Well Anime/Manga Geeks it is once again Wednesday, soooooooo that means its time for ol' Father Geek here to post up another delious helping of Scott's great fact filled fun reports. This week's column as always is chunked full of all the Anime and Manga news you can possibily absorb in a single helping; Comics, Gaming, Merchandise, Videos, DVD's, Theatrical Releases... the entire Manga/Anime spectrum is here in one place for your information, and reading pleasure. Check it all out below... and below that... annnnnnd...

The AICN Anime Report...

By Scott Green

Anime Spotlight: Soul Taker: The Monster Within (episodes 1-3)

Released by Pioneer

Soul Taker is anime's answer to Blade or the Mummy, a super hero-horror, with blaring loud visuals for a teenage/twenty something, male audience. Soul Taker has to be one of the most visually aggressive anime that's been created. Little if any restraint is shown. It maintains the ranting energy of a music video, or a trailer as it cuts from one novel camera, or color filter to another. It's a department store catalogue of aesthetics from religious symbolism of crosses and candles, to giant sci-fi complexes, with what looks like borrowed elements from Evangelion, Lovecraft, and maybe some American comic such as Mike Mignola (Hellboy), and the Crow. It's at its best, and most distracting with its mixes aesthetics. For examples, characters holding a conversation in front of a constantly shifting neon/stain glass background.

Soultaker presents itself as a horror tragedy. Kyosuke returns to his mother's church to find mother bleeding to death. When he attempts to help her, she drives a knife into his heart. The last thing he remember is handing out a broken stain glass window from a loose cable before he is being freed from his grave by a young woman named Maya. Maya turns out to be a "Flicker", an aspect of Kysosuke's sister Runa's soul that is found in a host of women of various ages and appearances. Flickers are being hunted and experimented upon by two originations, the cooperate Kirihara Group, the more insane Hospital, first represented by a tongue wagging maniacal mutant, scalpel throwing doctor, and more consistently by a cute girl young girl with the personality of Cowboy Bebop's Ed, and a giant syringe as a weapon . Another party mysterious interjects to aid Kysosuke in the already crowded picture in the form of Shiro Mibu, a flamboyant tough guy in a suit, and always with a sprig in his mouth.

After being killed by his mother Kysosuke learns he can take the form of Soultaker, a being that looks like it is wearing a demonic power armor.

The first episode is a blitzkrieg attack. Its throws its unique visual style, a number of characters, names, and concepts at the viewer without any warning or change to absorb them.

The second episode pits Kyosuke against Kirihara in their Edo era theme park; its a shameless, but fun excess to pit Soultaler against an army of robots dress as samurai and ninja. The high light of the episode is the color ships from black and white to sepia, to plum/cherry to sunset to best capture the feel to feudal swordfight action.

The final introduces girl who claims to be Runa in order to appeal to Kyosuke's sense of family duty, and destroy Kirihara. If anything, the girl provides to be an ace with a pair of pistols, or a shot gun in an episode that should please gun battle fans would love high energy action, but don't ask for much realism.

Soultaker doesn't pretend to be anything more the amusement park ride it is. If it throws out crosses, and a character bleeding from the eyes, its just as much for the look as when it presents feudal Japanese architecture. It certainly sacrifices logic for the scope of its visuals.

Manga Spotlight: TOKYOPOP's "100% Authentic Manga"

TOKYOPOP has unveiled their new "100% Authentic Manga" format, which presents manga in its original right to left order, both between pages, and within the page.

Many translated manga releases simply mirror the images, which means all of the characters suddenly become left handed, which is some times noticeable in action oriented series.

Some creators, such as Dragon Ball's Akira Toriyama have insisted on the original printed layout.

Samura worked with the translation of Blade of the Immortal to rearrange panels rather than mirror the image, and touching up the work when necessary.

The page flow is easily adapted to, but reading the order of panels (the boxes), and content of individual panels takes practice. It will take some conscious thought to read your first collection or two, but after that it becomes second nature. In most cases it is a minor, but noticeable effort, personally, it was less difficult than learning to use a new TV remote after switching from familiar one. Once you get used to it, hardly noticeable, and not a detriment to your understanding or enjoyment of the manga. Likewise, most sound effects are left in their original Japanese symbols. Usually there is a visual onomatopoeia to the sound effects, screeches, scratches and booms looks like you'd expect the sound, but more subtle sounds can be more ambiguous.

