Multiple online retailers are finally listing the upcoming Dragon Ball Uranai book! Unfortunately, most are listing the book under the title “ドラゴンボール キャラクター占い ２０１０” (Dragon Ball Character Fortunetelling 2010). I think this all but confirms my fears that this book will be nothing more than a “What Dragon Ball character are you?” kind of book.

For a taste of what this book will most likely be, you can check out a somewhat official Dragon Ball Character Fortunetelling released online back in April 2004 by OCN (Open Computer Network). You simply enter your birth date (YYYY/MM/DD), hit the submit button, and it will tell you what character you are. Apparently I am Tenshinhan! The character’s page will give you a rundown of the character’s personalities and traits. It also provides a bunch of quotes and references to the kanzenban for more information about the character, which were released right around the same time as this thing.

Of course, there are other websites out there made by fans that do the same thing. So I’m afraid that is all this book is going to be, unfortunately. Hey, at least we are also getting an illustration collection book, right?

Happinet has unveiled the cover art for the next set of Dragon Ball Kai DVD volumes, both of which are set to be released 23 April 2010 for ¥2,940 (~$30). Volume #9 will contain episodes 25-27, while Volume #10 follows with the next three episodes, 28-30. In addition, they have also put up the cover art for the third Blu-ray box set which also has a scheduled release date of 23 April 2010. The box set will contain episodes 28-39, broken up onto four discs with three episodes per disc, and will set you back a pretty ¥15,960 (~$175).

After just announcing the new book Dragon Ball Uranai, Shueisha has announced it will be releasing an Anime Illustration Collection book entitled Dragon Ball: The Golden Warrior (ドラゴンボール 黄金の戦士; Doragon Bōru Ōgon no Senshi).

The title suggests the illustrations will focus on Super Saiyans, or Son Gohan’s exploits as the Golden Warrior before becoming the Great Saiyaman — my vote is for the first option. This will be the first Dragon Ball illustration book since Daizenshuu 1: Complete Illustrations was released back in 1995. It is set to be released 16 April 2010 for ¥1,200 (~$12.00), and is already up for pre-order on Amazon Japan.

We will be sure to keep you updated as we hear more about it.

By way of Anime News Network, we have just learned that FUNimation’s English dub of Dragon Ball Kai (coming as Dragon Ball Z Kai) will be airing on Nicktoons. The announcement was made “during its 2010 Upfront Presentation for advertisers on Thursday morning in New York City”.

This is a somewhat fascinating move on many levels, especially since American fandom so closely associates the franchise with Cartoon Network (though the series aired on local TV syndicates for Fox and WB years prior to this arrangement).

We have no word yet on what kind of “uncut” or “edited” version will make its way to Nickelodeon portals and broadcast. It should be noted, however, that the series always was intended for children, and the recent “edits” made during the Japanese broadcast of Kai certainly solidify this fact and the intended audience.

The broadcast will begin in May, seemingly alongside the home release. We will, of course, review the home release when it comes out. Look forward to it!

UPDATE: From the official press release —

Dragon Ball Z Kai, premiering on Nicktoons in May 2010, follows the last descendants of an evil race of warriors, known as the Saiyans, on their collision course with Earth. Goku–the strongest fighter on the planet–is all that stands between humanity and extinction and must face the villainous Saiyan warlord. Dragon Ball Z Kai is developed by Funimation Entertainment.

The next three episode titles have been leaked early for Dragon Ball Kai — here is a quick run-down of what to expect in the upcoming weeks:

Episode 049 – March 21, 2010
「仇を討て孫悟空！惑星崩壊のカウントダウン」
“Exact Vengeance, Son Goku! The Countdown to the Planet’s Collapse”

Episode 050 – March 28, 2010
「フリーザ決死のフルパワー！願いを届けてくれ神龍」
“Freeza’s Do-or-Die Full Power! Shenlong, Heed this Wish”

Episode 051 – April 4, 2010
「悟空激怒の雄叫び！間に合え…起死回生の願い！」
“Goku’s Furious Battle Cry! Make it in Time… The Resurrection Wish!”

Shueisha announced a new Dragon Ball book, Dragon Ball Uranai (ドラゴンボール占い). You may recognize the term uranai as that used in the character Uranai Baba’s name, meaning “fortune-telling”. Unfortunately, there is no other information about the book at this time, considering it is not even listed on any other online store… so really, we have absolutely no idea what this book is, or what it is about. It unfortunately does not appear to be a new guide book of any kind.

The book is set to be released 31 March 2010 for ¥840 (~$8.50). Hopefully we will get a little more information about it soon… like what it is exactly.

In an economy where we hear about nothing but studio closures and layoffs, it is shocking to hear that Toei has actually raised their earnings forecast for the current year. Projecting ¥1.2 billion up from ¥1.0 billion in net profits, it would seem that the most recent One Piece movie (Strong World), which was written by the manga’s author Eiichiro Oda, performed much better than expected. We do not see any information relating to Dragon Ball in this earnings forecast, but it would interesting to know how the sub-license of Kai to FUNimation (as well as the property’s own success in its home land) contributed, if at all.

FUNimation’s parent company, Navarre, issued a formal press release earlier this week confirming the acquisition of Kai for North American distribution. There is nothing in here that we did not already know from its original announcement during their Q3 Fiscal 2010 earnings conference call, but it was good to see it get a little more attention, none-the-less:

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Toei Animation’s Dragon Ball Z Kai
Kai Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Dragon Ball Z Debut

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb 25, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) — Navarre Corporation (Nasdaq:NAVR) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary FUNimation(R) Entertainment and Japanese powerhouse producer Toei Animation Co., Ltd. have entered into a multi-year agreement for the U.S. anime leader to distribute the latest chapter of the genre-establishing Dragon Ball franchise, “Dragon Ball Z Kai.”

To celebrate 2009’s 20th anniversary of the megahit series Dragon Ball Z, Toei Animation, Shueisha Inc. and Dragon Ball creator Mr. Akira Toriyama created “Dragon Ball Z Kai” in which the Dragon Ball Z story is retold to more closely follow Mr. Toriyama’s original tale about a brave young warrior named Goku.

A project personally overseen by Mr. Toriyama, “Dragon Ball Z Kai” has been re-edited and re-made using the latest in digital technology, including a full-HD re-mastering of the original film.

Now featuring updated opening and closing sequences, renewed soundtracks and a re-recording of the series by key members of the original voice cast, “Dragon Ball Kai” premiered on Japan’s Fuji Television Network in April 2009 and will be available in the U.S. on DVD and Blu-ray beginning this Spring.

“Dragon Ball Z Kai has been hotly anticipated in the states,” said Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO of FUNimation Entertainment. “We are pleased to come together with Toei and offer passionate fans, who have been waiting for developments in the Dragon Ball universe, the opportunity to see the new series.”

FUNimation Entertainment will begin releasing the series on DVD and Blu-ray starting with Part One on May 18, 2010.