X Tekken is coming to Windows PC.

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It’s that time on Merry Melodies where we take a look at the more recent openings that Christmas bases his watch list on. At the top of that list, we have a great opening from a great series!

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I’ve often mentioned how hard it is for me to keep up on newer series due to the sheer volume of titles I decide to watch. Jormungand is one of the series that stands out enough for me to keep up with it, and I’m proud to say that not only am I caught up, but I got Cerulaine to do so as well, which is a big deal for her since she doesn’t watch a whole lot of anime. It’s a very entertaining series for those of you who liked watch Black Lagoon. Less swearing, but at least twice as many guns. Not to mention Koko has all the wacky antics you could ask for from a slightly insane weapons dealer.

In order to learn more about how a series works, you watch the opening animation. What does this one tell you the series is about? Guns, and lots of them. Jormungand revolves around the weapons dealer Koko, her child soldier bodyguard Jonah, and the rest of their merry band of misfits. Each has their own unique talents, my favorites are the eyepatch knife chick and the old dude sniper.

I knew right from the start I would love Jormungand for one reason: Mami Kawada. Every series that mami Kawada does an opening for is amazing. Borderland is no exception to the rule, taking Mami’s style and putting a nice techno feel to it. Not a whole lot of heavy guitar like in some songs that I really enjoy, but this is probably my favorite Mami Kawada song, at least until I get sick of it from playing it over and over.

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QUESTION TIME! Borderland is at the top of my Spring 2012 song list, but what about you guys? Next week we’ll take a look at my second favorite, so look out for that

You can watch Jormungand over on Funimation! While you’re at it, use our new Anime Directory to help you watch other stuff! http://bit.ly/AnimeDirectory

Today, Right Stuf! announces plan to re-publish Hetalia Axis Powers, May’n comes stateside, and Sharlto Copley will play the main villain in Spike Lee’s remake of Old Boy.

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  May’n (Accel World, Macross Frontier) to release new album on USA iTunes

  May 4, 2012 – J-Pop superstar May’n will release her recent albums “HEAT” and “If you…” in the USA iTunes music store on May 16, in conjunction with the singer’s upcoming American tour.

  May’n's latest release “HEAT” (2012) reached Oricon’s Top 10 in its first week of release, including recent Japanese anime theme songs “Brain Diver” (Phi Brain) and “Scarlet Ballet” (Aria the Scarlet Ammo / Hidan no Aria), plus “Giant Step” from her collaboration song for Kamen Rider Fourze.

  “If you…” (2011) features more songs from the vocalist’s catalog of popular Japanese anime/game/movie tie-ins, including “Ready! Go!” (Okami-san and her Seven Companions), “Moshimo kimi ga Negau no Nara” (Valkyria Chronicles 3: Unrecorded Chronicles), and “Shinjitemiru” (Incite Mill – 7 Day Death Game).

  May’n's most recent anime theme song “Chase the world” (from Accel World) will also be available for purchase on May 16.

  ROCK YOUR BEATS – USA Tour

  May’n will return to America in June 2012 for two live performances in Los Angeles and San Francisco. May’n will perform with a live band and meet American fans at a special autograph session for VIP ticket holders.

  Thursday, June 21 – Key Club, Los Angeles Saturday, June 23 – Yoshi’s, San Francisco

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If you have been any form of anime fan in the past fifty years, odds are you’ve at least heard of Lupin the Third. If you haven’t, just say you have to prevent immediate execution. Starting as a manga in 1967, this series has managed to find its way into almost every medium possible. Today we look at the most recent installation, the ongoing show “The Woman Called Fujiko Mine.”

After a minute and a half of a woman speaking dubbed over shots of a naked woman, we get into our show. Lupin is spying on a wedding of some crazy preacher who during the ceremony mass drugs his crowd with his mystic powers. Before the kiss, the bride slips a pill into her mouth, which she puts in the preachers mouth during it. The couple then heads to the secret room in the palace.

The preacher passes out from the drug, and Lupin sets off an explosion in the palace. Lupin walks in on the passed out preacher, and the bride pulls a gun on him. Before anything can happen though, the preacher cages and drugs the two, knocking them out.

Relaxing in his harem, the preacher decides to have the two executed in the morning. After waking up, the two grudgingly share their knowledge of each other as thieves. Fujiko also reveals how the preacher’s drug works, saying that her goal was to steal the drug to sell on the streets, as was Lupin’s. Fujiko strips to try and seduce Lupin, then trips the alarm and tells the guards Lupin tried to ravage her. While he gets dragged away, she subsequently seduces the remaining guard.

The next morning the two prisoners are executed. However it is revealed that Fujiko had the guard take her place, and Lupin used a dummy. Before running away, Lupin challenges Fujiko to see who can get the drugs first.

Back at the harem, Fujiko disguised as a belly dancer uses a sleeping drug to knock out the women. She reveals that the preacher’s drug is combined with chemicals then painted on the skin, and rubbed off to be used on the subjects. She forces the preacher to take her to the drug room, but is ambushed by guards when she gets there. Lupin from the other side of the door opens the chamber and brings her in, then locks it from the inside.

Fujiko shoots Lupin with glow in the dark lipstick and cuts the power, allowing her to shoot at him in the dark. Lupin bests her, and the police arrive at the island, led by Inspector Zenigata chasing after Lupin. The preacher sets the island to sink itself, but Lupin escapes by attaching rockets to the pure-drug statue and flying away. Fujiko shoots down Lupin, sending the drug to be dissolved in the ocean, which the island citizens desperately run into to soak in the pure drug.

While driving away, Fujiko notices that Lupin left a calling card on her stating he will steal her. Lupin sees her as the cure to his boredom, and promises to get her next time they meet.