Father Geek back again with yet another massive mid-work-week all inclusive Anime/Manga column from Scott Green. Tons of uber coolness (including lots of Spirited Away Release and other Miyazaki/Ghibli news) awaits you below... soooooo I'll just get out of the way and let you get to it...

Anime Spotlight: Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory Volumes 3 & 4

Released by Bandai

Stardust Memory does what Gundam does best. It delivers on grandiose sci-fi war epic fleet battles, a baroque variety of intricately design battle machines, life and death conflict, and it tries for thoughtful depth.

The conclusion to the thirteen episode series is a real treat for giant robot fans. Trainspotting fans can see all their old favorites in their sleekest design incarnations, engage in giant space battles along side an every more exotic parade of super-weapons. Stardust Memory shoots for large scope and weapons of frightening capabilities, and succeeds in spades.

The story telling in Stardust Memory isn't design quite as well as its machines. It feels like an attempt to package together a diverse set of ideas without a unifying plan to link them. The finished results looks like a an array of disproportioned parts welded together. At times it as a text book, Star Wars style young her epic, where the young savior must learn to harness his gift, avenge his mentor, defeat the dark knight, and win over his lover. At other times it is a political parable, or an ensemble war story, or a chapter in the larger Gundam history. The rapid perspective changes mean that what is developed as a significant issue later becomes a minor one which can be wrapped up in an after thought.

Gundam hopes to be more than battling robots. It tries to make a statement, and present ideas, which can be infuriating at time, because it abandons them during its progression, often only retaining some of the less challenging threads. Here, it may be those in power will manipulate history to stay in power. Granted this ideas plays well with obfuscation of motives, but the effort to untangle all of the factions, agendas, and highly influential, but barely introduced characters is outweighs the rewards. To Bandai's credit, the time lines they package with the release are a good recourse to untangling what happened.

The other strike against the series is the disjoinder between its place is Gundam history, and its place in the release order. Stardust Memory holds a 9/11 type place in Gundam history. Its a shocking event that jarred society out of a post war lull. While it is being released domestically in its chronological place, originally it was a missing chapter, detailing a gap between series. Because Bandai has been releasing Gundam in chronological order, a fairly sound decision, what should be a traumatic shock, is played a given

Like other Gundam OAV (direct to video) series. it looks excellent, but the story design feels too hap-hazard. Fans of other Gundam series with doubtlessly enjoy this one greatly.

Manga Spotlight: Kodocha: Sana's Stage volume 1 By Miho Obana

Adapted by Sarah Dryer

Kodocha is humorous and endearing take on the problems everyone faces as a child. It is after school special material done right. Entertaining, forceful and not the least bit preachy, an unsentimental look pre-adolescent children dealing with their conflicts and problems. This, despite the fact its protagonist Sana, is a rather exceptional individual. She's a hyper-active child actress. She has a supportive home life, living with her mother, an award winning author, and a deadpan eccentric who parades around the house in a kimono with alternating odd hats, and her pet chipmunk (except when her editor stops by, in which case she runs around with her daughter's energy). School is a different story... it's hell. The catalyst of this daily torture is Hayama, boy who is emotionless, cruel, violent, and intelligent, and like Sana an alpha personality.

The first volume of Kodocha plays out a complete drama in the war between Sana and Hayama. While the series' sight gags and energy are nice assets, its greatest strengths are its believability, and honesty. Everyone can recognized the unbridled viciousness from their own childhood, and empathize with Sana's frustration. Being a release in TOKYOPOP's Authentic Manga line, is an good deal for $9.95. The only caveat is that the Kodocha manga does not have the manic energy of the anime series adapted from it (also know as Kodomo no Omocha, or Child's Toy). If you have heard of anime's reputation, be aware that the manga's humor doesn't have the same insane edge.

Spotlight on Record of Lodoss War: The Lady of Pharis by Ryo Miyuno and Akihiro Yamada

Released by CPM Manga

The original Lodoss War, adapted as the "The Grey Witch" manga series, basically was a Japanese adaptation of a standard Dungeons and Dragons fantasy adventure. "The Lady of Pharis" is a British isle inspired tale of the group of heroes whose later war for the control of the island of Lodoss would become the frame of "The Grey Witch." In the scheme of the Lodoss series, "The Lady of Pharis" is a legend, and the comic version of the tale captures that well. The story telling has an air of the character's fate to it, that treats the them with a reverence. This is combined with a pulp eye for flesh rending action, and design that compares favorably to Conan the Barbarian or Highlander. It is a mixuture that would work well for an adaptation of the Iliad or Odyssey.

