Father Geek here on another mid-Work-Week Wednesday and as is the usual I've got Scott's monsterous column on all that is the world of Manga & Anime for you all in one easy to find location once again. Buuuuut before you jump into the regular report I have this that arrived directly on my trusty PC here at Geek Headquarters in Austin...

Thought you might want to check out the new trailer for the new series retelling the classic "He-Man" story that will be premiering on Cartoon Network this August. The trailer itself is quite pretty, though the realtime format leaves much to be desired:

Just Click Here to View It Now

Here's hoping the series does better than it's 80's counterpart!

Seb

Then there was this bit...

The new Masters of the Universe animated series will debut Friday, August 16th at 4:00pm EST on Cartoon Network with the 90 minute animated feature.

Apparently there will be a slew of items as the franchise makes a comback. There will be new figures and video games. Check out realplayer videos and screen captures at: He-Man.org

~wendigofett

Father Geek back, I realize Those weren't really about Anime... but I thought you might be interested anyway... Well, I better let you get on with this week's column. Find ALL the Anime/Manga related news you can possibily absorb each week right here in...

The AICN Anime Report

by Scott Green

Anime Spotlight: Berserk volume 1, "War Cry"

Released by Media Blaster's Anime Works Division

The late nineties opened a new venue for low budget, edgy television series on in the late nights. It rewarded viewers with the likes of Serial Experiment's Lain, Black Heaven, and Berserk. Berserk is a medieval tale of two men who live out their destinies, shaped by the battlefield, duel, court intrigued, exchange of words, their beginnings, and supernatural forces. The Berserk anime series depicts the relatively non-fantastical youth of Guts, a man who will dedicated his demon-haunted later life to a quest revenge of a pentaverate of supernatural beings known as the Hand of God.

The first episode occurs chronologically last. A heavily cloaked figure man, missing an eye and an arm, know as the Black Swordsman enters a fief, and kills the supernatural creature that had set itself as its ruler. Though the settlement is in flames, many have been put to the stake, and he has been injured himself, a look of savage glee comes across the swordsman's face as he drive arrow after arrow into the torso of his victim.

Years earlier a much younger Guts is a wandering mercenary with an vocalized drive to hone his skills. His aimless path is corralled when his is forced by a duel to join the mercenary Band of Hawk , by its silver haired leader Griffith, youth, approximately Guts' whose skill in combat, and controlling people, both in intimate and mass settings is only exceeded by his ambition. He is certain that one day he will be a king.

Though his skills make him one of Griffith's pet projects, and the captain of one the band's chief divisions, his lack of proficiency in working with other people puts him at odds with two of Griffith's advisors: Casca, a young woman approximately the same age as Guts and Griffith, fiercely loyal to Griffith, and the army's best warrior after Guts and Griffith, and Corcus a sarcastic veteran who intensely dislike Guts. Guts' tunnel vision only seeing the battle, and a place to insert himself at its center.

The strength of Berserk is its characters. They are complex individuals whose actions, philosophies, and makes are capable of inspiring thought and debate. They aren't noble champions, or dark anti-heroes, but exception people driven by obsessions with loyalty, exceeding expectations, or addition to achievement. They are existential heroes creating their fates despite, or because of prophecy, nature, and nurture. They skirt around, and some times through cliché (such as Guts' over sized sword), but their actions are always true to the characters.

Berserk is an intensely compelling, and brutal piece of anime. It's one of the best character work in an anime television series.

