Father Geek here with another of our regular AnimAICN columns... Everything you need to know about the happenings in the twin worlds of Manga & Anime. Yep, there's news on DVDs, Big Screen Flicks, Trailers, Comics, Games, Merchandise, Company Politics, even Governmental actions... its all right here every week in one easy to find spot...
AnimAICN...
by Scott Green
Anime Spotlight: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Vol. 04
Released by Manga Video and Bandai Entertainment
Stand Alone Complex follows the work of Section 9, an elite group of chief field officers are Major Motoko Kusinagi, a woman with a hyper-competent woman with a human brain in an artificial body, Batou, a veteran soldier and law enforcer with cyborg enhancements, and Togusa, a young former cop with a family and a natural body. The role of Section 9 is not explicitly defined, but there work focuses on the cases where the mechanisms of law enforcement haven't caught up with the possibilities of technology.
If the episodes in the Stand Alone Complex's fourth volume are related to the series' magnum caper, the Laughing Man case, it is obvious yet. The episodes of the cyber-procedural cover plenty of ground, excelling in turn in action and ideas, but so far the series has been too disjoint. Even if the pieces are connected, there has been plenty of breath, but they need to start building on each other and establishing some depth. Half way through the series (or season if you count the second Stand Alone Complex), it’s missing a solid axis point for the episodes.
In a mundane procedural open ends, and unanswered questions can be filled in experience bound conjectures. The same can be said of speculative work, but without some unifying theme it is in danger of becoming a sketchy constellation of ideas. Unless the scattering of points is the theme of the series, in which case it’s going to have been interesting, but frustrating.
In volume 4, the points have been brilliant, snap shots bytes of personalities, motion andideas. Mostly in small increments, it has been fleshing out Section 9, developing the background characters like the team sniper Saitoh, as well as plumping the depth of more substantial characters. It keeps on find interesting new aspects to Batou and Togusa. The series is building something with the Major, and doesn't seem to be ready to really start addressing her as something more than a plot catalyst
The concepts run from small techie ideas, like the answer to the problem of video conferencing in your underwear, to heady philosophical concepts like god zero, defining existence through something whose existence is, by definition, impossible to quantify. Some are left for the viewer to digest, such as the implications of a money making AI program that will heedlessly play the capitalist markets, and some are addressed directly, such as the development of its intelligent mini armored vehicle/field support Tachikomas. The astonishment of seeing sedan sized, heavily armed spider robots with chirpy voices, who are unreprimandable, curious and experience craving, being allows to create problems in field situations and firefight is quickly addressed.
The series does an excellent work of making the Tachikoma development a debatable issue for the viewer, well served how directly the case has been stated and by its current open endedness. One on hand the cute, philosophical minded intelligences have become patently wrong for their designed combat purposes, on the other decommission them, or scaling back their intelligence raises all sorts of ethical dilemmas.
The volumes go far to delivering on the promise of extending its sci-fi ideas into combat. Previously, the series strongest action episode was too close to material seen in the Ghost in the Shell movie for some. While the new volume does crib a bit more from the movie/original manga, it does put innovative in its action. The first episode works with serious gun fights, taking a full fire fight and applying next generating technology, shifting firearm evolution and seeing what shifting variables like weight and ballistics who do to dynamics of the action.
The fourth of the volumes episodes works something similar the effect of cyborg modifications on unarmed combat. The episode makes a makes a weak knock at grappling material arts, but it is interesting to see the implications of a cyborg like Batou in sport and combat martial arts.
Manga Spotlight: WarCraft: Dragon Hunt Written by Richard A. Knaak
Illustrated by Jae-Hwan Kim
Wow, WoW, TOKYOPOP got very smart or very lucky, or very both, releasing a comic adaptation of Blizzard's Warcraft franchise on the heels of it's juggernaut massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) release. The game seems to be still taking shape as an online community, and ironing out some technical kinks, but it's supposed to a great, addictive game that by all reports is absolute productivity poison.
Written by shared world fantasy stalwart Richard A Knaak, whose work includes Dragon Lance's classic Legend of Huma, and illustrated by Korean manwha creator Jae-Hwan Kim, the comic incarnation uses the medium to construct a very fast, visual work. It isn’t going to wow non genre fans, but it has enough dragon flight, explosions and undead-decapitating to please fantasy fans, even if they're not overly familiar with the WarCraft franchise
By many accounts, the WarCraft back-story is supposed be surprisingly rich. The opening preface of the comic does provides an interesting overview for a cosmology more involved than simple champion of good, champion of evil. It does appear to boast the breath of betrayals, corrupts, kings and generals that make a fantasy world complex enough to think about.
