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Advanced Preview Anne Freaks
. By Yua Kotegawa

Based on chapter 1
To be released by ADV Manga March 2006

Anne Freaks may turned out to be a top suspense. That probably doesn't matter much as at point. What does it that is feels searingly subversive. Almost pornographically subversive, in the way of Death Note and Battle Royale. No matter what Freud says our desires may be, one of the gravest tenants of social conditioning is "don't kill your parents". Anne Freaks opens with a boy, regular looking and sweating bullets, burring the bodies. An attractive, but by manga standards, mundane looking young woman walks up, tells him not to use the location he chose. "you bury some woman there and some homeless guy's bound to find her." Then this young woman, dressed like she's out for the night, kicks the guy in the head and as he's passing out volunteers to take over.

Next morning, to his surprise, there's some clinical body disposal shop talk. Yuri's instructed to go about his daily school life. He reacts rather unfazed to the discovery of a note with the word "murderer" and seems to have passed a test. Strangely, he finds himself going to the traditional dance class his mother made him take. He soon learns he's in love with Anna and that wants his help to kill her father.

The sample looks to be plotting an existential rather than moralistic course. These aren't action heros, more a mundane modern teen Beatty and Dunaway Bonnie and Clyde than a Mickey and Mallory. They don't look like sociopaths. They don't carry themselves like sociopaths. Butt he killed his mother and watched her die. She's clearly conformable around homicide. A few nice kicks aside, Anne Freaks isn't a manga that's going to offer wall toppling actions, but it looks like its going to be the frighteningly bad seed of the spring manga class.

Anime Preview: Diamond Daydreams
volume 1

to released by ADV February 7th

If you've lamented the trickle of shoujo anime that's flowed into English, make an appointment for Diamond Daydreams. It may be far closer to short story anthology titles than the popular epics, but the sensibilities and properties will be familiar to fans. It's anime for those looking to escape into someone else' s romantic/relationship tribulations rather than those looking for experience a different world.

There's a nice girl quality to broad, delicately featured faces of the series' heroines. From the first glance they look like people to cheer on. The more muted tones give the anime an impression of a down to earth sensibility, as opposed to the bolder colors and lines used in more super-kinetic anime. Distinct places and cultures are key to the series, so there's an effort to make it look different in its design and details.
Animation wise, director Bob Shirahata throws in quick cut to almost abritrary angles during the disoriently emotional scenes, almost in place of the aspects shifts found in manga.

The title is a reference to saying several male characters repeat to the female story focal characters, that if you see diamond dust (a real meteorological ice phenomenon) in the night sky, you're future will be happy, but the gimmick of the series is that it follows the lives of six young women in Hokkaido, presumably allocating 2 episodes each.

Setting a series in Hokkaido would be the equivalent of setting an American series in Maine, in that it shows an evident difference than the metropoli that typically host popular media. Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island (Honshu being the largest). It's a little colder and more rural than most of Japan (though not quite as cold and remote as some of main). The first episode opens with a shot of a crab (going back to main, the equivalent of starting with a lobster), then continues to show various sites for the location, during mid episode eye catchers and such.

Technically, the anime isn't shoujo, but you have to look at the fine print. You'll see the name of Red's Ohji Hiroi as the work's original creator. With the Sakura Wars creator's name present, you can track the origin to a game. It's a bishojo (cute girl) game in which, much like the anime, you meet people in Hokkaido. The closest example among anime released in North America is Popotan, but this one is far less sexually driven. Despite a few semi-unclothed scenes is mostly a demonstration of pure thoughts.

Despite its origin, its a very female centric construct. The female protagonists are the dynamic characters, the males are for the most part plot instruments. Plots follow the young women setting a course in their lives, generally heavily influenced by relationship based decisions. If does offer does of reality, and matters aren't concluded perfect points where no one has to work through future problems, but there's a beating romantic heart. A hear that isn't above an outsider stepping in to fix problems for a protagonist.

The stories are as long as they need to be, not rushed or overextended, and generally by the end there's some touch of emotion or circumstances that can win over even a cynical viewer.

More irreverent minds, ones who the series isn't really intended for could find this series rather, unintentionally amusing. Not that its entirely overblown, but it does go father far with some its conventions. Elements such as a scruffy jazz artist's adorable, super-aware cat or a sick girl who goes into hysterics and passes out when her doctors angers her can be a bit too much for a strait face. Both are examples of how the series crosses from the endearing or dramatic into the, if you're in the right frame of mind, laughable.

