The October issue of Japan's Newtype Magazine confirms that Gainax will produce new Neon Genesis Evangelion animation. The new films, collectively referred to as "Rebuild of Evangelion" on Newtype's cover,.are alternate retellings of the original television series. The films will be more accessible to new viewers, and will not require familiarity with the original series. Unlike the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: New Translation films, the Evangelion movies will contain a substandial amount of new animation.

Illumitoon has snagged the rights to Beat B'tx. Beat B'tx's first volume, as well as the premiere volumes of Get Ride! AM Driver and Beet the Vandal Buster are slated for an early 2007 release.

A director's cut of the anime series Shuffle! will hit Japanese TV this winter. The series, titled Shuffle! Memories, will add new story elements and new animation, as well as new opening and ending sequences.

Viz Media's release of the eleventh volume of Naruto set the American sales record for manga in America. The title ranked twenty-first on USA Today's Top 150 Best Seller List for the week of August 27 - the highest rank a manga title has ever achieved on the Top 150.

Keiichi Shigusawa's Kino no Tabi (Kino's Journey) will reeive an animated feature film adaptation. The film marks the third animated adaptation of Shigusawa's novels, two of which were movies. The film's storyline follows the newest novel: Kino no Tabi: Nanika Wasurutameni.

Fuji Television reports that Takeshi Obata was arrested this morning in Japan. Obata, the co-creator and artist of the popular Death Note manga, was arrested for violation of Japan's Gun and Sword Control Law. Obata was reportedly pulled over at 12:45AM when an officer noticed that he had a headlight out. Officers found a folding army knife with a blade of 8.6cm (3.39 inches) in the artist's glove box. When asked about the knife, Obata reportedly replied that the knife was for camping.