This Week's Anime and Manga Releases

Manga

• Animerica Extra July 2002 Vol 5 #7
• Big O Part 1 #5 (Of 5)
• Blade Of The Immortal #69 Beasts (Part 4 Of 7)
• Blade Of The Immortal Secrets Tp (Mr)
• Cardcaptor Sakura #28 $2.99
• Dragonball Z Part 5 #6 (Of 12)
• Gundam Wing Endless Waltz #3 (Of 5)
• Kodocha #5 (Of 5)
• Medabots Part 2 #1 (Of 4)
• Pulp July 2002 Vol 6 #7
• Ranma 1/2 Part 11 #4 (Of 11)
• Slayers Special #6
• Vagabond Part 1 #8

Anime

• 801 T.T.S. Airbats T
• he Adventures of the Mini Goddess - The Urd Files (Vol. 3)
• Dragon Ball Z - Fusion - Evil Buu
• Dragon Ball Z - Majin Buu - Emergence
• Excel Saga (Vol. 1)
• His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 1)
• His and Her Circumstances (Vol. 1) - With Series Box
• Patlabor - The Mobile Police The TV Series (Vol.2)
• Ranma 1/2 - Ranma Forever - Initiation (Vol. 1)
• Sailor Moon - The Man in the Tuxedo Mask (TV Show, Vol. 3)
• Sailor Moon - The Secret of the Sailor Scouts (TV Show, Vol. 4)
• Sailor Moon Super S - Pegasus Collection III
• Sherlock Hound - Case File 3
• The Slayers - DVD Collection Special Edition (Episodes 1-26)
• Zoids - The High Speed Battle (Vol. 2)

Blade of the Immortal is violent samurai action with amazing art from Hiroaki Samura that combines a uniquely beautiful style and design with action that is some were between realism, and over blown comics physics.

The series follows Manji, an immortal swordsman who must kill 1,000 evil men to atone for his past crimes, and die in piece. He is employed by Rin, a young woman whose family is killed by a radical new sword school.

Dark Horse Comics will also be releasing two Blade of the Immortal t-shirts.

Last week's write-up of insane comedy Excel Saga can be seen here

The new edition of the first season of swords and sorcery comedy The Slayers fixes audio problems founds on the initial version. However, some of the remastered versions have some of the same problems. See the official statement at here

Shonen Jump to Come to US

Viz has announced that an English edition of the manga anthology Shonen Jump will debut in American newstands this November. The $4.95 magazine will be publsihed here in the States by Viz Communications, which has a licensing deal with Tokyo-based Shueisha Inc. The company is aiming to debut at 100,000 copies a month with a circulation goal of 1 million in three years.

The new monthly magazine, to be launched in November 2002, will be patterned after Shueisha's Shonen Jump and will feature the manga from which many of the world's most popular anime properties such as Dragon Ball Z and Yu-Gi-Oh were derived.

The NEW YORK POST is reporting: "In Japan, SHONEN JUMP sells 3.4 million copies a week to teen boys. In the U.S., the target audience is boys aged 13 to 15 - typically one of the toughest audiences for publishers to reach. "We have done market research," said Satoru Fujii, executive vice president and chief financial officer of San Francisco-based Viz Communications."

The POST said: "Teen boys have always been tough for American publishers to reach except for sports and auto titles - even though publishers don't necessarily want the attention from the younger set for their advertisers. But in Japan, the reverse seems to work. The highly stylized comic book stories have a cult-like following that spills over into the adult audience. The Japanese company does more than $600 million a year in a market where comics are a big business. The typical comic book there contains advertising and can run up to 200 pages."

The POST said: "Negotiations are under way to develop more of the stories in conjunction with the Cartoon Network. "We've been talking for three or four months," said Fujii.

Viz is keeping the including titles under wraps. A sample of the diverse offerings of the Japanese version include:

Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, and his later works such as his short Dragon Ball parody Nekomajin Ga Iru, Sand Land where the prince of devils helps to free the last source of water, and Kajika, boy cursed by a fox to save 1,000 lives.

Hikaru No Go, a young boy with the spirit of an ancient master of the strategy game go.

Houshin Engi, a retalling of a classic Chinese legend about a wizard who needs to seal away evil spirits.

I"S by a romantic comedy by Katsura Masakazu (Shadow Lady, Video Girl Ai).

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, a generational story about a family's battle with a vampire that shifts genres as it follows the family.

