TOEI ANIMATION PRESS RELEASE

Joint Production with Shanghai Media Group and Toonmax in China:New Animation Feature Ikkyu-sanPremieres in China in February 2012!

2010-06-23T03:50:02Z

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. announces that it will be producing Ikkyu-san, a theatrical feature film for China, jointly with the Chinese media company Shanghai Media Group (SMG) and the Chinese kids channel Toonmax. The film will begin showing from February 2012 (the lunar New Year holidays) nationwide in China.

The TV series Ikkyu-san was a popular Toei Animation title broadcast from 1975 through 1982 on the TV Asahi network.

Ikkyu-san is a Buddhist monk who lived in 15th century in Japan. However, the series was so popular that most people associate the name with our animated character.

The Ikkyu-san series has also been very popular in China, and has been shown repeatedly since it was first broadcast in 1983.

*The image from TV Series Ikkyu-san (1975)
©Toei Animation

A press conference was held in Shanghai on June 16 to announce the joint production with SMG and Toonmax of the new theatrical animation Ikkyu-san for release in China.

The Chinese market has tremendous potential for animation. SMG has produced many box-office hits in China and Toonmax has been a highly popular kids channel in Shanghai.

This joint production will give Toei Animation a toehold in the Chinese market with the beloved Ikkyu-san, and will allow SMG and Toonmax to produce a blockbuster movie that appeals to both kids and their parents, even from an educational standpoint.

In this joint production, Toei Animation will be responsible for pre-production work, providing a script, character design, background art, color design and storyboards. SMG/Toonmax will be in charge of the main production of the film, excepting the pre-production component.

ＤＲＡＧＯＮＢＡＬＬＺＫＡＩ Gets off to a good start on Nicktoons in the U.S. !

2010-06-04T09:15:48Z

Toei Animation’s popular TV series, Dragon Ball Kai will be launching on the US kids channel, Nicktoons from May 24, 2010 under the title of Dragon Ball Z Kai.

Nicktoons posted highest-rating in Nicktoons history with the following demographics
Kids aged 9-14 and 12-17,
Boy aged 9-14 and 12-17

Dragon Ball series began showing in 1995 in syndication in the U.S. and became a big hit as Cartoon Network started broadcasting in 1998. In spite of the break of the broadcasting in recent years, its character licensing business has performed good, particularly in videogame, and the launch of Dragon Ball Z Kai is eagerly-awaited new development for the US fans.

T he TV network, Nicktoons is the sister channel with Nickelodeon which is No. 1 Kids cable channel in the U.S. It is broadcast at 8:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday mostly watched by teen and tween.
The licensing will follow along with its debut on Nicktoons: DVD and Blu-ray disc were released on May 15 and the videogame for Nintendo DS in June.
In addition, it will premiere in the Saturday morning block on the CW network (terrestrial) starting from fall 2011.

(c)Bird Studio/Shueisha, Fuji Television, Toei Animation

“Ganime” Zakuro Yashiki (La Grenadière)　The film based on the short story by the renowned novelist, Balzac 　will be screened along with the exhibition of the original artworks 　in the Maison de Balzac Museum in Paris.

2010-06-02T03:54:24Z

Toei Animation is proud to announce that the film, Zakuro Yashiki (La Grenadière), one of the “Ganime” series will be screened in the Maison de Balzac Museum in Paris in June, and at the same time, the museum will hold the exhibition of original artworks and lecture by Koji Fukada, the director and scriptwriter of the film and Ken Fukazawa in charge of backgrounds and art.

Zakuro Yashiki (La Grenadière, 48 mins.) was a film produced and released in 2006 based on renowned French novelist, Balzac’s short story, la GRENADIER. Since its release, it was praised by many critics and French literati, including a famous Japanese film critic, Koichi Yamada, In the end, and eventually, it won the Soleil d'Or (Premiers films) in the 3rd KINOTAYO Film Festival in Paris in 2008.

