Hideaki Anno's Ultraman Short Film Returns to DVD

It was recently announced on Studio Khara's official Evangelion website that Hideaki Anno's (Neon Genesis Evangelion) student tokusatsu film “Daiconfilm's Return of Ultraman” will be released on DVD.

The home video release is to commemorate the The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo's Curator Hideaki Anno's Special Effects Museum exhibition.

This independently-produced movie back in 1983 and lasts for 28-minutes, will be included on DVD alongside a 16-minute making-of special as well as various production materials and interviews. The release itself is a reissue of Gainax's 2001 release of the film, and will cost 7140 yen (about US$91).

Source: Anime News Network

Naruto: Road to Ninja Film Earns $3.8 Million on Opening Weekend

It has been revealed that the ninth Naruto film, “Naruto the Movie: Road to Ninja” had been on the third spot of the Japanese Box Office for the weekend of July 28th–29th. Not only that, the film reached much greater heights!

Naruto the Movie: Road to Ninja had earned an estimated $3.8 million USD. With that, it also got included in the 10th spot of the Top 10 World Box Office Ranking for the opening weekend, just below “Umizaru 4,” with $5.2 million USD.


To celebrate the Naruto anime’s 10th anniversary, the film features a story and character designs personally conceived by the creator of the manga, Masashi Kishimoto.

The Naruto and Sakura are transported from the Hidden Leaf Village to an alternate reality created by the Masked Man’s genjutsu. “Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Road to Ninja” premiered last July 28th.

Naruto: Tobi's Identity to be Revealed this Month — Kishimoto

As the end of popular ninja manga Naruto comes to close, in more than a year, author Masashi Kishimoto had revealed in an interview on this year's 35th issue of the Shonen Jump that the identity Akatsuki's Tobi will be revealed in the coming weeks.


The magazine asked the connection between Madara and Tobi and Kishimoto stated that they know one another, but the relationship will be revealed as the story progresses. But when asked on the identity of the masked villain, he answered, “Tobi’s identity should be revealed within the next couple of weeks so until then please continue with your predictions!!”

Tobi will also take part in the upcoming film, “Naruto: Road to Ninja.” His ninjutsu brought Naruto and Sakura in an alternate reality. The film features a story and character designs personally conceived by Kishimoto.


He was also asked if Madara does have a weakness, he explained that all people have weakness, even strong ones, but Madara doesn't. Furthermore, Kishimoto also stated that Naruto and Sasuke will meet again in the Fourth Shinobi World War. “All your favorite characters will shine brightly so please continue to enjoy Naruto as the great Shinobi World War reaches its climax!”

via Saiyan Island

Power Rangers Super Samurai DVD Promo Streamed

Here is the promo for the upcoming home video release of Power Rangers Super Samurai from Lionsgate. The first and second volume will be available, in both DVD and digital downloads, starting this August.


Lionsgate will release two volumes this year, namely, Power Rangers Super Samurai Volume 1: Secret of the Black Box and Power Rangers Super Samurai – Volume 2: Super Showdown. Both will be released on August 14th at an SRP of $14.98. Pre-order your copies now via AMAZON.

Kamen Rider Wizard Styles' Abilities Revealed

An update from this year's 42nd issue of TOEI Hero Max had revealed the abilities and powers bestowed upon each of the Kamen Rider Wizard Styles. Each "Styles" represents the element it manipulates.

Kamen Rider Wizard Flame Style is his basic form when he scans the ring on the Wizard Driver. The main attribute is Fire and has the power to manipulate flames and heat.

Kamen Rider Wizard Hurricane Style can be utilized with the use of the ring with the hurricane wind attributes. He sort of dances to invoke wind and allows him to fly in a certain height.


Kamen Rider Wizard Water Style utilizes with the use of the water ring with water or aquatic attributes. He has the ability to manipulate the water.

Kamen Rider Wizard Land Style is a land transformation using the ring with ground or soil attributes. It is best used to defend against enemy attacks, summoning a wall from the ground.

Instead of a magic wand, Wizard's main weapon is the WizardSwordGun. It is a wizard magic weapon that is both gun and sword. To use, he utilize Fire Magic by a hand shake present on the weapon.

Kamen Rider Wizard fights enemies which are born on an ancient solar eclipse ceremony. These enemies are called "Phantoms". Haruto (Shunya Shiraishi) and Koyomi (Okunaka Makoto) survived the incident. Meanwhile, Haruto disguises himself as Kamen Rider Wizard with the transformation device given to him by a mysterious white magician.

Kamen Rider Wizard premieres September 2nd.

Source: ca-3 blog via Firestarter's Blog

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure The Animation Promo Streamed

The celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Hirohiko Araki's action-adventure manga, airing this October is the anime adaptation, “JoJo's Bizarre Adventure The Animation.” Check out the teaser below:


Ultra Jump magazine will announce the television stations, cast, and more of the latest information about the anime series adaptation on August 18th.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure centers around the Joestar family, and their battles against bizarre enemies. Jonathan Joestar's battle against the vampire Dio Brando starts it all, and it continues into roughly each second generation of Joestars through all parts of the story.