The Six Heroes won undying fame by deciding into a labyrinth to defeat the God of Evil. The forgotten seventh member of the band was Flaus, the Lady of Pharis, a warrior fire priestess who was the impetuous of the groups formation, and whose eventual death elicits the promise from the barbarian mercenary Beld that lead to his conquest of the dark island of Marmo, and war with his former comrade Faun's Kingdom of Valis.

There is a maturity to the characters and the story not found other fantasy works, or other Lodoss, entries. It is a well suited state for a tale that is set a legend, where the hero is world are well defined, but given room to change to their ultimate form. The character of Beld is especially striking, and caries this first volume. The reader knows that one day he will become a haunted king of a dark land, and would-be conqueror. Here, he greatly resembles the movie incarnation of Conan The Barbarian, a vicious warrior, who looks read to wade through a battle.

The art work mirrors the more mature, revered tone of the story. Unlike The Grey Witch, which paint the entire story in a tone of high spirited adventure, The Lady of Pharis is good at differentiating quiet moments from the heat of battle. Costume, and monster design has a British style, with some Celtic influence.

Lady of Pharis's fight scenes don't quit. You wouldn't find a better barbarian versus goat head demon fight anywhere. It's probably one of the best fantasy battles in a manga series that has been translated so far. It's brutal, it's explosive, and it's long. Like a Conan-style pulp, magic is rare, and used for great effect.

The legend style in The Lady of Pharis stands out among other fantasy series. It has it own look, and feel, and it well worth a try.

This Week's Releases...

Anime

• The Adventures Of Mini-Goddess - The Skuld Files (Vol. 4)
• Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 - Perfect Collection
• City Hunter - The Motion Picture
• Dragon Ball Z - The Return Of Cooler
• Geobreeders Breakthrough
• Geobreeders Collection
• Project A-Ko (Collector's Series)
• Project A-Ko Collection (Movie/Uncivil Wars/Love & Robots) + Cd Soundtrack
• Ranma 1/2 - Ranma Forever - From Depths (Vol. 2)
• Sherlock Hound - Case File 4
• The Soultaker - The Truth (Vol. 4)
• Strawberry Eggs (I My Me) - Make-Up Exam (Vol. 1)
• Vampire Princess Miyu - The Last Shinma (Tv Vol. 6) ~
• Zoids - The Coliseum Battle (Vol. 3)

Other Animated Releases

• Beast Wars - Transformers (Vol. 2) ~
• Heavy Gear - Battle For The Badlands
• Heavy Gear - The Dragon's Shadow

Manga

• 3 X 3 Eyes Summoning Of The Beast Tp
• Blade Of The Immortal #71 Beasts (Part 6 Of 7)
• Big O Part 2 #2 (Of 4)
• Cardcaptor Sakura Master Of The Clow Vol 1 Gn
• Cowboy Bebop Vol 2 Gn
• Cowboy Bebop Vol 3 Gn
• Dragon Knights Vol 2 Gn
• Dragon Knights Vol 3 Gn
• Dragonball Z Part 5 #8 (Of 12)
• Gto Vol 4 Gn
• Gundam Wing Endless Waltz Gn
• Love Hina Vol 4 Gn
• Mars Vol 3 Gn
• Paradise Kiss Vol 2 Gn
• Pokemon Adventures Vol 6 Cave Campaign Tp
• Ranma 1/2 Part 11 #6 (Of 11)
• Real Bout High School Vol 3 Gn
• Vagabond Part 1 #10
• Wish Vol 1 Gn

Spirited Away Release Information

www.animated-movies.com reports "Spirited Away" will have a special premiere at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles on September 10, which director Hayao Miyazaki will be attending. See here

Hayao Miyazaki himself will attend the premiere and hold a question and answer session.

The American Cinetheque at the Egyptian has sent out a press release announcing that Hayao Miyazaki will be present for the North American premier of his latest film, Spirited Away, at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood on September 10th.

From the Offical Press Release:

On Tuesday, September 10th is an in-person tribute to Japanese animator Hayao Miyazki (PRINCESS MONONOKE) featuring a Sneak Preview of SPIRITED AWAY (2002, Walt Disney/Studio Ghibli).

