Father Geek here with Scott and another mid-work-week report on the worlds of Manga & Anime, sooooo here we go... Enjoy...

Manga Spotlight: Raijin Comics

Released by Gutsoon! Entertainment

Several manga anthologies are starting up in the coming month, with hopes of changing the comic buying paradigm in US, but none are challenging the norm as radically as Raijin, a weekly anthology with 200+ page issues for $4.95. The audience is older than Viz's young teen male Shonen Jump, or female America Extra, and though Raijin seems to be skewed a bit towards a male audience, many of the series have cross gender appear (Slam Dunk's drama aspects, City Hunter's urban crime). (Dark Horse's Super Manga Blast doesn't appear to target a specific demographic). There is enough diversity in this one issue, with its subset of Raijin's total number of series. to justify a weekly schedule.

Raijin doesn't have the any of its competitor's flashy, name recognition killer-apps, but its scope is at least as deserving of attention, and it's ambition is much greater. There were no disappointments or missteps in it's first outing.

The first issue features the opening chapters of Slam Dunk City Hunter, Fist of the Blue Sky, and Bomber Girl. Baki the Grappler, and The First President of Japan start in issue two, Guardian Angel Getten starts in issue 3, and Revenge of Moufloun starts in issue .

Even before the genre implosion in the American comic book industry, sports comic never had much of a presence. In Japan, they're huge, and one of the biggest hits in recent years is Inoue Takehiko's Slam Dunk. As an outside observer, it seems a real coup that Raijin is running the series rather than the English version of Shonen Jump, the Japanese version of which ran the series.

It's a new formula for a Western audience, part sports action, part high school drama, part epic. The lead is a flame haired freshman with a great deal of raw energy, and ability, but no skill who joins to the basketball team to cure his disastrous track record in initiating romantic relationships. The opening lays a foundation for a character that isn't necessarily likable, or inherently interesting, but someone you can believe in, empathize with, and root for. You have some general idea where he's going to you know it is going to be a long run, and probably worth the trip to watch.

Parallels can be drawn between this series, and Inoue Takehiko's other American release, Vagabond, the fictionalized biography of famed samurai Miyamoto Musashi in that they both feature a young rough hero who must refine themselves through a mountain of challenged to their chosen discipline.

Hara Tetsuo-Buronson's Fist of the Blue Sky is a prequel to the kung fu meets Mad Max epic Fist of the North Star. Blue Sky's hero, historic setting and it's adherence to a pulp tradition make it very like Indiana Jones, with secret martial arts techniques replacing archeology, and imperial Japan replacing Nazi Germany. The hero is a man of brilliant intellect, culture, and violence. Kamumo Kenshiro lives multiple lives, a professor at Tokyo's Towa Women's College, and as Yan Wang "The King of Death" in Shanghai, who moves among Japan's puppet regime, and the city's underground societies. He's the master of Hokuto Shinken, a technique of hitting a combination of the 708 vital points of the human body with spectacular results.

Fist of the Blue Sky is the most visually impressive title in the anthology. It truly captures the presence of the series' larger than life characters and exotic settings.

Hojo Tsukasa's City Hunter is a violent crime drama, peppered with moments of silly humor. Saeba Ryo is "City Hunter", a "sweeper" or hired urban gunslinger, who specializes in jobs protecting women, or on behalf of them. While he ultimately acts gallant, there's a thin line of self made rules separating Ryo from his prey. He's capable of cold, calculated killings to complete a job, or shooting through his own hand so as not to kill bystanders.

When he's not in the line of fire, he steely he's steely resolve is gone, and he goes from Clint Eastwood to Jerry Lewis. He's a lecherous buffoon, constantly getting smacked for trying to cop a feel. The illustration looks slightly dated, but it is perfect for expressing both the emotion, and actions of the crime.