Project X Zone Anime Opening Preview Screenshots

Initial screens from the animated opening sequence have been revealed for the upcoming “Project × Zone” strategy role-playing game for the Nintendo 3DS, featuring the collaboration between Namco Bandai Games, Capcom and Sega.


“Project × Zone” features the characters from the three game makers into a one big Nintendo 3DS strategy RPG. The characters, team up in pairs for fighting scenes, but pairings are not limited to a common series.

The “Project X Zone (Early Limited Special Set)” includes a 48-page full color booklet introducing all the various games, complete with promotion illustrations, artwork and more, and the "Crossover Soundtrack CD" with game music from Project X Zone.

Project × Zone is slated for October 11th release for 6380 yen. Pre-order from CDJapan and get exciting bonuses!

S.H. FiguArts Machine Ittasher Official Images Posted

Bandai Tamashii Nations have finally released the official images for the upcoming S.H. FiguArts Machine Ittasher. It represents the transforming Ittasher with Z-Cune Aoi decals owned by Hiroyo Hakase.






S.H. FiguArts Machine Ittasher stands 350mm, and can transform between robot mode and car mode. It comes with the Signage Rifle and the dual Tsundere Sword. It costs 36,750 yen and slated for October release.

AkibaFusion Contest! Win an SHF AkibaRed and JEFusion Shirt!

Firestarter1331 and JEFusion | Japanese Entertainment Blog brings you a contest that you shouldn't miss! Up for grabs is the new S.H. FiguArts AkibaRed and a soon-to-be-revealed JEFusion T-Shirt featuring InuRanger!


To enter the contest, all you need to do is answer this few questions:

1. Yumeria Moegi aka AkibaYellow is played by Karin Ogino. In which recent Kamen Rider Movie was she in before/during Akibarangers?
2. What do you call the combination of all weapons (the cannon) bestowed to them by BoukenRed, Red Hawk, DekaRed?

Email your answers to: firestarter1331@gmail.com
Subject Headline: Akibafusion Giveaway!


The contest requirements are as follows:

1. Youtube username - you have to be a subscriber of Firestarter1331's YouTube Channel to consider you entry. Only one username is allowed for submission.
2. Your Facebook username/URL - you also need to "LIKE" JEFusion Facebook Page in order to consider your entry.

Prize includes a brand news S.H. FiguArts AkibaRed with the limited edition Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger Tamashii Stages, and an all new JEFusion T-Shirt featuring Inuranger, the site's mascot.

The deadline of submission is on August 5th, 8pm JST. And winners will be drawn on August 6th, Monday. Good luck to your entries!

Banpresto's Lost Heroes vs Ultraman Kaiju

Namco Bandai Games began streaming a new85-second gameplay video for the upcoming Compatible Hero crossover franchise entitled, “Lost Heroes.” The game features heroes coming from three franchises — Gundam anime, Kamen Rider and Ultraman series.

The gameplay video features Ultraman Zero, Kamen Riders Den-O and OOO GataKiriBa, and Gundam 00 against three monsters from the Ultraman TV series.


In this RPG, the three franchises will join forces to fight against an "invasion of despair." The five-minute video highlights the gameplay, combat system, and the 15 different characters from which the player can create a four-character party.

The first release of the 3DS version will include a download code for the 3DS port of the 1990 Famicom game SD Hero Sōkessen. The first release of the PSP version will include a product code for five exclusive custom themes and bonus in-game data.

Lost Heroes will be released in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS and Sony PlayStation Portable this September 6th. Pre-Order now on CDJapan, and Play-Asia to get FREE SHIPPING, and other exciting bonuses!

Blue Exorcist Film First Trailer Streamed

As reported last week, supernatural manga and anime Blue Exorcist will get its first anime film. Just recently, the official website began streaming the film's first trailer.


Blue Exorcist The Movie will be distributed by TOHO and will premiere on Japanese theaters on December 28th. 30,000 advance tickets will go on sale on August 25th with a set of three postcards.

Blue Exorcist follows the story of Rin Okumura, the son of Satan, the strongest of all demons. Witnessing Shiro dying to protect him, he managed to draw the demon-slaying blade Kurikara. From there on, Rin gains permanent demonic features and the power to ignite himself into blue flames.

S.H. FiguArts Kamen Rider Knight Survive Official Images Posted

Bandai Tamashii Nations have finally released the official images for the upcoming S.H. FiguArts Kamen Rider Knight Survive. It represents Kamen Rider Knight's upgraded form, from Kamen Rider Ryuki TV series.


S.H. FiguArts Kamen Rider Knight Survive stands 150mm tall, and comes with the Dark Visor Zwei, Sword Vent, and a bunch of Advent Cards. Also included are interchangeable hands and a Tamashii Stage that looks similar to Knight Survive's Advent Deck.

