Father Geek here with ol' Scott Green and this week's mega-dose of Anime and Manga news for all of you. As is the usual case we have everything you want to know about Toys, Comics, Graphic novels, videos, DVDs, and anything else related to the wonderful wide world of Anime and Manga...

Manga Spolight: Aqua Knight

by Yukito Kishiro Published by Viz

Yukito Kishiro's prior opus was Battle Angel Alita, an eight volume sci-fi saga that often had a tragic edge. The three volume Aqua Knight is pulp tale of wild hyper-competent characters, strange ideas, and fun situations.

The surface of Marmundo ("Ocean World") is largely cover with water that curtains over its edges. At one of its edges is a light house inhabited by Arrabus, a scar covered man with wild hair and eyes, and his young son Ashika. On the ocean floor the boy discovers a metal suit that is part plate armor, and part driving apparatus. When Arrubus pulls the armor to shore, and the two discover the armor is boy worn by a young woman, the orca-riding knight named Ruliya. As a reward, Ruliya promises to train Ashika to be a knight.

While Arrubus is testing Ruliya's worthiness, the light house is attacked by Alcantara, a portly wandering inventor, and worshiper of the god of geometry, and his assistants, the ghoulish assassin Zycrow, and a compassionate young woman named Zykey. Alcantara takes the light house's source of light as an ingredient for the Elixir of Life, and kidnaps Ashika. Seeing his son taken, Arrabus dies of exhaustion, where upon he and Ruliya meet Arrabus' old friend Tagmec, Knight of Parca, the grim reaper. Admiring Ruliya's strength, Tagmec gives her the sword Muerta Gara, the Iron Claw of the Dead.

In addition to resolvinge plot of Ruliya's search for Ashika, and Alcantara's search for the Elixir of the Life, the second and third books flesh out the two character's pasts. Ruliya's fights provide some great action, but it Alcantara proves to be something not seen two often. The last third of the series proves him to be something other than an over weight, hot-tempered lout. He is those things, but as much as Ruliya is the sword swinging swashbuckler, Alcantara is the pulp genius hero, a man of action and outrageous science in the style of Doc Savage.

Ashika is as important as Ruliya and Alcantara. The series has a light tone, but Ashika ensures that it maintains it, but the deepest flaw in Aqua Knight is its juvenile sense of humor. The frequency of young Ashika exposing himself, and the excrement jokes actually increase as the story progresses. Humanity really did not need a scene of a defecation contest between a child, and a dog, especially when it is crowned with the results being given faces and holding a short exchange of words. Fortunately its more cute than gross, and its easily ignored. Occasionally, these jokes can easily be amusing, such as the story of "Isla Espina" or Thorn Island, and it's "Rock Thrne of Primero", an illustrated legend involving the great guardian god Magna Primero's stop over on the island with his disciples, and a pain encountered when he sat on the promontory's rock outcropping.

What at first appears to be a random collection of odd characters and situations is ultimately revealed to be islands in a sea of the cosmology Yukito Kishiro is building. Yukito Kishiro illustrates that his brilliant world building in Battle Angle Alita was no fluke. A rigidly balanced system of spheres of influence, old gods, theirs avatars and relics. Speaking of pulp, Lovecraft fans with enjoy the culmination of the series, as hidden influences are revealed, and the stakes grow.

The books are also filled will panels or pages of exposition about the history of the characters and world, the way they live their lives, or the intricacies of forms of combat introduced. For example, a page may be devoted to the harpoon Ashika and his father use to hunt sharks. A panel may be given to the faux-physics of a characters special attack. "Sucker Hand: by bending his wet palm into a concave configuration, Zycow creates a vacuum between his hand and the object. He's quite proud of this technique." (Accompanied by a diagram to illustrate the flow of atmosphere.) The armored fight sense are spotted with panels and panels explaining the works the armor and maneuvers from schematics of the armor to dance step style descriptions of the moves.

Next to the health impairing feat that was Battle Angle Alita, Aqua Knight's comparatively simple character art, and background is a step down, compared the rest of the medium, it is still amazing. The characters have a more cartoonish look, and the level of detail is far less. The action and fight scenes have an animated motion to them accomplished by speedlines, and the inclusion of a larger than average number of panels used to illustrate the motions.

The series does has establish shots that rival the images in Battle Angel Alita. Marmundo is a visually fascinating place, and Yukito Kishiro painstakingly renders what it is line riding into a mist covered castle that juts out of the ocean.

Anime Spotlight: Samurai Girl Real Bout High School volume 1: Enter the Samurai Girl

Released by TOKYOPOP

Samurai Girl Real Bout High School is unashamed of the fact that it is an anime series based on Street Fighter style fighting game, even if there really isn't a game that it is based one. It proclaims it fighting game heritage loudly in DVD menus, complete with life meters, and round timers, and its eye catchers (animation to take the viewer in and out of commercial breaks) that announce characters' names is a loud, slightly synthesized voice. This proves to be a successful formula. It is a fast and colorful series with people, and monsters hitting each other in creative ways, not weighed down with any expectations that tag along when adapting a video game.

