Father Geek (of the blistered Finger Tips) here with another of our great Manga/Anime reports for your mid-work-week enjoyment and information. As usual we are covering anything and everything having to do with the wonderful worlds of Anime and Manga, not just the comics and videos, but the toys, games, theater releases, company politics... EVERYTHING your little animated heart desires... Buuuuut first, before Scott's regular report Father Geek has some good news for you that came directly to Geek Headquarters in Austin from Japan...
I live in Japan and I saw a TV special for the opening of the new Studio
Ghibli animated feature "Neko no Ongaeshi" (Gratitude of the Cat), not
directed by Miyazaki. Anyway, it was announced on the special (I think for
the first time) that Miyazaki will be directing a new feature that starts
production in February of 2003. Even though I'm pretty sure he said that "Sen
to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" (Spirited Away) would be his last film (as he also did
with Princess Mononoke). Nothing is yet known of what the film will be
about. But the staff at Studio Ghibli would be taking vacation (after
finishing "Neko no Ongaeshi") and would be asked to come back refreshed in
February of next year to start on the new production.
Other than that, there was a special mentioned that Miyazaki was currently working
on building a town. It looks like a kind of utopian village from his ever active
imagination. The broadcast mentioned that a daycare center would be in the best part
of the town (showing Miyazaki's love for children). There would also be a
hospice near to that. It said that this wasn't just a dream of Miyazaki's.
Well, that's about all.
Jayman
Father Geek back, WOW!!! A Miyazaki-land. I want to go there NOW! Well, instead I'll just have to settle for this week's...
AICN Anime Report...
by Scott Green...
Special Anime Preview: Evangelion Death and Rebirth
Released by Manga Entertainment
For a while it looks like all anime would be
categorized as pre or post Neon Genesis Evangelion. It
looks like the medium in increasing escaping its pull,
but the series flooded Japanese television with its
children. It brought or introduced back giant robots,
weekly attacking monsters, skin tight suits, and flashy
symbolism.
The series followed Shinj Ikari, the withdrawn son of
the founder of Nerve, a secret organization which used
giant robots, piloted by children to combat invading
creatures known as angels. It is giant robots done
exceptionally well, packed with interesting sci-fi
battle, creative battles and secret histories. And
there may be some religion may be thrown in. And it
may be able damaged people living in a damaged world,
or perception and self determination, or none of these
thing. And this created controversy when the series
concluded its television run.
The Evangelion movies came about as a replacement for
the television series final two episodes. When you cap
off a 26 episodes series that was full off amazing
fights between giant robots and other worldly invaders,
in a world full of Byzantine networks of secret
agencies, and heavy handed Judeo-Christians symbolism
with a two episode challenge to viewer to re-evaluate
the series, the medium, and themselves, you are going
to evoke a strong love or hate reaction. The episodes
here an ink blot test. Some say the studio, Gainax ran
out of budget and couldn't bring the series to its
Apocalyptic conclusion, others said it was a parable
about the making of the series, other said that it was
forwarding the message the series was making all along.
The viewers who preferred Evangelion as a story rather
than as a statement, or a question strongly objected to
the new purpose the episodes imposed on the series, and
whether they liked it or not, the movies "Death and
Rebirth", and "End of Evangelion" gave them what they
wanted.
The first half of the movie retells the series leading
up to is finally, most in Gainax's text interspersed
rapid cuts style. It is probably the most intense clip
show you'll see. The scenes are sorted by character,
and event to a lesser degree. Though years have passed
since many first saw Evangelion, and the prominent
memory is Shinj's whining, it doesn't take long before
the show becomes fresh again, and you before entranced
in its excitement, and details. The arrangement lends
insight to those who have already seen the series, and
it is probably an adequate introduction to those who
have not.
The second half is the first part of Evangelion's
alternate ending. It is Evangelion without
television's constraints of budget, or taste. It opens
up with one of the most shocking displays of
helplessness put on film, and gets more gut wrenching
from there. If people are correct about Evangelion
being a parable about anime production, and public
reaction, "Death and Rebirth" sure isn't a love letter.
In response to Gendo Ikari's gambit, Nerve's parent
organization SEELE decides to exterminate its child.
After defeating the mysterious monster, NERV is
shattered by special ops soldier, helicopters and
bombing. It isn't fun action, it's people bleeding,
and screaming.