Manga Spotlight: Dragon Head
by Minetaro Mochizuki

released by TOKYOPOP

Dragon Head is harrowing manga at its darkest. There are several scenes in the first volume bound to wind up in your nightmare wound bank.

The highlight of reviewing manga is bringing attention to a work like Dragon Head, which is an abberation in the sea of pretty boy manga that's dominated the manga market. Even in the broader field of the medium, its a highly unusual title that's been under the radar of even people following manga. Its first volume looks at a trio of teens wounded and surrounded by corpses after being trapped in an underground train during a massive earth quake. If you knew that hell looked the inside of Dragon Head's train you live more carefully. With the three trying to make their way out of this scene, seeing the bodies, washing the glass out of gashes, mental cracks and fissures are expected, any use of rational logic is almost a stunning mental accomplishment.

Guiding your way through a burried train full of corpses by cigarette lighter...like sharks and serial killers, this is the sort of edge of experience danger that you want a page or screen's seperation from, but with which there is biolgically ingained fascination. Take the desperate isolation and shocked scramble to survive of a non-trivialized disaster story like Alive and mix in the messy brutality of a Battle Royale... Render it with an underground manga look that's willing make faces and features a bit less idealized to capture more expression, emotion or personality and you'll get Dragon Head. Consiquently, the telling is consistantly, frighteningly convincing. A real train wreck may or may not be anythinh like Mochizuki's depiction, but for the cource of the volume, you'll be convinced that that what's happening is real for the characters.

Based on some descriptions of the live action adapation to the manga, it sounds like Dragon Head becomes a bit wilder later on, but the first volume is a particularly disturbing exploration of cracking point stress through gritted teeth, haunted eyes, and open wounds. Creator Minetaro Mochizuki has spawned several live action adapations, include A Shark-Skinned Boy and a Peach-Bottomed Girl, adapted into a live action with Ichi the Killer's Tadanobu Asano. (See a preview of his surreal new work Tales of the Mind here)

The release as the issues found in most TOKYOPOP releases. Some sound effects are translated, but most aren't. More significant to this release is that the dark colors aren't handled particularly well. Especially the opening pages that were probaly originally color look muddy. The dark colors don't always have the constrast or sharness you'd ideally want for the manga.

Anime Spotlight: Samurai 7
Volume 3

Released by FUNimation

Gonzo's decision to retell Akira Kurosawa's cinema masterpiece the Seven Samurai with cyborgs and flying battle armors has problems, but the animation that the project brought to bear can't help but impress.

One particular example leads to a cross dressing joke which you can take or leave, but the best scene in the volume is a little throw away sequence in which samurai-turned performer-turned samurai Gorobei, in order to obtain some disguises, hooks up with a trio of young woman doing a water act, balancing above false waves and twisting false spouts of water. The layers of animated depiction employed to capture someone using artificial props to make create an effect looks real, the stage waves, costumes and streams, along with the talent and effort of the performers, is clever, attractive and fun to watch.

The performance is an example of how the more you ignore the connection to Kurosawa's work, as hard as that may be, and pay attention to Samurai 7 as a distinct entity, the more rewarding the series becomes. Especially rewatching it, you note that it almost goes out of its way not to cut corners. Static shots stick out in the sea of elaborate backdrops, motions and character designs. The presentation quality is often enough to tip the scales in how a scene is received. Especially with the samurai, their faces, with packed details and believable expressions gives characters a history that deepens their gravity, making up for over familiar elements, and not always reasonable actions.

The trouble with the series is the tie in to the original. If you put Kurosawa's name all over a product, comparisons are inevitable.
Every time a group of characters is standing around in an unnaturally blocked pattern, any time a character says something that seems more likely to come from the pen of script writer than the mouth of a living person, a movie buff will starting thinking "Kurosawa wouldn't do it like that". While Kurosawa meticouslous constructed something natural, Gonzo produces an artificial world with events at its center that can't be though of as anything other than fictional.

Nor is Samurai 7 eager to step out of Kurosawa's shadow. Between volumes 2 and 3, there was a dip into a idea that were original to the anime, but soon it speads through the material. Presumably the series hasn't seen the last of the merchants and mysterious "guardians" who trade with bandits, but their presance is soon shunted aside to make way for an extended version of the village prepartion act.

