Another blow to the anime industry, we have received official word today Bandai Entertainment will "stop releasing new titles on DVD, Blu-ray and Manga formats starting in February of 2012."

Although Bandai has stated in their press release that they "will continue to sell catalog titles and shift its operation to licensing which will include digital distribution, broadcast and merchandising," they have also noted they will be shutting down their official twitter and facebook page.

You can read the full press release inside.

Figure maker Good Smile Company opened a branching cafe in Taiwan earlier this month and a couple of our staffers happened to be in the neighborhood. While we wait for their report which will appear here later, why not check out some of the photos?

The popularity of ONA (Original Net Animation) has been picking up recently, and last week NamcoBandai published Kyousogiga, an episode-length video to its NicoNico and YouTube pages. Kyousogiga was created by Izumi Todo, who also made the Ojamojo Doremi and Futari wa Pretty Cure series, and animated by Banpresto and Toei Animation.

The animation style is fairly stylized, and it reminds me of the stuff Madhouse makes. The video description mentions a new work coming out in March 2012, but it doesn't say if it's related to this ONA or not. Also, the video will only be available until January 15, 2012, so watch it while you can! It's embedded after the break.

Kyousogiga homepage: http://www.kyousogiga.com/

Alter unveiled a full colored prototype of the voluptuous Selvaria Bles from the hit video game and anime series, Valkyria Chronicles earlier last week at the Autumn MegaHobby Expo. The figure was originally unveiled earlier this year at the Winter Wonder Festival as an unpainted prototype. Fans will be please to know Raita Honjou (the original character designer for the series) designed the figure, while Toshiyuki Yagyu did an excellent job in adhering to Raita's voluptuous style with the sculpt.

Long term readers will be aware my past rants on Alter's plain display bases, but this one is simply amazing! I am a little concerned how her hair will look in the final product as it appears her hair may be semitranslucent. 

You can take Selvaria home later next year in April for roughly 8,800 yen. For now, check out all the gorgeous photos we've gathered online.

Fans of the popular Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt anime will be thrilled to learn that one of the top figure makers, Alter, has unveiled a stunning colored PVC sample of Panty Anarchy at the recent Autumn MegaHobby Expo 2011. Panty is in her signature pose after transforming into her angel outfit. Little else is known about the figure, but it will be released later next year in 2012. This is probably the best looking Panty figure shown so far based on resemblance and sculpt, and only time will tell if Good Smile Company/ Max Factory decides to top them.

Alter has also revealed an unpainted prototype of Kneesocks from the same series and I would expect a Stocking and Scanty figure to be announced sometime in the near future. Any takers?

For those of you who haven't checked our gallery in a couple weeks, just click on the image above for some awesome cosplay photos from Yaoi-Con that was held late ast month at The San Francisco Airport Marriott hotel. Just because it's a convention that celebrates "male beauty & passion in anime & manga," doesn't mean there's any shortage of awesome cosplays!

Fate/Extra is one of the latest chapters in the highly popular Fate/stay night series by visual novel maker, Type-Moon. Fans of the franchise will be pleased to know the game scenario was written by Kinoko Nasu who wrote the original Fate/stay night story and most of Type-Moon's flagship titles. The game was developed in collaboration with Imageepoch who also worked on the Black Rock Shooter PSP game, while Aksys Games handled the American localization. As a warning, this review does contain a few minor spoilers but nothing you won't figure out within the first couple hours of playing.

Earlier this week, Konami posted the full-version commercial of NEW Love Plus for the Nintendo 3DS to their YouTube channel. It provides a complete overview of the upgraded feature set for the 3DS version over the previous Love Plus and Love Plus + games for the DS. Below is a list of features covered in the trailer with a brief description of each, the trailer itself is embedded after the break.

• Upgraded graphics: Higher resolution models and textures to take advantage of the better 3DS processor.
• Gyro System: Use of the gyroscope feature within the 3DS to allow you to move the system around and view your girlfriend from different angles, including above and below.
• Photo Taking: You can take a photo of your girlfriend at any time to capture a particular expression or look during a scene for later viewing.
• Boyfriend Lock: By using the front-facing camera, your girlfriend will react differently to other faces in front of the 3DS compared to your own.
• Hybrid-AR Camera: By using the camera on the back of the 3DS, your girlfriend will pose accordingly, such as sitting on a couch or park bench.
• Girlfriend Introduction: Again, using the front-facing camera, you can introduce your girlfriend to your real friends.
• 3D Vision: Using the upper 3D screen of the 3DS, you can view your girlfriend in 3D.
• Date Anywhere: Using the camera AR feature, you can see your girlfriend interacting with any location you visit.
• Users' Communication: You can share information about dating spots with other NEW Love Plus players.
• Data Transfer: You can import your progress data from both DS games into NEW Love Plus.

NEW Love Plus homepage: http://www.konami.jp/products/newloveplus/