Father Geek here with the Thanksgiving Holiday Edition of our regular weekly Manga & Anime column. Its a little shorter than usual due to the short work week's lower level of news generation, buuut there's still plenty to interest you in this week's report of...
AnimAICN...
by Scott Green
Anime Preview: Wandaba Style
Volume 1: Rocket to Stardom
To be Released by ADV Films 1/18/05
by Scott Green
Anime Preview: Wandaba Style
Volume 1: Rocket to Stardom
To be Released by ADV Films 1/18/05
To be Released by ADV Films 1/18/05
Wandaba Style is an odd series, even by anime standards. The clownish, candy colored work tries to send a group of idol singers to the moon via aircraft carrier pulled elastic sling shot, giant carbonated soda bottles with packing peanut backed crew capsules and the like. It is occasionally as spasmodic as some of its recent kindred, but it's a half-clever unabashed creativity really makes it a good exercise in the quick, 12 episode, between season tv anime format. When it aired proponents didn't understand why it didn't gain much attention, and in small doses, not four episodes in one setting, there is undeniable charm in waiting to see what it will pull off next.
Mix Juice (a real entity to some degree) is a pop girl band foursome, manufactured by a kinetically brash manager with a large blonde afro (not unlike Excel Saga's directorial self insertion Nabeshin), consisting of an angry washed-up child actress, a construction worker by day/traditional performer by night, a confrontational rocker, and a invisible fairy (over the over muscled green variety) accompanied bad folk singer. Failing to find an audience, even with their manager promising that girls will "flash their tits" (the first indication that the show is not entirely innocuous, along with the perpetual puppy noses on the traditional performer's construction worker top). The group finds a platform in a young eccentric genius planned lunar launch.
From the assistant robot that can't coordinate the correct emotional responses to anime voices on helium, to a young scientist who wears purple ascot and brightly barred stockings, the series take pride in its garishness and bubblegum sci-fi. : bright and arresting ideas taken to the full extent of their implausibility. It is the brand of humor that consistently provides particularly odd ideas, but the episodes need space. While not repetitive, or over reliant on running gags, with deep or likable characters, the jokes do merge with over exposure. An episode or two at a time and its an excellent diversion.
Toei Geneon Distribution Details
Right Stuf list the first titles release for Geneon's recently announced distribution deal with anime giant Toei. The first two volumes of teen fighting anime Air Master, and basket ball sports anime Slam Dunk will be released on February 8th for $24.98 each.
ICV2 has clarified the relationship between Geneon and Toei. According to Geneon's Chad Kime, the new agreement is similar to the agreements that Geneon had with Viz and Bandai in the past (both of whom now handle their own titles). Geneon will distribute any titles that Toei decides to distribute in the U.S.. According to Kime, "This would naturally exclude the titles that Toei Japan may license to other U.S. companies."
ICV2 also asked Gen Fukunaga of FUNimation, whose best known series, Dragon Ball is a Toei work, about his company's relationship to Toei. He said, "We expect our relationship with Toei to continue. This quarter we'll probably be announcing some of the new titles we'll be doing with them."
CLAMP Anime Adaptations
CLAMP's related manga series XXXHOLiC and Tsubasa are being adapted into anime for 2004.
CLAMPConflicting report refer to adventure remix Tsubasa as a TV series or
theatrical movie.
Nausicaa.net indicates that
producer Toshio Suzuki announced Monster's Inc. director Pete Docter
will be heading the English adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle, Mayao
Miyazaki's adaptation of British author Diana Wynne Jones' fantasy
novel. Miyazaki's first choice John Lasseter was unavailable to work on
the project due to commitment to Pixar's Cars.
Anime News Network reports
that with 1.1 million ticket sales for 1.4 billion yen (US$13.5m), the
latest Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki films Howl's Moving Castle enjoyed
the most successful opening for any Japanese movie in history.
Miyazaki's last film, Spirited Away held the box office record, earning
2 billion yen (1.5 million tickets) in its opening 4 days (it was
released during a national holiday).
Howl's Moving Castle accounted for 72% of the total Japanese box office
sales this past weekend.
Daily Yomiuri Online has posted an English article about
Ghibli's balence of international regard and local roots.
After breafly returning to his heavy metal swords and sorcery manga
Bastard, Kazushi Hagiwara has again announced that the series is going
on hiatus.
AnimEigo announces that the 6th
and 7th box sets of Rumiko Takashi's relationship comedy Urusei Yatsura
are shipping. Preorders for the 8th set will open near the end of the
year and be released in Early 2005.
Production on the OAV set is complete. Preorders will be open around
the same time.
Anime News Network points
out that official website of indie pop-rock singer Bree
Sharp, reports that she will be singing the theme song and "several
other recurring tunes" for Mew Mew Power, which, according to the site,
is due to air on Fox Box in January 2005.
ICV2 has posted a two part interview with anime distributor FUNimation's
Gen Fukunaga here and here
Manga Entertainment will be releasing a special edition of Ghost in the
Shell on January 11th.
Anime on DVD reports that less
severe audio problems have been found in the third volume of Ghost in
the Shell: Stand Alone Complex than those of the first two releases.
According to what few reports are available so far due to this being an
early release, on the DTS disc's English DTS 5.1 mix, the opening
sequence for episode 10 has a shift from being a fully enveloping track
to one where it shifts to the center and left rear channels.
