Animation News II

Nobuyuki · **Nobuyuki**

Geneon Entertainment Signs Distribution Agreement with Toei Animation

LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 2004--

"Air Master," "Interlude" and "Slam Dunk" Among First Properties To Be Distributed On DVD

Geneon Entertainment announced today an agreement with leading Japanese anime producer Toei Animation (JASDAQ:4816) to distribute the company's animation programs on DVD in the U.S. and Canada. The first titles slated to be distributed under the agreement are "Air Master," "Interlude" and "Slam Dunk." Toei Animation is credited with international smash hit properties such as "Dragonball Z," "Sailor Moon" and "Digimon," and has created over 180 film and television titles well known by children and adults all over the world.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with such a well-respected anime production company as Toei Animation to bring its stellar properties to new audiences, through our established DVD distribution capabilities in the U.S. and Canada," said Yosuke Kobayashi, president and CEO, Geneon Entertainment.

Geneon Entertainment is a leading supplier of Japanese animation in the U.S. anime DVD market and has an impressive library of titles, which continues to expand. Among the many internationally acclaimed properties distributed by Geneon Entertainment are "Tenchi Muyo!," "Lupin The Third," "Armitage," "Heat Guy J," "Last Exile," "Beyblade," "Gungrave," "X," "Cardcaptor Sakura" and "Sailor Moon." Other films released by Geneon include the stunningly restored anime masterpiece "Akira," the Japanese blockbuster "Onmyoji," the sci-fi classic "Patlabor WXIII" and "Sakura Wars the Movie."

"Geneon Entertainment's commitment to Japanese anime, along with its expertise in sales, marketing and distribution, make it an ideal partner for us as we continue to expand our international business," said Kanji Kazahaya, COO, Toei Animation.
_________________
"When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."- C.S. Lewis
Wink

"Superman can't be emo. He can't cut himself."-CP

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

Pixar Animation Studios earned $22.4 million in the third quarter of 2004, up from $13.2 million in the same period last year, the company announced today. Revenues jumped to $44.5 million from $30.2 million.

For the nine months ended October 2, Pixar earned $86.5 million on revenues of $164.6 million, up from $40.9 million on revenues of $97.7 million in the nine months ended September 27, 2003.
_______________________________________________________________

Mainframe Entertainment earned $400,000 in the third quarter of 2004, a turnaround from a loss of $5 million in the same quarter last year, the company announced yesterday. Revenues were $5 million.

For the trailing 12 months, Mainframe earned $1.5 million on revenues of $14.8 million.

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

ASIFA-Hollywood, The International Animated Film Society, has named Don Bluth, Virginia Davis and Arnold Stang as recipients of this year’s Winsor McCay award, AWN reports.

Bluth is the director of The Secret of NIMH, Anastasia, Titan: AE and other animated films. Davis played Alice in a series of Alice in Wonderland shorts produced by Walt Disney in 1924. Stang is a voice actor whose career stretches back to the 1950s, voicing characters from Top Cat to Courage the Cowardly Dog.

ASIFA-Hollywood also says that Tom Kenny will host the 32nd Annual Annie Awards, which will be given out on January 30.
_______________________________________________________________

Cartoon Network has named Marc Buhaj vice president, programming and scheduling for Cartoon Network and Boomerang, the company announced today. Buhaj will direct all aspects of programming for the two networks, including scheduling, on-air event planning and program operations. Buhaj will be based in Atlanta and will report directly to Bob Higgins, senior vice president, programming and development at Cartoon Network.

Buhaj comes to Cartoon Network's U.S. operations from Hong Kong, where he served as executive director of programming and acquisitions for Turner Entertainment Networks Asia.

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

It looks like TV’s hottest format works in animation as Comedy Central orders up a second season of drawn together, television's first animated reality series after only three episodes of cable's new sensation have aired. The second season of DRAWN TOGETHER, created by Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser, will premiere during the fourth quarter of 2005 and consist of 15 episodes, including a reunion special.

“DRAWN TOGETHER has been an immediate success for the network and our viewers and I am excited that we will be able to continue the adventure with a second season," said Lauren Corrao, svp of original programming and head of development, Comedy Central. "Suffice it to say, the animated characters created by Matt and Dave have many, many more escapades, contests, musical spoofs and other disorders to look forward to before we let them out of that house."

“We're astonished that Comedy Central wants more of these things,�? said Silverstein and Jeser. “We didn't even think they wanted the ones they have now. Amazing. God bless Comedy Central!�? Perhaps animation producer Rough Draft Studios in Glendale, California can reuse even more repeat pans, part of the insider industry humor employed in this satire on reality shows and animation genres.

Since its premiere on Oct. 27, 2004, DRAWN TOGETHER and its lead-in South Park," forms an adult animation block that has dominated the cable television landscape on Wednesday nights. Through the first two episodes, DRAWN TOGETHER has averaged 2.3 million total viewers (P2+) and a 1.4 rating in the key P18-49 demographic. The heavily promoted new show built on its premiere for week two, with total viewers up 7% to 2.4 million and the P18-49 rating up 12% to 1.5. For both weeks the series was the most-watched show on cable in its timeslot (10:30 p.m.) in that key demo as well as in all key male demos (M18-24, M18-34, M18-49 and M25-54).

In the first episode, viewers are introduced to a bizarre collection of cartoon characters from various genres of animation that are brought together to live as roommates in a house with an Ikea-like aesthetic. Their combining different styles of animation and different personalities are set to collide, covered with camera angles and personal interviews in a good parody of typical reality series. This is Comedy Central’s first original animated series that is drawn traditionally and in 2D digital ink-and-paint animation, using Toonz.

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

4Kids Entertainment has announced the acquisition of the anime Magical Doremi. The series will air on an unspecified date on the FoxBox.

4Kids has also announced two additional new titles, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, the spin-off of the popular card game anime that recently premiered in Japan and Pokémon Chronicles, a series of sidestory specials that coincide with the current Pokémon television series.

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

In an interview with IGN FilmForce, Tom Hanks speaks on the making of The Polar Express. However, what may be the highlight of the interview is his response to the question, "Will you be involved in the Toy Story sequels Disney is planning without Pixar?" Hanks' response is, "I don't know. The creative team that put together the original Toy Story movies was very specific and quite organic, I think, to the success of the process, not that there aren't other talented people that would be involved. But I don't know. That would be a bridge to cross when I come to it…"

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

Pixar and Finding NemoPixar Animation may wait to see who takes charge at Walt Disney before it moves decisively to choose a distributor for its animated films in 2006 and beyond, according to Steve Jobs, chairman and chief executive.

Announcing a 70 per cent surge in third-quarter earnings, Mr Jobs said yesterday that the replacement of Michael Eisner, Disney chief executive, could lead to musical chairs in Hollywood.

He suggested the outcome could be decisive since he wanted the maximum amount of the most up-to-date information. There were currently no negotiations with Disney, its current marketing partner, or any other studios, he said.

The Disney board is expected to name a new chief executive next June, about four months before the release of Pixar's Cars, the seventh and last animated feature produced and marketed by the current partnership.

Mr Jobs's statement appeared likely to add to speculation that his preferred strategy could be to stay with Disney in a collaboration that has yielded six films, all blockbusters.

Proclaiming a record of “six for six�? following last weekend's $70m box office takings for The Incredibles, the company announced net income of $22.4m and earnings per share of 38 cents per share for the quarter ended October 2, compared with $13.2m and 23 cents in the comparable part of 2003.

The rise in income and revenues from $30m to $44.5m stemmed mainly from strong sales of home video versions of its films, notably last summer's hit, Finding Nemo. The company had also built a strong cash reserve, up from $522m at the start of this year to $833m by the end of the quarter under review that would enable it to advance financing future productions on its own, Mr Jobs said.

Under the Disney deal, the partners share production costs and risks equally.

Mr Jobs also hinted at a possible shift in the Pixar releasing strategy. He said he was open to suggestions from Wall Street analysts, but he was considering releasing all future productions in the peak summer season, in a move that would allow home video versions to be on sale in time for the Christmas holiday gift-giving peak.

Pixar management was discussing the possibility based on the fact that home video sales now account for the bulk of a film's profits.

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

LOS ANGELES, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Pixar Animation Studios Inc. (PIXR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Chief Executive Steve Jobs on Thursday said the studio needed to have a new distribution partner in place next year but was not in formal negotiations with any studio.

The company previously had said it wanted to have a deal in place by mid-2005.

Pixar also said it expected fiscal 2004 earnings per share of $2.10 to $2.20 as its new movie "The Incredibles" debuted in most countries.

For the first nine months of the year, Pixar earned $86.5 million or $1.46 per full diluted share.

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

Pixar is not currently negotiating with any potential studio partners for a new distribution pact, Steve Jobs told investors during a conference call, Variety reports. The studio will likely wait until the end of 2005 before it chooses a new distribution partner, Jobs said.

During the conference call, Jobs also said that Pixar is considering changing release tactics and releasing its films during the summer instead of the holidays. Pixar's CEO cited research showing that more than $40 million of Finding Nemo's gross could be directly attributed to midday matinees with kid-heavy audiences.

If Pixar does switch seasons, Jobs said, it would do so by pushing the release of its upcoming films back instead of accelerating them.

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

Chuck Oberleitner's new site O-Meon has some fresh information on the very recent firing of Mulan producer Pam Coats from her post as Executive Vice President of Creative Affairs at Walt Disney Feature Animation. The firing was reported by one observer to be Stainton's way of "clearing the field of potential replacements."

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

The Hollywood Reporter and Reuters are reporting Disney has bought out the assets of the comic book publisher CrossGen Entertainment, whose titles include Abadazad, Mystic, and Route 666. The article states that Disney owns around half of the world's non-manga comic book business worldwide, mostly from international sales. Details can be found here.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041115/media_nm/media_disney_dc_1
_______________________________________________________________

Marvel Enterprises has awarded American Marketing Enterprises the exclusive rights to produce and market sleepwear based on such Marvel properties as Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, and more. The move is part of Marvel's recent strategy of consolidating its licenses.
_______________________________________________________________

Pixar Animation Studios plans to wait "until the last possible moment" before concluding a new distribution pact with a major studio, The New York Times quotes CEO Steven Jobs as saying.

The newspaper says that Jobs is interested in renewing with current distributor Walt Disney once the company picks a new CEO--and if the money is right. Otherwise, Jobs is apparently leaning toward picking either Warner Bros. or Twentieth Century Fox to handle Pixar's product.

Meanwhile, long-time Disney-watcher Jim Hill discusses Pixar and what it wants from Disney. Hill's reading of the situation: Jobs is still keen to do a deal with Disney because he wants to get full ownership of Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and other Pixar films that his company currently has to share with the Mouse House.

Andromaton · **Andromaton**

A general lack of live-action competition is leading a number of industry experts to predict that an animated movie may win an Academy Award for Best Picture of 2004, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times (free registration required). Among the supposed contenders are Dreamworks' Shrek 2, Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles, and Warner Brothers' The Polar Express.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-animation14nov14,0,1328064.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Nobuyuki · **Nobuyuki**

Stolen and edited from Anime on DVD:

Geneon Clarifies Toei Relationship: Chad Kime has talked briefly about the relationship between Toei and Geneon in the US at ICV2. The deal is apparently just a distribution deal, meaning it's no different than when Geneon (as Pioneer) was distributing titles for Bandai and Viz. Bandai and Viz did all of the production work on their titles and Pioneer was simply their distributor for them. This deal, as mentioned in the brief article, does not affect existing licenses so those who dreamed of certain titles being whisked away from studios are doing just that, dreaming.

What this means for the titles Toei intends to bring out? Hopefully they'll actually do some consulting at least with Geneon on the R1 market beyond whatever they've already determined via titles they've licensed to other studios. There's a very old saying in the US anime industry that "nobody screws up a release like the Japanese do". In the end, expect that most releases will come out fairly similar to everyone elses, maybe with some slight differences to cause some heated discussion, but most of the problems will be the kinds of things only those who really are "hardcore" about the production side of shows will quibble about. For most people, they're just going to get some kick ass shows.

Nobu's take: I wish that Toei would be kind enough to consider releasing some of their remastered kick-ass old school shows like Cutey Honey, Captain Harlock or even Mazinger Z. Of course it's all a pipedream... but this does nothing to end fanboy pipedreams about the possible return of Sailor Moon... unfortunately. Wink

_________________
"When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."- C.S. Lewis
Wink

"Superman can't be emo. He can't cut himself."-CP

dillpops · **dillpops**

Yay! UK Toonami have rigths to Rave Master and One Piece! I wonder if it'll be Funimation one piece or we'll get another dubbing company like we did for Dragonball GT...
_________________
rednekbob9: 1: You're Female
rednekbob9: 2: You're Internet-able
rednekbob9: 3: You like anime
rednekbob9: you're automatically a perfect match
rednekbob9: run like hell

Nobuyuki · **Nobuyuki**


	Disclaimer: Toonami Infolink, its creators and their kin are not owned by, affiliated with, or bossed around by Williams Street, Cartoon Network, Turner Broadcasting, AOL Time Warner, Long John Silvers, Tremont Corp (they do something with titanium), or the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. All opinions expressed on Toonami Infolink are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of Dave Coulier, George Stephanopoulos, Selma Hayak, Mark Mothersbaugh, or Ron Santos. PHP-Nuke Copyright © 2005 by Francisco Burzi. This is free software, and you may redistribute it under the GPL. PHP-Nuke comes with absolutely no warranty, for details, see the license. Page Generation: 0.15 Seconds