In addition, Koji Fukada’s new feature film, Tokyo Human Comedy (Tokyo Ningen Kigeki) will be screened at Paris Cinema International Film Festival in July 2010, while the festival also screen this high-visibility Zakuro Yashiki.

About Ganime:

“Ganime” is a new medium of visual expression and franchise of original video animation series developed by Toei Animation. Ganime label is for the new style of artistic visual content characterized by pictures, words and music to express the different artists’ unique perspectives.

(c)ZAKURO PROJECT／TOEI ANIMATION CO.,LTD.

Coming to Theaters This Summer! Thriller Restaurant the Movie Premiering on August 21, 2010 (Sat.)

2010-05-17T03:58:08Z

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is proud to annouce Thriller Restaurant the Movie. This is a theatrical feature from the hit TV series, Thriller Restaurant and will open at theaters on August 21, 2010.

The TV series began last October and achieved its highest television rating of 8.2% with the episode on March 9, 2010 (it leads the ratings for kids aged 10-12). After the series was launched, the original novel Kaidan Restaurant (Thriller Restaurant, original author Miyoko Matsutani / Thriller Restaurant gensaku team, illustrated by Yoshikazu Takai, Kumiko Kato. Published by DOSHINSHA PUBLISHING CO., LTD.) enjoyed a major boost to its circulation, with sales now topping 8.5 million copies.

Thriller Restaurant is a hybrid live-action and anime film.
The story is indeed thrilling: in the anime part, popular characters from a TV series – Ako, Sho and Reiko – try to find the best way to escape from the evil linked to the “E-mail from Death;” in the subsequent live part, Amano Haru, who is their senior at school and a specialist in gothic experience, solves the mystery of the e-mail with her friends.

Ayano Kudo, who won both the Grand Prix and the prize in the model category at the 12th All Japan Beautiful Young Girl Contest, plays Haru Amano. This is her first film appearance and she performs with fresh charm.

The film is directed by Masayuki Ochiai, who has helmed a number of horror films, such as Parasite Eve and Infection.

Digimon, the Worldwide Blockbuster Anime Series Returns! Digimon Xros Wars Premieres July 6, 2010 (Tue.) on the TV Asahi Network

2010-04-21T04:02:32Z

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is proud to announce a new television animation series called Digimon Xros Wars, which will begin showing from July 6, 2010 on TV Asahi Network.

Digimon series become popular among children very soon after the start of the first TV series – Digimon Adventure – in 1999. On August the same year, it also began to be broadcast in the United States, and since then it has enjoyed massive success, and has been shown in more than 60 countries.

We are proud to announce the long-awaited new series Digimon Xros Wars from July 2010.

Friendships arise between kids and Digimons, and heated battles set fire on Kids in Japan and in the world!

Digimon TV Series: 99/3-00/3 Digimon Adventure (54 episodes)
00/4-01/3 Digimon Adventure 02 (50 episodes)
01/4-02/3 Digimon Tamers (51 episodes)
02/4-03/3 Digimon Frontier (50 episodes)
06/4-07/3 Digimon Savers (48 episodes)
10/7-　　　 Digimon Xros Wars
(Also: One TV special and ten feature films)

©Akiyoshi Hongo, Toei Animation, TV Asahi, Dentsu

Renowned Leiji Matsumoto Work Reborn as Dark Action Movie! The groundbreaking Space Pirate Captain Harlock premieres at Tokyo International Anime Fair 2010.Harutoshi Fukui, Shinji Aramaki and other leading artists come together from different stud

2010-03-24T04:11:06Z

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. completed an advanced CG pilot film called Space Pirate Captain Harlock, based on the Leiji Matsumoto comics. With unprecedented scale and quality, the film will premiere at Tokyo Anime Fair 2010.

　For this enormous project, we called on the bestselling novelist Harutoshi Fukui (Aegis, Lorelei) and Shinji Aramaki, a CG movie director earning acclaim in North America and Europe (directing Appleseed, HALO LEGENDS). The mechanical design was handled by Atsushi Takeuchi, the only Japanese artist to be involved in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (from Production I.G.), while Yutaka Minowa was in charge of character design. We also collaborated with Sega Sammy Visual Entertainment to complete this unconventional pilot film.

