Hokay, let’s see. First, the big news of the day: Deb Aoki got DMP to open up more extensively about recent staff losses, which include both layoffs and resignations, and which Kuri also reported on recently. The good news? 801 Media isn’t going anywhere.

Moving right along, how about some of those BL licenses from Yaoi-Con, eh? 801 announced Mio Tennohji’s Don’t Rush Love, Yoshimi Amasaki’s Dog X Cat, Ruri Fujikawa’s On Bended Knee, Kaori Monchi’s Hey Class President!, Yuki Shimizu’s Ze, Rie Honjyo’s Love Skit, and DUO Brand.’s Kiss Your Hair.

DMP scored Toko Kawai’s CUT, Ryouko Tsunoda’s Exotic and Delicious Fate, Momoko Tenzen’s Unsophisticated and Rude, Ciao Ciao Bambino, and La Satanica, You Higuri’s Ludwig, Kaimu Tachibana’s Boys Love, and Makoto Tateno’s How to Capture a Martini. Kuro also reports on Kurashina Sensei’s Passion– these were actually licensed by Juné through Biblos and announced back at Otakon 2006, but when Biblos went under they had to renegotiate the license again with Libre and it’s finally been cleared. Hurray!

Go! Comi has issued a press release announcing its licenses as well: Get the Moon and Bran Doll, both by The Devil Within creator Ryo Takagi.

Yaoi Press unfortunately had to cancel their panel for an emergency, but I’ve been told they’re saving their announcements for another time.

Finally, Deux announced a few new titles as well: Nase Yamato’s Take Me To Heaven, Hinako Takanaga’s Love Round!!, CJ Michalski’s Noodle Shop Affair (Michalski has another US-palatable title?! Sweet!), and Naduki Koujima’s Naughty but Nice.

A few interesting points on those licenses: first, these are all fan favorite creators– Yamato created Pet On Duty (and the utterly un-publishable-in-the-U.S. Chinko no Tsubuyaki); Takanaga is the creator of the renowned Challengers and Tyrant Falls in Love series; Michalski is best known for her wacky, often surreal (and occasionally distressingly shota) titles as well as the more socially acceptable Delivery Cupid; and of course Naduki Koujima is best known for Our Kingdom.

Secondly, all of the titles that I just mentioned (except ChinTsubu) have been published in English by companies other than Deux: Pet on Duty was Broccoli’s Boysenberry line; both Takanaga titles were Drama Queen (and Juné also published Takanaga’s Little Butterfly). Boysenberry published Delivery Cupid, and Juné has published a number of Koujima’s titles (Our Kingdom, Great Place High School, etc).

So, there you have it: Yaoi-Con in a relatively lifeless nutshell. It may seem extra quiet since so many other players (Blu, Be Beautiful, Drama Queen) were not in attendance this year. Meanwhile, I had a lot of fun at NYAF, but I wish I could have gone to Yaoi-Con too. ♥

Hey, speaking of fall shows, CrunchyRoll has just shot out a press release announcing that Gonzo’s Linebarrels of Iron will join the growing list of Gonzo titles to be simultaneously released in Japan and the US on the streaming and download-to-own site.

Expect the first episode today at 12:45pm PST. CrunchyRoll has reverted to a more standard pay structure: free streaming, $1.99 for download-to-own (PC only), and $2.99 for download-to-own (PC plus iPod and PSP).

So! Hit up the season preview for information and a trailer, and hit up CrunchyRoll in about two and a half hours for the actual episode if it looks like your kinda show!

I know, I know, I’m late– things have gotten very busy with my project. But here it is: your Fall 2008 anime preview!

A couple of interesting trends this season. First off, I was struck by how many shows this season are the directorial debuts for the people helming them. Hyakko (Michio Fukuda), Kyou no Go no Ni (Tsuyoshi Nagasawa), Macademi Wasshioi! (Takaomi Kanesaki), Michiko to Hacchin (Sayo Yamamoto), and Mouryou no Hako (Ryosuke Nakamura) are all, as near as I can tell, directorial debuts (with said newbie directors in parantheticals, of course).

Another trend? Live-action actresses voicing roles. Shikabane Hime features Nana Akiyama, while both Michiko and Hacchin are voiced by film actresses: Yoko Maki and Suzuka Ougo, respectively.

And finally…well, is it really a trend anymore? Sequels. Lots and lots and lots of sequels. But it’s okay, because they include such titles as Gundam 00 and Shugo Chara!. ?

You’ll note a little change this season– I’ve included trailers whenever possible, rather than a regular image. Let me know what you think.

