Anime Spotlight: Case Closed Volume 1: The Secret Life of Jimmy Kudo

Released by FUNImation

There must be some biologically ingrained affinity in human beings to mysteries starring quirky detective stories. Maybe it something related to puzzle solving as an aspect of a latent survival instinct, or maybe that its the comforting notion that the world can be put into order and solved with the right mind set, but from Sherlock Holmes to Murder She Wrote, its pretty clear that once the public gets on board with a detective, its hard to put on the breaks.

Case Closed (aka Detective Conan) has run over 46 manga volumes in Japan, and will probably hit its 400th anime episode in the near future. .

The show is a welcome addiction. Not a not classic to be thought of with Poirot or Holmes, but with fun characters and engaging puzzles, the episodes provide diverting bite sized mysteries. With TV detectives, what is needed is something that will not only catch and keep attention, but cause anticipation, and that is what Case Close provides.

What sets the Case Closed apart, and complicates its domestic release, is the series divided nature Jimmy Kudo (or Shinichi Kudo depending on whether your watching the English audio dub or Japanese audio with English subtitles), a teen detective with at least local renown is fed an experimental poison after stumbling onto an extortion. The effect of the poison is that Kudo's body in reduced to that on a young child, after which he creates the new identity Edogawa Conan (taken from Japanese crime author Edogawa Ranpo and Sherlock Holmes creator Author Conan Doyle), and links up with his girl friend's less than competent detective father to continue to solve cases.

Consequently, while the series boasts almost cloying children, fanciful gadgets and a distinctive, cute brand of character design, it almost boasts macabre crime scenes, people driven to murder, torment and dark conspiracies. Transposing it to an American audience description is difficult. The early buzz was that the show was dark and mature, but at times it invokes a "maybe not reaction" and at times an "oh yeah". For an older audience, while some of the gadgets get to be a bit much, more overly convenient narrative aid than Bond's, for the most part, the children characters are surprisingly bearable.

The re-occurring characters are uniformly entertaining, and well utilized, if maybe a bit predictable and static.

Conan is a bit Holmsian in his deduction reasoning and compulsion to solve mysteries, but his more of a consumed geek than Holmes's tunnel savant nature. His moments of self aware ego and use of soccer as a mental diversion or relaxant are nice touches. Screen time for his karate devotee girlfriend has the muscle or her father as comic foil with his self involved perspective, alcoholic sloveness and impulsiveness are consistently well spent side tracks.

25 minutes is rather quick for a thorough mystery, especially factoring in the time for the character moments, action, and side threads. Still, clues are well laid out, and there is enough time to join Conan in hazarding a solution. Like most TV detectives, it is also a fun exercise to weigh cases against genre conventions as much as the evidence and see what surprises turn up.

One reason to follow anime (and manga) is for the instances where it fills gaps with the type of stories and visuals not found in other mediums. and some are just, and another it may be utilizing familiar stories and conventions, but follows through with an attractive and captivating flair. Like its genre siblings, Case Close is flagrant is the proximity of its killings, its readily assessable logic and explanations, and still seeing the crime for inception or discovery to explanation is something that can't be missed.

Manga Preview: Peacemaker Kurogane Manga Volume 1 Tp by Nanae Chrono

to be released by ADV Manga in October

Ties to the historical events behind popular swordplay manga Ruruoni Kenshin make a Shonen Jump style to-be-the-best adventure set among the famed fanatical Shinsengumi militia an attractive proposition. From this point, Peacemaker Kurogane starts from an enviable position, but ultimately style and associative baggage are exclusively the manga's points of appeal. Despite attractive, and in some instances creative, design, flat action and disjointed storytelling hamstring the series.

Set during the Meji Restitution of the 1860's, in which the rule of Japan's shogun regime was broken by the restitution of the emperor, Peacemaker Kurogane follows highly fictionalized exploits of ahistorical and in some cases historical figures within the Shinsengumi, a band of shogun loyalists who kept a tight reign on the imperial capital Kyoto. The series follows Tetsunosuke Ichimura, a gifted young swordsman serving as page to Shinshegumi Vice Commander Hijikata (a historical figure, inspiration for Aoshi in Ruruoni Kenshin, portrayed by Beat Takeshi several years on in the homosexual themed samurai drama Gohatto/Taboo).

Tetsunosuke and his older brother, who serves the Shinshengumi in a non-combat role, begin to learn that their father was someone called the "Peacemaker" and maybe connected to some new, mysterious deaths.