The story centers on adventurer party action’s feud with a mad elf lieutenant of a undead king for the power does of the Sunwell. The group is slightly exotic, even by fantasy standards, party of adventurers, including a dragon stuck in the form of a human, his more aloof mate-to-be, a human girl who rescues him, a scarred dragon-hunting dwarf and his pair of orc assistants, and a failed paladin.
The draw back in the constant stream of action is that despite being visually distinctive, the characters are shallow vessels, unable to hold much more that concept and single point back story (a dwarf whose family was killed by a dragon, or a warrior who failed a mission as a paladin). Human drama falls victim to plot conceits. The death of parents is set aside to move the plot along. There are far bumpier and more scatter brained fantasy quest launches, but Dragon Hunt gets a lot of material out very quickly.
Manga Spotlight: Samurai Executioner Volumes 2: Two Bodies, Two Minds Volumes 3: The Hell Stick By Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima
Released by Dark Horse
As opposed to the labyrinthine revenge epic of its sequel Lone Wolf and Cub, Samurai Executioner focuses its gruesome intensity with a granular look at the society and attitudes of an era through the lens of law enforcement. To be glib, the series could be called Law And Order: Edo Era. Even the stories that aren't looking at crime and punishment are looking at the stations of the process.
The "Samurai Executioner" is Kubikiri Asa aka Decapitator Asaemon. Asaemon’s Lone Wolf and Cub opponent Ogami Itto was similarly an executioner for the shogun, but rather than presiding at sepukku rituals like Itto, Asaemon is the shogun's sword tester, testing the ruler's swords on the bodies of condemned criminals.
The third volume does feature some of Lone Wolf and Cub's trademark exotic weapon action, but the stories are less action driven and don't move towards a duel or assault. As a sword tester, Asaemon's gimmick/claim to fame is the ability to cut through just about anything, yet his single mindedness makes it credible. Asaemon's a stoic perfectionist who doesn't applied his skills in battles with the frequency or size of Itto's, but there's something about his pure intensity that adds a staggering weight to his steel eyed presence. The character has a Leoni/Eastwoord duality of single mindedness and humanity. He's willed himself, to some degree against his natural inclinations, to become an arm to enforce social dictates. Though he tries to bend his role to his sense of compassion he has no illusion about the finality of the judgments he carries out.
Even before its main story kicked in, when it was disjoint assassination stories, Lone Wolf and Cub had a sense of geographic progression (a landscape being traveled), and of a back-story catching up. If Samurai Execution is doing something similar, it’s doing so far more subtly. The stories of the first three volumes have been short human drama, resolved at the bloody edge of a sword. From his station, Asaemon has a window to the crimes of all walks of life,
The short stories look are explanations and demonstrations of social mechanisms and philosophies of an age. The unified picture is of how the society works. Of how a crime may be sparked by another crime, a perception, or an agenda. How the institutions from working class builders to administrators function at a specific point in history, and what wake their actions may leave. It is fascinating has human drama, and as a detailed view into history.
Like Law and Order, CSI or the like it has a tendency to sway towards the salacious, often sexual overtones or depravity. The sex, violence, and sexual violence is inescapable in the series. However, it is often more gruesome and chilling than titillating, present and at high volume to spark interest, and grab attention.
Manga Preview Orphen Volume 1 Based on uncorrected galley proof by Yoshinobu Akita and Hajime Sawada
To be Released by ADV Manga 3/7/05
For better or worse, the prominence of Slayers-style wizard with an attitude anime/manga, and maybe even the broader fantasy genre, has shrunken in the past few years. If explosion filled high fantasy is to your interest, Orphen is a good fix. It isn't stand out material, but capably handled. The speed-line rocketing illustration looks a little like Geobreeders', and with plenty of spell effect and cute characters, its a visually engaging light snack food manga read.
The titular Orphen is a fun angry wizard, a guy in a leather vest, where you'd almost expect to find a pack of cigarettes rolled into his sleeve, and plenty of not-so-penned up rage. Orphen is based on a series of novels that gained notoriety and anime/manga adaptations after inspiring an early Playstation 2 game (one of the first fantasy RPGs for the system). The franchise has some interesting ties between magic, society and academia, including a classmate/love who turned herself into a dragon. The volume ends with hints that the manga may address the main thrust of Orphen's plot, but first volume is more of a magic item/monster slaying odd job side quest work, mostly carried by spell effects, Orphen's amusing disposition, and his hapless wannabe lackeys and associates.
