The K-ON! Movie originally premiered in Japanese theaters last winter, on December 3. And by early February, it had earned 1.7 billion yen ($20.8 million) in ticket sales. Like the two TV anime series that preceded it in 2009 and 2010, the film was created by studio Kyoto Animation (KyoAni).

The movie’s story follows the same five girls from Sakuragaoka High School’s light music club. As graduation draws near for Yui, Ritsu, Mio and Tsumugi, they – together with Azusa – decide to go on a post-graduation trip… to London!

source from: animekon

source from: animenewsnetwork

source from: animenewsnetwork

The story revolves around a second-year high school art student named Sorata Kanda who lives in “Sakurasou”, the dormitory for problem children at his school – after being kicked out of the normal dorm because he was found to keep a cat in his room. One day, Mashiro Shiina – a cute girl who happens to be a world-famous painter and brilliant artist – moves into Sakurasou.

Sorata thinks to himself that he should protect Mashiro from the weirdos at Sakurasou, but Mashiro has a surprising secret: she has no idea how to take care of herself. She gets lost if she goes out, and her room is a complete mess. Sorata’s dorm mates designate him as the “master” of Mashiro, and thus, an ordinary boy and a brilliant girl must live like “a master and his pet”. (based on ANN synopsis)

And to go with this announcement, a local Sakurasou gallery is now open.

source from: animekon

Studio J.C. Staff is animating the upcoming extras (yep, them again), unlike the ongoing TV anime which is primarily credited to studio Sunrise – with J.C. Staff only helping out on some aspects of the production. The OVA shorts are based on Akariryuryuu’s four-panel spinoff manga Actual World, in turn inspired by the original Accel World light novel series by Reki Kawahara.

ANN’s report of an Amazon.co.jp listing mentions 8 such Blu-ray and DVD volumes planned for the TV anime’s home video release, adding that “initial pre-orders for the first volume will also include Kawahara’s all-new short novel, tentatively titled “Accel World: Elements”, with illustrations by HIMA”, among other goodies.

source from: animekon

Earlier this month, J.C. Staff was also indicated as the studio that’s animating the upcoming TV series Joshiraku, likewise without a release date attached so far.

The Little Busters! game on which the anime is based was originally released by Visual Art’s for the PC in July 2007, and it was the 6th title developed by Key – best known for their beloved visual novels Kanon, Air and Clannad, all of which had already received equally beloved anime adaptations.

Following the original all-ages game, an adult version subtitled Ecstasy (EX) was also released one year later, followed by console ports for the PS2, PSP and PS Vita, as well as a side-story eroge called Kud Wafter.

The series’ latest iteration – the PS Vita port Little Busters! Converted Edition was released just last month, on March 22.

source from: animekon

The Animate.tv website has revealed the staff for the La storia della Arcana Famiglia television anime series on Thursday.

Chiaki Kon (When They Cry – Higurashi, Nodame Cantabile: Paris and Finale, Junjō Romantica) will direct the series. Masanao Akahoshi (both Toaru Majutsu no Index series, Freezing) will handle the series composition. Mai Matsuura (Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteiru) will adapt Yomi Sarachi’s (Steins;Gate manga) original character designs for animation.

The anime adapts HuneX and Comfort Soft’s adventure game for female players. The storyfollows Arcana Famiglia, a self-appointed organization with mysterious powers that has protected a small Mediterranean island from pirates, foreign countries, and other threats. The only daughter of the family’s “Papa,” Felicitá, will be married to the next head of the family in two months — and the successor will be decided in a competition that Felicitá herself will take part in.

The anime will premiere this summer with animation by J.C. Staff. The anime will retain the cast from the original PSP game from HuneX (VitaminX Addiction) and tie-in drama CD project.

HuneX and Comfort Soft will release the Arcana Famiglia ~Vascello Phantasma no Majutsushi~ special disc for the PlayStation Portable console on June 21. The television anime series and a demo for the special disc will be featured atAnime Contents Expo on March 31-April 1.

source from: animenewsnetwork

ZEXCS

The official Twitter account for the anime studio ZEXCS announced on Friday that it is producing the previously revealed Aruvu Rezuru -Kikai Jikake no Yōsei-tachi- (Aruvu Rezuru: Mechanized Fairies) cyber science-fiction anime. ZEXCS also revealed the anime’s cast and staff:

Jun Fukuyama will play the main character Remu Mikage, while Eri Kitamura will play his sister Shiki Mikage. Tatsuya Yoshihara (episode director on Sket Dance) will make his full-fledged directing debut on this anime, while Yū Yamaguchi, the author of the originalAruvu Rezuru novel, is writing the script.

Aruvu Rezuru is set a decade from now in the year 2022, as humanity continues to accelerate towards the technological singularity (the advent of computers that surpass humans). Thanks to advances in nano-assembly technology and man-machine interfaces, Nerve-seller Linker Nano-machines (NLN, a super-miniaturized wireless communications device that emulates neurons) have been brought into fruition and onto the marketplace.

A NLN bypasses the bottlenecks imposed by existing display/keyboard and touch panel interfaces by connecting the human nervous system wirelessly to external networks— thus allowing the human consciousness to seamlessly link to networks. However, as the barriers fall down between man and machine, the consciousness of tens of thousands of people become lost in the network, in an crisis that becomes known as “Early Rupture.” A boy named Remu goes to take back the soul of his little sister, who disappeared in net space.

Aruvu Rezuru is the first novel under Kodansha‘s BOX-AiR program to be animated. The Kodansha Box imprint, the electronic magazine BOX-AiR, and King Record’s Starchild label run the BOX-AiR program which has offered to “consider” adapting the monthly published writings into anime. The organizer selected Aruvu Rezuru out the 11 winners of the New Author Awards.

source from: animenewsnetwork

Another television anime adaptation of Masayuki Ishikawa‘sMoyashimon: Tales of Agriculture manga has been green-lit under the title Moyashimon Returns. The new anime will premiere in Fuji TV‘s late-night programming block Noitamina on Thursdays this July.

The Moyashimon story follows a college student who discovers that he can see and communicate with the germs all around him — germs that appear as super-deformed characters.

The manga has been running in Kodansha‘s Evening magazine since 2004. Del Rey licensed the manga and released two volumes beforeKodansha Comics USA took over Del Rey‘s titles in 2010. The first television anime series aired in Noitamina in 2007, followed by a live-action adaptation with lead actor Yuichi Nakamura in the same block in 2010.

The regular and limited edition of the 11th Moyashimon manga volume shipped on Friday. The limited edition comes with a full-color, 136-page “Moyashibon” book with illustrations, designs, interviews, unused layouts, and other materials.

source from: animenewsnetwork

Shōjo

Kariko Koyama resumed her Macross Frontier spinoff manga Sheryl – Kiss in the Galaxyin the May issue of Kodansha‘s shojo magazine Bessatsu Friend on Thursday — even though the manga had officially “ended” one year ago. The manga follows the early days of Macross Frontier idol Sheryl Nome; in particular, the new chapter “Pre Stage: Sora-Iro Topaz” (Pre Stage: Sky-Blue Topaz) depicts a time when Sheryl, her future manager Grace, and Macross Frontier protagonist Alto met each other.

The manga launched in July in 2010, and its first run led to three compiled book volumes. The manga was initially timed to end when the second of the two Macross Frontier films premiered last year.

source from: animenewsnetwork