The poster reads: "Wouldn't it be nice if everyone would just die?" (Image © 1997 Gainax/Eva Production Committee)

Sega-Bandai Merger Cancelled

Reportedly due to the two companies' inability to agree on the direction to take after the merger, Sega and Bandai have cancelled their plans to merge, which would have made them the second largest entertainment comany in the world. Instead of merging, they have agreed to work together in joint venture products, in an attempt to "maintain the spirit" of their original agreement.
Rumors and hypotheses abound as to why the merger was actually cancelled, including discomfort with the merger by Bandai mid-level management, the inability to identify any clear benefits of the merger, and the idea of porting Sega-exclusive games to other systems.

CLAMP's CARD CAPTOR SAKURA soon to be animated on television

CARD CAPTOR SAKURA will follow CLAMP CAMPUS DETECTIVES (airing currently on TV Tokyo) and MAGIC KNIGHT RAYEARTH (aired 1994-1995 on Nippon TV) on the small screen. (The CARD CAPTOR SAKURA manga by CLAMP succeeded MAGIC KNIGHT RAYEARTH in Kodansha's Nakayosi magazine). CLAMP main writer Ohkawa Nanase will supervise the scripts for this magical girl series and the studio Madhouse (X) will animate. The staff also includes art director Haryuu Katsufumi (MACROSS PLUS and LUPIN III) and Madhouse character designer Takahashi Kumiko (RANMA 1/2 and TOKYO BABYLON). The announced cast includes Tange Sakura (as, appropriately enough, Sakura), Iwao Junko (Tomoyo), Hisakawa Aya (Kero), and Seki Tomokazu (Tohya).

Tamagotchi's true story to be revealed in animated film short

Tamagotchi, the egg-shapped Bandai virtual pets that have multiplied all over Japan as well as other countries, are set to make their animated theatrical debut. Tamagotchi have already spawned several varieties including Angel and Sea Tamagotchi as well as a breeding guidebook and even a how-to video tape. Tamagotchi will join CUTEY HONEY F, GE GE GE NO KITAROH, and HELL TEACHER NUUBEH as part of the annual Summer Toei Anime Fair that screens this July in Japan. TAMAGOTCHI: THE TRUE STORY (TAMAGOTCHI: HONTO NO HANASHI) theatrical short will relate Tamagotchi's origins on their alien homeworld and how they came to Earth.

PSYCHIC FORCE debuts as OVA this fall

Another fighting game takes the anime route as Taito plans to release PSYCHIC FORCE in the animated video format this fall. The anime's plot will be developed from the 3-D fighter's story where in 2010, a supernatural-force-wielding Psychicer named Kiisu escapes from a laboratory and forms a group named Noa to remold the world into an utopia for like-minded Psychicers. His former best friend and fellow Psychicer Baan attempts to prevent him from realizing those ambitions. The animation will be handled by Triangle Staff, who are familiar to anime fandom for working on the MACROSS PLUS and MAHOU TSUKAI TAI! anime.