With better content backing it, the design in Peacemaker Kurogane would have the potential for a crossover hit. The characters both look like fountains of action energy, and have the elaborate handsomeness of a Gundam Wing or Knight Hunters/Weiss Kreuz style anime adventure idols. The series is almost worth reading for its new visual takes on some of the staples of samurai fiction: an attractive yet typically youthful depiction of Shinsegumi captain Soji Okita, but an oddly goth-y take on Hajime Saito, and a Ryoma Sakamoto a lord who became an outlaw and pro-emperor revolutionary worked towards the modernization of Japan who appears as a dread-locked gun slinging samurai have to be seen.

There isn't much story in Peacemaker's narrative. Characters are introduced to the readers, and in some circumstances each other, but the proceedings are more in the way of noise than happenings. There are moments and conversations that do have substance, and they aren't just vignettes, but they don't build a flow either. For a three volume series, one volume of pieces to set the tone and population of a work seems to be a mistake.

To its credit, the series does deal with the bloody role that the Shinshengumi plays in history. To a degree, there is an acknowledgment that entering into the group is more akin to how an American might view becoming one of Quantrill's Raiders than the typical shonen adventure of becoming an imagined pirate king or ninja chieftain. The organization isn't wholly sanitized, and there is some agonizing about their work.

Like the narrative, the problem with Peacemaker's action is that it is moments rather stories. A group of people meet, something happens, and it is over. Occasionally the something happens can be impressive spot in some case, more of an assumption of poses than an action sequence, or in some cases more of an indetermination jumble of arms and swords, speedyline or confusing panel layouts. The fights look good occasionally, but there is never the sense of dynamic motion and matches forces that make for an engaging fight.

ADV's appendix, with foot notes explaining the historical background of the characters and event allusions is an excellent tool in establishing the context of the series.

Given subject matter, and to some degree style, comparisons between Peacemaker Kurogane and Ruruoni Kenshin are inventible. Without Kenshin's personality, action or narrative, Peacemakers comes out lacking, but given the price point of manga, and some attractive design it isn't a complete wash.

Manga Spotlight: Mermaid Saga Volume 1

Released by Viz

Creepy fairy tales are a rare treat. In any medium, there are few good stories that capture a sense of harsh, almost arbitrary cosmic rules that govern life: maybe the Hellboy comic, maybe Pi.

While within each of her works Rumiko Takahashi tends to liberally sample through genres, her best known in recent years, Ranma 1/2 and Inu-Yasha tend towards a recognizable mix of action and relationship dramady.

However, now that Inu-Yasha rather than Ranma 1/2 is Rumiko Takahashi's best known work, its less surprising than it once would have been that she is a skilled horror comic creator. Rumiko Tahashi's annual chart topping appearances on Japan's tax payer lists attests to her mass appeal, but her shorter works sometime get lost in the shadows of her monsters (Maison Ikkoku, Ranma, Inu Tasha, ect)

Combining design with a simplistic, but effective grotesque, and a sense of motion that drove the action/slap stick of Ranma or Inu-Yasha, re-applied to shocking moments of revelation, Mermaid Saga visually captures a sense of unfolding horror. Rather than conceptual shocks of the domestically best known and regarded horror manga Uzumaki, Rumiko Takahashi plays tricks of misdirection and tighter control with comic medium to control pacing, and shock the reader when they glance at the next panel, or turn a page. There are plenty of developments in the series which, if layed out in a mattered of fact manor, would flow by with shallow ripples, but with her technique, can really shake the reader. There are a number of page-turn invoked double take to found in Mermaid Saga.

The central myth stories bounces between modern and ancient times exploring the complex and sinister rules and ecology of consumption between mermaids and humans. Volume one's stories link the fates of Yuta, a fisherman who ate was granted immortality after eating the flesh of a mermaid hundreds of years ago and Mana, a sequestered modern girl who likewise gained immortality.

The stories combine some predictable elements with a new mythology. It is interesting to see how the tenements of the mermaid myth is laid out early, then see how it is twisted while maintaining its logic. The long gestation period for mistakes in the series intensifies the drama.

Anime Spotlight: GetBackers Volume 1: G & B On the Case

Released by ADV Films

The original GetBackers manga (comic) from which the anime was adapted suffered a minor identity crisis in its early chapters. Starring a pair of teen vagrants with super powers, it initially flirted with an anti-establishment, opt out, rebelliousness before toning down the social grit and focusing on action. Given the unimaginative output of the social awareness, it was the right move. If it wasn't unique and enlightening, it at least found a way to be brisk and entertaining.

