Posts Tagged ‘bakuman’

Alright, I need to write this quickly because it’s getting to that point of my Sunday where my attention span is less than ideal for writing. So while I still have enough focus, here is a quick wrap up of all the stories that I wrote for Ani.me this week!

 

ANIME

Live Action Akira Gets Steve Kloves as Scriptwriter: So dude who wrote Harry Potter is now writing Akira? Alright sure. And they offered a role to Brad Pitt? Oh why not?

 

MANGA

Viz Media Launches Bakuman Fan Art Contest: We give out awesome prizes at Ani.me but if you like to draw manga (or just draw in general) Viz Media has got some drool worthy prizes ready for you.

 

JAPAN

Gov. Ishihara to TIAF Boycotters: Please Come Back!: Everyone’s favorite Japanese politician is back in the news. This time he’s groveling to get people back into TIAF… and then screws it up seconds later. I swear, this guy is like a TV character at this point.

 

 

Radiohead Does Something in Shibuya: This turned into one huge non event and it was all thanks to one stupid tweet.

 

The Ring’s Sadako Gets 3D Movie: A new 3D movie to scare you to death. Have fun, I’ll be over here looking at absolutely anything else.

Anime Context Expo Plans 2 Day Anisong Event: I know that they’re going to be busy with other things but oh man am I jealous of some writers I know who are going to be at this event.

 

That’s it for this week! Sorry to be so brief but I’m feeling my attention starting to drift away once again… this time towards food.

So I’m a little late again but this time it’s because of my new phone. It’s just so much fun to play with! So in today’s game of catch up there are 5 series continuations, a completely original series and brand new manga adaptations! It’s been a very busy few days!

Toriko: The first manga to get the anime green light this week is food series Toriko. The series has been running since 2008 and follows a master, gourmet food provider as he travels to the world to collect the rare ingredients he needs to make his dishes. The series will premiere this coming April though no word on which studio will be producing it.

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Gets 2nd Season: Speaking of firsts, the first in this list to get a second season announcement belongs to shonen series, Nura: Rise of the Yokai. Premiering earlier this year (and simulcast by Viz Media), the series about a young boy who is part yokai is being pressured into succeeding as the new head but he resists due to wanting to live a normal life. No firm dates on when the new season will hit airwaves.

Bakuman 2nd Season: The second series to get a second season announcement this week is comic series Bakuman about two teenagers trying to become the next big manga stars. The JC Staff produced series managed to gain quite a large number of fans and so I know that more than a few fans have been pretty excited ever since the news hit. The new season will air in the fall of 2011.

Seikon no Qwaser 2nd Season: Ready for another 2nd season announcement? The breast feeding vampire series Seikon no Qwaser will be getting a second season at some point in the future. All that has been made known is that most of the crew will remain the same from the first season. For once I’m not shedding any tears over the lack of information. Can you tell how I felt about the first season yet?

Kampfer Gets New Something or Other in March: According to a wraparound jacket on the 5th manga volume, there will be more Kampfer airing on television in March. It goes onto say that a promotional video will be shown at Comiket 79 but fails to mention on if the new release will be a full series or just a one time special episode. Another series that fails to fill me with enthusiasm at the idea of more being made. Yay.

ufotable to Animate Fate/Zero Prequel: Thought I was going to say sequel again there didn’t you? But nope, instead it’s been announced that a new TV series and manga will be created based on the novel Fate/Zero. Taking place in the same world as the Fate/Stay Night series, this series takes place during the 4th Grail War which both Rin’s and Shiro’s foster father fought in to obtain the Holy Grail. – DO WANT!!!

Naruto Movie #8: Naruto is getting another movie next summer. It’ll be it’s 8th. I couldn’t care less about this if I tried. Next!

Original Series C Gets Noitamina Slot: In the completely brand new, not based on anything category; a new series titled C will be will be getting a slot in the now much publicized Noitamina block. No word on which season it will premiere in but more information will be made available in a press conference held on January 7th. An official teaser website launched on December 17th.

Hen Semi Heads for TV: I never got around to checking out the OAD released for this series earlier in the year but from what I hear, it was pretty extreme in its humor. So imagine my shock to hear that the series about a class of abnormal psychology students is getting green lit for television. More information will be made available in the next issue of Morning and Morning 2 magazine available on January 22nd. – Hm, wonder how this one is going to get marketed on DVD later in the year.

And finally wrapping things up…

Nichijou Premiere Date Confirmed: Kyoto Animation has finally confirmed that their new slice of life comedy series, Nichijou, will premiere on television in April. An ‘Episode 0’ OVA will be released a month earlier.

