Animated News
Dattebayo to Stop Fansubbing Naruto on January 15
The fan group Dattebayo has announced that it will stop subtitling and distributing the Naruto anime franchise “permanently” on January 15. That date is when the Naruto.com, Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Joost websites will officially begin streaming the latest episodes of the Naruto Shippūden sequel series one week after their Japanese broadcast — for free. A Dattebayo organizer who uses the alias “Interactii” says that an episode of Naruto Shippūden would get 450,000 downloads from Dattebayo in its first week. According to Dattebayo, the group accumulated 976,405 downloads for episode 20 in 489 days.
“Interactii” notes that Viz Media, the North American distributor of the Naruto anime and manga , had never asked Dattebayo to stop subtitling and had never sent a cease-and-desist letter to the group. He continues, “But like any symbiosis, you have to know when its time to move on. That time has come. Viz and Crunchyroll have gotten their acts together and are trying something new, with one of the most popular shows in anime today. I, and the rest of the staff, know that if we continue to subtitle it, they will have to ask us to stop. That’s something they probably don’t want to have to do, because it will most likely make all of you very mad at them. That’s something they really don’t deserve.”
Crap! …but I have to agree.
Anime News Network Streams Kite: Liberator. For nuthin’!
Also: Russian Government Censors to Investigate GTO Anime
Russia’s governmental censorship committee is investigating the local television showings of the GTO anime series for allegedly including gratuitous, frequent use of “close-ups of the lower half of female bodies, child pornography, sexual abnormalities, violence, cruel acts,” and other issues. Rossvyazkomnadzor committee member Vladimir Annushkin requested the investigation and claimed, “[GTO] was not overtly created as such, but it has become pedophiliac propaganda.” He also claimed that the anime makes the viewers think that prostitution and theft are all right because it deals with these themes in a completely humorous light.
Yes, and we all know how innocent and naive the Russian people are.
I have to say, I’m pretty amazed that anime and manga have been in the United States this long, and have become as popular as they have without more parents or principles or librarians stating their outrage about the depictions of sex or nudity or whatnot. I mean just one revelation of a teacher finding a 14 year old reading Ranma 1/2 during school you’d think would cause a huge to-do if it got out to the media, and there’s not even any sex in that, just a lot of breast flashing. I guess the fact that it’s still not really mainstream is what has saved anime from becoming someone’s “cause.” And I guess parents have little enough interest in what’s in an innocent-looking girls’ comic to ever find out that teenagers screw left and right in those things.
GrinfilledCelt:
Anime News Network Streams Kite: Liberator. For nuthin’!
I’m sure you’ve seen this before. Is it worth watching?
Fata Morgana: And I guess parents have little enough interest in what’s in an innocent-looking girls’ comic to ever find out that teenagers screw left and right in those things.
I agree that it’s kind of surprising that aminoo has yet to become someone’s strawman along the lines of GTA or metal music or even the Teletubbies, but on the other hand, is it really that bad? I don’t know what you’re reading, but it seems that most of the stuff that comes over here (which isn’t explicitly marketed as pornography) will have Barbie nudity and innuendo but not much beyond that, as far as teenagers go. I think the industry has been fairly responsible (voluntary content ratings) and self-censoring (the Kodomo no Jikan incident) too, which helps.
Albright:
GrinfilledCelt:
Anime News Network Streams Kite: Liberator. For nuthin’!I’m sure you’ve seen this before. Is it worth watching?
Actually, I’ve seen it since. It’s not bad. It’s kind of nice to watch something in English for a change. The ending is very unsatisfactory. It’s like someone said, “Okay, that’s enough. We’ve hit sixty minutes, stop drawing.”
Albright:
Fata Morgana: And I guess parents have little enough interest in what’s in an innocent-looking girls’ comic to ever find out that teenagers screw left and right in those things.
I agree that it’s kind of surprising that aminoo has yet to become someone’s strawman along the lines of GTA or metal music or even the Teletubbies, but on the other hand, is it really that bad? I don’t know what you’re reading, but it seems that most of the stuff that comes over here (which isn’t explicitly marketed as pornography) will have Barbie nudity and innuendo but not much beyond that, as far as teenagers go. I think the industry has been fairly responsible (voluntary content ratings) and self-censoring (the Kodomo no Jikan incident) too, which helps.