The anime version GetBackers jumps right into the action, wasting what for a lengthy anime series is astonishingly little time before putting the heroes against like abilitied adversaries in engaging low-fantastic urban superhero adventure. It works like a good attention maintaining action movie. The plot is a bit novel, and when it demands attention it is sufficient.

A few too many blatant narrative devises, giving it an over driven feel, but flashyness of characters action makes it satisfying to watch. Even if predictable, which it often is, leaves you wanting to how it will be visually executed.

The GetBackers are Amano Ginji, the blonde, a bit emotional and goofy former Thunder Emperor gang leader of the Volts, who has the power to generate electricity from his body, and his darker and more sarcastic partner Mido Ban, skilled with the hallucination inducing Jagen eye and style of martial arts that includes a 200kg grip. The two teens live on the streets, and make their living retrieving missing items, generally stealing back what has been. Their destitution is treated as more of quirk, that the characters end up sleeping a self constructed shelter, eating hand outs from a homeless man, than a real obstacle that they are trying to overcome.

After two establishment quickie episodes, one to introduce the characters, one for the manga's thrust of urban grittiness before launching into a block buster three episode action-fest, pitting the pair of retrievers against transporters consisting of a trio of fellow larger than lifers in the form of "Lady Poison" a poisoned perfume wielding young woman with ties to Ban's past, "Doctor Jackal", a squinting, grinning sadist who uses scalpels for his killing, and the apply named driver "Mr. No Breaks".

The confrontation's evolution from VW Beetle (aka Ladybug) vs semi cab chase, to super power capture the flag, to paired off one-on-one fights is an impressive wealth to offer so early in a series. To a noticeable degree GetBackers seems to fighting anime (DragonBall, Kenshin or the like), but in it isn't limiting itself to one ones, but offering a breath of venues it doesn't have the frequent claustrophobia of potential.

The use of super powers in the series also differs a bit from the norm. They aren't generally terribly impressive, or visually intensive, and in the characters' world they exceptional, but not unheard of. They are neither meant to engage the viewer in of themselves or drive the story. Instead, they appear to be a key for the narrative to enter and exit confrontations. The trouble is that in this capacity, the fingerprints of the writer are often very visible. They are very flexible problem solvers, but even their restrictions are obvious story gateways.

The second issue with the super powers is that the characters can too easily solve mundane threats. After the first two episodes when dealing with mundane people who don't operate on the same level, the confrontations are restricted to respecting the emotions of others rather than a legitimate threat.

For a genre with generally an overwhelming male appeal, GetBackers aims broader. Despite showing homosexual proclivities, the two handsome leads appear a little over affectionate to eachother. This is more the more of the standard yaoi (homosexual male romance generally for a female audience) tease than a story element.

ImaginAsian TV's Anime Lineup

The Asian TV network ImaginAsian will begin broadcasting August 30th at 6:00 am. Anime programming includes Kurogane Communication, Patlabor, Votoms, Space Pirate Mito, Twelve Kingdoms, Figure 17, Gravitation, and Jungle Emperor Leo: The Movie

The schedule is online here.

Broken Saints DVD

If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out the trailer for the upcoming DVD collection the outstanding anime/manga inspired horror animation Broken Saints here.

Anime Game News

From The Magic Box

The North American release of the Cowboy Bebop Playstion 2 game has been delayed from this October to be early 2005.

A new Battleship Yamato Playstation 2 game, based on Leiji Matsumoto's space opera will be released in Japn starting this October. The second and third entries will be released in January and April 2005. Space Battleship Yamato: Recollection of Isukandaru can be seen here.

New screen shots of DragonBall Z: Budokai 3, set to be released domestically November 16th can be seen here.

Cell shaded fighting game Naruto: Narutimet Hero 2, to be released for the Playstation 2in Japan, can be seen here

The Xbox game Robotech: Invasion can be seen here

Screenshots of the Full Metal Alchemist fighting game Dream Carnival, scheduled to be released August 26th can be seen here, and the action RPG Akaki Elixir no Akuma, scheduled to be released September 22nd in Japan, can be seen here

The new Super Robot Wars game Original Generation 2 for GameBoy, which links to Super Robots Wars GC for the Game Cub can be seen here. Super Robot Wars/Taisen brings together giant robots from over 20 anime series. Super Robot Taisen GC can be seen here

Jagged Team points out a trailer for the Playstation 2 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex game here.