One Piece, an odd-ball pirate adventure starting the stretchable would-be pirate king Monkey D. Luffy, and his strange crew.

Rurouni Kenshin, the samurai story of a former assassin who takes up a reversed edge sword and gives up killing.

Shaman King, a tournament fight series with a subversive edge.

Slam Dumk, the classic basketball series.

Yu-Gi-Oh! the story of a young boy who wants to become a top game/puzzle player, connected to a Pokemon style merchandise phenomenon.

See EX's archive for more information of the featured series.

Official Macross Licensor Announced

AnimeNation reports Big West, the company recently officially, legally recognized as the sole owner of the Macross copyright, has chosen Japanese distributor Sunwards, Ltd. as the official international distributor of Macross Valkyrie toys and merchandise outside of Japan. This official announcement directly contradicts American company Harmony Gold's self-proclaimed status of sole American licensor of Macross merchandising rights. The result of this announcement should be two-fold. American fans should begin to see wider distribution and easier availability of imported Macross toys beginning late this summer, and American importers should see less harassment and fewer threats of legal action over market infringement from Harmony Gold.

Candy Candy Trial Awards And Verdicts

Anime News Servixe reports a final legal decision has been reach in the long running rights dispute between mangaka Yumiko Igarashi and original story writer Kyoko Mizuki deemed the "Candy Candy Trial" after the popular shoujo (girl's) title in dispute. The 25 year old story by Kyoko Mizuki was adapted into a manga (comic) series by Yumiko Igarashi, which later spawned an animated series and merchandise.

A working partnership existed between the two until several years ago when Ms. Igarashi allegedly declared an exclusive copyright and began producing merchandise based on the work outside of the co-approval of Mizuki, Toei Animation (who produced the anime) and herself. The origin of some goods and works produced based on Candy Candy were put into question, and the revenue and permission to produce them, forced a trial. Writer Kyoko Mizuki accused Igarashi of ignoring her copyright on the work, sueing the artist for infringement of copyright, she later won her trial. That judgement set the following precedents: 1. Ms. Kyoko Mizuki was ruled to have the same copyright as Ms. Yumiko Igarashi regarding CandyCandy. 2. Ms. Yumiko Igarashi must obtain Ms. Kyoko Mizuki 's consent when using CandyCandy in business related matters.

However, a reconciliation between the parties was not forthcoming after the trial with goods and illustrations allegedly being commissioned and sold by the artist without a proper consent. The dispute has continued on several fronts since then with numerous appeals, actions and counter actions. In the year 2000 Ms. Igarashi sued Toei Animation Film over the trademark of CandyCandy forcing a broadcast freeze on the series, for some time it was feared by some fans that due to legal battles the reprint of manga and rebroadcasting of the Anime may not occur again. Last week's Japanese Supreme Court ruling matched the Tokyo High Court decision issued in March 2000, and the Tokyo District Court ruling in February 1999, declaring undisputedly on Japanese legal grounds that Kyoko Mizuki is rightfully co-creator and copyright holder of CandyCandy and all merchandise requires her authorization and permission, as is her right within the law.

A Kahoku Online article reports May 30th saw the Tokyo District Court awarding 29,500,000 yen compensation to Mizuki Kyoko against Igarashi Yumiko and 5 companies for breach of copyright in the production and sale of Candy Candy related goods. Presiding Judge Mimura Ryoichi followed the decision of the Supreme Court in October 2001 in which that court accepted that Mizuki held the copyright. Damages were fixed at 3% of total sales by the enterprise.