The best feature of the Authentic Manga format is that it is allowing TOKYOPOP to release series straight to trade paperback collections, which retails for $9.99 for over two hundred pages a volume. It is a great way to try large chunks of a huge library of manga cheaply, and easily follow the ones you find to your liking.

Manga Spotlight on GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka volume 1

By Tohru Fujisawa

The GTO manga hit upon an instantly likable and memorable character that was deservedly adapted into both live action and animated TV. Though Onizuka had the drive to achieve a college degree after dropping out of high school, a black belt in karate, and the leadership of the Santama Gang, he hasn't been able to parlay his past achievements into a position in the adult world. He's a 22 year old nearly jobless virgin who spends his days looking up mini-shirts from the bottom of an escalator, and he's starting to feel time passing him by. He's been spending too much time with people who open bear bottles with a karate chop. In one of his failed attempts to get intimate with an under aged school girl, he sees the girl whisked away by a short, bald teacher. From this experience he extrapolates that the best way to gets girls, and a steady job, is to become a teacher. When he gets a job as a student teacher he is placed a with a the school's worst class, who spit on him, and eventually black mail him with incriminating pictures; a problem he solves with a little gang style torture of the ring leaders.

GTO is a ruckus and fast paced outing. The manga edges out the anime in some respects. Onizuka's frequent facial contortions work better in the manga than as freeze frames in the anime. The pages of Onizuka's porn strewn apartment alone would make the manga worth while. The Manga also seems to a darker edge. An early sequence in which Onizuka tries to seduce a high school girl paints him in a negative light. In the anime series Onizuka's spends a considerable about of time day dreaming about potential sexual escapades, but in the manga his brief imaginary spurts are more directed to thoughts of aging.

GTO's page layouts make the series less effected by the Authentic Manga format than others. Its panels are large, and often stand by themselves. Two horizontally aligned panels on a page are uncommon. You are often reading top down than right left, and in the case of the later you are unlikely required to visually interpret action. If you are wary of the right to left format, start with GTO, as a way of easing yourself into the style.

GTO is one of the cases where there are a number of incomprehensible sound effects, or ones that require effort to interpret. If someone is flipping through a book, or drinking a glass of milk, the sound effects are obvious, but GTO frequently uses panels of a character's facial expression accompanied by a sound effect. A growl is easy to figure out, but there are a number of rather ambiguous ones. It doesn't effect understanding or enjoying the story, its just an occasional annoyance. Maybe in the future foot notes would be a nice addition.

Manga Spotlight on The Skull Man: volume 1

By Kazuhiko Shinamoto and Shotaro Ishinomori

The Skull Man is a posthumous adaptation of an idea by Shotaro Ishinomori, one of manga's early innovators who shaped the medium in a way only surpassed by the likes of Osamu Tezuka, and or Go Nagai. His work ranged from like action sentai TV shows like The Masked Rider, and other Power Ranger prototypes, to the serialized Cartoon Introduction to The Japanese Economy (published in the US as "Japan, Inc.), to "Hotel", a long running, serious, mature series about the inner working of a hotel for older audiences.

Skull Man is one of Shotaro Ishinomori's boy adventure stories. The idea eventually became Masked Rider, but he preferred the original, and his protégé Kazuhiko Shinamoto carried built on top the foundation he laid.

Skull Man is Power Rangers doused in hell-fire. He looks like a Speed Racer villain in his ping-pong ball helmet with its oversized reflective eyes. His side kick, Garo, a man who can alter his body is the shape of a bat, wolf of alligator, and his enemies have an air of Go Nagai's (Devilman, Cutey Honey, Mazinger/Tranzor, Violence Jack) stylized grotesque.

Skull Man took his mystery identity to root out the conspiracy that killed his parents. The quest leads to his grandfather, and a conflagration that shoot have taken his life, but instead took his skin, and possible a close relative, making him a real skull man. In this volume Skull Man and Garo face off against a pair of supernatural agents in involved in political corruption and assassination, a woman who can kill with a glance, and a man with spider-powers.

The horror/political aspect of Skull Man looks like it has the potential to develop into something interesting, more "Devil's Advicate"/ "Ninth Gate" than X-Files, but the action is the high light of the first volume. There is a surprising brutality and excitement to the confrontations between the pairs of adversaries.

