Courtesy of Amazon, we also have the box art for the upcoming DS game with a word taken out of the title — just a simple “Harukanaru Densetsu” (is that “simple”…?) over here in North America (which is a bit different from its Japanese cover):

Amazon seem to be supporting the 01 May 2007 US release date, as well.

Courtesy of Amazon, we have the box art for the US version of “Shin Budokai” 2 for the PSP, entitled over here as “Shin Budokai: Another Road”:

The game still seems on-track for a US release on 20 March 2007, with a Japanese release still only “Spring”.

GameStop.com’s listing for “Harukanaru Densetsu” now has an updated release date of 01 May 2007.

In yet another head-scratching move to complement their reversal of the phrase “Tenkaichi Budokai”, Atari has formally announced the American release of two new handheld games, including what they have re-named “Harukanaru Densetsu”.

Yep. They are leaving out the one word in the title (“Goku”) that your typical American fan actually knows.

Anyway, the formal press release from today gives a little more information on the two upcoming games (which you have, no doubt, known about for ages by following along with us!):

Atari Expands Line-Up of Dragon Ball Z(R) Handheld Games
– Exciting Variety of Gameplay for DBZ(R) Fans with Shin Budokai(TM): Another Road and Harukanaru Densetsu –

NEW YORK, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATARD) today announced the development of two new Dragon Ball Z(R) titles for 2007 release, Dragon Ball Z(R) Shin Budokai(TM): Another Road for the PSP(TM) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system and Dragon Ball Z(R) Harukanaru Densetsu for Nintendo DS(TM).

Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai: Another Road is the sequel to Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai, one of the best selling PSP(R) system games launched in 2006. The game takes the intense Wi-Fi multiplayer battles and thrilling combative gameplay made popular in last year’s hit and adds an improved fighting system with over 50 new fighting skills and ultimate attacks and the power to play heroes and villains from the DBZ, Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball worlds. In addition to these all-new features, Shin Budokai: Another Road will send players into a completely new story arc following the future world of Trunks on his adventures against rival Majin Boo. Developed by NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. / Dimps, Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai: Another Road is slated to release in March 2007 for the PSP(R) system.

Dragon Ball Z Harukanaru Densetsu is an all new DBZ(R) experience unlike any other for the Nintendo DS. Harukanaru Densetsu combines strategic card based gameplay and role playing to deliver a game that is easy to understand but hard to master. Players’ progression is determined through their use of the cards to evolve characters, strengthen moves and create new moves. Developed by NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc., Dragon Ball Z Harukanaru Densetsu will be available on Nintendo DS in Spring 2007.

“Newcomers and faithful fans of DBZ will be thrilled with these two new handheld games,” said Emily Anadu, Product Manager, Atari, Inc. “Shin Budokai: Another Road lets players take the DBZ universe over a Wi-Fi network with an exciting new story that is sure to grab long-time fans while Harukanaru Densetsu tackles a new form of RPG with card-playing — an interesting innovation for the DBZ series that we believe will attract gamers who enjoy strategy based gameplay.”

Anadu continued, “Both games represent the innovation and evolution that characterize the DBZ experience and maintain the Dragon Ball Z reputation as one of the best anime and cartoon-based series of all time.” Dragon Ball Z is the gold standard of anime-based video games, with more than 26 different games and over 10 million units sold since May 2002.

For additional information about Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai: Another Road and Dragon Ball Z Harukanaru Densetsu, please visit http://www.atari.com/dragonballz.

About FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation(R) Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation (Nasdaq: NAVR), is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation is known for acquiring top-rated anime series from Japan and for developing some of North America’s most popular anime series. The company has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For images, or more information on FUNimation or any of its properties, contact Jeff Dronen at 817-788-0627, ext. 251 or jeff.dronen@funimation.com.

About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATARD) develops interactive games for all platforms and is a third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company’s 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre- defining franchises such as The Matrix(TM) (Enter The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo) and Test Drive(R); and mass-market and children’s franchises such as Dragon Ball Z(R). Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext – ISIN: FR-0000052573), one of the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit http://www.atari.com.

In slightly disturbing news, our forum user landoku posted up a little link showing that Twentieth Century Fox has renewed the domain dragonballz-movie.com for another year.

Jeux-France has a new “V-Jump” scan up showcasing the first screens from what the Japanese appear to be calling “Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 2” (which is likely what we are getting as “Shin Budokai: Another Road”). As we have reported in the past, it looks like GameStop’s directory has a date of 20 March 2007 for the US (the same day they have listed for the US release of “Harukanaru”)… interesting…).

About a dozen people have e-mailed me this over the last couple days, including several employees from EB/GameStop. It looks like listings for a US version of the upcoming DS RPG,”Harakanaru Gokū Densetsu”, are showing up in a few computer systems. All of the reports point to March (including a Play-Asia listing), though all the EB employees are saying it is shipping 20 March 2007 (and thus actually on shelves on the 21st). There is no official word from Atari as-of-yet.

Thanks to everyone who has written in!