S.H. FiguArts Kamen Rider Knight Survive costs 3675 yen, and slated for November release.

S.H. FiguArts Kamen Rider Super-1 Official Images Posted

Banadai Tamashii Nations have finally released the official images of S.H. FiguArts Kamen Rider Super-1. It represents the titular character from the 1980 Kamen Rider series.


S.H. FiguArts Kamen Rider Super-1 stands 150mm tall and comes with his signature super-powered attachments called the "Five Hands": Super Hands, Elek Hands, Power Hands, Radar Hands, and Hot/Cold Hands. Interchangeable hands are also included.


S.H. FiguArts Kamen Rider Super-1 costs 3990 yen, and slated to be released this November.

Initial D Manga to Get New Anime Series

It has been announced in this year's 35th issue of Young Jump magazine that Shuuichi Shigeno's racing manga Initial D will get a new anime adaptation. So far no additional details have been revealed as of writing.

More information are yet to be revealed in the combined 36th and 37th issue of Young Jump magazine on August 6th. Stay tuned!


Initial D follows follows Takumi Fujiwara, an eighteen year old who helps his father run a tofu shop by making deliveries every morning to Akina with his father's Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (AE86), who races in the world of illegal Japanese street racing.

Source: Comic Natalie via Anime News Network

Go-Busters Mini-Album 3 Pre-Orders Open

CD-Japan had opened the pre-orders for the Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Mini-Album 3 featuring BlueBuster's character song, “Blue Banana Moon”. This will be released this August.

Ryuuji Iwasaki / Blue Buster and Gorisaki Banana's song was previously included in the Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Song Collection Sound Mission 2 that was released last July 18th. Apart from this, the latest mini-album release will include “Brand New Spark!” sung by Hideaki Takatori, and the movie theme (title is yet to be announced), with six tracks total.

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Mini-Album 3 costs 1500 yen and will be released on August 22nd. Pre-order now at CDJapan and get exciting bonuses!

Naruto: Road to Ninja Film TV Ads Posted

The official website for the Naruto films began streaming three new 16-second promotional videos for the upcoming 9th anime film, “Naruto the Movie: Road to Ninja.”

Heard in the first TV ad is the film's theme song, “Sore de wa, Mata Ashita” (Well Then, See You Tomorrow) by Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation.




The last ad promotes the limited edition 34 minutes original DVD called "Motion Comic NARUTO" that will be given away to the first 1.5 million moviegoers. It features a motion comic to tell a reconstructed story with CG-representations of the original manga art works.

To celebrate the Naruto anime’s 10th anniversary, the film features a story and character designs personally conceived by the creator of the manga, Masashi Kishimoto.

The Naruto and Sakura are transported from the Hidden Leaf Village to an alternate reality created by the Masked Man’s genjutsu. “Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Road to Ninja” will premier on July 28th.

Power Rangers Megaforce Cast Revealed

RangerCrew's sources had revealed that four of the five actors for next year's Power Ranger series, Power Ranger Megaforce are confirmed! The new show will be adapting the 34th Super Sentai series, Tensou Sentai Goseiger.


Model/Actor Andrew Gray has been cast as the Megaforce Red Ranger! Andrew is 25 Years old and lives in Carmichael, California. Check out his official page!


New York Film Academy student John Mark Loudermilk will be playing as the MegaForce Blue Ranger! Join him on Twitter and Facebook.


Actress/model Ciara Hanna was cast the Yellow MegaForce Ranger. She has starred in such shows as Big Time Rush, the Bold & the Beautiful and has auditioned for America’s Next Top Model! Become a fan on Facebook!


Christina Masterson will be the Megaforce Pink Ranger! Christina had a small role in 2005′s “Monster-In-Law” with Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda. Check out her IMDB page.

For those who are looking for Black and "Silver Ranger", the actors are yet to be confirmed. And yes, you read it right! There's a "Silver Ranger" in this Power Rangers adaptation. Well, we all know who it should be.

Power Rangers Megaforce features Gosei, a supernatural guardian, who protected the Earth for centuries along with his robotic aide, Tensou. During the massive invasion of the evil Warstar aliens, Gosei calls upon five teenagers with attitude to form the ultimate team... the Power Rangers Megaforce!

Power Rangers Megaforce premieres in early 2013 on Nickelodeon.

via SamuraiCast (link 2)

S.H. FiguArts AkibaBlue Review

The second Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger had finally been released in the S.H. FiguArts toy line! S.H. FiguArts AkibaBlue represents the alter-ego of Aoyagi Mitsuki, a martial arts practitioner.

S.H. FiguArts AkibaBlue stands 150mm tall and comes with the signature MMZ-001 Moe Moe Z-Cune. Interchangeable hands are also included.

S.H. FiguArts AkibaBlue costs 3360 yen, or about US$45. Here is an awesome S.H. FiguArts AkibaBlue review for you to check out!