Father Geek here with the latest news from Scott on the worlds of Anime and Manga...

AnimAICN...

by Scott Green

Anime Spotlight: InuYasha: The Movie Affections Touching Across Time

Released by Viz

Going back to Mamoru Oshii's Urusei Yatsura work, anime movies based on Rumiko Takahashi's long running series have had a far better tracks record than most anime movies that tried to capture the popular elements of a lengthy manga and/or television series. Generally, these higher budget endeavors find themselves glossy abridgments or out of character, rushed, and superfluous.

Affections Touching Across Time doesn't have the genius of Mamoru Oshii's Urusei Yatsura, but it is a well constructed fantasy action/relationship comedy, a new coat on the familiar for long time fans of the series, and an engaging introduction to the characters and concepts for new comers. With the InuYasha cadre of a modern school girl and host of characters from supernaturalized version of Japan's preunification Era of Warring States, including the titular half-dog demon boy InuYasha, a shape changing fox demon child, a cursed monk, a young demon hunting warrior woman against a trio of demons left over from the attempted Mongol invasion of the Japan, the movie offers actions with a mix Japanese aesthetic against a movie wushu look and flow.

In keeping with the successful InuYasha formula larger than life and likable characters bicker and fight demons. Early chapters in the series tried forays into horror and fairy tale genre shifts, which where regrettably phased out, settling connected forays in a conflict with a manipulative villain. It isn't an uncommon mix or premise, but creator Rumiko Takashi lends her golden touch to the proceedings. Brisk, bouncing action is augmented by characters patterns that are predictable in a classic comedy routine manner.

A trap of many anime-movie spinoffs is an over visible effort to hit the fan-favorite points. The animation budget has been increased for the movie, so all the characters need to get their screen time to be seen at their best. Affections Touching Across Time does a conspicuously good job of touching all the right points, and making it seem natural. By adventure anime standards, InuYasah's cast isn't huge, but it is large. All five heroes play a part in keeping with their character, and one that will satisfy the fans of each. The supporting cast similarly receives sufficient and well used screen time, and while the villain of InuYasha doesn't turn up, the third parties come in for some well placed appearances. In particular the antihero/antagonist Sesshou Maru, InuYasha's older, full demon, half brother and rival brings his entourage along for several enjoyable incursions into the plot.

The exception is Kikyo, the woman whose tragic falling out with InuYasha set the stage for the series, more due to the trouble with the character rather than her use in the movie. As in life, in anime ex-significant others just muddy the water. Because the plot doesn't want to tip the hand of what she is supposed to be doing in the series Kikyo appears the movie only to exude resentment for the disastrous dissolution of relationship. With her wispy salamander-like soul- stealers she appears to be capable of doing something interesting, but is relegate to an aggravating presence.

The movie meshes well with the series, and successfully stands alone well because it keeps matters simple. It doesn't try to upstage its parent, and by using a Chinese look for its adversaries manages to be slightly different. There is a bit of a tricky piece with tree that steals energy from other times whose logic or mechanics or explication don't bare out, but the proceedings stays clear cut.

Affections Touching Across Time does get into some trouble compensating for its simplicity. There's isn't much plot in the movie, leaving the heroes to be weak willed, confused and reactive. Nor are there not enough events for the run time. When the heroes are doing their quirky interaction bits and when they are actively engaged in battling the villains the movie moves along, but when it works on establishing situation it begins feeling the weight of adversaries who, beyond their look and action potential aren't interesting. Their motivations are familiar: power, vengeance, unleashing forces from beyond. The Rumiko Takahashi energy and light appeal is there, but the cleverness or emotional depth occasionally found in her works, or works based on her ideas are missing.

Anime Spotlight: Dead Leaves

Released by Manga Entertainment

Anime is frequently comparable to narrative mediums, resembling written formats, live action cinema or television. Dead Leaves breaks that particular mold. It's anime graffiti: explosive bursts of color as a backdrop to hieroglyphic-like stylized symbols. Like passing graffiti, what it make of it isn't always a certainty, or always memorable in its particulars, but capable of leaving an impression.

Co-produced by Manga Entertainment and Production IG (Blood: The Last Vampire, Ghost in the Shell, Jin-Roh, Love Hina), it takes the high style speed of IG's Freudian riff venture with Gainax, FLCL, along with a vein of frantic kitsch that’s currently in vogue in anime, and applies it to design similar to western comic art, particularly Latin artists such as Humberto Ramos.

Director Hiroyuki Imaishi, whose works include FLCL and the new re:Cutey Honey continues his hyper kinetic anime works. He knows how to be unrelenting, and keeps it at full volume. He accomplishes this by re-configuring comic techniques, something which has been done in live action and anime as a homage to source material (the live action Batman or Hulk, or the early episodes of the original Jo Jo’s Bizarre Adventure anime for example), but in Dead Leaves its almost as if Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics has been perverted into a library of attention grabbing techniques: visualized (English) sound effects, split panels, rapid scene to scene or aspect to aspect cuts, four color comic coloring clashes.

There are a few drops of Takashi Miike like material, an inmate with a large drill for his sex organ for example, but more often it is conceptually far more grotesque than the actual visuals. The real flagrant bad taste comes not from occasional flatulence jokes or bone chip, but from the visual sirens blaring through the feature,

The result leaves an impression that echoes out. While the 50 minute feature is running, it leaves very few lulls to allow itself to be processed. Afterwards it’s in the mind as a residual rush or adrenaline afterthought. It’s fascinating, its not a train wreck, but not a roller coaster either.