Skull Man has considerably more panel to panel and right to left action flow than GTO. As an action oriented series it may provide a challenge. It is by no means difficult to read, once you have trained yourself to the format, it is still easy to read, but you may wish to read it after you have read less difficult releases. Given the rapidity and shifting nature of some of the action, naturally starting on the right side provides a clear benefit in enjoying the series.

This Week's Anime and Manga Releases...

Anime

Sailor Moon - A Heroine Is Chosen (Tv Show, Vol. 1)

Sailor Moon - Sailor Scouts To The Rescue (Tv Show, Vol. 2)

Soultaker Volume 2

Yu Yu Hakusho - Spirit Detective - Yusuke Lost, Yusuke Found (Vol. 1)

Yu Yu Hakusho - Spirit Detective - Artifacts Of

Darkness (Vol. 2)

Manga

• Cardcaptor Sakura #27
• Dragonball Part 4 #9 (Of 10)
• Dragonball Z Part 5 #4 (Of 12)
• Eagle Vol 5 Tp
• Magical Journey Pokemon Part 7 #2 (Of 4)
• Marmalade Boy #5 (Of 5)
• Medabots Part 1 #1 (Of 4)
• Miracle Girls #19
• Oh My Goddess Part Xi #9 Mystery Child (Part 7 Of 8)
• Pokemon Advs Part 7 #1 (Of 5)
• Saint Tail #18
• Shadow Star Darkness Visible Tp
• Slayers Special #4
• Slayers Super Explosive Demon Story #6
• Vagabond Part 1 #6 (Mr)

Yu Yu Hakusho is a fighting anime about super powered characters in a martial artists tournament. Many compare the series to Dragon Ball Z, but with slightly more romance and comedy.

Eagle is the award winning political thriller about the first Japanese American candidate for the presidency of the US.

Metabots is the manga version of the children's series about customizable fighting robots.

Pulp Ends in August

Viz has sent a notice to subscribers of their Pulp adult manga anthology will be ending in august.

The final three issues will be the Phoenix issue in June, the Cinderella issue in July and the "Manga Hell" issue in August. By the last issue, Bakune Young, Cinderalla, and Uzumaki will have all wrapped up neatly; Dance Till Tomorrow will continue in a straight-to-graphic-novel format (last volume will be #7); and Banana Fish will continue in the pages of our sister magazine, Animerica Extra, starting in December 2002.

It was also stated:

And not to exhaust a good metaphor, but like the Phoenix, look for PULP to rise from the ashes. Just a hint of what's to come: in June 2002, look for the first Short Cuts collection, and in July 2002, the full-color graphic novel collection of Junko Mizuno's Cinderalla. Before the year is out, we should have out the the first collection of Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga. And we have several more original graphic novels and book projects in the works that should be out before the end of the year, including the Battle Royale novel and the English-language debut of horror manga great Kazuo Umezu.

AnimEigo Ships Otaku No Video

AnimEigo has started shipping Otaku No Video, the parody documentary about Japanese anime fans from the people who will form Gainax and product Wings of Honneamise and Evangelion.

Evangelion Movies Delays

Evangelion has delayed the frequently delayed Evangelion movies again. Death and Rebirth will now be released on 7/30, and End of Evangelion will be released on 9/24.

Death and Rebirth is a summation of the first 24 episodes of Evangelion with new footage for transitions, and an alternate episode 25. The Evangelion Movie, as it will be known in the Manga release, features the alternate episode 25 from Death and Rebirth, and a new alternate episode 26.

Intro 3 Pack from ADV and Right Stuf

The Right Stuf and aDV will be releasing an ADV introductory three pack with volumes 1 of Lost Universe and Arc the Lad along with Slayers The Motion Picture on DVD for $34.98. It can be seen here. Lost Universe is a star ship sci-fi take on the popular fantasy-comedy Slayers, with many of the same creative forces.

Plans for US Akira

Comic Book Resources reports, according to today's Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros' and filmmaker Stephen Norrington have teamed to created a Western adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's "Akira". Norrington will both write and direct the new movie with Jon Peters producing. Norrington's name should be a familiar one to comic fans as the man who directed 1998's "Blade." He'll also be directing the feature film versions of Alan Moore's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and Marvel Comics' "Ghost Rider," both set for a 2003 debut. No release date for this new "Akira" was mentioned.