Ryoko Mitsurugi is loved by her fellow students of both sexes. She is a usually tall girl, obsessed with samurais. She is seldom seen without her wooden sword.

Students in her school participate in something known as "K-Fight", in which students battle each other under some set of rules, with commentary from a girl who is always followed by camera, and the school's sunglasses wearing, body building principal. As the "K-Fight" champion Ryoko is beset by all manner of student challengers, from the Amateur Ninja Club, to her naginata (large bladed spear) wielding elder classmate, to the flame throwing former champion. If that weren't enough she find a pendant which causes her to go from the middle of a K-Fight to a dream world where see must fight dragons and such. This other world seems to be the subject to a conspiracy pitting the school's principal, Ryoko's sword fighting master, and a large and mysterious man who originated fight, again a blonde woman, and a squad of men in black.

Real Bout's influences are pretty clear. It capture the aesthetics of old samurai action with its cherry blossoms, fancy sword draws, and bamboo grove fights, a bit of SNK fighting games, and maybe a bit of Kazushi Hagiwara (Bastard!!, Combustable Campus Guardess) influence. Its not a pedigree of intelligent story telling, but it is one of energetic action. It thrives on the type of fights you can only see in animation, and would probably only want to see in animation, with the kind of students that are too wild for live action, and to motion oriented for a comic.

The story telling is full of excess. When it gets rolling it veers wildly between the amusingly ridiculous, and the logically incomprehensible. It gets especially bad with schemes with the school's student body. It is much safer when it goes for something simple like a girl with a wooden sword killing a dragon.

No opportunity is missed for fan service, from sailor style school uniforms with incomprehensibly short skits, plenty of panty shots, and girls with preternaturally large busts.

TOKYOPOP's offers an impressive presentation of the series. The DVD insert includes three pages of translator's notes with useful information, helping in understanding this series, and anime in general. The DVD also includes Japanese TV commercials, English dub outtakes, and four "Special End Corner" featurettes with members of the Japanese voice cast. These are exceedingly disturbing. Nothing will give you nightmare like a young spaced-out Japanese voice actress, expect perhaps a young, energetic Japanese voice actor.

Real Bout High School is a bit like the Iron Monkey of anime; crazy plot, and crazy action. It is not a cerebral series. It doesn't not have the emotional resonance of the series like Kenshin, but it does have people running up there opponent's weapons, bamboo grove fights, and dragons getting stabbed in the eye.

Released This Week

Manga

• Akira Vol 6 Tp
• Astro Boy Vol 1 Tp
• Big O Part 1 #2 (Of 5)
• Cannon God Exaxxion #5 Stage 1 (5 Of 8)
• Cardcaptor Sakura #26
• Chobits Vol 1 Gn
• Cowboy Bebop #3 (Of 4)
• Cowboy Bebop Vol 1 Gn
• Dragon Knights #6 (Of 6)
• Dragon Knights Vol 1 Gn
• Dragonball Z Vol 8 Tp
• Futabakun Change Vol 8 #2
• Gto Vol 1 Gn
• Magical Journey Pokemon Part 7 #1 (Of 4)
• Lone Wolf & Cub Vol 19 The Moon In Our Hearts Tp
• Marmalade Boy Vol 1 Gn
• Mars Vol 1 Gn
• Oh My Goddess Bilingual Ed #2
• Pokemon Advs Part 6 #4 (Of 4)
• Real Bout High School Vol 1 Gn
• Skull Man #5 (Of 5) $2.95
• Skull Man Vol 1 Gn $9.99
• Smile Vol 4 #4 $4.99
• Usagi Yojimbo #56

Anime

• Cardcaptor Sakura - The Movie
• Cardcaptors - The Movie
• Ceres, Celestial Legend - Denouement (Vol. 8)
• Gokudo - Magician Extraordinaire
• Knight Hunters - Lost Boys (Vol. 2)
• Orphen - Mystere (Vol. 4)
• Princess Nine Vol. 3
• Rurouni Kenshin - Son of God (Episodes 67-70)
• Soul Hunter - Spoils of War (Vol. 3)
• Vampire Princess Miyu - Mystery (TV Vol. 4)

If you are going to pick a week to find your local comic shop for manga, this is the week. Between the last volume of Akira, the first volumes of Astro Boy, Chobits and GTO, and first collections of Cowboy Bebop, and Marmalade Boy, there is something for everybody, and it doesn't get much better. To find your nearest comic shop see Diamond's Comic Shop Locator, or The Mast List.

Chobits the new manga series from CLAMP, the creators of Card Captor Sakura, X, and Magic Knights Rayearth.

Astro Boy is the Osamu Tezuka's classic about a robot created by a scientist after the death of his son. When the scientist become disillusioned with the robot, he sell it to the circus, where he is rescued by a kindly professor who sets the robot on the path of do-gooding.

