Otakon is reporting that Satoshi Kon has passed away at the age of 47 (Madhouse, Kon’s studio, has confirmed the details). Kon had been working on Dream Machine, his first children’s feature, at the time of his death. No cause has been announced yet.

This is simply a tremendous loss: Kon was a hugely talented director responsible for some of the most thought-provoking anime in recent years. Kon’s works included Paprika, Millennium Actress, Perfect Blue, and the TV series Paranoia Agent. These titles were often dark and disturbing, full of themes of alienation and psychological distress, but behind them all was, I believe, a concern for humanity and the effects of modern, consumerist society on our hearts and minds.

Though they often dealt with difficult topics, Kon’s works were never exploitative, and were all done with the highest degree of skill, artistry, and originality. He will be missed.

Below is the opening sequence from Paprika, which showcases not just the technical skill that Kon brought to his works, but also the creativity that was a hallmark of his career.

Those looking for an introduction to Satoshi Kon would do well to read Grady Hendrix’s overview, which was written in anticipation of a 2008 Kon restrospective in New York.

Anime News Network is reporting that Fumihiko Sori will be directing the previously announced Dragon Age anime. Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about this. I liked Dragon Age: Origins quite a bit and am definitely looking forward to the sequel, and I think it would be an interesting world in which to set other stories, be they animated or otherwise. However, I’m torn on Sori directing.

I loved Ping Pong for its energy, emotional depth, and clever use of CGI, and it continues to grow on me with each new viewing. On the other hand, I found Vexille—Sori’s 2007 CG/anime film—to be rather underwhelming, especially once the explosions and action subsided and the film tried for quieter, more character-driven moments.

I’m sure that Sori will be able to pull off the spectacle aspect of Dragon Age—i.e., epic battle scenes—but if that’s all the anime really has to offer, I’ll be disappointed.

Welcome to the Space Show is the debut feature film from the folks behind R.O.D. Read or Die, and is one of the more well-known anime films to have been released in the last year or so (with the other being Summer Wars). The film follows a group of five children who save the life of an alien while at summer camp, and subsequently, embark on all manner of interplanetary adventures (more info here).

The footage in the trailer below looks absolutely stunning, and there’s both some great action (primarily in the very beginning) and humor (once the kids find the alien). The film had its American premiere at this year’s Otakon Convention, but no word yet on when the film will be released on DVD/Blu-ray. I was interested in the film when I first heard about it a few months ago, but after watching the trailer, this is definitely “must see” material as far as I’m concerned.

Thanks to Sam for the link.

According to Anime News Network, Funimation has recently announced that they have licensed Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance and Summer Wars for release here in the States.

Funimation will be releasing the the “2.22” version of Evangelion 2.0—the second in the planned four-film “rebuild” of the seminal Neon Genesis Evangelion series—on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as in theatres. As for Summer Wars—Mamoru Hosoda’s critically acclaimed follow-up to The Girl Who Leapt Through Time—Funimation will be doing a theatrical release this year, with DVD and Blu-ray releases coming sometime next year.

These two titles are at the top of the list of anime titles that I’m most looking forward to, so suffice to say, this news makes me a very happy boy.

Earlier this year, it came out that Nickelodeon was looking for artists to work on a new, untitled Avatar: The Last Airbender project. Well, now it’s official: Nickelodeon has announced that they are moving forward with a sequel to the critically acclaimed cartoon series. Tentatively titled The Legend of Korra, the sequel will be done by Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko (the original series’ creators) and is scheduled to premiere on Nickelodeon in 2011.

Here’s a brief plot synopsis:

The Legend of Korra takes place 70 years after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and follows the adventures of the Avatar after Aang—a passionate, rebellious, and fearless teenaged girl from the Southern Water Tribe named Korra. With three of the four elements under her belt (Earth, Water, and Fire), Korra seeks to master the final element, Air. Her quest leads her to the epicenter of the modern “Avatar” world, Republic City—a metropolis that is fueled by steampunk technology. It is a virtual melting pot where benders and non-benders from all nations live and thrive. However, Korra discovers that Republic City is plagued by crime as well as a growing anti-bending revolution that threatens to rip it apart. Under the tutelage of Aang’s son, Tenzin, Korra begins her airbending training while dealing with the dangers at large.

