Category Archives: Animation Studios

Spirited Away: LIVE ON STAGE Coming To Theaters

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Acclaimed producer and distributor, GKIDS announced it has acquired North American right for SPIRITED AWAY: Live On Stage, during the hit production’s 2022 run at the historic Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, Japan. The production is a live stage performance of Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award®-winning animated feature of the same name.

The live stage production was adapted and directed for the stage by Tony Award®-winner John Caird, Honorary Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, who gained international acclaim for adapting and directing the world premiere of the landmark production Les Misérables.

John Caird’s Twitter Profile Picture

GKIDS is set to release two separate filmed performances of the production, starring Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi, double-cast as the lead heroine Chihiro.

Actor Mari Natsuki, who voiced previously voiced the sorceress Yubaba and her twin sister Zeniba in the original motion picture, returns to her original role, accompanied by voice actor Romi Park. They are accompanied by a star-studded cast of Japan’s finest actors.

SPIRITED AWAY: Live On Stage was created in association with Studio Ghibli, and presented by Toho Co., Ltd. The deal was negotiated between GKIDS and Toho. GKIDS will release the stage production theatrically in spring 2023.

GKids President David Jesteadt stated the following,“We are thrilled to offer this unique opportunity for Studio Ghibli fans in America to experience the stage production that wowed Japanese press and audiences last year,” He added“This imaginative stage adaptation by the legendary John Caird, featuring two wonderful performances by lead actors Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi, helps bring to life one of the greatest films of all time in a dazzling new way.”

Via Press Release

Live Stage Synopsis

While traveling to their new home, Chihiro and her family stumble into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. When her parents are turned into pigs and she is put to work in a magical bathhouse, Chihiro must use her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents, and return to the normal world.

Full Cast

  • Chihiro: Kanna Hashimoto/Mone Kamishiraishi
  • Haku: Kotaro Daigo /Hiroki Miura
  • No Face: Koharu Sugawara/Tomohiko Tsujimoto
  • Lin/Chihiro’s Mother: Miyu Sakihi/Fu Hinami
  • Kamaji: Tomorowo Taguchi/Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Yubaba/Zeniba: Mari Natsuki/Romi Park
  • Aniyaku/Chihiro’s Father: Kenya Osumi
  • Chichiyaku: Sunao Yoshimura
  • Aogaeru: Obata no Oniisan

GKIDS has yet to announce the official theatrical release date.

We’ll keep you updated on the theatrical release; meanwhile, subscribe to our articles below, and don’t miss any upcoming exclusive content!

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Toei Company President & CEO Passes Away at 62

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Toei Company Ltd. announced on Tuesday the passing of the company’s president and CEO, Osamu Tezuka (not to be confused with the manga artist of the same name). Tezuka, born on March 1, 1960, died at the age of 62. Tezukaoined Toei on April 1983, marking 40 years at the company, and in June 2012, he became a board member. In 2016, he was promoted to managing director, president, and ultimately, CEO in June 2020.

Toei announced that current managing director and chairman Noriyuki Tada would take on the role of president in light of Tezuka’s passing. Tezuka’s close relatives will hold a private burial, and a memorial ceremony is planned for later.

Sources: Toei Co.IR News (PDF) | Toei Co.IR News (PDF 2)

Totally Spies Interview – 20 Years Later

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Anime-Inspired cartoons

Many cartoons of the day were an introduction to the world of anime, even if those series were not considered traditional anime. Wakfu, Martin Mystery, Code Lyoko & Totally Spies were all considered anime-influenced or anime-inspired cartoons, often produced in Italy or France. Some of us fondly remember these cartoons, even when we were unaware of what anime or cosplay was. Today we are focusing on one of these series, Totally Spies.

Totally Spies Season 2 Promo Image

Remembering Totally Spies

Totally Spies is a series that has gathered a large fan base throughout the year, since it first aired in 2001 on ABC Family. Often described as ‘Charlie’s Angels for kids”, the series revolved around three high school girls who would be literally sucked into a world of evil plots, goofy evil villains, and of course, boy problems. Popularity grew as the seasons passed due to the show’s witty humor and intriguing missions. In 2009, the series had its first motion picture which had a limited theatrical release in the U.S., followed by a 6th season in 2013.

Totally Spies The Movie U.S. Promo Banner

Totally Spies, Totally Today!

Totally Spies remains alive and well-loved thanks to its large fanbase, sharing fan art, AMVs (Anime Music Videos) and fan-made merchandise. In late 2022, Zodiak Kids and Family Distribution, the current series owners, announced a new 7th season titled Totally Spies! Woohp World. This brand new season will feature brand new character designs for its protagonist and brand new characters. After 20 years, this is literally childhoods in the making. The new season is set to be release sometime this year with no official date announced as of the release of this article. 