The first ending caused either love, or hate, this one
may invoking love or hate, but in many cases, it is
going to stun the viewer (and count the delays to the
released of the second half in "End of Evangelion").
It has everything that people disappointed with the
television series ending wanted: relentless action,
resolutions to the series' plot, amazing animation,
cool technology, and fierce giant robot battles, but it
probably isn't how they imagined it would be.
Regardless of your reaction to the first ending, you
may not enjoy "End of Evangelion", but you know you
have to see if, because if nothing else, Evangelion is
as invocative as anime comes, and you know will not see
anything like it again. There is some real debate and
thought that can be put into this movie, and like the
series, there may not be an answer.
The DVD features encyclopedia of background information
about the series, running links to information, and a
great commentary track by voice actors, voice
directors, and an overly knowledgeable fan.
Death and Rebirth is due to be released July 30th.
Anime Spotlight: His and Her Circumstances Volume 1
(episodes 1-6)
Released by Right Stuf
So what does one do after creating and directing Neon
Genesis Evangelion? Well, in the case of Hideaki Anno,
direct a shoujo (girl's) high school drama/comedy.
His and Her Circumstances is the story of the people
that just about everyone loathes to some degree in high
school; the perfect people who are attractive, excel at
scholastics and sports, and worst of all have great
personalities. Like Evangelion the series examines
extreme cases of a certain personality model, with an
eye to its implications.
Yukino Miyazawa is one of those people; a deviant
praise junkie who puts herself through the wringer for
attention and admiration of the faceless masses.
Though she is a lazy, selfish slob when at home with
her middle class, mildly dysfunctional family at home,
at school she is eternally helpful, intelligent, and
highly successful. Her only competition is Souichiriou
Arima, a boy from a rich family who seems naturally and
effortless perfect. The two enter into a whirl wind
relationship, a bit like Friends on speed, with
character depth. Despite its high every level, it is
an introspective series. After meeting Arima, Miyazawa
because very self aware, and alternates between periods
of instinctual spontaneity, and examination or planning.
His and Her Circumstances could have easily been very
bland visually. A large potion of it is characters in
school uniforms talking to each other, or thinking to
themselves. Instead, it plays with the standard tools
of the genre (ie "super deforming" the character by
adjusting their body proportions to humorous effect),
along with visual symbolism both blatant and
innovative. Then creates a new visual vocabulary, often
in ways that soften the boundary between still mediums
and animation. For example, integrating pages of the
manga (comic) into the action, or use of onscreen text
that resembles still (magazine/sign/add) graphic layout
over moving animation. The result gives the series its
own flavor.
Right Stuf's release of the series is nothing short of
amazing. Their statements about record the amount of
code that went into the DVD was clearly not an idol
boast. The amount to text the screen must have
presented an a staggering challenge, and it is one that
Right Stuf met with outstanding success. The DVD
allows the use the choice of language track, subtitles,
and whether to translate screen text. Their
translation not only matches the color of the text and
position of the text, but in some case its motion in an
attractive and natural way.
His and Her Circumstances is wittier and deeper than
most sitcoms, and its focus on the mechanics of
personalities gives it an appeal to viewers who aren't
necessarily interested in a high school drama.
Anime Spotlight: GTO Great Teacher Onizuka (volumes 2
and 3)
Released by TOKYOPOP
After the first volume of Great Teacher Onizuka, its
biker thug turned teacher protagonist has established
himself on firm ground at a school where he will be
teaching. Without the first volume's burden of
defining the character is a small amount of space, the
show's spacing become more natural, and what was
annoying in the first volume becomes enjoyable. The
most noticeable difference between the animated and
manga (comic) versions of GTO is the pacing. The
increase in speed helps later volumes, but proved too
much too soon in the first volume. Onizuka's insane
antics and fantasies become fun when they aren't
inundating you.
When Onizuka reaches his new school, a consistent cast
of teachers (full of perverts, stalkers, and thugs) and
students (a group of misfits, schemers and deadbeats)
enter the story. The new sense of continuity helps the
series immensely. The paradox of Great Teacher Onizuka
is that the two things that make the series work are
that it is some fresh, and unseen, and an emotion
empathy with the characters built from familiarity.
Though it settles into a familiar pattern it retains
its ability to shock, and though its emotional, it
doesn't cross into sentimentality.
