More info after the break.

Original Work: gimik / Kadokawa Shoten
Director / Storyboard / Producer: Keiji Gotoh
Character Design / Animation Director: Megumi Kadonosono
Series Composition / Script: Hidefumi Kimura
Mechnical Design: Kanetake Ebikawa
Art: STUDIO EASTER
Animation Production: Aslead
Project Producer: Atsushi Itou
Content Producer: Kiyonori Hiramatsu
Official Site: http://www.kiddygrade.com/

ES Members Éclair and Lumière were involved in a battle to determine fate of the galaxy and they prevailed in the face of danger. However, years passed and now the galaxy has entered another era of chaos. The general feel of the Kiddy Grade universe remains unchanged and the story takes place after the end of the first series, though the exact time lapsed has not been confirmed yet. The new heroines are “Asukuuru” (resembles Lumière) and “Kufiiyu” (resembles Éclair). Look forward to possible appearances by characters from the first series. The limited edition pilot episode DVD is 7-minute long and cost ï¿¥2,940.

All information taken from Moon Phase Zakki.

The names are direct romanization from Japanese (アスクール and クフィーユ), so they are almost definitely wrong. I tried googling around in French but couldn’t find anything close.

More sci-fi yuri action coming your way soon.

According to Moon Phase Zakki, a sequel to Kiddy Grade is in the works.

[タレコミ]「キディ・グレイド」続編「キディ・グレイド2（仮）」制作決定！

「涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 SOS団ラジオ支部」第35回放送内で、リュミエール役の平野綾がしゃべってた模様。エクレールとリュミエールのその後を描く。パイロットフィルムを先行公開予定。

Demoonificator:

Kiddy Grade Sequel “Kiddy Grade 2” (tentative title) is in the works!

Aya Hirano, the seiyuu of Lumière, revealed that a second Kiddy Grade anime is in the works during the broadcast of “Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu SOS-dan Radio Subdivision” episode 35. The new anime will continue to focus on Éclair and Lumière. A pilot episode will be released first.

This has got to be true because Haruhi-sama said it! Continue reading for what I think Kiddy Grade 2 needs…

The first Kiddy Grade series was kind of nice, but it didn’t leave much impression other than a swath of Éclair x Lumière H-doujinshi. Here are some suggestions from me for Kiddy Grade 2 to achieve the status of ultimate moé!

1. Make Lumière more tsundere
2. More girls
3. Introduce a meido-fuku dojikko who is often sexually harrassed
4. Make her shoot laser beams from her eyes as her ES power
5. Rename GOTT to SOS団
6. Bunny costume shall be the new work uniform
7. Ponytails
8. Instead of just incest, get yuri incest!
9. Throw in 12 sisters while you are at it
10. Trap(s) — Everyone is doing it

Okay so my suggestions suck like a vacuum cleaner, but seriously, will anyone ever be able to watch Kiddy Grade 2 without thinking of Haruhi-sama every time Lumière speaks? It will be a whole new viewing experience. 楽しみ～

The story takes place one year after the end of the TV series and Arika is now Mashiro’s full-fledged Meister Otome. The new OP song is “Believe ～eien no kizuna～” performed by Mika Kikuchi (Arika Yumemiya).

All I can say is: WTF happened to Minami!?

P.S. You can preorder the limited edition on Amazon JP for ï¿¥2,000 cheaper than the official retail.

[アニメ]æ‚雨沢恵一「キノの旅」劇場版アニメ制作決定！
アニメ化は3度目、映画化は2度目。前回の「キノの旅～何かをãã‚‹ãŸã‚ã«ï½žã€ã¯ã€å˜é¤¨ä¸Šæ˜ ã ã£ãŸã‘ど、今度はどうだろう？劇場版「灼眼のシャナ」と同æ‚上映だったりして？

Moonspeak to English (ok I’m running out of funny things to say here):

New “Kino no Tabi” (by Keiichi Shigusawa) movie confirmed!
This is the third anime adaptation and the second movie adaptation. The last movie “Kino no Tabi ~nanika suru tame ni~” was only shown in a single cinema, we wonder how it’ll be this time. Will it be in theatres the same time as the “Shakugan no Shana” movie?