Upcoming Escaflowne Theatrical Showings

4.19.2002

Sacramento

UA Market Square at Arden Fair 1739 Arden Way Sacramento, CA 95815 (916)568-1770

5.3.2002

Boston/Cambridge

Brattle Theater 40 Brattle St. Cambridge, MA 02138

Tempe/Phoenix

Harkins Valley Art 505 South Mill Avenue Tempe, AZ 85281 (602)222-4275

5.24.2002

Portland

Clinton Street Theater 2522 SE Clinton Street Portland, OR 97202 (503)238-5588 theater

Las Vegas

Brenden Palms 14 4321 West Flamingo Road Las Vegas, NV 89103 (925)677-0462

Viz to Release Cinderella TPB

Viz announced the July graphic novel release of Cinderalla by Junko Mizuno, marking her English-language book debut. With lettering and coloring by the author herself, Mizuno recreates the tones for her own work--in effect creating an original work for her American readers--and demonstrates why sheis the fastest rising comics star of Japan. Cinderalla features 120 full-color pages for $15.95 U.S. ($26.50 Canada).

Currently featured in PULP: The Manga Magazine, where it is serialized on a monthly basis, Cinderalla is twisted turn on the classic fairy tale--her dad and the stepsisters are zombies, her family runs a yakitori restaurant and the sickly Prince is a pop star on permanent IV support! Mizuno turns this classic story about class, labor and the social role of women, on its head with a distinctly post-pop, post-feminist consciousness with delirious color illustrations, elements of grotesquerie and politically sharp black humor. Brimming with psychedelic soul, Cinderalla is the latest brilliant pop object from cutting-edge Japan. To see a black-and-white preview for yourself, visit www.pulp-mag.com/manga/cinderalla/.

Cute but deadly. Powerpuff Girls on acid. Girl power with a grotesque edge. These are some of the ways to describe the utterly unique world of author and artist Junko Mizuno. Born in 1973 in Tokyo, Japan, Mizuno is one of the most promising young artists in Japan's fast-moving manga scene. Her instantly recognizable illustrations blending the cute and grotesque, grace everything in Tokyo from T-shirts to handbags to skateboards to CD covers to nightclub décor.

Tenchi Muyo! GXP Manga On the Way.

Anime News Service reports the Tenchi Muyo! GXP manga series begins publication in the June, 2002 issue of Comic Dragon, a Japanese monthly anthology.

Anime Game News

According to an rpgamer.com post citing comments made by Namco's Hirohide Suguira, the designers of the upcoming (as yet untitled) second installment of the epic Xenosaga videogame series are drawing inspiration from the equally epic anime series Legend of Galactic Heroes (Gingaeiyu Densetsu).

Legend of Galactic Heroes is a spralling space epic about the tacticians, soldiers and politicians of two warring empires

According to Dengeki Online, Capcom will release "The Anime Super Remix" series of Playstation 2 games, based on various anime titles. From June 2002, Kyojin no Hoshi (a baseball anime) and Ashita no Joe 2 (a boxing anime) will be released. The software will contain mini-games and memorable scenes from the anime. Each game will retail for 5,800 yen (excluding tax).

GameSpot has confirmed that Yasuhiro Nightow's (Trigin) GunGrave shooting game for the PS2 will be coming to America. No further details are available yet, though.

Sentou Yousei Yukikaze On Track

From Anime News Service

Long anticipated OAV project Sentou Yousei Yukikaze (Fighting Fairy Yukikaze), first announced by Bandai Visual close to 1 year ago, Yukikaze is based on a SF novel series by famous author Chouhei Kambayashi. Honoured with the Seiun Award two years ago on the same SF Convention (in the category Japanese Long SF Fiction) "Sentou Yousei Yukikaze" is set in the distant future when earth is suddenly attacked by a mysterious force named "JAM". Human, however, is able to establish a defence wall against the invaders using fighter jets equiped with high-sophisticated A.I. Actually, this A.I. system is so highly developed that one of them starts to "think" on its own one day. Planned to be adapted into a 5-part OVA-series boasting a large budget provided by Bandai Visual and state-of-the-art animation by Studio Gonzo, the first volume will hit the Japanese stores in August 2002. The producers hope to conclude the series within one year. Staff includes director Masahiko Okuma, chara-designer Yumi Tada, sound supervisor Yota Tsuruoka and 3D supervisor Atsushi Takeuchi. Since "Yukikaze" will feature a lot of air combat the production team has visited the JSDF Komatsu base this past summer for an extensive technical and design study. A glimpse of the result was shown at a Japanese SF convention in form of a 3-minutes trailer.

