Manga Spotlight: Sugar Sugar Rune
Volume 1
By Moyoco Anno
Released by Del Rey Manga
For those inclined to beat up on Hideaki Anno for exorcising his emotional demons with Evangelion, remember, he got the last laugh, he ended up marring Moyoco. Sugar Sugar Rune continues Mrs Anno's wickedly funny streak, previously seen in domestic manga via nothing-is-learned chick-lit josei title Happy Mania and male make-over gone wrong seinen title Flowers and Bees. (Her catalog of works also includes a manga adapation of Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy, but it?s not currently available in English). In a departure form her sexually, if not explicit, present, material, she goes for a younger audience with a shoujo, non-blue work serialized in the anthology responsible for the best known of the genre: CardCaptor Sakura, Sailor Moon, Candy Candy, Saint Tail and more. (She appears to be awarded for the audience shift. This one received an animated adaptation).
Sugar Sugar Rune pulls a page out the standard shoujo playbook (though not one that's not excactly been over exposured in domestically released works): two witches from a magic kingdom, Chocolat Meilleure and Vinilla Mieux, travel to the human world to collect heart shaped crystallizations of affectionate emotions in a bid to be become the next queen of the magical realm. There's a sidekick/friendly competitor relatiobship between the pair. Vanilla is shy and demure (despite by a princess, her mother won the previous competition). Chocolat's a hellraiser. So far not too far off from CardCaptor Sakura...
A bit of the difference Anno brings in can be picked up from the Chocolat illustration on the cover. Chocolat's certainly cute, in a nicely cut version of the traditional witch cap and gown with stripped leggings that point to a bit goth aesthetic that wouldn't be too out of place amount Slave Labor's comic releases. Still, there's a glint of devilish mischief in Chocolat's eyes (say nothing of the almost psychotic look she has on cover of the second volume). You wouldn't be surprised if she opened her mouth and said something particularly biting that was more mean than precocious.
Moyoco Anno's trademark style and sadistic bend still manifest in this work. Chocolat isn't just the flawed heroine of other magic girl shoujo. Unlike Sailor Moon and Card Captor Sakura, she's not just a bit lazy, gluttonous, over-emotional, or immature. She's consciously rude and selfish, tactless and entitled; traits that are, at least according to Chocolat and Vanilla, admired in the magic kingdom. She loves the non-so cute animals, such as snakes and frogs; according to her bio, her hobbies include pretending to be a spider. The micro-version of rambunctious women of Anno's Happy Mania and Flowers and Bees women seems more a grinning heart breaker than a heart stealer.
Sugar Sugar Rune seems built to go some where, best to expect characters to change. It seems unlikely that Chocolat will be an unaltered relationship maelstrom catalyst like the protagonist of Happy Mania. While it may be emotionally gratifying to watch the Sugur Sugur Rune chip away at Chocolat's troublesome personality, there's still plenty of bad girl appeal in a character this remorselessly superficial and vain.
Anno also leaves herself room for plenty of potentially interesting development in the series, particularly in the paring of Chocolat and Vanilla: what competition might do to their friendship, the sexual politics of the assertive side of the pair getting shot down, and the like.
Given what can be expected from Anno, and what is demonstrated in the first volume, the flaws and bad choices will be as fun to witness as the transformation. Watching flaming Chocolat sputter through bouts of bad behavior is its own treat. Rather than invokes groans, or wishes for the hero to get over their problems, Anno invites the reader to revel in them. It's a win-win proposition. It's great when the character is acting like queen bitch, great when they're humiliated, and maybe great to see her become a better person. Chocolat dumping her choirs on Vanilla is a thrill, but so is her reaction to learning that the frightened affection from her beratements produced nearly worthless "pee" colored heart crystals. Thanks to some nods towards consiquence, the looming drama seems promising too.
Anno lends her own brand of wild excess to design. She's the R Crumb of beauty. Elements of the familiar stylist traits are re-appropriated to promote and poke full at the physical allure. Her character's large eyes still emotive, but not quite so innocent. Its attractiveness that you want to straight at, but at the some time with an ironic repulsion. You're drawn to a Chocolat, but you don't trust them.
Even though Anno is able to keep her traditional audiences entertained with Sugar Sugar Rune, she's able adapt the work to a young audience. Even given the premise and character dispositions, Anno dodges any sort of sexual creepiness. Chocolat doesn't act like a hussy, and love is more starry eyed affection, without any notes of Anno's typical into bed progression. So far, it all looks like puppy love.
