China Publishes Haruhi Suzumiya Comic, 1st Haruhi Suzumiya Fanbook Revealed

Kadokawa Group in collaboration with a Chinese publisher release an official Chinese comic book based on the The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya light novel! Meanwhile in Japan, Kadokawa Shoten will publish the first official fanbook guide of the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels!

The reason why they can't just import the original manga adaptation is because of the Chinese Government not allowing of publication of translated foreign comics for them to protect the local comic industry. Thus, Kadokawa Group and the local Chinese publisher hired a Chinese artist to adapt the light novel into a comic.

The resulting book went on sale in bookstores in Guangzhou, China. Saori Yoshida, the editor-in-chief of Kadokawa's first editorial division, explained that this new approach allows Japanese works to enter the Chinese market while discouraging piracy.

The first official guide called, The Observation of Haruhi Suzumiya (Suzumiya Haruhi no Kansoku) will ship on June 15. The book covers the series up to the current light novel volume, The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya.

It also covers the "secrets" about new characters in the latest novel. It also has excerpts from Tanigawa's manuscripts that have yet to be published in trade paperback book form, as well as art drawn by original illustrator Noizi Ito.

Source: NHK News, Kadokawa via Temple Knights via Anime News Network, Wasudo of deviantART (for front picture)

Nendoroid Generations PSP Game Trailer

The very first trailer for Bandai Namco and Banpresto's upcoming PSP game based on Good Smile Company's Nendoroid toyline, Nendoroid Generations has been released!


Confirmed rosters includes: Haruhi Suzumiya (TMHS), Mikuru Asahina (TMHS), Yuki Nagato (TMHS), Rin Tohsaka (F/SN), Rider (F/SN), Saber (F/SN), Fate Testarossa (Nanoha), Nanoha Takamachi (Nanoha), Black Gold Saw (BRS), Black Rock Shooter (BRS) and Dead Master (BRS).

Nendoroid Generations has a battle system where your characters can link up for chain combos, which change depending on who is in your group. Namco Bandai also added team attacks, dance mode, and communication mode which lets you tap the nendoroids on their head.

The game is part of Good Smile Company's 10th Anniversary project.

Animate Shops to Sell New Haruhi Book at Midnight

The Animate chain of character goods stores announced that some of its stores will open at midnight on May 25 to sell Nagaru Tanigawa's Suzumiya Haruhi no Kyōgaku (The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya) light novel, as soon as possible. May 25 is the official date that the 513,000 sets of the two-volume novel go on sale.

Some Animate stores will also display reproductions of the original artwork from the franchise in the days leading up to the novel's release. As a way of counting down to launch, these stores will rotate the artwork on display every day between May 15 and May 25. In addition, the novel will "hijack" the signs at Animate's Akihabara branch so customers will feel like they entered the "world of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Source: Moe Ota-News Sokuhō via Anime News Network

The Reminiscences of Haruhi Suzumiya PS3/PSP Game Trailer

Here's the latest trailer of the upcoming Haruhi Suzumiya game for the PSP and the Playstation 3 called, The Reminiscences of Haruhi Suzumiya which takes place after the events of the fifth light novel/first film, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.

It is said that this game takes place after the events of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya at the Kita High School Festival… but the SOS Brigade doesn’t exist because you’re in a parallel universe.

Accordingly, both games for the PS3 and the PSP are the same, except that the PS3 version has voice acting and sharper graphics. What's more is that you can even transfer save data between the two systems to continue making progress!

Originally meant for a March 25th release but because they want to increase the quality, this game will be released this May 12th.

Haruhi Vol. 10 Gets 513,000-Set 1st Printing!

Kadokawa Shoten confirmed on Thursday that Nagaru Tanigawa's next Haruhi Suzumiya light novel, The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya, will receive a first printing of 513,000 sets, setting a new record for light novel prints.

The novel will ship in two 300-page volumes on May 25, so Kadokawa is actually publishing over 1 million book volumes for the launch. In addition, the limited first edition of the set will bundle a special booklet containing Tanigawa's short "Rainy Day" story about the protagonist Kyon's time in middle school.

The regular editions of the two volumes will then be sold individually, without the booklet, on June 15.

According to Mantan Web, over 16.5 million copies of the Haruhi Suzumiya light novel series have been published in 15 countries, including 8 million in Japan.