Bakuman
Studio: JC Staff
Premiere Date: 10/2

First Impression: Man, it’s really depressing to be a mangaka in Japan.

As a kid, Mashiro wanted to grow up to be an artist like his uncle who worked as a manga artist. After seeing his uncle literally work himself to death, Mashiro gave up on his dream and resigned himself to an average life as a salaryman. Fast forward and Mashiro is now getting ready to start getting ready to enter high school. He still has no aspirations for the future and that’s fine by him. After his classmate, Akira, decides that he wants to team up with him to become famous mangaka his dreams start to come alive again. While hesitant at first, Akira manages to secret a meeting with the girl Mashiro likes and the deal becomes set.

 

Good and the Bad

It’s hard to find series each season that really stand out because of their interesting concepts. This time, I managed to find a couple however and this is one of them. Going into this premiere, I was surprised early with the approach that the story took. Two teenagers trying to become famous manga artists seems like an idea that people could relate to but how were people going to be drawn in? For some reason, I expected this series to be a lot more over the top and, in this case, I was so very glad to be so very wrong.

Taking a low key approach to the humor and presentation Bakuman plays things very straight. While Akira manages to provide the bigger set ups, Mashiro is given the straight man role which deflates all of his partners big aspirations. They’re like Ritsu and Mio in a way only with manga instead of music. The result is a long string of dry humor which will catch those who are willing to look for it in all of the right ways. Backing this up, Bakuman tries to show early that they are more than a one trick pony with a touch of ironic and oblivious humor along the way to cap things off.

Without actually spoiling the content, one of the most important scenes of the episode are when his uncle tells Mashiro about his life. From this scene, all of the motivations behind Mashiro come forward and completely explain his hesitance. He doesn’t want to end up like his uncle and who can really blame him for that? The ironic twist during the final moments of the episode hit me and sealed me in for at least another episode.

The times when Bakuman really had its interesting moments however were in its perspective moments. Throughout the episode, Mashiro provides an interesting narrative into the world of being a mangaka and creating a believable apathetic average student who doesn’t excel at anything he wants to pursue. Written by the same team that created Death Note and Hikaru No Go, the writing paints a very grim picture of artists working tirelessly at their jobs while their lives passed them by.

Music

Another series with lackluster music, the background score never stood out as having a real presence among the animation. While the soft theme playing in the funeral scene gave an appropriate somber feeling, you can understand me saying that this isn’t exactly achieving a high difficulty degree mark.

Overall

This was a cute opener for the season and I had a good time. Coming together quickly, the story was engaging right away. This is an easy one to say is worth having a sample. I’m not entirely sold on sitting through this one completely but the premiere makes it easy to want to see a bit more. Thoughtful and occasionally funny, this is a nice choice for those who are looking for something a little more introverted and laid back.

Everyone recovered from the summer? Good because it’s time for another couple dozen titles to start premiering. While AIC has been busy this year, this season it’s JC Staff that is blowing everyone away with five different titles premiering made up of four TV series and one OVA (Otome Youkai Zakuro, Tantei Milky Opera Holmes, Bakuman, A Certain Magical Index S2, A Certain Scientific Railgun OVA). Staying busy themselves, Studio Deen, Studio Pierrot, Xebec and AIC are busy with two series each of their own while a number of others are contributing one each to the new season.

As for the spread, there’s no one genre that seems to be dominating. There are still a healthy number of moe titles proving that even if the genre is dying it’s not going down quietly. A couple of eroge adaptations are certain to catch the attention of a few (including the yaoi shippers who will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on Toaigu no Chi).

All of the information, images, credits, etc have been gathered from various sources including Anime News Network, My Anime List, AniDB, official websites and more. All information and images retain original copyrights and I claim no ownership over anything on this page but the words I typed. But enough with this long drawn out introduction, let’s get into the breakdown!

Note: A few series were purposely excluded from this list for various reasons: Shaun the Sheep, You Are Umasou TV, Tachi Yumaru Gekijou, Pocket Monster: Best Wishes and Agriculture Girl

Hetalia Axis Powers Fourth Season
Studio: Studio Deen
Premiere Date: 9/10
Genre: Comedy

Story

The countries are back and I bet Italy is still yelling about pasta every once in awhile too.

Why You Should Care

The new season features two new characters joining the cast: Norway and Denmark.