Not much was expected from Niwano Makoto's Bomber Girl. An illustration of a woman with saucer eyes, a girdle over a five inch waist, with spikes on its enormous bust, and what can only charitably be called a skirt tends not to illicit much enthusiasm, but against the odds, Bomber turns about to be very campy fun. The basic concept in that in the future, more homogeneous societies like Japan have undergone radical diversification, has lead to occurrences like a mullet topped thug with a chain-gun cod-piece creating havoc in the streets to Tokyo, and a Celtic god/Chinese Warlord/samurai looking guy trying to take over world. The answer to these problems is Rahsomon Emi: Queen of violence, her busty, cheeky, brain splattering brand of justice for hire.

It takes some intelligence to make this brand of stupid, distasteful fun (think Beavis and Buthead or Family Guy). It features sex, violence, and oddity to an amazing extreme; a bit like a Troma movie with anime excesses. The huge sustainability of the other series is missing, but if it does wear out its welcome, it will be a fun ride.

For subscription information see RaijinComics.com

Anime Spotlight: Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran Volume 2: Shocking Secrets

Released by Bandai

Volume 2 of Carried by the Wind features more stand alone samurai stories by the manic director Daichi Akitaro, featuring the wandering samurai woman Ran, and her Chinese martial artist sidekick Meow. The highlight of the series are its fight scenes, which have a cinematic flow and energy that really sets the series apart from the norm. Better samurai combat has not been animation, could easily justify watching a show weaker show. It is amazing what was pulled off with a TV series budget.

The stories are take-off on familiar samurai/gunslinger situations, odd couple humor routines, or a mix of the two. Daichi often trades and whimsical or odd, but the stories formula were almost needs to be predictable by definition, so it takes some real slight of hand work to make the episodes something other than countdowns to when the swords are drawn.

There are some very amusing moments, usually revolving around the typically stoic Ran's love of sake, or Meow exhibiting Daichi's trademark blindingly hyper behavior (blinding speech, comic thought leaps and the like), but more often Ran' a brick wall, and Meow's a fool with little to fetter the view to the pair. There is something a bit interesting about Ran, and Meow, but there is something that just rarely seems to click, or isn't exploited fully.

There isn't a sense that they complement each other as a pair, so the burden tends to fall to individuals. The result is that they can't carry the slow moments. The hits and misses are surprising. A meeting between Ran, Meow, and their evil twins feels like to should an easy home run given the director's strength, instead it passes through with little impact, not even a lingering desire to see more of evil Ran in action.

Conversely an episode featuring Meow's infatuation with a Japanese scientist experimenting with kites, lightning and electricity scores big on the most predictable jokes (Meow carrying on a rapid conversation and missing explanations offered to her, charged hair stands on end ,experiment works and every gets fried), thanks to the director's timing, and ability to take the jokes over just enough.

Anime Spotlight: Virus: Virus Buster Serge

Released by Manga Video

Virus is a patently Masami Orbari work, combining the looks of the two genre's he's best known for, sentai (think Power Rangers) type robot suits, as in Tekkaman Blade (Technoman in America), and Street Fighter type video games as in the Fatal Fury movie, or Battle Arena Toshinden. It's an unabashed popcorn series that tries to cater to both sexes, busty, bubbly women and form fitting metal suits kung-fu-ing giant horror/cyberpunk monsters into the pavement for the men, and handsome men with dark pasts for women. Kindof Weiz Kruez/Knights Hunters combined with Bubblegum Crisis. It's not exactly an thinking person's anime, but it's proud pandering to both genders makes it pretty interesting.

Virus is pinnacle of Masami Obari's progression to more stylized character design. It's a bit like most American superhero comics, wretched up a few notches. The character design is very sexually charged and idealized (even more than is typical). Both sexes have board stiff, gravity defying hair. Men are a patently bishonen (male with characters with aspects of female beautify, ie slender, with long hair), with sleek but rippling muscle,s and bare arms and midriffs. Women have huge eyes, and chests, the later tend to bounce alot. The battle suits have a traditional edge, with Gatchaman's exaggerated helmets, and a bit of Evangelion's biological influences. There is a bit of cross frequency interference. Male audiences might not care for the male characters attire and poses, and female audiences may not care for the female characters' bust size and movements.