DC Comics' CMX Manga plans the following releases
Anime News Network reports
G4TechTV's will be airing the episodes 14-16 of Gonzo's aviation epic
Last Exile, released domestically by Geneon weekday starting December
6th. Episodes 1-13 will re-air Monday through Sunday beginning November
29. There will also be marathon broadcast of the entire Last Exile
series, episodes 1-26, on Christmas Day.
Broccoli Books' released of Juvenile Orion #5 Limited Edition and Galaxy
Angel #4 have been delayed to January 12th.
Speakeasy has announced
that they wll be releasing artist Yoshitaka Amano's, character designer
for many Final Fantasy games, Vampire Hunter D and Gatchman, Hero. The
first 96 page volume will be released in March for $9.95. Speak easy
describes the release as a "prestige format" comic, but the description
sounds like illustrated prose, which would be more in keeping with
Amano's past works.
New manga releases (less tentative) include Blade Of Heaven, Dead End,
Qwan, Sorcerer Hunters, Tarot Cafe and Warcraft from TOKYOPOP and
Legendz, SOS, and Times Two from Viz
Gantz is a violent, perpetually shocking series about people plucked the
moment before death, and equipped to fight alien creatures.
Saiyuki Reloaded to be released by Geneon, is the sequel to Saiyuki, a
pop retelling of the Journey to the West (basic for early Dragon Ball
and other work), released domestically by ADV.
Tokyo Underground is an adventure about student who finds a secret
civilization under Tokyo.
Anime News Network reports
that the Baltamores Otakon 2005 anime convention has changed it dates to
August 19-21. A limit of 22,000 people will be permitted "memberships"
to Otakon 2005. Memberships will no longer be refundable or offered for
single days.
Arkansas Act 858, a measure to regulated the display of material deemed
harmful to minors has been challenged by an Arkansas bookseller and the
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, the American Booksellers Foundation, the
Arkansas ACLU and others. On November 18th, Judge G. Thomas Eisele of
the U.S. District Court of Arkansas Eastern District ruled that Arkansas
Act 858 is unconstitutional, siting "facially unconstitutional under the
First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution
because such provisions are overbroad and impose unconstitutional prior
restraint on the availability and display of constitutionally protected,
non-obscene materials to both adults and older minors."
Adult comics, such as translated hentai (pornographic) manga were seen
as a target of the law).
Icv2 reports that Viz plans to run TV
advertisement and store displays leading to the December 28th of
InuYasha The Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass DVD (January
25th in Canada).
Viz has sold one million InuYasha DVDs in the U.S. and Canada since the
release of the first volume two years ago in October, 2002.
Anime News Network reports
that Central Park Media has announced that some copies Selfish Love Vol.
#1, published by the Be Beautiful yaoi (homosexual relationship stories)
imprint, contained a printing error. Details on the printing error and
replacement copies are available from the Be Beautiful website here.
Anime Network inquired on whether an omitted 12 page short story,
originally included in the Japanese volume 1 would be included in the
later volume, but CPM was not able to comment on the matter. Other
stories not included in the Japanese edition were included in the Be
Beutiful volume.
The Magic Box has images of Atari's Dragon Ball Z Sagas: Evolution, an
action adventure game with RPG elements with a story that spans from the
Saiyan Saga to Cell Game Saga here.
Twitch points out that a Korean
DVD of theatrical anime anthology Robot Carnival has been release with
English subtitles. The films features works from creators ranging from
Katsuhiro Otomo to Yusuomi Umetsu (Mezzo, Kite).
Speaking on NPR's Talk
of the Nation, directory James Cameron mentioned that he is working
on preproduction for a live action adaptation of Battle Angel Alita (aka
Gumn), a sprawling sci-fi about a human braining in a robot body found
in the Scrapheap dumping group below a pillar raised city.
Deep under the ground of the capital city of Tokyo exists a forgotten
sunless world called "Tokyo Underground." From this world, two
mysterious figures, Chelsea Rorec and Ruri Sarasa come escaping and find
a temporary safe haven in the home of Rumina Asagi. Ruri is called the
"Maiden of Life" and an important personage in the underground world.
Chelsea is Ruri's bodyguard and she helps her escape. Villains chasing
them appear on Rumina's doorstep and the fierce fight continues. Ruri's
miraculous power wakens Rumina's latent Wind Powers. Rumina resolves to
protect Ruri from the evil forces using his new-found strength and sets
off on his long journey.
Toonzone.net points out a Mainichi Shimbun in
revealing that long running children's anime Doraemon, about a cat robot
from the future, is replacing its voice actors for the first time.
Howl's Moving Castle News
Bastard Manga Gone Again
Urusei Yatsura Release Plans
Bree Sharp singing "Mew Mew" Songs
Gen Fukunaga Interview
Special Edition Ghost in the Shell
According to Anime Nation,
features include
More Stand Alone Complex Audio Problems
Upcoming CMX Manga Releases
March
April
Second Half of Last Exile on Anime Unleashed
Broccoli Manga Delayed
Speakeasy to Release Yoshitaka Amano Comic
Tentative March Releases
Diamond's Previews list the following noteworthy anime titles for a
March time frame. The titles have not bee official announced.
Otakon Changes
Arkansas Act 858 Developments
InuYasha Movie Plans
Self Love Replacement
Dragon Ball Game Images
Korean Robot Carnival DVD
Cameron Talks Battle Angel
Mid Feburary Geneon Releases
2/15/05
Tokyo Underground
"Doraemon" Seiyuu Shakeup After 25 Years
The current cast is:
