Black Rock Shooter TV Anime

Black Rock Shooter‘s official website has began streaming a new teaser trailer for the upcoming Anime series on Thursday. Only the original animation studios, Ordet and Sanzigen, along with the character designer Huke are confirmed, whilst all other staff credits and staff members are purposely obscured.

There was a promotional commercial for Black Rock Shooter TV back in August 2011, making this the first bit of promotional material since. The Anime series will premiere in Fuji TV’s Noitamina timeslot sometime during January, 2012.

Earlier in 2010 there was a Black Rock Shooter OVA released, by director Shinobu Yoshioka, along with games, and figurines. Ringo (Japanese artist) launched a four panel Black Rock-chan Manga in the inaugural issue of Kadokawa Shoten’s 4-Koma Nano Ace magazine, earlier in March, and Sanami Suzuki (Net Ghost PiPoPa) launched another Manga in Kadokawa’s Young Ace magazine, titled Black Rock Shooter ~Innocent Soul~.

You can watch the promotional video for Black Rock Shooter TV below:

Black Rock Shooter TV will apparently consist of up to 8 episodes, however the story for the series is yet unknown.

Characters that are confirmed to be in the series are Kuroi Mato, Takanashi Yomi, and Black★Gold Saw.

Akira Live Action Film Announced

It is being reported that Warner Bros. is approving a live action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s hit Manga, Akira. The movie is set to begin production in late February to early March. Variety tells us that Akira is a “potential tentpole project” (a franchise that will support a studio financially for a movie season).

The film’s story, according to popular entertaniment trade magazing, Variety: “Set in New Manhattan, the cyberpunk sci-fi epic follows the leader of a biker gang who must save his friend, discovered with potentially destructive psychokinetic abilities, from government medical experiments.”

It was also previously reported by Variety in July, that Warner Bros. had hired director Jaume Collett-Serra (House of Wax, Orphan, Unknown) to direct the film, which was classified as a “$90 million blockbuster project”. In May, Albert Hughes, the previous director left the project due to what was referred to as “creative differences”.

Last year, producer Andrew Lazar (Get Smart, Space Cowboys, Jonah Hex) hired Albert Torres to write the scripts, after screenwriters Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, and Gary Whitta were previously attached to the project.

The project was originally announced in 2008, and it was intended as Ruairi Robinson’s directional debut. The production is being handled through Leonardo DiCaprio (Shutter Island, Inception, Titanic)’s company, Appian Way.

The original Manga of Akira was set in the year 2038, where everyone is trying to gain control of a boy named Akira, who has destructive psychic abilities so powerful, he’s been kept in cryo-stasis for over 30 years. After a young biker boy, Tetsuo releases Akira, it forces everyone to make their move.

Zetman Anime Series Announced

An Anime adaptation of Katsura Masakazu’s popular “Zetman” manga has been announced along with its 16th volume.

Zetman will be directed by Osamu Nabeshima (Saint Seiya, D.Gray-Man), the scripts will be written by Atsuhiro Tomioka (Samurai 7, Pokemon, Inazuma Eleven), character design is being done by Hirotoshi Takaya (Puppet Princess, Eyeshield 21, Project ARMS), and finally, the music is being done by Italian composer Gabriele Roberto (Paco and the Magical Book, SPEC).

The Zetman Anime series will begin airing in April, 2012.

Tiger & Bunny English Dub Announced

One of North America’s leading Anime and Manga distributors (and my personal favorite dubbing company), Viz Media, confirmed at New York’s Comic Con on Sunday, that popular Superhero Anime series Tiger & Bunny will be receiving its English dub. Viz is currently still in pre-production however.

Sunrise’ Masayuki Ozaki, the General Manager of Overseas Development also said that the studio is hoping to announce their “next step” for the Tiger & Bunny franchise during their November 13 event. Sunrise revealed last month after the final episode of Tiger & Bunny aired, that it will be holding the Tiger & Bunny Hero Awards during the November 13 event, along with many of the Anime series’ main cast, and musical artists.