Astro Boy Goes To IDW

Imagi Studios announced today that it has signed worldwide licensing agreements with IDW Publishing, American Greetings, Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Jazwares Inc., and D3Publisher for Astro Boy, its upcoming CG-animated film based on the adventures of the superhero icon. The studio's agreement with American Greetings also extends to future Imagi films. Astro Boy, slated for domestic release on October 23, 2009, is being distributed worldwide by Summit Entertainment except for Imagi's reserved territories of Japan, Hong Kong and China. "The strategic partnerships with these product category leaders speak volumes about Astro Boy and its reach to fans of all

IDW to publish Astro Boy comic books and graphic novels

About IDW PUBLISHING
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television's #1 prime time series CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount's Star Trek; Fox's Angel; Hasbro's The Transformers, and the BBC's Doctor Who. IDW's original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children's book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com.

ASTRO BOY Movie Official Website

ASTRO BOY Movie Official Website has launched!
http://www.astroboy-themovie.com/

ASTRO BOY Teaser Trailer on internet

You can see the HD version at Moviefone.com

The Moment | Astonishing Animation 3D

A very beautiful short-measuring of Verena Fels and Csaba Letay, entitled The Moment. An astonishing animation 3D conceived with Maya and Adobe First.
The moment, student short film for from Filmakademie

by mikropikol

Realistic Photoshop CS4 Poster

That's cool, isn't it? you can also see the making of images here

Super Cute Kamen Rider

石森 design works collection sofvi figure 1インブリスター , Banpresto
super cute, this is one of the cutest Kamen Rider figure set. I like those very simple form and the facial, just simple.
Panson Works x Gashapon presents Ishinomori (Shotaro Ishinomori) Characters by Bandai - featuring Mask Rider in H.G.Core (High Grade Collectionfigure of Real Entertainment)
http://www.bp-prize.com/panson/ishimori/index.html

UP Trailer

A trailer for Pixar's Up is now online. The film will be released next summer.

Up has a slightly different hero to some of Pixar's films. A man in is seventies heads off on a worldwide adventure, in his house. He's not alone though, a rather inept wilderness ranger tags along.

Distributors of Astro Boy in Japan, China and HK

Yes!! we can see the Astro Boy Teaser Trailer in U.S cinemas in front of DreamWorks' "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" and will do so with Disney's "Bolt" as well.

Kadokawa has picked up Japanese distribution rights to "Astro Boy," the $65 million movie adaptation of one of the classics of Japanese manga.Kadokawa will distribute the pic next October in a day-and-date release coordinated with the U.S., where the pic is handled by Summit Entertainment.

Imagi previously sold its other "reserved territories" -- Hong Kong and China -- to Golden Harvest and Enlight Pictures.

source: variety.com

Imagi Studios & D3Publisher Ink Exclusive Worldwide Videogame Publishing Agreement for Astro Boy

LOS ANGELES, Nov 05, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- D3Publisher (D3P), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, together with its parent D3, Inc., today announced a worldwide publishing agreement with Imagi Studios for videogames based on the new animated adventure film, Astro Boy. The games are scheduled to be released for console and handheld systems in Q4 2009 to coincide the worldwide release of the movie in October 2009.

"The rich history and endearing story of Astro Boy appeals to fans around the globe and translates exceptionally well to the interactive space," said Yoji Takenaka, president and chief executive officer, North America and Europe, D3P. "We look forward to working with Imagi to bring the film's unique cast of characters to life in a compelling videogame that fans and gamers of all ages will enjoy."

Erin Corbett, President of Imagi Studios U.S., said: "We are delighted to have D3Publisher as our exclusive worldwide interactive partner, and we look forward to seeing Astro Boy raised to new superhero heights in the videogame universe."

About D3Publisher

D3Publisher, a subsidiary of D3, Inc., is a leading interactive entertainment publisher and distributor for licensed and original titles for personal computers, major console platforms and handheld systems. D3Publisher has operations in the U.S., U.K., and Japan. The company also owns development studio Vicious Cycle Software, Inc., and its technology platform, Vicious Engine. Recent releases have included Dark Sector(R), Dead Head Fred(R), Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords(R), and Ben 10(TM): Protector of Earth. For more information about D3Publisher, please visit: www.d3publisher.com.

Dark Sector(R) is a registered trademark of Digital Extremes. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. All rights reserved.

Astroboy AFM party

We have a Astro Boy AFM party in Santa Monica tonight, This is important for imagi to show the teaser trailer to the film buyers and distributors. The response is very good. The trailer will be shown to public in theater very soon (within this month).

I was impressed by the big Astro Boy standee, that's huge and I'm glad that Astroboy looks really cute and appealing (someone said he is handsome as well! :O)

the environment is very dark and difficult to take good pictures there.


So far i quite like the new teaser logo design.

i will regret if i didn't go, for me, this is a good time for me to relax and have fun with other department teammates, we don't have time to talk in office not about work since everyone is busy to get movie done. BTW, I am glad that it looks good, i am glad....

about AFM

Interview with AstroBoy director

A new Interview of AstroBoy director, David Brower is launched at imagi website.

