ADV ANNOUNCES MORE MACROSS FOR OCTOBER 24

“One of the Most Important Anime Ever”

– Anime News Network

HOUSTON, September 8, 2006 —ADV Films, the number one producer-distributor of anime outside of Japan, is pleased to announce an October 24 street date for Macross: Eve of Destruction, the sixth of seven DVDs re-presenting the classic series in its entirety – and for the first time ever with an English dub! This deluxe package, featuring digitally-restored video and a brand-new 5.1 soundtrack, includes so many episodes, interviews, commentaries, and other extras that it’s become a must-have for every anime fan!

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Transformers movie posterThere’s been a lot of buzz about the new Transformers movie on the Internet lately, as the studio seems to be prepared to go all out for it. Reading about this movie makes me wonder if Hasbro would allow some studio to produce a new TV or Direct-to-video show for “Us”. What do I mean by “us”? I’m referring to the original fans that bought Transformers toys in the 80s. Those of us that still watch the original Transformers movie on DVD from time to time. Those of us that hate the new shows like “Cybertron” and “Robots in Disguise.” Those of us that Hasbro ignores because we don’t by toys.

I’m sure there are plenty of you out there like me that watched “Beast Wars” and “Beast Machines” that may have had mixed emotions about the show, but still admired the nod they gave us “old heads” by bringing back Ravage, showing clips of the original Megatron, and doing other little things to keep some continuity with the original series.

But after that, we were served with other shows like “Robots in Disguise”, “Armada” and “Cybertron” that are no way near as entertaining and are obviously only written for little kids. Don’t get me wrong–I understand that these are weekly 30-minute informercials for their toys. Many of the shows we watched in the 80s served the same purpose. There just seemed to be something “special” about the shows that came from Hasbro/Marvel/Sunbow back then, that’s not in the newer shows that were imported from Japan.

I just wish Hasbro would look at that market of kids from the 80s that grew up and still watch “cartoons”–not the ones intended for kids, but the more mature Anime series and the direct-to-video products being produced by Marvel and DC. We would by the DVDs. Some of us would even buy premium figures based on the show. They wouldn’t even have to call the show Transformers. There are enough terms that could be borrowed from the old Transformers Mythology to create a title that would be recognizable to us old-school fans. And I’m sure they would have no problem airing the show on Toonami, Adult Swim or Sci-Fi. If they can do it for Robotech, why not Transformers?
What do you guys think?

BET has inked an agreement to develop a new original adult action/adventure animated series with Dwayne McDuffie, co-creator (with BET’s Denys Cowan) of the Emmy Award and Humanitas Prize winning cartoon, Static Shock. Cowan and McDuffie were co-founders of Milestone Media, Inc., the most successful Black-owned comic book company in history. McDuffie is also a producer and story editor on Cartoon Network’s Justice League, Editor-In-Chief of Milestone Media’s award-winning line of comic books, and has worked as an editor for Marvel Comics and Harvey Entertainment. As head of BET Animation, Cowan will oversee the development of all new projects and work closely with McDuffie.

This is great news! I enjoyed McDuffie’s work on Static (especially the later seasons) and Justice League Unlimited. This partnership should help fill the void left by the cancellation of JLU. We will also get a nice alternative to the “kid-oriented” projects that DC Animation seems to be more interested in developing.

Read the full press release.

Paul Levitz stood to make an announcement, and spoke about a new strategy for DC to move into direct-to-video animation.

Working with Warner Bros. Home Video and WB Animation, the company will launch a new line of direct-to-video DC animated movies that are being designed with DC Comics fans in mind, Levitz said.

He continued, saying that DC is looking to do a series of titles that will tell the character bits and stories that were important to fans, and will be working with the comic book creators on them.

I’m really looking forward to the new batch of Direct-to-Video projects planned by DC and Marvel. DC really needs to redeem themselves from the disappointing Superman: Brainiac Attacks feature. Thank goodness I was able to watch that one for free on Cartoon Network.

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HOUSTON, July17, 2006 —ADV Films, the number one producer-distributor of anime outside of Japan, is pleased to announce the seventh and final volume in its modern mecha romance epic. Godannar: War Bride hits store shelves everywhere August 29.

Godannar is a genre-bending mecha anime series best described as equal parts action, adventure, and domestic soap opera. While much of anime is populated by high school vixens, magical fairies, and femme fatales, it’s rare to find a married couple at the center of the story. And that’s just one of the reasons Godannar stands out. That, and a female giant robot that jiggles. And a fantastic opening theme song.

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