Cheat sheet’ll go up tomorrow. On with the show! Read more…

No, seriously– Wil Wheaton says he’s voicing an (unnamed) character on Naruto. There’s no way I can make that any funnier or more awesome than it already is by default.

I just got a press release announcing that NETCOMICS has struck a deal with Aurora Publishing’s josei line, LuvLuv, to publish their volumes online.

Starting in October fans will have access to titles like Voices of Love, Real Love, Love for Dessert, Pretty Poison, Make Love & Peace, and Sounds of Love via NETCOMICS’ usual setup (free previews, $0.25 per chapter for a 48-hour period, etc). They’ll come out once per month, so Voices in October, Real Love in November, etc.

It’s always nice to see the occasional het porn for women amidst all the BL out there!

It was a FUNimation update that led me to the nominations (which you, the viewer, can vote on!), with three out of the four international TV DVD nominations going to FUNi: Dragonball Z season 5, Hell Girl volume 5, and One Piece season 1 (plus Torchwood season one).

But FUNimation isn’t totally alone on this, because under the Best Animated TV DVD category comes Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig– though up against such fan favorites as Family Guy, Futurama, and Robot Chicken Star Wars, it’s hard to get one’s hopes up. (Maybe the votes for the other three will split, so GitS will be a spoiler?)

And for you Avatar fans, it’s nominated under best KidVid TV DVD. I know, I know, “is it anime?” But I figure more than one of you will be glad to hear about that.

Make sure to vote, guys! You only have until October 3rd, and the awards will be announced on the 14th.

So in the wake of NYAF, I got an e-mail from the patron saint of NYAF, Peter Tatara, who informed me that an unnamed TV network is looking for a TV host for a Japanese(-style) game show. Here’s the info:

Television Network is searching for a host for a fun Japanese game show pilot. They’re looking for outgoing, articulate, spirited males who appear to be between the ages of 21 - 35 and appear to be Japanese or of Japanese descent. Candidates must possess bold personalities and a devilish sense of humor.

People that exude a lot of enthusiasm, have wicked personalities, distinct styles and possess a unique charm on tape should apply ASAP.

They’re looking for someone that has an edge and likes to push the envelope. The perfect candidate would have a Johnny Knoxville-like appeal. If this describes you, please email nycastingteam@gmail.com immediately. Candidates with a unique style that is edgy, hipster and/or punk is preferred.

Television credits are not necessary. Improv / comedy backgrounds are a plus. There will be compensation.

It is an amazing opportunity for the right talent, so please email nycastingteam@gmail.com with a headshot / pic and let them know why you’d be the perfect game show host. Must be well-versed in the English language. Applicants don’t have to speak Japanese. Union and non-union okay. Taping will be in New York.

If it weren’t for the cosmetic surgery topped by a sex change that would be necessary to make me eligible for such a thing, I would be all over it. So those of you readers out there who ARE eligible– do it! DO IT NOW! (And tell me how it went!)

Wow, definitely missed this in all the NYAF hype: Nebs reports via the Fanboy Review that ADV has acquired the rights to Clannad, despite losing the rights to both Air and Kanon (which are also based on eroge created by Key).

Since Fanboy didn’t offer a source (*ahem*) I’ve got an e-mail out to ADV reps to confirm (or deny) the news. It’s certainly a title up their alley, but given the status of the previous Key titles, it seems a little surprising. I’ll get back to you on that as soon as I can!

Yen has licensed Hero Tales, by FMA creator Arakawa-sensei, and the Spice and Wolf novels (eeeee!). Other licenses: manhwa 13th Boy and Sugarholic and Welcome to Wakaba-Soh

Hero Tales will run in Yen+, btw.

They’re now giving out copies of the first volume of Haruhi, and I accidentally won one by suggesting that Kuro (who is sort of a mini-celeb in this panel, apparently) do the Hare Hare Yukai dance to earn a copy of the book. Actually everyone Kuro knows in this panel has a copy now…except Kuro. Poor Kuro!

Okay, now they’re fighting over the Yen Press box. Talk about hardcore fans! Brad got it. I feel kinda bad when press are taking items but maybe it’ll be a Japanator giveaway ;)

Looks like that’s about it for news, though they’re still giving away books.

Hokay, getting started on the Del Rey Manga panel, with Ali Kokmen presiding of course. (No bow tie this time around, nor a Dallas Middaugh– he’s on his honeymoon!) Cue me acting all jealous.