Anime Spotlight:
Baki The Grappler
Volume 3
Released by FUNimation
Baki has turned openly oedipal in all but direct sexual relationships. The titular hero literally wants to beat his father to win the affection of his mother. Queasy mother-love aside, it?s actually a reasonable motivation, more identifiable than most fighting anime, especially since his father, Yujiro is a world class father you'd like to punch. Yujiro's paramount in his field (directionless ass-kicking), and considers his son worthless for not measuring up to his standards. And of course he's abusive, egging his son on by knocking the kid's accomplishments via destroying Baki's opponent friends, culminating by delivering Baki the head of the Yasha Ape (the series hovers between pretty unbelievable, and absolutely unbelievable, but the Yasha Ape man versus sasquatch fight went a bit too far into Bionic Man territory.)
The volume's main course of action drops Baki in the wilderness to train against a team of mercenaries that have been crippling military units. This fight, and other tests in the volume, differ from the preceding conflicts in that the fighting is against people wielding overtly lethal force, rather than just people who want to physically destroy their adversary. They don't go for a quick kill, but these combatants are going for the jugular and not just shattered bones.
The small shift fits well with the brutal nature of the series' fight style. It's not realistically credible, but by showing enough effort on the part of the characters to achieve the feats, it becomes impressive. Getting knocked around in anime seldom looks as painful as it does in Baki the Grappler. In the grind of flesh on flesh combat, there's a physically present bloodsport quality in the series that isn't even equaled by a consciously bloody work like Fist of the North Star.
The volume also a bit more Yujiro action, including a half episode where he was feeling underestimated, so he phoned the prime minister's office to announced that in ten minute he would arrive to kill the leader. As a threat establishment exercise, it works dam well. Anime and fight games frequently go for antagonists (and protagonists) just looking for someone to fighting against to test/better themselves, but this characters hits the right note of a warrior who has developed a chronically bad disposition after plateauing. He's defeated his opposition and now at best achieve minor amusement toying with the world. If he doesn't become over-exposed, more Yujiro will be a clear factor to look foward to in the series as the insane extention of its fighter qualities.
One unfortunate knock introduced into the story telling is that it's begun building up opponents then knocking them down as soon as they're defeated. It's been introducing huge reputations for a fighter, then later saying that those who held the opponent in such high estimation didn't know what they were talking about. So far, nearly every opponent has been incomparable until they're beaten, then they're nobodies. Projecting forward, it begins to detract from the fighting, knowing that the knees will be cut out when it?s over.
FUNimation continue to put noticeable amounts of work into their releases, mixing welcome elements with less welcome one. The unskippable pre-menu trailers are getting a bit long, up to three minutes for some recent ones. On a more positive note, FUNimation has continued to include music videos by the performers of the anime's theme song, in this case, Dir en Grey. It's something fans of Japanese music acts will enjoy, and the kind of extra that expands the cultural scope for anime fans.
Manga Spotlight:
Lady Snowblood
The Deep-Seated Grudge pt. 1
Story by Kazou Koike
Art by Kazuo Kamimura
Rleased by Dark Horse Manga
Lady Snowblood's revenge arc smartly combines action with politics. It's more a cimenatically cartooned Count of Monte Cristo meets Lone Wolf and Cub than just walking into a room and kill every MFing last one of them. The action may be, and often is, to leave someone lying in a pool of blood on the ground, but the series' heroine intricately cascades her actions towards a larger goal of revenge.
With a black and yellow cover Dark Horse's release of Lady Snowblood clearly invokes Kill Bill in its branding, and if you see Toshiya Fujita's adaptation of the manga, you'll note that Tarantino borrowed not only aspects of the woman's revenge plot, but shots and music. However, the extra degree of remoteness in the manga makes a difference. It's working in a manga tradition that has had its exchanges of influence with chambara cinema, but retained its own ways of expressing outrageousness. Topic and content wise, a Kill Bill fan will enjoy Lady Snowblood, but the experience of the manga is notablely dissimilar to the movie. (Despite this, the lineage is still traceable, for example, the upward view on the faces of the killers/targets is plainly present).
Similarly, topic and content wise, a Lone Wolf and Cub fan will enjoy Lady Snowblood, but it?s likewise a different experience. Perhaps because of this, it is appropriate the Dark Horse did not use the Lone Wolf and Cub/Samurai Executioner format on the collection. In this case Kazuo Koike is not collaborating with Goseki Kojima.
Kojima captured the real look of a moment. Kazuo Kamimura captures the stylized feel, with more symbolism and overt lighting or tone shifts.