Excitement is present, but it'ss degree seems to be a victim of the series budget. More movement, would have benefited the series, but it has enough action, and story substance to keep it going.

This Week's Anime And Manga Releases

Anime

• Dangaizer 3, Vol. 1
• Doomed Megalopolis
• Dragon Ball Z - Kid Buu - Regression
• Dragon Ball Z - Kid Buu - Saiyan Pride
• Hello Kitty's Paradise - Pretty Kitty (Vol. 1)
• Robotech - The Masters - Complete Collection
• Sailor Moon - The Ties That Bind (Tv Series, Vol. 11)
• Sailor Moon - The Wrath Of The Emerald (Tv Show, Vol. 12)
• Sakura Wars Ova 2 - Wedding Bells
• Vampire Princess Miyu - Ultimate Set (Complete Series + Cd)
• Virus: Virus Buster Serge (Vol. 1)

Manga

• Cardcaptor Sakura Master Of The Clow Vol 2
• Ceres Celestial Legend Part 4 #2 (Of 4)
• Dragon Knights Vol 5 Gn
• El Hazard Vol 3 Tp
• Firefighter Daigo Of Fire Company M Vol 1 Gn
• Lone Wolf & Cub Vol 27 Battles Eve
• Lupin III Vol 1 Gn
• Medabots Part 4 #4 (Of 4)
• Planet Ladder Vol 4 Gn
• Raijin Comics #1
• Saint Tail Vol 7 Pkt Tp

Anime on American TV

Adlink indicates Lupin III will be airing on Carton Network midnight Monday through Thursday starting January 13th. Lupin III is an addictively fun caper series. It is a bit James Bond/Austin Powers meets Cowboy Bebop. The titular character is not quite gentleman thief Lupin III (sauve, but with gawky with monkey like features ie hair in the wrong places), and companion crew of a somber gunman, stoic samurai, fem fatale lover/rival, and the policeman trying to catch him. The anime to be shown is the TV series Pioneer hold the rights two, but Manga Video has release the Hayao Miyazaki directed Lupin movie Castle of Cagliostro, FUNimation is releasing the other Lupin movies, and TOKYOPOP is releasing the manga series.

The Monday-Thursday nightly schedule will be:

• 11:00 - Home Movies
• 11:30 - Futurama
• 12:00 - Lupin the III
• 12:30 - Inuyasha
• 1:00 - Yu Yu Hakusho
• 1:30 - Cowboy Bebop

Anime News Network has received unconfirmed reports that Bandai's .hack//SIGN is due to air on Cartoon Network in February, to coincide with the video game release.

TechTV may be picking up anime for broadcast. During a segment about FLCL on The Screen Savers, hostess Megan Marone mentioned that anime will be airing daily on TechTV beginning in December. No titles were mentioned, nor specific times of broadcasts. Details are expected to be forthcoming from TechTV.

Adv Films Sets Release Date For Noir: Shades Of Darkness

ADV Films announced a release date of February 18, 2003 for NOIR: Shades of Darkness, the first of six DVD volumes of the acclaimed 26-episode thriller.

The series, which premiered in Japan in 2001, was directed by Koichi Mashimo (Dirty Pair, Dominion). Viewers praise NOIR's spectacular animation, the use of music, its exotic settings (largely in western Europe) and an enduringly complex storyline, based on a relationship between a duo of female assassins who cannot trust one another, but who need each other to survive. Critics have favorably compared NOIR to such genre-defining live-action suspense titles as "The Professional" and "La Femme Nikita."