Advanced Previews

Anime on DVD has posted an advanced review of ADV's upcoming Excel Saga here, and a review of the preview disc of the first episode of Berserk here

Evangelion Box Sets Images

ICV2 has posted images of ADV's upcoming Evangelion Metal Box here . The standard edition box set is also very striking. It is a black box, with an embossed seraphic tree on the sides, and the NERV logo in red, the the embossed head of the Evangelion with red eyes on its back.

Media Blasters July Release Dates

• Berserk Vol. #2 07/18
• Rurouni Kenshin Vol. #20: Soulless Knights 07/30
• eX-Driver Vol. #1 07/30
• Cosmo Warrior Zero Vol. 1 07/30
• Gokudo, Swordsman Extraordinaire Vol. #4 07/30

According to Anime Nation The first of two volumes of eX-Driver will premier on dubbed VHS and bilingual DVD on July 30th containing 3 of 6 OAV episodes. Created by Kousuke (Ah! My Goddess, You're Under Arrest) Fujishima, eX-Driver is an action/adventure drama about a team of teen "eX-Drivers" in the not-too distant future that have the licenses and skills to drive manual, gasoline powered cars when normal cars are all robot controlled. The eX-Driver's job is to stop runaway auto-cars before they cause crashes or accidents.

In a surprise announcement, the first 4 of 13 episodes of last year's Cosmo Warrior Zero TV series will also premier on dubbed VHS and bilingual DVD on July 30th. A Captain Harlock side-story, Cosmo Warrior Zero tells the story of Harlock's former best friend, Admiral Warrius Zero, who is ordered to hunt down and capture the renegade space pirate.

Summer Bandai Releases

• Kikaider Vol. #1 08/06
• Ronin Warriors Vol. #5 08/20
• Love Hina Vol. #4 08/20
• Betterman Vol. #2 08/06
• Brain Powered Vol. #2 07/23
• Fancy Lala Vol. #1 07/09
• Silent Mobius Vol. 08/20
• Saber Marionette J-X Vol. #3 08/20

Fanct Lala is a magic girl romance about an eight year old who can user her magic pets, and sketch pad to run into a teenage fashion model.

Kikaider is the story of a dying scientist who transfer himself into a robot body, which fights for good.

Melty Lancer Update

Anime on DVD reports on Bandai's recent release of Z-Mind, there's a hidden extra on it where you can see the teaser trailer for Melty Lancer.

Melty Lancer was originally announced as acquired by ADV Films back at Katsucon 2000, but little has been heard about it since. With this information coming up on the forum, ADV's David Williams had little to say beyond, "We decided to pass on the title a long time ago."

Melty Lancer is a five episode series about a group consisting of a recently releases convict, and a group of dilequent girls who protect earth from zealots, and alien criminals.

Summer Pioneer Releases

Pioneer will be releasing the first volume of Strawberry Eggs, the fourth volumes of Adventures of the Mini-Goddess, Sherlock Hound, and Soul Taker, and the third volume of Zoids on August 13.

The first volume of Hellsing will be released on July 23rd, with a box to hold the series for $34.98, and without the box for $29.98.

Mini-Goddesses is a series of 15 minute shorts featuring super deformed (big head, small bodies) version of the Goddess Belldandy, Urd and Skuld.

Soul Taker is a dark and violent series about a young man who searches for the supernatural truth behind his family after a violent tragity.

Hamtaro Starts this July

According to Toonzone.net's News Forum Hamtaro will be starting on Cartoon Network this July.

From the press release:

When ten-year old Laura moves to a new town, she is not the only one who has to make new friends. Her pet hamster, Hamtaro, also needs to get used to new surroundings and find new hamster friends. This series follows Hamtaro and his gang of hamster pals, known as the Ham-Ham Gang, as they join forces to solve problems and embark on countless adventures. Currently one of Japan's hottest children's television programs, Hamtaro will make its U.S. debut on Cartoon Network in July 2002.

Unbeknownst to Laura and her friends, each day when the kids head off to school, their pet hamsters gather together at their hideout, the Ham-Ham Clubhouse, and collaborate on the next adventure. Though their distinct personalities occasionally clash, these curious pets, with their own secret hamster language, band together to keep a watchful eye on their energetic owners. Most of the time, the gang spends their days keeping Laura and her classmates out of trouble but sometimes the precocious pets find themselves in a dilemma of their own.

With Boss, the natural born leader, the dependable Pashmina, Howdy, the practical joker and Jingle, the minstrel Ham-poet, there is never a lack of entertainment or companionship. Whether it creating a pint-size amusement park, getting lost in Grandma sunflower field or solving the Snoozer mystery,?each new day brings a new quest and, often, new friends as well.

Brought to the United States by ShoPro USA, "Tottoko Hamutaro" (the original Japanese title) was first introduced to Japanese audiences in July 2000. The series, based on the popular illustrated children storybooks created by Ritsuko Kawai, is already one of TV Tokyo highest rated animated programs and a leading franchise overseas. Hamtaro is produced by Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment.