"I want Astro Boy to be a really special movie, a mix of action-adventure with lots of comedy and a really emotional story at its core. It's an iconic property and deserves respect, so I don't want to give it the glib, pop-referential treatment that so many animated movies have today. Instead I want it to stand as a classic superhero origin story, something befitting the icon of Astro Boy, kind of along the lines of Richard Donner's Superman. I want it to serve as an introduction to Astro Boy for western audiences whilst remaining faithful to the lore of Asian audiences. Astro Boy is a treasured icon in Japan and so I'm working closely with the Tezuka estate to ensure I get everything right."
pls click [what's new] at the bottom of the main page to read more

'Tezuka Gene: Light in the Darkness' exhibition

An exhibition featuring pieces by 35 artists based on the work of late comic legend Osamu Tezuka called "Tezuka Gene: Light in the Darkness" is being held at Shibuya Parco Part One until Nov. 10.

The event, commemorating the 80th anniversary of his birth, will display pieces inspired by various aspects of Tezuka's work, his expression, and his view of the world.

Tezuka Gene: Light in the Darkness (Japanese)

see some artwork here

Warner Bros. Plan Ninja Scroll Movie

It seems the next big Hollywood trend to snap up rights to cool cartoon that came out of Japan since 1960. Already in the works are adaptations of ‘Astro Boy’, ‘Gatchaman’ and ‘Dragonball’, today we can add ‘Ninja Scroll’ (獣兵衛忍風帖) to that list.

From ComingSoon.net:

Alex Tse (Watchmen) will write Ninja Scroll, Warners Bros. Pictures’ adaptation of the classic Japanese anime feature. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way is producing along with Madhouse Pictures and Jungo Maruta.

“Ninja” is set in feudal Japan and follows a ninja who must fight eight demonic warriors in order to save Japan. The hard-R movie, released in 1993 in Japan, featured a villain with stone skin, a hunchback with a wasp nest as his hump and a woman whose snake tattoos come to life.

Having personally never seen Ninja Scroll I don’t know if it would benefit or not from a Hollywood adaptation. What I do know is that if this current trend continues, as it did for comic book movies we might eventually get adaptations of the cartoons I actually DO like, which can only be a good thing if they are treated with the same respect that comic book movies are at the moment.

Ninja Scroll trailer: Ninja Scroll Official Site

AstroBoy party

We had a party today to celebrate 50% complete of AstroBoy pre-production overall... there is one year time to release date. BTW, i have no idea how much % of visdev we had completed now, more than 60%, i guess... I just know we still have a lot to do. : )

Yawaraka Atomu

Astro Boy, created by animation pioneer Osamu Tezuka, robot with a soft, adorable face, a feature that partly explains his global fame. is a superhero

But the robot, called Tetsuwan (Iron Arm) Atomu in Japanese, might be even better if he had a soft body to go along with the face. At least that may have been what a Web animator who goes by the name Rarecho was thinking when he came up with Yawaraka (Soft) Atomu, a character unveiled at the first Japan Animation Content Meeting, or JAM, last October.

Yawaraka Atomu now appears in an animated DVD series and on T-shirts. JAM invites creative ideas from ordinary individuals to help take advantage of the stock of Japanese animated content....
Read more...

MINI E

Battery-powered MINI E revealed!



BMW has finally unleashed some information and photos of the much anticipated MINI E set to debut next month at the LA Auto Show.....
read more

The design looks exactly the same as the normal cooper, the graphics is interesting, i like the color combination. We have chance to see LA Auto Show this time since we are in LA now!! I have never been to the auto show with Concept cars, i can't wait to see that.

Giant Purple Robot Mr. Recycle More

More is A giant purple robot , Mr. Recycle More appeared in London .

The robot is over 6 meters tall and made up of more than 33 recycling bins. He is part of Tower Hamlets, UK recycling campaign.

Tower Hamlets has one of the worst performances in terms of recycling. Mr. Recycle More will hopefully spur folks on to better recycling habits.

source: letsrecycle.com

Animax Top 100 Robot Anime

Animax have released a list of their Top 100 Robot Anime of all time, with Atroboy making the list twice, Ranked 5 and 12.