The story: A mysterious email; a haunting melody. Professional assassin Mireille Bouquet's world is knocked askew by an unnerving contact from a young amnesiac, Yumura Kirika, whose killing skills are as deadly as Mireille's, and whose missing memory may unlock the mystery of Mireille's life as well. With their pasts inextricably linked, Mireille conditionally admits Yumura into her confidence. In uneasy partnership, the two-as NOIR-face a conspiracy that quickly calls on all of their lethal resources. It is a journey through the darkness, searching for a truth that they know will mean their deaths.

ADV Films is releasing NOIR: Shades of Darkness in two editions: as a disc in a standard DVD case, or in a Special Edition including the disc and its case, plus an exclusive slipcover designed to hold all six volumes of the series, plus a special-edition T-shirt, available only in the Special Edition package!

The DVD insert in the January 2003 issue (Issue Three) of Newtype USA will include Episode One of NOIR

NOIR: Shades of Darkness

(SRP $29.98 disc only; $44.98 Special Edition) is a DVD release containing five complete episodes in both English- and Japanese-language versions, with English subtitles. Extras include production sketches, clean opening and closing animations, Japanese promo spots and ADV Previews.

NOIR: SHADES OF DARKNESS

Running Time: 125 minutes; Age Rating: 15+ Pre-Book Date: 1/21/03; Street Date: 2/18/03; Format SRP ; DVD $29.98; Special Edition (DVD + Slipcover + T-shirt) $44.98

Though ADV has stated it is an error, Diamond's November Previews solicites a Noir soundtrack for $14.98, and a release of the DVD with the sountrack for $39.98. Noir soundtrack is considered on of anime's best, a rival in quality and diversity to the works of Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne, Macross Plus).

Upcoming Releases

Portions from Anime on DVD AnimeNation and Right Stuf

From ADV:

The February 4th release of the first version of Wild Arms, based on the Playstation role playinging video game of the same name will be available with and without a series slipcase cover.

The All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku OAVs will be released on February 11th.

The fourth volume of corporate humor giant robots action Dai-Guard, entitled Red Tape and Proud Hears, and the second volume of anime and manga's dark, demented pioneer Go Nagai's Devil Lady, entitled "The Becoming" will be released on February 18th.

ADV will also be releasing the American cartoon version of Capcom's Dark Starkers on February 18th.

The Story:

To conquer the world, the fiery demon Pyron assembles an army of supernatural beings with magical powers: the DarkStalkers! And two of the biggest and vilest lead Pyron's army: Demitri Maximov, Lord of the Vampires, and Morrigan Aensland, a powerful succubus.

But the good guys are fighting back! Around the catwoman Felicia rallies a band of freedom-loving DarkStalkers: the merman Rikou, the werewolf Jonathan Talbain, the golem Victor von Gerdenheim, the sasquatch Bigfoot, and his nephew Hairball. To crush the rebels, Lord Demitri and Morrigan send the lunatic pharaoh Anakaris, the zombie guitarist Lord Raptor, and the cursed samurai Bishamon. Things get complicated when demon hunters Donavon Bane and Hsien-Ko decide that all DarkStalkers-both good and bad-must die!

Yet the fate of the world depends on a human, teenager Harry Grimoire. If Harry can master his secret magical legacy-and the intricacies of alien computer technology-the world might have a chance!

Go Nagai's Black Lion: Fear of the Black Lion, Neoranga volume #1, Medabots volume 8, Steel Angel Kurumi volume 5 will be released on March 4th.

Crying Freeman volume 1: Portrait of a Killer, Zone of Enders Dolores i Vol. #3: A Prelude to War will be released March 11th.

Excel Saga volume 5, and Colorful will be released on March 18th.

Media Blasters has announced that the first of 2 DVD volumes of the ultra-cute and ultra-strange Idol Project OAV series will be available on February 25th. The 60 minute long DVD will retail for $19.95.

From Pioneer and Bandai

Sugar Vol. #1 (also w/box) - 100 minutes - $29.98/34.98 - 04/08/2003

Art direction by Shichiro Kobayashi (Bezerk, Utena, Kimagure Orange Road, Panda! Go Panda!)