Manga Preview: Cromartie High School Volume 1 Based on uncorrected galley proof by Eiji Nonaka
To be Released by ADV Manga 3/7/05
Better known for its anime adaptation, the manga incarnation the dead-pan comedy of the juvenile delinquents of Cromartie High School is denser, and given the character of the medium, less rushed. The characters are only six pages, shorter than most manga chapters, but because they aren't strips, they don't fit the same role as the anime's shorts.
The anime is very close to manga, but the manga's design style and colorlessness make it a degree more straight faced. The manga also fits in more content. Back story is kindof a dumb concept for absurdist situation comedy, but the manga has more of it. It shows why straight laced Kamiyama was inspired to enroll at Cromartie, and what his big pre-Cormartie crime was. I shouldn't be said that be richer, but the anime didn't drop the exta material because it wasn't good.
It's a series that shares a secret handshake with its readers. The two fisted heroes, or wannabe two fisted of series take themselves seriously, without the sitcom wink and half smile. You can't help but laugh out loud at half baked people in a half baked world, functioning with the conviction that what they do is right, smart or tough.
Regardless of how devoid of logic what they are doing may be, the characters do what they do with the intent. Whether it's attempting scientifically explaining what a gorilla, that doesn't talk, but wears a watch is doing in their school, or ascertain what blood type (Asian equivalent of astrological signs) "Freddie" (Mercury?) so they can pick who is best to fight the silent stranger, the characters confront insanity with actions may seem like a good idea at a time.
Anime Spotlight: Kekko Kamen
Released by ADV Films
In the court of bad taste, exhibit Kekko Kamen is exhibit A in the prosecution of Go Nagai. Go Nagai may have been instrumental in creating the magic girl change sequence, and the combining giant robot, but he also created Kekko Kamen, the naked except for mask, boot and gloves heroine who rescues nubile female students from bizarre bondage situations.
The series is the flag staff of camp. As brainless stress relief material, it is hard to top. The plot is simple and repetitive. The worst student at a work camp like school is singled out for torment and humiliation by perpetually prepped for surgery Teacher Ben and the masked principal known as the Big Toenail of Satan. In the midst of her torment by the likes of Nazi's themed S&M queen Gestapoko, the student is rescued by near naked Kekko Kamen.
The formula does get a bit tired before the end of the volume, and even long winded Go Nagai only ran the gag for three volumes in the manga. The work is memorable for its complete abandon of taste, but it doesn't have far that to go. It's hard to call Kekko Kamen a story driven story, it's wacky bondage scenario driven can only stay fresh through inventiveness for so long, which isn't that long, before becoming tiresome.
Despite the Go Nagai based anime that has been released domestically, the only manga has been a sketchy release of a small piece of Devilman. Rather than the half measures, some straight Go Nagai manga would be a welcome edition to the domestic market.
Anime Spotlight: Yu-Gi-Oh! Original Uncut Edition Volume 3: Stolen Blue Eyes White Dragon
Released by 4Kids Home Video
Yu-Gi-Oh! was the Pokemon slaying phenomenon in Japan, and it took a little while longer in the US, but it eventually assumed that role here too. Though its audience is dominantly young collectable card game enthusiasts, it is not without its fans among anime's older, less broadcast television centric viewers. For the latter crowd, this unedited version is the change to see the series is its original language, and for the most part form.
Especially with its great monster design, Yu-Gi-Oh can hold a viewers attention, but detrimental to its appeal for an older audience is how closely it is tied to its collectable card game merchandise arms. Text book, be the best tournament stories is layered on an actual game that the viewer can play. Though intelligence and values a boy who has been joined with the spirit of an ancient pharaoh completes in card based monster fights to protect his friends, family and eventually the world.
At times it displays the workings of a real game geek minds with a sense of dramatized functioning mechanics. At times, it just seems made up as it goes along, such as all of a sudden a moon card is drawn, allowing the hero to drain the sea where his opponent’s oceanic monster creatures are lurking
The series wasn't radically recast for its American television incarnation, but it was edited for content, time, and music, all of which are restored in the Uncut edition. (The volumes still begin at the start of the duel monster phase rather than at the actual beginning of the Japanese release).
The complaints purists will have is that the release is what is referred to as a dubtitle. The subtitles use the same script as the English dub, or in this case, almost the same script, which uses a more liberal translation than most English subtitles for Japanese langauge. This is very noticeable due to the amount of English in the Japanese script, in the card/monster names (the character "Devil Kraken", the subtitles says "Fiend Kraken"), as well as the part of the Pegasus character, whose Japanese dialog is interspersed with coherent English phrases that are translated into other English phrases in the subtitles.
