Today in conjunction with the release of the fourth volume of Sutahiro manga Otaku no Musume-san, a two volume drama CD set was announced! The story of a 20-something otaku who finds a daughter on his doorstep one day that he didn’t know he had has come a long way from its humble webcomic roots, currently serialized in Dragon Age and with this new Drama CD set produced by some of the best talent in the business (including the “original landlady” Shimamoto Sumi reprising her spiritual role as OnMs landlady Asou Taeko). The first CD volume is scheduled for release on June 27th at 2,940 yen. Check out the CD official site for a very funny manga promo movie as well as voice samples.

The main reason I’m posting this (other than for inherent awesomeness) is that drama CDs have traditionally paved the way to anime series, and with this as one of my favorite manga currently running the mere possibility of an anime in its future engages the engines of delicious fanboy self-delusion. We’ll keep an eye out for further news. (no more)

The June ‘08 edition of Megami Magazine was released today, and we’re here with the scoop of its contents! With poster entries from most of the bishoujo anime of the season along with several looks ahead at what we can expect in the summer it’s a pretty well-rounded issue, and though soft in a couple of parts (too much tiny Nanoha) there are a few standout offerings that make the purchase worth it in the end. Moon Phase scoops the news of a new Higurashi OVA and talks about yuri love in Koihime Musou revealed in this issue, but we’re here for the posters:

We first broke the news of a new Slayers TV anime back in February, and this evening we’re happy to report that the official site for Slayers REVOLUTION is now online! Details posted to the site reveal that the cast and staff remain unchanged from the original Slayers TV series (with the exception of J.C. STAFF now helming animation production), which is significant as it marks the return of seiyuu goddess Hayashibara Megumi to the small screen as Lina Inverse (the most recent of her increasingly infrequent TV appearances was as the childhood version of the school principal in episode nine of Manabi Straight). She will be joined by Matsumoto Yasunori as Gourry, Midorikawa Hikaru as Zelgadis, and Suzuki Masami as Amelia. Watanabe Takashi reprises his directorial role, and character design is from mangaka Araizumi Rui and Miyata Naomi. Series composition (writing) is from Takayama Jirou, who in addition to Slayers Next and Try also wrote several episodes of King Gainer. According to Moon Phase Diary the story will be a mix of elements from the original work that have yet to be animated, and material newly created expressly for the show.

I was never much of a Slayers fan back when the show was really popular, but this new incarnation looks like a lot of fun. I’ll be keeping an eye on it as development moves forward. (no more)

Via Moon Phase: The rumored report of a Toradora! anime that we mentioned last night was confirmed this morning by a post at the Forest Field blog. The news will be officially announced in the coming edition of Dengeki Bunko Magazine set for release on April 10th along with vol. 7 of the Toradora! light novel. No further details regarding the production are yet available, but we’ll be keeping an eye out. (no more)

The May 2008 issue of Megami Magazine was released today, and we’ve got a thorough review of it here! The sticker price was bumped up from the standard 780 yen to 840 yen for this issue, but it comes with a couple of great extras that more than make up for the slight price increase - a double sided pencil board brings us a look at Saber of Fate/stay night as drawn by Nanoha creator Tsuzuki Masaki, with the reverse side an illustration of Fate Testarossa by Takeuchi Takashi. Other extras include large Clannad and Shana posters and an alternate cover for Nanoha StrikerS manga vol. 2, as well as the continuation of Ditama Bow’s Yotsunoha manga. Oh, and there are lots of great posters, too. :3

Via Moon Phase Diary: Today an animated version of the story of Megumi Yokota was released for free download by the Japanese Government Abduction Issue Countermeasure Headquarters (政府拉致問題対策本部), an agency that works to resolve the issue of North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens (an official explanation can be found here). It’s a 25 minute short “documentary anime” that covers Megumi’s life from birth through abduction and the subsequent unresolved quest to determine her fate, and seems to have received some budget as the film was simultaneously released dubbed in four languages (Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean). I downloaded the English version first expecting subtitles, and was greeted by a truly awful dub - I shut it down as soon as Megumi’s mom went into labor and decided to watch the Japanese version instead.

This is a fascinating piece from several angles, both as a look at the rare intersection of documentary and anime narrative forms, and in light of its overtly political / propagandistic nature. It’s something I’m sure a visual anthropologist would have a field day dissecting - Moeyo’s initial response is “for this topic, is it really alright to give Megumi such a moe design?” An interesting question, in light of the film’s purpose. (no more)

The official Sekirei manga site at Square-Enix’s Young Gangan Magazine brought the announcement last night: as previously rumored, the bishoujo fighting-themed manga from Gokurakuin Sakurako (Ashika Sakura) will become an anime some time this year! It will be directed by Kusakawa Keizou (recent directorial work includes Nanoha StrikerS and Inukami), script from Yoshioka Takawo (Sky Girls, Ikkitousen Dragon Destiny, Zero no Tsukaima), character design from Tomooka Shinpei (Inukami), and animation production from Seven Arcs (the Nanoha series, Inukami, SHAFT’s Negima, Red Garden, Zero no Tsukaima II, Da Capo II, the Yakin Byoutou series). The official anime website will be at Sekirei TV.com when it’s established; we’ll be keeping a close eye out for further news on the series as it develops. Update: The show’s official site is now online, and while it doesn’t offer much information beyond what we already knew we do get a first look at the anime character designs, and the cover of the 6th volume of the manga, due out on March 25th. (no more)

The new series based on the Masamune Shirow Appleseed manga is to be called Appleseed Genesis and will be directed by Romanov Higa and feature the voice talent of Paku Romi, according to Moon Phase and the series listing on the Tokyo International Anime Fair website. This is all we know about the series at present, but more details should appear leading up to the TIAF stage event on March 30th and we’ll be keeping an eye out for them. (no more)

Via Moon Phase: Word is in from the official Wright Staff president’s blog that Tanaka Yoshiki’s serial novel Titania is to receive an anime adaptation. Titania is described in its Japanese Wikipedia article as:

Humanity’s advance has spread colonies through out the breadth of the vast universe, but the majority of them are under the control of the Titania family. In the year 446 of the star calendar, trouble arises surrounding one of the family’s special interests in the galactic city-state of Eulia. They send in a force to repress the uprising, but it is unexpectedly driven back.