Kino is a reverse trap! :3

UPDATE: The official site will be updated with more details in October. There’s currently a placeholder page.

[アニメ]「新世紀エヴァンゲリオン 新劇場版」前編、中編、後編、最終話の4部作にて製作決定。

以前のタレコミ情報では、TVシリーズの総集編3部＋完全新作の全4部作という話だったけど、4部全てが新作という位置付けらしい。続編でもリメイクでもないとか。タレコミ情報を頂いたæ‚は、正直まゆつば情報だと思ってたんだけど、本当に4部作で再映画化だったとは。

Un-moon-ed:

“New Evangelion Theatrical Version” will be a 4-part project.

According to previous leaks, it was thought that the new project consisted of 3 summary movies of the TV series and 1 new movie, but now it turns out that all 4 movies will be new productions. Also, the movies are neither sequels nor remakes. We had previously thought that those leaks were faked, but apparently there really are going to be 4 new movies…

Here’s the scan (from Newtype I presume) linked by the article that supposedly proves it:

The words on the left say　劇場４部作で描かれる「新作」 or “A new project consisting of 4 theatrical releases”.

So it seems like we are getting 4 new Eva movies that are neither sequel nor remakes… Hmmm… I guess we just have to wait for Newtype October, though Moon Phase is pretty reliable so there’s a pretty good chance that it’s true. Also, Hideaki Anno will once again be in charge, for good or for bad.

Yay! Now we can look forward to 10 more years of Evangelion merchandise! (Okay, so it was going to happen any way)

UPDATE: Just want to add that the first movie will be out Summer 2007, about one year from now.

Fresh off the press! From Moon Phase Zakki:

ニュータイプ10月号早売り情報。

WOWOWのディレクターズカット版、総集編仕立て＋完全新作？「SHUFFLE！MEMORIES」が今冬放送とか。

De-moon-ified:

News from early copies of Newtype October.
WOWOW’s director’s cut version, summary episode + a completely new work? “Shuffle! Memories” airing this winter.

I shall confirm this when I get my hands on a copy of Newtype in about 4 days or so. But basically it sounds like this “Shuffle! Memories” thing will contain new content, though it’s not clear what it’s exactly relationship to the first TV series will be. Half summary half new content, maybe? Anyway there will be a new OP and ED to look forward to, at the very least.

Based on the game, I think there’s really not much left to cover, so maybe it’s completely original side stories? Or maybe, Haruhi forbids, an alternate Kaede ending? (I am so not watching that!)

I, for one, am rooting for a Kareha ending! (Let a guy have his dream, okay?)

According to Moon Phase, an announcement for a new Kimi ga Nozomu Eien anime was made during the event.

アージュ、特報 「君が望む永遠 “éãƒ«ãƒ¼ãƒˆâ€ã€ アニメ化決定！！

今日のイãƒãƒ³ãƒˆã§ã‚‚正式çºè¡¨ã•ã‚ŒãŸæ¨¡æ§˜ã€‚まだ 「君望」 で引っ張りまãã‹ã€‚「あゆまゆ劇場」 のネット配信アニメは、てっきり 「マブラヴ」 アニメ化への布石かと思ってたんだけど、こっちと連動した企画だったようで。

From Age: New “Kimi ga Nozomu Eien – Haruka’s route” anime confirmed!

This was officially announced during today’s event. Although it had been speculated that the “Ayu Mayu Theatre” anime distributed on the offical site was part of the preparation towards a Muv-Luv anime, it turned out to be another KimiNozo project.

I hate Haruka. I love the ending of the first series. God, why did they have to announce it on Mitsuki’s birthday? :( The irony, it burns…

Still, more Mitsuki and more Akane is good. <3

Apparently from what I have heard (not currently confirmed), the new anime will be an OVA series and it will take place in an alternate timeline where Haruka did not get knocked down by a van. (What the fuck? How is that KimiNozo anymore?)

