Topics of discussion

Opening discussions:

– Answer #OCAPodcast questions
– Media Do Acquires MyAnimeList Website
– The Man Who Brought Anime To America: Sony Pictures Television’s Funimation CEO Gen Fukunaga
– Woman Calls Dragon Ball A Sexist Show – Bulma Voice Actor Monica Roasts Her With Facts!
   ∟Pam is back
– MIRAI Director Hosoda Says, “Just So Surprised.” for Oscar Nomination
– Akira Toriyama and Naoki Urasawa Nominated for Eisner Hall of Fame
– Rumiko Takahashi Wins Big at Angoulême with Grand Prix 2019 Prize

Kickstarter/Crowd Funding news:

– Blader
– Bless The Demon Puppets

Dear Backers,

We here at Rayark thank you for your firm support and for sticking with us throughout this lengthy process. The IZD animated movie was unable to be completed by 2018. We sincerely apologize to our backers and have compiled a Collector's Edition Package, including the complete shooting script, production art, and an IZD hoodie and T-shirt designed around the battle suit. A digital rewards package containing the Implosion game OST, Implosion: Obelisk comic books (Currently completed issues) and Collector Edition Wallpaper, will accompany these packages. Please refer to the detailed rewards list at the end of this announcement to see eligibility requirements based on backer level. All deliveries will take place in March 2019.

We know that waiting longer than expected for our production is hard on our backers, and to show our gratitude, we would like to offer optional refunds to any backers who wish to opt-out at this time. Any backers who choose this option will still receive all of the Collector's Edition rewards they are eligible for, based on their tier. For example, all backers of “Warmech II Pilot” and above will be eligible for a complete Collector's Edition Package in March 2019, regardless of requesting a refund or not, whereas lower tiers will receive their assigned items as shown in the attached rewards list.

Rayark wishes to release only the highest quality products to our fans, and we believe our games and products speak to this, loudly. It is with great determination we face the demands of creating a feature animated film, and the process of mixing technologies to deliver a world-class movie has taken far longer than anticipated. We will not give up and will continue on until we have attained the final quality our fans expect from us. This may take some time but as a community of artists, producers, game-designers and movie-fans ourselves, we will stick together and push on until we have created something we are proud to show you. As of this moment, despite our amazing settings, production animation and overall designs, we have not reached our Rayark quality standard and will continue to revise all elements in IZD until it is worthy of you and the world stage.

We will notify all our backers (regardless of pledge level) via email about the details of the first-wave Collector's Edition rewards and the optional refund information. First-wave rewards schedule is as follows:

January 2019: Email backers to inform them about the first wave of pledge merchandise and the details of the optional refund.

February 2019: Collect shipping information from backers and organize refunds for those who request them. (We will still send you the first wave of pledge merchandise even if you request a refund.)

March 2019: Ship the first wave of merchandise, provide the virtual rewards for download, process refunds.

After the movie is complete: Ship the complete list of pledge rewards to backers who have continued to support us.

If you have any questions about the explanation above, please contact us via service@rayark.com. We wish to express our deepest gratitude to all backers for the patience and support. 

Convention news:

– Suspect Arrested After Anime LA Arson Leaves Seven Vehicles Scorched
– Crunchyroll Expo to Host Horror Manga Artist Junji Ito
– Organizers Say Comiket is No Place for Hate Speech After Anti-Korean, Chinese Stickers Were Discovered at Doujin Booth
– “Abuser” List Spread Through Anime Cons
   ∟Justin Sevakis’ Tweet

Live-Action Anime news:

– More Live Action Pokemon Movies Rumored
– Netflix Producing Resident Evil TV Series
– Sailor Moon Fan Film Vanquishes Evil
– Japanese version of 24 in production, set to air in 2020

Streaming news:

– Sword Art Online: Alicization Premieres on Toonami on February 9
– STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING, There’s Godzilla on VRV!
– Netflix: “Fortnite Is More Formidable Competition Than HBO”
– Netflix Raises Subscription Prices in the U.S., 40 Latin American Countries

Theater Release news:

– Psycho-Pass SS Anime Film Trilogy to Have 4D Screenings
– Theater Chain Lists Konosuba Film With July 12 Opening
– Code Geass Sequel Film’s Advance Ticket Bundles DVD of Film’s Opening Scenes
– Battle Angel Alita Living Board Game Experience
– 1st Made in Abyss Compilation Anime Film Gets U.S. Premiere on March 15
– 2nd Fate/stay night Heaven’s Feel Film Opens in U.S. on March 14
– Dragon Ball Super: Broly Film Earns Estimated US$7 Million on U.S. Opening Day
   ∟Dragon Ball Super: Broly Film Ranks #4 at U.S. Weekend Box Office With US$9.8 Million
   ∟Box Office Mojo

