The Anime Network has announced that they have signed with Bresnan in the Midwest, Hawaiian Telecom in Hawaii, BendBroadband in Oregon, BELD Broadband in Massachusetts, and Volcano Vision in California.  This will bring the network into 200,000 more homes.  The Anime Network is now available on all of the carriers except Hawaiian Telecom and Volcano Vision where it will start on July 1st.

The producers of Rebuild of Evangelion have decided to make Hikaru Utada's "Beautiful World" the first movies opening theme.  The movie's trailer also uses Utada's cover of "Fly Me to the Moon" which was the ending theme to the original Evangelion series.

Evangelion:1.0 You are (Not) Alone will open in Japanese theatres on September 1st.

Episode 28 is now available.  Enjoy.

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The show notes can be found here

Right Stuf International has a number of panels at this weekends Anime Expo.  They are:

Right Stuf Industry Panel - 2 PM on Sat. June 30th
The Third: The Girl With The Blue Eye Premiere - 11 AM on Sun. July 1st
Many other screenings throughout the weekend

Fantasia in Montreal, Canada will be showing Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society, Naruto The Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, and Takkonkinkreet during their July 5th-23rd festival.  You can find their website here which has more details.

G4techTV Canada has announced six more Geneon titles being added to it's current anime programming.  Serieal Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze will premiere at 8:00PM and 8:30 PM EST on July 21st.  Last Exile and Tokyo Underground will premiere at 8:00 PM and 8:30PM EST on July 22nd.  Ergo Proxy will premiere at 8:00 PM EST on July 26th.  Paranoia Agenct will premiere at 8:00 PM on July 27th.

Viz Media has announced that they will be releasing the first volume of Death Note on November 20th.  It will come as both a regular edition for $24.98 and a Collector's Edition for $39.98.  The Collector's Edition will be limited to 15,000 copies and will include a figure of Ryuk.  Both editions will come with 4 episodes.

Following volumes will come out at a rate of 1 per month as both a standard and limited edition with figure.

Sega Toys has announced that they are developing a device that is based on the Magi Computer from Neon Genesis Evangelion.  Named "Handy Magi System" the device will allow useres to ask it a question and give them a positive or negative response.  A positive response will be delivered by the voice of Misato Katuragi while a negative response will be delivered by Ritsuko Akagi.  The device will go on sale in Japan on October 6th for a price of 1,029 yen (approx. $9 US).

ADV Films has announced that they have acquired the six episode Project Blue Earth SOS.  The mini series is an alternate history of mankind in the year 2000 after the creation of the G-Reaction engine, but before an alien invasion.

We received a press release today from Yuricon announcing that they will be working with Media Blasters to present a Simoun Cosplay Contest in honor of Media Blasters upcoming release of Simoun.  This will be part of Yuricon 2007's Yurisai event. 

To be part of the contest all you have to do is register for Yurisai at http://yc07.eventbrite.com/.  Then you can sign up for the costume contest Yurisai itself.  You can find the cosplay guidelines at http://www.yuricon.org/events/07Cosplay.html

You can find more information about Yuricon 2007 at http://www.yuricon.org

Anime Expo has announced that Hiroshi Nagahama, best known as the director of Mushi-Shi, will be attending the convention as a guest of Funimation.  This is his second visit to Anime Expo which he also attended last year.  Funimation has licensed Mushi-Shi and will be releasing the first DVD on July 31st.

Gonzo has  announced that it will be screening two subtitled episodes of Romeo x Juliet on July 1st at Anime Expo.  It will take place in Room 203A of the Convention Center.

Gonzo is also hosing a special fan event, but has made no further announcements at this time.

Viz Media has announced that TotalVid.com will be offering Death Note as a part of it's subscription plan, as well as in it's download to own option as of June 28th.  The first 16 episodes of Death Note will be available for $9.95 for the monthly subscriptions or as permanent downloads for $1.99 per episode.  New episodes will be added weekly.  TotalVid is only available to people using Windows, Internet Explorer, and Windows Media Player.

According to Diamond Previews, Infinity Studios will release Kyohaku Dogs by Shaa in September.  It is a story about "Hachiko" Setsuna who blackmails "Mad Dog" Keiji into being her obedient "pet".