Among anime fans, there are plenty of disagreements with how 4Kids handles the content of the anime that they adapt, but they certainly do a good with the voice work in their English dubbing. In a number of roles it’s a toss up as to whether the Japanese or English voice is better, but there are few case where, at least to an English speaking ear, the English voice sound better.
Death Note Stirs Controversy in China
Anime News Network reports that the manga series Death Note, about a teen genius who picks up a death god's notebook, which allows him to dictate the death of anyone whose name he enters, has been spawning imitators in Chinese schools. The students buy special stationary and follow instructions such as "Write the cause of death and the person's name backwards and the person will die in 40 seconds." Some schools in the city of Shenyang have banned the manga and related stationary.
Tenjho Tenge Delayed
DC Comics' CMX Manga release of teen fighting manga Tenjho Tenge has been delayed to March 2nd.
DBZ Leaves Shonen Jump
As of the new April 2005, issue 25 of Shonen Jump, recently making its way to newsstands and subscribers, Dragon Ball Z will be leaving the monthly anthology. Having completed the Cell story, the popular martial artist super hero series will be continuing in straight to graphic novel collection releases. The next issue of the anthology will feature a preview of Viz's adaptation of Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama's earlier comedy, Doctor Slump.
New Media Blasters Licenses...
From Anime News Network's and Anime on DVD's Media Blasters Katsukon anime convention reports, Media Blasters has licensed the new Oh My Godess (or Ah My Goddess, they haven't decided which way to go) television series, the new adaptation of Osuma Tezuka's Phoenix aka Hi no Toki, cult geek culture hit Genshikan (they aren't sure if they've picked up related Kujibiki Unbalance OVAs), and Phantom the Animation OVA .
On the Ah! My Goddess release, Media Blasters will attempted to use the same voice actress as Geneon (who released the movie and the super-deformed Mini-Goddsses TV series) or Animeigo release (the original OAV series). The bonus material on the deluxe edition of Midori no Hibi, the comedy about a thug who wakes up with a small, green-haired girl attached to his wrist in place of his hand, will be a t-shirt. No mention of a hand puppet. A 12 Kingdoms Box set is being considered, but would not be formalized until after the release of the series is complex. The fixed versions of volume 1 with corrected audio tracks should already be out in stores, however any exchange program for the discs will have to wait until they clear out their backlog. Media Blasters confirmed that they've only licensed the OVA incarnation of vampire adventure comedy Master Mosquiton and not the television series. Media Blasters commented that a second season of medieval drama/horror Berserk is likely to happened. The original series was based on the manga series through its first 13 volumes, which has subsequently run into its 29th volume, but the author doesn't believe that enough story has been done yet in the manga for a second season. Since Berserk did so well in Europe and the US, as long as the author doesn't lose interest in more anime, it should come eventually. MediaBlaster's mentioned live action works include: Sky High by Kitamura (from the makers of Princess Blade and Versus, based on a horror manga), Flower and Snake, One Miss Call 1 and 2 by Miike (Ichi the Killer director), Izo by Miike, Kekko Kamen Live Action (based on Go Nagai's manga), Nightmare... graphic horror from Korea, and The Sisters... a heavy duty Thai action film . Battle Royal and Battle Royal 2 are held in firm check by Toei. The chances of either of those coming over are very slim. Toei has similar barred the license of certain anime, such as Sailor Stars, the fifth and final Sailor Moon season.
Bandai News...