Top Manga Salaries

Manga information magazine Comic Fan vol.16 has printed a list of the highest paid manga creators in Japan:

Tax amount (estimated income in parenthesis) in millions of yen

• Takahashi Rumiko 225.36 (616)
• Aoyama Takemasa 162.34 (446)
• Kurumada Masami 84.12 (234)
• Akimoto Osamu 50.03 (142)
• Akatsuka Fujio 47.67 (136)
• Urasawa Naoki 44.54 (127)
• Yokoyama Mitsuki 36.21 (105)
• Miyazaki Hayao 31.82 (93)
• Yanase Takashi 29.28 (86)
• Miyashita Akira 28.47 (84)
• Kawahara Masatoshi 28.47 (84)
• Mizushima Shinji 28.16 (83)
• Umezawa Yukari 20.48 (62)
• Hirogane Kenshi 19.31 (59)
• Adachi Mitsuru 19.12 (59)
• Yaku Mitsuru 13.39 (43)
• Kawaguchi Kaiji 12.53 (41)

Online Periodicals and Web Site Updates

The anime section of this month's Sequential Tart focuses on hentai or pornographic anime. It also features anime reviews on titles such as Excel Saga, Gatekeepers, Devil Hunter Yokho, Soul Hunter, and Spriggan, and manga reviews such as Chobits, Vol.1, Record of Lodoss War, and Geobreeders.

The new AnimeFringe looks at Kenichi Sonoda's babes and guns sci-fi manga Cannon God Exaxxion, Armitage: Dual-Matrix, Tenchi-Muyo! Galaxy Police Transporter, Cinderalla, and reviews Miyuki-chan in Wonderland, Sherlock Hound: Case File II DVD, Brain Powered Vol.1: Birth DVD, Mobile Suit Gundam 0080 Vol.2 DVD, Patlabor TV series Vol.2, Rurouni Kenshin: Sei Sou Hen Vol.2 (the new OAV series), No. 5 Vol.1 and Evangelion: Ayanami Raising Project .

Ninth Art has posted a new "Occidental Tourist" column entitled "Ancestor Worship" about the Osamu Tezuka

Akadot has posted a brief interview about the live action Ninja Scroll movie with Threshold Entertainment's Chairman and CEO, Larry Kasanoff.

Akadot has also launched a retail site at Akadotretail.com with domestic and imported anime products.

Anime distributors Urban Vision has re-designed their web-site at www.urban-vision.com

Jagged Team has interviewed Super Techno Arts rep Cindy Yamauchi here

Production IG's new site was updated with Blade 2 Blade 2 director Guillermo Del Toro's visit to Production IG, and IG's next project Gambarimasu at here, and and Korean-American Rober Hwang's experience working at Production IG at Production I.G here

Bandai's Silent Mobius web site has gone online at silentmobius.bandai-ent.com The first DVD collection will be released on June 18th.

Viz's new site for Osamu Tezuka's manga masterpiece Phoenix can be seen here

Pioneer, Viz, and Hasbro has launched a flash intensive Zoids site at ZoidsBattle.com

Central Park Media has launced a the Legend of Himiko site.

Pioneer has a launched a Strawberry Eggs site.

From the creators of Hand Maid May, Strawberry Eggs is comedy of a man so desperate to get a job teaching that he goes to extraordinary lengths to get a job at an all girls school! DVD 1: Make-up Exam is currently slated for release on 8/13. Although there are rumors (mainly thanks to their new website) that indicate the title was pushed back to 8/23 release, Pioneer indicated that these rumors are false and the title will be released on 8/13.

English NewType Update

A representative of AD Vision has confirmed for AnimeNation that the premier issue of the long delayed English language version of Newtype Magazine will debut at next month's Anime Expo convention in Long Beach California. AD Vision will be the official American distributor of the new monthly magazine, and will have a limited edition of 20,000 copies of a special premier issue available for sale only at Anime Expo. The first regular monthly issue will be available through normal retail channels tentatively in August.

Details are still slim, but AD Vision has confirmed that the American version of Newtype will cover both Japanese and American anime fandom and will be printed in the same "back-to-front" Japanese format as the veteran Japanese version of the monthly anime magazine.

Lupin Confirmed for North American TV

The Associated Press newswire has confirmed that Pioneer will back television broadcast of Lupin III on American and Canadian television. The article, however, merely confirms that Lupin animation will be broadcast on North American television and does not specifically explain if this refers to TV episodes or TV movies, nor does the article reveal exactly what or how much Lupin animation Pioneer owns distribution license for.