Otakon has announced that Ryuhei Kitamura will be a guest at their convention this year.  Kitamura is the director of many films including Azumi, Godsilla: Final wars, Sky High, Versus, and the movie footage for Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.  His most recent movie is an adaptation of Cliver Barker's Midnight Meat Train.

Right Stuf Inc has made the first episode of The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye available for free online.  You can watch the first episode here until Sunday, July 1st.  The first volume of the series will be released on July 31st.

Diamond Previews shows that Go! Comi will be releasing Volume 1 of A.I Revolution by Yuu Asami.  Originally Studio Ironcat was going to release the series back in 2003 but stopped importing manga due to financial trouble before it's release.

Diamond Previews also shows that CMX will be releasing Presents by Kanako Inuki in September.

Otakon has announced that Hitoshi Sakimoto and Eminence Symphony Orchestra will be guests at this years convention. 

Sakimoto is best known for composing the music for Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and Final Fantasy XII.  He also wrote the music of Kaleido Star: Legend of Phoenix and romeo x Juliet. 

Eminence is a string quintet that will be performing video game and anime music at Otakon.  They will be performing arrangements from .hack, Gundam Seed, Princess Mononoke, Laputa - Castle in the Sky, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Noir, My Neighbor Totoro, Chrono Cross, Xenosaga, and reprising their work from Romeo x Juliet.

ADV has announced that they have the rights to the 26-episode series Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpucho.  Originally a Playstation game, Tokyo Majin is the story of students with mystical powers battling demonic legends.  The license includes both the first 14-episode season and the upcoming Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpucho: Tou 2nd Act which will premiere on July 27th in Japan.

AnimeNEXT 2007 announced that it will be hosting Toyo Ikeda from Gonzo and Daisuke Gomi from SKY Perfect Well Think Co., Ltd as guests at their convention.  Both are producers of the anime Romeo x Juliet.  Ikeda also worked on Gate Keepers and Kaleido Star while Gomi has worked on Initial D, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and Samurai 7.

Otakon has announced that AAA will be performing at the convention.  AAA is best known for "Blood on Fire" which is the theme to the live-action Initial D Movie.

Broccoli will be hosting Yuuna Inamura (Galaxy Angel Rune), Sumire Nanohana (Galaxy Angel II novelist), and Takaaki Kidani (producer of Galaxy Angel) at Anime Expo this coming weekend.

ADV Films has announced that they will be premiering the subtitled version of 5 Centimeters per Second late on Saturday June 30th.

Bandai Visual USA has announced that they will have a high-definition screening theatre at their booth for continuous showings of the first two volumes of Freedom.  Dai Sato will appear at the first screening on Saturday June 30th at 10:20 AM.

Viz has announced that they will be screening Ping Pong on Friday, June 29th at 4:00 PM in Video Room 1.

Madman has announced the details of their release of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in Japan.  They will be releasing 5 volumes total with Volumes 1-4 being in chronological order.  Each will also contain a voucher which, once you collect all 4, can be turned in for the fifth volume which will contain the entire series in broadcast order.

Paprika has expanded it's run into Southern California, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin.  Local listings will give a better idea of specific theatres that are playing it.

Tekkonkinkreet has also moved on to Washington DC and is premiering at the Embassy of Japan's Japan Information and Culture Center on June 28th at 6:30 PM.  Reservations are required and can be optained by e-mailing jiccrsvpspring07@embjapan.org.

We received a Press Release today regarding DrMaster's plans for Anime Expo 2007.  They will be holding two panels, the first is the DrMaster Industry Panel which will take place Sunday, July 1st at 11 AM in Live Programming 3.  The second will be DrMaster talks about Purgatory Kabuki and the Author! which will take place on Sunday, July 1st at 4:30 PM in Live Programming 3.  They are also planning to hold daily drawings at their booth at 2 PM where they will pick five winners each day.

Bandai Namco Games has announced that they will be releasing a game based on The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya for the Sony PSP.  There will be more information released in multiple Japanese Magazines in the next few weeks as well as an official website opening with a preview on July 10th.

Geneon Entertainment's current schedules announces the first volume of Rozen Maiden - Traumend as having an October 23rd release.  This is the sequel to the Rozen Maiden anime series.

Peach-Pit has also announced that the eighth volume of the Rozen Maiden manga in Japan will only contain chapters 41-43 due to the abrupt ending of serialization in May.  There have been no announcements of a possible continuation to the manga.