From Anime News Network's and Anime on DVD's Bandai Katsukon anime convention reports, Bandai has license cute animal retelling of Go Nagai's Mazinger/Tranzor, Panda Z. (a series of short, 5 minute, but often artiful episodes)
Upcoming releases include well regarded sci-fi comedy Galaxy Angel Z Vol. 2 in April. Cowboy Bebop Remix is due for a June release along with hard sci-fi Planetes and basketball Dear Boys, renamed Hoop Days. According to Anime Insider magazine Cowboy Bebop REMIX will feature a completely remixed and remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS surround sound and remastered video under the direction/supervision of Shinichiro Watanabe. REMIX will include new extras such as interviews with the US voice actors and actresses, collections of trailers, promos, the Session 0 extras (Japanese Interviews witht he staff and cast, story digest of the second half of the series, Tank music videos) and more. REMIX will be released over six-discs with the release schedule tba. Bandai Jerry Chu has said there will be commentary by many of the Japanese voice actors, and production staff like Shinichiro Watanabe and Yoko Kanno. There will also be features that give a “behind-the-scenes” look at the show. The Cowboy Bebop game is not done so as of not its on hold. The fifth Yukikaze OVA, about immerging intelligence in a fighter plane, will be finished in Japan in either April or May. Originally, Bandai was planning on releasing the series on two DVDs, but because of the delay in the production schedule, they will be changing the release format to three volumes. The second Yukikaze DVD will come out soon with episodes 3 and 4. The third volume will contain the last OVA, and also Mave-chan, a short spin-off of the series. The questions about the 5 min extra on Gundam Seed is they are trying to work on it but they do not have it yet. The material was not given to Bandai by producer Sunrise. Scrapped Princess will have a limited edition release for every volume, and will include figures. Bandai Manga is still in the works but he said they have 2 to 3 proposed titles sometime in the summer. Chu mentioned that the anime industry had suffered slightly in 2004, and apologized for any problems fans felt there were on the release of Zeta Gundam. He said, however, that there will be many big changes in 2005. Foremost would be a change in the way that business would be conducted with the Japanese companies, including more co-productions.
New Viz Manga Licenses
Anime on DVD reports, though Viz has not official announced their releases, Amazon is listing that Viz will be releasing manga titles Full Moon wo Sagashite, Cain, Ouran Host Club and Fushigi Yuugi prequel Genbu Kaiden.
Anime Game News
The official site Konomi's game based on the violent Gantz anime/manga can has gone online here Magic Box has screen shots of SD Gundam G Generation DS, the upcoming super deformed gundam strategy game for the Nintendo DS here, and screenshot of the Dragon Ball Z: Saga third perosn action game here.
ADV Manga Cancellations
ADV has cancelled the following manga releases through Diamond Distributors, who distributes comics to specialty shops and many book stores: The cancellation code, 4, does not indicate announced plans to resolicit the titles.
Here's the cancelled titles... read and weep...
- Banzai Vol 1
- Blue Inferior Vol 2
- Boss Manga Vol 4 Tp
- Boss Manga Vol 5 Tp
- Boss Manga Vol 6
- Daemon Hunters Vol 2
- Enmusu Manga Vol 2 Tp
- Fantasy Land Manga Vol 2 Tp
- Happy Lesson Manga Vol 2 Tp
- Kimera Manga Vol 2 Tp
- Line Manga Vol 1 Tp
- Lineage Manga Vol 1 Tp
- Pastel Green Spell Vol 1
- Ruler Of The Land Manga Vol 4 Tp
- Ruler Of The Land Manga Vol 5 Tp
- Ruler Of The Land Volume 5
- Saint Marie Manga Vol 3 Tp
- Siu Manga Vol 1 Tp
- Sky Blade Sword Of The Heavens Manga Vol 3 Tp
- Sky Blade Sword Of The Heavens Manga Vol 4 Tp
- Taimashin Vol 2
- Tengai Retrogical Vol 2
- The Ruler Of The Land Vol 6
- The Ruler Of The Land Vol 7
- The Ruler Of The Land Vol 8
- Those Who Hunt Elves Manga Vol 10 Tp
On Anime on DVD's forum, an ADV representative stated: These titles are just on hold for the moment. What with everyone and their dog trying to get into the manga market we don't want to overload you all at once. Don't worry, you'll still get all the titles you've grown to enjoy.
UY OAVs Pre-Order
AnimEigo's box set of Rumiko Takashi's (Inu Yasha) the Urusei Yatsura OAV Boxed Set is now complete and ready for pre-order. The 8th TV set is expected to be ready for pre-orders in mid March.
Pokemon Movie Delivers Ratings
Kids' WB has announced that Pokemon - Destiny Deoxy received the programming blocks highest ratings since 2003.
Fall Kids's WB Lineup...
Start this fall, Kids' WB will be featuring the following line-up:
Saturday
- 8:00 a.m. Yu-Gi-Oh!
- 8:30 a.m. Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island
- 9:00 a.m. Loonatics
- 9:30 a.m. Xiaolin Showdown
- 10:00 a.m. Pokemon
- 10:30 a.m. Johnny Test
- 11:00 a.m. Yu-Gi-Oh!
- 11:30 a.m. The Batman
MONDAY-FRIDAY
- 3:00 p.m. Pokemon
- 3:30 p.m. Xiaolin Showdown
- 4:00 p.m. Yu-Gi-Oh!