The firs time seeing it, it seems like the kind of material that you are glad to have seen, but wouldn't see a second time. By the end of the second day, watching it again seems like a great idea. While the subsequent viewing wouldn’t reveal any new depth, it was still an invigorating experience, as are subsequent viewings. By sampling from another medium Dead Leaves paints indelible energetic pop, not meant to be a monument, but a splash of color work passing on occasion. In terms of plot and meaning, there isn't much there there. In terms of experience, it's an unrelenting dive.

The nagging detraction to Dead Leaves is all the pre-generated hype, and marketing weight. With this brand of pop expression, you'd like to believe that it wasn't completely motivated by perceived marketability and expected sales, but manufacture anticipation and video game adaptation announcement damped that a bit.

The headfirst plunge follows Pandy, a silver haired woman with a blue eyes and a panda like spot around her red eye, who wakes up naked memoryless along side a man with a television for a head named, dubbded Retro. Starting by a following their impulse to acquire food and clothes, the pair soon find themselves in a Tarantino like lover's rampage. After coming down on the losing side of a rumble with the police, they're rocketed to a lunar prison for genetic rejects. Among the prisons' homicidal guards, bagged storage, forced enemas, and freakish inmates Pandy and Retro begin confront their pasts.

Rather than being a secondary consideration, plot is actively undermined in the feature. As soon as it leaves a clue it wastes no time in following it up with the foreshadowed development. There is a perverse biblical undercurrent, starting with the Adman and Eve opening, with other echoes of the fall and bits of Lilith/demon spawn, as well some pet themes: furious rejection of apathy and conformity, commentary on its own full force committal to violence, but intellectualized examination is a distant priority. Statements and meaning come in as superfluous outliers.

The run time, which is a bit short compared to most current DVD releases is bolstered by plenty of bonus material, including a commentary track, footage of its premiere, a Japanese voice actor centric q&a, and the production staff playing a drinking game. Because the creator material tends to be satisfied with the iconic value of Retro and some juvenile humor, for the most part the insight doesn't improve the feature. The exception is a little perspective on Kill Bill from the producers of its anime segment/

Manga Spotlight: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Tsubasa Volumes 1 and 2 By CLAMP

Released by Del Rey

Being more creator centric, rather than corporate centric, manga doesn't have the sort of crossovers that American comic frequently engage in. The prolific team of creators CLAMP have played with the concepts a a gag or Easter eggs in many of their works; capitalizing on it in their unfinished apocalyptic epic X. xxxHOLiC and RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Tsubasa are flip sides on CLAMP's exploration of fan's interest in how their diverse works fit together. Both are sustained equally by CLAMP fan commitment and visual inventiveness.

RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Tsubasa is the most densely action oriented CLAMP work. It's an adventure remix of their library, starting with a variant on Card Capture Sakura's Syaoran as a young man from the desert Kingdom of Clow, who quests through alternate realities with Kurogane, a hot tempered ninja warrior in the service of an alternate version of Card Captor Sakura's Tomoyo and Fai, the wizard creator of an alternate version of Chobits' Chii.

Syaoran's quest is MacGuffen oriented, but the original characters Kurogane and Fai add a more emotional, character oriented facet to the story. In the CLAMP tradition, both Kurogane and Fai are tall, handsome, attractive brooding or angry men. It may be one of the CLAMP’s bolder ventures into more shounen, male, story structure and story telling standards, but the appeal of their traditional shoujo, female, orient library still permeates the work.

CLAMP bends their story telling into a more action directed model. Pages have more panels than most CLAMP works, allowing more motion and physical force. Its CLAMP's most explosion filled work. Payoffs come quicker, and they're spendthrift with the big visuals. Conversely, Tsubasa is also an odyssey of clamp design a fashion show for the familiar, hosts of characters and creatures from Card Captor Sakura, Chobits RD Vega, X, Magic Knights Rayearth re-context, and re- designed.

Anime Spotlight: Dokkoida!? Volume 1: Ultra Diaper Man

Released by Geneon

Sitcom television would probably be much for palatable for its followed Dokkoida!?'s lead, just execute of a good gimmick and leave it when its was worn out. It mixes a branding of sci-fi(ish) comedy reality TV co-habitation combination of elephant in the room syndrome and obviousness.

In some ways, it’s a successor to Tenchi Muyo, the marquee name in domestic meets sci-fi comedy in the mid 90’s, Beats the recent Tenchi sequels in being fresh, short, full of sitcom logic without being intelligence insulting and best of all, it feels at home in modern in the half logical dictates of corporate life, and there is a sense everyone making the best of a situation that, if not bad, is at least a little stupid

Suzuo left his rural home to make his way in the city, but afternoon losing his job in an economic down turn he find himself in a rather tenuous situation. Fortunately work finds him in the form of Tampopo, a young, green haired alien girl looking for someone to wear her transformation belt.

With the belt, Suzuo becomes Dokkoida!? (he's apply nicknamed ultra diaper man by Geneon because he looks like ultra man with a diaper like hip section). The power armor stored in Suzuo's transformation belt looks likes was designed by an eight year old, with its 108 signature moves, and overdone introduction, and odd bobblely ball hanging from his head.

