A new ‘Major’ anime season will premiere in Japan on January 5, 2008. This will mark the fourth season of the baseball-themed anime, which debuted in 2004.

The official website for the live action movie adaptation of Akira Miyashita’s Sakigake! Otoko Juke manga has posted two new videos to promote the film’s January 2008 premiere.

Lenny Kravitz’s new single “I’ll Be Waiting” will be the theme song for the upcoming Death Note live action spin-off, L Change the WorLd, which premieres in Japanese theaters February 9, 2008.

Director Kaz Yamashita of Toei has stated that the new anime movie The Rose of Versailles will be delayed until 2009. Toei has previously speculated plans to release the film this year.

Japanese television network HTB announced they will premiere a new children’s anime series titled Yume-Miru Anime on-chan (Dreaming Anime on-chan) on January 18, 2008. The series will feature the network’s mascot on-chan, voiced by Rie Tanaka (Chii from Chobits), and will be aired as short videos from 7:54am to 8:00 am every Friday.

The Tokyo Anime Center in the Akihabara district will hold a “Life-Size Figure Party” gallery from December 2 to 14, featuring 20 to 30 1/1 scale anime figures by Paper Moon. This marks the first time the company has displayed its figures outside anime conventions and other special events. The life-size figures will also be available for purchase with prices ranging from Â¥200,000 to Â¥480,000 (about US$1,800 to $4,500).

Bandai Visual USA has announced a new special extra episode of the anime Freedom will b e released in Japan in 2008.

The company has also posted a promotional video for the third English DVD/HD DVD (hybrid) volume, which is scheduled to release on December 11. The video reveals that a complete bundle set of the Freedom anime is planned.

Dengeki Online has posted the first designs and screenshots of the upcoming Okami to Koshinryo anime series.

Sakura Tsukuba’s Penguin Revolution manga will end its nearly 3-year serialization in the February 2008 issue of Hakusensha’s LaLa manga magazine (on sale December 22). CMX Manga has released the first four (of 7) volumes in English, with plans to release the fifth in January 2008.

The New York Anime Festival announced they will be screening the live action film adaptation of the anime Casshern on December 8 at the ImaginAsian theatre, presented by the movie’s soundtrack producer Shin-go and military advistor Yasuhiro Koshi. A second showing will be held on December 9 and open to the public. The DVD for the film was released in North America on October 16.

Asahi TV has confirmed the fifth Precure anime series, titled Yes! Precure 5 Go Go!, is in production and will debut in the Spring of 2008.

The mangaka of Yakitate!! Japan, Takashi Hashiguchi, will begin creating a new medical-themed manga titled Saijō no Meii. The series is scheduled to begin serialization in the first 2008 issue of Weekly Shounen Sunday (on sale December 5); Saijō no Meii will focus on pediatrics.

Keichirō Oki, mangaka of Pachinko and Pachi-slo, passed away last Monday night.

Exciting news from Viz today! Viz Pictures has announced they have become part owners of an art-house style movie theater in San Francisco’s Japan Town. The theater will open in winter 2008/2009 and will arise as the main attraction at The J-Pop Center, a commercial complex housing a bookstore, cafe and “several hip fashion boutiques originated in Tokyo.” Full press release after the jump.

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Ai Yazawa, author of the popular shoujo manga NANA, has made a full recovery from an illness that caused her manga’s stop in publication. NANA has now returned to Shueisha’s Cookie manga magazine with a special January issue (on sale November 26), including a NANA-illustrated cover, a full-color opening and a Christmas postcard.

Sho Sakurai, member of j-pop band Arashi, has been cast as Yatterman No. 1 in the live action television adaptation of Yatterman. Sakurai previously starred as Yuuta in the Honey and Clover live action film.

Warner Home Video announced they will be releasing the anime movie Appleseed: Ex Machina on Blu-ray and HD DVD formats on March 11, 2008 in North America. Both editions have an MSRP of $34.98.

Animax announced the February 16, 2008 premiere of the Sugai-kun to Kazoku Ishi (Sguy and the Family Stone) anime movie in Toho theaters in Japan. The video is a flash animation spin-off of the Frogamn Show.

A new Japanese website has opened announcing a movie adaptation of the Aquarian Age trading card game.

A live action television adaptation of Yua Oda’s Saito-san manga is scheduled to premiere in Japan on January 9, 2008.