The first novel on which the anime is based is described in the critical anthology "Anatomy of Wonder". Yukikaze is a fusion of the classic war story and cyberpunk, in that the central character IS the airplane Yukikaze (Blizzard). This Link has illustrations of the Yukikaze made for the novel slipcovers. The trailer can be viewed here at Watch Impress.

Volume 1 is due on August 25th, run 45 minutes while the remaining four episodes will be 30 minutes each. GONZO's page on the work-in-progress can be viewed here, but the official homepage is scheduled to open in May 2002. A few designs can also be viewed here.

New OAV Work From Escaflowne Manga Author - Futari Ecchi Anime News Service reports Escalowne / Psychic Academy mangaka Katsu Aki's Futari Ecchi will be adapted to OAV for planned summer release. The manga is currently serialised in monthly Young Animal magazine.

Upcoming ADV Releases

ADV will be releasing Soul Hunter volume 4, City of Fire on June 18th.

The ninth and Final volume of Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, entitled "Nadia in Love" will be released June 4th.

Initial D Trailer

TOKYOPOP has posted a new trailer of their upcoming release of the street racing anime series Initial D at here

New Kodansha Blingual Titles

Anime News Service reports the bilingual edition of the WWII naval manga Zipang, volumes 1 and 2, by Kawaguchi Kaiji (translation by Ralph McCarthy). Price 850 yen (excluding tax). Also available is the Love Hina Eiga Juku (Private English School), aimed at teaching English by reference to scenes from the manga. Includes an interview with Akamatsu Ken. By Akamatsu Ken, Giles Murray and Watanabe Yumiko. Price 820 yen (excluding tax).

Upcoming Bandai Releases

Bandai will be releasing the third volume of Brain Powered, the second of Fancy Lala. and sixth of Ronin Warriors on September third.

Brain Powered was to be Gundam creator Tomino Yoshiyuki's answer to the success of Evangelion. It features the talents of Yadate Hajime (Escaflown, Cowboy Bebop), the elegant mechanical design of Nagano Mamoru (Five Star Stories), character design by Inomata Mutsumi (Tales of Destiny), and music by Yoko Kanno (Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop, Macross Plus).

Fancy Lala is a magic girl series about an eight year old girl about magically take the form of a teenage fashion model.

Media Blasters Acquires Babel II

Anime Nation reports Media Blasters has announced that the first volume of Babel II will be released on August 27th. The "volume 1" moniker suggests that this new license will be the 13 episode Babel II television series broadcast in Japan last fall, not a re-release of the 1992 OAV series.

Babel II is a psychic action series created by Mitsuteru Yokoyama (creator of Giant Robo and Tetsujin 28) first animated in 1973.

Media Blaster also announced an August 27th release date for the first volume of Babel II, fourth of Knight Hunters (Weiss Kruez) and 21st of Rurouni Kenshin, entitlted A Shinobi's Love

ADV Updates Web Site

ADV Films has updated their web site at www.advfilms.com. In addition to a new interface the site futures new trailers, updated licensing list, and press releases.

Storm Riders Volume 2 Now Available

ComicsOne has released the second volume of the kung-fu sword fighting epic Storm Riders. A preview can be seen at here

After twelve years of intense martial arts training, Wind and Frost are sent by Conquer to find the prophet Mud Buddha. To retrieve Mud Buddha, they must first capture Flaming Monkey, a creature that can cure the prophet's deteriorating condition. On their way, they encounter Dragon and Phoenix, a childless couple, who are also in search of Mud Buddha. Wind and Frost must battle these martial artists for control of Flaming Monkey to ensure that they alone possess the key to Mud Buddha's prophecies.

Cartoon Network's Schedule Changes in June

From Toonzone.net's new forum:

• 6:00 AM - Max Steel
• 6:30 AM - Classic Zoids
• 7:00 AM - Hamutaro - replaces "Bugs and Daffy"
• 7:30 AM - Dexter's Laboratory - replaces "Powerpuff Girls"
• 8:00 AM - Cow and Chicken - replaces "Ed Edd n Eddy"
• 8:30 AM - Ed, Edd n Eddy - replaces "Mike Lu and Ogg"
• 9:00 AM - Powerpuff Girls - replaces "Alvin & The Chipmunks"
• 9:30 AM - Johnny Bravo - replaces "Tom and Jerry Kids"
• 10:00 AM - Courage the Cowardly Dog - replaces "Flintstones"
• 10:30 AM - 2 Stupid Dogs - replaces "Flintstone Kids"