In its first volume GTO was something new, and novel,
in its second and third, it becomes addicting, one of
the few shows you mark your calendar in preparing for
the released of the next volume. The whole "he changed
one life at a time" thing is pat, played out, and
insulting preachy. However, when the protagonist is a
headstrong earnest nutcase, and the lives charge are a
spoiled girl who lives for making adults lick her feet,
it obtains a level of interest, and off qualities of
sweetness and believability. Even if its often
predictable.
This Week's Releases
Anime
- Dragon Ball Z - Fusion - Losing Battle
- Dragon Ball Z - Fusion - Play for Time
- Nadia, The Secret of Blue Water - The Prophecy
- Fulfilled (Vol. 10)
- Steel Angel Kurumi - The Trouble With Angels (Vol. 2)
- Yu Yu Hakusho - A New Apprentice (Edited, Vol. 3)
- Yu Yu Hakusho - A New Apprentice (Uncut, Vol. 3)
Manga
- All New Tenchi Muyo Part 1 #3 (Of 5)
- Bastard Vol 1 Tp
- Dragonball Part 5 #2 (Of 7)
- Dragonball Z Vol 9 Tp
- Inu Yasha Part 6 #15 (Of 15)
- Lodoss War Deedlits Tale Vol 1 Tp Choices
- Whats Michael A Hard Days Life Tp
Bastard Influenced by swords and sorcery, and full of
metal music puns,
the comedy adventure features the wizard Dark Shneider
against his former lieutenants
who are trying to conquer the world.
Lodoss War Deedlit's Tale is shoujo version of the
swords and sorcery tale Lodoss War, focusing on the
relationship between the elf women Deedlit, and the
knight Parn.
Steel Angel Kurumi is a 15 minute episode series an
alternate history version of Japan in the 1920's with a
young boy, and his military robot in a French maid
outfit.
Info On New Gundam
From Anime
News Service:
The next new Gundam series is Mobile Suite Gundam Seed,
scheduled for Japanese TV this October. The stand
alone story follows the forces of an Earth orbiting
colony who steal five prototype Gundams.
This new series seeks to capture the generation
approximately 10 years of age and up (including junior
high and high school students). 2 protagonists (aged
round about 16) and 10 Gundam types will be featured
and it's the hope that this new work will have it's
inspiration on the current generation of fans as the
original MS Gundma had when it was debuted over 20
years ago.
The official site can be seen at www.gundam-seed.net
The animation production staff includes supervisor
Mitsuo Fukuda (Gear Fighter Dendoh, Cyber Formula),
Kunio Okawara (MS Gundam, Gaogaiger) & Kimitoshi Yamane
(Cowboy Bebop, Ryvius) as mecha designers, and Hisashi
Hirai (Ryvius, Gulkeever) as character designer.
GameSpot confirms that a Playstation 2 game based on
Gundam Seed will be released in Japan in December.
The August 2002 issue of Newtype Magazine, to be
released this month in Japan, will feature an article
on Sunrise's latest Gundam series titled New Mobile Suit Gundam Seed.
According to Game Spot Bandai announced
PlayStation 2 titles based on upcoming animated series
Gundam Seed and Dragon Drive in Japan.
Ghibli Closes Down...
Ghibli Completes "Neko",and then Breaks For six Months.
According to Japanese Newspapers the production of
Ghibli's (Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service)
upcoming title Neko no Ongaeshi has been completed and
the movie will be released in theatres on July 20th in
Japan. The movie is based on the cat Baron from
"Whispers of the Heart", a great movie about young
artists
Toshio Suzuki, studio manager and producer, announced
that Studio Ghibli will be closed until February 1st,
2003, when the production of Miyazaki's next film will
begin.
G-Gundam on Toonami Press Release
Official Press Release:
New Gundam Series Joins Toonami August 5 at 5:30pm (ET,
PT)
Cartoon Network will premiere G Gundam on Monday,
August 5, during Toonami, the network's top-rated
afternoon action-adventure franchise. The 49 episode
series will air Monday - Friday at 5:30 p.m. (ET, PT).
G Gundam occurs at the beginning of the thirteenth
Gundam Fight in the year Future Century 0060. The elite
of humankind have immigrated to various space colonies,
leaving the poor behind on Earth. In an attempt to
eliminate war, the nations developed the Gundam Fight,
a tournament held every four years to determine the
ruler of the Earth Sphere. For the tournament, each
nation sends a Gundam and a pilot to Earth where they
engage in battles with Gundams of the other nations.
The winner is bestowed with honor and glory while his
nation obtains the right to rule the world until the
next tournament.