Cartoon Network, currently seen in 79.9 million U.S. homes and 145 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. 24-hour, ad-supported cable service offering the best in animated entertainment. Drawing from the world's largest cartoon library, Cartoon Network also showcases unique original ventures such as Sheep in the Big City, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Mike, Lu & Og, The Powerpuff Girls, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, Dexter's Laboratory and Cartoon Cartoons. Since its launch in 1992, Cartoon Network has remained one of ad-supported cable highest-rated networks. Cartoon Network Web site is located at http://CartoonNetwork.com.

3x3 Eyes Manga to End

From Anime News Service

The 3X3 Eyes manga ends in Japan around May, YanMaga is releaseing a reissue manga box set from the beginning, check these sites in Japanese for details: http://www.yanmaga.kodansha.co.jp/ym/top.html http://www.bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/yoyaku/comics/3_3eyes/

Anime in Japan

The Daily Yomiuri has an English article about new shows on Japanese TV here.

The director of the new X tv series has stated it will end with the March 27th episode.

Aquarian Age will end on episode 13 broadcast on the 28th.

Project Arms is scheduled to conclude with episode 52 on March 30th.

Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran will conclude with episode 52; Digimon Tamers will end on episode 51; and Galaxy Angel second series will end with episode 18 on March 31st.

Mad Man Cafe reports Square's TV anime show "Final Fantasy : Unlimited", has been announced to end in its 26th episode. Originally scheduled to run for 52 episodes, the TV series will finish airing in 3/26. Square and TV series production company Gonzo Co. plans to extend the FF:U title in varieties of media in the future.

The continuation of the TV series story will be released as a mook (magazine-length book) titled "Final Fantasy : Unlimited - After" in late April. Other products to be released include trading cards of FF:U in late March, a novel in April 1st, and an art book of the anime series "Official Visual Guidebook FF:U" in 4/25, priced 1900 Yen.

Promotion has started for the new show "Ai Yori Aoshi". Its web site can be seen at here.

The web page for Bandit King Jing has openned at here.

According to Anime Nation, new shows include: Chobits, based on the slightly ecchi (risqué) manga by CLAMP

Digimon Frontier

.hack//SIGN, a fantasy series tied in to the upcoming PS2 RPG game franchise Tokyo Mew-Mew, a shoujo series about cat-girls based on the popular manga published in Nakayoshi Magazine

Tenchi Muyo GXP, the late-night Tenchi Muyo Galaxy Police side-story

Happy Lesson, the TV series version of the popular DreamCast game and OAV series best described as a combination of Love Hina with Sister Princess

Abenobashi Maho Shotengai, the latest TV series from Gainax studios (Evangelion, Nadia)

Ai Yori Aoshi, the latest romantic comedy from Pioneer

Rizelmine, the latest "kawaii" (cute) romantic comedy from MOE Studios.

Atashin'chi, the latest series from Kodomo no Omocha/Jubei-chan/Fruit Basket director Akitaro Daichi

Azumanga Daioh, which will air 26 episodes each consisting of five 5 minute long vignettes about daily Japanese life for a group of 6 Japanese teen girls

Juuni Kokuki (Record of 12 Countries), a mature "stranger in strange land" fantasy in the style of Himiko-den

Tokyo Underground, a new action/comedy created by the same character designer, scenario writers, story editor and director that created the Gensomaden Saiyuki anime

Pita-Ten, a romantic comedy based on manga by Di-Gi-Gharat creator Koge Donbo

The web page for the new ex-Driver movie is online at www.nifty.com/ex-d/

The first DVD of the new Sakura Taisen OAV (direct to video release) is schedule to be release in Japan on November 22nd.

Blame Web Anime

Anime News Service report, with the movie version of the manga Blame! to screen in Japan the winter of 2003, a web anime version will commence distribution on the internet on 7 June 2002. The web anime version will consist of six episodes, each of five minutes' length.

Blame takes place in a bizarre, completely artificial world known as "Cyber Dungeon", descibed as "combination of Aeon Flux, a Fantasy-Style Dungeon, Clive Barker's Hell (as per Hellraiser), and a collection of H.R. Geiger's art.". The hero, Killy is traveling upwards through this world looking for a cure a genetic disease.

There is a good Blame manga site at here.

Escaflowne Movies Releases

Bandai has announced that the Escaflowne movie, A Girl in Gaia will be released on July 23rd, Overlapping Realtime Storyboards, Isolated Score Audio Track, Theatrical Movie Trailers.

The movie will also be released in as an "Ultimate Edition DVD Box Set) with the sound track, and bonus material including Staff and Cast Interviews, Escaflowne Premiere Event Interviews, Musical Performance by Maaya Sakamoto (In Japanese & Korean), Widescreen Letterbox, Anime Expo Premiere Footage, The Making of the Escaflowne Theatrical Poster Gallery for 54.98

Gaia - a mythical realm ruled by sword and sorcery and immersed in blood and violence. Thrust into a conflict she doesn't quite understand, Hitomi helps aid the young Prince Van as they embark upon their journey of discovery. The battle over a legendary suit of dragon armor, Escaflowne, has begun.

