Kadokawa Shoten‘s Monthly Newtype magazine and Toyo Beverages have announced that they are collaborating on Strike Witches-branded canned coffee, which will be available in Japan starting on March 17. The coffee, which will be called “Witch no Kyūsoku” (Witch’s Break), will sell for 4,800 yen (about US$64) for a 30-pack, or 160 yen (US$2) per can. The 30-pack includes four original postcards illustrated by Strike Witches 2‘s chief animation director Koji Yamakawa.

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Among the nine winners who will voice roles in the show are self-professedanime fan Mayu “Mayuyu” Watanabe, voice actresses Sayaka Nakaya andAmina Satō, and three other members of AKB48 itself. Two hail from the Nagoya-based sister group SKE48 and one came from Osaka’s NMB48.

The cast and roles include:

• Sayaka Nakaya (AKB48 Team A) will voice 13-year-old Orine Aida
• Amina Satō (AKB48 Team B) will voice 14-year-old Yuuka Ichijō
• Sawako Hata (SKE48 Team KII) will voice 14-year-old Suzuko Kanzaki
• Sumire Satō (AKB48 Team B) will voice 17-year-old Mimori Kishida
• Haruka Ishida (AKB48 Team B) will voice 15-year-old Kanata Shinonome
• Kumi Yagami (SKE48 Team S) will voice 10-year-old Sonata Shinonome
• Mayu Watanabe (AKB48 Team B) will play 13-year-old Chieri Sono
• Karen Iwata (AKB48 Trainee) will voice 13-year-old Nagisa Motomiya
• Mao Mita (NMB48 Team M) will voice 16-year-old Makoto Yokomizo

Shoji Kawamori, the co-creator of the Macross franchise and the co-director of Macross: Do You Remember Love?, is the projectplanner and the chief director, and Toshimichi Ootsuki (Evangelion: 1.0 You Are [Not] Alone) is the executive producer. AKB48producer Yasushi Akimoto himself is planning and supervising the project.

Mari Okada (AnoHana, Hanairo, Toradora!) is supervising and writing the scripts, and Mikan Ehime (Macross Frontier, Gravion Zwei) is designing the characters. Yoshimasa Hiraike (Working!!/Wagnaria!!, Amagami SS, Sketchbook ~full color’S~) is the actual hands-on director of the anime at Satelight (Macross Frontier, Aquarion, Shugo Chara!).

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The management agency 81 Produce and avex entertainment began takingapplications on Wednesday for their new audition project to find a vocalist who will debut with a theme song for an upcoming television anime series. This is the first time that Avex is holding an audition for an anime song vocalist, although the company often hosts auditions for idols, vocalists, and dancers.

Entrants must be between 13-22 years of age and must attach a song sample to their applications. Avex is accepting applications until March 31, and the companieswill host three rounds of selection screenings between April and May to find a winner. The winner will sing the theme song for an anime that will premiere in 2012.

Avex Group Holdings announced in 2010 that its avex entertainment subsidiary is establishing an anime production division to develop business opportunities in voice actors and actresses, merchandisable works, and long-term franchises.

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The original television anime series aired from April to September last year, and the franchise willreceive two film adaptations starting this year. Sunrise producer Masayuki Ozaki revealedyesterday that the franchise would get a stage play adaptation titled “Tiger & Bunny the Live.” Ozaki had said last month that he was considering live-action and musical adaptations of the series.

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Based on the manga series by Yuya Aoki and Rando Ayamine, the show follows the adventures of Ban and Ginji, two young men who hire themselves out to “get back” things that people have lost. The 49-episode series premiered in 2002, with an American release by ADV Films following in 2004. Tokyopoponce published the manga before losing the rights in 2009.

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The fifth volume of Chako Abeno‘s Dantalian no Shoka (The Mystic Archives of Dantalian/Bibliotheca Mystica de Dantalian) manga adaptation will bundle an anime DVD this August. The DVD will contain an all-new, original episode, “Ibara-Hime.”

Director Yutaka Uemura, Huey voice actor Daisuke Ono, Dalian voice actress Miyuki Sawashiro, and other staff and cast members are returning from Gainax‘s television anime series. Uemura, Ono, and Sawashiro will provide an audio commentary on the DVD. Original novel illustrator G Yusuke is decorating the DVD jacket cover.

The ninth volume of Gakuto Mikumo‘s original light novel series was slated to bundle an anime DVD last month, but it was cancelled ”due to various circumstances.”

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Stationery, goods, clothing, accessories, and other items will be rolled out for sale under licensing agreements with about 10 companies. Sanrio already launched a similarcollaboration with the One Piece anime.

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Kawai has been serializing the manga in Weekly Young Jump and later on the magazine’s website since 2010, and Shueisha will publish the sixth compiled book volume on February 17. The second of three web anime episodes will debut on February 16, and the final episode will go online on March 1.

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The Kisshō7 -seven- school comedy manga takes place at a high school in Kichioji, Tokyo, and revolves around the rumored “Kisshō7″ (Lucky 7), the seven beautiful student council members of the school.

Digital Manga Publishing licensed Tenkawa’s Wolf God manga in 2008 and released it in 2010. Naked Ape’s Switch mangainspired a 2008 original animated video, and Viz Mediapublished the 13-volume manga series in English.

The same issue of Monthly Comic Zero-Sum published the 100th chapter of Fukusuke Miyamoto‘s Haimiya Yokochō Tenmatsuki manga.

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The Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipsenovel itself is spinoff of the 2006 romance simulation game Muv-Luv Alternative from the adult game company âge. The novel has been running in Enterbrain‘s Tech Gianmagazine since 2007, and it already inspired a manga adaptation by Takashi Ishigaki in ASCII Media Works‘ Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh magazine in 2009.

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