Did you know fairies make the snow fall? In a small European town, there was a hard-working, reliable girl named Saga. One day, she met a tiny little apprentice fairy that no one else could see named Sugar who was searching for a "Twinkle" to become a full-fledged Snow Fairy! Sugar was also very hungry, so when Saga decides to help her, Sugar followed Saga home!

Now Saga's life is full of fairies as Sugar's friends Wind Fairy Pepper and Sun Fairy Salt arrive to play and to help keep Sugar out of trouble. If only someone else could see what Saga was going though...

Gatekeepers 21 Vol. #1 - 75 minutes - $29.98 - 04/08/2003

Old enemies return... Ayane Isuzu, a high school student, also works as an invader hunter for the AEGIS Network run by the mysterious tycoon, Reiji Kageyama. Ayane attempts to recruit her classmate Miyu, but once Miyu discovers that the Invaders are humans, she tries to go back to living a normal life.

Meanwhile, relentless attack by the invaders lead by the mysterious Ghost Girl and the revived Kaiser Kikai continues. Why is Ayane reluctant to use her gate- a legacy of her father, Shun Ukiya?

Lupin the 3rd TV Vol. #03 - 125 minutes - $24.98 - 04/15/2003

Patlabor Movie 3: WXIII - 105 minutes - $24.98 - 04/08/2003

Veteran police detective Kusumi and his young partner Hata search for the cause of several deadly labor accidents in and around Tokyo Bay. Each detective applies their own style of investigation and they soon uncover a labyrinth of deceit with connections to the Japanese and American militaries! As they continue their investigation, Kusumi begins to suspect Hata's new girlfriend, Saeko, a genetic research scientist may be involved.

However, neither is prepared for their encounter with the ravenous biological weapon, WXIII: Wasted Thirteen. While the detectives are the only survivors of the encounter, the government covers up the incident, and they must work with the military to lure the monster into a brutal showdown with the Patlabors of Special Vehicle Unit 2!

Patlabor Movie 3: WXIII Special Edition - 320 minutes - $59.98 - 04/08/2003

Master Keaton Vol. #1 - 125 minutes - $29.98 - 03/18/2003

The amazing Taichi Keaton works on cases around the globe that always lead to adventure! He combines his arsenal of multidisciplinary expertise in investigation, archeology, and survival with his experience as a professor, a Falklands Conflict veteran and a SAS agent to unravel the often dangerous challenges in each riveting episode.

In this volume, he rescues the beautiful Sofia from a gang of thugs in Greece, then works with bounty hunters to locate a terrorist in Germany. Later, after he escorts the heir to an Italian fortune to France, he meets an "immortal" being chased by the Russian mafia in Poland, and finally returns to Paris for an emotional reunion!

And Here's these releases...

• Tenchi Muyo OVA Vol. #1 - 120 minutes - $29.98 - 03/18/2003
• Tenchi Muyo OVA Vol. #2 - 105 minutes - $29.98 - 03/18/2003
• Tenchi Muyo OVA Vol. #3 - 90 minutes - $29.98 - 03/18/2003
• Tenchi Muyo OVA Vol. #4 - 105 minutes - $29.98 - 03/18/2003
• Mahoromatic Vol. #2 - 100 minutes - $29.98 - 03/25/2003
• X Vol. #4 - 75 minutes - $29.98 - 03/25/2003
• Argentosoma Vol. #2 - 125 minutes - $29.98 - 04/08/2003
• Melty Lancer Vol. #2 - 75 minutes - $29.98 - 04/08/2003
• Arjuna Vol. #4 - 75 minutes - $29.98 - 04/08/2003
• Mobile Fighter G-Gundam Vol. #7 - 100 minutes - $19.98 - 04/08/2003
• Mobile Fighter G-Gundam Vol. #8 - 100 minutes - $19.98 - 04/08/2003
• Mobile Fighter G-Gundam Vol. #9 - 100 minutes - $19.98 - 04/08/2003
• Mobile Fighter G-Gundam Box Set #3 - 300 minutes - $49.98 - 04/08/2003
• Infinite Ryvius Vol. #1 - 125 minutes - $29.98 - 04/22/2003
• Betterman Vol. #6 - 100 minutes - $29.98 - 04/08/2003

Ai Yori Aoshi Vol. #1: Faithfully Yours will have five episodes on the first volume. The first volume of Sugar will have a collectors box release as well for an extra $5. Mahoromatic Vol. #2 will have four episodes. Master Keaton starts off in March with five episodes on the first volume. The third Lupin TV volume has five episodes.