The plot does offer some interesting views on the characters, such as happy-go lucky heihachi's reaction to traitors. Half the time the series is very reverent to the veteran experience of the characters. They look and act like they've seen and gone through plenty, but half the time there is a naivety of an action work, where the characters acts with an idealism that doesn't fit their history or general behavioral pattern. It's not just that they're ignore what they know is prudent in order to do the right thing, but that they're acting as if they're unaware of the future consequences.

Entering the peasant village in these episode, the series highlights some of the strange choices its made to populate peasant community.. There's a villager who looks like the Elephant Man, or short person with a child/doll strapped to her back who's either a young girl with a very old voice, or an old person with the body of a young girl. In some ways its seem like the creators couldn't control their creations, such the annoying child who commentates on events, annoying the characters, and probably the viewers.

Manga Spotlight: Genshiken Volume 4
By Kio Shimoku

Released by Del Rey Manga

Losing their meeting room hasn't slowed down the geek round table of the university club know as The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, aka Genshiken. The manga has continued to be the funniest and truest exploration of the mind of the socially inadequate pop culture junkie. At this point the characters have really gotten to know each other and now there's some intense group/interpersonal dynamics, rather than just a collection of people with shared interests

The manga has now progressed beyond the point animated in the first season of the anime (a second season was recently confirmed). The previous volume's cliffhanger did set the circumstances for this volume, but it turned out to be direction of the manga for a while, settings up situations, rather than really effecting the lives of the characters.

The final chapters of this volume look to really be changing the dynamics. It's a new year, and their are new members of the club: there's Kuchiki, the guy who even embarrasses the most hard core anti-social geeks, seen in the night out chapter of the anime and manga, who's now been found his way back to Genshiken after being booted from the school anime club, and Ogiue, a girl with the cowlick from hell who shows up with an arm in a sling thanks to jumping out a window during a fight in the manga club. She then proceeds to stir up the Genshiken, calling them a bunch of "queers", then starring down the club's geek chick Ohno, who insists "no girl hates queers".

Even if you're fortune enough to have a good geek social circle to spend time with, it's still worth paying money to sit in our the Genshiken's conversations. Every chapter is insightful and funny, every third or fourth chapter is real priceless. The Ogiue introduction is one of these. Another is the meeting at Madarame's place. Madarame is the kind of anime and manga whose intensity makes other fan's uncomfortable. Knowing a club-mate's non-fan girlfriend would show up and go rifle though his belongings, he decides to throw her off the scent by filling a draw with live action s&m porn.

Anime Spotlight: Revolutionary Girl Utena

The Rose Collection
Released by Central Park Media

Utena's use of anime's finest elegant lack of constraints earned it a permanent spot on the medium's cannon list. The sharp colors of Gonzo and the storm of digitally animated works have dimmed the light of the 90's late cell shaded works, but Utena is still recognizable as a beautiful work of imagination in a complete package of shoujo on the edge. It goes far enough out on the limb that its successors couldn't follow it. They've had to find new limbs or look like pail imitators. A team of talented and innovative creators had some ideas that they wanted to exercise, some deep artistic inspirations (and a desire to make some money after being on the unrewarded contributor end of a franchise). The results the span the genre from almost avante guard flare such with shadow plays to present fool's commentary or water dropping up, well, horizontal from a pool on a door to touch a signet ring to well timed, but basically simple gag comedy such as Chu-Chu the mouse with a tie, bare ass, and pirate earring who left unattended will happily nibble on the packing salt from a box of clothes.

Revolutionary Girl Utena did for shoujo what Evangelion did for giant robot works. A significant part of the formula is the 70's romantic epics like Rose of Versailles and Tezuka's Princess Knight, which probably aren't going to be as recognizable for a North American viewer, but it will still event to the viewer has it blew apart the conventions and shaped them into a new experience. Credit goes to BE-PAPAS: Kunihiko Ikuhara, flamboyant director who produced a dark and interesting third season of sailor moon (as well as the second half of season 2, if you're older and remember 80's Nickelodeon, he also worked on Maple Town)with character designer Shinya Hasegawa. Along with scripting writing collaborator Yoji Enokido (FLCL, the aspirations were more about left over ideas looking for an outlet with freedom and commercial desires than Evangelion's personal demon exorcism, but when the heavy base guitars hits, a pink haired young woman in a school uniform meets 18 century military dress starts walking up a physics defying marble stair case, and the female vocal chant hits the music with a changing sets of lyrics, recounting verses like

A wet-nurse and a midwife in a dark desert
A gold-gilded Shangri-La
Day and night reversing
A time-gilded Lost Paradise

Darkness over Sodom
Darkness ever glowing
Darkness over yonder
Darkness never ending

... you know you have something beautifully atypical.