Suzuo will serve as a proof of concept for Tampopo’s toy company to win a contract with the Galaxy Federation Police (GFP) to compensate for their recruitment problems. As part of the GFP's trials, Suzuo and Tampopop are given a tenement apartment to host their operations, but they must keep their identities secret. The building also houses Asaka, aka Nerloid Girl, Suzuo's opposite number in a rival company's entry for the GFP contract, as well three criminals paroled to test the project entrants: MarronFlower, an old, eccentric giant robot creator whose with a 50's prop drone that assumes the role and form of a protective young adult granddaughter, Edelweiss, a nobility born girl whose blood animates giant golems (slimes and Gumby claymations generally), and Hyacinth, a dominatrix whose masochist assistant turns into various animals when whipped or abused. The alien criminals assume human identities in the building, and none of the tenants "knows" the alter-ego of their building-mates. Suzuo wears a Dokkoida t-shirt, Hyacinth wears an Austin Powers meets Jetsons outfit, Asaka has purple hair, Edelweiss perpetually tries to perfect skinning apples, we're not talking about incognito.

Dokkoida!? Is more of a re-appropriation of familiar elements than a parody. It stars people who stumbled into the role of super hero or super villain half hearted play the role in the manner of someone not convince that they're in the right occupation and then how these same people relate to each other when they're off the clock. Suzuo and Tampopo uncertain and frightened of the noises from Hyacinth and her assistant's nocturnal activities The simple fun is half clever and less than half serious, a winning combination.

Anime Spotlight: Haibane-Renmei Vol. 1: New Feathers

Released by Geneon/Pioneer

Haibane-Renmei is one of the curiously unique anime series that you find lurching in late-night style. Based on a doujinshi manga (amateur comic) from Serial Experiments Lain designer Yoshitoshi ABe, the series mixes surreal visuals and situations with a spirit of veritas and introspection in its exploration of an angelic looking community of reborn beings.

The series opens with the birth of Rakka into the Haibane community. A nameless teenage girl dreams of falling through the sky while a crow follows her, and ultimately attempts to lift her.

Carrying her painting, supplies Reki, the alpha of the Haibane (human looking beings with lightly glowing halos and small wings on their backs) living at Old Home (an abandoned dorm) hears a cracking from an unused room, and opens the door to find the room dominated by a giant. Old Home's other Haibane (a group of young woman and a gaggle of children) gather and after watching over the cocoon, it floods open, birthing the previously nameless girl, to be named Rakku, an linguistic allusion to her dream of falling. The other Haibane bring her a molded ring which half floats over her head, jerry rigged to her head with a head band and bent wire until it affixes itself as her hallow. After a fevered night wings crack from her back.

Rakka then begins to learn about the life of a Haibane. Haibane know that they had a previous life, but do not remember any details. They are a minority in a walled human town from which nobody leaves. Their behavior is governed by the Haibane Renmei, who dictate that the Haibane must work, but not possess money. They account for their credits in notebooks. Their material possession must be human cast offs (they purchase items from thrift shops, ect)

Stark images is plentiful in Haibane-Renmei, especially the birthing imagery in these episodes, the immergence of Rakka's wings is amazingly searing, but overall, it asks for thought rather than demands it. There's a natural ease to the depiction of the characters. They aren't over not over constructed or poored from familiar molds. The way they talk over eachother makes them more approachable they the typical likeability manipulation.

Rather than a puzzle or big trick, Haibane-Renmei is a structured window onto an idea and guided exploration. The mysteries of the Haibane and their world are part of the series' own cosmology, which is aesthetically influenced by western religion, but ultimately more introspective. There is an air of melancholy self-accounting in the pacing and events, in a spiritual but not religious sense. At its root, the foundation is very mundane. There are problems with all the characters some obvious, some subtle have to be recognized as much as solved

It may be inappropriate to access physical appearance is such a non- materialist work, back the core concept seems to provoke the nagging thought that, at least in part, it was Yoshitoshi ABe's challenge to himself to design outfits that incorporate wings and halos. Few anime character designers have ABe's skill for fashion. Without being flamboyant, or breaking plausibility, he is able to make anything from sack, to mundane causal, to an otherworld mask, visually appearing and captivating.

Manga Spotlight: Blade Of The Immortal Vol 13 Mirror Of The Soul By Hiroaki Samura

Released By Dark Horse Manga

The previous two volumes of Blade of the Immortal passed with held breath. "Beasts" was an unblinking torture sequence, and "Autumn Frost" has one of the most impressive, furious and dynamic fights in the comic medium. Mirror of the Soul allows the reader to access what the series has become. Over its 13 volumes Hiroaki Samura has maintained a fresh and interesting work, but the latest collection highlights how far it shifted from its initial premise in order to keep its readers (and creator) engaged.

Manji, the titled Immortal, a ragged swordsman infested with bloodworms which stitch together all wounds, has been increasingly marginalized, in this volume only making an appearance to establish that he's still participating in events.

Early volumes followed a pattern during the travels of Manji with his charge/employer Rin, a young woman orphaned when her parents were killed as part of the Itto-ryu renegade sword school's ascendance/settlement of generation old scores. Each chapter set Manji against one of the senior members of Itto-Ryu who participated in the assault on Rin's parents. The series didn't run out of Itto- ryu, but added new parties to the conflict and began sharing the focus with the Itto-Ryu themselves.