Apart from our focus on the kids market, this film is our response to the international animation market.
A key element in “Cool Japan,” the genre known to the world as “ANIME” is regarded as synonymous with high-end animation. Targeting this high-end market and harnessing our strengths, we are proud to show our creative initiative in responding to the demands of the global market.

Space Pirate Captain Harlock is hit animation franchise based on Leiji Matsumoto’s comics. It includes the following works:

1978　TV animation series Space Pirate Captain Harlock
1978　Theatrical feature Space Pirate Captain Harlock: The Secret of Arcadia
1982 Theatrical feature Arcadia of My Youth
1982　TV animation series Arcadia of My Youth: Endless Orbit SSX

The main character – Harlock – has been a beloved character for more than 30 years, appearing in the blockbuster film Galaxy Express 999, which triggered the big anime boom in Japan. That film also enjoys widespread popularity in Europe, especially in France and Italy.

(C)Leiji Matsumoto / Toei Animation

Avatar’s CG Technology –Light Stage Powers Dino Mech Gaiking!The sensational Super-Robot pilot film is unveiled at Tokyo International Anime Fair 2010

2010-03-24T04:06:47Z

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. completed a new Gaiking pilot film using the advanced CG technology known as “Light Stage,” which won a Scientific and Engineering Award at the 82nd Academy Awards®.
This sensational pilot film will premiere at Tokyo Anime Fair 2010.

Light Stage technology is a facial rendering system that can create fine facial expressions using advanced motion-capturing technology, and was on display in the movie Avatar. In addition to Avatar, it contributed to one of the Scientific and Engineering Awards at the 81st Academy Award with its role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2009), by skillfully creating the expressions of Brad Pitt, who ages in reverse. This cutting-edge, highly acclaimed technology has also been used in Hollywood action epics such as Spider-Man 2 (2004), King Kong (2005), Superman Returns (2006), Spider-Man 3 (2007), and Hancock (2008).

Gaiking, a pilot film remake of Dino Mech Gaking, was created in the United States in collaboration with Jules Urbach, one of the developers of this technology.

About Dino Mech Gaking
Toei Animation’s original super-robot TV animation series produced in 1976

About Gaiking – Legend of Diku Maryu (Dino Mech)
Toei Animation’s original super-robot TV animation series re-produced in 2005

(C)Toei Animation

My favorite dog, it is “Ketsuinu”Mysterious Creature, “Ketsuinu” (a butt dog) appears in Flash Animation!

2010-03-10T09:05:31Z

Toei Animation Co., Ltd., MAG Garden Corporation and THINK Corporation will produce the Flash animation series of Ketsuinu and it starts broadcasting on AT-X from April 1st, which is a serial web comic on Yahoo ! Comic’s free online magazine – EDEN & Blade Comic Archive.
The guerrilla broadcasting’s time schedule is released only on its official web site （http://ketsuinu.jp.） and will be followed by the Internet and mobile.

Ketsuinu, created by Lifestyle TSUNODA, is one of the title produced by the collaborative project between Toei Animation and MAG Garden – “MG x TA Project”, and exceptionally popular gag comic series on Yahoo! Comis’s free magazine - EDEN & Blade Comic Archive.

The anime series will have 13 episodes in each two and a half minutes and directed by up-and-coming creator, Haruki Kasugamori, a director of Chinyuki - Taro and his yukaina nakama-tachi (the jolly bunch)- and Jigoku Koshien, Neko Ramen. The Main cast includes Tomokazu Sugita, the main cast in The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, popular comedians such as Tsubuyaki Shiro, Teru, Tokyo Tights, and Michael Rivas, who hosts Little Charo (NHK).

Please enjoy the junk jokes unfold by non-adorable mascot “Ketsuinu”!

Synopsis:
“Ketsuinu” is a dog with a butt-like face, but nobody knows if it is a dog at all. The unidentified creature comes out of nowhere and quickly multiplies. Celebrities enjoy them as luxury pets, but in the end, the owners' faces turn into butts...