1) Mobile Suit Gundam
2) Neon Genesis Evangelion
3) Doraemon
4) Brain Powered
5) Tetsuwan Atom (1963) 鉄腕アトム
6) Mazinger Z
7) Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
8) Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
9) Overman King Gainer オーバーマン]キングゲイナー
10) Dr. Slump Arale-Chan (1981) I.Q.博士
11) New Mobile Report Gundam W
12) Astroboy Tetsuwan Atom (2003) 鉄腕アトム
13) King Of Braves GaoGaiGar 勇者王
14) Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
15) Martian Successor Nadesico 機動戦艦ナデシコ
16) Kiteretsu Daihyakka キテレツ大百科
17) Mobile Fighter G Gundam
18) Vision Of Escaflowne
19) Mobile Police Patlabor 機動警察パトレイバー

20) Armored Trooper VOTOMS 装甲騎兵ボトムズ
21) Turn A Gundam
22) Hurricane! Iron Leaguer 疾風！アイアンリーガー
23) Mobile Suit V Gundam
24) Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex 攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX
25) Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket
26) Super Dimensional Fortress Macross 超時空要塞マクロス
27) Giant Robo
28) Cyborg 009 (2001) サイボーグ009
29) Cyborg 009 (1968)
30) Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team

31) After War Gundam X
32) Medarot メダロット
33) Time Bokan series Yatterman
34) Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
35) Gunbuster: Aim For The Top! トップをねらえ!,
36) Rahxephon ラーゼフォン
37) Gunparade March ~Arata Naru Kougun Uta~
38) Aura Battler Dunbine 聖戦士ダンバイン,
39) Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters In Space
40) Zoids New Century/Zero

41) Angelic Layer エンジェリックレイヤー,
42) Yuusha Raideen (1975) 勇者ライディーン,
43) Spirit Hero Wataru 魔神英雄伝ワタル,
44) Getta Robo ゲッターロボ,
45) Tetsujin 28 (1963)
46) Gear Fighter Dendoh GEAR戦士電童,
47) Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
48) Yatterman ヤッターマン
49) Round Vernian Vifam 銀河漂流バイファム
50) Metal Armor Dragonar 機甲戦記ドラグナー

51) The Big O THE ビッグオー
52) Robot Hunter Casshan 新造人間キャシャーン
53) Macross 7 マクロス7
54) Cutey Honey キューティーハニー
55) Heavy Metal L-Gaim 重戦機（ヘビーメタル）エルガイム
56) Legendary Giant God Ideon 伝説巨神イデオン
57) Chou Denji Robo Combattler V
58) Rokushin Gattai God Mars 六神合体ゴッドマーズ
59) Tetsujin 28 (2004) 鉄人28号
60) Time Bokan

61) Zettai Muteki Raijin-Oh 絶対無敵ライジンオー
62) Choujuushin Gravion 超重神グラヴィオン
63) Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
64) Muteki Choujin Zambot 3 無敵超人ザンボット3
65) Vandread The Second Stage ヴァンドレッド
66) Change!! Shin Getter Robo 真ゲッターロボ
67) Blue Comet SPT Layzner 蒼き流星SPTレイズナー
68) Great Mazinger グレートマジンガー
69) Tatakai! Chou Robot Seimeitai Transformers
70) Vandread ヴァンドレッド

71) Mobile Suit Gundam I
72) Medarot Tamashii
73) Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Last Blitz Of Zeon
74) Combat Mecha Xabungle 戦闘メカ ザブングル
75) Macross Plus マクロスプラス
76) Gad Guard ガドガード
77) Densetsu No Yuusha Da Garn
78) NG Knight Lamune & 40 NG騎士[ナイト]ラムネ&40
79) Mobile Suit Gundam F91 機動戦士ガンダムＦ91
80) Yuusha Tokkyuu Might Gaine

81) Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers Of Sorrow
82) Lord of Lords Ryu Knight 覇王大系リューナイト
83) Beast Wars: Chou Seimeitai Transformers
84) Yuusha Exkaiser 勇者エクスカイザー
85) Android Kikaider: The Animation 人造人間キカイダー,
86) Gasaraki ガサラキ
87) Mobile Suit SD Gundam
88) Muteki Koujin Daitarn 3 無敵鋼人ダイターン3
89) Chouja Raideen (1996)
90) Yuusha Keisatsu J-Decker

91) Candidate For Goddess 女神候補生
92) Cyborg Kuro-Chan
93) Machine Robo: Revenge Of Chronos マシンロボ
94) Choujuu Kishin Dancougar
95) Madou Oh Granzort
96) VS Knight Lamune & 40 Fire VS騎士ラムネ&40炎
97) Kenran Butou Sai: The Mars Daybreak
98) UFO Robo Grendizer UFOロボ・グレンダイザー (巨靈神)
99) Shutsugeki! Machine Robo Rescue 出撃!マシンロボレスキュー
100) Fang Of The Sun Dougram 太陽の牙ダグラム
Those in orange are my favorite!

.you can see the previews by searching the titles here: animenewsnetwork.com
.read more about: 機器人動畫

Beautiful Medical Animation

Look at these!! Such a beautiful medical animation! How amazing how they combine the medical knowledge and artistic together. I just like how play with the color and layout, just like a fantasy world... check their website Hybrid Medical Animation to see their demo reel, so cool. There are also lots beautiful medical illustrations.

Astro Boy x G-Shock

It's almost been 20 years since the death of the Osamu Tezuka a.k.a. "the father of anime" and the creator of Astro Boy.... In order to commemorate his death, Casio will be releasing a limited edition Astro Boy G-Shock watch towards the end of November.
-6900 model comes in a black red colorway
-1,000 pieces will be produced
-$150 USD