Kazuo Kamimura's work looks more like Lupin III creator Monkey Punch's than Goseki Kojima. It's more cartooned than Kojima's intricately detailed realism, with some of the Harvey Kurtzman/Mad Magazine look that influenced Monkey Punch. Illustration has a part in the story, through political/propaganda cartoons and tattoos, and the manga itself looks like a small step outside that realm.
Set in the Meiji Era, sandal print track through fallen snow, past the dildo-shrine of a brothel. The lethal chameleon using sex as well as a blade hidden in her umbrella moves into a gambling den. Allowing herself to get caught cheating, she positions herself in front of the yazuka boss. The confrontation leaves her clothed only in blood, and blowing snow.
Ruruoni Kenshin fans will be familiar with the Mejia restitution, after which the Lady Snowblood is set. A complex mix of liberalism, opportunism, foreign influence and modernization lead to the overthrown of the military shogun government in favor of a new oligarchy/constitutional empire.
During a national conscription, men dressed in white were sent to villages to check the eligible draftees. Villagers eventually began revolting, killing these agents. One unlucky man, dressed in a white-suite given to him by friend, traveling with his wife and son to a post as an elementary school teacher was captured by four villagers. The man and child were killed and the woman raped in what later turned out to be ploy to con peasants out of draft exception fees. The woman is able to kill one her assailants, but in turn is captured by police. In prison, her last actions in life are to give birth to a daughter and in a Lamarckian exercise, passes on the vengeance gene.
Besides seeing an often unclothed woman hack and slash, with can certainly be a considerable attraction, part of the appeal to the series is its political opinion. Even if you don't agree with the statement, or feel that it is satisfactorly developed (the creator gets in over his head at times, and seems not to know what to make of everything), it is intriguing. The story's revenge gets linked to a cause. In the threads of the organized crime and its consequent vengeance, apolitical people with motivations divorced from the movements that their actions forward lose that distinction. Given the radical land change in Japan of the Meiji era, the series paints picture of no substantial action separate from politics.
Moving into the high social strata for her mission, the heroine becomes entangled in the movement to abolish the language and culture, institute "racial improvement policies" to introduce Caucasian blood into the Japanese. The author directly steps in, invokes their own name, and asks what if things progressed further along those lines. History would have been different, and the end results wouldn't be our world. The story responses quickly by having the heroine seduce and kill an American ambassador
Anime Spotlight: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
Released by Manga Video and Bandai Entertainment
Stand Alone Complex was an amazing exercise in idea driven anime. 2nd Gig is at least as good as the first Stand Alone Complex, if not better. It makes so much else of what's out there look like a waste of time and opportunity. Seeing thinking speculative fiction paired with blistering visuals is like reading Philip K. Dick, William Gibson, Bruce Sterling and Neal Stephenson after consuming a string of franchise novelizations.
For spectacle rush alone, the nTh giant robot series might be fun, but 2nd Gig's roof top battle sequence in which the AI mini-tank Tachikoma's face their " natural enemies ", AI augmented anti-tank helicopters torches seeing Matrix for the first time. The episode in question features the return of first season cincher, the "think tank", but in a blaze of coordinated motion, split reaction, snipers,and heavy arms fire, it rocks action anime, predecessor and all.
As the first episode preview's coordinated special force action revealed, the series sprints from the get go. The quasi-governmental high-tech-incident problem solvers Section 9 are back together, and thanks the fall out of the first season, wary about any potential surprises that might come from behind them (government) or ahead of them (targets). Their most intense focus is on the hotbed of immigrant refugees that seem already to be sparking indecent of terrorism, pro and counter their cause.
The change of perspective boils up into a change of the group's MO. They are no longer just investigating crimes, and the series is no longer just a cyber-procedural. They're on the pavement hunting and fighting what fires can be fought knowing that there's a high potential for things to hit the fan. The level of complexity in the operation rings true, with Section 9 both respectively intelligent, getting ahead of problem, and not in command of the entire situation.
Piece by piece, the quality of 2ng Gig's intelligence and implementation surpasses even well planned anime at its best, especially in blending the spheres of sociology, technology and Special Forces operation. Some Production I.G. veterans along with a number of newer creators are making a name for themselves with amazingly ambitious story telling, not only over the course of the series, but on an episode by episode basis. There's a palpable confidence in what they are constructing. In the realm of ideas, the series is a go-for-broke barrage. Characters, organizations, weapons, and history litter each episode. Other works would be expected to expand an idea to the capacity of an episode, but Stand Alone Complex continues to exhibit an embracement of wealth.
An aspect of this is that it does not go into exposition of information that is common knowledge for the characters. If there's a new technology, or a more theoretical idea, there might be a explanation, it might even be extensive, but if the characters know it, the viewers with not be spoon fed the details. For example, if the series was set in the current time frame, it might say that Skype is a commercial voice over IP implementation, or mention that Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the first Gulf War, and it might explore the implications, but it wouldn't explicitly describe either.
In post modern, almost fourth wall breaking, vein, 2nd Gig, like the first, plays with cultural memes as a layer on top of the events it is following, which included re-appropriating visual elements from Oshii's first Ghost in the Shell movie, large (the opening window leap escape/camouflage engagement) and small (the dip of a helicopter). While it doesn't rely on these borrowed elements, they are frequently evident.
One episode might explore what the Ghost in the Shell world might offer in dark sexual fetishs and financial machinations, while at the same time passing though overt implementations of Metal Gear espionage and guess the plan caper movies.
Given the thesis of titular Stand Alone Complex, parsing out what is meant to be homage, it what is meant to be an instance of cultural reverberation isn't an easy task. During a look at the mind of a maybe-political dissident/terrorist, who ironically provides one the biggest info-dumps of facts, the series explores the idea of intelligence chatter in the age of cyber brains, but also re-invents Travis Bickle for its age. Whether is it meant to be an example of parallel evolution, a cultural re-bubbling, or, up a level, a script writer's tip of the hat to cinema is open for interpretation.
Manga Spotlight:
Dead End
Volume 2
by Shoehi Manabe
Released by TOKYOPOP
Shoehi Manabe's Dead End isn't really much of a verite work, but in the manner of Taiyo Matsumoto's gritty magic realism work (Black and White, No. 5) its flesh on flesh violence and dynamic of thoughtfulness and confusion gets under the skin. Its rough look builds on the beautiful hideousness, especially in its cored violence that doesn't fool with diving for the reaction. Given Takashi Miike's propensity for working with manga, its a little surprising he and Manabe haven't come together yet, the movie is certainly in the vein of Miike's works.
Two tracks are at work in Dead End's events, sometimes distinct, sometimes crossing over-each other or melding. One about caper/brutal grudge, robbing from a hated heel. One about an unrelated force from an unremembered history chasing after the protagonists. The compounded threat leads into some planned action, but more quick thought and confusion.
Having assembled a group of anti-heroes, tattooed with spider plants, the underemployed, sensitive lead, a large MMA prize fighter/animal lover, an older, malcontent private eye and a male prostitute /grifter play with fire stealing from a brutal yazuka boss. It is a bowling shoe ugly fight between brutal people with lines that they will not cross against those that burn though any obstacle. At the same time, the heros are chased by a stitch together man with the disposition and physical abilities of a rage consumed gorilla.
Shoehi Manabe's visceral, scratched out look, along with a sequential story telling that capitalizes on page turns shocks and the ability of comic art to both create the impression of rapid movements or pause indefinitely in a moments plays a unique brand of gritty cinema. There is some limb slashing, fist through the head gruesome scenes, but there's a grim intensity that magnifies every glance.
Anime Spotlight:
Samurai Gun
Volume 2
Released by ADV Films
Once Samurai Gun revealed itself as a surprisingly captivating homage collage, with pieces that look parts Noir, Big O, and Kenshin, the second hurtle was whether, like some recent 12 or 13 episode short series, it would falter after its premise is established. Fortunately, Samurai Gun keeps shooting live rounds. The genre mix track beat keeps picking up the right beats.
The battle between the armor clad gunslingers of the Samurai Gun unit, and the steam-tech scientists of anti-Samurai Gun operatives offers the dynamic of a pulp hero action, working with a network of allies, following ceremonies of messaging, preparation and operation. The second volume, not completely unexpectedly, shifts the perception with by introducing more knowlege of the situation. The purpose of the Samurai Gun is not simply to protect innocents from the excesses of the samurai class, they aren't the social right-ers of Orson Welles's Shadow radio shows, but pieces in a conflict of two sides vying for power.
While the series has stayed creative and enjoyable, for better and worse, it has equalized a bit in its second volume. It is a little more sparing its in inclusion of flashy scenes, you wouldn't say that that animation has substantially fallen off, but that instances with the neon atmosphere anachronisms or Giant Robo bombast are a bit more spread out. While it maintains its character, it will not to the same lengths to establish a point. A more welcome dilution is the misogyny. Bondage becomes a non-requisite item for each episode. Mutilation does rear its head. Two episodes even have guys getting tortured rather than women.