If there is a spectrum of shoujo, with gag oriented situation comedy on one end, moving towards more mundane, then more conceptual relationship drama, typically high school based. Then more high concept, like historical fiction. Then at the other end, more abstract works, such as Moto Hagio's. Utena hits all points. Along the way it subverts gender roles. It features a teenage girl who who wears a re-tailored boy's uniform, is the idol of girls within her school, and has dedicated her life to becoming a prince, not a princess, a prince. Similarly, the series works against the shonen standard of the tournament fight as a structural plot point without battles serving the real payoff.

Utena, despondent after the death of her parents, was comforted by a prince who left her with a rose crested ring. Years later she arrives at the prestigious Ohtori Academy, defiantly wearing a modified boy's uniform, still inspired by the encounter to make herself a prince. She starts off acting as the school social avenger, righting wrongs of unfair alienation and mocked love letters, but finds the semi-secret society of the school's Student Council who open their meetings with pre-millennium apocalypse talk and duel with swords (various fencing traditions featured) for control of a girl named Anthy Himemiya, also known the Rose Bride.

Volumes 1 and 2 of Utena are comprise what is generally called the Student Council Saga or the Rose Collection, in which Utena fights her way through the members of her school's elite governing body in what she sees as maintaining Anthy's independence. Along the way, the series investigates the deep, troubled waters of the psyches of the student council and general uncovers Freudian issues, such as sibling hang-ups and homosexual desires.

Though it enough of a problem to ruin the release, Utena show signs of being a repackaged older release that was flawed at the time. Both the English dub and the subtitles have problems. The dub features famously flawed pronunciation. The subtitles often have color contracts problems, rendering the text hard to read.

Anime Spotlight: Taro the Dragon Boy

Released by Discotek

When children grow up, they remember hearing about Hiawatha and seeing Clash of the Titans. There are mythic stories featuring landscape shaping events, classic fairy tale deeds, strange creatures, and hidden rules that ingrain themselves into the memories of younger audiences and serve as quality nostalgia for older ones. Taro the Dragon Boy is another of these classic hero quests, and another worthy title that Discotek has plucked from obscurity to put preserved on DVD. It's a title might have you seen Taro hanging around the family section of video rental business for a while in the days before anime popularity took off. Made as one of Toei Animation's movies from the late 70's (like Disotek's previous anime release Animal Treasure Island), well crafted animation and storytelling come together in a literally wonderful movie

The tale is set in haphazardly formed world in which mankind is suffering constant hardships. There's not enough civilization, too many mountains and too little water in the valleys. Most people are eking out a living growing millet in the rocky mountains rather than rice in the flat land. Taro's story is reminiscent of the the eponymous Greek heros who created the landscape for the culture, such as Theseus in his post labyrinth land wanderings.

Like the land, Taro starts off as a drag on the substance living. In a small, hard-scrabble village he's raised by a grandmother, who works to feed him, which he repays by sleeping most of the day, and going into the forests to cavort with the animals. One day while teaching the animals sumo, a drunken tengu (mountain spirits holding a complex benevolent and malevolent roles in Japanese mythology) flies onto the scene and wrestles Taro. After a couple bouts the tengu hands Taro his gourd for a drink, then pronounces Taro now has the strength of 100 men as long as he's helping others. Returning home, Taro's grandmother informs him that his mother is alive, but leading up to his birth she was transformed into a dragon. As a dragon she sacrificed her sight to watch her child's early day then disappearing. Taro leaves home looking for the lake his mother is sleeping in, along the way removing threats from the landscape, learning to become a productive worker and spreading his knowledge and shares of rice.

Taro the Dragon boy is a timeless story because its convincing, big and elemental. Always, there's going to be an interest in the wonder of shaping an unformed, wild, world. Always, stories effort to overcome internal and external faults are going to be important There's a smart and touching element to the story of how Taro changes himself and changes the land. The depth of hard work and empathy along with the sorrow of the hardship of the people and Taro's cursed mother is bound to get to even jaded adults.

The animation isn't quite as magical as Disney's classic features, though more visual interesting than some of Disney's 70's output. The frame rates and fluidity aren't going to win any raves, but there's an attention to creating a mythical version of the world, with its craggy landscapes and unforgiving weather. The creatures are straight out of ancient Japanese myth, but full of personality and emotion, whether its the impish Red Oni banging his drum, the majestic and solemn dragon, or one the haunting white horses you occasionally find in anime. There's a discernible sense of craft in how there's an attention depth of backgrounds movement and crowd mannerisms whether its people or animals.