The Tuesday, September 10th program begins at 7:30 PM on with Hayao Miyazaki's SPIRITED AWAY (SEN TO CHIHIRO NO KAMIKAKUSHI), (2002, Walt Disney/Studio Ghibli, approx. 120 min.) Try to remember your astonishment the first time you saw THE WIZARD OF OZ or SLEEPING BEAUTY, and be prepared for a fantasy of truly wondrous dimensions. A young girl, Chihiro, on holiday with her parents accidentally stumbles into an enchanted village where ancient Japanese demons go for rest and relaxation. After her parents are unfortunately transformed into enormous pigs, Chihiro is forced to take a job as a cleaning girl in a devil-filled onsen (Japanese bath house), where she contends with eight-legged spider-men, gorgeous sky-dragons and a silent, love-struck wraith. Truly magical from start to finish, with a stunning score by longtime collaborator Joe Hisaishi. Winner of the 2002 Japanese Academy Award for Best Picture and the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. Discussion following with director Hayao Miyazaki.

Nausicaa.net mentions a "coming soon" banner for Miyazaki's Spirited Away at the El Capitan theater's official website.

Anime News Service notes that the MPAA has given the movie a PG rating for some scary moment. They also report the soundtrack has been listed for a September 10th release on Amazon.com

Miyazaki to Direct Howl's Moving Castle?

Anime New Network Naohisa Inoue, the artist best known for his impresive pictures for Whisper of the Heart, has said on his web diary that Miyazaki will direct Howl's Moving Castle.

Excerpted from his web diary: "On the 30th, I had a talk with Miyazaki at the Ghibli Museum. He told me that he would direct Howl, and he asked me to draw image boards by the coming fall for the next short cartoon film to be screened at the museum."

In June it was rumored Mamoru Hosoda, who was supposed to direct Howl's Moving Castle, was no longer working on the project.

Studio Ghibli recently closed it's doors for several months. According to Toshio Suzuki, studio manager and producer, the closure was to allow Ghibli employees a chance to relax and return to work in February 2003 to start work on Miyazaki's next project.

Inu-Yasha On Adult Swim Action

Inu-Yasha has been officially confirmed for Adult Swim. Inu-Yasha's set to premiere August 31st at 11pm

Excerpted from the Press Release:

Cartoon Network Acquires InuYasha for Adult Swim Action Block New Animé Series Joins Adult Swim Saturday Night Action Block August 31 at 11:00pm (ET, PT)

InuYasha will make its U.S. debut on Cartoon Network on Saturday, August 31 during the Adult Swim Action programming block. The 52 episode series will premiere at 11 p.m. (ET, PT) on the 31st and will air Saturdays. Kagome is a modern day young girl who lives with her family by the old Higure shrine. Unbeknownst to Kagome, she is the reincarnation of priestess Kikyo and possesses the "Jewel of Four Souls." One ill-fated day, Kagome locates an ancient well near her home and is abruptly transported through the well and into a feudal Japan, inhabited by demons and goblins. There, she encounters Inuyasha, son of a powerful demon father and a human mother, who is pinned to a tree by an enchanted arrow.

Kagome frees Inuyasha from the tree before she learns that all of the demons, including Inuyasha, are after the Jewel in her possession. To prevent the Jewel from being stolen, Kagome accidentally shoots it with the enchanted arrow, shattering it into thousands of pieces. Naraku, like Inuyasha a half-demon, seeks the pieces of the Jewel in order to become a pure demon. New allies Kagome and Inuyasha join forces with Shippo, a small fox-demon, Miroku, a fallen priest and Sango, the sole surviving demon-hunter, in order to combat Naraku and recover the fragments of the "Jewel of Four Souls."

According to Toonzone Cartton Network 52 episodes so far, and they'll probably buy the remaining 45 or so in a year.

The Big O will begin its new US season sometime at the start of 2003, and the second arc of Yu Yu Hakusho should begin at the end of the fall. The tentative schedule is: 11:00 - Inu Yasha 11:30 - Yu Yu Hakusho 12:00 - Cowboy Bebop 12:30 - Gundam 0083 1:00 - Mobile Suit Gundam 1:30 - Outlaw Star

Ichi The Killer Anime

Natsume Maya reports a direct to video OAV anime based on the Ichi the Killer will be released starting on September 27th in Japan. The anime is based on the action/violence manga by Hideo Yamamoto. The show picks up wgere the live action film ended, and follows Ichi's story of becoming a killer. Takashi Miike, the director of the live action film, stars as the voice of Kakihara." Unlike the live action movie, this OVA will not have as much mature content."