New Re: Cutie Honey Trailer Online

Anime Nation points out the official Japanese homepage for the Re: Cutie Honey OAV series now hosts a new 2 minute long streaming Real Media trailer for the first episode

Fuji TV to Stop Airing Samurai Champloo

Anime News Network reports Fuji TV has announced that after airing episode 17, Fuji TV will stop Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop director Shinichiro Watanabe's scratch style samurai series.

The complete 26 episode series will be broadcast on BS digital satellite television.

Beck Anime Site

The site for the anime adpation of Beck, a popular rock music series, set to air in October, is now online.

Adv Films Sets Release Date For Chrono Crusade Volume One

ADV Films has announced that the first volume (of seven) of the Chrono Cross anime will be released September 21st

Based on the hit graphic novel series created by Daisuke Moriyama and distributed in North America by ADV Manga, Chrono Crusade already had a huge fan following even before an "A" list of production talent, including heavy hitter GONZO (Full Metal Panic!, Hellsing), stepped in to make the animated version. Adding to that potent list of talent, ADV Films' DVD release will contain numerous bonus features and both the original Japanese version and an all new 5.1 English language version produced by top-ranked dubbing studio ISM.

The year is 1928. Jazz is hot, bootleg liquor is king and the idle rich of a nation have discovered a horrifying new past time: summoning demons! To combat this growing threat, a new order of Holy Warriors has arisen. This is the story of Sister Rosette, an elite Exorcist in the Order of Magdalene, whose soul has been bound by alchemy to that of the devil Chrono. Armed with Sacred ammo, they form an unstoppable team, ready to wage war at a moments notice. because when the gates of hell are opened, someone has to put the devils back!

November CMX Manga Releases To be released by DC Comics' CMX manga line this November:

MUSASHI NUMBER NINE VOL. 1 Written by Takahashi Miyuki, art and cover by Takahashi.

CMX. Musashi Number Nine chronicles the fast-paced adventures of a 16-year-old super-agent who takes on assassins, terrorists and counter agents! Written and illustrated by acclaimed artist Takahashi Miyuki, Musashi Number Nine is an action series famous in Japan for a hero who is the ultimate in cool, featuring crisp, stylishly rendered artwork and engaging storytelling.

Exotic, smart and lethal, Number Nine is a field operative for an organization committed to fighting injustice. Little is known about "Universal Blue" except that they're the last line of defense against battalions of terrorists and criminals. Even less is known about its field operatives -- though it¹s whispered that they possess the ability to change the course of world history. And Number Nine is one of them.

In this volume, a teenaged girl is marked for death for reasons beyond her control, and Universal Blue decides to take care of her. But Number Nine runs into trouble with this headstrong client. After all, who would accept a stranger's help with the unraveling chaos of her life? The teenaged girl has a special gift -- one that will save the life of an important person. But will she live long enough to deliver that gift in time? 208 pages, black and white, $9.95, in stores on Nov. 18.

SWAN VOL. 1 Written by Ariyoshi Kyoko, art and cover by Ariyoshi

CMX. One of the most famous and lauded shojo manga ever published, SWAN is Ariyoshi Kyoko's best-selling classic about a girl who strives to become a great ballerina.

Meet Hijiri Masumi, a 16-year-old about to enter her first ballet contest. The competition is fierce, and there¹s no telling whether she'll win, or how far her training can take her. But the great director Alexej Sergeiev invites her to join his company, and she launches her career -- spending years dancing in the shadow of prima ballerina Kyogoku Sayoko. Masumi's journey takes her on a tour of the great ballet companies of Europe and America through triumph and despair as she struggles toward her goal of becoming the greatest dancer of her generation. 200 pages, black and white, $9.95, in stores on Nov. 3.

Media Blasters Release Plans

Media Blasters has infirmed Anime on DVD that starting with Pilgrim Jäger volume 1 we will be using scans of the original Japanese printers films or original digital files to letter from. This means that correct bleeds will remain intact and clarity will be amazing. The unfortunate news is that some of our releases are getting delayed to accomodate for this.

Mew Mew Names Changes

4Kids' localization of anime Tokyo Mew Mew has received a new name change, "MewMew Power", after formerly being called "Hollywood Mew Mew," "The Mew Mews," and the original "Tokyo Mew Mew."