Samurai Gun bottles the reverberations of pop culture into a brilliantly fun high concept, then carries through with a competent enough implementation. It is more likely to be bright background light than a favorite or top tier anime release. Nut past the point where poor anime series fade, it not only remains enjoyable, but deepening the plot a bit, it is now able to capture the imagination.
Manga Spotlight:
Hellsing
Volume 7
By Kohta Hirano
Released by Dark Horse Manga and Digital Manga Publishing
Yikes! This was a dark turn. Well, Hellsing also always has been a dark series. British supernatural agents, versus Vatican supernatural agents, versus Nazi supernatural agents. All ripping the hell out of each other in a heavy inked free for all. In the volume, the violence gets considerably more human and unsettling in a throw back to the early chapters of the series (specifically the Integral flashabacks). In the midst of the exploding orgy of ripped limbs is a similarly obscenely gruesome, and almost as over the top, where the characters matter a little more, and are a little more identifiable.
Volume seven is almost free of series the main character, the mob style enforcer for the Anglican Church, Alucard, but it does feature some surprising developments on the part of Sera Victoria, the former cop who became a quesy/reluctant vampire in the series' opening. During the volume she responds rather dramatically to physical and mental stress facing on the Nazi Millennium Group's supernatural operatives.
It opens with Nazi zombies, literally devouring SAS elite, arms, eyes, and sides bitten off; then a progression of images like severed head pinned to the wall with knifes, and the top of a cranium getting kicked off, and still, Seras' back-story and wounding are shocking. She isn't faceless, and she has mantained a outsider quality through the series, so when the hammer not only falls, be reveils out trauma, it leaves impact marks.
With the Loony Toons escalation of threats, Hellsing looks like a work that would burn out quickly. It is continually invoking the question "where do we go from here". Then, each time, it delivers the next confrontation, and the marker is moved out further. It isn't so much the story that maintains a high anticipation for the next volume, but curiosity for what spectacle will be laid out next. Its pulp that needs a superlative for how bloody it has become, with no end in site.
Kohta Hirano's sidebar, preface and closing jokes continue to be a highlight of the series. The irreverence he shows in his violence extends to his view of pop culture. The volume features a fall down funny sketch parody, crossing the paunchy Nazi honcho villian of Hellsing with Full Metal Alchemist's Ed Elric for a State Socialist Labor Alchemist (accompanied by an Izumi/Integral and Scar/Anderson, for real geek points for Vatican Kung Fu Generation). The post script takes off on the popularity polls that run in Japanese anthologies; some how Vash the Stampede, Gundam, and "boooobs!" got into Hellsing's results
Anime Spotlight: Petite Cossette
Released by Geneon
Petite Cossette is stunningly atmospheric work of digitally animated story telling. If you enjoy the loli-goth scene (especially unironically), it is an injection of the pure stuff. If you're not into it, the short series is still a mesmerizing fever dream. It's weepy and persecuted and emo, but it also has a fluidity that is captivating to watch.
Anime has found its loli-goth bench mark with Petite Cossette. Giglamesh is certainly a contender along the pure goth line, but with the Elegant Gothic Aristocrat (EGA) look of porcelain skin, ruffled babydoll dresses, Petite Cossette is aiming for a specific look and sub-culture, and hiting it to the note.
You can quibble on definition points, and whether the label is appropriate in any case, but the titles explicitly, brands itself as such, sticking "Gothic & Lolita" on background graffiti. (Though, this is the name of a Japanese magazine, so it could be product placement or a shout out).
If you've seen the kaleidoscope horror/action Soultaker, Petite Cossette is a more matured, controlled blend of a simular neon dream-logic sight and the mundane. A tone of sorrowful mood and beauty is build on blocks such as the rainbow hues reflecting ib glass, sparks of sepia and film degrading or the hash gradients of a digital backgrounds. Accompanied by tempo-chant music from Yuki Kajiura (Noir, .hack//SIGN), visions of a porcelain skinned, dolled like-girl in laced dresses echo until they encompass the world. At some points the echoes become too loud. When the visions become titanic, the look become a little to generic, as if one giant skeleton looks like another, and these don't look too different from a weaker work like the Shaman King anime. Still, getting there is a memorable journey.
The emotional core at work is the pained artistic creation bridging wrongs and breaking through the isolation of loneliness and longing. Among the antiques he's handling, Eiri finds a spirit in Venetian glass. For 250 years the murdered Cossette has been looking for someone to fall and love and free her. In Eiri she finds a reincarnation of her murderer, the painter Marcelo, and an avenue for freedom and maybe vengeance.