Patlabor: WXIII will come in two flavors; a disc only version for $24.98 or a special edition for $59.98. The movie is presented in anamorphic widescreen with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround English dialog and both 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital Surround for Japanese dialog with removable English subtitles. DVD menu designs by Nightjar. The special edition version will also include a full DVD of the Min-Pato animated parody short films featuring screenplays by Mamoru Oshii (Jinroh, Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor 1 & 2), directed by Kenji Kamiyama (Jinroh, Blood), and character designs and animation by Tetsuya Nishio (Jinroh)! There will also be a third disc of extras including: textless opening (with a sing-a-long feature), TV commercials, layout gallery with the "Say Young" radio program, 5.1 Channel Sound Gallery, a project pilot film, and three documentaries on Patlabor, the making of WXIII and the cast.

Pioneer will be releasing the first volume of Argentosoma on February 4th, with and without a limited box.

Right Stuf: His And Her Circumstances #3 due on 2003/01/28 for $29.99;

From Media Blasters the final volume of Cosmo Warrior Zero, Journey's End, streets on 2003/02/25 for $24.95, while Babel II #3 streets on the same day.

4Kids Entertainment Home Video, Inc., the newly established home video unit of 4Kids Entertainment (NYSE: KDE) in association with FUNimation, will release KIRBY COMES TO CAPPY TOWN on DVD and VHS on November 12, 2002.

Manga Conversation With Frederik L. Schodt

The Slush Factory has posted a conversation with highly respected manga scholar and translator Frederik L. Schodt, and American manga artist Tony Leonard Tamai, with interesting statements about the health of the industry in Japan, and what the American comic industry can learn. The article can be read here.

IF Labs DBZ Figures

From Figures.com Irwin Toy will be continuing their wildly successful series of action figures and vehicles based on the Dragonball license in 2003 with a new theme: "BLASTED".

This radical concept will take existing assortments -- their basic 5" line, "Energy Glow" series, vehicles and playsets -- and take them to the battle ravaged outskirts of the DBZ universe by adding "Battle Blaster Damage". Rough and tough is the idea here, and it will also be incorporated into several new intriguing toy arenas such as "Power Punchers" and Signature Scenes".

See here.

DragonBallToys.com has provided a special sneak peek at IF Labs' FOURTH series of DragonBall Z action figures. Pictured in the 2002 Z-Store Catalog, this series will consist of: *

Vegeta

*Future Trunks

*Android 13

*Ultimate Android 13

December Anime on Japan

The first OAV based on romantic comedy I''s will be released on December 9th. See here and here

The new Inu-Yasha movie, Inu Yasha - Kagami no Nakano Muegenjyou will be released December 21. See the official site here trailer here

Viz Cuts Distributors

From ICv2

Viz Director of Manga Sales and Marketing Dallas Middaugh told ICv2 today that Viz has decided to abide by its decision to eliminate most of its direct U.S. customers for manga, effective at the end of 2002. Affected by the decision are FM International and Cold Cut Distribution, who in addition to Diamond had serviced the direct comic store market. Viz had earlier made the decision to eliminate its direct-to-retailer sales, but was reportedly reconsidering its relationships with FM and Cold Cut (see "Viz Cutting Direct Customers"). According to Middaugh, "There was some back and forth and discussion, but at the end of the day that was a final decision." Viz' U.S. distribution will now be handled by Diamond Comic Distributors (comic stores), Publishers Group West (books), Curtis (magazines), Ingram (periodicals), and Pioneer (videos).