Battle Spirits: Brave
Studio: Sunrise
Premiere Date: 9/12
Genre: Action
Adapted From: Card Game
Sequel

Story

The return of the action card battle game which only lasts for 13 episodes this time around.

Why You Should Care

This series marks the first appearance of Daisuke Ono as Clackey and singing the ending theme.

Super Robot Wars OG: The Inspector
Studio: Asahi Production
Premiere Date: 10/1
Genre: Mecha
Available via Crunchyroll
Trailer

Story

The DC War starts again as aliens from space arrive to finish the job. With a new war breaking out, characters will be forced to choose loyalties and fight for their survival once again.

Why You Should Care

Masami Obari has never worked on the Super Robot Wars franchise but he has directed other decent mech series like Gravion.

Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
Studio: GAINAX
Premiere Date: 10/1
Genre: Ecchi Action/Comedy
Available via Crunchyroll
Trailer

Story

A city is invaded by weird ghosts and so heaven sends down two angels, Panty (the blonde idol) and Stocking (the gothic lolita) to exterminate them. What they (and the world) don’t realize is that they were actually kicked out of heaven for being bad.

Why You Should Care

Believe it or not, the same man who directed Gurren Lagann, Hiroyuki Imaishi, will be sitting in the director’s chair for this one as well.

Sora no Otoshimono: Forte
Heaven’s Lost Property: Forte
Studio: AIC ASTA
Premiere Date: 10/1
Genre: Harem Comedy
Sequel
Available via Crunchyroll
Trailer

Story

A new season of ecchi comedy featuring a perverted, pacifist boy, the pet class angelroid living with him and the various other females in his life creating misunderstandings.

Why You Should Care

For the most part the cast and crew remain the same. Two new animation directors are joining the crew along with two new characters; Daidalos (Asuka Ogame – Lizleat in Omamori Himari) and Astrea (Kaori Fukuhara – Tsukasa in Lucky Star).

Second change from season 1 is that there will be only 1 OP/ED theme performed by Hitomi Yoshida and Saori Hayami (Ikaros). Hopefully that doesn’t completely eliminate the chances of a second flying panty sequence since that was one of the few highlights of the first season.

Iron Man
Studio: Madhouse
Premiere Date: 10/1
Genre: Action
Adapted From: American Comic
Trailer

Story

Tony Stark comes to Japan to attend the opening of a new peace station. During the ceremony, he is attacked by a mysterious organization called the Zodiac and he must don the iron suit.

Why You Should Care

The first of four Marvel anime adaptations, this one could will set an interesting tone for what fans should expect from the next three as well.

It’s not quite a simulcast but the series will be airing next year on G4.

The animation is being produced by Madhouse but the script is being created by award winning writer Warren Ellis who worked on the Iron Man comic in 2005-2006 but has been with Marvel since the mid 90′s.

Bakuman
Studio: J.C. Staff
Premiere Date: 10/2
Genre: Comedy
Adapted From: Manga
Trailer

Story

A junior high school student named Mashiro is pursued by his best friend to start a manga together. After his famous mangaka uncle died from overwork, Mashiro is hesitant to follow in those footsteps. After getting some friends together who agree to also create an anime once the manga is finished (including his crush who also agrees get married and live together with Mashiro once it’s done) he begins his trek to becoming a famous mangaka like his uncle.

Why You Should Care

I am REALLY intrigued by this concept!

One of the directors, Kenichi Kasai, directed Kimikiss pure rogue, Honey and Clover, Aoi Hana and Nodame Cantabile (he also directed Miracle Train but try not to hold that against him).

Tegami Bachi Season 2
Letter Bee Season 2
Studio: Studio Pierrot
Premiere Date: 10/2
Genre: Action/Drama
Sequel
Available via Crunchyroll
Trailer

Story

At the close of the first season, Lag Seeing thought that he had found the one he was searching for. In the second season, Lag’s search for answers regarding his hero and his mother continues as he delivers more letters across dangerous terrain.

Why You Should Care

Letter Bee season 1 was surprisingly well done in terms of writing, story and animation making this worth picking up if you haven’t already.

For the most part, the cast and crew are completely the same beyond a new face in charge of series composition, Masanao Akahoshi.

Hakuouki: Shinsengumi Kitan Season 2
Studio: Studio DEEN
Premiere Date: 10/2
Genre: Historical Action
Sequel

Story

The return Chizuru and her reverse harem made up of the Shinsengumi during the Edo period as they search for answers and battle evil oni within the city.

Why You Should Care

Studio DEEN is only producing 2 shows this season; this and Hetalia Season 4. This makes me sad.

