Generation Mech » TV Production

Star Driver: Nagayaki no Takuto

admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 10:31:45 +0000

I posted this no long ago on our Facebook fan page no long ago.

But basically, it’s a new robot anime show that’s going to come up this year. Rumours said it’s expected to fall in October 2010.

Not much info to reveal at this stage. But here’s what I managed to find online in the last couple weeks about this show.

In the director’s chair is mounted Taku Igarashi (Takuya Igarashi), has worked on the series Soul Eater, but the scenario will work Edzhi Enokido (Yoji Enokido), in the past giving birth to Revolutionary Girl Utena. For the design of the characters meet and Hiroki Midzuya Misa (Misa and Hiroka Mizuya), as well Eshiuki Ito adapt designs and is responsible for overseeing the animation. The music also write Satoru Kosaka (Satoru Kousaki), speaking earlier in the composer Bakemonogatari, Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumia and Lucky Star.

Anime will narrate about a boy named Takuto, control the robot with the name Taubaan (Taubaan).

Source: Animemaga

Exciting!^^ So watch this space!

Source: AnimeNewsNetwork, Animemaga, Imaged sourced and copyrighted by AnimeNewsNetwork

Votoms Producers: On Promo Video

Another Mazinkaizer SKL Update

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 10:17:53 +0000

And here’s another confirmed facts that people in other part of the world are dead keen for Mazinkaizer SKL OVA series as well.

Here’s the translated text (in English)

A new Mazinkaiser is coming! Reinterpretations of the classics by Go Nagai. It’s greatly anticipated to be a great show. The latest incarnation of the most powerful of the robots Mazinkaiser SKL. A contraction came as the word ‘SKL’ probably means “skull”. Note the skull instead of death Pilder emblem on the chest of the giant steel. In short, a disreputable kind without the huge shark teeth sword to put on the back.

The new OVA series was announced with a scoop of Hobby Japan Magazine # 6, on sale this month. No details on the project has yet revealed, but an official site is configured to receive future press releases and extras. The author Go Nagai’s Dynamic Planning and also reveal the next serializing a novel based on the new series, to be published in the magazine Dengeki Hobby ASCII Media Works, and a new manga will be offered on the official website of the magazine Comic Gekkin Shu 2 subsidiary of Bandai Visual Emotion.

Well the SKL part makes somewhat sense. Just wandering if somebody else in the Mazinkaizer community could disprove that?

Source: ComicsBlog

Mazinkaizer SKL News Update

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 10:03:43 +0000

Just rang into this website the other day, mentioning about this new Mazinkaizer SKL show.

And here’s its translation (in English)

“Comic Vs Mazinkaiser SKL” series begins! Cartoon: Wataru Kazu stars
April 23, 2010
New Genie descent!
Maginn next is “bad, strong, cool!”

The most evil genie, again!
And a new legend begins!
Continued to refuse to manipulate their own people, chose the most evil of the Devil Mazinkaiser, Two little beast hidden madness, and the sword was moving above sea Liao.
They are only to satisfy his own desires, but fight with them, and continue down.
Agenda of the organization, and even abandoned hope of the people.
Shall be at the end of it, either victory or destruction or that.
All reverse image of the past, in the midst of a storm of bullets and sharp sword overwhelming, and revived with a new legend of the strongest robot Mazinkaiser!

Cartoon: Wataru Kazu stars
Nagai © 2010 / Dyn · MS

Mazinkaiser OVA SKL Official Sites

So it’s definitely confirmed that we got outselves a hot new robot show this year! What a great way to start with these exciting shows!!!

Now I need to ask from any Mazinkaizer fans out there! What are you guys keen to look for this new OVA series? Do you want to see Kabuto Koji returning to this show for the 2nd time in the Mazinkaizer franchise? Or preferably somebody new this time like how Go Nagai did with Tetsuya on his Great Mazinger 35 plus years ago?? Or maybe perhaps you’re looking forward to see that Kabuto Koji should ready to settle down with Sayaka Yumi this time?

What are your thoughts?

Source: Comic Gekkin.com

New Mazinkaizer – Number 2???

admin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 10:25:21 +0000

Okay…. There’s been a crazy amount of rumours spreading around online for the past few days that a new Mazinkaizer, super almighty demi-god (Oops! Sorry I mean GOD) persona of Mazinger Z is returning to the TV. As new set of OVA series. I was checking to be sure my hard-wired eyes and ears weren’t playing tricks on me….

Till I arrived at a couple of links. Here and there.

It’s title debut comes as Mazinkaizer SKL, judging by the glossy poster above. Goodness, it’s been almost 10 years since Mazinkaizer made its spectacular debut.