"Mirror of Souls" is the least self contained of the chapters, a catalyst shifting the series from connected arcs to an ongoing serial. It's a laundry list of ends, beginnings and updates. Rin meets Anotsu again; Maki, the woman who has been a geisha, a prostitute, and one of the series most dangerous and natural killers, makes a return; an odd, abrupt resolution to the merger of the Itto- Ryu with the Shingyoto sword school and entrance into the service of the government.

The hallmark of Blade of the Immortal has been its action sequences, bloody and exotic clashes irreproducible in another medium: works of pencil, ink and chalk that give the series is own critical, gory beauty. But, like the story, the physical conflict of Blade of the Immortal has changed. Coming off of "Autumn Frost" one could not describe it as less intensive, but it has become less decisive. The poetic death murals of the early volumes have faded away, and conflicts between two impressive adversaries with emotions or fascination invested on both side have become rarer. Mirror of the Soul has several engagements with Anotsu, whose unique weapons, and twisted, momentum filled style are always amazing to see, but here he is literally against faceless opponents.

Though Mirror of the Soul doesn't have the immediacy of prior chapters, more ambiguous arrangements than obvious conflict, it does add depth and room to reflect on a number of the series' central themes. Revenge is the impetuous of many of the series' actions, but the discussions of Mirror of the Soul illuminate the differences between its position and the typical circle of vengeance begetting vengeance.

Rin, Anotsu and Maki have all set out to avenge a past wrongs, and succeed in the action or directly confronted the target. Close to, or past their destination, they are forced to view the uncertain next step in their lives, and the wear of the pebbles Ultimately the conflict is recast as confrontation with values thought to be traditional, especially in changing times and the uncertain, blind or aimless steps in establishing something new.

Mirror of the Soul isn't the memorable maelstrom of past Blade of the Immortal chapters, but it does deepen the mythos, and provision the series with provision for the next leg of its journey.

Manga Preview: Gadget By Hiroyuki Eto

to be Released by ADV Manga Based on uncorrected Galley proof

There are a lot of quirky manga works that find their way into Japanese manga anthologies, but regrettable, not too often into American releases. Gadget is one of these series, whose style doesn't fit with the perceived regularities of manga, and whose story is a strange mix of manga school romance conventions, coming of age, and some periphery sci-fi.

The series follows an introverted mechanical prodigy who departs from his introverted nature, making social inroads by fixing his classmates CD players. Still analyzing experiences with a from a mechanistic, physical science bound mind, he experiences girls, teenage fashion and rock concerts. Along the way, he begins tracking down technology that appears to be of alien origin.

The character design has baby doll look that softens the tone of the series. The pudgy characters look childlike, which supports a sense of curiosity, but works against its maturation of emotion and experience.

Distinctive perspective from a lead who is naturally included towards feelings of disassociation with people and events trying to connect to his peers, as well as its unusual appearance give the series potential, but it never becomes captivating. Events and circumstances pile up, but are slow to amount to anything, while the lead mostly just drinks it in.

Similar territory gets circled too many times, which is a problem, but the destination is tentatively like a problem too. While the alien material so far sits well with the familiar aspect of the series, it seems like building on it would be to the detriment of what makes the characters believable.

Gadget's unusual content would be an interesting addition to an anthology. On its own, the story telling is too flat to make a good graphic novel.

Ghost in the Shell News

Dark Horse Comics announced that a collected edition of Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell 2: Man Machine Interface manga (comic) on January 19th for $24.95, The collection will be shrinkwrapped and labeled 18+.

From Dark Horse’s listings:

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 crimes. 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. What unfolds will be all in a day's work...a day that will change everything, forever.

An uncut second edition of the original Ghost in the Shell Manga manga will be released in October.

Manga Entertainment has announced that a special edition version of the original Ghost in the Shell movie will be released on December 7th.

The 3rd person shooter Playstation 2 adaptation of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (the Ghost in the Shell TV series, released domestically by Manga Entertainment and Bandai), will be released in the US this November. Trailers for the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, are online at ghostintheshell- thegame.com

In its opening weeking, the North American run of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence premiered took in $317,722 at the box office. Showing in 47 theatres, it was the highest per-theatre take for weekend. During released last week, the Japanese region DVD of Innocense topped Japans video sales charts.

Retailing are holding off on shipping the second volume of the Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, scheduled for a 9/28 release due to a mislabelling DTS and Dolby Digital disc audio.

New Anime Licenses

ADV Films announced at Anime Weekend Atlanta that they had licensed teen assasin action drama Madlax.

FUNimation announced that they have licensed Samurai 7, GONZO's sci-fi retelling of Kurosawa's classic Seven Samurai.

Genndy Tartakovsky Mentions AstroBoy Project

In a recent interview with the Chicago Sun Times conscerning his Emmy awarding winning "Samurai Jack" and "Star Wars: Clone Wars", Genndy Tartakovsky the conversation talking his next project, writting and directoring a CGI/live action mix adapatation of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy.

Viz To Release Monster?

Anime on DVD points out that Amazon lists that Viz will be releasing the first Naoki Urasawa's Monster : Herr Dr Tenma on December 8th. Viz has not officially announced that the manga title has been licensed.