This time, more is at stake than a simple battle for
power. Neo Japan's Gundam Fighter, Domon Kasshu, is on
a mission to find his brother. Domon's brother fled to
Earth after stealing a prototype Gundam called the Dark
Gundam and for this crime, Domon's father has been
sentenced to a state of suspended animation. Only by
winning the tournament and tracking down the Dark
Gundam can Domon clear the family name and save his
father.
Tokyopop Open Letter regarding Initial D
TOKYOPOP has sent out an open letter to the anime and
manga fan community about concerns regarding the
translation of Initial D. Anime News
Network has it posted here.
Excerpt from the letter:
First, we score Initial D, this kick-ass franchise
property from Japan. We get the anime, the manga, the
merchandising -- and we are thrilled! Then, we start
making our plans. This is gonna be Speed Racer for the
new millennium -- we're thinking lunch pails,
videogames, t-shirts. you name it!
We also know that we have a responsibility to be true
to the spirit of the original Japanese version of
Initial D. So, we start having lots of late night
sessions about how to present Initial D to the widest
possible audience and yet still retain its core
essence. Some of us insist on calling the car the
'Hachi-Roku,' others call that insane and say that the
only way to present the car to an American audience is
as the 'Eight-Six.' We talk to bigwig network execs who
want all the kanji removed from the logo and the car,
who want to change tofu delivery to pizza delivery, who
are utterly mystified at our insistence on retaining
the original Japanese sound effects and printing the
manga right-to-left, and who want us to refer to Takumi
as Jeffrey "because it would be easier to pronounce"!
Most of the time, amidst this onslaught, we stick to
our guns. Tofu stays tofu - place names like Mount
Akina, Myogi, Akagi, the names of the racing teams, the
name of the very prefecture wherein the story unfolds,
the Fujiwara Tofu Shop kanji on the side of the
Eight-Six -- we keep them all. But, bless our pointy
little heads, we decide to create nicknames for some of
the character names in the books because we know that
they will have to be changed when the show gets on
television, anyway - and at least we can keep the
nicknames close.
So, Takumi becomes Tak, and Itsuki becomes Iggy, and
Bunta & Kenji become Bunta & Kenji (wait, those aren't
good examples - gomen!), and Wataru Akiyama becomes
Aki, and Keisuke Takahashi becomes K.T. It could've
been worse - we could've been forced to go with Dirk,
Patsy, Buffy, Andrea, Chelsea, Geoffrey, and Chandler .
and, just FYI, the hot Sega Initial D arcade game due
in a neighborhood near you soon will also feature the
same names currently running in our manga.
So, why did we release the first volume of the manga
with the original names? We simply screwed up - d'oh! -
and went to press before our strategy was finalized.
Just so you know, our next printing of Volume 1 will
have the altered names. Also, in the spirit of full
disclosure: there are a few sex scenes in the manga
that we'll be altering -- one in the 1st volume,
another later on in Vol. 8 or 9. These edits are
necessary because we are positioning Initial D in the
U.S. for a younger audience than it serves in Japan.
Convention News (including Cowboy Bebop Movie Dub
Premiere)
The Big
Apple Anime Festival has announced that they have
locked in for the next four years. This year's
convention will feature the US premiere of Millennium
Actress, and the premiere of the English dub of the
Cowboy Bebop movie.
Anime News
Network reports, it looks as if Cowboy Bebop staff
Shinichiro Watanabe (Director) and Toshihiro Kawamoto
(Character Design, Animation director (movie)). While
neither guest is listed in the BAAF Guest List the
theatre schedule list a Q&A session with them following
the premiere of the Cowboy Bebop dub.
Wendee Lee and David Lucas will be reprising their
roles as Faye Valentine and Spike Spiegel in Cowboy
Bebop: The Movie. John Billingslea also returns as Jett
Black, however he is using his real name for the part,
Beau Billingslea. At this time there is no mention of
any other cast members.
Also noticeable is that the Press Release refers to the
movie only as "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie", there is no
mention of the "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" title.
Anime Expo Next York announced Atsushi Takeuchi and
Noboru Ishiguro will be attending as guests of honor.
Ishiguro is best known as the director of such series
as Macross, Space Cruiser Yamato, Legend of the
Galactic Heroes and many more.
Takeuchi is Production IG's top mecha designer and has
produced the mecha designs for Anime such as Ghost in
the Shell, Sakura Taisen and Tenchi Muyo. Takeuchi has
also directed a number of items including Yuki Kaze and
has worked as production designer and key animator on a
number of Anime.
