ANIMATION STUDIO AIC SOLD FOR 700 MILLION YEN

From AnimeNewsNetwork.com

The mobile software company Aplix Corporation announced on Thursday that it will acquire the Japanese anime studio Anime International Company (AIC) as a wholly owned subsidiary for 700 million yen (about US$8.5 million). Aplix intends to offer anime videos and other contents in China and Southeast Asia on smartphones from Korea's Samsung Electronics, China's Huawei Technologies, and other makers.

Aplix is buying AIC from the pachisuro (pachinko-parlor slot machine) maker Oizumi, which had just acquired AIC last year. At the time, Oizumi spent 530 million yen (US$6.3 million) for 95% of AIC.

Toru Miura established the studio that would become AIC on July 15, 1982, and he is its current head. AIC has a number of sub-studios within itself: AIC Digital, AIC Spirits, AIC ASTA, AIC PLUS+, and AIC Takarazuka. It has 95 million yen (US$1.1 million) in capital.

 Long time Robotech fans will remember that AIC was one of the studios to work on Megazone 23 Part 1 which made up a big chunk of Robotech: The Movie. AIC founder Toru Miura was listed as one one of the producers on Robotech: The Movie opening credits.

NEW ROBOTECH ANIMATION SHOWN AT ANIMATION ON DISPLAY

Numerous reports have been filtering out of Animation On Display that Harmony Gold screened new animation for the fans at the Robotech panel on Saturday. It appears the animation is related to the currently untitled Robotech project the company is working on.

Harmony Gold has stated via their facebook page and the Robotech.com website that the only way to see the footage at this time is on the Robotech Convention Tour.The next tour stop will be Mar.31-Apr.01 at Tekkoshocon in Pittsburgh, PA where both Tommy Yune and Kevin McKeever will be Guests of Honor.

ROBOTECH CONVENTION TOUR TO KICK OFF ON ANIMATION ON DISPLAY THIS WEEKEND

Robotech.com announced today that the 2011 Robotech Convention Tour will kick off at Animation On Display in San Francisco on Feb. 19-20th. It appears that AOD has invited both Tommy Yune and Kevin McKeever to the convention as Guest Of Honor.

                            CLICK HERE FOR THE AODSF ARTICLE ON ROBOTECH.COM

NEW PHOTOS OF ROBOTECH TOYS AT THE NEW YORK TOY FAIR!

The RobotechX.com team has posted some new photos of upcoming Robotech toys from The New York Toy Fair!


CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PHOTOS

ROBOTECH CONVENTION TOUR TO MAKE A STOP AT ANIME CENTRAL ON MAY 20-22nd 2011

On the Robotech Facebook Page it was announced that the 2011 Robotech Convention Tour will make a stop at Anime Central this May. The convention has booked Robotech's Steve Yun as its Guest of Honor.

2011 ROBOTECH CONVENTION TOUR ARTICLE NOW UP ON ROBOTECH.COM

Yesterday Harmony Gold put the article for the 2011 Robotech Convention Tour. Already the tour is booked into San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Albuquerque, Los Angeles, San Diego, Tulsa, Columbus, New Orleans, Denver and more to be announced!

Fans who like to find out how they can get the tour booked to a city near them are encouraged to check out the tour  suggestions thread. 

Here are the links to recaps from the previous tours. 


Click here for recaps of the 2010 tour
Click here for recaps of the 2009 tour
Click here for recaps of the 2008 tour
Click here for recaps of the 2007 tour
Click here for recaps of the 2006 tour
Click here for recaps of the 2005 tour


With the new Robotech Facebook page fully operational it appears that 2011 promises to be a interesting year tour wise.

FUNIMATION CLOSED FOR THREE DAYS DUE TO WEATHER & POWER OUTAGES

From AnimeNewsNetwork.com

The North American anime distributor Funimation has announced that its simulcast of the fourth episode of the television anime Fractale will be delayed. Funimation's offices in Flower Mound, Texas have been closed for three days due to ice on the roads and rolling power outages throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

The company has not yet announced when the episode, which was originally scheduled to go live at 11:45 a.m. EST on Thursday, will be streamed.

ROBOTECH SODA LINE FROM 2006 CONFIRMED

Today on the Robotech Facebook Page a photo of the much rumored Robotech Soda line from appeared. Rumors of these sodas have been floating around the internet since the spring of 2006 but Harmony Gold has never made any official comment until today.

