Marvel Anime to Run on G4 in the United States in 2011 (Update 2)

Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, Blade from MADHOUSE anime studio
 
Jeph Loeb, Executive Vice President, Head of Television of Marvel, has confirmed at the Iron Man Anime panel in Comic-Con International on Friday that the four Marvel Anime television series will launch in the United States on the G4 television network in 2011. The four anime series are Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Blade. The first episode of the Iron Man anime, "Enter Iron Man," features the characters Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, as well as new Japanese characters and the mass-produced Iron Man Dio suits. The Wolverine anime will feature the characters Wolverine, Mariko Yashida, Omega Red, and Yukio.
MADHOUSE Chief Creative Officer Masao Maruyama and John Rieber (Senior Vice President, Programming and Production, G4) appeared at the panel with Loeb. Kristin Adams, a host and correspondent at G4, said that the network is hoping to launch the Iron Man anime series in spring of 2011. Rieber added that the other anime series will be run "as soon as they're ready." While he noted that G4 has shown subtitled programming in the past, Rieber did not commit to showing the anime with subtitles.

Update: More background information added.

Update 2: Rieber told ANN that since G4 Canada is a separate network from G4 in the United States, it will not necessarily run the Marvel Anime projects. G4 plans to run Wolverine after Iron Man; whether X-Men or Blade will follow Wolverine will depend on MADHOUSE's production schedule.

Live-Action Gantz's 1st Official Teaser Trailer Posted

 

Arashi's Ninomiya, Death Note's Matsuyama star in 2 films by Princess Blade's Sato

The official website for the live-action film adaptation of Hiroya Oku's Gantz science-fiction action manga has relaunched on Saturday with the first official theatrical teaser trailer. Before this 31-second teaser, the only videos available from the two-part film project were preview footage which aired on various television programs.

Kazunari Ninomiya (Tekkonkinkreet, Letters from Iwo Jima) of the Arashi musical group and award-winning actor Ken'ichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City, NANA, The Legend of Kamui) star as two friends who are resurrected after a deadly subway accident and forced to take on violent, mysterious missions. Yuriko Yoshitaka (Kaiji), Natsuna, and Takayuki Yamada (Train Man, Crows Zero, H2: Kimi to Ita Hibi) also star in this film from director Shinsuke Sato (The Princess Blade, Suna-dokei, Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror).

The first film is slated to be completed by November, and it will open in Japan next January. The second film will open next spring.

Oku launched the "Final Phase" of his Gantz manga in Shueisha's Weekly Young JumpDark Horse Comics is publishing the 11th volume of the original manga in North America this month. ADV Films released Gonzo's television anime adaptation of the manga. magazine last year. Gantz has been running in the magazine since July of 2000, and the first 27 volumes have sold over 10 million copies.

Source: Navicon