The latest issue of Kadokawa Shoten’s Sneaker Magazine, to be released tomorrow, has confirmed that the latest Suzumiya Haruhi novel will be released in 2010. Suzumiya Haruhi no Kyōgaku (The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya) will be the first Haruhi novel to be released in three years. Author Nagaru Tanigawa says that he has completed about 75 – 80% of the novel, amounting to about 370 pages of the current draft.

(Source: ANN)

Thoughts: Finally, some solid news regarding the new novel. While there is no definite release date, Tanigawa-sensei seems to be making good progress. With the second season and Disappearance movie due be released on DVD later this year as well, this looks to be a good year for Haruhi fans…

DK says: To be honest, while this is welcome news, I’m at the point of “I’ll believe it when I see it”.

This isn’t to say that I’m not happy about it, but setbacks in several other areas (eg. Star Trek Online) have made me rather more cautious in my optimism.

I am curious about how Tanigawa-sensei plans to continue the story, since volume nine ended on plenty of dangling plot threads.

Publisher Yen Press has announced that the 2nd volume of the Spice and Wolf novel will have the original Japanese illustrations on its printed cover with an alternate illustration on the dust jacket. This alternate cover serves to “satisfy the requests of [Yen Press's] retail partners who have asked that the books be made more appealing to a wider purchasing public”.

This comes after numerous feedback from fans regarding the new cover illustration (which was aimed at American mass-market readers) for the 1st volume of the novel.
(Source: ANN / Yen Press)

Thoughts: Probably for the best since it appeals to both the fans and the retailers. I just realised though that I should have bought volume one over Amazon so as to get the dust jacket with the original illustration instead of going to Kinokuniya…

A new Code Geass anime was announced in the latest Code Geass event DVD/BD, Kiseki no Birthday. The new anime, titled Code Geass Gaiden: Bōkoku no Akito (Akito of the Ruined Nation), will be a side story featuring a group of Elevens piloting Knightmares being sent to the European war front to rescue an allied unit. Kazuki Akane (Birdy the Mighty Decode, Escaflowne: The Movie) will direct and Shigeru Morita (Linebarrels of Iron, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny) will take charge of scripting. Takahiro Kimura and Akira Yasuda will return as character designer and mechanical designer respectively.
(Source: Moetron)

The Lucky Star mikoshi (a portable Shinto shrine used as a vehicle for deities) looks scheduled to visit this year’s World Expo at Shanghai. The main aim is to show how local governments, businesses and citizens cooperate together to share Japan’s anime and manga culture as well as “publicity for both the Washimiya and the Hajisai festival”.
(Source: Sankaku Complex)

Thoughts: While Singapore has a “smart music box“, Japan will bring in Lucky Star…looks like “moe” is set to rule the world…

DK says: On the one hand, I doubt this will raise the image of anime fandom among the mainstream.

On the other hand, I really have no comments I can make about the expected effectiveness of this measure with regards to publicity.

Bandai has announced that they will open a Gundam-themed café just outside the Akihabara Japan Railway station on April 24. Now, Gundam fans will be able to try the exclusive Jaburo coffee blend made from South American coffee beans and Gun-Pla-yaki while rubbing shoulders with waitresses dressed in the EFSF uniform.
(Source: ANN)

A partial cast list for the upcoming Ghibli film Karigurashi no Arrietty has been released by a Japanese newspaper. Mirai Shida (Live-action Tantei Gakuen Q’s Megumi) will play the lead role of Arrietty in her first seiyū role. Ryunosuke Kamiki (Summer Wars’ Kenji) will play the human boy, Sho. Arrietty’s parents will be played by Tomokazu Miura (Ryusei no Kizuna, Crying out Love in the Centre of the World) and Shinobu Otake. Sho’s grand-aunt will be played by Keiko Takeshita (Sazae-san, Gegege no Nyobu) and Kirin Kiki (Tokyo Tower) will play the role of one of Sho’s family helpers.
(Source: ANN)