Lunchtime:

• These shows all replace airings of Cartoon Theater.
• 11:00 AM - Scooby Doo
• 11:30 AM - The Flintstones
• 12:00 PM - Dexter's Laboratory
• 12:30 PM - Dexter's Laboratory

Afternoons:

• 1:00 PM - Bugs and Daffy
• 2:00 PM - Tom and Jerry
• 3:00 PM - A Pup Named Scooby - replaces "The Powerpuff Girls"
• 3:30 PM - Sailor Moon - replaces "Johnny Bravo"
• 4:00 PM - Hamutaro - replaces "Ed Edd n Eddy"
• 4:30 PM - Zoids

Toonami:

• 5:00 PM - Batman Beyond - replaces "Thundercats"
• 5:30 PM - The Powerpuff Girls - replaces "Dragon Ball"
• 6:00 PM - Dragon Ball - replaces "Dragon Ball Z"
• 6:30 PM - Dragon Ball Z - replaces "Batman Beyond"

Primetime:

• It's either Cartoon Theater from 7 - 9, or...
• 7:00 PM - Scooby Doo - replaces "Dexter's Laboratory"
• 7:30 PM - Scooby Doo - replaces "Dexter's Laboratory"
• 8:00 PM - New Scooby Doo Movies - replaces "Powerpuff Girls"
• 9:00 PM - Courage the Cowardly Dog - replaces "Ed Edd n Eddy"
• 9:30 PM - The Powerpuff Girls - replaces "Johnny Bravo"
• 10:00 PM - Dexter's Laboratory - replaces "Courage"
• 10:30 PM - Dexter's Laboratory - replaces "Scooby Doo"
• 11:00 PM - Johnny Bravo - replaces "Bugs and Daffy"
• 11:30 PM - Ed Edd n Eddy - replaces "Tom and Jerry"

Midnight Run:

• 12:00 AM - Dragon Ball Z
• 12:30 AM - Dragon Ball

Late Night:

• 1:00 AM - The Powerpuff Girls - replaces "Acme Hour"
• 1:30 AM - Freakazoid - replaces "Acme Hour"
• 2:00 AM - Bugs and Daffy - replaces "New Scooby Doo Movies"
• 3:00 AM - Tom and Jerry - replaces "Bugs and Daffy"
• 3:30 AM - The Flintstones - replaces "Tom and Jerry"
• 4:00 AM - New Scooby Doo Movie - replaces "The Flintstones"
• 5:00 AM - The Smurfs - replaces "2 Stupid Dogs"
• 5:30 AM - Captain Planet - replaces "Freakazoid"

Taxes Prove More Inevitable than Dragon Ball Popularity "The IRS", and "Taxes" beat Dragon Ball in Lycos's Top 50 report for the week ending April 13th. The full list was: 1) The IRS 2) Taxes 3) Dragonball 4) The Big Game 5) KaZaA 6) The Masters 7) Morpheus 8) Britney Spears 9) Tattoos 10) Star Wars

Speed Racer 35th Anniversary

A-Kon's web site reports 2002 marks Speed Racer's 35th Anniversary. Since it's 1967 television debut, the adventures of teenager Speed Racer and his Mach 5 continue to enchant.

To celebrate, speedracer.com, the Official Speed Racer Fan Site, has commissioned limited edition sets of the 52 episode series for VHS and DVD.

Never before available, the complete classic libraries are a "must have" for true Speed Racer fans.

Speed Racer is excited to be attending A-Kon, for the first time. A 35th Anniversary Party and Speed-A-Thon are planned during the convention, as well as a special showing of the never before released "Speed Racer Y2K" Japanese pilot dubbed into English.

In our Commemorative Room, we will have one of a kind Speed items, including: original animation cels from "Speed Racer Y2K", one-of-kind Production Samples, Classic Speed DVD sets, custom artwork, leather jackets, and more.

White Rain Cancellation Update

Fanboy Entertainment reports that they are disappointed to have to cancel Serial Experiments Lain character designer Yoshitoshi ABe's manga "White Rain", especially after the success with his art book ESSENCE.