(c)Lifestyle TSUNODA, Morphing Inc., MAG Garden, Ketsuinu Production Committee

Entering the 7th season of “Pretty Cure” with new characters and story, “Heartcatch Pretty Cure!” starts on ABC and TV Asahi at 8:30am network on February 7, 2010

2010-01-08T07:51:20Z

The newest TV series of “Pretty Cure”,“Heartcatch Pretty Cure!”, starts on ABC & TV Asahi network at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 7th, 2010.
“Pretty Cure” series has gained enormous popularity among young girls since its debut in 2004 and has entered its 6th season, “Fresh Pretty Cure”, last year which recorded one of the longest TV series targeted girls. 7th year of “Pretty Cure” boosts its popularity with new characters and story.

The two new heroines are Tsubomi Hanasaki for Cure Blossom and Erika Kurumi for Cure Marine. Showing their originality, two girls are linked strongly in friendship and play outstandingly in “Heartcatch Pretty Cure!”

Yr/Mo           Title
04/2-05/1     Pretty Cure
05/2-06/1     Pretty Cure: MaxHeart
06/2-07/1      Pretty Cure: SplashStar
07/2-08/1      Yes！Pretty Cure 5
08/2-09/1      Yes！Pretty Cure 5 GoGo！
09/2-10/1      Fresh Pretty Cure！
10/2-current Heartcatch Pretty Cure !

The all successive Pretty Cure get together again! "PRETTY CURE ALL STARS DX 2: Light of Hope☆Protect the Rainbow Jewels!" Premiering on March 31, 2010

2010-01-08T07:47:33Z

"PRETTY CURE ALL STARS DX2: Light of Hope☆Protect the Rainbow Jewels!", Pretty Cure the Movie with the all successive Pretty Cure, will begin showing at theaters in Japan on March 20, 2010.

Long-hit TV series, “Pretty Cure”, enters the 7th season - “Heartcatch Pretty Cure!”. With 2 new heroines, Cure Blossom and Cure Marine, total 17 Pretty Cures gather together on screen. This is a must-watch for every Pretty Cure fan and enjoy your favorite Pretty Cure on the big screen again!

Halo Legends to Be Released on February 16, 2010 in Japan Result of Toei Animation’s Involvement in Microsoft’s OVA Animation Project

2009-12-17T06:00:00Z

As one of Japan’s leading animation studios, Toei Animation has been taking part in Microsoft’s OVA animation project, Halo Legends. A Blu-Ray disc and DVD are now due for release on February 16, 2010.

Halo Legends is being produced by Microsoft’s 343 Industries in partnership with Toei Animation and other top studios in Japan. The compilation will include a series of short stories that explore different times, themes and characters from the Halo universe and will be distributed globally by Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. company.

The Halo series is a wildly popular set of TV games that have won numerous awards, developed mainly for the Xbox 360. The series has sold more than 27 million units worldwide. Its influence extends beyond games, with a New York Times bestseller, comics, action figure, and apparel.

In this project, Toei Animation produced an episode called “Odd One Out” to present a Halo world designed for children.

Enjoy our Halo universe!

ODD ONE OUT story
Five boys and girls are living on a marginal planet in a corner of the universe. One day a person descends from the sky in front of them. He is the most ferocious warrior in the universe: Spartan 1337. His arrival sparks the beginning of a real adventure for the boys and girls!

One Piece Film Strong World Premiere Just One Day Away! The Highly Anticipated Work of Author Eiichiro Oda

2009-12-11T06:00:00Z

One Piece Film Strong World, the 10th theatrical animation movie of Toei Animation’s long-running hit TV animation One Piece, premieres December 12th 2009.

The TV animation One Piece marked the 10th anniversary of its first broadcast this October. In One Piece Film Strong World, author Eiichiro Oda has written the screenplay and served as executive producer for the first time. The film is a must-see, and not just for fans of One Piece.