Source: Mantan Web via Anime News Network

Nendoroid Generations PSP Game Announced!

Good Smile Company's popular toyline, Nendoroid now get's its own RPG according to Famitsu! Called Nendoroid Generations, it will be published by Namco Bandai for the PSP and is part of Good Smile Company's 10th Anniversary project.

The roster of anime characters that will appear in this game in their chibi form are:

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Haruhi Suzumiya, Mikuru Asahina, Yuki Nagato
Fate/Stay Night - Rin Tohsaka, Rider, Saber
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha - Fate Testarossa, Nanoha Takamachi
Black Rock Shooter - Black Gold Saw, Black Rock Shooter, Dead Master

The game will cover 10 or so series with 1-3 characters per work. Which leaves room for a sequel in case this game will be a hit says one of the developers in an interview with Famitsu. The game came into development due to the Banpresto president working with the Bandai staff.

Nendoroid Generations has a battle system where your characters can link up for chain combos, which change depending on who is in your group. Namco Bandai also added team attacks, dance mode, and communication mode which lets you tap the nendoroids on their head.

Nendoroid Generations is 20% complete and does not have a release date.

Source: Siliconera (link 2), andriasang

Alodia Quiting Cosplay... An April Fool's Joke

Remember the post about a Liveman Adaptation yesterday? Just recently, renowned Pinay cosplayer, Alodia Gosiengfiao made a surprise announcement this April 1st. I repeat, April 1st.

It turns out that it is all part of her plan to promote The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2 which will premiere on Animax Asia this April 6th! It is said that unlike the other anime titles that are airing on Animax Asia in which it is aired in Japanese audio with English subs, in Haruhi's case, it will air in English audio dubbed by Hong Kong voice talents. Meh.

Alodia Goseingfiao is part of Animax Asia's Ani-Mates, a group of women whose job is to promote Animax Asia, and she pulling this joke is just part of her job.

Haruhi's Noizi Ito and Slam Dunk's Takehiko Inoue Draws to Pray for Japan

We all know the disaster that happened last March 11 in which Japan was devastated by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake which was followed by a tsunami. That is why, manga artist such as Slam Dunk's Takehiko Inoue drew a series of art works (on top) which depicts people smiling hours after the said incident to offer his prayers for Japan for its recovery.

Asides from that, Shakugan no Shana and Haruhi Suzumiya light novel illustrator, Noizi Ito drew a picture that depicts Haruhi Suzumiya, praying for the victims of this disaster.

He is part of a large movement in Twitter called, #draw_for_japan in which various artist offer their support to the victims in their own in way, in this case, by art.

Source: Kotaku Japan via Anime News Network (Link 2)

The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya Novel Promo!

Last week, Kadokawa started streaming the TV ad of the upcoming 10th Haruhi Suzumiya light novel, The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya (Suzumiya Haruhi no Kyōgaku)! The said novel will be released in May 25th in all 13 countries where the light novel is being currently published.

The light novel is 600 pages long, so it will be shipped in two parts. Along with it, Kyon's side story which is set during his middle school years called, Rainy Day will be part of the novel.

Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 10 Light Novel Update!

Kadokawa Shoten has confirmed that the limited first edition of Nagaru Tanigawa's next Haruhi Suzumiya light novel, The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya (Suzumiya Haruhi no Kyōgaku), will ship on May 25 with a special booklet containing a short story by Tanigawa about Kyon's middle school life.

According final issue of The Sneaker, the booklet's short story is called Rainy Day, and it is set during the protagonist Kyon's time in middle school. Tanigawa had personally written the "Someday in the Rain" episode of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, which serves as the show's finale in the DVD and chronological order of the show.

In addition to the short story, the booklet's 64 color pages will feature illustration work by novel artist Noizi Ito, contributions by artists Gaku Tsugano (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya manga) and Puyo (The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan), and a behind-the-scenes account by the original editor of the light novel series.

Since The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya is 600 pages in length, it will ship in two volumes in Japan; the limited first edition will shrink-wrap both volumes along with the special booklet. Asides from that, this new light novel will receive a simultaneous worldwide release, but it is not shipping on May 25th (the day of its release) in all 13 countries that the said light novel series is in print but on select countries, namely: Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea.