Based on the story by Shoji Kawamori (Macross Plus) Character Designs by Nobuteru Yuki (X, Record of Lodoss Wars) Directed by Kazuki Akane (Ronin Warriors) Music by Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Brain Powered)

Bandai will also be releasing a Limited Edition DVD Box Set (10,000 units numbered) of the Escflowne TV series for $199.98.

The box set will inclde an exclusive action figure, DVD Box, music videos, and creator interviews.

Japanese Links

The official .hack anime series page has opened at here

The Patlabor WXIII theatrical poster can be seen at here

Merchandise News

The Cowboy Bebop Spike Spiegel figure is being solicited by Diamond for a July release. Figures.com has images here. Sculpted for Kaiyodo by Enoki Tomohide, this figure of Spike stands 6" tall and features eight points of articulation. Comes with a Jericho custom gun, three cigarettes, and a base depicting the rose on the ground from Spike's memories.

Diamond is also soliciting Koto's Bastard Series 2, which can be seen here.

The angel Gabriel, with her unique costume and bodyline, spreadable wings, and an even more impressive bust stands 7" tall with a 9" wingspan. Polno, the demonic generalissimo, stands 7" tall with an impressive wingspan as well of 10 ½"! Both PVC figurines come with bases and removable caps. Sculpted by Toui Fujiura and shipping in blister card packaging for a SRP of $17.99 each. Look for Special Editions of Bastard Series 1 Figures in the May issue of Previews. These may include Dark Schneider Deluxe TRANSLUCENT Majin and a Mikael RED DRESS VARIANT.

Figures.com has posted an review of the Mazinger AD-1901 figure here, and their review of the Berserk Griffith and Caska two-pack can be seen here

.hack confirmed for US release

The GIA reports though .hack has already popped up once in an advance retailer list, stronger confirmation of its American release has come in the form of an interview with one of the voice actors on the project. Wendee Lee, known for providing the dubbed English voice for Faye Valentine in "Cowboy Bebop" as well as other starring anime roles, revealed that she'll be providing the voice for an unspecified character in .hack.

Lee referred to the project as a game, rather than an anime, so while it's uncertain whether the corresponding animated series will also be brought to the US, the PS2 RPG is definitely a lock for an American release. Interestingly, although the earlier projected release date for .hack was October, Lee mentioned that it would "take like a year to record all of [the voice acting]," which would either indicate that the release date has been pushed back or that the project will, like its Japanese counterpart, be released in serial installments.

Yamato Legal News

Anime News Service report, in Japan, Space Battleship Yamato creator Matsumoto Leiji's legal action to prevent Nishizaki Hirofumi describing himself as author of the anime Uchuu Senkan Yamato has been dismissed. Nishizaki was producer of the anime series. Judge Iimura Toshiaki of the Tokyo District Court today held that Nishizaki's detailed participation in the creation process entitled him to be known as author of the film work pursuant to article 16 of the Copyright Act. Manga author Matsumoto Leiji's role in the creation of the movie was said to be a partial role. Matsumoto has said that the decision is unfair and that he will appeal - without his presence, not one frame of the anime could have been produced. In 2000, Nishizaki was sentenced to 5 years 6 months jail for drug and possession of illegal arms offences, the matter is presently the subject of an appeal.

Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure Release Update

According to a message post to Anime on DVD's by a representative of Super Techno Arts, Inc., they are dispointed that they could not release the series this summer.

This is the first time for me to reply to a forum message...allow me to introduce myself as the rep for Super Techno Arts, Inc. - U.S. division of A.P.P.P. in Japan. Thank you for your inquiry on JoJo, and we are also very disappointed that we couldn't get it out this summer.

"As you all may know, our company had a U.S. distribution contract with Digital Manga (who owns Sync-Point)last year. We have since parted ways with them due to difficult circumstances.

Please do not blame Sync-Point personally nor Tenshi ni Narumon nor FLCL for the delay. There really is much, much more to business than someone's personal preference."

The new release date for JoJo will be announced at Sakura Con (Seattle, WA) next month, along with introduction of our new title .

Our website has been under construction for a VERY long time. This is also scheduled to be re-launched next month. Until then, I will answer any inquiries I see here concerning our titles (JoJo, Robot Carnival, Sci-Fi Harry, etc...)."

The JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime adapts part of the third of six series, in a title that has run since 1987, and over 60 volumes of 184 pages. The genre of the title differed from series to series. The third started off as horror, but took on an American superhero comics feel. The second OAV series takes place chronologically after the first series, so the first OAV series will be released first in US. "Jo Jo" refers to the names of members of a family that the title follows. In the case of the third series, and OAVs Jo Jo is Jotaro Kujo, a violent juvenile delinquent who finds out that what he believed was an evil spirit trying to posses him is a Stand, a tarot-card like incarnation that gives him super powers. The OAVs are known for their slick violence, comic-book atmosphere, and interesting uses of super powers.