Anime Convention News

Manga artist Tommy Ohtsuka and manga writer Yoshihiro Komada, who worked on the manga adapation of this year's Slayers movie, "Slayers Premium" will be guest of honor at Big Apple Anime Fest/Anime Expo New York

Otakon has announced Yasuhiro Naito (Trigun Creator), Masao Maruyama (Madhouse Producer) and Yutaka Minowa (Character Designer for Vampire Hunter D) will be attending the convention has guests of honor.

Anime Expo Film Schedule

Anime Expo has posted their schedule for their 35mm Showings at here

Bandai Entertainment A-Kon News

From Anime on DVD's convention report by Mariela Ortiz.

Kaze Makase Tsukikage Ran is officially being retitled Carried by the Wind and it is expected "soon," as is Arjuna, which Bandai is expecting to perform well.

Bandai America (the toy and game branch) will have the .hack game out by the end of the year, and Bandai Ent. Wants to get the TV series out soon afterwards, though no date is set and 2003 is more likely.

Some things were mentioned about Char's Counterattack, such as the fact there is a subbed print (in fact it is that print that will premiere at Expo next month.)

"And for those of you wondering about the extra for the DVD labeled "Gundam Model Musical" well, it sorta is. It's a STOMP like musical tour of the making of Gundam model kits. I'm sure it will be insane."

One is an Outlaw Star box set, which will either retail for $79.99 or 89.99 (he couldn't remember) and the other is a Gundam Wing TV box set which will retail for $199.99. (Endless Waltz NOT included) Both will be the DVD keepcases in cardboard boxes.

Jerry Chu is now aware of the plans for a Big O 2, and confirmed that Cartoon Network is involved. However, there was no confirmation that Bandai Ent. Had or will have anything to do with it. G Gundam's start date on CN is completely up to CN, and hence BE isn't even sure when it will begin, they do expect to start the DVD release around December, and it may even carry a lower SRP (possibly $20). Jerry once again reassured everyone that the discs will have the original Japanese track. More Love Hina is "being worked on" but still nothing official.

Although there are no confirmed American licensees, Bandai of Japan apparently would like to see the recent Onegai Teacher and Galaxy Angel TV series released in America.

ADV Films A-Kon News

From Anime on DVD's convetion report by Mariela Ortiz.

While there were no new titles announced more CD titles for the animetrax line were mentioned. New ones seemed to include the Blue Seed soundtracks, more Lost Universe OSTs and more Slayers movie soundtracks.

Zone of Enders OVA is set for this fall, TV series will follow afterwards. You're Under Arrest is set for 2003, the specials will probably precede the movie. Gensomaden Saiyuki will be called Saiyuki, instead of Paradise Raiders title originally announced. Mahou Senshi Riui will be titled Rune Soldier (singular) which is pretty close to the English title we see in the opening anyway. And the main character's name will be Louie.

Apparently an American release of the Nadesico Gekiganger III OAV is "likely" but there are still no plans for an American release of the Sorcerer Hunters OAV series or the Blue Seed 2 OAV series.

Despite the fact some people think they will never be released, more Slayers movies are being translated right now (the translator was in the room) so work is really being done on those.

The plans for Southern Cross, Mospaeda and Aura Battler Dunbine call for multi-disc keepcases, one each for SC and Mospeada and two for Dunbine. City Hunter however, is currently being reevaluated due to circumstances out of ADV's control.

Funimation A-Kon News

From Anime on DVD's convetion report by Mariela Ortiz.

Some facts about Funimation's production capabilities these days, they are up to three recording studios and 60 employees, so they expect to be getting things out faster. In fact Blue Gender has been officially bumped up (some of this has shown up in changed release dates on TRSI) and the remaining volumes are tentatively set to come out two volumes every other month.