It depends entirely what you mean by “bad.” I mean, you’re talking like parental and lobby groups somehow take a reasonable stance on nudity and sex and voluntary ratings. Were that so, no parent group would ever complain about Grand Theft Auto, since legally it can’t be sold to kids. But still people say “Won’t someone please think of the children?!” I think if the average parent read something like say, Kare Kano, they would be shocked and wouldn’t let their teenager near it. And as far as the sex scenes go, they are pretty mild and tasteful. Though I think the question of the main character possibly being raped by the man that she will marry by the end of the series would cause more than a little furor. Hot Gimmick is another one that I would think would cause a huge uproar. Not only sex scenes and above-the-waist nudity, but the main character is basically molested into becoming a boy’s sexual plaything until she decides that she’s in love with him and then eventually becomes his fiance. (yeah, reeeeal healthy relationship). Despite being rated “teen”, in my opinion that story should not be allowed within reach of any teenager, not because of the sex, but because of the message about relationships.
Not all girls’ comics are that bad, but those are two very popular ones. And for most over-protective parents, people in the 15-16 year old range having sex is bad enough, and sends the wrong kind of message to their kids.
Fata Morgana:
I have to say, I’m pretty amazed that anime and manga have been in the United States this long, and have become as popular as they have without more parents or principles or librarians stating their outrage about the depictions of sex or nudity or whatnot. I mean just one revelation of a teacher finding a 14 year old reading Ranma 1/2 during school you’d think would cause a huge to-do if it got out to the media, and there’s not even any sex in that, just a lot of breast flashing. I guess the fact that it’s still not really mainstream is what has saved anime from becoming someone’s “cause.” And I guess parents have little enough interest in what’s in an innocent-looking girls’ comic to ever find out that teenagers screw left and right in those things.
Manga-wise, I think it’s because most parents and librarians don’t really check what kids are reading, and are usually just glad that they are reading. Probably just thinking “they really love reading those Pokemon comic books.” Heck, when I was nine or so I was checking out trashy Christopher Pike/R.L. Stine/other novels from the library and no one ever noticed or said anything.
Anime is harder to hide… but is usually censored on America TV (or never even shown).
Though, recently I was at a local library looking for some books I needed for research and noticed they had a large manga section. Saw “GetBackers” and decided to check it out since I had read the first few chapters a few years ago. While I was reading the first volume I noticed a few pages were torn out, but assumed it was probably done by some kids who checked it out. However, as I read more I slowly began to notice it was always the “suggestive” scenes that were torn out. So I guess it was either someone censoring it, or possibly kids using it as wanking material.
Also, I sorta recall seeing news articles on ANN about parents getting upset after finding their children reading specific manga.
Guess what’s back in the news? Ann Has posted two editorial articles about manga censorship here and here. Careful what you wish for, eh?
…Picture people from four different state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies deciding—deciding by coming into your house, today, with a search warrant. Picture them doing that while you’re standing right there, while your neighbors are wondering about all the police cars outside, going through your entire collection of manga, artbooks and anime—packing them up, carting them off for inspection. Wait a minute—do they say all of them contain “obscene” content? Oh, by no means. They’re saying only a few of them do. And not even the entire manga among those few. Just some drawings in them, here and there.
Picture being handcuffed and booked and told you may now go to prison for twenty years…over some drawings in your manga, here and there.
What’s just been described isn’t some drama that exists only in flames on the net, and it’s not fear mongering—some nightmare scenario that might someday happen in reality. It already has happened in reality, to a manga fan in America named Christopher Handley. It’s still happening to him right now, as he prepares for this case.
Chilling stuff and likely to become commonplace if we don’t fight it now.
GrinfilledCelt:
Guess what’s back in the news? Ann Has posted two editorial articles about manga censorship here and here. Careful what you wish for, eh?Chilling stuff and likely to become commonplace if we don’t fight it now.
Yeah, I was considering if I should link that here.
In the second to last paragraph of the Jason Thompson one, he links to the cases that I mentioned ANN had reported on in the past.
Just finished reading all that. (GFC, did you write “Ann Has” instead of “ANN has” on purpose? I kept scanning thorough the article trying to figure out who Ann Has was before I figured out what u did thar.)Definitely some spooky stuff. Those of you who read ANN regularly (I must admit I don’t), please keep us up to date here on further developments.
The Powerpuff Girls, which ended its run three years ago, will finally be airing a posthumous special which was in the works for years. CN will be airing the special on January 19.
Source: Series creator Craig McCracken
Oh brother. Were they worried about being outclasslessed by Harold and Kumar or something?
What did anime catalogs from 1984 look like? Find out in Let’s Buy Anime Stuff - 80s Style! Dig those prices on tapes (you could specify VHS or Beta). The rest of the blog has interesting stuff about the days before everyone and their aunt knew what anime was - see also this article about the early days of the now practically dead institution of groupings of social outcasts which came to be known as “anime clubs.”
New trailer for FusionFall, CN’s upcoming MMO featuring characters from its properties.
