Nearly 5 years after it was cancelled, Anime Unleashed will return to G4 in 2011!
G4 announced at Comic-Con that it has acquired the exclusive (American) rights to 4 new anime inspired Marvel series: Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Blade.
They won’t just have a Japanese feel to them, the series are also set in Japan. But don’t worry, the characters themselves will remain faithful. The plots were written by Warren Ellis and are actually adaptations of Marvel canon. The animation studio Madhouse has even redesigned the disgustingly pretty looking Wolverine unveiled last year after complaints from fanboys.
Reportedly, they will be subbed for G4 and possibly dubbed for DVD, which doesn’t bode well for ratings and therefore more anime in the future. Not only are Americans notoriously resistant to subtitles but those who aren’t will probably just watch fansubbed versions when they premiere in Japan October of this year.
PRESS RELEASE:
G4 will be the exclusive U.S. television home of four brand-new anime series featuring some of the most successful and iconic brands from the Marvel Universe. Produced by Madhouse for Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan (SPEJ), these four original series – “Iron Man,” “X-MEN,” “Wolverine” and “Blade” – will premiere on the network in 2011 and will air as standalone series made up of twelve 30-minute episodes under the guidance of Warren Ellis.
“Iron Man” In an effort to make amends for his weapons manufacturing past, Tony Stark has dedicated himself to building the world up rather than tearing it down. Traveling to Japan to build a new arc reactor that will deliver unlimited free energy to the Japanese people, Stark is challenged by the Japanese government and the media when he attempts to import the necessary nuclear priming device. And when the reactor-in-construction is repeatedly attacked by the mysterious Zodiac consortium, Stark must gather his allies to take on Zodiac and its mastermind.
“X-MEN” The X-MEN are reunited following the death of a teammate, and are summoned by Charles Xavier to Japan following the abduction of Hisako Ichiki (Armor). There, they confront the U-MEN, a lunatic cult that steals and transplants mutant organs to further strengthen their own army, and the battle for justice is on.
“Wolverine” Based on the popular graphic novel by Frank Miller, the series begins in Japan, where Logan is challenged by Shingen Yashida, the notorious leader of a powerful mafia clan. When Shingen’s employee Yukio, a female assassin, falls out of Shingen’s favor, she must kill him or be killed. Teaming up with Logan, the pair seek out the villain to exact their revenge.
“Blade” Eric Brooks — known as Blade — seeks revenge on Deacon Frost, the vampire lord who killed his mother while she was still pregnant with Eric. With all the powers of a vampire and none of their weaknesses, Blade’s quest leads him throughout Southeast Asia in search of Frost, and, in Viet Nam, he discovers a vampire plot that threatens to take down the whole world.