For More information see Anime Expo
A new major anime convention has been announced for
Chicago in 2003 named Anime Reactor.
From the announcement:
For years, the Japanese Anime and American comic book
cultures have lived in separate realms. Enter Anime
Reactor, the newest fan-based anime convention, created
to primarily promote understanding and education of
these two cultures to provide both fan groups the
opportunity to explore similarities and influences. See
www.animereactor.org for more information.
The first guest announced for Anime Reactor is manga
artist Kia Asamiya.He is internationally known for his
work on the popular series Silent Mobius, Dark Angel
and Steam Detectives.
Bandai has announced Takehito Ito (Outlaw Star and
Angel Links) and Hiroyuki Morioka (Crest of the Stars)
at this year's Otakon 2002 Convention in Baltimore,
Maryland from July 26th through July 28th.
With the huge success of Bandai's anime series, Outlaw
Star, on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block - fans of
Japanese animation will get a chance to interact with
Mr. Takehito Ito throughout Otakon weekend at various
scheduled panels and autograph sessions. Mr. Ito is a
well known manga artist and art director who began his
career as an animation and merchandising illustrator.
He studied planning and editing at Shindosha, a design
office known for their designs of the popular Zeta
Gundam anime series. In his late 20s, he founded
Morning Star Inc. and has since been involved with
animation and videogame character designs.
Based on the best selling science fiction novels by
Hiroyuki Morioka, the Crest of the Stars series helped
introduce the epic saga of the Abh Empire and the
dramatic story between the Abh Princess Lafiel and
young human Jinto. In 1996, "Seikai no Monsho - Crest
of the Stars" was published. This popular story was
well received gaining much popularity and reputation as
the cutting edge of sci-fi space saga, and received the
28th Seiun Awards in Japan. Soon after, the Crest of
the Stars story would be animated by Sunrise studios
with release here in North America.
Otakon announced
that director Tatsuo Sato will be attending the
convention as a guest of honor. His major projects
include Chibi Maruko (animation director), Akazukin Cha
Cha (animation director), and His and Her Circumstances
(script). Branching out, he took the helm as full
director for the first time in 1995 on a show called
Tobe! Isami (Fly! Isami), followed by Martian Successor
Nadesico. He was also directed the Nadesico movie,
Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness, in 1998. His recent
works include Gakuen Senki Muryo and Nekojiru Sou.
Inu-Yasha English Voices
Rumic
World has obtained a detailed list of voice cast
for Viz's English dub of Inu-Yasha from Toshifumi
Yoshida of Viz.
English Shonen Jump Site Opens
Viz has opened a official web site for the upcoming
Shonen Jump manga anthology at www.shonenjump.com
Puchi Puri*Yuushi Website
Gainax has launched a website (in Japanese) for their
upcoming TV series Puchi Puri*Yuushi. According to the
website the TV series will run for 26 episodes (2
seasons) and air on Thursdays this fall here.
Pokemon 4Ever To be Released October 11th
According to Yahoo Movies, Pokemon 4ever will premiere
in North American theatres on October 11th, 2002. The
trailer can be seen here
Fist of the Blue Sky Anime
According to AnimeNation the
promotional issue 0 of Raijin Comics given away at
Anime Expo, an Anime adaptation of Fist of the Blue Sky
(Souten no Ken) will premiere on Japanese television
this coming October. Fist of the Blue Sky is a prequel
to the famous exploding headings martial arts epic Fist
of the North Star and will be available to North
American readers in the weekly Raijin Comics.
Gutsoon! will be publishing trade paperback collections
of a "remastered" and full color edition of Fist of the
North Star in the near future.
A DVD will be offered with a one year subscription that
will feature the first episodes of Fist of the Blue
Sky, and Baki the Grappler.
Weiss Kreuz Gluhen Updates
From Anime
News Service
Weißkreuz Gluhen (known as Knight Hunters in Media
Blasters domestic release) was delayed earlier this
year after copyright issues arrose with the character
desings. A new character design will be announced in
Japan on July 7th in relation to the broadcast to
commence in September 2002. The new desongs have been
uploaded to the website of voice actor Koyasu Takehito
at here
Also see here and here
Weiss Kreuz is the story of four angst filled
attractive men who are florists by day, and assassins
by night.
