Finally after years of waiting there is more news on the Kiddy Grade sequel. And I got scooped on the news as I've been working non-stop all day. The title is now キディ・ガーランド which, according to the provisional logo, translates as KIDDY GiRL-AND (although it looks more like "Kiddy Garland" to me).
The summary, as translated by ANN, reads
The story is set in the Star Century year 0379, roughly two centuries after the original Kiddy Grade anime and about five centuries after our present day. The spirited Asukūru and serious Ku Fīyu work for the galactic government known as GTO. The two girls are members of ES, GTO's finest secret agents with special abilities -- or, rather, they are training to become ES.
The character names are the same, and the costumes are very similar, but Ascule has had a makeover - her hair is now pink and a completely different style (no longer has the long tails at the back and the beads are gone) and her eyes are now purple. They also appear to have had a role reversal since the original pilot.
gímik are returning to their usual roles (Gotoh directing, Kimura writing and character designs by Megumi) but production has moved yet again, this time from asread to Satelight (whom Gotoh has worked with recently on Macross F).
There's going to be more news in the April and May issues of Comp Ace if I read correctly.
Apparently I was incorrect - Moetron's more expert interpretation is that there is a manga serialization starting in the May issue of Comp Ace called KIDDY GiRL-AND Pure (キディ・ガーランドぴゅあ).
--updated 2009/02/27 10:20 GMT--
Gotoh has made a new entry on his blog regarding the site update, added to the links.
--updated 2009/02/27 18:45 GMT--
Added a couple more links and moved the bulk into the extended entry.
--updated 2009/02/28 12:35 GMT--
Just an FYI: I'll keep adding new links this this entry until I start the next one.
--updated 2009/03/02 19:20 GMT--
It just occured to me that I remember being confused by an image in Gocky Club 23 that came out at the Winter 2008 Comiket and checked - it showcased the new look (and the role reversal) for Ascule way ahead of this announcement - see for yourselves
Links:
Official Site
キディ・ガーランド (Gocky Blog)
Kiddy Grade Spinoff Kiddy Girl-and Announced (Anime News Network)
BREAKING NEWS: gímik To Produce New Series (Super Spong Brothers)
"Kiddy Girl-and" - Kiddy Grade Spin-off Announced (Moetron)
Kiddy Grade Spinoff Anime/Manga Announced (AoD forums)
[more after the cut]
New Kiddy Grade on the Way! (Otaku Review)
Kiddy Grade Sequel Gets Green Light Fer Reals, Kiddy Girl-and (Megatokyo Forums)
Kiddy Girl-and, The real Kiddy Grade 2? (Fansub TV forums)
Kiddy Girl And...What? (Anime Vice)
Kiddy Girl-and Announced (Spinning Pink Vortex Of Impending Doom)
Kiddy Girl-and Announced (Anime Life and Everything Else)
Kiddy GiRL-AND (anime at MAL)
Kiddy GiRL-AND Pure (manga at MAL)
Kiddy Girl-and (FUNimation forums)
Kiddy Grade 2 (Animesuki Forums, at the bottom of the original thread)
Kiddy Grade Spinoff Kiddy Girl-and Announced (Anime-Planet forums)
Kiddy Girl-and In Production (Anime Dream)
It's about damn time? Kiddy Grade 2 (Mecha Talk forums)
MOON PHASE 雑記
Kiddy Grade Spinoff Announced (Anime, Manga & Figures Blog)
Kiddy Grade Sequel Announced (Animenation news blog)
Kiddy Girl-And (Gotwoot Forums)
Satelight Produces Kiddy Grade 2 (MAL forums)
Kiddy Grade Sequel Announced (Anything Asian Network)
Kiddy Girl-and- (AnimeNfo forums)
Kiddy Grade Sequel Confirmed (The Banzai! Effect)
Yes, after all most 2 years it's a sweet sigh of relief to read this. ^.^ Though having really liked Ascule's original character desgin and the overall "plot", I'm a little anxious now as to how much else might have changed from that short PV. . . D; (not as if a change in an animation company should constitue such things. >.<)
I cannot that that I'm not at least a little anxious myself. For one thing there's something slightly 'off' about the above image but I can't quite put my finger on it (other than I preferred Ascule's original hair colour).
I hope they kept the gothloli Russian kids.
I felt something was at a loss as well upon first glance as well. My first impression was role reversal between Ascule and Que, but thinking about it now I'm not so sure anymore. *sighs* I'd be dissapointed if they didn't keep those twin antagonists, but I think the loss of Zoma or other ES members would hit me harder. T.T
Wow, it's been a long time since I last talked to you (MT) but anyway, you really on top of things regarding Kiddy Grade. Anyways, it's sad that Ascule designs changed. It would seem that her personality changed too as she seems to be energetic now compared to her original personality.
> it's been a long time since I last talked to you (MT)
I was thinking exactly the same thing when I saw you on Animesuki :)
I wasn't so sure when I saw the above image, but I do like the manga-ka's interpretation of her.
i still dont believe they just changed Ascule like that (well i guess it was better than changing Que Fuilles, i like her better XD), maybe this could be one of quantum jumps of Ascule; after what happened in the promo, or somthing, idk, just throwing theories...
man i liked Ascule the way she was, i hope they didnt change just for the image, if it has a cause (which would be death) then i would accept it, even though deep down i wouldnt -__-;;
well, we still gotta wait and see what else happens before the sequel starts, i cant (and wouldnt) stand another news like this ;A;