Totally Spies Season 7 Keyart

While you wait, watch as Alex and Clover discuss their involvement in the series and their experiences being a WOOHP agent. We got the totally amazing opportunity to interview voice actors Katie Leigh (Alex) and Andrea Baker (Clover) about their roles and experiences behind the mic in the series:

Win an autograph from ANDREA BAKER, the voice of Clover! All you have to do is retweet our interview on TWITTER OR TUMBLR with #TKNTotallySpies, and you’ll automatically be entered to win! Make sure to tag us!

ACTUAL GIVEAWAY ITEM(S)

Two winners will be selected (1 from Twitter & 1 from Tumblr), DEADLINE 1/28/2023.

LEARN ABOUT OUR RULES & CONDITIONS: https://thekitsunetwork.net/giveaways

Subscribe to our articles below, and don’t miss any upcoming exclusive content!

Join 576 other subscribers

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Laika Limited Edition Steelbooks – Now Available

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For the first time ever, you can enjoy two LAIKA films on 4K UHD which includes a limited edition steelbook case.

Brought to you by Laika Studios and Shout! Factory, these two groundbreaking and Academy Award-nominated stop motion features, Coraline and ParaNorman, are now available in 4K for the first time ever! The films have been through 4K restoration with HDR and Dolby Vision plus Dolby Atmos for the ultimate entertainment experience.

Coraline and ParaNorman were painstakingly remastered by the team at LAIKA, led by LAIKA CEO (and Kubo and the Two Strings Director) Travis Knight, and Visual Effects Supervisor Steve Emerson, who pored over each film shot-by-shot, paying close attention to every last detail and color to present these groundbreaking films in the most dynamic format.

The use of Dolby Vision has made these films look more spectacular than ever before, with vivid colors and exacting picture quality, and with highlights brighter and essential dark elements darker, unleashing the full potential of HDR technology. The films were also mixed in Dolby Atmos spatial audio, bringing out more details and clarity in the sound, resulting in an even more immersive experience for fans.

The SteelBook releases feature new hand drawn art from auteur illustrators carefully selected to newly represent the films while keeping their original spirit alive. Known for creating bold and vibrant illustrations, Cancun-based illustrator and Art Director Cesar Moreno created the art for Coraline, and the ParaNorman cover art was drawn by Kevin Tong, an artist living and working out of Austin, TX.

The sets include all the bonus features of the recent LAIKA Studios Editions and a new booklet.

Laika films, Kubo And The Two String and The Boxtrolls are also set to be released in 4KUHD February 28, 2023. Each SteelBook + Blu-ray set with beautiful new hand drawn art. The sets include all the bonus features of the recent LAIKA Studios Editions and a new booklet. The Boxtrolls Steelbook case will be created by Cancun-based illustrator and Art Director Cesar Moreno, and the Kubo and the Two Strings cover art was drawn by Kevin Tong.

You can purchase Coraline and ParaNorman and PREORDER Kubo and The Boxtrolls below:

The Simpsons’ – Death Note Parody – DEATH TOME

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The Simpsons’ annual Treehouse Of Horror halloween episode returns with a Death Note parody, DEATH TOME.

A Clip making it rounds on Twitter, featuring Lisa as Light giving fans a glimpse of well animated episode. The segment is animated by South Korean studio, DR Movie Animation Entertainment studio, who also assisted in animating the original series in 2006.

Look closely and you might find your favorite Simpsons character in your favorite anime style animation. In fact, Simpson episode writer, Carolyn Omine promised to share more Easter Eggs from the Death Note segment.

This is not the first time The Simpsons have parodied Death Note. Back 2009, the series was parodied using Bart as the central character in The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror #14, the segment was titled, Murder, He Wrote and penicled by Nina Matsumoto.

Artst: Nina Matsumoto

The episode will air this Sunday, October 30th. You watch on the Fox or on Hulu. The episode will also parody Westworld, and the 2014 psychological horror film, The Babadook.

One Piece Film: RED Premieres at AiFF 2022

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One Piece Film Red served as the centerpiece film at this year’s Animation is Film Festival and for the first time fans had the opportunity to experience film in English dubbed, two weeks ahead of its official U.S. theater release.

The film is directed by Goro Taniguchi, who previously directed the 1998 OVA, One Piece: Defeat The Pirate Ganzak! OVA and was the very first time the One Piece manga had been animated, making Taniguchi the first person to animate Luffy. According to the Japanese website, Mantan-Web, Taniguchi stated that he wanted to express a One Piece that has never been seen before and that he will show it in One Piece Film: Red. According to Shinji Shimizu, a staff of Toei Animation and producer of One Piece anime, One Piece Film: Red is the only One Piece film that Eiichiro Oda has actively participated in the most.