Columbia Tristar Releases in UK
reports Columbia Tristar plans to release Appleseed,
based on Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow on
DVD on 7/27.
A Metropolis screen conformed that they will be
releasing the Cowboy Bebop movie in the UK.
For information on their Metropolis release see www.metropolisdvd.co.uk
Dreamwave to Adapt More Japanese Titles?
Comics rumor column Lying in the Gutters, who has just handled the
ultra-successful re-launch of the Transformer comic,
has caught the attention of a number of Japanese
publishers, talking about licensing their properties
for the North American market. Dreamwave's reputation
is growing and we can expect to see a fair few newly
reimagined versions of Japanese classics.
The column also reports Wildstorm stealing the
"Robotech" license from under Dreamwave's noses, with
the connection to Tommy Yune who drew WildStorm's
"Speed Racer" and "Danger-Girl: Kamikaze" mini-series',
and left to draw Robotech. His art on classic
characters like Minmay is at www.Robotech.com
From the column:
So Jim Lee already has an agent working the gears from
the inside - and it's just a matter of time before the
WildStorm-Robotech deal is announced. Early plans call
for Yune to draw the covers, ad's and vignette stories.
Stories are to be authored by Carl Macek (the original
writer of the "Robotech" animated series) with a bunch
of Wildstorm favourites on art.
ICV Interviews
ICV2 interviewd
Gutsoon! (the company that will be producing weekly
manha anthology Raijin) Consulting Editor Sam
Humphries, and Nobu Horie, Chairman of Gutsoon parent
Coamix Inc. here,
Tokyopop VP--Information Services Mike Kiley was
interviewed here.
Cartoon Network Cowboy Bebop Marathon
Jazz Messanger
re[prts next Saturday Cartoon Network will be airing a
Cowboy Bebop marathon with "6 of the best episodes of
Cowboy Bebop back to back." There is speculation that
these will be the episodes on the special edition DVD.
Ken Lee leaves Tokyopop
Ken Lee has announced that he will be leaving Tokyopop
in order to rejoin the video game industry where he
worked before.
Upcoming Anime Releases
From Media Blasters:
- Dragon Rider - 29.95 - 60 minutes
- Knight Hunters Vol. #5 - 29.95 - 125 minutes - Final
Volume
- Space Pirate Mito Vol. #1 - 24.95 - 100 minutes
From Pioneer:
- Fushigi Yugi: Eikoden - 29.98/39.98 - 120 minutes -
11/12/2002
- Sailor Moon Super S TV Vol. #5 - 29.98 - 140 minutes -
11/19/2002
- Vandread Second Stage Vol. #2 - 29.98 - 75 minutes -
11/19/2002
- X Vol. #2 - 29.98 - 75 minutes - 11/19/2002
- Tenchi Muyo! : Magical Project S: Volume 1 - 44.95 -
325 minutes - 11/19/2002
- Tenchi Muyo! : Magical Project S: Volume 2 - 44.95 -
325 minutes - 11/19/2002
- Sherlock Hound Casefile 6 - 29.98 - 100 minutes -
12/12/2002
- Strawberry Eggs Vol. #3 - 29.98 - 75 minutes -
12/12/2002
- Zoids Vol. #4 - 19.98 - 88 minutes - 12/12/2002
The original Armitage III OAV series is now scheduled
for domestic DVD release in November.
Hand Maid May will be released as a boxed set early
next year. The Tenchi Muyo OAV series will be
re-released on DVD in America in mid-spring of next
year.
Pioneer has confirmed for Anime on DVD that
the Tenchi Muyo Pretty Sammy TV series, known in
America as "Magical Project S," will hit domestic DVD
in two 2-disc DVD sets containing episodes 1-13 & 14-26.
Pioneer has launched a website dedicated to Mihoshi and
Pretty Sammy from Tenchi Muyo! at here.
ADV announced tha Dai-Guard volume 1 will be released
on September 17th at $29.98 for 5 episodes. Dragon Half
will be released on the 24th.
Super Atragon DVD Release
ADV Films has set the street date of August 20, 2002
for the DVD premiere of Super Atragon, the popular OAV
produced by Toho International, the legendary producers
of the Godzilla movie franchise, and co-producers of
Akira and Spriggan. Super Atragon is based on Kaitei
Gunkan, the 1900 Japanese science fiction novel by
Shunro Oshikawa. Previously available on VHS, this
release marks the DVD premiere of Super Atragon.