- 4:30 p.m. The Batman
Bandai to Launch New Anime CCGs
Bandai American will be launching Teeb Titans, Gundam War and Zatch Bell! Collectible Card Games (CCG), and releasing a New Digimon CCG Expansion Set. Gubdan War has been a popular CCG in Japan for the past 8 years and Zach Bell has been a recent hit.
AnimeNEXT Raised Tsumani Relief Funds
New Rork's AnimeNEXT anime convention has announced a campaign to make donations to UNICEF, The United Nations Children’s Fund, for tsunami victims in South East Asia. Douglas Lu, President of Universal Animation, the non-profit group that organizes the event, said, "The mission of Universal Animation and AnimeNEXT is to bring awareness of Japanese and Asian culture to our attendees. I thought getting donations to UNICEF, would be a great way to make our attendees aware of the plight of tsunami victims." AnimeNEXT will match the donations made from their website, up to $5000. Donations can be made directly at AnimeNEXT’s website, www.animenext.org. These donations will go right to UNICEF. AnimeNEXT was careful to choose a charitable organization that everyone would be familiar with and is aiding victims of the tsunami directly. The AnimeNEXT convention is held June 17-19 at the Meadowlands Expo Center
Right Stuf Shingu Release News
Right Stuf has announced a new official site for upcoming sci-fi anime Shingu at shingu.rightstuf.com Created by acclaimed director Tatsuo Sato (NADESICO / STELLVIA / AZUMANGA DAIOH), with planning by Masao Maruyama (GUNGRAVE / CARDCAPTOR SAKURA MOVIES / CHOBITS), production by Masao Morosawa (GUNGRAVE / JUBEI-CHAN / NINJA SCROLL TV) and character designs by Yuuji Ikeda (SAIYUKI / GUNGRAVE / X TV). Shingu: Secret Of The Stellar Wars Dvd 2: Tense Confrontations will be released on May 31st.
Viz Full Metal Alchemist Releases
Viz has announced that it will be releasing the manga version of Full Metal Alchemist starting in May 2005. The graphic novel by Himoru Arakawa will be rated “T” for teens with an MSRP of $9.99. VIZ will also be releasing a series of FUllmetal Alchemist novelizations due out in October 2005, and a hard cover, full color Art Of Fullmetal Alchemist to be published in November.
Princess TuTu Delayed
ADV's Release of the second volume of Princess Tutu has been delayed indefinately. David Williams told Anime on DVD "Chances are, it looks at this point that it will have to be delayed a bit due to a couple of things that popped up with this volume. But don't worry, we still plan to get it out and push the show. Maybe it will help to know that there should be some updates coming to the Princess Tutu website shorty."
DearS Licensed
Anime News Network reports that Anime Insider magazine lists that Geneon has licensed the DearS anime series. The manga version of the boy meets cute alien girl comedy is being released by TOKYOPOP.
Animerica Cancelled?
Icv2 recently posted than removed a story stating that Viz plans to cancel their Animerica anime/manga magazine, to be replaced by special editions at anime conventions.
Details on G4 Anime Programming
G4's upcoming anime premieres in its late-night Anime Unleashed programming block include the new series Magic Shopping Arcade Abenoshi in February, new Gad Guard start March 7, new R.O.D the TV starting April 4th, and new Gungrave starting May 2nd.
Gad Guard
From the creators of popular Anime series “Last Exile” and “Hellsing,” G4 brings all-new episodes of Gonzo’s “Gad Guard” to Anime fans in March. Follow the adventures of Hajiki Sananda and his Gad turned Techode robot as Sananda struggles to support his family. Episodes 1-12 will be run the week of February 28th at 1:00 AM ET/10:00 PM PT. New Epeisodes run Monday through Friday, premiering March 7 at 1:00 AM ET/10:00 PM PT.
R.O.D the TV
Rhe popular series which highlights the adventures of three young paper masters, Anita, Maggie and Michelle who use their abilities to manipulate paper into wild weapons and magical objects to protect Nenene, the author, from a mad bomber. New epsides will be premiere the week of April 4 at 1:00 AM ET/10:00 PM PT.
Gungrave
Gungrave fan-favorite series filled with revenge and redemption. Tune in as Brandon Heat returns from beyond the grave to bring down Millenion, the mafia organization that led to his demise. 1-12 the week of April 25 at 1:00 AM ET/11:00 PM PT. All new episodes of “Gungrave” premiere Monday, May 2 at 1:00 ET/10:00 PM PT.
