Animation Insider - Animation's Home Page for News and Reviews

Random and a fair bit slapstick, the antics of Hotori Arashiyama and her clueless compatriots at a local maid cafe should make for an entertaining watch for anime fans interested in a title that doesn't bother with the tedium and apprehension of genre specifics. 'And Yet the Town Moves' is slice-of-life directed by the more curiously inclined Akiyuki Shinbou ('Dance in the Vampire Bund'). The anime comes to DVD in early January 2012.

Videogame developer/publisher THQ, Inc. has released a few details regarding its plan to phase out the development of kid's licensed entertainment. The new business model calls for greater streamlining of more homegrown (and more lucrative) titles. THQ's previous clients included Nickelodeon, Disney, and DreamWorks Animation. More details will likely emerge following THQ's quarterly conference call next week.

Your Family Entertainment (Munich, Germany) is pushing deeper into Italy thanks to a new animation distribution agreement with Filmedia (Milano, Italy). Filmedia's focus is largely on factual entertainment. The group's move into children's entertainment is new. Animation included in the deal likely cover adventure series 'Mittelland: Die Legende der Elfen' (2004) and the mythology-infused tales of 'Mission Odyssey' (2002).

Review of the anime 'Ray: The Animation.' Ray is the best surgeon in Japan. Her prosthetic eyes allow her to perform procedures that others deem impossible. But despite her surgical prowess, Ray is haunted by her past as a child raised for black market organ deals. But many of her cases bear terrifying similarities to experiments carried out on her fellow captives. Can Ray and her friends discover the motives behind these events?

Imira Ent. (Barcelona, Spain) announced plans to distribute a number of animation titles to Spanish-speaking U.S. in addition to various South American viewing territories. Among the television sales, the animated comedy 'Corneil & Bernie,' the 2D preschool series 'Fun with Claude,' and DQ Entertainment's computer animated 'Jungle Book' series/movie combination.

GKIDS is nearing its seasonal animation and filmmaking workshops for kids. Some classes focus on pixilation, while others offer a wider view of the basic components (e.g., music, character) necessary to composing a short film. The NYICFF Animation Camp includes guidance from various local and international filmmakers associated with the children's film festival, including Aaron Hughes and Erling Ericsson.

An anime for those who prefer more down-to-earth teen romance, 'ef: A Tale of Memories' posits a handful of budding relationships each with the same, prevailing, human liability (memory). One girl cannot recall much more than what occurs within the past thirteen hours. A young man stumbles across a girl in need of help on Christmas Eve. Another girl struggles with feelings toward a longtime friend.

'Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom,' produced by Astley Baker Davies (London, England), will premiere its second season this year (2012). The CelAction 2D cartoon will also be airing across a few new territories as well via Nickelodeon's international channels. The preschool animation follows the adventures of two kids, one an elf and the other a fairy, as they go about their day as tiny people no larger than a strawberry.

The anime series 'Kimi ni Todoke - From Me to You' finally arrives. The shoujo comedy enters retail after a short delay, and relays the woes and wanderings of a shy, dark-haired girl whose tenuous challenge of her high school's social stratum succeeds at a drip-drop pace. 'Kimi ni Todake' -- both charming and goofy -- is distributed by NIS America. Video inside.

The live-action/CG animation television series 'Mia and Me' is scheduled to arrive mid-2012. Dozens of viewing territories in central and south-central Europe and southern Asia have been added to the mix. The new series is co-produced by m4e (Germany), Rainbow Media (Italy), and several other partners, and features a young girl whose escape to a fantasy world rests in a magical keepsake.

Television sales and merchandise news for animation facilitated by Zodiak Kids (Paris, France), including the fantasy title 'Redakai: Conquer the Kairu,' the upcoming Teleimages production 'Secret Ranch,' and the ongoing animated comedy 'Rekkit Rabbit.' All three titles are adding new viewing territories. The full toy line for 'Redakai' will be unveiled in less than two months.