The Anime Network has announced that James Kyson Lee (Ando on Heroes) will be hosting it's Anime Access episode for Anime Expo 2007.  According to Stacy Dodson, Anime Network's Director of Programming and Operations, Lee is a "huge anime fan" like his co-star Masi Oka.

ADV has announced that they have licensed Byousoku 5 Centimeter - a chain of short stories about their distance.  This is a feature film from Makoto Shinkai (Voices of a Distant Star, The Place Promised in Our Early Days).  The film is composed of three individual segments.  It will be released theatrically later this year and on DVD in December.

Central Park Media has sent a press release announcing two new titles.  They are Oath to Love and Passion 1 and Full House 5.  Both will have a retail price of $9.99 and be available in July.

You can find a synopsis of both titles on the press release

Be Beautiful announced, via press release today that they will be releasing Yebisu Celebrities and Love A La Carte in July.  Both titles will be priced at $15.99. 

You can find a synopsis of each title on the press release

Central Park Media has announced a bunch of new titles planned for release through Febrary 2008.  Some of the titles on the list were originally announced for last year but have been pushed back.  The new titles are:

Otogi Matsuri (Sept. 2007)
Script Downers (Oct. 2007)
Wedding Eve (Oct. 2007)
Dystopia (Nov. 2007)
Pretty Road (Nov. 2007)
Prince Standard (Dec. 2007)
Kururi from the Sea (Jan. 2008)
Hard Boiled Angel: Angel Detective (Feb. 2008)

Lionsgate has announced that it will be working with Animation Collective to remake Speed Racer.  This version will feature the original Speed Racer's son who is now racing in a fuel-efficient Mach 6.  Nicktoons has licensed the initial 26 episodes.

Animation Collective is known for making the Nicktoons series Kappa Mikey which spoofs Japanese culture.

After much speculation among the anime community, ADV Films has officially confirmed that it has licensed the Xenosaga anime.  The anime is a 12-episode adaptation of the role-playing game.  The first DVD for Xenosaga will be released on Sept. 11th.

Eyeshield 21 US Project, made up of production companies NAS, TV Tokyo, and Shueisha, has announced that Eyeshield 21 will be streamed on Toonami Jetstream and NFL Rush in the Fall of 2007.  NFL Rush is the NFL's website for children while Toonami Jetstream is a collaboration between Viz and Cartoon Network.

Warner Home Video has announced that it has the license to the worldwide home video release and television rights to Appleseed: Ex Machina.  It is planning a 2008 release for the DVD as well as a High Definition release on a format yet to be determined. 

Otakon 2007 has announced that Kenji Kodama and Michihiko Suwa will be guests at the convention.  The two have worked together on many projects including City Hunger, Detective Conan and most recently Kekkaishi.

Bandai Namco Games has announced that UniversalCentury.net Gundam Online MMORPG will go offline at 10:00 AM (Japan Time) on December 15th, 2007.  The game has been running since September 29th, 2005.  Starting October 1st, gameplay will be free but no new accounts will be allowed.

Tokyopop has confirmed the release dates on 38 titles.  Of particular note is the FLCL volume that is coming out on March 11th, 2008 which they have confirmed is the novel version.  The full list is:

January 8th, 2008
Aria
Deja vu - Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Gakuen Alice
Harukaze bitter Bop
King City
The Knockout mkaers
Manga Sutra - Futari H
Monochrome Factor
Short Sunzen
V.B. Rose

Feburary 12th, 2008
.hack//G.U.+
I Wish
Masque: Gothic & Lolita
New Petshop of Horrors
Princess Ai: Rumors from the Other Side
Shin Megami Tensei (KAHN)
Twelve Kingdoms - Paperback Edition

March 1st, 2008
Spy Goddess

March 11th, 2008
Boku to Kanojo no XXX
Devil's Bride
Fever
FLCL (Novel)
Seduction More Beautiful Than Love
The Third

March 12th, 2008
Rose Hip Rose

April 1st, 2008
Bad Kitty

April 8th, 2008
Dragon Sister!
Element Line
eV
GOSICK
Hellgate: London
Hotel Africa
I-Doll
Mamotte Shugogetten!
Starcraft Anthology
Warcraft Anthology

May 8th, 2008
Sea Princess Azuri

May 12th, 2008
Ai-Land Collection

May 13th, 2008
DNAngel Illustrations FEDER

June 10th, 2008
Fallen Moon: Daten No Tsuki

The Funimation Channel's license with digital broadcaster KSCI in Los Angeles has ended as of June 14th and there are no plans to renew.  People with Verizon FiOS in Los Angeles, where available, can still see the Funimatino Channel however.