The main reason it was canceled was due to low orders, and production and printing difficulties. Rain was done entirely in pencil and the sound effects were handwritten on the the art. This is made re-lettering the book to English while keeping the same quality very time consuming and costly. Yoshitoshi ABe is strict about the artistic integrity of all his work and the low numbers combined with the high production costs made publishing White Rain impossible at this time.

Fanboy Entertainment apologizes to all of Yoshitoshi ABe's fans.

Nelvana's Medabots Now Airing Monday-Friday on ABC Family

From the press release:

Medabots, the animated series that vaulted to instant success across North America has scored a new network home in the U.S. As a result of the Nelvana-ABC Family agreement, the animated techno-adventure from Corus Entertainment's Nelvana is a daily fixture on ABC Family, televised Monday-Friday (8:30 a.m., ET/PT).

The futuristic series about kids and their high-performance pet robots emerged at the top of the all-important boys 6-11 ratings when the series debuted last Fall on Fox Kids - and made equally impressive debuts on Canada's YTV and Fox Kids Latin America. After achieving an impressive debut on Fox Kids Latin America last October, Medabots continues to remain a powerful performer, reaching over 13 million kids in 20 countries across the region. Flushed with its Western Hemisphere success, Fox will continue to broadcast Medabots on all its European cable outlets this Fall.

Ghibli Movies on American Home Video?

From Disney's press release

The Walt Disney Studios has acquired all domestic theatrical, home entertainment and television rights to Hayao Miyazaki's animated masterpiece, "Spirited Away,'' Japan's all-time top grossing film, it was announced today (4/11) by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, and Toshio Suzuki, the film's producer and head of Studio Ghibli. The film, which recently received the coveted "Golden Bear Award'' at the Berlin Film Festival, is scheduled to be released theatrically in the U.S. this fall. Acclaimed director John Lasseter ("Toy Story,'' "A Bug's Life,'' "Toy Story 2''), executive vice president, creative for Pixar Animation Studios, will serve as creative consultant for the newly dubbed version. Under the terms of the deal, Disney will also acquire the video distribution rights to the film in Japan as well as all theatrical, home entertainment and television rights in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and France. "Spirited Away,'' the latest animated feature from Japan's legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, holds the distinction of being the highest grossing film in Japanese box office history with a total to date of 29.3 billion yen ($234 million) and more than 22 million admissions. This figure surpasses the two previous record holders -- "Titanic'' at 26 billion yen ($208 million) and Miyazaki's "Princess Mononoke'' at 19.3 billion yen ($154 million). "Spirited Away'' opened in Japan in July, 2001 and is still in general release.

"Spirited Away'' follows the fanciful adventures of a ten-year-old girl named Chihiro, who discovers a secret world when she and her family get lost and venture through a hillside tunnel. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, Chihiro must fend for herself as she encounters strange spirits, assorted creatures and a grumpy sorceress who seeks to prevent her from returning to the human world.

Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, "We are thrilled to be associated with the great Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli in bringing 'Spirited Away' to audiences around the world. This film has already become a box office phenomenon in Japan and its visionary story and artistry is sure to be a hit with moviegoers all over the globe. Disney and Miramax have had a very successful collaboration with Studio Ghibli in the past and we are extremely proud to be extending that relationship with this truly extraordinary film. John Lasseter brings a love and respect for Miyazaki's work to his role as creative consultant and will help ensure that this film reaches the widest possible audience in its domestic release.''

Suzuki commented, "We know the Disney team will provide the best possible release for 'Spirited Away.' Hayao Miyazaki and John Lasseter have known each other for more than 20 years, and have been great fans of each other's work. We're so happy to have this opportunity to work together with old friends.''

John Lasseter noted, "Miyazaki is one of the greatest filmmakers of our time and he has been a tremendous inspiration to generations of animators. At Pixar, when we have a problem and we can't seem to solve it, we often look at one of his films in our screening room. 'Toy Story' owes a huge debt of gratitude to the films of Mr. Miyazaki. It is a real privilege to be involved with one of his films and to help bring it to a whole new group of moviegoers. 'Spirited Away' is a magnificent film and deserves to be seen by everyone who loves good storytelling and great characters.''