Series news:

Anime:
– Bean Bandit Episode 0 Anime Project Reveals Cast, More Staff
– Lupin III Gets New Film in Winter 2019
– High School Girls’ Dialogueless Manga Joshi Kausei Gets TV Anime in April 2019
– Kemonomichi Manga by Konosuba’s Akatsuki Gets Anime
– DEVILMAN crybaby Voice Actor Drops the Beat with B-Rappers Street
– Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas Band Bassist Kei Passes Away
– MY FIRST STORY Performs OP Theme for Kengan Ashura Anime
– Boogiepop and Others Anime Gets 2-Hour Special for 6th Novel’s Story
– Just Because! Official English Cast Reveal
Manga:
– Pop Team Epic Manga Publishes ‘Final Chapter’
   ∟Pop Team Epic Manga Launches ‘Season 4’ With Boys-Love Manga Artist Harada
– School-Live! Manga Ends in 12th Volume
– Sound! Euphonium Author’s New Novel is About High School Canoeing Team
– City Hunter Film Novelization Is on the Way
Games:
– “Ready to Play the Anime? Watch the New Trailer for STEINS;GATE ELITE, a Fully Animated and Remastered Version of STEINS;GATE!
– Artist Imagines Persona 5 as Game Boy Advance Game and We NEED It
– Stan Lee Immortalized As World of WarCraft NPC
– Valve Bans & Delays More Anime Games With No Explanation
– Original Bowsette Creator Awarded A Trophy
– Japanese Government To Investigate “Gaming Disorder”
– Bandai Namco Establishes Company for Pachinko, Similar Game Entertainment
– Kingdom Hearts Orchestra Concert Tour Gets New Run in 7 U.S., Canadian Cities

Release news:

– Seven Seas Entertainment Survey
– Sentai Filmworks Licenses Kokkoku Anime, Plans English Dub
– A Silent Voice
– Media Blasters Relicenses Phoenix Anime for HD BD/DVD Release
   ∟Osamu Tezuka’s Phoenix Manga Gets Sequel in Novel Form in April
– Sci-Fi Puppets Come Home as Discotek Media Licenses X-Bomber
– Cat Ear Headphones Designer Upset That Ariana Grande is Getting Credit For Her Work
– Right Stuf

Random Merch news:

– This giant Final Fantasy Moogle bed could be yours, and doesn’t cost a single yen
– Man Arrested for Selling Modified Love Live! Character Figure
– Daimaru Shinsaibashi Department Store Holds Exhibit for ‘Nostalgic’ Anime
– Stylish Pokémon Shirts Let You Catch ’em All During Your Daily Grind
– Tokyo’s new “real-life Mario Karts” make it ridiculously clear they’re unrelated to Nintendo
– Can you see the perfect anime cosplay hidden in this H&M ad?
– There’s a Kingdom Hearts hotel room with a functioning Keyblade coming to Tokyo Disneyland
– Prior owners of Keiunkan ryokan, the world’s oldest hotel, liquidate company
– Two Men Accused of Fraud Related to Odaiba Gundam

Misc news:

– Japanese Internet confused and intrigued by sudden influx of “choking Sasuke memes”
   ∟Sasuke Getting Choked is the First Good Meme of 2019!
– Awesome snowboarding cosplayer hits the slopes as Mobile Snowboarder Gundam
– China Quality Window Kills Hong Kong Tourist
– China TV Censoring Lobes Of Male Stars Who Have Earrings
– China App Detects Nearby Debtors, Encourages Snitching
– Japanese Suicides Declined In 2018: “Only 20,598 People Killed Themselves!”
– 7-Eleven Japan wants to stop selling adult magazines
   ∟FamilyMart Joins 7-Eleven, Lawson in Dropping Adult Magazine Sales
– Nissin On “Whitewashing” Ad: “We’ll Pay More Attention to Diversity”
   ∟Nissin Pulls Cup Noodle/Prince of Tennis Ads After White-Washing Controversy
   ∟Cup Noodle maker apologizes for pale-skinned depiction of Naomi Osaka in anime ad
   ∟The ad curtousy of OhTaKuSo
– Japan’s public broadcaster films science experiment at most famous porn location
– Sword Art Online Author Reki Kawahara Says Female Characters Should Not Be Treated as Trophies
   ∟SAO Creator: “Western Political Correctness Makes Me Add More Strong Female Heroines”
– TPP Comes Into Effect in Japan, Breaches Charged Without Initiation From Rights Holder