Digital Manga Publishing has sent us a press release announcing the details of their panel at Anime Expo.  They will be discussing their new imprint DMP Platinum as well as announcing new titles.  The press release also holds a major teaser as to what their newest flagship title will be.

From the press release:
"Here are 3 hints as to what it is:

1. The characters of this manga have been known to moonlight as insurance agents and have been spoofed on hit TV shows such as Family Guy.
2. This manga has been, will be or is currently in negotiations to be made into a major motion movie picture.
3. If you haven’t heard of it, you have been living under a rock for the last 30 years."

The panel will take place June 30th from 11:00 AM to 11:50 AM in Live Programming 3.

June Manga, a division of Digital Manga Publishing, has sent us a press release announced that they will be hosting Satoru Kannagi as an industry guest at Anime Expo.  Kannagi is best known as the author of Only The Ring Finger Knows which was Digital Manga's first Yaoi title.

Satoru Kannagi's Panel will take place on July 1st from 5:30 PM - 6:20 PM in Live Programming 3.  She will be giving away free copies of the Japanese version of Only the Ring Finger Knows Novel Volume 4 which isn't even available in Japan yet.  Also one fan will win a dinner date for two with Satoru Kannagi.

Check out the press release for more info.

Konami has announced both a CCG and a video game for the Nintendo DS based on Hayate the Combat Butler.  The DS game is scheduled for August 23rd that will also come out with a special edition that includes a "Hakuo Academy Student Notebook" and a CD of radio dramas.  The CCG will be released on August 9th.

Konami has not announced any details about a North American release.

Namco Bandai has announced that they are creating an Afro Samurai video gtame.  At it's 2007 Editors' Day presentation it also unveiled a trailer for the game.  They have promised that the game will be "uncut, uncensored, unadulterated" and therefore will have a rating of M (mature).

Last Exile is scheduled to premiere on AZN Television on June 25th at 8:30 PM ET.  It will then repeat at 1:30 AM on the 26th.  It will continue this schedule on all weekdays after this.

Johnny Depp will voice the guest character Pirate Captain Johnny on the "Doraemon One-Hour! Pirates Special!! The Great Decisive Battle of the Pirates: A South Seas Love Story"  This special will air on TV Asahi on June 29th at 7:00 PM.  The role is said to be similar to Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and will mark the first time that a Doraemon role is played by a Hollywood actor.

The story involves Doraemon and his friends time-traveling back to the end of the 16th century.  Shizuka-chan will fall in love with a pirate named Kenneth who knows Captain Johnny.

DC Comics has announced that they have invested in Flex Comix.  Flex Comic is a Japanese publisher who publishes Bimonthly Comi DiGi Plus and used to publish Monthly Shonen Blood.  Flex also distributes manga via the web and mobile phones.  DC's main interest in Flex is to import and franchise their manga titles.

Funimation has announced that the first volume of Witchblade will be released on September 25th.  There will be both a regular edition which will retail for $29.98 and a special edition which will retail for $44.98.

Michael Gluck, also known by his stage name Piano Squall, has sent us a press release announcing his debut album, GAME which will be shipping on June 30th.  Michael has spent the past 4 years arranging and playing Video Game and Anime music on the piano in concert for charity.  His debut album GAME is no different.  Michael has teamed up with Electronic Arts and will be donating 20% of all profits from his album to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

For GAME, he has recorded his performance of 26 themes including Final Fantasy, Naruto, Super Mario World, InuYasha, Chrono Trigger, Cowboy Bebop, Mega Man, Chrono Cross, Full Metal Alchemist, Tetris, and Evangelion.  He has also included on this album his signature, Final Fantasy Battle Medley. 

You can preorder GAME for only $9.99 (with free shipping within the US as well as a bonus track if you preorder before June 30th) at his website at http://www.pianosquall.com/ as well as hear a sample of GAME.  You can also see video of Michael performing the FF Battle Medley here