Web Periodicals and Articles

Anime News Service points out, The News Times LA has a feature on Cinderalla's Junko Mizuno here

Akadot has posted an interview with GTO creator Tohru Fujisaw here

The August issue of AnimeFringe features articles on the new flood of anime periodicals, recent conventions, Excel Saga spin-off Puni Puni Poemi, and anime and manga reviews.

The August Sequential Tart features interviews with City Hunter creator Tsukasa Hojo, and anime convention photographer Kevin Lillard, features of cyberpunk anime, and anime and manga reviews.

Shonen Jump manga artist Arrested for Underage Sex MadMan Cafe reports Japanese manga Weekly Shonen Jump magazine's artist Hikaru Shimabukuro- known for his popular series "Seikimatsu Leader Takeshi", was arrested today under charges of engaging in underage solocitation.

Shimabukuro is suspected of his conduct on November 12th of last year with a 16 year old high school student at a hotel in Yokohama city, paying 80,000 Yen (approximately 800 dollars) for the act. Shimabukuro met the girl through an online dating site with his cellular phone, faking his name and pretending to be a computer specialist.

You're Under Arrest Pre-Orders

AnimEigo has posted the preoder page for the first four DVD box of the You're Under Arrest TV series. They also posted their official standards for DVD releases.

BAAF To Host Millenium Actress - Producer Taro Maki In-House

Big Apple Anime Fest 2002 (BAAF 2002) will present the Exclusive Sneak Preview of DreamWorks Pictures' award-winning film, Millennium Actress, Saturday August 31st at 7:30pm. The screening will be introduced by Taro Maki, the film's producer, at the Loews State Theater in the Times Square Virgin Megastore. Mr. Maki will also be hosting a question and answer session directly following the feature.

Directed by renowned Anime director Satoshi Kon, Millennium Actress is a compelling romance/adventure where fantasy and reality fuse together. The story is set in Japan, where Genya, a director, is hired to film a documentary about the legendary Chiyoko Fujiwara, a superstar actress who 30 years earlier abruptly ended her career and vanished from the limelight. Genya becomes obsessed with this fallen star, determined to unravel the truth behind her mysterious disappearance. The result is a passionate, timeless homage to history and cinema.

Ken Akamatsu Wedding Pictures

Pictures of Love Hina Ken Akamatsu's wedding can be seen at here

Taro Maki at BAAF (2002-08-08 11:54:38)

Big Apple Anime Festival has sent out a press release officially announcing the presence of Taro Maki at BAAF. Maki, Producer of Millennium Actress and a guest of Dreamworks Pictures, will introduce BAAF's screening of Millennium Actress. [

Maou Dante premieres in August

AniHabara reports Media Blaster's recent acquisition, Maou Dante / Demon Lord Dante will premiere on Japanese TV towards the end of this month. Other TV series premiering this month include Princess Tutu and Ki Fither Taerang.

AXNY Programming Schedule

Anime Expo New York's website has been updated with a detailed live programming schedule.

Cowboy BeBop Movie on Cartoon Network?

Jazz Messanger reports it was mentioned at the San Diego Comic Con that Cartoon Network is trying to get the rights to air the Cowboy Bebop movie after Columbia-Tristar's theatrical run.

Anime In Japan

From Natsume Maya

This week's issue 37 of Weekly Shounen Jump confirms that the Naruto anime will start on October 3 on TV Tokyo. It's being put out by Studio Pierrot, the same company that does the Hikaru no Go anime. The official page can be seen here.

Hibane Renmei , the new series from Serial Experiments Lain's ABe Yoshitoshi will be a new 13 episode series that will arir this October.

After the broadcast of episodes 1 and 2 of Weißkreuz Gluhen in September 2002, Kids Station has announced that broadcast of the TV series will commence in earnest in November 2002. The announcement page also has pics for three new characters.

The official website for the CG anime movie Xevious, which commenced its season this month, is now up. Xevious is based on the old 1980s computer game http://www.groove.or.jp/anime/xevious/index.html

The TV anime version of the manga Spiral ~ Suiri no Kizuna ~ (serialised in Monthly Shonen Gangan, with story by Shirodaira Kyou and art by Mizuno Eita) will commence broadcast on 1 October 2002 on TV Tokyo. Source: Moonphase.