This news makes me very happy. I know, I know: steampunk is so passé these days, but I think it makes a lot of sense within the Avatar world, especially with that we saw of Fire Nation technology in the original series. Also, I’ll be very interested to see what Aang’s (and Zuko’s) legacy will have been in those 70 years. And finally, and most importantly, the fact that the original creators—DiMartino and Konietzko—are helming this production gives me a lot of confidence that The Legend of Korra will do right by the original series.

Via Topless Robot

Note: This article contains spoilers. Proceed at your own risk.

I began exploring Hayao Miyazaki’s films long before any of them had been released on DVD. And given that I was living in Lincoln, Nebraska, the chances of any of them ever making it to a local movie theatre were slim to none (Princess Mononoke arriving at The Ross was a supreme cause for celebration). In order to watch the few Miyazaki films that were readily available—i.e., My Neighbor Totoro—I had to spend some time in the children’s section of my local video store—and I’m sure it looked odd to see a man in his late twenties wandering through the aisles of Pokémon and Power Rangers videos. It certainly felt that way.

I feel somewhat similarly when I talk about Avatar: The Last Airbender. Here I am, a man in his mid-thirties, singing the praises of a Nickelodeon series aimed squarely at 6 to 11-year-olds. But good, worthwhile, and honorable culture can be in all places. So let me cut right to the chase: I was very impressed by this series.

The term “Miyazaki-esque” doesn’t at all feel like an overstatement, here. While the series didn’t necessarily conjure up within me the same sense of awe and wonder that I attribute to Miyazaki’s works, it aims for and achieves similar levels of myth-making, world-building, character depth, and moral complexity.

Continue reading…

As a follow-up to his excellent Hayao Miyazaki overview, Steven Greydanus has posted a review of Castle in the Sky, one of my fave Miyazaki films:

Amid somewhat murky plot workings, a moral theme emerges of compassion over corrupting power, of humble closeness to the earth. Miyazaki’s penchant for animist allusiveness is at a minimum in this comparatively accessible film, making Laputa one of the director’s easiest films to recommend, especially to newcomers.

As usual, Miyazaki festoons his work with odd, gratuitous flourishes of beauty. Pazu’s strange house, with its brickwork, roof-top trap door and tower with spiral treads, is a joy, as is his curious morning ritual of climbing to the roof to release the pigeons and trumpet the dawn. I get a kick out of the brick on the pulley that pulls Pazu’s door shut. Another brilliant touch: the crow’s nest on Dola’s ship that converts into a kite-like glider.

The crowning glory, though, is Laputa itself, a half-ruinous ghost city, with gardens still tended by decrepit robots, crumbling stonework, flooded shafts, and that one titanic tree that ages ago shattered the dome above with its branches, and whose roots reach into the deepest bowels of the city. If Miyazaki’s previous film, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, ideally showcases the epic scope of the director’s imagination on an evolutionary scale, Laputa does the same on a civilizational scale. Laputa is one of the great places of the movies.

Castle in the Sky has been recently re-released on DVD by Disney, along with several of Miyazaki’s other movies. Unfortunately, I’m still waiting for the Blu-ray release.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo comes out on DVD this week, and to mark the occasion, Steven D. Greydanus (of Decent Films fame) has posted a wonderful overview of Miyazaki, his films, and his influence on American cinema.

For all viewers, Miyazaki’s whole body of work (less one or two sub-par exceptions) offers unduplicated vistas of imaginative wonder and beauty, images of startling power, admirable and likable heroines and heroes, humanely conceived supporting characters, elusively engaging storytelling, wholesome moral themes, and unexpected sly humor. He is the sort of artist whose work doesn’t just entertain audiences, but wins enthusiasts. For those who haven’t yet discovered him, Miyazaki is a taste well worth acquiring.

Greydanus’ article hits on every single reason why Miyazaki is one of my favorite filmmakers, and then some.