Cartoon Network's 2005 Toonami Addition
In 2005 Cartoon Network's Toonami action-animé programming block which airs Saturday nights from 7-11 p.m. (ET, PT) will be premiering Production IG (Ghost in the Shell, Kill Bill) producted racing series Immortal Grand Prix, as well as anime series Zatch Bell, One Piece, Naruto and Bobobo-bo Bo-Bobo. IGPX (The Immortal Grand Prix), is set to debut in November, Zatch Bell in March, One Piece in May, Naruto in the third quarter and Bobobo-bo Bo-Bobo in the forth.
IGPX
The year is 2048 and the “IGPX,” has become the world’s most-popular sport. It’s so big that an entire city was built for the racing industry, and competitions takes place on a huge, 60-mile track called “The Big Eye.” In the “Immortal Grand Prix,” two teams of three giant robots, driven by human pilots, race at speeds greater than 350 mph. Team Satomi, a crew of amateur pilots, has just won a minor-league championship and now finds themselves vaulted into the sport’s highest level- the IG-1. Now, the untested rookies of Team Satomi must overcome impossible odds and beat the world’s most skilled pilots (and ruthless opponents) in the planet's biggest event, the “Immortal Grand Prix.”
Zatch Bell:
The new series takes viewers to the world of good and evil demons as Zatch Bell seeks to become the benevolent king over all of the demons that have come to Earth to conduct the ultimate battle. Reluctant as he may be to fight against the evil demons, Zatch battles his adversaries with the help of his human friend, Kory. The power of the duo grows stronger as their relationship develops.
One Piece:
A boy, whose body has the properties of rubber, and his friends are on the search for the treasure left behind by a pirate king called “One Piece.” Whoever finds this treasure will become King of the Pirates.
Naruto:
Twelve years ago, a nasty demon decimated a village but was contained in a baby’s body. Now this antisocial boy, a student at a ninja academy, does not know that he is possessed. As he evolves as a ninja his inner demon gives him more and more powers. But he must learn to control them to become a master ninja without destroying those around him. T Bobobo-bo Bo-Bobo: In this silly action series BoBoBo can talk to and understand hair. With the help of his blond hair, he is out to save the land from the Hair Patrol posse and their leader, Baldy Bald, who is forcing everyone to be bald.
A Tree of Palme Release
ADV will be releasing the DVD of futuristic fairy tale A Tree of Palme takes root on March 8, 2005 . A Tree of Palme is a modern retelling of the classic Pinocchio story with a sc-fi/fantasy twist. The cinematic Japanese animated feature was written and directed by highly respected animator Takashi Nakamura, who first came to the attention of American fans with his work as chief animator for the cyberpunk masterpiece Akira. Palme, a wooden puppet, has been created to care for the dying wife of his master. After her death, Palme looses his sense of purpose and ceases to function. He remains inactive until a mysterious woman, followed by a group of ruthless pursuers, arrives at the master’s workshop. She is desperately seeking aid in delivering a precious package to its destination across the world. When his master is mortally wounded by the woman’s pursuers, Palme agrees to aid the woman with her mission, thus taking the first step in his long and incredible journey to discover who he truly is. Palme will also be playing at selected theatres in major cities including Boston, San Francisco, Nashville, Hartford, Portland Oregon, Houston and Austin. Specific dates and theatres are listed on the ADV Theatrical website at www.ADVFilms.com/theatrical
March ADV Releases
March 8th
- Chrono Crusade: The Devil To Pay (Volume 4 of 7)
- Cyberteam In Akihabara: Cyber History (Volume 3 of 6)
- Gravion Zwei: Eye of the Storm (Volume 1 of 3)
Gravion Zwei
Directed by Masami Obari (Bubblegum Crisis) and animated by world renowned animation studio GONZO Digimation (Full Metal Panic!, Gantz, Chrono Crusade), Gravion Zwei continues the hit Gravion series with a new season of surprises featuring the well-armed (and well-endowed) fighting force Earthgertz. Their mission: defend the earth from the deadly Zeravire invasion… only this time, they won’t be the only ones on duty!
Merchandise News...
Figures.com's coverage of New York Toy Fair 2005 included the following anime-related merchandise previews
Bleed Edge's Princess Ai (TOKYOPOP's manga incarnation of Courtney Love)
Kotobukiya's Full Metal Alchemist (including an oddly selected second wave)
Kotobukiya other (Please Teacher/Please Twins)
Voltron Masterpiece Editon, scheduled for a July release, can be seen at here. The 12" die-cast figure is limited to 15,000 pieces will retail for $15.