There are a few caveats for parents who would considering showing the movie to their children in that despite a positive message and nothing truly ethically objectionable, there are elements that some choose not to deal with their children watching. The movie features its share of non-sexual nudity. Taro does a victory dance a number of time that ends with him in a handstand and his tunic falling up. For the first half of the movie, being uncivilized, he doesn't wear a loin cloth, and a bit of Taro anatomy makes an appearance. Similarly, there a number of breast appearances in non-sexual contexts. There's a death of Aslan style disturbing element, which gets graphic. An older audience can pick up on what's going to happen, but young ones might have some problems with it. The movie also features a few schemes with an off quality that's difficult to label, such as when Taro and his friends attack the oni overlord by tickling and licking his belly button.

Jeff Thompson Passes Away

Anime News Network reports Right Stuf ADR director Jeff Thompson, who produced high quality adaptations of such works as Irresponsible Captain Taylor and Kare Kano died after falling ill at the Ohayocon anime convention.

Death Note Movies

MangaNews reports that manga series popular supernatural thriller manga Death Note will be adapted into two live action movie, to screen in Japan in June in October.

Trailers

AnimeNation reports a new 20 second commerial for the upcoming Hellsing OAV, to be released in Japan on February 6th, can be seen in Windows Media and Real Media formats.

Twitch points out that a new trailer for Fist of the North Star - Raoh Side Story Junai Arc (Hokuto no Ken - Raoh Gaiden Junai-hen), due to be released March 3rd, can be seen here

Gunota reports trailer for the upcoming Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation III -Love is the Pulse of the Stars- can be seen here

According to ShirowLedge, trailers for TANK S.W.A.T. 01, the upcoming CGI adaptation of Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow's Dominion Tank police are online in Windows and Real Media formats. The DVD will be eleased on March 24th with a paper figure of the tank Bonaparte.

FUNimation Licenses CLAMP

The new Anime Insiders covers FUNimation's announcement that they've licensed the XXXHolic/Tsubasa movie and the Tsubasa TV series, based on hit manga team CLAMP's recent works.
XXXHolic is a stylish art nouveau take on horror anthologies.

Tsubasa is an adventure staring alternate versions of Card Captor Sakura's hero's, who, along with several new character, travel dimensions and encounter alternate CLAMP version of other CLAMP works.

Seven Seas Presents Boogiepop Commercials

Building up to the February release of the translated Kouhei Kadono's Boogiepop and Others novel, Seven Seas' website at Gomanga.com is hosting MediaWorks' fully-animated Boogiepop commercials subtitled in English

In Japan, Boogiepop novel publisher MediaWorks produced a series of commercials to help promote the release of several of the novels from Kouhei Kadono's unforgettable series. Much like the character of Boogiepop himself, these commercials have become the stuff of urban legend. Featuring fully animated short clip sequences pulled directly from the novels and using Keiji Ogata's own character designs, each commercial is a visually eye-catching tour de force that surpasses the animation quality seen in Boogiepop Phantom.

BOOGIEPOP AND OTHERS (Novel, Release: 02/14/06)

There is an urban legend that children tell one another about a shinigami that can release people from the pain they are suffering. This "Angel of Death" has a name-Boogiepop. And the legends are true. Boogiepop is real

.

When a rash of disappearances involving female students breaks out at Shinyo Academy, the police and faculty assume they just have a bunch of runaways on their hands. Yet Nagi Kirima knows better. Something mysterious and foul is afoot. Is it Boogiepop or something even more sinister...?

Experience the story through several characters' eyes as you piece together the true order of disturbing events, in this unforgettable prelude to the Boogiepop Phantom anime series!

CMX Premieres VS in April

DC Comics' CMX line will be shipping the first volume of VS. (VERSUS) on April 5th.
From CMX's description
Sometimes it takes a person who has shared your dream to make it come true. For Reiji, a gifted violinist with no formal training, success may be the key to escaping from his miserable home life. Mitsuko was also a prodigy until an accident left her unable to play. Now she is going to help Reiji achieve the goal she could never attain. Passions and rivalries play out against the backdrop of the music world, while Reiji's family background provides intense, emotional drama.