The film has been released in Tokyo, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Taiwan, and most recently at New York Comic Con 2022 with a massive New York Times Square billboard takeover.

NYC Times Square Sample – Press Release

Now for the first time ever, fans got to experience the film in English dubbed during this year’s Animation is Film Festival 2022, and we had the opportunity to catch with some of the cast and speak on this new anime film phenomenon:

As of 23 October 2022, the film has grossed ¥17.36 billion in Japan making it the highest-grossing film of the franchise and the highest-grossing film of 2022 in Japan. Worldwide the film has earned over US$144.7 million in eight countries making it the 13th highest-grossing Japanese film of all-time.

The film’s theme song “New Genesis” by Ado is currently number 48 in the Top 100 Global charts on Apple Music. The film is set to be released on the 4th of November 2022, if you haven’t purchased your tickets, now’s the time, you can purchase here.

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Article cover photo by, John photography.

Loundraw Interview: SUMMER GHOST – Animation is Film 2022

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Popular illustrator, Loundraw had his debut film premiere during this year’s Anime Expo 2022, & recently during this year’s Animation Is Film festival, we had the opportunity to interview Loundrawabout his debut film, Summer Ghost

The film is produced by Loundraw’s company Flat Studio, with scripts written by Hirotaka Adachi, and music composed by Akira Kosemura, Itoko Toma, Guiano, and Hideya Kojima.

Summer Ghost was released in Japanese theaters on November 12, 2021, by its distributor Avex Pictures. GKIDS and Shout! Factory is set to release the film in North America on November 1, 2022, on Blu-ray and digital platforms. The film is available to preorder via Prime Video.

Loundraw is an Illustrator who made his professional debut in his teens with a cover illustration for Gara Nagata’s Hoshi no Nemuru Mizuumi e -Ai wo Sagashi ni-. He also worked on the covers of various novels, such as Keigo Higashino’s Koi no Gondola and Yoru Sumino’s Kimi no Suizou wo Tabetai.

You can preorder Loundraw’s newest English-translated work Vivy Prototype a light novel by Tappei Nagatsuki & Eiji Umehara, HERE.

Summer Ghost is now available by GKids Films on Blu-ray and Prime Video

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 Teaser Trailer Premiere | Illumination and Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Film

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New York Comic Con has announced the premiere of the upcoming Super Marios Bros film produced by Illumination and Nintendo.

The film an ensemble voice cast including Chris Pratt (Mario), Anya Taylor-Joy (Peach), Charlie Day (Luigi), Jack Black (Bowser), Keegan-Michael Key (Toad), Seth Rogen (Donkey Kong), Fred Armisen (Cranky Kong), Kevin Michael Richardson (Kamek), Sebastian Maniscalco (Spike), and Charles Martinet (undisclosed role).

This is the third film adaptation of the game franchise following the 1986 Japanese animated adventure comedy film Super Mario Bros.: Peach-Hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen! and the terrible but cult classic film, 1993 live-action film Super Mario Bros. The new film began its concept development as early as 2015, after Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto met Illumination CEO, Chris Meledandri through Universal Japan’s venture in Super Mario Bro attractions.

Source: Nan Palmero
Source: 令和元年度　文化功労者：文部科学省,

By 2020, production was already underway with Chris Pratt as Mario and Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who both worked on Teen Titans Go! To the Movies as director and writer, respectively. As of September 22, 2022, not much is known about the film’s plot, however there is an IMDB description that describes the film as follows,

” A plumber named Mario travels through an underground labyrinth with his brother, Luigi, trying to save a captured princess. Feature film adaptation of the popular video game.”

Via IMDB

The film is set to be released by Universal Pictures on April 7, 2023 in the United States, followed by a Japan release on April 28, It will be available to stream on Peacock 45 days afterwards. Universal pictures and New York Comic-Con have announced the world premiere teaser trailer of the film on October 6th at 4pm ET.

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EVANGELION:3.0+1.01 THRICE UPON A TIME – IN US THEATERS FOR THE FIRST TIME

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GKIDS is collaborating with Fathom for Exclusive Event Showings of the Finale of the Historic “EVANGELION” Property. GKIDS will bring the highly anticipated fourth and final installment of the new theatrical “Rebuild” editions of the EVANGELION franchise to theaters nationwide. In partnership with Fathom Events, screenings will only be on December 6th, 8th, and 11th.