Toynami's Inu Yasha series 3, 4 and 5 can be seen at here
Series 1 and 2 are being re-released this month. This assortment includes Inuyasha, Kagome, Kikyo, Sesshomaru and, by fan demand, Inuyasha in Human Form; formily a San Diego Comic-Con 2004.
Coming this summer, will be Series 3 of the 6" figures including Sango and Miroku, November's Series 4 with Naraku and Inuyasha in a new action pose, and series 5 in 2006 with Koga and Kagura. A two pace of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru will also be released.
12" Inuyasha and Sesshomaru will be released this summer for $29.99. A line of 3" figures will also be release.
New Transformers on Cartoon Network
Anime News Network and ToonZone report that the new Transformers: Cybertron, currently airing in Japan, will appear on Cartoon Network this summer.
Digital Manga News
Digital Manga Publishing will be published the all-color manga anthology Robot Vol. 1, compiled by popular illustator/character designer Range Murata (Last Exile, Blue Sub No. 6) in July.
Yaoi (homosexual male romance, generally for a female audience) My King’s Harem will be released in September, and Our Kingdom in October.
Draw Manga – Fantasy will also be released in October.
Digital Manga Publishing's site at dmpbooks.com has been re-launched.
“Girl’s Only Sanctuary” Yaoi-Manga.com has also been launched.
For yaoi fans, yaoi-manga.com is the source for new releases and for exclusive, high-quality yaoi merchandise. Available now are our popular yaoi t-shirt line and new seme-uke bears. A place where yaoi fans can congregate, our “girls only sanctuary,” also lets site visitors download yaoi multimedia, contribute fan art and stories as well as win exclusive DMP prizes.
Steamboy in NY...
A screening of Katsuhiro Ôtomo’s Steamboy with Q&A by director Ôtomo following the screening will showing March 5th, at the Directors Guild of America Theater in New York. See www.gkids.com for more information.
In 1988, Katsuhiro Ôtomo took the worlds of anime and science-fiction by storm with his post-apocalyptic cyberpunk adventure Akira. The film set new standards for the genres and was instrumental in launching the worldwide boom in Japanese animation. Seventeen years later, NYICFF is proud to present the US Premiere of Ôtomo’s long-awaited follow-up, Steamboy, the most expensive Japanese animated film ever made and an unparalleled feat of animation, imagination and non-stop action. Director Ôtomo will be on hand to answer audience questions following the film. Steamboy is a retro sci-fi anime spectacular set in a gritty 1860’s industrial England. Steamboy is a retro sci-fi anime spectacular set in a gritty 1860’s industrial England. Ten years in the making, the film uses a phenomenal 180,000 hand drawn frames, painstakingly recreating the feel and texture of 19th century industrial London down to the very greasiness of the oil, the heat and dampness of the steam and the coarse rustiness of the iron. Ôtomo's personal vision of dystopia is rendered in an obsessive detail approaching photorealism. The story, a techno-skeptic fable of human progress and human folly, centers on young Ray, the latest genius in a family of scientist inventors. One day Ray receives a mysterious metal ball from his grandfather. The “steam ball” is in fact a source of unimaginable nuclear-like power, and the heart of the ominous Steam Tower. Soon Ray finds himself thrust into the center of a vicious power struggle with no one to trust. Torn between his disfigured cyborg father and maniacal grandfather, pursued by agents of the powerful American O’Hara Foundation and the British army, Ray must determine which of these organizations have good intentions and which mean evil. The mounting intrigue erupts in an epic steam-driven mecha battle set against opening day of London’s Great Exhibition. Huge swaths of impeccably detailed Victorian-era cityscape are laid to waste as the secret of Steam Tower is finally revealed. Featuring the voices of Patrick Stewart, Alfred Molina and Anna Paquin. The film is rated PG-13 for violence.
Japanese Court Rules Against Hentai Manga Creator Motonori Kishi...
Manga News Service reports that hentai (adult, pornographic) manga artist Motonori Kishi has been sentanced to one year in prison and suspension for three years after the work the manga Honey Room was judged obscene. Ashita No Joe mangaka Tetsuya Chiba appeared in court as a defendant side witness. According to the testimony of A Tokyo Metropolitan Police inspector, the investigation was started based on a memo from LDP Diet member Katsuei Hirasawa. The defendant's side argued that charge violated the constitution that secures the freedom of expression. An appeal hearing is schedule for Marth 17th. Japan has strong industry of hentai manga, anime, and related video games. The legal problems that Honey Room experienced may have been due to the degree in which genitals were not censored in the manga.