CMX May releases include
The Devil Does Exist Vol. 6 May 17
Musashi #9 Vol. 7 May 10
Gals! Vol. 6 May 17
Testarotho Vol. 4 May 3 Young Magician Vol. 4 May 31

Collaborative Manga Illustration

MangaNews points out that December 2006 issue of Kodansha's Afternoon (anthology home of such titles as Blade of the Immortal, Blame and Oh My Goddess), marks the 20th anniversary of the magazine and will feature the first of of a series of projects Kodansha has planned to celebrate the occasion with "Great Collaboration Cover". The work will be drawn by a total of 39 manga creators.

Earth Sea News

Nausicaa.net points out that Daily Yomiuri Online has coverage (in English) of a recent roundtable interview with Hayao Miyazaki.

Of Earthsea, to be directed by his son Goro:

I won't say anything [about the movie], lend a hand or even look it over. I'm not involved in any way. I'm keeping myself to myself in my studio as whenever we see each other we quickly start to feel tension ,

The relationship between a parent and a child isn't easy or simple. And I myself have my own standards to evaluate other people as professionals--whoever they may be.

But I'd never say, "Give up!" even if I didn't like something he was doing. I've never said anything like that to him.

According to the January 16 production diary, 129 of 1,235 (10.45%) cuts of "Tales from Earthsea" were completed by last Friday.

In and OOP at TOYKOPOP

TOKYOPOP's website has added the following manga, manwha and cinemanga titles to their out of print list as of January 2, 2006
Akira 1
CLAMP School Detectives 1 - 3
G Gundam 1-3
G.I. Joe Spy Troops
Gundam Wing 1 - 3
Gundam Wing: Battlefield of Pacifists
Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz
Island 1 - 7
Kodocha: Sana's Stage 1 - 10
Malcolm in the Middle 1 - 2
Man of Many Faces 1 - 2
Marmalade Boy 1 - 8
Miyuki Chan in Wonderland
Mucha Lucha! Donut Worry, Be Happy! 01
Power Rangers 1 - 3
Power Rangers: DinoThunder 1
Rave Master 1-2 (Cine-Manga)
Shirahime Syo
Shirahime Syo (hard cover)
Simple Life, The
STONe 1 - 2
Suki 1 - 3
Transformers Armada 1 - 3
Transformers: Energon 1 - 3
Under The Glass Moon 1 - 2
Wild Act 1-10

Anime on DVD reports that the following unannounced licensed are being listed on Amazon as releases from TOKYOPOP

Elemental Gelade (Erementar Gerad)
Kuro no Kishi
Le Potrait de Petit Cossette
Otogi Zoshi
Peppermint
Redrum 327 Trash
Yorozuya Tokaido Honpo
Zapt!

Bandai Talks Eureka 7 Releases

Bandai Entertainment Inc., a member of the "Eureka Project" (which includes Studio Bones, Bandai, Bandai Visual, and Hakuhodo) announce today Vol. 1 of the Eureka SeveN DVD will be released April 25th with the ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK and the first volume of the MANGA by artists Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondou, originally published in Japan by Kadokawa publishing.

Eureka SeveN, produced by Studio Bones, who created smash hits like Cowboy Bebop and Full Metal Alchemist, and for the first time served as series co-investor, gathered together the creative talent: Writer Dai Sato, story supervisor for the Cowboy Bebop TV series and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Director Tomoki Kyoda, who directed Rahxephon-the movie, Mecha Designer Shoji Kawamori, famous for Macross, (Escaflowne tv series) and Character designer Kenichi Yoshida from Princess Mononoke. The series focuses on Renton, a young boy in a world where "lifting" (an extreme form of hoverboarding) is common. Renton's life is changed forever by a mysterious and beautiful young girl named Eureka.

In addition to the DVD release set for April 25th, Bandai Entertainment Inc. has plans to release two MANGA series, a four volume adaptation of the series storyline and a two volume series based on the Eureka Seven Video Game prequel story as well as a stand alone soundtrack. There are also plans in the works to broadcast the series on a premier TV network.