Upcoming Geneon Releases

Anime

11/2

• Burn-Up Scramble - Angels Attack (V.A)
• Ikki Tousen - Historic Battles (V.2)

11/9

• Ai Yori Aoshi -ENISHI- Vol. 3
• Submarine 707R - The Movie

11/16

• Dokkoida!? - Mega Mania Attack (V. 2)
• Gungrave - Undead War (V.3)
• Paranoia Agent - Enter Lil' Slugger

Soundtracks

11/9

• Gungrave Original Soundtrack 2 - "lefthead"
• R.O.D the TV Original Soundtrack 2
• Refrain of Evangelion
• Sonic Heroes Official Soundtrack

Signature Series Re-priced releases

11/2

• Gatekeepers - (V.6)
• Sailor Moon SuperS - (V.4)
• Tenchi Universe - (V.6)

Live Action

11/2

• Onmyoji 2

Ai Yori Aoshi -ENISHI-

Based on the popular Japanese manga by Kou Fumizuki Second season of the fan favorite series, Ai Yori Aoshi

Burn-Up Scramble

In the near future of Tokyo, the Metropolitan Police Department forms a secret unit called "WARRIORS" to solve the many heinous crimes. The members that make up this crime fighting team are: Rio, a police officer specializing in any form of martial arts; Maya, an eagle-eyed sniper; and Lilica, a prisoner with supernatural powers. First the Warriors rev up to face a local biker gang that's been harassing local citizens. Then they confront a mobile robbing machine that chose the wrong target - Rio! The girls then must disarm a bomb - if they can find it! And finally, the crew must catch a thief that's been creating a disturbance around town.

Submarine 707R - The Movie

A high-tech terrorist plagues the ocean... To counter the subversive activities of the USR, a shadowy terrorist group menacing the seas, the leading nations of the world join forces to form the Peace Keeping Navy (PKN). Its inauguration ceremony, however, quickly turns into disaster as Admiral Red, charismatic leader of the USR, launches a surprise attack on the PKN. With fierce firepower, Red lets his intentions be known that he will destroy anything that gets in the way of his twisted vision of an ideal future... Dive into this exciting deep-sea military action-adventure thriller, as Captain Hayami and the crew of the 707 try to outwit Admiral Red's gargantuan nuclear submarine!

Based on the Comic by SATORU OZAWA (Blue Submarine No.6) Character Design MINORU MURAO (Final Fantasy Unlimited) / JUN TAKAGI (Yukikaze, Vandread) Mechanical Design KAZUTAKA MIYATAKE (Star Blazers, Macross) Art Direction HIROMASA OGURA (Patlabor the Movie, Ghost in the Shell) Directed by SHOICHI MASUO (Project A-ko, Aim for the Top) Opening by HIDEAKI ANNO (Evangelion)

Refrain of Evangelion

THE quintessential Neon Genesis Evangelion aural experience awaits with the CD release of "Refrain of Evangelion." EVA faithful fans will find to their liking the sensational orchestral pieces and fantastic, deep-thinking vocal songs that defined the atmosphere and raw emotions tied into the TV series and movies. This CD comes packed with 26 of the best tracks, including an unreleased, new English language song, "Everything you've ever dreamed," not available on any other domestic EVA release.

Onmyoji 2 DVD

When the Curse Breaks the Seal of a Rampaging Ancient God, the Mightiest Onmyoji Returns! Mysterious and bloody incidents ensue after a solar eclipse in the capital of Heian (794-1185 AD). Devils rampage through the capital at night and attack members of the nobility, each of whom has a body part is bitten off. Abe no Seimei (Mansai Nomura), the mightiest onmyoji, suspects that something will happen when the eighth victim is killed and the seal breaks off of a legendary sword. However secrets behind the incident reveal the bottomless darkness which even Seimei cannot foresee! When he faces an astonishing fact relating to the Imperial Court and the Izumo tribe, he has to risk his own life to save the capital and fight a man who had sold his soul to a rampaging god to avenge his people. Following the success of the original release, Onmyoji II enchants viewers with its dark yet spellbinding and mystical visual story!

Possible Viz Manga Licenses

Anime on DVD points out that upcoming manga releasing listing included currently unnannounced titles Outlaw Star and Tough (aka Tekken-den TOUGH, by Tetsuya Saruwatari) from Viz.

Bleach Anime Start Date

The anime adpation of Shonen Jump manga series Bleach will start October 5th on Japan's TV Tokyo.

>DB GT Special

FUNimation will be releasing Dragon Ball GT Movie: A Hero's Legacy, originally a TV special, on November 16th.