Dragonball Z movie 7 will be released in America in January 2003, followed by as many as 5 additional movies next year.

Fruits Basket coming is hopefully going to be released soon. And like all their other properties, they are trying to sell it to TV. They have not given up on Blue Gender, the fact it will be on TV in the UK is encouraging to them)

About Dragonball, and the lack of uncut and subtitled DVDs, it seems to not be so much of a rights issue with Kidsmark (who released the original 13 cut episodes and one movie) and more of a marketing one. Plans still call for those discs to eventually come out, but no dates were given.

As for DBZ, mid-2003 remains the date that the Pioneer contract for the earlier episodes of that series expires, and as usual "if there is a market" an uncut release will be made. What was different this time is that they are thinking of redubbing those episodes (instead of, say a sub only release) to give the entire series one dub cast. If you are a fan of the DBZ movies - they are all coming, in fact movie #7 is set for January 2003 and they hope to get four or five movies out next year. In the world of (ack) box sets, they do intend to make DBZ DVD box sets, like they have done with VHS, but entire sagas have to come out first.

Anime Games

MadMan Cafe points out Shounen Jump has a "Jojo's Bizzare Pinball" Macromedia Flash game here

Magic Box has posted screen shots of the upcoming GameBoy Color action card battle game Dragon Ball Z: The Legendary Super Fighters here, and Trigun creator Yasuhiro Nightow's PS2 shooting game Gungrave here.

Covers images of the Studio GhibliGarakuta Studio PS2 game Garakuta Meisaku Gekijou: Rakugaki Oukoku (Garakuta Famous Creator Theater: Kingdom of Doodling), here and here, and a movie can be seen here. In this game you become a gun-wielding, death-dealing anti-hero GunGrave. You carry two deadly machine guns Cerberos on your hands, and a coffin on your back with built-in heavy weapons

Second Mandarake USA Store To Open

Japanese anime merchandise story Mandarake opened a second store at 372 Santa Monica Blvd; Space B new Construction; Santa Monica, CA, 9401; Phone 310-393-7739; Fax 310-393-7577

Media Blasters Release Dates

Media Blasters will be releasing Berserk volume 3, Cosmo Warrior Zero Vol. #2, Gokudo, Swordsman, Rurouni Kenshin Vol. #22 (the series' final volume) Extraordinaire Vol. #5 and Y's Vol. #1 on September 24th.

Anime in Japan

From Anime News Service:

Media Factory's website is now online at www.mediafactory.co.jp. There one can find details on releases for its products which include anime such as Rahxephon and Vandread.

KSS has posted a webpage for its yet to be released 3 episode OVA series Happy World!, based on the manga serialised in Ultrajump.

Weekly Shonen Sunday's site has added a piece by author Kumeta Kouji who has announced that his manga Katte Ni Kaizo, serialised in that magazine, is to be animated.

The web site for the Space Pirate Captain Harlock, which was pulled from Japanese broadcaster AT-X's June schedule has gone off line.

Anime Nation reports Enix of Japan has announced that the 6 volume Jungle Wa Itsumo Hare Nochi Guu OAV series will premier on August 25th. The new series titled Jungle Wa Itsumo Hare Nochi Guu Deluxe will feature a new character, the female substitute teacher Yumi, along with the TV series cast of this wacky and strange comedy.

Fatal Fury and Gowcaizer chara designer Oobari Masami's TV anime series Chojushin Gravion has been set to air in the (northern) autumn. The animation of this series was first reported in 1999 and Oobari's 1999 website for the show can be found here.

The Nikkei Net newspaper reports that Makoto Shinkai's brilliant independent anime OAV Hoshi no Koe: Voice of Distant Stars has sold over 10,000 DVD copies in Japan virtually on word of mouth success alone. The 25 minute long digital anime OAV was entirely written, animated, produced (excluding voice acting and music) and marketed by Makoto alone. After working five years in the Japanese video game industry, Shinkai quit his job and spend 7 months creating his masterpiece anime OAV on his home iMac computer. He now has plans for a second self-produced anime OAV, but now there are professional Japanese studios interested in sponsoring his work, and apparently interest as well from American anime companies interested in investing and licensing future films.

