I’m not sure what to think about this series of commercials starring SMAP as Gatchaman (link may try to install weird active-x thing on your browser), but it makes a strange sort of sense that the boy band who used to wear feathered outfits would protray anime heroes with bird shaped helmets. I guess the commercials used to be online a few years ago, and now they are making a repeat appearance on the web.{via}

Samurai 7, one of the anime shows that I’m currently watching, is going to start airing on IFC. It is a groovy adaptation of The Seven Samurai set in a dystopic future.

Here’s the March manga release list from Love Manga. I’m looking forward to the new title ES (Eternal Sabbath) from Del Rey Manga. I liked Mars a lot and ES is another series by Fuyumi Soryo so I’m going to at least check out the first volume. It sounds like the storyline is fairly dark, with a focus on creepy genetic engineering. Here’s a web page about the Italian edition of ES and this page has a scan of a couple pages.