The character oriented suspense work follows a brilliant, young, Japanese doctor practicing in Germany who throws away his political favor in his hospital and romance with its director’s daughter when he opted out of operating on a politician to save the life of a child. His life begins to crash down, but his trajectory is soon righted when a series of mysterious deaths puts him in a new, prestigious position.

New Gainax Series

AnimeNation reports Gainax, the creators of Evangelion and FLCL have announced the new upcoming series "Kore ga Boku no Goshujinsama" (He is My Master), will air on the BS-i digital cable network next year. The preliminary site can be seen here

R2 Spirited Away DVD Suit Settled

Nausicaa.net reports that the lawsuit over the red color tint on the region 2 Japanese DVD release of Spirited Away has been settled with Disney agreeing to inform consumers of changes made to films for their home video release, to replaced the plantiffs DVD and conspensate them 10,000 yen.

Bastard!! Picks Up in Ultra Jump

Kazushi Hagiwara's hair metal swords and sorcery adventure Bastard!! has resumed in this month's issue of Japanese manga anthology Ultra Jump. The series is released domestically by Viz.

ADV Coproducing Samurai Gun?

Anime on DVD points out that official Japanese website for the upcoming anime series Samurai Gun lists ADV in its copyright information.

Kino's Journey Movie Announced

AnimeNation reports that Mediaworks has announced the development of a theatrical anime film based on Keiichi Sigsawa's Kino's Journey. The TV series based on the noveles was released domestically by ADV Films.

Tristia To Get North American Release

Anime on DVD points out Pathfinder Home Entertainment will be releasing Tristia of the Deep Blue Sea as their first anime release.

Upcoming Anime on Cartoon Network

Anime News NetworkAnime News Network also has Cartoon Netwokr's anime schedule for the month of October here.

On Saturday, October 23rd, popular samurai anime Rurouni Kenshin will replace Gundam Seed at 10:30pm.

Megas XLR will return to the Toonami line-up with new episodes on Saturday October 16th at 9pm. New episodes will air every subsequent Saturday at that time.

Saturday, Oct. 16: "Ultra Chicks!"

Saturday, Oct. 23: "The Return"

Saturday, Oct. 29: "Coop D'etat"

New episodes of aquatic adventure Rave Master will air every Saturday at 7:30 PM.

New episodes of Inu Yasha will be skipped on October 23rd and 30th. In its place, The Animatrix will be twice shown on Saturday, October 30th, once at Midnight and again at 3:00am (early Sunday Morning), and on October 23rd Read or Die will be broadcast in the same time slots. After November 6th, the premiere date for Full Metal Alchemist, new episodes of InuYasha will be held util December 22nd.

The Super Milk-chan Show premieres on November 7 at 12:30AM. Adult Swim will not be airing the Americanized version, but rather the straight dub of the Japanese version.

Next One Piece Movie

Arlong Parkreports that the sixth movie based on pirate adventure anime/manga series One Piece will be released in Japanese theatres in Spring 2005 under the title Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island.

The English adaptation of One Piece began on Fox Saturday September 18th at 9:30.

December Bandai Releases

Bandai will be releasing the following titles on December 14th:

• Angel Tales Vol. #4
• Gundam SEED Vol. #04
• Gundam SEED Vol. #05
• Kaze no Yojimbo Vol. #5
• Stratos 4 Vol. #4
• Wolf's Rain Vol. #4

Ruin Explorers Delayed

Anime on DVD reports that ADV's Essential Anime repriced re-released of fantasy adventure Ruin Explorer (aka Fam and Iri) has been delayed indefinitely.

Yu-Gi-Oh Movie DVD Announced

Warner Bros. will be releasing the Yu-Gi-Oh! movie on November 16th. Because the movie was created for an American release, a Japanese language track will not be included.

Hiroaki Inoue at Seattle SciFi

Anime News Network reports Cascadia Con, a Seattle science fiction convention, has announced that Gainax co-founder Hiroaki Inoue (producer of The Wings of Honneamise) will be a guest of honor at their 2005 event, held on Labor Day weekend 2005.

Anime Game News

Manga Entertainment announced that Production IG's upcoming Dead Leaves is in the early stages of a video game adaptation.

Magic Box has news screenshots of the soon to be released in Japanese Naruto fighting game Naruto: Narutimet Hero 2 here/ The game will feature a new RPG mode in the game, which is divided into a number of scenario, the stories are based on the manga.

The Magic Box has posted screenshots of the upcoming samurai Playstation 2 game Shinsen Gumi Gunraw Den, which features character design by Ruruoni Kenshin creator Nobuhiro Waduki.

Game Trailers has trailer for the upcoming Berserk Playstation 2 game here (Warning, the trailer contains signifigant spoilers for recent chapters of the manga).

Anime From Arts Magic Release

Arts Magic will be releasing the first 100% CG anime A.LI.CE on DVD this fall. They will also be releasing a region 0 DVD of Malice@Doll in November.

Howl's Moving Castle at Venice

The latest Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli film Howl's Moving Catle won the "Golden Osello" award at the Venice International Film Festival, but lost the Golden Lion, the festival's highest homor to Mike Leigh's Vera Drake.

