New Hollywood Japanese Horror Film “Apartment 1303”
(Released on October 23rd)

“Apartment 1303” is the first Hollywood film that was written, produced and distributed in Japan, featuring Japanese actors. A Japanese production company, T.O. Entertainment, conducted a worldwide search for investors and successfully attracted the Monte Cristo Fund LLC. “Apartment 1303”, directed by Ataru Oikawa, was released on DVD in the U.S. on October 23rd by Tartan Video’s Asia Extreme and has so far been released in Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, U.K., Thailand, Malaysia, and of course Japan.

Synopsis: After her sister Sayaka passes away, Mariko returns to where her sister previously lived, apartment 1303, and discovers the gory history of the previous tenants who lived in that unit. Mariko shares her discoveries with Detective Sakurai and tries to explain the connection between the history and the existence of a supernatural being in her sister’s room. Will she be able to get help before her mother gets involved, or is she destined to go down the same path as her sister?

**For more info, go to www.apartment1303.com/2.html

Making of “Naruto” Anime Series for Digital Download in U.S.
(Service Started on November 15th)

VIZ Media, one the most well-known U.S. anime publishing and licensing company, has teamed up with Direct2Drive, IGN Entertainment’s digital retail store, to make “Naruto” available for digital download in the U.S. Episodes of the series debuted sequentially beginning on November 15, 2007 with episodes costing $1.99 each. The first 25 episodes of “Naruto” are currently available online along with “Death Note” and “Bleach”, which was also distributed by VIZ Media this year.

**To download these episodes, go to www.direct2drive.com

Murakami at MOCA
(Now thru February 11, 2008)

The renowned Louis Vuitton animator, Takeshi Murakami will be exhibiting more than 90 works in various media—painting, sculpture, installation, and film—at the MOCA gallery. His works, in three sections, occupy over 20,000 square feet of exhibition space. You will be able to view this comprehensive overview of his works spanning the entirety of his career including his collaboration with Louis Vuitton.

Where:
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
152 North Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90013

**For more information, please call MOCA at (213) 621-1741, or visit http://moca.org/

Japan Expo 2007
(December 1-2, 2007)

Japan Expo is celebrating its 28th year of introducing Japanese food, pop-culture, history, and art to the people in the U.S. The Japan Expo Foundation founded this event in 1980 and continues to attract crowds to exhibitions of Japanese antiques, history, travel information, anime, manga, games, food, and other forms of entertainment. Admission is $12 (children under 12 will get in free).

Where:
Los Angeles Convention Center (South Hall K)
1201 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015

**For more info and tickets, please call (213) 617-0868 or visit www.japanexpo.org

ICV2 Conference on Anime and Manga at New York Anime Festival
(December 6th)

The pop culture publishing and consulting company ICv2 has announced its first ICv2 Conference on Anime and Manga: “Inside the Otaku Generation” at the New York Anime Festival. A panel discussion spotlighting the “otaku generation,” will help attendees understand the powerful group of young consumers that have made Anime and manga a multibillion-dollar business in the U.S. The ICv2 Conference will be held on Thursday afternoon, December 6, 2007 at the Javits Center from 1-5 pm. Confirmed panelists include top executives from anime and manga companies; intellectual property houses; digital content experts; and trade buyers. The Conference is broken into four sessions: ICv2 White Paper (Anime and Manga), Marketing to the Otaku Generation, Girls (The Other Half of the Otaku Generation), Technology and the Otaku (The New Media Frontier).

**For registration and the list of panelists, go to ICv2 Conference

Midnight Eagle: Movie Opening
(December 7th)

Shochiku Co. Ltd and Universal Pictures (Japan) have announced the opening for “Midnight Eagle” at the newly renovated Imagine Asian Center on December 7th. “Midnight Eagle”, based on the eponymous novel by acclaimed writer Tetsuo Takashima. Izuru Narushima directs this compelling action thriller set in the snowbound Northern Alps of Japan. The film is in Japanese with English subtitles.

Synopsis: A top-secret American force’s strategic bomber known as “Midnight Eagle” suddenly vanishes in the Northern Alps, carrying a specialized nuclear warhead. If it were to explode, the entire nation of Japan would be hurled into an unprecedented calamity. Prime Minister Takafumi Watarase orders an elite squad from the Self-Defense Force to try and recover the fuselage. Amidst the violent barrage of gunfire from agents of an enemy nation, an actual war is about to begin in the heart of Japan, 62 years after the end of World War II. With the Self-Defense Force being killed off one by one, the fate of Japan lies with a former war photographer Yuji Nishizaki who sees the falling “Midnight Eagle” and seizes his camera as he joins the rest of the squad to save the country.