Sci-Fi Harry was a recent late night shows based by famous horror nobvelist Johji Iida. The series follows an American student who is shy and bullied by others, with psyic powers he isn't aware of. North American audiences find the show has an eeries simularity to school shooting events.

Robot Carnival is an anthology movie of robot related short films that range from the abstract scense of a robot walking in the cloads, to the humorous story of a wooden Japanese robot defending the nation from a mad Western inventor, to where in between in a sequence about a roving robotic festival destroying a small town.

Lupin III Site

FUNimation has opened a Lupin III web site at www.lupinthethird.com

Armitage Dual-Matrix Details

According to this Video Business Online article, Pioneer has pushed the Armitage release date back from June 6th to June 25th.

There will be four editions of the rlease: standard, special edition, 2 disc set and lunch box. The Standard DVD ($19.98) will only contain Armitage Dual-Matrix. A Special Edition DVD ($29.98) will include a "Making-Of" special and an interview with Katsuhito Akiyama, amongst other specials. The two-disc set ($39.98) will include both the original Poly-Matrix and Dual-Matrix. Finally, the "Lunch Box" set (akin to Serial Experiments Lain) release will include the Special Edition DVD and an exclusive action figurine from McFarlane Toys.

Big O Season 2?

According to a recent update at Anime Daisuki, the second season of Big O will broadcast in the United States (Probably on Cartoon Network) sometime next winter before being broadcast in Japan.

Big O combines noir detective stories with the monster of the week giant robot genre, Philip Marlow meets Voltron. Forty years ago a mysterious event robbed the citizens of Paradym City of their memories, Roger Smith is the negiator, a contractor who specializes in solving problems. He is along the owner and pilot of the Big O, a robot made with forgotten technology. The end of the thirteen episode series introduced far more plot elements than were resolved int he series.

Getter Robo and Blue Seed DVD Set

ADV will be releasing box sets of Blue Seed, and Getter Robo. Getter Robo: Armageddon Power Pack will be released on July 23rd. The retail prices will likely be 59.98.

August CPM Releases

CD Now is listing that Central Park Media will be releasing Ping Pong Club 1: Make Way For the Ping Pong Club, Project A-Ko Collection and Geobreeders 2 on August 13th.

Ping Pong Club is an incredibly ruanchy comedy about a group of losers who make up a high school ping pong club.

Project A-Ko is an anime parody that has become slightly dated, as the anime it parodied is not as widely watched as it once was.

Theoretical Robot Carnival 2?

In Cindy Yamauchi from Super Techno Arts' thread on Anime on DVD's forum, while mentioning that they're going to release some new information on it during Sakura Con this spring, as well as potentially some info about Robot Carnival and Sci-Fi Harry, Cindy went on to ask for a 'submissions list' of sorts in this thread for who you'd like to see be involved in a theoretical Robot Carnival 2, where very different artists and directors produce various short anime films. Provided she gets a decent enough list, she'll forward that off to Tokyo. See here

June Manga Releases

Diamond Comics has released their latest Previews magazine with solicitations or June release. See your local comic shop if you would like to pre-order any of the titles.

ComicsOne Corporation

ComicsOne will be releasing the fourth volume of the kung fu sword fighting epic (with a cast of hundreds) Storm Rider, and the eight volume of the violent revenge story Wounded Man.

Offered will be releases in a two volume set: "Offered begins when an evil seductress kidnaps Yu Tachikawa, an Olympic track star from MIT. It seems that Yu may have inherited his phenomenal speed and leaping ability from his father, Gilgamesh, the ancient king, whose sperm (preserved for 2000 years) was used to artificially inseminate Yu's mother. Intrigued? In this two-volume series by author Kazuo Koike (Lone Wolf and Cub) and artist Ryoichi Ikegami (Crying Freeman), the plot only thickens! Adolf Hitler, the cult of Mithras, an alien race, and several beautiful virgins are all thrown into the mix, as a desperate Yu must discover."

CPM Manga

Central Park Media will be releasing Slayers Special 36, the conclusion to the Dark Crystal Saga. Spunky sorcesses Line Inverse, and her busty sidekick Naga face off against Voldo and Master Galdin

The Slayers Super-Explosive Demon Story Book 1: Legend Of Darkness Tp introduces tempestuous sorceress Lina Inverse, and her dim whitted swordsman sidekick Gourry Gabriev as they searcg for fortune and food.

Dark Horse

Lone Wolf And Cub Volume 23: Tears Of Ice Tp features a cover by Matt Wagner (Grendel, Green Arrow). After the flood of Edi, Daigoro the cub of Lone Wolf and Cub is rescued by Retsudo Yagyu, the man whose treachery started the pair on the assasin's road.

What's Michael?: A Hard Day's Life TP

The Super Manga Blast! #23 manga anthologies features new enteries in Club 9,3x3 Eyes. What's Michael and Seraphic Feather.

Indivual issues include Blade Of The Immortal #69: Beasts Part 4 (Of 7), Cannon God Exaxxion #8: Stage 1 Part 8 (Of 8), Lone Wolf 2100 #2 (Of 4)

The Akira Portfolio include six 13 1/2" x 10 3/8" color prints of Akira art by Katsuhiro Otomo.

