Three of Osamu Tezuka’s manga series are being adapted into a play, titled “Trees and Ghosts,” premiering November at the Gonda Theatre in Washington DC. The three manga include Dishogun Mori e Yuki, Sei Naru Hiroba and Tenteke March, all of which are portray the memory and conditioning of World War II. Tickets can be purchased from the Georgetown University’s Performing Arts Center.

Viz’s marketing has payed off; its three newest Naruto volume releases (16-18, on sale September 4) have already reached the USA Today 150 best selling books for the week of August 20-26. Naruto volume 16 currently rests at #131, volume 17 at #123, and volume 18 ranking in at #116.

Fruit’s Basket volume 17 remains in the book list, dropping to position #76.

The Pusan International Film Festival has chosen the new Evangelion 1.0 You are (Not) Alone movie as their closing feature this year. The film festival will commence October 4th - 12th.

The Famitsu website is featuring screen shots and information on the second season for the Genshiken anime. Notable staff changes include a new director: Yoshimoto Kinji (Plastic Little) and character designs by Yanagida Yoshiaki (Kujibiki Unbalance TV). A new opening will be performed by Misato Aki (My-HiME) and a new ending by Yuumao. Season 2 of Genshiken is scheduled to premiere this October.

ADV is offering the first episode of Air for free on their website. This promotion will expire on September 6. The updated “free” section on their website also includes anime previews, podcasts and wallpapers.

Gundam fans rejoice! Japan’s SkyPerfecTV satellite provider has announced it will air a “Gundam Festival,” consisting of five channels airing 23 different Gundam anime series, including Mobile Suit Gundam 00. This incredible lineup will run in October on Animax, Channel Neco, Family Theatre, SkyChan and the TBS channel.

Level 5 has announced its Inazuma Eleven soccer-related game will be adapted into an anime. Further details are not yet known; future information will be made available on the game’s website.

4Kids Entertainment is planning on creating a new anime franchise with Dinosaur King. The anime is based on a collectible card game by Sega, and reportedly will be subject to the “Americanization” of character names that 4Kids is known for. Dinosaur King will air on Saturday mornings in the 2007-2008 season on Fox.

Beginning September 4th, Comcast will begin airing Bang Zoom Entertainment’s AnimeTV talk show on its VOD service. The talk show covers the anime industry and fandom in North America.

As many of you know, Viz has just begun its Naruto Invasion promotion, prepping to release 3 volumes of the Naruto manga every month. In addition, Viz has recently started a raffle promotion, giving out anime box sets, commemorative items, games, and even a pair of round-trip tickets and passes to the 2008 San Diego Comic Con. Good luck!

A new live action television drama of the popular City Hunter manga has been announced, produced by Japan’s Kadokawa and South Korea’s SIDUS film companies.

Another trailer for Evangelion 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone is online. There’s a high quality version at Stage6 and a low quality rip on YouTube.

The game Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel, or Thief Angel Twin Angel, has been confirmed to be receiving an anime adaptation.

Byousoku 5 Centimeter will be screened at the annual Asian Film Festival in Dallas, Texas on the closing night, August 30, at 5:30pm CDT. The live-action pictures Ghost Train, The Great Happiness Space, and Hula Girls will also be screened at the festival.

A new Genshiken spin-off series has been announced; the fictional game portrayed in the original Genshiken series, Ramen Tenshi Pretty Menma, will be the center of this new manga. It will be published in the Monthly Comic Alive magazine, debuting in the November issue.

Top DVD Release
School Rumble DVD #1 (also w/artbox) [ FUNimation ] - Another fun high school anime!

Top Manga Release
Negima! Magister Negi Magi Volume #15 [ Del Rey ] - You can say whatever you want, I know you love these harem/moe series.

School Rumble DVD #1 (also w/artbox) [ FUNimation ]
August 28, 2007 | $29.98 | 125 min.

High school can be hard enough with just academics alone, but when love enters into the picture, it can unravel into a comedy of errors. Tenma has fallen for her oblivious classmate but hasn’t worked up the courage to express her feelings to him. She continually tries unorthodox ploys to confess with a frustrating lack of success.

Meanwhile, the class delinquent has fallen for Tenma and is making similar attempts. While this unlikely trio winds their way through the pitfalls of love and high school life, their friends and classmates become caught up in the chaos.

Buy now from Rightstuf for only $26.98!
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Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE DVD #3 [ FUNimation ]
August 28, 2007 | $29.98 | 100 min.

After planting the seed of revolution among an oppressed populace, the heroes travel to a new world - a snow-covered realm, at once both haunting and haunted. A crumbling castle lurks on the village edge, from which the townsfolk suspect a royal specter emerges to roam the streets at night, stealing children. When Sakura disappears into nocturnal silence, the truth proves even more chilling than the legend… Nothing is as it seems as a tale that has spanned the centuries seeks its end.

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Buy now from AnimeNation for only $26.98!

Utawarerumono DVD #5 [ ADV ]
August 28, 2007 | $29.98 | 100 min.

In a warring land, blood runs deep and trust wears thin. Just when Hakuoro thinks he has gained a trustworthy ally, he finds that he must defend his people against a power-hungry onslaught from an invincible mechanized force, the likes of which have never been seen in this primitive world. When Hakuoro is backed into a corner, his inner beast is unleashed - and pieces of the mystery begin to unfold. Is he a bloodthirsty killer, or a mystical protector of life?

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Negima! Magister Negi Magi Volume #15 [ Del Rey ]
August 28, 2007 | $10.95 | 208 pages

Boy wizard Negi Springfield has met some tough challenges. After all, he’s an English teacher at an all-girls high school. But now he must face one of his own students in battle… without relying on his magical powers!

Buy now from Rightstuf for only $10.95!
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Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days Volume #6 [ ADV ]
August 31, 2007 | $9.99 | 176 pages

One by one, the former students of class 2-A have returned to Japan. But their reunion won’t be a happy one, as Rei wrestles for her feelings for Shinji while Asuka and Shinji struggle to adjust as a couple. And through it all, they must face a common dilemma: the older they become, the more the evangelions are choosing to reject them…

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Yet another live action announcement! Hatakari Man (Working Man) will be adapted into a new live action TV drama series by NTV, airing this October.

A new installment in the My Hime series has been announced, titled My Otome S.ifl, an OVA prequel to the My Otome anime.