Good news for anime fans! The new anime series “Katanagatari” by White Fox studios is coming in January 2010.

“Katanagatari,” directed by Keitaro Motonaga, will consist of 12 episodes. One 60-minutes-long episode will be released per month, so the whole anime will be ready by the end of 2010.

“Katanagatari,” which can be translated from Japanese as “Sword Stories,” is based on Japanese novelist and manga (Japanese comics) writer Nisio Isin’s ranobe (short novels with illustrations) series. Nisio Isin’s “Katanagatari” is an epic novel about samurais and consists of 12 volumes.

The story of “Katanagatari” takes place in the Edo period (or Tokugawa period, from 1603 to 1868). Shikizaki Kiki, a legendary swordsmith, has made 1000 swords that had great powers and brought luck and victory to those who owned them. The Shogun managed to collect 988 of 1000 swords, and general Togame was told to find the other 12.

But to who could this important task be entrusted? After all, the one who found the sword could want to keep it for himself… A ninja clan? A warrior? Perhaps, not the best choice… But there was one person who could do this mission. Maybe Yasuri Shichika, the last master of no-sword fighting style, could be able to do it…

I’m a big anime fan and I just can’t wait to see “Katanagatari,” which perhaps is going to be one of the best animated movies of the following year. The drawing is unusual for anime but looks very original and beautiful, and besides, samurai stories and the eastern atmosphere are really attractive for me.