Vertigo

DC's Vertigo will be releasing the first of Paul Pope's, who recently returned from studying in Japan, five issue series 100%. 100% follows the romantic exploits of three couples in neo- Manhattan. Ensconced in the underbelly of futuristic boxing, hardcore performance art and underworld crime, the passionate 20-something characters experience sex, love and entertainment - and their unsettling repercussions - at 100% impact. Vertigo will also be releasing the collected volume of his series Heavy Liquid.

Ironcat

Ironcat will be releasing Futaba-Kun Change! Volume 8 #5 and Vampire Yui Volume 4 #5.

TOKYOPOP

Comics

Individual comics include Cardcardcaptor Sakura #2, Gundam Wing - Endless Waltz #4, Miracle Girls #22 & 23, and Saint Tail #20.

The shoujo manga anothology Smile will end will volume 4, issue 7.The least release will feature new enteries in Paradise Kiss, and MARS.

Collections

Graphic Novels

Cowboy Bebop Volume 2 Gn features four new stand along stories with Spike Spiegel, Jet Black and Faye Valentine.

Dragon Knights Volume 2 Gn: "Part dragons. Part knights. All glam! The first volume of Dragon Knights dropped you right in the action, as Rune, Rath and Thatz journeyed to Draqueen to deliver the head of their enemy Nadil to their master, the Dragon Lord Lykouleon. Now find out how this unlikely band of heroes got their jobs as volume 2 takes you back to "Before they were Dragon Knights!""

GTo: Great Teacher Onizuka Volumes 3 & 4 Gn continues the story of the former ruffien and loser who seeks to becmes the world's greatest teacher.

Initial D Volume 2 Gn conitunes the street racing series.

Invu Volume 1 Gn: "Four teen girls find their lives intertwined in the most bizarre ways! When 16-year-old Sey's mom leaves suddenly for Europe, she leaves Sey with a new family, the Kangs. Her new "family" is supposed to be normal, but when her foster brother turns out to be a sister, she begins to think that her new home is weirder than her old one! Sey looks for a job so she can get her own place and escape her crazy life, but the more she finds out about her new sibling, the more she finds out that their lives are intertwined.

Kare Kano Volume 2 Gn continues the school romance between a pair of over-achievers.

In Kodocha Volume 2: Sana's Stage Gn child actress Sana Kurata has problems in love when her manager and "gigalo" falls for a woman, and former-bully Hayama and mama's boy Tsuyoshi start vying for her affections.

In Love Hina Volume 3 Gn Naur joins Keitaro in flunking the college entrance exams, and accidently joins in him in a vaction to Kyoto.

Marmalade Boy Volume 2 Gn continues the humorous soap opera of a girl find she has an attractive new step brother when her parents exchang spouses with another couple.

Priest Volume 1 Gn: "It's Sergio Leone meets Spawn when an Old West priest sells his soul to a devil to get revenge! Ivan Isaacs was once a priest. Devoted to his faith, he would have given up anything for it. Then the establishment he believed in turned on him, sending him headlong into Hell. Now, he's back. With the priesthood now corrupt with demons, the undead and black prayers, he has returned with the help of the demon Belial, a voice in the darkness who offered Ivan a chance at vengeance, in exchange for his soul. With his six-shooter, a Bowie knife at his side, and the white collar of his former life adorning his neck, he is a pale rider, lost in a barren wild west where past and future collide."

In Ragnarok Volume 2 Valkyrie Sara Irine has returned to the city of her birth in her pursuit of the wold goddess Fenris.

Shaolin Sisters Volume 1 Gn: "Separated at birth, three Shaolin princesses trained in supernatural and physical combat, must work together to defeat ultimate evil. A Juline sequal from the creator of Vampire Princess Miyu! Juline Kenga always thought that she was an only child and the heiress to her martial arts clan. So when an old kung-fu master gives her a magical bell and tells her to find her two older sisters, it comes as quite a surprise. She must find them quickly though, as the evil King Baiwon is trying to capture the three bells that the Kenga sisters hold. Juline finds one sister, Kaline, in a nearby town, but the oldest sister, Seiline, is a pirate captain who won't believe that the other two are her sisters unless they defeat her in combat. "

Other collections include Chobits volume 2. Corrector Yui Volume 4 Pocket Tp, Mars Volume 2 Gn, Miracle Girls Volume 5 Pocket Tp,Peach Girl Volume 5 Pocket Gn, Planet Ladder Volume 2 Gn, and Saint Tail Volume 5 Pocket Tp.

Anime books being released include Cardcaptors Anime Book Volumes 4 & 5 Tps and Cowboy Bebop Anime Guide Volume 5 & 6 with episodes "Pierrot Le Fou," "Boogie Woogie Feng Shui," "Cowboy Funk," and "Brain Scratch", and "Hard Luck Women" and the final two-part episode, "The Real Folk Blues!".