Only a few crew members have been revealed but so far it’s all the same as season 1.

MM!
Studio: Xebec
Premiere Date: 10/2
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Adapted From: Light Novels

Story

A high school boy named Taro Sado discovers that he’s a masochist but must keep this a secret from the girl he has a crush on. To get help, he joins the 2^nd Volunteer Club at school which consists of a girl who thinks she’s god and another who caused Sado’s masochism in the first place.

Why You Should Care

The second of 4 roles this season for Jun Fukuyama playing the role of Taro Sado (other roles are in Battle Spirits, Togainu no Chi and Tegami Bachi Reverse) and the first of 2 for Sayaka Ohara (Tamayura) and Rie Tanaka (Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge).

Amongst key crew members; this is only the second series Tsuyoshi Nagasawa has directed with the other being Kyo no Go no ni. The writers, Naoko Marukawa and Rie Oga, have written D.I.C.E., Kanokon OVA and The Sacred Blacksmith (or 3 episodes of it) which suddenly fills me with a little less confidence.

Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai
My Little Sister Can’t Be This Cute
Studio: AIC
Premiere Date: 10/3
Genre: Comedy
Adapted From: Light Novel
Availabie via Aniplex USA
Trailer

Story

A high school boy has a very strained relationship with his professional model little sister that involves little more than exchanging pleasantries even though they live together. After he finds a moe anime DVD in her bag, she eventually reveals that she’s actually a closet otaku which changes their relationship dynamically.

Why You Should Care

This is the first series of the season that I’m already thinking will be impossible to resist once it starts.

Interesting to note: The director, Hiroyuki Kanbe, has only directed one other series, Viper’s Creed. Writer Hideyuki Kurata, on the other hand, has written everything from classics (Battle Athletes, Excel Saga) to more recent hits (Bamboo Blade, Read or Die, Sasameki Koto).

Additionally, this is one of three series with music composed by Satoru Kousaki (Bakemonogatari, Haruhi Suzumiya). Dude is popular this season.

If the leads sound a little familiar you might be recognizing Ayana Taketatsu as Azusu in K-ON or Yuuichi Nakamura as Akira in Dance in the Vampire Bund or Tomoya in Clannad.

Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Girls
Studio: ARMS
Premiere Date: 10/3
Genre: Ecchi Action
Adapted From: Novel
Available via The Anime Network
Trailer

Story

In an alternative Japan where the Tokugawa shogunate remained in power, schools are now places where students are deeply oppressed. In an act of rebellion, a high school boy named Yagyuu teams up with a team of female students who were all named for famous samurai and swordsmen to take on the student council.

Why You Should Care

Trailers and an early first episode preview have confirmed that this series is going to be this season’s Queen’s Blade. No shock since it’s from the same studio, ARMS.

The first of only 2 series this season for Aki Tokosaki (she’s also performing in Otome Yokai Zakuro) and the only appearance this season from Rie “Tsundere Queen” Kugimiya.

Best news (?) is that the opening theme is sung by Faylan (CANAAN, Seikon no Qwaser).

Shinrei Tantei Yakumo
Psychic Detective Yakumo
Studio: Bee Train
Premiere Date: 10/3
Genre: Supernatural Mystery
Adapted From: Novel
Trailer

Story

A college student said to psychic powers is enlisted by a girl to help a friend who is possessed by a spirit. After dealing with that, the psychic named Yakumo will solve other mysteries related to ghosts in the city.

Why You Should Care

Not everyone is a fan of theirs but anytime Bee Train puts out something new, I always encourage people to check them out.

Hiroyuki Kawasaki has some duds in his past but he also has some hits including Sakura Taisen, Hell Girl season 2 and Irresponsible Captain Tylor.

Fan favorite Daisuke Ono makes his first appearance of the season here as Yakumo while also singing the opening theme.

Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto
Studio: Bones
Premiere Date: 10/3
Genre: Mecha
Trailer

Story

On an island, a giant robot called a ‘Cybuddy’ (kind of like My Buddy?) is found buried deep underground. A mysterious group kidnaps a girl determined to be the key to activating the robot when a young boy named Takuto arrives with his own Cybuddy to rescue her and prevent war from breaking out.

Why You Should Care

Studio Bones can do giant mech series and to prove it you only need to look at Eureka Seven, Heroman and RahXephon.

The writer for this series is Yoji Enokido who penned FLCL and Redline (one of which I know is bat shit insane and the other I’ve heard as much). Backing that up is music composed by Satoru Kousaki (second series this season for him).

Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge
Studio: Shaft
Premiere Date: 10/3
Genre: Comedy
Sequel

Story

The very weird stories continue about Riku who now lives under the bridge with his fiance Nino and the very weird people they call neighbors.

Why You Should Care

Cast and crew are remaining entirely the same from the first season.

Yumeiro Patissiere Professional
Studio: Studio Pierrot
Premiere Date: 10/3
Genre: Shoujo Cooking
Sequel
Available via Crunchyroll

Story

This sequel picks up 2 years after the first season left off. Ichigo is now in high school and making new friends while still pursuing her dream of being an amazing pastry chef.

Why You Should Care

The writing staff has decreased by one but other than that, everything remains the same for the second season.

Yosuga no Sora
Studio: feel
Premiere Date: 10/4
Genre: Romance
Adapted From: Eroge
Trailer

Story

After losing their parents to an accident, two siblings go to live with their grandfather. As the two start to remember things from their childhoods and the summers they spent there, the pair’s ulterior motives for moving start to surface.

Why You Should Care

“Quick, we’re producing a sibling romance… get the Aki Sora guy!” – yeah, same director: Takeo Takahashi.

This one will be premiering on Satellite station AT-X, a mostly safe haven for perverted. This doesn’t necessarily guarantee an ecchi series… but it is an eroge adaptation so yeah, draw your conclusion here.

Shinryaku! Ika Musume
Squid Girl
Studio: Diomedea
Premiere Date: 10/4
Genre: Comedy
Adapted From: Manga
Available via Crunchyroll
Trailer

Story

A squid girl from the ocean comes onto land to take over the world but wrecks the first headquarters she moves into. Now indebted to the sisters who own the house, she has to start working to pay it off.

Why You Should Care

The second series this season that I’ve largely given up hope of being able to resist once it premieres.

Squid Girl is directed by Tsutomu Mizushima who has done lots of cute comedies such as xxxHolic, Magical Witch Punie Chan, Hare+Guu, and Genshiken.

The cast is led by Ayumi Fujimura (Misaki in Kaichou wa Maid sama, Cecily in The Sacred Blacksmith), Rie Tanaka (Minna-Dietlinde in Strike Witches, Nyx in Queen’s Blade) and Hisako Kanemoto (Kanata in Sora no Woto) as Squid Girl.

Otome Youkai Zakuro
Studio: J.C. Staff
Premiere Date: 10/4
Genre: Alternative History
Adapted From: Manga
Available via Crunchyroll
Trailer

Story

In an alternative version of the Meiji era, humans and yokai live side by side but not entirely harmoniously. To combat this, a group of young, fox eared, female yokai are recruited to work with young human soldiers to create a peaceful coexistence.

Why You Should Care

Directing this series will be Chiaki Kon. You might already be familiar with her style without even realizing it since she directed Junjo Romantica, Nodame Cantabile: Paris and the first season of Higurashi: When They Cry.

Names like Mai Nakahara (Nagisa in Clannad, Rena in Higurashi: When They Cry) as Zakuro, Aki Toyosaki (Yui in K-ON) as Hozuki and Yui Horie (Tsubasa in Bakemonogatari, Yuki in Vampire Knight) as Bonbori will make this a fun cast to listen to.

Watching the trailer makes me feel like this series is going to be a cross between Strike Witches and Moeyo Ken.

Motto To Love Ru
More To Love Ru
Studio: Xebec
Premiere Date: 10/5
Genre: Fantasy Harem Comedy
Sequel
Trailer

Story

More adventures with Rito and his fiancé from the planet Deviluke, Princess Lala.

Why You Should Care

The popular harem comedy returns with a new director (Atsushi Ootsuki – Kanokon, Ladies vs. Butlers), an entirely new set of writers and a new voice for Peke (Aki Toyosaki – Yui in K-ON). Everything else is staying the same.

Opening theme is sung by veteran singer KOTOKO!

Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru
Studio: Shaft
Premiere Date: 10/7
Genre: Maid Comedy/Slice of Life
Adapted From: Manga
Trailer

Story

A series about the happenings within the Seaside Maid Cafe which features one worker who wants to be a detective, one who is a super perfectionist and one who is an old woman that just enjoys maid cosplay.

Why You Should Care

The opening theme is being performed by Maaya Sakamoto which means watching just the opening animation is worth your time.

There’s an entirely good chance that you’ve already enjoyed one series from director Akiyuki Shinbo already: Arakawa Under the Bridge, Bakemonogatari, Hidamari Sketch, Negima or Sayonara Zetsubou sensei just to name a few.