Direct to video OAVs have historically been concept samplers, but in the case of Cossette, it is a complete story. This which makes it the best of various alternatives. The majority of anime creators have evidenced a problem scripting movies, so while they are self contained, and well budgeted, many are directionless or poorly paced. Cossette benefits from a great per-episode budget and a self contained story, told in the episode format that anime writers tend to be better at working with.
Anime Spotlight: Sakura Diaries Volume 1: Secrets and Lies
Released by ADV Films
Sakura Diaries is almost a welcome addition of erotic material to anime. They're plenty of pornographic anime (hentai), which isn't covered in this column, and tends to be unpleasant fetish material. There's also plenty of titillation material. But there's little that's just sexy. Sakura Diaries comes rather close. Half way through, there's been no actual intercourse, and really not an abundance of nudity, but it has used strategic exposure for some effective turn on scenes.
The anime is based on the world of adult-material oriented artist U-jim. His forms are certainly idealized, but in a way, they are more human than what is typically expected from anime/manga. His mouths and noses tend to be small on the face, but his body proportions and situations tend to be more rational. Its vanilla sex, and non-back-breaking busts. This median point between reality and rampant over idealized design is generally sexier than the forms that can be written off as completely artificial. There's a human sexiness that is missing in many other risqué anime work.
The problem is that they characters are terribly unlikable. The setup is Love Hina/Maison Ikkuku/love triangle. Touma, the son of provincial imn proprietors, is infatuated with Mieko, a knock-out he meets taking college entrance examines. Mieko says she's worked hard, and is looking for a relationship with some one who?s made it into a prestigious college. Touma hasn't worked so hard, but is willing to lie about how well he's done in order to be with Mieka. Urara is Touma's slightly younger cousin. She feels it destiny for the two to be together, and is willing to show some skin to improve Touma's disposition.
Of the three, none ingratiate themselves on anything more substantial than attractiveness (Touma has a nice face and good metrosexual hair, Urara has a very eye catching perkiness and Mieko's large red hair and large chest have a definite appeal). Touma isn't just a loser, he who almost pathologically looks for undeserved recognition and doesn't react well to any kindness or consideration. One of his conscious, thought-out decisions and the follow through almost kills the ability to be attracted by series, and almost makes it impossible to support the character. Worse, he's not event an irredeemable romantic anti-hero. When he's not doing awful things, he's scourging himself up over what he's done.
Mieka clearly has an agenda, and she's manipulatively loose with her affections. The reaction she invokes is a definite "I don't know what she's doing, but I don't like it."
Urara is the most sympathetic of the three, but she's also clingy, emotionally needy, and her MO trends the line between playful and abused-person disturbing. She's clearly looking to fill a need with Touma, but her expectations are desperately misdirected.
Despite these problems, the drama clicks and when the volume ends, there is a compulsion to see the conclusion. Part of this is because the characters are fairly believable. The fact that they're all good looking helps to explain some of the blinders they've had to each other's faults. The reactions as they discover each other's motivations and start thinking about the relationship rather than blindly jump to conclusions based on quick impressions promises some interesting drama in the second half.
Anime Spotlight: Street Fight Alpha: Generations
Released by Manga Entertainment
Generations was produced by Manga on the strength of the first Street Fighter Alpha release, which translates to some expectations of fans of the Street Fighters video game franchise seeking out the work. If you what a dark hadou is you'll probably get more out of the movie, but an anime fan can certainly follow it. Still, calling the character Akuma by the original Gouki and such, this movie is going to the hard core Street Fighter fan. The concept is something any Street Fighter faithful would be compelled towards. Protagonist Ryo versus ultimate excel at any cost opponent Gouki.
It is best to bet against quality in a Street Fighter anime, then be surprised when its good. Primarily, the characters, story and fighting styles were simply not crafted for anime storytelling. Ryu is a simple iconic game hero. Gouki's the guy who shows up in a martial movie has the guy to fight to hero in place of a heel who's physically unimpressive. His motivation is to find challengers and fight. He's the cipher badass. Moves likes the jumping upcut shoryuken are great pieces to fit together into game play but look add in full motion.
For another, it is hard to match impression from minimal information. The franchise tends to feature high points that are absurd. It's better know some of the things the characters are credited with doing then actually see them. When talking about unarmed fighters, its better to hear of destroyed submarines than see them do it.
In that Generations is not going to insult your intelligence or bore you, for Street Fighter, it is a wild success. The plot is light and quick enough that remains free of bogging details. It mixes a few fights fans wouldn't know to expect, but which deliver on dynamic, interesting action, and a few fights that fans really would want to see.