From animate.tv:

TVアニメーション『涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱』EDテーマ曲「ハレæ´ãƒ¬ãƒ¦ã‚«ã‚¤ã€ï¼ˆå¹³é‡Ž 綾／茅原実里／後藤邑子）の出荷枚数が10万枚を突破したことが、8月10日付け社団法人日本レコード協会の「ゴールド等認定作品認定（2006å¹´7月）」内にて正式にçºè¡¨ã•ã‚ŒãŸã€‚

「ゴールド等認定作品認定」とは日本レコード協会が毎月、çºå£²æ—¥ä»¥éã®ç´¯è¨ˆå‡ºè·æžšæ•°ã«å¿œã˜ã¦ã‚´ãƒ¼ãƒ«ãƒ‰ã€ãƒ—ラチナ等の認定を行っているもので、「ハレæ´ãƒ¬ãƒ¦ã‚«ã‚¤ã€ã¯5月10日のçºå£²ã‹ã‚‰2ヶ月で10万枚以上出荷の「ゴールド」に認定された。

Lazy DM’s condensed translation:

Recording Industry Association of Japan announced on 10 August that “Hare Hare Yukai” has sold 100,000 copies and has been awarded the “Gold Certified Product Award” (or some silly name like that). RIAJ grades CDs into categories like Gold and Platinum according to the sales. “Hare Hare Yukai” sold 100,000 copies in two months from its release on 10 May.

And yes, I do plan on sticking Chibi Haruhi into every single post related to her from now on. :3

竹本役 神谷浩史さんの交通事故に関しまして
竹本役神谷浩史氏が8月7æ—¥(月)交通事故に遭われ、現在治ç‚のため入é¢ã•ã‚Œã¦ãŠã‚Šã¾ãã€‚番組としては第11話（9月7日放送）までは収録が終わっており、最終話１２話（ï¼æœˆï¼‘４日放送）のみ代役をたてて放送ãã‚‹äºˆå®šã§ãã€‚関係者ならびにファンの皆様方には、ご心配おかけ致しまして申し訳御座いません。

Moonspeak to english:

Regarding Takemoto’s seiyuu Hiroshi Kamiya’s traffic accident
The seiyuu of Takemoto, Mr. Hiroshi Kamiya, was met with a traffic accident on 7 August (Monday) and is currently hospitalized for treatment. Recording [for Honey & Clover II] has been completed up to episode 11 (to be aired on 7 September) and the final episode 12 (to be aired on 14 September) will have a replacement seiyuu. To those concerned and to the fans of the show, we sincerely apologize for any worries caused.

I guess the last line seems a little out of place in English, but that’s what it says. It’s just how the Japanese say things, whether or not there’s anything worth apologizing for.

Must… resist… urge to… crack jokes about the dangers of cycling around Japan on the highway…

So, uhmmm, yeah, hope he’ll be alright. Although I heard that it’s not really serious so there’s probably nothing to worry about.

Quote:

ガンダム新シリーズ、来年10月放送にむけて始動！…らしい。

「天保異聞 妖奇士」の後番、来年の土6は新ガンダム。監督は水島精二氏とのこと。一応、内部リークでããŒã€å®Ÿéš›ã“の通り順調に企画が進むかどうかは不明。

Translation:

New Gundam series, starts airing October next year!… Apparently.
Taking over the time slot of Ayakashi Ayashi, a new Gundam series will air during the Saturday 6pm slot next year. The director will be Seiji Mizushima. Although this is, technically, an internal leak, it is not confirmed whether the project is really proceeding as stated.

You can just feel the journalistic confidence oozing out of this little article… On another note, Seiji Mizushima is most well-known as the director of Full Metal Alchemist.

Unlike most people, I still have hopes for the SEED franchise, especially if a new director is being brought in to continue the series. While it is not certain if the new Gundam series will continue the C.E. timeline, or indeed whether it even exists at this moment, I have this to say: BRING STELLAR BACK!!!

P.S. Moon Phase has also confirmed, with information from Comiket 70, that the third Nanoha series will be a full-fledged TV series and not OVAs. I don’t care for Nanoha, but it’s on the same page as this news so might as well….