Tantei Opera Milky Holmes
Studio: J.C. Staff
Premiere Date: 10/7
Genre: Fantasy
Adapted From: Card Game
Trailer

Story

In a fantasy city where world class private detectives battle evil phantom thieves, four young girls work hard to catch thieves. Collectively they work for the agency Milky Holmes and seek to solve their own cases and mysteries.

Why You Should Care

Cute girls with special powers solving cute mysteries.

Want to know just how cute this series might actually get? It’s being directed by Makoto Moriwaki who also directed LilPri, Onegai My Melody and a 1999 series of shorts about a hamster titled Oruchuban Ebichu.

Togainu no Chi
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Premiere Date: 10/7
Genre: Action
Adapted From: Manga/Yaoi Eroge
Available via Aniplex USA
Trailer

Story

At the close of a war, the city of Toshima (formally Tokyo) is taken over by Viscio crime syndicate. In another area, a man named Akira has been falsely accused of a crime and the only way for him to regain his freedom is to go to Toshima and destroy the crime syndicate

Why You Should Care

A dark action series produced produced by A-1 Pictures? Already sounds like fun.

Bishounen alert: the series may be adapted from a manga but it was originally a yaoi eroge created by Nitroplus.

Jun Fukuyama (Lelouch in Code Geass) is staying busy this season with the lead role here along with appearances in MM! and Tegami Bachi Reverse.

As always, I’ve double and triple checked this list to make sure that I’ve corrected any errors. I’m not perfect though and so if you notice any, feel free to point them out so that I can make the fix. Be sure to keep checking back over the course of the month as I post up my early impressions from as many new series as I can squeeze into my schedule and next week when I post up Part 2 of the season preview which covers the second week, OVAs and beyond!

It’s been another busy couple of days for anime announcements which means another long list of catch up. We had five announcements on Monday so let’s go ahead and sandwich the week with another big list of five:

Hetalia: A third season of the quirky “political” comedy has been green lit for a spring 2010 premiere. If you’re an internet anime fan yet still not at least vaguely familiar with this series, I’d like to visit the cave you were living in earlier this year. Shown as a series of shorts, the Studio Deen animated series features the various countries from around the WWI-WWII era turned into cute characters that represent themselves. Originally it was set to have a television premiere until South Korea decided to get their collective pantsu in a bunch over one joke which they perceived as racist. That forced the series online where it’s not a huge smash success but has still managed to find a not entirely large but still loyal audience in both Japan and the US.

Milky Holmes: At a press event held recently, game developer Bushiroad has confirmed that their PSP romantic adventure game Tantei Opera Milky Holmes will be getting a TV anime sometime in the future. I’m not entirely familiar with the story but MAL describes it as a fantasy story taking place in the ‘age of detectives’. The four heroines are girls who are aiming to be the best detectives ever while taking down thieves. It sounds cute enough but that has got to be one of the worst accidental porn titles ever.

Hipira: The Little Vampire: An anime based on Hipira: the Little Vampire picture book is being produced for a premiere at the end of the month. Following a young vampire boy and the residents of the vampire town he lives in on their daily adventures, the story hardly seems like it will be particularly dark beyond the vampire theme. The interesting part is considering that the creators of this story are Katsuhiro Otomo (who created and went onto direct the anime adaptations of Akira and Steamboy) and Shinji Kimura (who has worked with Otomo in the past) who is directing and did the original illustrations. The series will air for five consecutive days starting December 21^st.

Bakuman: Weekly Shonen Jump published an announcement earlier this week that the manga series Bakuman will be getting a TV anime set to premiere in fall 2010. The slice of life comedy follows two ninth graders who need each other to become the greatest manga creators in the country with each pursuing the goal for their own reasons. The 25 episode series will be animated by J.C. Staff with Kenichi Kasai (Major, Sweet Blue Flowers, Honey and Clover) and Noriaki Akitaya taking on the director roles.

B Gata H Kei: Speaking of comedy, finally we come to the final announcement of the last couple of days, B Gata H Kei. Running in Weekly Young Jump since 2003, the series follows a female virgin in high school who decides to find 100 casual sex partners. After starting her search however, she ends up zeroing in on one boy in particular. No details on who will be handling the animation a premiere date but Yukari Tamura (Ranpha in Galaxy Angel, Rika in Higurashi-When They Cry) will be playing the lead role.

<Via Moetron, Anime Nation, ANN 1, ANN 2, ANN 3>