The Story: Moments after an atomic bomb falls over
Hiroshima, a secret Japanese submarine sails into
battle against its American counterpart, and both are
lost to history. Some fifty years later, the long-lost
sub astonishingly reappears, as a mysterious black
cylinder threatens a special UN task force sent to
investigate unusual phenomena in Antarctica. However,
the incident in the Antarctic is only the first round
in a cataclysmic battle of wills between two
descendants of an ancient race dwelling within the
Earth. Standing against them is a single, amazing ship
- the RA, a Yamato-class battle sub secretly rebuilt
after its supposed destruction in World War II. A
science fiction masterpiece with a brilliant story and
stunning animation, Super Atragon is a classic no one
should miss!
ADV's release of Super Atragon ($24.98 SRP) collects
the two-part sci-fi anime in the English-language, as
well as the Japanese language version with English
subtitles.
One Piece Manga Surpasses Slam Dunk Distribution Record
Anime News
Service The "ONE PIECE " is the first edition
highest. The 24th volume of the book of popular comics
"ONE PIECE " (Artist: Eiichiroh Oda, Publishing
company: Shueisha) published the 2,520,000 parts
highest ever by the first edition on the 4th. The
second impression of 20,000 parts was decided after two
weeks. "ONE PIECE" is under series in a weekly Shonen
jump (company), and the TV program is also broadcast.
Old record is 2,500,000 parts of 21 - 23-volume each
first edition of a "slam dunk shot" (Takehiko Inoue ).
One Piece is a fun pirate series about Monkey D. Lufi,
a boy with a stretching rubber
body, and dreams to be the Pirate King. He's joined
by an equally odd crew, and faces increasingly strange
villains.
Images of the Playstation game Puruu's Adventure from
Groove Adventure Rave, featuring the anime/manga
series' very odd mascot (a snow-man like dog with a
cone nose) can be seen at here.
The world should prepare for a barrage of Sega's Sakura
Taisen (Wars), the popular RPG games and anime series
features an steam tech version of the 1920's were
groups of young women with special energy protect
nations with their steam tech robots.
Sega made their big announcement regarding the Sakura
Taisen World
Project yesterday in Japan which includes a new
manga series, six Playstation 2 games, one game for
Windows PC's, a musical event and two OVA series. The one shot OVA, Sakura Taisen:
Kanzaki Sumire Intai Kinen, is scheduled for a December
2002 release. Another three
volume OAV series: Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris is
slated for release from spring-summe3 2003. Famitsu.com has added
series editor Akahori Satoru mentioned a TV series and
movie should also be produced.
Images from the upcoming X: The Chosen Fate fighting
game, based on CLAMP's X can be seen here
Bandai has announced SD Gundam G-Generation Neo for
PlayStation 2, the latest sequel of their popular robot
war simulation game.
Banpresto has released update details on their GameBoy
Color action card battle game Dragonball Z: Legendary
Super Fighters, scheduled to release in Japan on August
9, for 4500 yen. Banpresto mentioned the game will be
released in 5 different languages for the Europe and
North America market. Screen shots can be seen here
Bandai has released new details on their upcoming
WonderSwan Color / SwanCrystal fighting game From TV
Animation One Piece Grand Battle Swan Colosseum,
scheduled to release in Japan on July 12, for 4500 yen.
The game is based on the hit TV anime series One Piece,
featuring characters from the series. This time the
theme is the battle between Luffy's pirate team and Mr.
Crocodile's Baroque Works. Each character will have
over 20 kinds of combo techniques and special attacks.
Screenshots can be seen here
Bandai will release an action RPG for WonderSwan Color
/ SwanCrystal called Inu Yasha ~ Storm Scroll in Japan
on July 27, for 4980 yen. Screen shots can be seen here
Konami announced a new Anime based GameCube soccer game
called Captain Tsubusa: Golden Generation Challenge,
scheduled to release in Japan in September. This time
the game will be a 3D soccer game like Winning Eleven
6, in which you will start from a new soccer team,
working your way to the soccer champion.
Banpresto will release Super Robot Taisen R for GameBoy
Advance in Japan on August 2, for 5800 yen. This is the
second installment of the popular robot battle
simulation game, feature characters from 17 different
series + original characters, including Nadesico, Gear
Dendoh, True Gettarobot, Neo Gettarrobot. Screen shots
can be seen here.