NewType Opens Site and Drops Price

NewType US has opened their web site at www.newtype-usa.com. Due to the high demand from subscribers and advertisers, NewType USA has been able to lower the cover price for the English edition of NewType from the original $12.95 to $9.95.

End of Evangelion Releases Information

According to a press release, Manga Entertainment will be releasing End of Evangelion, the second of the Evangelion movies, on September 24th.

From the press release:

From the animators of GAINAX Studios (The Wings of Honneamise) and Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire), The End of Evangelion DVD will deliver the ultimate surround and stereo audio technology available in both the Japanese and English audio tracks.

SEELE, the secret international organization seeking to bring about a new state of human existence by means of their Human Complementation project, has assembled their forces. The invasion of Central Dogma has commenced. In order to protect the Eva pilots from assassination, Asuka is launched in Unit-02. Major Misato, NERV's Operations Chief, desperately tries to persuade Shinji to join the fray, but his reluctance to do so leaves Asuka facing Seele's nine production model Evas alone. Ikari Gendo, NERV's Commander, rushes to begin his program for Human Complementation before Seele gains the upper hand. Old rivalries are resolved, and startling revelations are made as humanity's Final Judgment approaches, but the ultimate fate of mankind rests neither with Seele, nor Gendo, but within the delicate mind of Shinji Ikari

Comprised of two alternate episodes, which were intended by the animators at GAINAX Studios to take the place of episodes 25 & 26 of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series, the mind-blowing conclusion to the Evangelion saga is a visual tour-de-force that resolves many questions, and generates some interesting new ones. All key roles in the English language version of The End of Evangelion are reprised by the original voice-actors from the Neon Genesis Evangelion series!

DVD Features Include: Letterbox; English and Japanese 6.1 DTS-ES; English and Japanese 5.1 DD-EX; English & Japanese Stereo; Subtitle options for Dialogue & On-screen Text; Audio Commentary by Amanda Winn Lee (English Language Director, and voice of Rei Ayanami) other voice commentary by Taliesin Jaffe & Jason C. Lee; Original Japanese Trailers; Japanese Production Credits; Manga Previews; Web Links; Manga Fan Club.

Right Stuf is offering Evangelion movie posters with the purchase of their of the Evangelion movies.

Noteworthy October Manga Releases

The following manga (comics) be released in the October time frame. For a full list, or to pre-order them visit your local comic shop.

ComicsOne

ComicsOne will be releasing a number of new series.

Red Prowling Devil Gn #1 by Toshimitsu Shimizu

Get ready for high-flying heroine hijinks with Red Prowling Devil, another title from the mind of Toshimitsu Shimizu, author of Maico 2010. During a routine mission, Naomi (pilot for the Red Prowling Devil organization) accidentally shoots down two fellow R.P.D. pilots. The organization takes advantage of Naomi's incredible guilt and convinces her to become an assassin to make amends. Red Prowling Devil mixes exciting aerial acrobatic action, drama and suspense to produce a truly pulse- pounding adventures series. Red Prowling Devil - the world's first portable air show!

Story Of The Tao Gn #1 by Ding Kin Lau & Andy Seto

King Lee instructs Prince Lee, the younger of his two sons, to seek the path of Buddha and all it's wonderful powers. Soon after, the King and his closest heir die suspiciously, and the ambitious Queen is suspected of treason. But she is powerful and well protected by many skilled Kung Fu masters. Now, earthly representatives of four religious sects - Taoism, Buddhism, Zen, and Mysticism - rally together to teach and protect young Prince Lee from his malevolent stepmother and her many denizens. Little do they know that it will take their combined efforts to defeat a foe that threatens spirituality as they know it.

Iron Wok Jan! Gn #1 by Shinji Saijyo

Jan is a talented young chef at Gottancho, a top-class restaurant in Tokyo. Jan is very arrogant and full of self-confidence regarding his cooking technique, and he always challenges Kiriko, another talented young chef at Gottancho. Both Jan and Kiriko have entered a cooking competition. Who will win the culinary battle?