TOKYOPOP to Release Alichino and Tarot Cafe

TOKYOPOP announced that it will be releasing Kouyo Shurei’s Alichino, in February of 2005. Winner of the prestigious Cobalt Illustrator's Award in 1995, Shurei has crafted the illustrations for several series of novels, but Alichino marks her very first full-length book. Combining elements of fantasy and Gothic culture into one dark and mystifying tale, Alichino delivers a delicate balance between the real and the surreal, in a story about love, loss and self-identity. Known for her fine attention to detail, Kouyo Shurai will delight readers with her intricate panel illustrations, even down to the finest hair strand.

Beautiful creatures called Alichino grant wishes to those in need-but at a price! A young lady searching for an Alichino wants to bring her brother back to life. She meets Tsugiri, a handsome young man who she thinks is an Alichino. While Tsugiri turns out to be a mere mortal, he does have a mysterious connection with these rare beings-a connection that brings him and those around him grave danger!

Illustrated by one of Korea’s premier manga artists, Park Sang Sung (creator of TOKYOPOP's wildly compelling action fantasy series Les Bijoux), The Tarot Café is a mysterious tale that combines fantasy visions and mesmerizing adventure into one spellbinding story. Ranked as one of Korea’s top-selling graphic novels, The Tarot Café is predestined to become a worldwide reader favorite. The Tarot Café tells the paranormal tale of Pamela, a tarot card reader who is fated to help supernatural beings living in the human world. Welcoming all who walk through her door-from a love-stricken cat, to a vampire spending eternal life running from his one true love- Pamela deals with the problems of others, until she is ultimately forced to face a deep dark secret of her own. “The Tarot Café is a prime example of the sheer talent that makes manga such a publishing phenomenon here in the States,” said Julie Taylor, Senior Editor, TOKYOPOP. “We are thrilled by the opportunity to add The Tarot Café to our 2005 catalog.”

Upcoming ADV Releases

Anime:

October 12th:

• Aura Battler Dunbine: Forsaken Souls Of Byston Well (Volume 9 of 12)
• Azumanga Daioh: Seniors! (Volume 5 of 6) Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat:
• Myu! (Volume 4 of 4)

October 19th:

• Bastof Syndrome: Past Echoes (Volume 5 of 6)
• Get Backers: Find The Fine Arts (Volume 2 of 10)
• Parasite Dolls (volume 1 of 1)
• Sister Princess: Oh, Brother! (volume 1 of 7)

Soundtracks

October 5th:

• Lady Death :The Motion Picture Original Soundtrack

Get Backer

Get Backers: Find the Fine Arts, the second exciting and comical volume in this action-packed series. Two continually broke guys who seem to always be down on their luck, Ginji Amano and Ban Midou have made it their calling to retrieve items that have been stolen or lost, for a price of course. Though they appear to be a normal duo, Ginji and Ban both have powers that allow them to take on impressive enemies. They'll dodge bullets, defeat supernatural enemies, even risk their own deaths, whatever it takes.

Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat

Comprised of 48 six-minute episodes, Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat is a loosely-structured tale of a young princess named Dejiko who devotes her time to making people happy. A cast of friends and other characters are along for the ride, of course. Throughout the title, the emphasis is on great fun, and on an ever-growing series of in- jokes. This series began with manga artist Kage Donbo drawing the main character, Dejiko, as a small, big-eyed adorable girl. Soon she became the mascot of a popular Japanese retail chain. Today Dejiko's face is probably one of the most recognizable characters ever created in the world of anime.

Parasite Dolls

Set in the universe of the hit series Bubblegum Crisis-Tokyo 2040, Parasite Dolls is an erotic thriller focusing on the Branch, an elite team of police investigators charged with fighting corruption in a futuristic city whose population is split between human masters and artificial slaves called boomer. Directed by Kazuto Nakazawa (Bubblegum Crisis, Final Fantasy Unlimited) and Naoyuki Yoshinaga, Parasite Dolls utilizes a stunning combination of conventional and computer generated animation techniques to create a unique hyper-real look, climaxing in an amazing aerial chase unlike any animated sequence ever produced. English language version director Matt Greenfield (Evangelion, RahXephon, NOIR) declares that "the animation in Parasite Dolls is beyond phenomenal; and the final third of the feature is one of the most powerful segments I've seen in a lifetime devoted to this art form. If you want to see the future of anime, Parasite Dolls is the vanguard of the next generation."

Beauty is only skin deep, but when you can’t see beneath the skin, how can you know what you’re really dealing with? In a world where perfect androids called Boomers have infiltrated every aspect of society, it’s the job of Branch to maintain peace between the people and the plastic. Unfortunately, not all boomers are created perfect, and when boomers go bad, people die. The thin blue line that separates man from machine is about to meet its most horrifying test in Parasite Dolls.

Sister Princess

Based on a popular dating sim in Japan, Sister Princess follows the quirky story of a boy who discovers he has twelve sisters, all of whom are trying to win his undying affection. This situational comedy is great for fans of His or Her Circumstances and Azumanga Daioh!

Wataru Minakami was at the top of his class in middle school and had a pretty comfy life in Tokyo. When he unexpectedly fails his only high school entrance exam because of a computer glitch, his life is suddenly thrown into utter chaos! Jeeves, Wataru’s trusted butler, sends him off to attend school at Stargazer’s Hill in a mysterious place called Promised Island. Upon his arrival, Wataru encounters many friendly, cute girls. This isn’t a problem – until he finds out they are all his sisters! For most kids, adjusting to life at a new school in a different town is tough enough. But for Wataru Minakami, high school will be the easy part!