Anime News Network reports Makoto Tezuka, son of famed manga creator Osamu Tezuka (creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and manga others)and husband of award winning manga artist Okano Reiko, will be directing Say Hello to Black Jack, a medical drama in part a tribute to his father's medical adventure Black Jack.

The anime series is scheduled to air on Nihon TV starting October 11th.

Fox Animation Trailers

Anime News Network points out that trailers of Fox's Fox Box's fall lineup, including Mew Mew Power, One Piece and F-Zero GP Legend are online here.

Until the Full Moon Licensed

Anime News Network announced that Broccoli Books announced that they had acquired the license for Until the Full Moon (Full Moon ni Sasayaite) by Sanami Matoh, the manga artist of FAKE.

Casshern DVD Releases October 23rd

Kung Fu Cinema reports that CD Japan lists that the live action Casshern will be released on DVD in Japan on October 23rd. The disc includes English sintot;es

Live Action Aeon Flux Filming

The Movie Blog and ComingSoon.net report that the live action adaptation of Peter Chung animated futurist adventure Aeonx Flux began filming at Studio Babelsberg in Germany. The film is directed by Karyn Kusama with Charlize Theron as the lead and Frances McDormand as a rebellion leader.

Witchblade Anime

ICV2 reports that Top Cow announced at the Wizard World Chicago comic convention Witchblade has been licended by Japanese studio Gonzo Digimation (Blue Submarine #6, Last Exile, Burst Angel) for the production of a 26-episode anime TV series. Matt Hawkins of Top Cow told ICv2 that Gonzo would drop the character of Sara Pezzini, the heroine of the American comics and TV series, in favor of a Japanese policewoman, who comes into possession of the mystical blade.

Gonzo a deal with Kodansha, who will bring out a manga series based on the anime in a coordinated launch, probably late next year.

CPM DVD Deals

Central Park Media will be releasing the following set with a deal for one of 12 DVDs

Black Jack DVD collection ($49.99) Now and Then, Here and There DVD collection ($69.99) ShootFighter Tekken DVD collection ($49.99) Yoshiaki Kawajiri DVD brick [Demon City Shinjuku, A Wind Named Amnesia, Birdy the Mighty DVDs 1 & 2] ($39.99)

World of Narue DVD collection plus Graphic Novel 1 set with a coupon for the second volume of the manga will be priced at $79.99.

On October 19th the following titles will be re-released on English language dub DVD sets for $19.99 Heroic Legend of Arslan Nightwalker

The following titles will be re-priced at $9.99 on November 2nd: Grappler Baki Judge Mask of Zeguy RG Veda Tales of Seduction by U-Jin

Anime on Canadian TV

Anime News Network reports that Witch Hunter Robin will be airing on Canadian YYV starting September 10th at 10:30 PM. SD Gundam and Gundam SEED will air on YTV at 7:00pm and 9:30pm respectively

New episodes of DBGT, Inuyasha, and Dragonball will premiere on August 20th, September 10th and October 4th respectively.

Cruising the Anime City, An Otaku Guide to Neo Tokyo

Stonebridge Press will be releasing "Cruising the Anime City, An Otaku Guide to Neo Tokyo"> this November.

Manga cafés are nothing new to Japan, of course. Stone Bridge Press's upcoming Cruising the Anime City, An Otaku Guide to Neo Tokyo, has a chapter devoted to them.

In Neo Tokyo, otaku dress up cosplay style for real, fans crowd cons to buy and trade, and anime soundtracks are heard in concert halls. Neo Tokyo is where anime has become both urban fashion and cultural zeitgeist, and this is its first street-smart guide in English. Featuring interviews with tastemakers, co-authors Patrick Macias and Tomohiro Machiyama cover studios, toys, museums, games, film "locations," music, plus where to hang and how to cruise.

This book is full-color with photos, illustrations, maps and more. It is 144 pages, 7 x 9", paperback, and available in November for $16.95.

Patrick Macias, a specialist in Asian film and Japanese pop culture, is author of TokyoScope. Tomohiro Machiyama is a movie critic and journalist who writes and publishes in Japan. Both authors live in the SF Bay Area.