Crayon Shin-Chan Gn #1 by Yoshito Usui

Famous as a Japanese anime TV show, Crayon Shin-Chan follows the daily life of a five-year-old boy whose bodily functions, offensive comments, and outrageous behavior consistently annoy his parents and land him in hot water. A national phenomenon in Japan, this shocking and hilarious comic celebrates the terrible power of destruction and indecency wielded by toddlers everywhere! SC, 5x7, 200pg, b&w $9.95

CPM MANGA

Record Of Lodoss War: Chronicles Of The Heroic Knight Book 3 by Ryo Mizuno & Masato Natumoto

Sprak and the heroes of Lodoss have been distracted form their mission to deliver a letter to the kingdom of Roid. The brutal Dark Elf is trying to assemble the magical items necessary to resurrect Kardis, the goddess of destruction. Now Spark and his friends must defeat Jiba, but they never guessed that someone so young could wield so much power. Can the heroes prevent the destruction of Lodoss?

Dark Horse

Issues:

Ghost In The Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface #1 by Masamune Shirow, translated by Frederik L. Schodt will be released on October 30th.

March 6, 2035. Motoko Aramaki is a hyper-advanced cyborg, a counter-terrorist net security expert, heading the investigative department of the giant multi-national, Poseidon Industrial. Partly transcending the physical world and existing in a virtual world of networks, Motoko is a fusion of multiple entities and identities, deploying remotely controlled prosthetic humanoid surrogates around the globe to solve a series of bizarre incidents.

Meanwhile, Tamaki Tamai, a psychic investigator from the Channeling Agency, has been commissioned to investigate strange changes in the temporal universe, brought about by two forces, one represented by the teachings of a professor named Rahampol, and the other by the complex, evolving Motoko entity. Featuring 100 pages of new art and story created since its original publication, most rendered in dazzling full color with awe-inspiring digital effects on a level never before seen in the annals of graphic fiction.

Collections

In Astro Boy Volume 9 Tp Astro Boy tries to foil a mad scientist's plot to use a robotic Cleopatra to recreate the ancient kingdom of Egypt; Astro tries to solve the mystery of a young ghost appearing on 3D TVs; and Astro joins with the robot Cobalt in a race against time to stop a lost H-Bomb from devastating Japan.

Oh My Goddess!: Queen Sayoko TP Sayoko, former queen of the Nekomi Tech university has been upstaged by the goddess Belldandy. Now, with upcoming Campus Queen contest she sells her her soul to the demon Mara to win.

Lone Wolf And Cub Vol. 27: Battle's Eve is the penultimate chapter of the samurai vengeance epic.

Dark Horse is also soliciting a 2003 Masamune Shirow calendar, and a Cowboy Bebop zippo lighter (to be released December 4th)

IRONCAT

Issues

Ironcat will be releasing The Vampire Yui Volume 5 #2 and You & Me Volume 1 #4

Collection

The Vampire Dahlia Volume 1 Gn

Living by day as a mysterious exchange student in Japan, Dahlia is searching for the reincarnated soul of her vampire lover, Ranan. But time is running short for our beautiful vampire, when a young man appears, a fellow exchange student from England, who resembles Dahlia's long-lost love. Has Ranan's spirit finally returned? Will Dahlia's desires of eternal love in Ranan's arms be fulfilled?

Vampire Princess Yui Volume 1 Tp and New Vampire Princess Miyu Volume 2 Gn will be re-released.

TOKYOPOP

Individual issues

TOKYOPOP will be releasing Cardcaptor Sakura #33 and Gundam Wing: The Last Outpost #4 (of 12).

Collections

In Parasyte Volume 12 Gn the Parasyte threat is finally over... almost. One Parasyte remains: Goto, who holds 5 Parasytes in one body and can morph all of his limbs to deadly effect. He single-handedly killed an entire military battalion during the City Hall raid. Shin has escaped from Goto twice now, but only with Lefty's help. Now Lefty is gone, and Shin will have to confront Goto one last time.

Volume 7 Peach Girl of continues the vicious conflict between Momo, and her scheming "friend" who is determined to make sure Momo doesn't enter into a happy relationship.

Priest Volume 3 Gn by Min-Woo Hyung

Temozarela, a fallen archangel with plans to upset the supernatural order, has sent his strongest minions to battle Ivan Isaacs. The last corrupt preacher to battle Ivan, Jarbilong, was defeated at Isaacs' hands. Now Temozarela must find a new way to stop Isaacs. The third volume of the controversial Korean horror series begins to explain the origins of Ivan Isaacs, a priest who sold his soul to the devil Belial.

TOKYOPOP will be re-releasing the first Cowboy Bebop graphic novel, and the four Cowboy Bebop Complete Anime Guides.