I also happened to stumble upon this fan’s video on Youtube, foretelling about Mazinkaizer SKL going to be released this year.

At the time of writing, I found out from a reliable source of information on FB, that rumour has it that we have two new different hero characters in this show (as depicted in this video). It turns out Kouji Kabuto is no longer our main protagonist of the new series??!

THIS CANNOT BE!!

It’d better only a rumor, not a FACT!! I could not imagine myself if we ever lose Kouji Kabuto to some new kids on the block, whom we know very little of. Some even said that Kouji is no longer piloting Mazinkaizer anymore?!? No!!!!!!!!!

I don’t want to believe it! IT MUST BE ABSURD!!! >o<

And I hope that’s what will eventually happen…

Source: Mazingo, Mazinkaizer SKL, ANN.com

Robotech’s pioneer producer passes away

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:40:48 +0000

Carl Macek: Robotech's pioneer

Bad news…..

Received this difficult news feed about one of the pioneer founders of Robotech stories, Carl Macek, was found dead due to a heart attack he suffered at home.

Carl Macek was responsible in redubbing Macross series, along the other two giant robot anime shows that gave us one of the longer running anime franchise series of today known as Robotech (see picture below) in the early 80s. Besides this project, he’s also responsible for dubbing other anime project as well such as Captain Haylock and the Queen of Thousand Years, and the more recent Bleach and Naruto. He also does other types of art direction works that are non-anime related as well such as the Heavy Metal series.

Even though, up to this point of my life, I never favour Robotech series a lot as I used to during my teenage years – this goes the same for others in anime forums. However, because of what he’s done so much to create such a successful American-brand anime franchise, a lot of anime fans in many parts of the world would not have existed. And perhaps their exposure to anime wouldn’t be as big as it is now.

Robotech Series by Carl Macek

So without further ado, here’s Youtube video footage, paying great tribute to Carl Mazek.

R.I.P Carl.

Source: Animenewsnetwork.com, Animenation.net

Evangelion 2.22??

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:06:44 +0000

Well this is a first! I was just wondering what’s this all about after Evangelion 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance went live almost a year ago.

And now I heard that its official DVD/Blueray discs have extended and uncut editions of the second Evangelion film (hence titled Evangelion 2.22!), which is about to be released on 26th May 2010, for Japan. While in Germany, it’s expected to be released by July.

Interesting to note there isn’t gonna be any US release anytime soon… So if you travelling anywhere in Japan or Germany around those months, do getyourself a nice copy in one of their DVD stores. Or go to their Amazon Japan or Amazon Germany online to order one!^^

Source: ANN.com, AsianBlueRayGuide.com

Gundam Unicorn: Blue Ray/DVD for sales

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:40:57 +0000

Hey everyone,

It’s been insanely ages since I’ve done any updates to Generation Mech blog, other than highly-rumored Gaiking movie that’s due to come out in 2012. Been spending weeks on trying to apply for my work visa and new passport from my native home country of Malaysia… And boy! They sure don’t get any easier at all! Certainly taking up a huge proportion of my time.

And now that my contract work just completed last week, I now have a plenty of time to catch up what’s been missing for the past 2-3 weeks in the world of Generation Mech blog.

Back to this!

Now I heard that Gundam Unicorn OVA series is now out on sale online back in mid March. But it’s sold only exclusive via Amazon! It’s selling for a retail price of USD $40.00. I’d say it’s not a bad price for Volume 1. (Each volume is one episode. The OVA series said to have about 6 episodes).

Would love to pay for it. But just not sure about the crazy shipping fee Amazon proposes. (which works out something like $30 – $40 and it takes around 2-3 weeks before it arrives at non-American soils.)

So if you’re keen to get this copy while it’s still out with them, check out the link with them.

Source: Japanator.com

Giant robot shows: To kill or protect?

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:17:14 +0000

Imaged sourced from IO9.com

How odd. I don’t know if anybody got this feed from my Facebook after sharing it last Friday… But I guess it was Easter Friday after all, so no one would expect (or rather too lazy) to read it, let alone opening up the link even. -_-”

Anywho, I have it here. It’s about an online anime reviewer or critique person describing us the major insights about super robot anime in our recent 40 year history of business. Especially he’s reached his own conclusion that many of the robot shows like Mazinger Z and Evangelion conveys different messages when teaching viewers on killing your enemies vs protecting your allies (or even enemies) and telling us if there’s a fine line between the two common motives used interchangeably throughout its own series.

I won’t go through all the detail here on the post, so I have the link for you to have a quick look and see what your thoughts on his statement are. I’ll raise up a poll for this and have a discussion whether you’d think the heroic robots should be focus on saving more people lives by killing their greatest enemies that threatens the peace of earth? Or rather they should spend more time eliminating the enemies in advance, and ignore the need to protecting innocent ones, as long as they’re not in our heroes way of winning tough battles?

Your call.

Source: I09.com

Speaking of which…

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:28:36 +0000

Here’s another comment from one of the anime industry watchdogs that talks about celebrating 40 years of great robot anime shows, by hosting an all-day Gundam movie marathon in Tokyo, just a few days ago.

Here’s the article.

VIZ CINEMA HOSTS A UNIQUE PRESENTATION ON THE HISTORY OF SCI-FI ROBOT ANIME AND PRESENTS GUNDAM TRIPLE FEATURE IN SPECIAL ALL-DAY MOVIE MARATHON

San Francisco, CA, April 2, 2010 – VIZ Cinema is pleased to offer a fun-packed weekend of anime as it welcomes Patrick Macias, Editor-in-Chief of OTAKU USA, on Friday April 9th for the latest in his ongoing series of TokyoScope Talks on Japanese cinema and pop media. On Saturday, April 10th, VIZ Cinema offers a special Gundam Movie Marathon. Three feature films featuring the iconic robot will be screened in the theatre, which features 35mm and digital projection and a THX®-certified sound system.

TokyoScope Talk Vol. 2: MECHA MANIA: Four Decades of Slam-Bang Sci-Fi Robot Anime comes to VIZ Cinema on Friday, April 9th at 7:00pm. Tickets are $8.00. Also co-hosting the event will be author and critic Tomohiro Machiyama, who together with Macias wrote Cruising Anime City, (published by Stone Bridge Press) a highly detailed travel guide about Tokyo otaku culture and the anime phenomenon.

“From Astro Boy and Tetsujin 28 to Gundam and Voltron to Transformers and Gurren Lagann, giant robots and other fantastic machines and technology, or mecha, are instantly recognizable mainstays of anime,” says Macias. “There’s also a lot of cultural iconography intertwined with these machines and their operators, often presented as heroic warriors in the samurai warrior tradition. I look forward to tracing the nearly 50 year history and evolution of mecha along with some often humorous stories and latest examples. And don’t miss an awesome raffle giveaway featuring some tear-jerking treasures for super mecha fans!”

VIZ Cinema’s Weeknight Anime People makes a special weekend stop with an day-long triple feature of Gundam! General ticket price: $10:00; Combo tickets are $25:00. No further discounts will apply.
Gundam Movie Marathon, Saturday, April 10th – One Day Only!
Mobile Suit Gundam Movie I, 11:00am
Mobile Suit Gundam Movie II: Soldiers of Sorrow, 1:35pm
Mobile Suit Gundam Movie III: Encounters in Space, 4:05pm
VIZ Cinema’s Weeknight Anime People makes a special weekend stop with an afternoon of Gundam! In the year 0079 of the Universal Century, the Earth Federation and its space colonies are engaged in an apocalyptic war. The rebellious Duchy of Zeon, using humanoid fighting machines called Mobile Suits, has all but vanquished the Federation. Now the Federation’s last hope is the prototype Mobile Suit, Gundam. When a twist of fate makes young civilian Amuro Ray the sole-pilot of Gundam, Amuro’s own battle begins – a struggle not only for the Federation’s survival, but for his own. General ticket price: $10:00; Combo tickets are $25:00. No further discounts will apply.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

Source: Activeanime.com

So if you’re just around the neighborhood over there, don’t forget to check it out!! And let me know what the experience is like after 10th April!

Source: Activeanime.com

Transformers Animated Series

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:02:56 +0000

Never heard of these new animated series of Transformers.

Said to have been around for past few years during its airing on America’s The Cartoon Network, and were based on Transformers G1 toy line.

And here’s the Japanease toy commercial toy for the show, by Takara Tomy.

To be honest, I’m not really impressed with the way the series’ been produced, let alone its artwork. It’s not that because the artwork was anything but “clumsy”, but rather it lacks its unique appeal as compared to the 80’s classics. And because I’m such an avid old school mecha fan, I felt whole plot and content of the show was more……

“Kiddie-like”

Sure the original series was aimed for kids too. But (on a personal note) I just felt this is very wrong for new animated series to have reduced itself to a type of show where people could not fully grasp on the whole picture why Transformers G1 was made as one of the pop culture phenomenon of that decade! I mean that’s what made it special.

But this…. I’m just not too sure. Maybe I’m a bit biased?

What do you think? You’d think the new Transformers animated series live up to its expectations of the original?