Sunday's New York Times had a small article about Atom, a manga café in which customers pay a $5 admission to read manga and drink coffee or tea. Most of the manga are in Japanese for New York's Japanese community, but there is also a section in English. See he re

Mid-Late September ADV Releases

9/21

• El Paraíso De Hello Kitty: Diviértete Con Amigos (Spanish)
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum: 02 (of 7)

9/28

• My Dear Marie

My Dear Marie

Based on the popular manga by Takeuchi Sakura and directed by Tomomi Mochizuki (Princess Nine and Dirty Pair Flash), My Dear Marie has been hailed as a must-see for the romantically impaired ever since its initial release on VHS by ADV Films. Now, at long last, anime fans everywhere will finally get their heart-springs re-wound as this timeless masterpiece about a clueless guy and his clockwork girl returns for a much-anticipated deluxe DVD treatment. Prepare to meet the ultimate household appliance in a love story full of crossed circuits in My Dear Marie!

Ever met the perfect girl, but she already had a boyfriend? Well why not just build your own? An amateur mad scientist attempts to build a robotic duplicate of his dream girl, and Marie is the result. As you can probably guess, there are some unexpected complications. Stay tuned for mayhem and disaster!

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum: 02

As if having to defend the Earth and mankind wasn't enough to cope with, Shinji Ikari now finds himself faced with something completely unexpected: competition. Not only is Rei's Eva back on the line, there's also a new giant robot defender that's being promoted by a group outside NERV! And to top it off, prepare to meet the third Eva pilot, the hottest ball of red-headed fury ever unleashed. And SHE's got Shinji in her cross-hairs! It's an all out battle royal with the entire planet as a war zone in the second stunning volume of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION - THE PLATINUM EDITION!

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum:02 (SRP $29.98 DVD) is a DVD-only release, including five complete episodes in both English 5.1 and Japanese 5.1 language versions with English subtitles. The volume is housed in an exclusive metallic finish slipcover. Extras include: clean opening and closing animation; commentary with Tiffany Grant and Allison Shipp; full length animatics for episode 9; 12-page profile booklet filled with screen shots, Japanese commentaries and character profiles and ADV previews.

Media Blasters December Releases

From Media Blaster's Anime Works Line, to be released December 14th:

The Gokusen: Kumiko's Way (Volume 2 - Episodes 6-9)

Math teacher by day, crime lord by night, Kumiko struggles to keep her double life a secret. But star student Shin is getting closer and closer to the truth. She has to keep her head while bailing her students out of trouble and stopping the countless turf wars that all seem to involve the school. Worst of all, a legendary brute of a senior returns, and he knows that nothing improves a school's cultural festival like baseball bats!

1 disc, 4 episodes, 100 mins. (2nd volume of 3) English/Japanese Dialogue with English subtitles

Densuke just enrolled at the exclusive Zashono academy. He's eager to participate in extracurricular activities, but he never expected to join the mysterious Eiken Club. Strangely enough, every other member is a busty co-ed, and many of the club activities involve bikinis. But Densuke isn't interested in anyone but the the shy and beautiful Chiharu. Will he overcome the wall of women that stand between him and true love? Or is he doomed to a lifetime of riding watersides with a jumble of half-naked women greased with yogurt?

1 Disc, 2 episodes, 60 minutes English/Japanese Dialogue with English subtitles

Shrine of the Morning Mist - Asagiri No Miko (Volume 1 - Episodes 1-10)

Yuzu Hieda was just an average High School student and part time Shinto priestess. But then she was given a mission in the form of her classmate, Tadahiro Amatsu. Tadahiro has a secret buried behind his left eye, a secret that has attracted the attention of an evil sorcerer and his army of demons! To fight the evil, Yuzu assembles a team of five powerful priestesses and prepares to master the magic arts.

1 Disc, 10 episodes 125 Minutes English/Japanese Dialogue with English subtitles

To be released December 28th

The Twelve Kingdoms (Volume 9 episodes 36-40)

In times of crisis, the metal of leaders are tested and the principles of kingdoms are forged. The corrupt minister, Shoko, mistreats the people and controls a web of bribed officials. To stop him, Youko teams up with a group of rebels only to find that one of her closest friends is lending a lethal hand to the evil administrator. But how can Youko bring her kingdom to peace if she is forced to wage a civil war against her own court?

1 disc, 5 episodes, 125 minutes, English/Japanese dialogue with English subtitles

Giant Robo Volume 2 (episodes 3-5)

Daisaku and Giant Robo must overcome Von Volger's most maniacal creations, the Eye of Volger and the explosive Big Balloon! When Daisaku is trapped aboard the burning Greta Garbo, it's up to Gin Rei and Tetsugyu to rescue him. But a deadly adversary is lying in wait for Tetsugyu, and he won't give up until he has his vengeance!