Source: Moe Ota-News Sokuhō via Anime News Network

The Sneaker Magazine Cease Publication

Kadokawa Shoten's The Sneaker magazine, known for publishing Haruhi Suzumiya, R-15 and Rental Magica light novels will cease publication as of its April issue on Monday, February 28.

According to the Japanese Magazine Publishers Association, the magazine currently has a circulation run of about 20,000 copies.

The Sneaker Editor-in-Chief Kōichi Sakamoto said that his company will expand its bunko (pocket-sized paperback book) lineup even more, as well as broaden its use of the web and electronic books in response to its readers' needs.

Kadokawa Group Holdings has been offering a Book Walker app for the Apple iPad and iPhone since last December. It is also partnering with the Japanese social networking service Gree as one of the ways it is delving more into the field of electronic books.

Source: Mantan Web via Anime News Network

Haruhi Suzumiya to Air on Animax Asia!

Animax's official spokesperson, Jasmine announced via her Twitter account that one of the titles that were announced on last year's Anime Festival Asia (AFA), The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya will premiere April this year!

Though no exact date has been stated, Jasmine has urged its followers to stay put for any updates regarding the title. Asides from that, it is not known if they will air either season one only, or the whole two seasons. 

Other anime programs that we're lined-up this 2011 are Lucky Star and Nura: The Rise of the Yokai Clan. To those who are living in the Philippines, Haruhi was first aired in the Philippines via TV5 last July of 2009.

Source: ZEN Otaku Honbu

Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 10 Release Postponed

The February issue of The Sneaker Magazine is announcing that the two volumes of Nagaru Tanigawa's The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya light novel will ship on May 25, 2011! According to the announcement, the two volumes will ship simultaneously in Japan and "the world (outside Japan?)."

This new volume of the light novels will be the first new one in four years. The last story in the series was The Dissociation of Haruhi Suzumiya, which shipped last April 2007. The 10th volume was initially announced to be released on June 1, 2007 but the release of a notice of delay with Haruhi saying "Gomene..." surprised fans. I guess we should wait a little more for this volume!

The Sneaker had said in April that the Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko imprint would publish the next novel within the year. They later clarified that "within the year" meant within 12 months of the announcement, not within the year 2010. However, the new May 2011 date is after even the clarified schedule Kadokawa had laid out for itself. 

Source: Moe Ota-News Sokuhō via ANN, MyAnimeList

"Insert Title Here" - Epic Pinoy Animation

I am a big fan of Invader Zim back then. I was so addicted to that show that I wanted to have a walking and talking Gir in my room. Up until now, the impact of the show is still intak (Get it, Tak? Nevermind.). Also, I am a TMHS fan. Put these two epic components together, we have this.

According to the creator's YouTube account, he is a Filipino! Sweet! If you are interested in how he did it, here is the link of the making. In short, the trailer is awesome! Accordingly, he will not make a full version of this because you know, THOSE two. 

The Manliest Hare Hare Yukai Version... Yet.

Post title says it all, yes, that's the live action Minoru Shiraishi from Lucky Star's Lucky Channel section singing it. I am not joking.

I am currently infected with Haruhiism.

If you are asking me what is Haruhiism, Haruhiism is a contageous disease shared by those who love watching the show entitled, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Right now, I am watching the Tagalog dub of episode 9 here in the net.

Aside from the fact that the show is not aired according to chronologically, the other thing that makes this show addictive, like potato chips is Haruhi's personality and the members of the SOS Brigade. Who are the members? Let's just say, a humanoid send by aliens, a time traveller, an esper, the founder of the brigade with God-like powers and of course, the regular dude with no special ability... unless you consider narrating a 30-minute show a special skill!

What gives the certain "twist" to the said show is that, Haruhi has no idea that she has special abilities! Only Kyon (the regular dude/narrator), Mikuru Asahina (the hot time traverler babe), Itsuki Koizumi (the esper dude who likes to smile) and Yuki Nagato (the silent humanoid robot send by aliens) knows that she is special. Wow.

Aside from the plot, the characters, Kyon's narration, is the dance at the ending credits of the show that even the infamous Cebu inmants danced it! To those who are wondering what is the said dance, search it on YouTube. As of now, TV5 is reairing the show to those who haven't got the chance to watch it. Right now, I am waiting for the local broadcaster to finish the reruns. Haaay. The disadvantages of slow internet/no internet connection in your very own home.