With something like Generation, look is the chief attributes, the digital action distortions, on top of more series specific physical changes, when the characters go hadou, they get really fugly, might turn off some depending on tastes. Along those aesthetic lines, though in a more positive sense, the characters are subject bruises, and energy blast burns that mar them. The Gouki in the rain screen shot that Manga seem married to in promotional pieces is unrepresentatively bad, especially in that the character looks subject to birth defects in that shot. As a whole the work is a bit short (42 minutes), but the fights lengths are decent. It works well integrating trade mark fire balls and helicopter kicks with more real work strikes and holds for consistently satisfying action.
The feature is set around the time of around Street Fighter Alpha 2 time. It is strictly a story of the Shotokan/Ansatsuken warriors. Ryu the consummate fighter's temptation with the dark side, what's called hadou in the Street Fighter verse, and his fight his master's killer Gouki. The backgrounds of both Ryu and Gouki receive some exploration time leading up to their fight. Ryu's training partner/rival Ken, and fan-girl Sakura show up (sadly no Sunburnt Sakura) for minor roles and brief fights. It's a sign of the feature's focus that major characters have the sort of brief, almost just cameos that tend to be given out haphazardly to anyone in a large video game cast during most adaptations.
Considering that the point of the exercise is to see the characters fight, it is not a huge loss, but an annoyance in the feature is its subtitle script. It's a case where you don't have to be a purist, or even paying close attention to notice glaring flaws. It follows the English dub track closely (phrases differ, so it's not the close-caption script), but not right for the Japanese audio track, ie speech with no text, text with no speech. It will have checking for multiple subtitle tracks. Anime on DVD learned that it used a "Japanese translation script", but as they pointed out, it at least has timing problems.
New Dark Horse Licenses
Dark Horse's Japanese Licensing Manager Michael Gombos announced the following new licenses in this web posting:
Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex Novels by Jun?ichi Fujisaku
Ju-On by Rinno Miki and Shimizu Takashi (aka The Grudge)
Lullabies from Hell by Hideshi Hino (a one shot)
Museum of Terror by Junji Ito (favorite horror manga creator of Uzamaki and Gyo)
Octopus Girl by Toru Yamazaki (horror)
Old Boy by Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi (revenge story adapted into Chan-wook Park's movie)
Path of the Assassin (15 volumes Art by Goseki Kojima of LW&C and Samurai Executioner)
Satsuma Gishiden by Hiroshi Hirata (samurai series)
Scary Books by Kazuo Umezu (of classic horror Orochi: Blood, released by Viz, and the more recent Drifting Classroom)
School Zone by Kanako Inuki (horror)
Space Tourist to Cosplay
Japanese internet mogul Daisuke Enomoto will be the fourth space tourist, paying $20 million to the Russian Space Agency for a flight, announced plays to cosplay (dress in costumed) as Gundam's popular antagonist Char Anzanable.
See his peronsal site here.
Premiere of New Totoro Dub
Nausicaa.net points out that Disney will be premiering their new English language dub of My Neighbor Totoro, the classic Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli movie about two girls who befriend a large, fuzzy, forest spirit, at the ArcLight Theatre at 6360 West Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, October 23rd at 7:00pm. The movie will features the voices of Dakota Fanning And Elle Fanning. Following the screening will be a Q&A with the filmmakers of the English dub of My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle including Producer/Director Rick Dempsey, Producer Ned Lott, and Writers Don and Cindy Hewitt.
Evangelion on Cartoon Network Reminder
Pivotal and controversial giant robot deconstruction Neon Genesis Evangelion will be airing Cartoon Network starting October 21st at 12:30 am. For a schedule see here
Evangelion Angel-XX Project Site Open
AnimeNation points out that Gainax has opened its official Japanese website promoting the Evangelion 10th anniversary "Angel-XX" project- a series of PVC plastic figures of Evangelion angels redesigned as anime girls by Sgt Frog/Keroro Gunso's Mine Yoshizaki. The first of the figures is scheduled for Japanese release in December.
ADV Has Jiggle
Anime on DVD reports that ADV's registration of "Jiggle Counter" trademark, a DVD feature used to display a counter of on screen breast movement in works like Plastic Little, has gone through. See here.
Black & White to Be Animated
Anime News Network reports that Taiyo Matsumoto's symbolic urban fantasy Black & White, released domestically by Viz, will be adapted into a movie for release in 2007. The movie directed by Animatrix producer Michael Arias and animated by Studio 4C. In a short interview, Matsumoto says that 10 Years ago he received a 30-second Black & White animation by Michael Arias.
Taiyo Matsumoto's manga Ping Pong was previously adapted into a successful live action movie.