Madman Cafe reports
Capcom has made a Grand reopening of the site for their
upcoming Playstation 2 adventure game here, "Jojo's Bizzare Adventure - Ougon no Kaze". The title
adopts Part 5 of the Gothic horror series manga, with
the main Character as the son of Jojo Part 3's last
boss, Dio Brandeau.
Hamtaro Continues Ratings Success
"Hamtaro," Cartoon Network's newest half-hour animé
import series from Japan, continued pouring in its
performance with a fifth straight week of double-digit
delivery and ratings gains for its Monday-Friday at
7:00 A.M. timeslot. The series marked its highest
draw-in with boys 9-14, rising 146% in delivery
(214,000) and 120% in ratings (2.2). Tweens 9-14 saw an
impressive growth, up 64% in delivery (246,000) and 44%
in ratings (1.3). And kids 6-11 were close behind with
a 20% increase in delivery (313,000) and a 13% gain in
ratings (1.7).
Anime Merchandise News
Figures.com has
images of Battle of the Planets Series 2 from Wizard
World here
Central Park Media had signed a three-year licensing
agreement with Diamond Select Toys for the production
of resin statues, die cast cars, and action figures
based on Central Park Media's extensive line of popular
anime properties.
The properties that Diamond Select will be turning into
toy-and-collectible-related merchandise include Project
A-ko, Anime Pin Up Beauties, Cybernetics Guardian,
Geobreeders, Tokyo Babylon, Demon City Shinjuku, Cyber
City OEDO 808, and MD Geist. An MD Geist statue can be
seen at here
Sailor Moon will leave Cartoon Network's schedule until
August 5th, where they will start again with the season
2 episode "Cherry Blossom Time".
Dragonball GT not in production
Anime News
Network reports Dave Moran of FUNimation marketing
has contradicted reports from Anime Expo that
FUNimation is working on a English adaption of Dragon
Ball GT.
Speed Racer Site Opens
The official Speed Racer site at www.speedracer.com
has been updated with a new flash interface.
UK SciFi Channel Anime Offerings
All these films are showing on Thursdays AFTER Blue
Gender, Evangelion and Nadesico on the UK Sci-Fi
channel
- 18th July - 1:40am Perfect Blue
- 25th July - 1:15am Akira
- 1st August - 1:35am Adventure Duo
- 8th August - 1:35am Gunbuster - Part 1 (P)
- 15th August - 1:20am Gunbuster - Part 2 (P)
- 22nd August - 1:10am Violence Jack
- 29th August - 1:45am Riding Bean
FLCL Keychains with DVD
Right Stuf is
offering a dual sided keychain with the purchase of the
first volume of FLCL.
Tokyopop Drops Harlem Beat
According to Right
Stuf after publishing 9 graphic novels of Yuriko
Nishiyama's Harlem Beat, Tokyopop has decided to drop
the series. Production on Harlem Beat graphic novel 10
has been canceled until the company can decide what to
do with the manga title.
Anime In Japan
From Anime
News Service
The August 2002 issue of Comic Dragon announced the
recently started Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto manga
will be animated. Kojita and Yamada Norie who produce
the manga will work on the anime, with Kojita preparing
the original character designs and Yamada working on
the script. Kojita's website (including a gallery of
artworks) can be found here
Starchild's webpages for the following anime TV series
are now up: Samurai Deeper Kyo
(http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/kyo/index.htm),
Rikujyou Bouei Tai Mao-chan
(http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/asagiri/index.htm)
and Asagiri no Miko
(http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/mao/index.htm).
Character designs on Pc-Moe'shttp://www.pc-moe.com/
Rizerumoin second series can be seen at Chara Ani here
http://www2.chara-ani.com/titlebbs/T0053584/050166420020708.html. Some recapped details on the second Steel
Angel Kurumi TV series which will run as part of Anime
Complex NIGHT from October can be viewed
here.http://www2.chara-ani.com/titlebbs/T0476215/076119820020708.html
Gonzo has updated its news page with an announcement
that it is about to start production on a new TV anime
series Gadguard. This sci-fi action drama is set in the
city of Unit 74, where hero Sanada Hajiki meets the
robotic Lightning. You'll see a few small design pics
on the page. More details are in the August 2002 issues
of Newtype, Animage and Animedia
http://www.gonzo.co.jp/main/news/contents/news200207-main.html
The website for "Overman King-Gainer" has opened at www.king-gainer.net/. The series features designs by Capcom artists
Kinu Nishikawa, and Akiman.
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