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Researchers led by Takahisa Furukawa, M.D. & Ph.D. of Japan's Osaka Bioscience Institute have named a protein that they discovered after the Pikachu character from Nintendo's Pokémon game and anime franchise. The "Pikachurin" protein plays a role in the efficient transmission of kinetic vision information from the eyes to the brain, so the researchers named the protein after the Pokémon character known for its fast moves. The researchers expect that the discovery will help advance the treatments for retinitis pigmentosa, a major hereditary cause of blindness.

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The September issue of Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine will reportedly announce on August 2 that the anime adaptation of Peach-Pit's Shugo Chara! manga has been green-lit for a second year. The two manga artists who make up Peach-Pit have been drawing their take on the magical girl genre since the end of 2005, and director Kenji Yasuda and the Satelight animators have been producing the anime version since last fall. The manga won the Best Children's Manga honor in this year's Kodansha Manga Awards. Del Rey publishes the manga version in North America.



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The North American distributor Funimation has announced in its Monday video update that it has acquired the Baccano! anime series. Funimation's official website for the series is streaming the first English-subtitled episode for users who type in the anime's featured train (Flying Pussyfoot) as the password. Takahiro Omori directed this Aniplex adaptation of Ryohgo Narita's light novel series about immortal alchemists, thieves, and killers whose paths meet in the United States during the 1930's.



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The Disney Channel in Japan has launched the official website for the Japanese-animated Stitch! television spinoff based on Disney's Lilo & Stitch film, and the site is streaming a promotional video from the series. (In the linked page, select the third button on the lefthand side to see the video.) In the new story, the alien creature Stitch is running off on the mad scientist Jumba's space scooter when he gets caught in a space storm and has to make an emergency landing at Izayoi Island, the southermost tip of Japan. There, he meets Yūna, a spirited fourth-grade girl who happens to know karate. Yūna tells Stitch about the Stone of Chitama, a mysterious object that can make any wish come true. However, he has to perform 43 good deeds to receive his wish.

The series will premiere on Japanese television this October. The site has an introduction to the story (first blue button on the left) and profiles (second blue button on the left) of the six main characters, including Stitch, Yūna, the native creature Kijimunaa, Yūna's grandmother Obā, the galactic agent Pleakley, and Jamba. Disney first announced the series in March, and it screened a pilot video during the Tokyo International Anime Fair that month.



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