For more information go to: eurekaseven.bandai-ent.com

DVD RELEASE INFORMATION:

Eureka SeveN Vol. 1
CAT# 20800, UPC# 669198208003, ISBN# 1-59409-574-4,
TRT: 125min, Rating: 13UP, SRP: $24.98 Release date: 4/25/06
EPISODES 1-5
DVD extras:
Interviews with Cast
Audio Commentary with Director
DVD Features:
Interactive animated menus
English and Japanese Audio
English Subtitle Option

Eureka SeveN Special Edition with Collector's Artbox
CAT #20820, UPC#669198208201, ISBN#1-59409-679-1
TRT: 125min, Rating: 13UP, SRP: 59.98, Release Date: 4/25/06
EPISODES 1-5
Collector's Box Includes:
DVD Vol.1, T-Shirt, Manga Vol. 1 with exclusive cover, and original CD soundtrack
DVD extras:
Interviews with Cast
Audio Commentary with Director
DVD Features:
Interactive animated menus
English and Japanese Audio
English Subtitle Option

Merchandise News

From Figures.com Mattel's line of One Piece action figures can be seen here.

The line includes $6.99 "action attack" figures: Gum Gum Luffy, Krazy Kick Sanji, Cuttin Claws Kuro and Sword Flip Zolo Roronoa.

One Piece Ripz figures line of Ripz Luffy, Ripz Don Kreig, Ripz Sanji and Ripz Roronoa Zolo will retail for $12.99

One Piece Ka-Boom Cannon with Luffy figure retails for $14.99

One Piece Triple Slash Roronoa Zolo Role Playing Swords has three noise making swords for $19.99

A 13" One Piece Super Elasti Luffy sells for $19.99.

AAAanime's exclusive Japanese PVC statues, to be imported this Spring can be seen here.

A sampling of the line include

1/6 Scale Fate/ Stay Night Saber PVC Statue
1/8 Scale Fate/Hollow Ataraxia: Saber - Casual Clothes Ver. PVC Statue
1/6 Scale Fate/ Stay Night Rin PVC Statue
1/8 Scale Burst Angel Meg PVC Statue
1/8 Scale Jiburiru PVC Statue

The figures will rnage in price for $30.00 to $60.00

Negima Data

FUNimation's site lists that the distributor will start releasing Negima June 13.

Tony Tony Chopper Pregnant

Anime News Network reports that Ohtani Ikue, the voice actress for One Piece's Chopper,. as well as playing roles in Detective Conan, Pokemon, and Zatch Bell has taken a hiatus from work due to her pregnancy.

In other health news, Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter X Hunter will return to the series with the upcoming January 23rd issue of Shonen Jump.

Ghibli Panorams

Nausicaa.net points out that two panoramas drawn by Hayao Miyazaki can be seen at the Lawson "Ghibli Museum Monthly Report" here

March 21 April Releases

March 21. 2006 Godannar: Two's A Combat Team, Three's A Crowd (4 of 7) E'S Otherwise: Calvaria - The Will Of The Planet, The Fate Of The Chosen (6 of 6) Princess Tutu: Prinz Und Rabe (4 of 60 Yugo The Negotiator: Russia 2 - Rebirth (4 of 4)

Godannar Godannar is a genre-bending mecha anime series best described as equal parts action, adventure, and domestic soap opera. While much of anime is populated by high school vixens, magical fairies, and femme fatales, it's rare to find a married couple at the center of the story. And that's just one of the reasons Godannar stands out. That, and a female giant robot that jiggles. And a fantastic opening theme song.

Princess Tutu Directed by Junichi Sato (Sailor Moon, Kaleido Star) and Shougo Koumoto (You're Under Arrest! Season 2) and produced by HAL Film Maker (Kaleido Star) and TBS (Chobits), Princess Tutu is a classic fairy tale story with a twist of mystery, magic and romance. Darkness hid the pieces of her beloved's shattered heart, and time is running out for Princess Tutu to find them. Her dream of becoming a human girl has come true. However, peril lurks in the unseen shadows. Using the power of an enchanted amulet, she must unravel a dark and twisted mystery to keep her Prince and herself alive.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 4.2 Release

4Kids Entertainment Home Video, Inc., the home video unit of 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. , in association with FUNimation Entertainment, will release its Yu-Gi-Oh! Volume 4.2: My Freaky Valentine DVD on February 7, 2006. The volume features My Freaky Valentine 1-3, Fate of the Pharaoh 1-3, the Challenge and Trial By Stone.

Anime Network SVOD Available In Nine Cox Communications Markets

The Anime Network is now available as a SVOD service in nine Cox Communications markets following the most recent launches in the company's Northern Virginia, Las Vegas and Oklahoma City operations. Anime Network SVOD launched earlier this year to Cox subscribers in: Hampton Roads, VA; Orange County, CA; San Diego, CA; Omaha, NE; New England; and New Orleans.