They spoke to FM VP-Purchasing Wayne Markley, who told them, "We have always felt the more distributors a publisher deals with increases their exposure and helps their sales. We feel bad for our accounts who will no longer have access to Viz comics because they do not buy from one of the remaining distributors. We are very sorry to see Viz go in this direction, but we are continuing to work with them in an attempt to resume doing business sometime in the future." According to Markley, FM will continue to buy Viz videos (purchased through Pioneer) and its graphic novels (purchased through Publishers Group West), so the impact of the change will be felt primarily on periodical comics.

These distribution moves are only one aspect of a sweeping reorganization of Viz being undertaken in the wake of the acquisition of 50% ownership by Shueisha (see "Shueisha Buys Equity Interest in Viz"), and the launch of Shonen Jump (see "Shonen Jump To Include Ultra-Rare YGO Card"). According to Middaugh, "It caused us to re-examine our total business, and this is one small part of that....It's an opportunity to look at what you're doing and try to make it more efficient....Over the course of the next year there will be a lot of changes in what we're doing."

See here for the whole story

Gundam Song a smash hit

According to Anime News Service the Gundam Seed ending theme song Annna ni issho datta no ni ("Though we used to be together") is very popular in Japan. Over 100 thousand CDs of the song have sold since the release on Octber 28th. The song maintains a ranking between 5th and 12th on the Japanese music charts. Gundam Seed is the 10th Gundam series to be released since 1979 and began airing on TBS network on October 5th.

Japanese Millennium Actress DVD To Have English Subtitles

The Japanese region 2 DVD release of Perfect Blue director Satoshi Kon's 's dramatic anime tribute to Japanese cinema Millennium Actress will feature English subtitles.

Manga Graphic Novels Dominate Bookstore Sales

According to ICv2, in a one week sample of bookstore graphic novel sales, eighteen of the top twenty graphic novel slots and all of the top ten held by manga titles, all Tokyopop. Nine of the top twenty titles (and both of the top two) were various volumes of Chobits and Love Hina. Two Marvel titles, Marvel Encyclopedia and Ultimates V1 Super Human filled out the top twenty.

Of the top 50 adult graphic novels, 40 were manga, 35 from Tokyopop and five from Viz.

These sales rankings are based on piece sales, which makes the dominance by Tokyopop's $9.99 manga editions easier to comprehend. A list ranked by dollars would undoubtedly push more titles from other publishers into the top fifty, and would put the Marvel Encyclopedia (at $29.99) as the top dollar title.

Official English Web Sites

Viz has opned the web site for the Bloood: The Last Vampire manga here

ADV has opned a Sakura Wars web site here

Pioneer has opened a Vandread site here.

New Pokemon Name

Beginning with episode 280 scheduled to air on November 21st, Pocket Monsters will change its name to "Pocket Monster Advanced Generation" to signify its new story arc. In the new story arc, Satoshi leaves all of his pokemon except Pikachu with Dr. Okido (Professor Oak) and parts ways with Kasumi. He travels to a new land and meets a new female novice pokemon trainer named Haruka.

2003 Anime

From Anime News Network, other upcoming titles include: The new Anime are Astro Boy, .hack//Tasogare no yubiwa densetsu, Mouce, Kino no Tabi - The beautiful world, Shutsugeki! Mashin Robo Reskyu, Cho robotto seimeitai Transformer Maikuron densetsu, Barom One, Stratos Four, Tenshi no shippo, Piyoko ni omakase pyo! (Digi Charat), Submarine 707R, Gardian Hearts, Kiko heidan J-phoneix PF Lips shotai, Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magical-te Karate, One Piece - Dead end no Boken and Tottoko Hamtaroh Hamu hamu hamuuja! Maboroshi no Princess.