Where:
Imagin Asian Center
251 S. Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

**For more info, go to: http://www.iacenterla.com/la

Fuji Television Movie Series: Celebrating FCI’s 20th Anniversary
(December 2nd-6th, 2007)

The newly constructed Imagin Asian Center, in the midst of downtown Los Angeles, will be screening five television-movie series created by the American arm of one of Japan's top rated networks for almost 20 years, Fuji Television (FCI). FCI is making these well-known Japanese movies available to the American public in celebration of its FCI 20th anniversary. All of the movies will contain English subtitles and will begin screening at 7:00PM every night from December 2nd to the 6th. Admission is free.

Schedule:
Dec 2nd: "Antarctica"

Synopsis: Based on a true story, Japanese scientists on an Antarctic expedition are forced to abandon their 15 sled dogs at base camp during a blizzard, but later return to search for them after being tormented by guilt.

Dec 3rd: "Suite Dreams

Synopsis: In a luxury hotel on New Year's Eve, two hours before midnight, hotel staff are scurrying about in preparation for a lavish countdown party when suddenly, a group of "dubious" guests appear, setting off a chain reaction of preposterous events, both disastrous and miraculous.

Dec 4th: "Umizaru2 Limit of Love"

Synopsis: In this sequel to Umizaru, Daisuke Senzaki, a search-and-rescue diver for the Japanese Coast Guard, is sent in to evacuate passengers before the boat sinks. As the clock ticks down, he and his buddy Yoshioka find themselves fighting to save lives, including their own, while Senzaki must exorcise his own personal demons.

Dec 5th: "Waterboys"

Synopsis: A charming and refreshingly inspiring story of youth based on a true story about a group of ordinary third-year high school boys who, faced with the closing of their school's swim team, decide to form an all men's synchronized swimming team.

Dec 6th: "Bayside Shakedown 2"

Synopsis: A sequel to the phenomenally successful "Bayside Shakedown," it features the same characters five years later combating internal conflicts and a series of "no motive" crimes taking place in a glitzy new tourist district of Tokyo that increasingly stretches their resources and patience as it grows more populated and crime-ridden.

Where:
Imagin Asian Center
251 S. Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

**For more info, please contact FCI/Los Angeles (310) 284-4419 or email sales@fci-la.com

Four Live-Action Anime Coming Our Way

VIZ Pictures, the movie distributor linked to VIZ Media has licensed the live action versions of four films based on popular manga titles released under VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat imprint: “Honey and Clover”, “ Love*Com The Movie”, “NANA” and “NANA2”. “Honey and Clover” will be released theatrically in select cities beginning in December, “Love*Com The Movie” will be released straight to DVD in February 2008, “NANA” will be released theatrically in early 2008 and “NANA2” will be having its theatrical release in the spring of 2008. “Honey and Clover”, “Love*Com The Movie” and “NANA” will also have a special premiere screening at the upcoming New York Anime Festival.

“Honey and Clover”

Synopsis: Honey and Clover centers around four art students who live in the same housing complex that is run by an art teacher, Hanamoto Shuji. Hanamoto introduces a new member to the building, a relative of his, named Hagumi. Takemoto instantly falls in love with Hagumi, while multiple love complicates Takemoto’s love proposal.

“Love*Com The Movie”

Synopsis: Risa Koizumi and Atsushi Otani are two high school students who both have height complexes. Risa is a tall girl and Otani is a short guy. They have each confessed to someone before, but were rejected because of their height differences. They are both looking for love and they just might find it in someone they didn't think they would: each other.

“NANA”& “NANA2”(continual)

Synopsis: Two girls, both named Nana and of the same age, coincidentally meet on a train trip to Tokyo. They soon find themselves living with each other under the same roof because of an even bigger coincidence. Even though they share the same name and age, they differ in just about everything else. Even so, through hard experiences in love and life, a strong friendship is born between them, as both Nanas grow through their hardships and struggle to win the odds.

Aurora Publishing, Inc. Introduces Ladies Comics in America with LUV LUV Imprint

Aurora Publishing, Inc. a Japanese Manga publishing company launches their Luv Luv imprint for passionate women readers. Manga from Luv Luv features more mature storylines for adult female readers. The first title to be launched under this imprint will be “Voices of Love” by Kanae Hazuki, which will be released in January 2008. “Real Love” by Mitsuki Oda will be released in March 2008, and “ Love for Dessert” will be released in May 2008.

**For more info, go to www.luvluv-press.com