Disney began its association with Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli in 1996 when Disney executive Michael O. Johnson (then president of Buena Vista Home Entertainment Worldwide) negotiated a deal to bring nine of the Studio's films to the world. In 1998, Buena Vista Home Entertainment released the heart-warming coming-of-age family comedy "Kiki's Delivery Service.'' The division next released Miyazaki's masterpiece, "Princess Mononoke,'' on video and DVD, and is currently preparing several other of the director's titles for release on both video and DVD later this year. Internationally, Buena Vista Home Entertainment has had tremendous success with such titles as "Princess Mononoke,'' which has sold four million units (16.4 billion yen or USD $130 million) to date in Japan alone.

Johnson noted, "Disney has had a great working relationship with Miyazaki and his associates at Studio Ghibli over the past six years and we consider it an honor to be bringing these exceptional works of art and entertainment to movie fans all over the world. Miyazaki's films have universal appeal and 'Spirited Away' is sure to find a receptive audience in theaters everywhere and in the international home entertainment markets.''

Appleseed Movie Information

From Anime News Service

According to a Japanese article in Sponichi, work on a new Appleseed movie is set to be started soon. The movie should be released in Japan, the United States and Europe sometime next spring.

Ant Appleseed OVA, based on the popular manga by Shirow Masamune (Ghost in the Shell), was created in 1988 and is available in North America on DVD and VHS from Manga Entertainment. Shirow Masamune's Appleseed manga is also available from Dark Horse.

The story takes place after World War III, when the remaining governments of the devastated Earth create a perfect city watched over by the perfect Biodroids - half-robot, half-human. Life in this city, Olympus, is carefully controlled, and the humans who live there are fed up. Leading to terrorist organizations who plot to destroy Olympus.

Based on the circa 1985 manga by Masamune Shirow, April 11th saw a press conference event in Tokyo where the details of the coming AppleSeeed Film project were revealed. Utilizing the leading edge technology CGI process (see below link for sample image) called the Trinity Engine, the animation in AppleSeed will achieve the look of fluid cell-like motion using 3D images. As a teaser, on June 25th, the previously reported on 3 figure / DVD sets will ship, limited to 50000 units. The stage of the new AppleSeed is the near future Earth which is devastated by large-scale war. There a Cyborg and Human teamup to fight.

Most interesting, The Trinity Engine was mentioned as an up to date CG animation production tool, used up to this point in videogames. Some physics characteristics are automatically simulated with the program including simple muscular contractions. While 3D CGI and 2D cellstyle animation were processed differently until recently, this new process combines both seamlessly. Pioneer LDC is involved with the new AppleSeed Movie's production. The actress Carla Moskeira will voice Durant.

Animation from the new Appleseed will be showcased at international events such as the Cannes International Film Festival, held in France from May 15th and the American Licensing Show International 2002 held on June 11th in New York. Promotion will be advanced on a worldwide scale as AppleSeed is set to debut worldwide from Spring next year.

A larger still grab of Deunan image for the upcoming Appleseed movie can be viewed at Ascii24 here. ascii24's report mentions the movie staff will seek Shirow's collaboration. It's also possible an independant new storyline will be created for the movie. Also unique to their report are confirming details of the international scale on which AppleSeed will be rolled out. Of 50,000 action figure / DVD sets 15,000 will be sold within Japan. Another still image from the movie, of Briareos, is available in this ZDNet Japan report. Character design of Deunan will be by Maeshima Shigeki (official website).

TNN to Launch Adult Animation Block In non-anime news, TNN plans to air a prime time adult animation block in early 2003, which will include "Gary the Rat", starting Kelsy Grammer, Ren and Stimpy, Spider-Man creator Stan Lee's Stripperella, Ed. Weinberger's (``The Cosby Show,'' ``The Mary Tyler Moore Show,'' ``Taxi'') "Joe Duffy" and Klasky Csupo Productions ("Rugrats,'' "The Wild Thornberrys,'' "Duckman'')'s The Immigrants.

Gary the Rat is about a New York attorney who is so unscrupulous and immoral that he wakes up one morning to discover that he's turned into a rat.

Joe Duffy is a modern-day Archie Bunker who works as a limo driver and spends time trying to understand why he was cursed with what he thinks is a crazy family -- a lesbian daughter, a son in the clergy and the latest addition, an Asian foster child. The series is produced by Nelvana Productions.

Stripperella features Anderson as a stripper by night and a superhero by later night.

The Immigrants tells the story of recent Russian immigrant Vlad Krashenko, who forges an unlikely friendship with streetwise Mexican immigrant Flaco, and the residents of the Vista del Mar Apartments, as they chase and tackle the American dream in the heart of Hollywood, CA, USA.