According to the post over on the Facebook page these sodas are not for sale, nor does the page make any indication that they have have been for sale in the past. Several fans have pointed out that a company called Jones Soda is the manufacturer of these and anyone can make custom labels.

It appears that one of the more interesting rumors of the past few years has now proven to be true.

SHADOW CHRONICLES WALLET ON SALE FOR 17.99

The Robotech.com store has in stock a Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles Wallet for 17.99 USD. The wallet is made of polyester and is an tri-fold wallet featuring the Expeditionary Force emblem.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THIS ITEM

LVINIG ON THE EDGE

                                Two battle pods live on the edge of a bookshelf at Harmony Gold.

WARNER BROTHERS #1 IN MARKET SHARE FOR 2010

FULL DISCLOSURE: Harmony Gold has an agreement with Warner Brothers to produce a live action Robotech flim.


Nikki Finke of Deadline.com was the first to disclose this on Jan. 1 and now WB has a press release confirming the information.

BURBANK, CA, January 4, 2011 – The Warner Bros. Pictures Group broke the all-time industry worldwide box office record with a 2010 gross of $4.814 billion, which surpasses the prior record of $4.010 billion (set by Warner Bros. in 2009). The announcement was made today by Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

Setting new benchmarks for both the international and global box office grosses in 2010 and retaining the domestic box office number one ranking (after achieving a record gross in 2009), the Studio now holds the industry record in all three categories. Additionally, Warner Bros. surpassed its own worldwide gross from the previous year by $800 million to earn the number one position in worldwide market share for the second consecutive year and for the sixth time in the past 10 years, also an industry record.
“We are so proud of these incredible accomplishments, which were made possible through the global efforts of an exceptional group of people who collaborated to create, produce, market, and distribute more than two dozen films this past year,” said Robinov. “We have a terrific leadership team behind these efforts, including Sue Kroll, Dan Fellman and Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, and, along with Barry Meyer and Alan Horn, I applaud everyone who contributed to this year’s record-breaking success.”
Warner Bros. Pictures’ domestic gross is estimated at $1.884 billion, making it number one in domestic market share for 2010. This is the third year in a row the Studio has held that crown and is the only studio to exceed the $1 billion threshold domestically for 10 consecutive years. Warner Bros. has been ranked either one or two domestically for seven of the last 10 years. The Studio had five films gross over $100 million domestically in 2010 – “Inception,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1,” “Clash of the Titans,” “Valentine’s Day,” and “Due Date.”

“Our tentpole strategy combined with a remarkably diverse overall slate has once again proved enormously profitable at the box office,” said Dan Fellman, President, Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “We could not be more proud of the Studio’s achievements this year.”

Warner Bros. Pictures International set a new industry record in overseas box office with an estimated $2.930 billion year-end gross, breaking the previous industry record of $2.450 billion in 2009. This is the tenth consecutive year the Studio has exceeded $1 billion and third time it has surpassed $2 billion in international box office receipts. The Studio has had seven films gross more than $100 million internationally in 2010 – “Sherlock Holmes” ($264 million, for a total of $315 million, including 2009’s take); “Valentine’s Day” ($106 million); “Clash of the Titans” ($330 million); “Sex and the City 2” ($193 million); “Inception” ($531 million); “Due Date” ($100 million); and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” ($611 million, and still in release).

“We’re elated to reach these incredible numbers internationally,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President, Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures International. “This achievement is a testament to the company’s strategy to make event films with global appeal, and it would not have been possible without the hard work and innovative thinking from our outstanding marketing and distribution teams around the world.”

Among the Studio’s 2011 releases are “Red Riding Hood,” directed by Catherine Hardwicke; the Zack Snyder-directed action fantasy “Sucker Punch”; “The Hangover Part II,” the sequel to the 2009 breakout hit; “Green Lantern,” the highly anticipated adaptation of the popular DC Comics title, starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively; the conclusion of the most successful film franchise of all time, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”; “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” starring Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling; Steven Soderbergh’s thriller “Contagion,” with an ensemble cast led by Matt Damon; “Happy Feet 2,” the sequel to the 2006 Academy Award®-winning animated musical hit; New Line Cinema’s “New Year’s Eve,” an all-star ensemble romantic comedy from director Garry Marshall; and “Sherlock Holmes II,” Guy Ritchie’s follow up to the 2009 hit, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.

FOR THOSE WHO LEFT US IN 2010

Anime News Network has a list.