Bandai Talks Canadian YTV Anime

Bandai Entertainment along with YTV, the #1 youth broadcaster in Canada, aims to bring the best in Japanese animated programming to Canada. Programming kicks off with one of the most popular Gundam series of all time, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED on September 10th under the YTV BIONIX block.

Originally broadcast in Japan, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED is the latest television series to one of Japan’s most beloved franchises, Mobile Suit Gundam. Garnering numerous awards including ‘Best TV Series’ (Tokyo Anime Fair), Gundam SEED has continued expand in popularity with television broadcast in North America, DVD release, video games, toys, and merchandise.

YTV will also be airing the following cutting edge anime properties: Superior Defender Gundam Force – Fully 3D cel shaded animation for younger Gundam fans, Witch Hunter Robin – the gothic thriller from anime mastermind, Shukou Murase, and .hack//SIGN [Airing Spring 2005]– Part of the best selling video game chronicling a young video game player’s journey through an online fantasy game with no way out.

SD Gundam Force – Fri 7PM and Sat. 7:30 AM ET/PT

Gundam SEED – Fri 9:30 PM and 12:30 AM ET/PT

Witch Hunter Robin – Fri 10:30 PM and 1:30 AM ET/PT

.hack//SIGN - [Airing Spring 2005]

Please visit www.gundamofficial.com for more information regarding Gundam and Gundam SEED and please visit www.ytv.com for updated broadcast information.

Scary Godmother To Air On Cartoon Network

In non-anime news, Cartoon Network announced that it will be airing Scary Godmother Halloween Spooktakular, Mainframe's (ReBoot) adpation of Jull Thompson's comic about a young girl and her friends in a Halloween themed world.

See here for a sample.

Gundam Release Changes

Bandai will be releasing Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta on November 30th.

The Gundam F91 movie will now feature 5.1 audio for the English audio tracks, and a second disc of extras.

No CMX Titles In December

After releasing manga titles in October and November, DC Comics' December solicitations do not list any CMX releases.

Black Jack Trailers

AnimeNation points out that trailers for the new anime adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's medical adventure Black Jack are online here

Viz Talks Monthly Kenshin Manga

Viz has announced that in response to overwhelmingly positive fan support and strong sales, the popular Rurouni Kenshin manga title will be published on a monthly basis beginning with Volume 7 available October 2004.

Rurouni Kenshin, with story and art by Nobuhiro Watsuki, has remained a consistent best seller since the first volume. Each of the 6 volumes has repeatedly occupied the top spot on the Nielsen BookScan list of best selling graphic novels and recently Volumes 3,4 and 6 appeared for several weeks on USA TODAY’s Top 150 Best Selling book list.

Rurouni Kenshin centers on the adventures of a wandering samurai in Meiji-era Japan, just as the country began to reluctantly open its doors to Western influences in the mid-19th century. KENSHIN has attracted legions of both male and female fans from a variety of age groups with its accurate historical detail, compelling characters, battles and romantic comedy.

“The decision to step up the publication of the KENSHIN title is a direct reflection of the favorable impact of fan support and reader interest. We are gratified to see so many fans embrace Rurouni Kenshin,” said Yumi Hoashi, vice president of SHONEN JUMP. “The ongoing impressive sales figures for the title, combined with growing national interest in the entire graphic novel genre, make this a perfect time to offer Rurouni Kenshin to readers on a monthly basis.”

In the first monthly edition of Rurouni Kenshin, Volume 7, Kenshin is challenged to a duel by Saitô Hajime, Captain of the third unit of the Shinsengumi revolutionaries, now an officer of the law known as “Fujita Gorô”. The challenge will force a reawakening of Kenshin’s past and the beginning of something that will involve the future of the new Japan.

New Giant Robot Amalgamation Game

The Magic Box has posted images of the Playstatiion 2 game A.C.E. Another Century's Episode, to be released in Japan in January 2005. The game feature gameplay similar to the Armored Core series, and characters from popular anime series such as Z Gundam, V Gundam, Wing Gundam, Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness, Spt Layzner, Brain Powerd, etc.

Due to the overwhelming interest in Be Beautiful graphic novels by their retail accounts, CPM given them more time to focus on each individual release and have decided to push back the street date of the following releases: Kizuna - Bonds of Love: Book 2, Selfish Love: Book 2, and Kizuna - Bonds of Love: Book 3. Please update your Be Beautiful information accordingly with the revised pre-order and street dates below.

Kizuna - Bonds of Love: Book 2 Street date: October 27, 2004

Selfish Love: Book 2 Street date: November 24, 2004 Kizuna - Bonds of Love: Book 3 Street date: December 22, 2004

Selfish Love: Book 1 (ISBN: 1-58664-959-0) will be released on September 22, 2004 as previously announced.

Spring TOKYOPOP Manga Debuts

TOKYOPOP will be debuting the following new manga titles between February and March 2005/

Gundam SEED ASTRAY R (Fantasy/Action, Volume 1 Release: 2/8/05)

As a companion graphic novel to Gundam SEED ASTRAY, the latest installment of the immensely popular Gundam franchise takes place in Cosmic Era 70. The world is a dangerous place, and the world has been taken over by thieves and pirates. Lowe Gear, a brilliant junk-tech mechanic, discovers a top secret Mobile Suit in the midst of space debris. This mysterious Mobile Suit seems to be at the top of everyone’s holiday shopping list … and now everyone is after Lowe!

