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Bandai Entertainment Adds Code Geass, Three More Anime (Updated)

Bandai Entertainment has announced at its Otakon 2007 panel Saturday that it has licensed four new titles for North America: the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion military robot drama, the television adaptation of the Toward the Terra… science fiction manga classic, the supernatural period drama of Ayakashi Ayashi, and the My-Otome Zwei OAV followup to the My-Otome fantasy television series.

The company has confirmed that it has the revised Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Final Plus: The Chosen Future ending to the Gundam Seed Destiny series, as first revealed during its Anime Expo 2007 panel Q & A. It has also said that Wendee Lee, the English voice actress of the title character Haruhi in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, will sing "God Knows" and "Lost My Music" in volume 4 of the series.

The animation studio Sunrise combines political intrigue (as directed by Gorō Taniguchi of s-CRY-ed and co-written by Ichirō Ōkouchi of Planetes) and intricate characters (as designed by the famous manga quartet Clamp) in the much anticipated Code Geass television series. The last two episodes of the first series will air next week in Japan after a five-month wait, and a sequel has already been greenlit. Bandai Entertainment is planning an American broadcast in 2008, with a ZRO Limit Productions dub. The company has been leaving hints about this acquisition, such as using Pizza Hut (the in-animation sponsor in Japan) in promotions for other works.

Update: The Toward the Terra… television series takes place after humanity has abandoned the devastated Earth for space, and after the emergence of Mu, a psionic offshoot of mankind that is persecuted by normal humans. The Mu seek refuge by heading toward the Terra homeworld of the past. The series is still airing in Japan until its expected ending in the fall, when it will be replaced by Mobile Suit Gundam 00. The animated version features Yotoden director Osamu Yamasaki and character designer Nobuteru Yūki of Escaflowne and Record of Lodoss War fame.

Ayakashi Ayashi is the latest fantasy series from Fullmetal Alchemist and Wolf's Rain's BONES. Screenwriter Shō Aikawa (Hakkenden, Fullmetal Alchemist) created this story about a reluctant man with the power to fight the Youi beasts plaguing medieval Japan. Toshihiro Kawamoto (Cowboy Bebop, Wolf's Rain) designed the characters in this 2006-2007 television series.

The four-part My-Otome Zwei series continues the story of My-Otome television series one year later. The Sunrise production reunites most of the My-HiME and My-Otome television staff, including director Masakazu Obara, head writer Hiroyuki Yoshino, and Noir/Tsubasa composer Yuki Kajiura.



Images © Sunrise/PROJECT GEASS・MBS
Character Design ©2006 CLAMP
Illustration:Takahiro Kimura