Using this conflict as an opportunity, groups discontented with the Titania hegemony begin to move. Coupled with discord sown internally among the family members, an era of strife and terrible upheaval is ushered in for the galaxy.

Beginning in 1988 three volumes of the Titania novel have been published to date. Those familiar with Tanaka’s earlier work to receive anime versions such as Legend of the Galactic Heroes and The Heroic Legend of Arslan will no doubt find this an interesting development; we’ll be watching for further details on what could be the next great space opera anime. Update: Iwa ni Hana brought news two days ago regarding a manga adaptation of Titania as well. Their coverage has more information about the title as it relates to Legend of the Galactic Heroes; definitely worth a quick read. (no more)

We revisit the hallowed posteriffic pages of Megami Magazine for the first time in a few months to find a very solid issue indeed, including offerings from Shana II, Clannad, Aria, Kimiaru, Nanoha, Spice and Wolf, To Heart 2, Kanokon, Minami-ke, Gunslinger Girls, Kimikiss, Bamboo Blade, Yotsunoha, Rosario to Vampire, Ikkitousen Great Guardians, and more. Is it just me, or is there more nekkidness in this issue than in the past year’s lot combined? See below for a preview:

Via Moon Phase and Kadokawa’s exhibitor entry at the Tokyo International Anime Fair website: according to the April edition of Newtype magazine (on sale March 10th), a theatrical version of the Gurren Lagann TV anime is currently in the planning stages of production. No details of the project are currently known, but Moon Phase speculates that it might be similar to the Top wo Nerae! theatrical release in that it would combine new animated sequences with brushed up material from the TV series to present a condensed version of the story. We’ll keep an eye on this as further information comes to light. (no more)

Via Moon Phase: The Kanzaka Hajime official fan club is reporting that Slayers is to receive a new TV anime adaptation! It will feature an original story and be divided into two cours of ~12-13 episodes each. Direction will be from Watanabe Takashi, with animation production from J.C. Staff. The voice cast is reported to have “no significant changes.”

This news is still officially rumor until it can be corroborated with the upcoming release of Dragon Magazine, but the official fan club source seems credible enough. (no more)

Via Moon Phase Diary: The promotional dust jacket cover (”obi”) from volume 14 of the Trigun Maximum manga [AA] brings the news that a Trigun animated feature film is currently in production! It will feature an original story developed by manga author Yasuhiro Nightow and director Nishimura Satoshi who collaborated with Nightow on the Trigun TV series and is also known for his work on the Hajime no Ippo anime. The script will be helmed by veteran anime writer Kobayashi Yasuko, with character designs from Yoshimura Takahiro (an unknown?) and animation production from Madhouse. The tagline reads: “Vash vs. Wolfwood?! The familiar characters erupt on screen in an all-original Trigun story!” As a fan of the original TV series I’ll be keeping a close eye out as this project develops… (no more)

The official Dengeki Comic Gao website was updated with the news that the April 2008 issue of the magazine, on sale today, will be its last. A translation of the message posted to the site follows:

“With this issue GAO’s publication will be suspended. We would like to thank our readers for enjoying the magazine over its 15 year history. Works currently serialized in GAO will be moved to a new magazine. Please continue to watch the development of manga artists and works that were born and grew up in these pages. This page will be updated again in early April.”

It seems the earlier news to this effect was correct; it remains to be seen exactly how the currently running manga will be currently divided among MediaWorks’ other magazines, but it seems likely that Daioh will absorb the lion’s share. (no more)

The cover of the April 2008 edition of Comic Gum makes the announcement that Ikkitousen will be returning in a third series, entitled “Great Guardians”! Moon Phase Diary brings details regarding the anime staff and cast, which seem nearly identical to that of the second season (Dragon Destiny); the official anime site is scheduled for an update on February 25th to reflect the news, and the series is scheduled to air on TV this summer. April ‘08 Comic Gum cover image and inner magazine scoop below:

Via Moon Phase Diary: according to an advertisement in this month’s Dengeki Daioh, sister magazine Dengeki Comic Gao is to see an indefinite suspension of publication, presumably beginning after this month’s issue (due out on the 27th). Several of the manga currently serialized in Gao will begin running in Daioh, including Venus Versus Virus, Wagaya no Oinari-sama, Kemeko Deluxe, ef - a fairy tale of the two, and Gurren Lagann; the others will presumably end or suspend their runs with the next issue of the magazine. It seems a bit odd that the magazine’s official site shows no sign of the move, so we’ll keep an eye out for the next few days to make sure this information is accurate. (no more)

Another site we’ve had our eye on that’s been brewing behind the scenes for several months has finally come online: Akibanana. It opened last week around the same time as the new English Akiba Blog, and already has a decent body of a dozen or so posts online on topics ranging from Lucky Star and Haruhi to cat cafes and robot soccer. With the field of English language news and coverage of Akihabara-related events becoming more crowded I’m not sure where Akibanana will find their niche, but I wish them the best - those seeking a more detailed primer on the site can find it over at