Watase Seizo's Heart Cocktail Again will see the transition to mini TV anime shorts, each 5 minutes long. Watase, an illustrator who has toured with exhibitions in the U.S. has seen his "Heart Cocktail" romantic manga selling very well in Japan.

Toei is expected to name current president Tan Takaiwa as its new chairman. Managing director Tsuyoshi Okada, son of outgoing chairman, Shigeru Okada, will take over as president.

Tsuyoshi Okada's appointment will see him hit the ground running to regain financial stability for the company. According to its recently announced results for the 2001 fiscal year, ending March 31, Toei's consolidated net profit dropped 89.9% to $7.3m (Y911M). Toei experienced only modest success at the box office in the last fiscal year, with only one film, the controversial Battle Royale, in the 2001 box office top twenty

Armitage Dual Matrix Limited Edition Delayed

Pioneer has officially confirmed via distributor press release that the limited edition version of Armitage: Dual-Matrix scheduled to come packed in a metal Armitage lunch box with MacFarlane Toys Armitage figure will not be released on June 25th when the DVD only version and Polymatrix/Dual-Matrix double disc DVD set are released. The limited edition has been delayed indefinitely, ironically due to greater than anticipated demand.

Ghibli Museum Tickets available to North Americans

Anime News Network reports Ghibli Museum announced on May 28th that, starting June 1st tickets to the museum would be sold in North America, U.K., France, Italy, Australia. They can be purchased from JTB's (Japan Travel Bureau) traveling agencies in each country for July, August, and September.

Ghibli Museum tickets have already been available in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea since December, where 2,500 pieces have been sold.

TOKYOPOP Acquisitions

TOKYOPOP debuted the reace anime Inital D, and the newly announced children's title Stray Sheep at Licensing 2002 International Convention. Stray Sheep is a hyper cute/mascot/merchandise based title.

From the press release:

INITIAL D tells the story of 17-year-old Tak, a tofu delivery boy who suddenly finds himself caught up in the heart-stopping world of street racing. When chance puts him up against street racing's most notorious driver and he actually wins, the lure is too much - he's hooked. Watch the INITIAL D trailer at www.TOKYOPOP.com.

Created by Japan's renowned TV commercial and film director Tatsutoshi Nomura, STRAY SHEEP is a fresh alternative to the current selection of children's entertainment titles. Nomura created STRAY SHEEP for Fuji TV after studying graphic design and taking inspiration from Russian animator Yuri Norshteyn. With warm and friendly characters, STRAY SHEEP has become a tremendously successful franchise in its native Japan, expanding outside the core children's market into high school and college-aged consumers.

STRAY SHEEP is based on the tales of Poe, a naïve, independent and curious ram who finds himself sleepwalking into the most unpredictable situations on his path to reuniting with his herd and finding the "ewe" of his dreams.

Japanese Statements About Anime's Popularity In US Fan's View's A-Kon conevention coverage reports Nobuyuki Takahashi, President of Studio Hard stated, while admitting that not all of the "Dragon Ball and Pokemon generation" will stay with fandom, Takahashi believes that there is enough drive in the North American Fanbase at the moment to support the industry for at least the next five years.

Another respected source within one of the larger anime licensing firms in America comes another estimate as to the video media market size. According to their estimate the 2001 numbers were closer to $200 million all told in the USA including children's anime programming.

Initial D 4th Stage News From Feature In Super Street Anime News Service pointed out that the current issue of the American automotive enthusiasts' Super Street Magazine includes a multiple page article on The Initial D Anime. While the race recompilation, BattleStage OVA is technically a successor to the previous releases, noteworthy news in the article includes a line which alludes that the true continuation in the story with the 4th stage (next movie, OVA or TV series) will be produced although not for some time.