Tokyo Sky Tree Tower Is Reaching For The Sky

Above, an artist's conception of what the finished Tokyo Sky Tree Tower will look like.

Tokyo Sky Tree Tower Is Reaching For The Sky

by Armand Vaquer

A new tower is reaching for the sky in Tokyo, Japan.

The new Tokyo tower, dubbed recently as the Tokyo Sky Tree, is currently under construction in the Sumida Ward of Tokyo (below).



The new tower was made necessary due to the needs of digital broadcasting. The current Tokyo Tower just is too short to be sufficient for digital broadcasting.

The Sky Tree will be double the size of Tokyo Tower. Below, is a comparison of the sizes of the Sky Tree and Tokyo Tower. The Sky Tree will stand at 610 meters (2,013 feet) (some sources say 634 meters).



Over the past 49 years, starting with Mothra (1961), Tokyo Tower has been a favorite battleground for Japanese giant monsters. King Kong battled his mechanical counterpart atop it in King Kong Escapes, Gamera blasted it in Gamera, Guardian of the Universe (Gyaos built a nest on the Tower's ruins in the same movie) and Godzilla blasted it in Godzilla x Mothra x Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

The Tokyo Sky Tree Tower is due to be completed in 2012, just in time for the expected return of Godzilla in 2014 (Toho put Godzilla on a ten-year hiatus in 2004 due to slumping boxoffice receipts). We can probably expect Toho Co., Ltd. to make good use of the new tower in their next new Godzilla epic.

I visited Tokyo Tower in 2004 and the views from its observation deck were spectacular. I can just imagine the views from this even taller tower!

The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan has a feature article on the current Tokyo Tower.

ADV Films: Rest In Peace

Above, "Gamera, Guardian of the Universe" was released in the U.S. by ADV Films.

ADV Films: Rest In Peace

by Armand Vaquer

A.D. Vision, Inc., the parent company of ADV Films, has sold off its ADV assets. ADV Films released the Shusuke Kaneko Gamera trilogy of the 1990s to the U.S. market, but their main specialty was anime films.

Anime News Network posted a press release from A.D. Vision:

A.D.VISION, INC. CONCLUDES SERIES OF ASSET TRANSACTIONS


HOUSTON, September 1, 2009 — A.D. VISION, INC. ("ADV" or the "Company") announced today that June 1, 2009, the Company concluded a series of transactions that are expected to result in seamless delivery of home video products and television programming to customers.

Through an asset purchase agreement, AEsir Holdings, LLC ("Aesir") acquired a subordinated interest in selected programming from ADV's film library together with other intellectual property subject to all liens and security interests of the Company's senior secured lender. The transaction requires Aesir to assume specific obligations and scheduled liabilities of the Company under legacy license agreements associated with the acquired programming.

Concurrently, the Company concluded an asset purchase agreement with SXION 23, LLC, doing business as "Section23 Films," a home video distribution company, under which it assumes account servicing and distribution operations in connection with the library acquired by Aesir, subject to all liens and security interest of the Company's senior secured lender.

John Ledford, ADV's President and CEO, states "We believe the actions we initiated and completed provided the same or more value to the Company's secured lender and its programming licensors while giving other key stakeholders such as employees and customers some potential value or the reasonable probability of realizing value."

In a separate transaction, Valkyrie Media Partners, LLC ("Valkyrie") acquired a 100% equity position in Anime Network, Inc. ("ANI"), formerly ADV's television unit, pursuant to a stock purchase agreement between ADV and Valkyrie. That transaction includes an assumption by Valkyrie of specific liens and security interests of the Company's senior secured lender.

In another separate transaction, Seraphim Studios, LLC acquired Amusement Park Media, the production unit of A.D. Vision, Inc.

Further announcements are expected from the respective acquiring entities over the coming days.

For more on the story, go here.