Moving on…Del Rey is doing comics based on Bakugan Battle Brawlers and Ben 10 as part of a new partnership with Cartoon Network. Bakugan is apparently a huge phenomenon (how’d I miss that?), and they’ll be doing two full-color film comics, one in December and the second in March, plus an original manga in summer ‘09.

Everyone’s giggling about how bad the theme music is. It’s pretty hilarious, I gotta say. Ben 10 will also have a full-color film comic in April ‘09, with an original b/w manga in fall ‘09.

I’m pretty sure these are original OEL-type comics, not licensed manga, but I’ll double-check later when I can.

Moving on to new acquisitions from Kodansha: Moyasimon Tales of Agriculture (aka Moyashimon– they’re dropping the h –which someone had just asked Dark Horse about at Anime Weekend Atlanta…so there it is!). I’m really excited about this; I didn’t really finish the anime but I wanted to!

TSUBASA Character Guide 2 is due out in Summer ‘09, which will have sketches and full-color art and whatnot, exclusive to this book.

Amefurashi, which means rain goddess, is a comedy about a temperamental young rain goddess who “holds the fate of a village in her hands.” It’s by Atsushi Suzumi, creator of Venus vs Virus and Haridama: Magic Cram School.

The Maid War Chronicles by RAN, illustrator of Mao-Chan, is a “hard-hiting action, maid style!” type manga about “fighting maids [who] work to win back their master’s kingdom.” That looks pretty cute.

That’s it for new acquisitions, they’re talking about upcoming stuff like the Phoenix Wright manga, whose first volume follows Phoenix but the second covers Miles Edgeworth. Then there’s Gankutsuou, the Count of Monte Cristo in space story (it’s not as silly as it sounds, trust me), and of course Mao-chan coming out on October 28.

Next up, Papillon by Peach Girl creator Miwa Ueda, already on sale now, plus Yokaiden by Nina Matsumoto, an original title from Del Rey.

Last title…xxxHOLiC: Another Holic, NISIOISIN’s novel, due out October 28th.

Yes, the manga for Bakugan and Ben 10 are being developed by Del Rey in conjunction with Cartoon Network.

Will there be more volumes of Faust in the future? Yes, the next one will be out in May 2009. Amefurashi is due out in July 2009. Moyashimon will be on a quarterly schedule, and Maid War Chronicles will be in May 2009.

How is the novel line doing? It continues, in spring we’ll have Case of the Dragon Slayer, and there are new titles coming soon too.

Are they going to recreate the special edition Moyashimon volumes? So far we’ve determined that they’d sell at least six copies to this room! But it’s unlikely for economic reasons. We’ll see.

Seriously people, before you ask a question about a company’s history or relationship to other companies (like parent company Del Rey/Random House) and whatnot…at least CHECK the Wikipedia page?

We have just informed Ali that when they put out Moyashimon they MUST have microbe stress balls as promo items, unless they come up with something even cooler.

Deb asked if they would consider GeGeGe no Kitaro and apparently it’s on their radar. Somebody else begs for them to snatch Yotsuba&, and Ali says they’ll try, but that he feels bad ganging up on ADV because they’ve literally been flooded out.

“Why is Del Rey Manga so gosh-darn successful?” Diet and excercise! And Ali. And Dallas has nothing to do with it. OH GOD THEY’RE KIDDING! A lot. We love you, Dallas. Mutsumi also takes a lot of the credit for being the person who gets their licenses, and she puts a lot of effort into deciding what to get and everything.

Other Capcom stuff– like Megaman? Hmmmmm!, say Ali and the audience. Mutsumi says they’ve been considering it and that’s all she can say for now. Release date for Kara no Kyoukai novel? Fall 2009. Any other Warner Bros. properties, maybe TV shows?…(For some reason that makes me want a House manga.) This guy wants to see Pushing Daisies, but no plans yet. More and other Cartoon Network properties, maybe Samurai Jack? No new plans to talk about yet! Manga version of Rune Factory? Um…haven’t considered it but sounds intriguing.

More Marvel manga? I’m guessing it’ll depend on how well the current ones do; Ali quotes Spock as saying that there are always possibilities but they’re not announcing anything else for the time being…natch. Stay tuned. What kind of people are reading the Dean Koontz In Odd We Trust graphic novel? Um…groovy people’d be my guess. Actually I haven’t read it yet. But Ali says everyone’s reading it. Everyone who has a command of the English language…oops. But yes, it’s definitely crossing over from Koontz’s fans to artist Queenie-chan’s fans, they’re all coming together to read it.

Do they plan to do more of that kind of thing?… Stay tuned!

Suuuuuubmissions! The guidelines are all up on the website.