Astro boy

To air next spring on Fuji TV Directed by Kazuya Konaka Script Keiichi Hasegawa and others Animation Supervisor Keiichiro Mochizuki Character design Shinji Setani Mechanical design Shinji Aramaki and Takeshi Takakura Background art supervisor Hiroshi Katoh Director of photography Hirokata Takahashi Sound director Masafumi Zanma

The new Astro Boy TV series will premiere on Animax on January 1st, 2003 in English with Japanese Subtitles. The regular broadcast will still start sometime in the spring of 2003 on Fuji TV. See here.

.hack//Tasogare no yubiwa densetsu ("The Legend of the twilight ring")

Begins on January the 8th on TV Tokyo To Air on Wednesdays at 12:55 p.m. Directed by Koji Sawai General director Koichi Mashita Series plannning Satoru Nishizono Character designed Yoko Kikuchi Original character design Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's sketch Produced by Bee Train

Mouce

Begins in 2003 on TV Kanagawa Original manga by Satoru Akahori (story) and Hiroshi Itaba (drawing) Directed by Yorifusa Yamaguchi Series planning and script Hiroyuki Kawasaki Character design Sunji Murata Produced by Studio Deen

Kino no Tabi The beautiful world ("Kino's Journey")

Begins next spring Original novel by Keiichi Amazawa Directed by Kotaro Nkamura Script Sadayuki Murai Original character design Benishiro Kurohoshi Character design Shigeyuki Suga Produced by A.C.G.T.

Shutsugeki! Mashin Robo Reskyu ("Go! Machinerobo Rescue") Plannning Sunrise

Directed by Mamoru Kobe Series plannning Hideki Sonoda Character design Hiroshi Takeuchi Mechanical design Plex

Cho robotto seimeitai Transformer Maikuron densetsu ("Super Living-Robot Transformer The legend of Micron")

Begins on January the 10th To air at 6 p.m. on Fridays on TV Tokyo Directed by Hidehito Ueda Script Ryo Motohira Character design Jimajiroh Omote

Barom One

Begins on December the 7th To air 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays on AT-X Originak manga Takao Saito Directed by Takao Tominaga

Stratos Four

Begins in 2003 Directed by Takeshi Mori Produced by Studio Fantasia

Tenshi no shippo 2 ("The Angels' Tale")

Begins on March the 6th To air at 11 p.m. on Thursdays on Kids Station Original story Juzo Muzuki Directed by Norio Kashima Produced by Tokyo Kids

OAVs:

Piyoko ni omakase pyo! ("Piyoko can help you")

The new series of Digi Charat. The first of two volumes will be released next spring Directed by Hiroaki Sakurai Original character design Kogedombo Character design and animation supervisor Yoshiki Yamakawa

Submarine 707R

The first of two volumes will be released next spring Based on Satoru Ozawa's Manga Directed by Shoichi Mashio Script Kigure Ohno Character design Minoru Murao and Jun Takagi Mechanical design Kazuyoshi Miyatake Produced by Group Tac

Guardian Hearts

The first of three volumes will be released next spring Based on Ryo Amatsu's Manga Directed by Yasuhiro Kuroda Script Kanata Tanaka and Takeshi Sakamoto Character design and animation supervisor Norikatsu Nakano Produced by VENET

Kiko heidan J-phoneix PF Lips shotai ("Armered Troopers J-Phoneix PF LIPS Team")

Released with a game software Drected by Shinichiro Kimura

Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magical-te Karate

The second volume will be released on Nov the 22nd Plannning Mugimugi-Dan Directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto Character design Akio Watanabe Produced by Tatsunoko Productions and Kyoto Animation

Movies:

One Piece Dead end no Boken ("The Adventures of Dead End")

Released next spring by Toei 90 minutes long

Tottoko Hamtaroh Hamu hamu hamuuja! Maboroshi no Princess ("A Secret Princess")

Released on Dec the 14th with Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla Directed by Osamu Dezaki; Script Mitsuru Shimada; Website: http://www.hamutaro.com