Gundam Technical Manual Volume 4: Char's Counterattack Tp includes full-color design schematics for all Mobile Suits in Char's Counterattack, histories of the Federation, the Principality of Zeon, biographies of all the key players in Char's Counterattack, and all-new paintings of Gundam units in action.

Art Books

The Art Of Cardcaptor Sakura Volume 2 Art Book is a 120 page book with full color art by CLAMP.

Peach: Miwa Ueda Illustrations Art Book is a 100 page book with shojo art from Miwa Ueda.

The Art Of Magic Knight Rayearth Art Book feature 92 pages of art from CLAMP.

Viz

Animerica Extra Volume 5 #7 features a color poster of Yu Watase, a overview of Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix, and new enteries in Fushigi Yûgi, Video Girl Ai, Steam Detectives, Chicago:, Revolutionary Girl Utena and Marionette Generation.

The mature manga anthology Pulp Volume 6 #7 will feature new enteries Banana Fish, Cinderalla, Dance Till Tomorrow, Short Cuts,the penultimate episode of Uzumaki: The penultimate.

The Big O Part 1 #5 catches up to the first series of the anime series as Roger Smith is hired to negioate the release of a kidnap victim, Dorothy Wayneright, the daughter of a rich industrialist.

Neon Genesis Evangelion Part 7 #2, by Evangelion character designer by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto features a story not told in the anime series as Kaji tells Shinja about his life at Shinji's aga as a surviror of Second Impact.

The All-New Tenchi Muyô! Part 1 #2 "After a few pointed remarks from Ayeka concerning Tenchi's industriousness, Ryoko ends her usual daily routine of heavy drinking and laying around the house, and decides to get a job! That's right, folks! See Ryoko as a fast food employee! See Ryoko working at a gas station! See Ryoko washing windows! Will her meager paychecks even begin to cover the property damage?"

Other individual issues include Bastard!! #7 , Ceres, Celestial Legend Part 3 #1, Dragonball Part 5 #1, Dragonball Z Part 5 #6, Inu-Yasha Part 6 #14, Magical Pokémon Journey Part 7 #4, Medabots Part 2 #1, Medabots Part 2 #2,Pokémon Adventures Part 7 #3, Ranma 1/2 Part 11 #4, Silent Möbius: Turnabout Part 10 #6. Zoids: Chaotic Century #5 (72 pages for 5.95).

Collections:

In Dragonball Z Volume 7 Tp "On the war-torn Planet Namek, Kuririn and Gohan are forced to team up with the evil Vegeta to fight against their common enemy. Freeza and the Ginyu Force"

Marionette Generation Volume 3 TP From the character designer for Robotech and Gundam Haruhiko Mikimoto, "Lunch's origins are revealed! Is the sentient doll a new type of life, or is she some sort of space/time anomaly? Then, Lunch's consciousness is transferred into a human girl in Tokyo who is having some trouble with her boyfriend and the only thing Lunch can do is play dumb! Plus, Izumi gets involved in a strange mind- meld; and Kinoko must go on a date with a creepy otaku! Ewww!"

Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 Volume 5 adapts the original Gundam series. Operation Odessa, the Federal Force's campaign to take back the mineral-rich regions of Eastern Europe, has begun. The Federation and Zeon clash in a titanic struggle for supremacy, and the crew of White Base find themselves struggling for victory-and their own survival-amid the chaos.

Short Cuts Volume 1 Tp "So what is this fascination with that extreme variant of the Japanese teenage girl; that highly evolved creation of Japan's frenetically trendy consumer culture... the ko-gal? Short Cuts is the comic strip that takes you on a bizarre illustrated journey into the ko-gal's world. In his American book-publication debut, creator Usumaru Furuya takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the ko-gal with his characteristic bizarre, irreverent, and often surreal humor. In this volume: Crushes and more crushes! Mariko emerges from puff of smoke strangely transformed-with a craving for carrots; Zero Boy is obsessed with Maria, who doesn't even know he exists; and Muku, the "adorable" babe everyone is flirting with, just happens to be a Bigfoot! Also, a hilarious spoof on shopping networks, weight-loss, and a how-(NOT)-to-dress for school!"

In Kia Asamiya's Silent Möbius Volume 7 the six women of AMP fight to protect humanity from the wizard Ganossa, and the demonic Lucifer Hawks.

Steam Detectives Volume 5 Tp "Anime-style action, American comics, and film noir meet in the stylish mystery series by Kia Asamiya, creator of Dark Angel and Silent Möbius! "

In No Need For Tenchi! Volume 11: Ayeka's Heart, Ayeka vanishes mysteriously one day, leaving the rest of the Tenchi cast desperately looking for her. She reappears as a brainwashed agent of a mysterious power, vowing to kill Tenchi.

In Vagabond volume 2 Takezo, who will become the "sword saint" famous Miyamoto Musashi, becomes a savage fugitive as flees the authorities, and vengeful third parties.

Fushigi-Yûgi: Collector's Edition is an imported Japanase edition of the first 24 chapters of the series with a mouse pad.