Who the hell is that at 0:24? It looks like anime-styled Buttercup, especially given the background… does CN have the rights to that Powerpuff Girls Z series?!
Ars Technica tests FusionFall and comes away impressed. They also report about a new steampunk-themed Mickey Mouse game in the works.
Ramen Fighter Miki being streamed at ANN is pretty funny.
If you can stand all the blatant fan service, episode two of High Schools Girls are Idiots is up, too.
GrinfilledCelt:
Ramen Fighter Miki being streamed at ANN is pretty funny.
It was pretty bizarre, but ultimately watchable, I guess.
If you can stand all the blatant fan service, episode two of [Girls’ High] is up, too.
Wow, it’s like Azumanga Daioh beaten with a hammer until nearly unrecognizable and then coated with an opaque layer of shit. I thought a beneficial side effect of the collapse of the anime market would be that nobody would bother to license inconsequential pap like this anymore…
Here’s something that should interest you Mecha-heads out there:
Sunrise Plans for Gundam Anime’s 30th Anniversary
posted on 2008-12-31 15:20 EST
Events, products promised; creator Tomino, studio head Uchida offer thoughts
Sunrise has launched a website on New Year’s Day to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Gundam robot war anime franchise. The first Gundam series premiered in Japan on April 7, 1979. The anniversary website promises to commemorate the occasion with events and new products. Gundam creator and director Yoshiyuki Tomino provides his perspective on the anniversary, as does the newly promoted Sunrise president and Gundam producer, Kenji Uchida.
Jericho:
I’ll be excited if/when they produce a grittier series more in keeping with 08th MS Team or the UC stuff. There’s only so much bullshit from SEED or 00’s uber-Gundams that I can put up with.
QFT. Hell, re-air the ‘79 series again!
“And while we’re dreaming, I’d like a pony.” — Susie Derkins
Afro Samurai: Resurrection’s U.S. TV Premiere Dated
The American television network Spike TV has announced that the Afro Samurai: Resurrection movie’s premiere is set for Sunday, January 25. Spike TV premiered Gonzo’s first television anime adaptation of Takashi Okazaki’s original manga in January of 2007. In the Resurrection sequel, Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill) and Mark Hamill (Star Wars) have joined Samuel L. Jackson on the cast. RZA will also return to provide the soundtrack . Funimation is collaborating on the production and merchandising, and it will ship the eventual DVD release on February 3. The cast was announced at Comic-Con International in San Diego last July.
You know those pictures you see that are holiday greetings with original artwork from your favorite anime? ANN has a list of 48 links to the ones for this year.
It’s the year of the Ox (or Cow). This one is from Studio Ghibli:
January 26th, 2009 is Chinese New Year.
Now it’s official. This is very bad at boding. Soon millions more people will think that Cowboy Bebop, anime and Keanu Reeves suck and they’ll only be right about one of them.
GrinfilledCelt:
Now it’s official. This is very bad at boding. Soon millions more people will think that Cowboy Bebop, anime and Keanu Reeves suck and they’ll only be right about one of them.
Um… Yeah, that’s old news.
Afro Samurai: Resurrection, the animated television movie sequel to 2007’s Afro Samurai mini-series, runs on America’s Spike TV network on Sunday at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Spike TV premiered Gonzo’s first television anime adaptation of Takashi Okazaki’s original manga in January of 2007. In the Resurrection sequel, Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill) and Mark Hamill (Star Wars) joins Samuel L. Jackson on the cast. RZA also returns to provide the soundtrack. Funimation is collaborating on the production and merchandising, and it will ship the eventual DVD release on February 3. The cast was announced at Comic-Con International in San Diego last July.
Bones’ Sword of the Stranger Film Opens in U.S. Today
The Sword of the Stranger samurai anime film opens in more than 360 American theaters for one day only tonight. The digital cinema company NCM Fathom has posted a complete list of participating theaters on its website. The film’s North American licensee, Bandai Entertainment, is attaching a behind-the-scenes featurette on the acclaimed anime studio BONES and an exclusive interviews with the English voice actors on all the screenings.
The project is the newest film from BONES of Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop, and Fullmetal Alchemist fame. The film centers on a nameless samurai (“Nanashi”) and the boy he vows to protect from pursuing feudal factions. It received the Menzione Speciale recognition at Italy’s Future Film Festival this past weekend.
The director Masahiro Ando worked on the animation of Cowboy Bebop: The Movie and Fullmetal Alchemist, while screenwriter Fumihiko Takayama is best known for directing Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket and Patlabor WXIII. Composer Naoki Sato (Eureka Seven, X) won a Japanese Academy Award for his Always: Sunset on Third Street soundtrack.
Take note: It’s ONE NIGHT ONLY and that night is tonight. I’m going. =0)