Books to be released include the 9th volume of the CardCaptor Sakura film comic, Gundam Technical Manual

Viz Communications

Individual Issues

Bastard!! #11: Empress! Part 1 Of 4

The dark elf Arshes Nei, once the adopted "daughter" of Dark Schneider, steps forward! The Thunder Empress attacks Castle Metallicana, where Ninja Master Gara has become the last line of defense against the besieging armies. And as the Murasame Blade clashes against the Sword of Lightning, the castle defenders are caught up in a titanic battle of evil vs... evil?

The Big O Part 2 #4 featues the origin of Schwarzwald, never revealed in the anime series.

Battle Angel Alita: Last Order, Part 1 #2

Alita awakens to discover that she is the pawn of mad scientist Desty Nova. He has super-engineered a new cyborg body for her capable of self-upgrading and even chameleon-like color changing! But now she is under his thrall!

Dragon Ball Z Part 5 #10 (Of 10)

Special 72-page issue! At the end of his rope, collapsing from exhaustion, the evil Freeza makes one last attempt to kill Super Saiyan Goku before Planet Namek explodes. Meanwhile, across the galaxy, dead heroes are reunited as the power of the Dragon Balls brings Freeza's countless victims back to life. This is the last issue of the regular Dragon Ball Z monthly comic.

Collections

In Bastard!! Volume 2 Tp former conquerer Dark Shneider has be reincarnated as the protector of the Kingdom of Metallicana, now he must the daughter of its chief priest from his former luetentant Ninja Master Gara. The Big O Volume 1 Tp is Hitoshi Ariga's expanded adaptation of the giant robot sci-fi meets noir dectective anime series. In amnesia-afflicted Paradigm City, Roger Smith, a "negotiator," is secretly also the pilot of The Big O, an enormous giant robot which protects the great metropolis from evil. The manga begins with prequel stories set before the beginning of the anime.

Blood: The Last Vampire 2002 Gn

Taken from a concept developed by Ghost in the Shell's Mamoru Oshii, one of the 21st century's hottest young comics artists, the violent, erotic Benkyo Tamaoki, updates the Vietnam War-era anime story to present-day, 2002 Japan. The immortal Saya returns-a generation later, but still clad in her trademark sailor suit and armed with ancient samurai sword-continuing her unholy war against the vampiric Chiropterans. Infiltrating a gang-ridden high school, Saya more than suspects the brutal set known as "ORGE" is just the latest mask of her blood-thirsty prey.

CHICAGO VOLUME 1 GN by Yumi Tamura

It is the middle of the 21st century and Tokyo is expanding more and more, filling Tokyo Bay with landfill to make room for the bursting population. But suddenly Tokyo suffers one of its greatest earthquakes, and the landfill liquefies, creating untold damage in the newly-made urban area. The members of Self-Defense Force Rescue Squad Four are attacked and murdered as they are sent to help. They start uncovering the mystery that killed their squad: with their first clue in the south-Shinjuku bar called Chicago.

Orochi: Blood Volume 1 Gn by Kazuo Umezu

Ultracreepy girls' horror comic from Japan's supreme master of the genre. Set at first inside a gigiantic, weird mansion, this tale is a story about two sisters. The older one, Kazusa, is the perfect sister, but the younger one, Lisa, is always scorned as inferior in comparison. One night after fighting with her husband, Lisa goes on a drunk- driving spree and crashes into another car. Fortunately, a mysterious girl named Orochi is there to divert the car enough, so that Lisa's injuries aren't fatal. As a result though, Orochi falls asleep for several decades. Eventually, Orochi wakes to find that she's being taken into the mansion where the two sisters now live together as older women where the truth gradually emerges where we find out the true nature of these sisters. SC, 224pg, b&w $16.95

Uzumaki Volume 3 Tp by Junji Ito

In the third and final volume, with their town devastated by titanic hurricanes, the citizens of Kurôzu-cho - including Shuichi, Kirie and her family - find themselves cut off from the outside world. Reporters and rescue teams cross the mountain range into Kurôzu-cho only to find themselves unable to leave. Trapped inside the cursed ruins, the desperate survivors struggle and huddle together, waiting to turn into giant snails or worse. The very laws of nature are changed as the spiral sucks them in. And to fight it, or to escape, the last survivors must go to the heart of the horror to witness what may be their eventual fate. Plus, a 32-page bonus Uzumaki story not published in PULP.

Uzumaki volume 2 will be re-released.