Category Archives: Anime

Japanese Anime Industry Shrinks

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ANN is reporting that the Japanese anime industry has shrunk for a second year in a row, with revenues down over $2 billion in 2008. Drops in both box office revenues and DVD sales contributed to this downward trend. Yasuo Yamaguchi, the director of the Association of Japanese Animators, thinks he knows the problem.

“The spread of free Internet downloading is having a deadly effect.”

Of course, that MUST be what’s wrong. I’m sure this industry decline has NOTHING to do with endless moe filler, ill-advised publicity stunts or ridiculously overpriced DVDs. Good call there, Yasuo!

Meanwhile, while the Japanese anime industry is floundering, the American industry is thriving. Must be a fluke.

Endless Eight and the DVDs of Despair

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The eighth episode of the new Haruhi ‘season’ has aired, and (suprise) it’s another repetition of Endless Eight. The common wisdom now is that next week’s episode with be the last E8 loop. We can only hope.

Meanwhile, in even more depressing news, the DVD release details for Endless Eight have been revealed. It seems that E8 will be released across 4 DVDS, with two episodes per DVD. Each release will retail for ¥6,930 (approximately $72 USD).

Yes, you read that right. That’s seventy-two dollars for two episodes. That means buying the entirety of E8 on DVD will cost $288.

I think I’ll wait for the box set.

–Via Random Curiosity and Sankaku Complex (NSFW)

Halo Anime Annouced

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Some of Japan’s most prestigious studios, including Toei, Production I.G. and Studio 4°C have announced their participation in a Halo anime project called Halo Legends. This anthology series will feature stories from various parts of Halo’s backstory, including “the history of the Spartan warrior class” and “the entire 100,000 year history of the Halo universe”. This project seems extremely similar to previous multi-studio collaberations like The Animatrix and Batman: Gotham Knight, both of which Studio 4°C participated in.

–Original articles from ANN: Link and Link

Endless Eight Is Endless… And Probably Eight

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Today sees the seventh episode of Haruhi’s second season newest series. It also marks the sixth episode of the Endless Eight arc, with no ending in sight. It seems the rumor that it was going to end with the sixth repetition was, in fact, nothing more than a rumor. The arc is set to continue above and beyond six episodes… the likeliest result being eight. While it has been speculated for some time, many of us have been been hoping otherwise.

Originally discovered via 2chan, confirmed at Random Curiosity.