Advance tickets for this movie are selling well, with 300,000 already sold, easily a record for Toei. The result is a mark of the high level of interest in the film. Contributing to this interest is the chance for filmgoers to receive their very own copy of One Piece Volume Zero, a comic that Eiichiro Oda wrote 20 years before the world of One Piece, which is being distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at participating theaters.
*Numbers at each theater are limited.

Don’t miss your chance to see One Piece Film Strong World on the big screen, featuring a stellar cast and magnificent scale!

ONE PIECE FILM STRONG WORLD
Executive Producer: Eiichiro Oda
Director: Munehisa Sakai
Theme Song:Mr.Children

Asataro, the Onion Samurai, one of Jury Recommended Works in Animation Division at 13th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2009

2009-12-03T06:00:00Z

Toei Animation’s TV animation series Asataro, the Onion Samurai has been chosen as one of the Jury Recommended Works in the Animation Division at the 2009 Japan Media Arts Festival.

The animation is based on author Kazuyoshi Iino’s popular picture book Negibouzu no Asataro published by Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers. It aired at 6:30 am on TV asahi Network from October 2008 to September 2009.

The heroine Negibouzu no Asataro and other adorable vegetable and fruit motif characters starred in a moving story of a journey. As a period animation, Asataro, the Onion Samurai proved popular with children and adults alike.

Japan Media Arts Festival introduces creative activities expressed in works of art, animations, films, games, online works, manga, and other genres. The Festival has been held each year since 1997, with the 2009 event attracting 2,592 entries from 54 nations and regions. The winners will be featured at the following exhibition:

Presentation of Division Prizes, Other Prizes, and Awards Ceremony
February 2nd (Tue.), 2010 at Tokyo Midtown Hall
Exhibition of Award-winning Works
From Wednesday, Feb. 3rd to Sunday, Feb. 14th, 2010 at the National Art Center, Tokyo

nintea Used for Artist Theme of Google Chrome

2009-10-09T06:00:00Z

The original character nintea, co-developed by Toei Animation Co., Ltd. and the designer PansonWorks, has been selected as one of the Artist Themes for Google Chrome, the Web browser provided by Google.

Nintea is a cute, blue-eyed ninja who really loves to have tea, but who works hard to satisfy the demands of his boss.

Google Chrome is a browser that debuted in September 2008, combining a minimalist design with sophisticated technology to make the Web faster and safer. It also features a customizable theme: colors, patterns, images, and artwork.

One hundred themes have been selected from around the world (14 from Japan) and introduced for the new customizable function of Google Chrome, the Artist Theme. Nintea was selected because its nimble image matches the speed that characterizes Google Chrome.

In Japan, nintea has been a popular item in character-goods shops, and is now poised to achieve global recognition.

A new TV animation "Thriller Restaurant" will debut on October 13, 2009!

2009-10-05T03:30:10Z

  Toei Animation Co., Ltd. has produced a new TV animation called Thriller Restaurant, from the popular children’s book.
It will debut on TV Asahi Network at 7:30 p.m. on October 13, 2009.

  The original book is a ghost story series for elementary and junior high school students, first published in 1996 by Doshinsha Publishing Co., Ltd. As of 2007, 50 volumes had been published.

  The original series is edited by author Miyoko Matsutani, and is an omnibus including various ghost stories such as Japanese folktales, school lore, and world folk stories.
Thriller Restaurant is an innovative animation featuring these stories, and builds on Toei Animation’s strong track record in the genre.
The animation doesn’t rely on fancy magic or huge monsters to thrill its audience. Instead, it depicts far more believable experiences that will keep children and adults alike glued to their screens.

  The cute monsters that appeared in the original book take the viewer on a thrilling ride from prologue to epilogue, so even those who don’t normally like horror stories will be enthralled.

  The “Restaurant” in the title represents the structure of the animations, each of which features three stories, as an appetizer, main dish, and dessert.
The first two of these stories are varied, featuring a strange event involving grade school and the main character Ako, along with a tale from overseas collected by Ako’s classmate Sho. The third story is an animation short set on a form of transportation.