Tickets will be available beginning November 2nd at FathomEvents.com, GKIDS.com/EVANGELION and participating theater box offices.

EVANGELION:3.0+1.01 THRICE UPON A TIME was released in Japanese theaters in 2021, where it was a critical and box office success becoming the highest-grossing film of the year with ¥10.28 billion (~$85 million) at the local box office. The release marks the first time the film will be available in theaters in North America since its domestic release in Japan. The film has won numerous awards, including, The 45th Japan Academy Film Prize, Tokyo Anime Awards, and Best Original Screenplay and Director (Hideaki Anno) categories at the Tokyo Anime Film Festival.

Created by Hideaki Anno, the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION franchise is considered one of the most influential animated sagas of all time. Since the 1995 premiere of the original television series, the story of teenager Shinji Ikari has remained one of the most iconic titles in animation history and a global pop culture phenomenon.

Last year, GKIDS released the original twenty-six-episode television series, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, as well as the films EVANGELION: DEATH (TRUE)2 and THE END OF EVANGELION on Blu-ray and digital download-to-own for the first time in North America. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for creator Hideaki Anno’s prior series, NADIA: The Secret of Blue Water.

Film Synopsis

From legendary director Hideaki Anno, EVANGELION:3.0+1.01 THRICE UPON A TIME is the fourth and final installment of the REBUILD OF EVANGELION films, bringing an epic conclusion to the story of Shinji and his fellow Eva pilots, with the stunning visuals and thought-provoking storytelling that has made EVANGELION a global pop culture phenomenon.

Misato and her anti-NERV group Wille arrive at Paris, a city now red from core-ization. Crew from the flagship Wunder land on a containment tower. They only have 720 seconds to restore the city. When a horde of NERV Evas appear, Mari’s improved Eva Unit 8 must intercept. Meanwhile, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei (Provisional Name) wander about Japan.

During an interview by Moshi Moshi Nippon in July 2021, Evangelion creator and director Hideaki Anno, gave a message for the film’s international release on Amazon Prime Video,

Photo: Moshi Moshi Nippon | https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/479515

“Not only Evangelion, but my work basically deal with themes unique to Japan, aimed at people who grew up in Japan. I am really grateful and honoured that such works are seen and loved by people all over the world. Thank you so much for supporting Evangelion, and I hope you enjoy the film”

– Hideaki Anno via Moshi Moshi Nippon | July 2021

Tickets will be available beginning November 2nd at FathomEvents.com, GKIDS.com/EVANGELION and participating theater box offices.

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‘A SILENT VOICE’ Celebrates 5th Anniv – AX Cinema Nights

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A SILENT VOICE is celebrating its 5th anniversary with limited engagement screenings beginning on Wednesday, October 12th, at nearly 300 theatres, as part of AX Cinema Nights. Brought to you by Anime Expo, Iconic events & distributed by Eleven Arts, this partnership marks the next installment of AX Cinema Nights.

Based on the best-selling manga series by Yoshitoki Ōima, A SILENT VOICE is the poignant and moving story of Shōya Ishida, a school bully, and Shōko Nishimiya, a young girl with a hearing disability. Their story begins in sixth grade when Shōko transfers to Shōya’s elementary school and quickly finds herself bullied and isolated. Years later, the tables turn, and Shōya finds himself isolated and alone. A SILENT VOICE depicts the struggles and challenges of adolescence alongside coming of age outside the norm.

The film was produced by the acclaimed studio Kyoto Animation, directed by Naoko Yamada (K-On!, Tamako Market, ) and written by Reiko Yoshida, featuring music by Kensuke Ushio. The film grossed over $31.6 million worldwide and received a Best Animated Film nomination from the Japanese Film Academy upon its initial release in 2017.

The English dub cast includes renowned voice actors including Robbie Daymond (as Shoya Ishida), Lexi Marman Cowden (as Shoko Nishimiya), Kristen Sullivan (as Yuzuru Nishimiya), Graham Halstead (as Tomohiro Nagatsuka), Kira Buckland (as Naoka Ueno), Melissa Hope (as Miyoko Sahara), Amber Lee Connors (as Miki Kawai), Max Mittelman (as Satoshi Mashiba), Michael Sinterniklaas (as Kazuki Shimada), and Sara Cravens (as Miyoko Ishida).

AX Cinema Nights is an in-person movie event series celebrating the best new and classic anime films by bringing them to theaters across North America. Leveraging the brand power of Anime Expo, the largest Japanese culture event in North America, AX Cinema Nights brings passionate fans together for immersive and unforgettable community experiences.

Relive the experience by purchasing your tickets here.

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