Four brand new Iron Man, Blade, Wolverine, and X-Men series will all appear on the G4 TV network in the U.S. in 2011, according to a press release we were sent, and some readers might immediately wonder what is going on. As great of a network as G4 might be, it isn’t incredibly mainstream nor is it a prime place to air something that is usually reserved for the various network’s Saturday morning blocks or dedicated cartoon cable channels. That’s when I did a bit more research and found something interesting.

Warren Ellis, whom you might recognize for his numerous comic runs on various properties, was recently at Comic-Con on behalf of the adaptation of Red, which he created back in 2003. Apparently the 12 different 30-minute episodes he wrote based off of various storylines already in existence were intended for the south east Asian market, and he got the news that G4 would be airing them here just as soon as we did; today. The interesting part that the press release fails to note is that the four different series, according to Ellis, “will either be dubbed or subtitled.” They are being made by Madhouse in Japan, and it will be in anime style, so this isn’t some wild bid that G4 won. For the full press release and more details, including a trailer for the Iron Man series, hit the jump.

Despite Marvel informing Ellis today of the intention to rebroadcast the four storylines he wrote, he seems to be happy that they are going to see release here in the U.S.

“As I say, these were commissioned and created specifically for the south east Asian market. But it’s nice that they’ll get some form of English-language airing too.”

After looking at the footage, it looks head and shoulders above the current Iron Man: Armored Adventures series out there now. This clearly is not a teenage Tony Stark nor is it in the cel-shaded style that has recently become popular. The other draw is that Ellis is behind the storylines, but how much of his original drafts make it through is unknown to us at this time.

“Because I knew the process in advance, the outlines were really just plot, pacing and colour. I imagine and expect that I’ve been seriously rewritten in places by the actual writers, which is fine and all part of the process.”

Below is the full press release and the trailer for the Iron Man anime:

G4 will be the exclusive U.S. television home of four brand-new anime series featuring some of the most successful and iconic brands from the Marvel Universe.  Produced by Madhouse for Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan (SPEJ), these four original series - "Iron Man," "X-MEN," "Wolverine" and "Blade" - will premiere on the network in 2011 and will air as standalone series made up of twelve 30-minute episodes under the guidance of Warren Ellis.

"Iron Man" In an effort to make amends for his weapons manufacturing past, Tony Stark has dedicated himself to building the world up rather than tearing it down. Traveling to Japan to build a new arc reactor that will deliver unlimited free energy to the Japanese people, Stark is challenged by the Japanese government and the media when he attempts to import the necessary nuclear priming device.  And when the reactor-in-construction is repeatedly attacked by the mysterious Zodiac consortium, Stark must gather his allies to take on Zodiac and its mastermind.

"X-MEN" The X-MEN are reunited following the death of a teammate, and are summoned by Charles Xavier to Japan following the abduction of Hisako Ichiki (Armor).  There, they confront the U-MEN, a lunatic cult that steals and transplants mutant organs to further strengthen their own army, and the battle for justice is on.

"Wolverine" Based on the popular graphic novel by Frank Miller, the series begins in Japan, where Logan is challenged by Shingen Yashida, the notorious leader of a powerful mafia clan.  When Shingen's employee Yukio, a female assassin, falls out of Shingen's favor, she must kill him or be killed.  Teaming up with Logan, the pair seek out the villain to exact their revenge.

"Blade" Eric Brooks -- known as Blade -- seeks revenge on Deacon Frost, the vampire lord who killed his mother while she was still pregnant with Eric.  With all the powers of a vampire and none of their weaknesses, Blade's quest leads him throughout Southeast Asia in search of Frost, and, in Viet Nam, he discovers a vampire plot that threatens to take down the whole world.