Anime Network SVOD is offered as a monthly subscription service to Cox Digital Cable customers for $6.95 for 25 hours of content.

Central Park Media Announces New York Comic-Con Guests

Central Park Media will be attending the February 24-26, 2006 New York Comic-Con, pop culture event on the East Coast. In addition to hosting numerous panels, offering show specials, screenings and premieres, CPM is bringing four guests to the convention whose works are representative of the diverse catalog of anime, graphic novel and live action releases that make up the world of Central Park Media.

Youka Nitta: yoai manga author of Embracing Love (Haru wo Datieita). Ms. Nitta is one of Be Beautiful's ? Central Park Media's yaoi manga imprint ? headlining authors. Be Beautiful currently publishes Ms. Nitta's Embracing Love series and will release the third volume in late February. In addition, her Sound of My Voice (Boku No Koe) is slated for release later in 2006.

Sook Kim: soonjung manhwa-ga (Korean comic author of shoujo like work). Ms. Kim is most famous for her Premonition of Love, Westside Girls' High School, Strawberry Salon, and Tag - You're It! (Zzim!). Central Park Media is publishing her first graphic novel in English, Tag - You're It!, later this month.

Tim Eldred: worked on comic adaptations of M.D. Geist, Captain Harlock, Robotech, Star Blazers, and Armored Trooper VOTOMS and created the storyboards for numerous animated programs including Men in Black, Godzilla, Heavy Gear, Spider-Man, Teen Titans, and Xiaolin Showdown. Mr. Eldred is attending New York Comic-Con to promote Central Park Media's upcoming DVD release of the sci-fi anime classic Armored Trooper VOTOMS, for which he is penning the ultimate VOTOMS guide book.

Eric Bresler: director and producer of Otaku Unite! documentary

Free West Coast J-Pop Concert

Performing hit songs from her recent albums, as well as dance remixes of popular anime songs from the Para Para Max US Mix CDs, songwriter and vocalist Yoko Ishida will be appearing live in concert on Friday, January 20th, starting 7 p.m. at Universal CityWalk in Universal City. Adjacent to the world-famous Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, Universal CityWalk is one of southern California's most prominent entertainment/shopping multiplexes, featuring stylish restaurants, specialty shops and entertainment attractions all in the heart of Hollywood. Admission to Universal CityWalk and to the Yoko Ishida concert, taking place at the stage venue next to the IMAX movie theatre, is free. An autograph session with Yoko follows immediately after the concert.

Since its initial kick-off back in September 2005, the Anime Fusion Tour, co-sponsored by Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc., had featured weekly tour stops by Yoko and Para Para dancers at various mall locations along the east coast. The second leg of the tour, taking place on the west coast, reaches its climax with two final shows in southern California: Universal CityWalk on Friday, Jan. 20th and the Mission Valley Center in San Diego on Sunday, Jan. 22nd at 2 p.m.

With a remarkably beautiful voice that has glowingly enhanced the music to many popular anime shows, Yoko has emerged as one of the anime industry's most prolific and outstanding female singers, performing the memorable songs to series such as Pretear, Ai Yori Aoshi, Sugar, Gunparade March, Petite Princess Yucie, Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~, Texhnolyze, This Ugly and Beautiful World, and most recently, Ah! My Goddess the TV Series. Yoko is also the vocalist on all of Geneon's Para Para Max US Mix CD series, which showcases Para Para, a unique and catchy dance style that mainly involves choreographed hand and arm movements set to popular anime songs remixed with an uptempo Euro-beat groove.

For more information about Universal CityWalk, please visit: www.citywalkhollywood.com/

For additional information about the tour and about Yoko Ishida, please visit:
www.AnimeFusionTour.com
www.ClubSweets.com
www.ParaParaMax.com

New Work From My Dear Mari Creator

Twitch points out previews from Lee Sung-Gang's Cobby The Fox, a follow-up to the beuatiful, dream-like Korean consumer product animated My Beautiful Girl, Mari. The Official Website has a few new stills and lots of infos about the film. A flash pilot can be seen at here.

The film will be released this summer.

Navarre Licenses Up Filmation Catalog

Anime on DVD points out Navarre, the parent company of anime distributor FUNimation, has licensed the Filmation catalog of 1980s animation, including She-Ra: Princess of Power; The Legend of Bravestarr; Ghostbusters; The New Adventures of Zorro; The Lone Ranger; Groovie Goolies; Snow White Happily Ever After among others.