Anime Nation reports that Production IG will collaborate with Masamune Shirow on a new franchise titled Shinrei Kari.Currently, Production IG is working on an anime title of the same name that will debut on WOWOW TV this fall. A manga serial, titled Shinrei Kari ANOTHER SIDE will debut in Comic Blade's May 2007 issue.

Bandai Visual announced its acquisition of the Freedom series of OVAs. The first episode will be released in the United States and Japan on June 26 on a DVD/HD-DVD hybrid disc. The episode will retail for $39.99 in America, and ¥4,284 in Japan.

Studio Ghibli announced that it is working on a new anime OVA. Titled Iblard Time, the OVA will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in Japan on July 4.

Toho announced that Hayao Miyazaki is currently working on a new anime film. The film, titled Gake no Ue no Ponyo (Ponyo on a Cliff) is a tale in the vein of The Little Mermaid. The title revolves around Ponyo, a goldfish princess that desires to become human and a five-year-old human boy named Sosuke. The film is reportedly being animated entirely by hand, with no CG effects or digital ink-and-paint.