1 disc, 3 episodes, 125 minutes, English/Japanese dialogue with English subtitles

Seraphim Call (episodes 1-12)

Twelve girls with twelve wishes...twelve dreams. Deep in their hearts they all have a secret dream, and they'll all meet at Acropolis Tower to see if their dreams will come true.

2 discs, 12 episodes, 300 minutes, Japanese dialogue with English subtitles

November Bandai Releases

11/9

• Argentosoma - Complete Collection
• Carried By the Wind - Complete Collection
• Dragon Dive Daring Mission (V.4)
• Fancy Lala Complete Collection
• Galaxy Angels Z Back for Seconds (V.1)
• Gundam F91
• KIKAIDER PERFECT COLLECTION
• s-CRY-ed - Complete Collection
• Zentrix The Last Hope (V.2)

  Sound tracks

  11/9

  • Ghost in the Shell OST Plus
  • Ghost in the Shell Soundtrack "Be Human"

  Argentosoma

  Takuto Kaneshiro is a gifted young man and considered by most to be something of a genius. With a sweet, lovable girlfriend, he's got a lot of dreams for his future. But those dreams soon turn to nightmares when Takuto is involved with a freak accident during a secret experiment. He will have the things most dear to him... taken away. With Takuto Kaneshiro dead, Ryu Soma is born. And the only thing on his mind is revenge.

  Carried By the Wind - Complete Collection

  Wandering the lands of Japan - Ran is a master swordsman with a strong sense of honor combined with the courage and strength to right wrongs and battle injustice. But that doesn't stop her from having a good time! Stuck with an unwanted traveling companion, Myao - the two will bring law and order to the countryside. if they don't kill each other first.

  Fancy Lala

  What would you do if you could be anything you wanted? Miho Shinohara gets her chance when some little friends drop off a magical crayon that changes her life forever! 10-year old Miho is about to see what life is like as 15-year old Lala - pop star, model, and actress extraordinaire! With the ability to transform to Lala, Miho's life suddenly transforms into a magical fairytale but life as a normal girl and a pop star can be pretty crazy

  Galaxy Angel Z (Second season)

  The five Galaxy Angels are back again with a mission for more gut busting laughs! After discovering the Lost Technology, it's only a matter of time to see the Angel Brigade fall back into mischief. During their assignment the girls must investigate a haunted mansion but as it turns out, it's a hide-out for thieves. Raphna receives free tickets to a wrestling match only to face Great Muscle, the strongest man in the universe in the ring! Milfuelle and Mint picks up a tribal leader who has a costume of a fabled creature for the tribal festival. Mint can't help but to put on the costume, unfortunately, she can't take it off and becomes the village celebrity!

  Gundam F91

  U.C. 0123. After a generation of peace, the Earth Federation has begun to build new space colonies to house humanity's growing population. But a new force, the aristocratic Crossbone Vanguard, plans to seize the colonies of the newly constructed Frontier Side for itself. As their home becomes a battlefield, a handful of young civilians struggle to escape the conflict. To save his friends and family, the reluctant warrior Seabook Arno becomes the pilot of a new Gundam which bears the code name F91.

  Directed by legendary director Yoshiyuki Tomino (Mobile Suit Gundam, Overman King Gainer)

  Mecha designs by Kunio Okawara along with Character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (Mobile Suit Gundam TV Series, Mobile Suit Gundam Trilogy).

  KIKAIDER

  Based on the live action works by Shotaro Ishinomori. Jiro, a humanoid robot gifted with the 'conscience circuit' enabling him to simulate real emotions and distinguish between "right and wrong." As Jiro struggles with his dark side, as well as an unsympathetic society, he protects his creator's daughter Mitsuko and her little brother Masaru from the evil Professor Gil. The saga continues in Kikaider 01 as fate brings Jiro into an alliance with his brother Ichiro to stop all evil abound. The stage is set at a conclusive battle as Jiro is once again reunited with Professor Gil!

  s-CRY-ed - Complete Collection

  The aftermath of a mysterious environmental catastrophe has left the land in complete desolation! While mankind has been able to rebuild the city, the catastrophe has caused some humans to undergo genetic mutations granting them special powers and abilities. These genetically enhanced humans are known as Alters. Kazuma has spent his entire life in the wastelands relying on his special powers to survive, but when a secret organization called 'Holy' threatens to take away his freedom, he will be left with a choice to join or die. His fight to seek the truth behind the 'Holy' will rage and consume humanity and Alter alike!