Liling-Po (Fantasy/Action, Volume 1 Release: 2/8/05)

Set in ancient China, the legendary master thief called Liling-Po has been captured by the government! However, he receives an ultimatum from his captors: retrieve the Imperial Palace’s stolen treasures, or rot away in jail for the rest of his life! Making an obvious choice, Liling embarks on his journey, accompanied by two handsome escorts. A must for shojo fans everywhere, Liling-Po has a habit of stealing treasures, as well as hearts!

Planet Blood (Fantasy/Action, Volume 1 Release: 2/8/05)

A soldier in an interplanetary war is rendered unconscious in an explosion only to awake in the eye of an entirely different war on an entirely different world. Adapted by comic book legend Mike W. Barr (Batman, Camelot 3000 and Star Trek), Planet Blood follows this futuristic warrior into a medieval landscape in which the troubled succession of the throne of Pratria has tossed the entire planet of Horai into strife.

Dead End (Horror/Drama, Volume 1 Release: 3/8/05)

Shirou is just your ordinary poor construction worker who happens to stumble upon a life-changing event. In the midst of murder, deception and a forgotten past, a mysterious stranger tells him that all of his questions will be answered and his memory restored if he recovers five friends in three days.

QWAN (Fantasy, Volume 1 Release: 3/8/05)

The mystical lands of ancient China, where magical beings are a part of everyday life, is the setting of the latest offering from Aki Shimizu (Suikoden III). Qwan is a strange boy who can devour demons and absorb their power. However, he’s looking for more than a quick bite. Qwan’s quest is to find the sutra known as the Essential Arts of Peace, which will ultimately lead to the purpose and truth to his existence.

SORCERER HUNTERS AUTHENTIC RELAUNCH (Action/Fantasy/Comedy Volume 1 Release: 3/8/05)

One of TOKYOPOP’s first hits gets an authentic makeover with a re- release in 100% authentic manga format! On the Spooner Continent, powerless commoners spend each day terrorized by mercilessly evil sorcerers. Big Mama, though, has had enough-and she sends out an elite group of warriors: the Sorcerer Hunters. The first installment in the epic comedy/fantasy series introduces the Hunters (Carrot, Chocolat, Tira, Gateau and Marron) and their battle against the malevolent Sacher Torte.

Janurary Media Blasters Releases From the AnimeWorks Label

1/11

Seven of Seven: Heartbreak by the Numbers (Vol. 4 Epi 15-18)

Invader Zim Box w/Extras disc

1 disc, n/a episodes, (special volume) English language Dialogue Retail: $39.95

Invader Zim Box (filled w/extras disc)

4 discs, 26 episodes + extras, 650 mins. + extras (complete set) Retail: $129.95

1/25

Shura no Toki - Age of Chaos 1 disc, 5 episodes, 125 mins. (volume 2 of 6) Figure 17 - (boxed set)

Tsubasa is a shy elementary school girl with very few friends. One night she sees a shooting star and follows it to a downed alien spacecraft. The alien gives her a clone named Hikaru, who is as outgoing as Tsubasa is quiet. As Tsubasa teaches her new companion about the world, she rediscovers it herself. When hostile alien life forms appear, Tsubasa and Hikaru unite to form Figure 17, a bio- humanoid combat system. 6 discs, 13 episodes, 650 mins. Retail: $69.95

Media Blasters Press

Apocalypse Zero 1

The Monstrous Versus The Master! On a stage of raw bones and rotten skulls, two brothers are prepared to battle with one another. The first is Harara, who wishes to expunge Earth of its humanity, while Kakugo immersed in "living body armor" defends Earth. With both being masters of the Zero Form martial art, who will survive till the very end? Story and art by Takayuki Yamaguchi, 216 pages

Baron Gong Battle 1

An Ancient Terror…REBORN! The worst living weapon was a super creature from ancient times…the Neo Hume, and the Nazis have brought it back. Only one man has ever encountered the Neo Hume and lived…Baron Gong! The stakes are high. Their power is incredible. The destruction will be terrible. The battle to save humanity begins NOW! Story and Art by Masayuki Taguchi

Anime News Network Teams With Protoculture Addict

Anime News Network announced that it has partnered with North America s oldest anime magazine, Protoculture Addicts, to produce Anime News Network’s Protoculture Addicts.

Anime News Network has always wanted to publish a print companion to the website, and rather than start with a blank slate, we felt that it would be better to partner with an existing magazine, said Christopher Macdonald, editor-in-chief of Anime News Network. Protoculture Addicts is the perfect choice for us. It is more in tune with our mentality of putting information first, than any other magazine in the industry.

The first issue of Anime News Network’s Protoculture Addicts and the 82nd issue of Protoculture Addicts will be on sale in January (Solicitation in the November issue of Previews). This issue will introduce readers to several new anime series (Avenger, Cinderella Boy, Otogi Zoushi, RE: Cutie Honey, Samurai 7, Scrapped Princess, Stellvia and more!) and will offer plenty of conventions & festival reports, reviews of all sorts of anime-related products, as well as the latest news.