Haré+Guu Date
AN Entertainment has set a December 27th date for anticipated and delayed comedy Haré+Guu. A $39.95 limited edition version will be packaged with a collector's box and chest hair afro wig.
Merchandise News
Figures.com has images of the second series of Mai Hime figures to be distributed by Diamond domestically in 2006 here
Bandai's first line of Eureka Seven mecha action figures can be seen here. Each 8" figure, which will retail for $35.00 US, will be transformable from "robot mode" to "vehicle mode" and feature a wide variety of articulation.
Toynami will be releases In a press release issued today, Toynami announced that it has acquired the license to create figurines, statues and collectibles based on the anime title Naruto.Toynami plans to create resin figurines with diorama bases, collectible and limited-edition statues, and bookends. More details on the product line and pricing information will be released soon.
Yamoto USA has announced two lines of Himitsubako 4" figures.
Roughly translated, HIMITSUBAKO means mystery box. It?s a mystery because figures come packaged in a closed box which means you won?t know what you will get until you open the package... just like trading cards.
But what if you want to collect an entire set of figures without buying endless duplicates? That?s the best part. Yamato?s HIMITSUBAKO come in convenient set display cases with no random pieces! Each display case contains one complete set so collecting has never been easier!
SIF: Bubblegum Crisis Trading Figures
Bubblegum Crisis (or BGC as it is known to fans) marks an all new milestone with this six piece assortment of 4" scale trading figures, part of Yamato?s Story! Image! Figure! collection. Included are two styles of Priss in Hard Suit, both with 10 points of articulation; one style of Priss in Inner Suit featuring an interchangeable head with that of the Hard Suit versions for added variety and collectibility; two styles of AD police; and one style of Booma with its own 13 points of articulation. Each figure comes in Yamato?s distinctive HIMITSUBAKO mystery box in a handy six piece display case which includes one of each style.
SIF: Kujibiki Unbalance Trading Figures
Kawaii!! So cute!! This adorable six piece assortment of 4" scale trading figures from Yamato's Story! Image! Figure! line features the irresistible girls of Kujibiki Unbalance, the fictional anime at the center of the manga/anime Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture. Included are Tokino, Komaki, Izumi, Lisa, Kasumi, and Ritsuko (sure to be the source of cosplay costumes for years to come). Each figure comes in Yamato?s distinctive HIMITSUBAKO mystery box in a handy six piece display cases which includes one of each style. Limited to 7,200 pieces!
Raving Toy Maniac has shots of Monsieur Bomé Collection Tenjho Tenge and Bunny Girl figureshere and Dragon Quest VIII figures here
Gunota points out a Gundam Type RX-78 morotcycle helmet here and a 1-1 VOTOMS scapedog cushion here.
Not anime related, but Samurai Jack and the Scotsman statue here
Riyoko Ikeda Announces New Manga
AnimeNation reports that the creator of classic shoujo manga Rose of Versailles, Riyoko Ikeda will be creating a new manga adapation of Yukuo Mishima's novel Sprong Snow.
Kia Asamiya Health Problem
Anime News Service reports manga creator Kia Asamiya (Silent Mobius, Nadesico) has hospitalized in August through early September, due to head pains. He later announced a two month hiatus from manga work. . His current manga in Japan include JUNK, serialize monthly in Champion RED and Her Carrera, serialized in Weekly Playboy.
ADV Schedules Fuccon Family
Anime Nation reports AD Vision has announced that the first 30 minute long, bilingual live action Fuccon Family DVD will retail at $5.98 beginning December 20th.
Lingerie Soldier Papillon Rose Upcoming
AnimeNation reports anime parody project Lingerie Soldier Papillon Rose, previously a online fan project, will produced as an anime series directed by Yasuhiro. Character design can be seen here. The show is scheduled to broadcast on WOWOW in December.
Central Park Media to Restart Manga
Anime on DVD reports that Central Park Media will begin releasing manga again starting in January 2006 after an extended hiatus. the first release will be World of Narue volume 4.
Merger/Acquisition News
Bandai and Namco have officially merged into Namco Bandai.
Sega Sammy Holdings announced that it has acquired 50.2% of the voting shares in TMS Entertainment.
Infinity Studios Acquires Blood Alone
Infinity Studios LLC is proud to announce that it announced that it has acquired the rights for Blood Alone by Masayuki Takano.
from the press release
There have been numerous vampire titles up until now, but none have ever been as beautiful or as touching as Blood Alone. The words elegance and beauty are simply not enough to describe this series.
Enter Misaki, perhaps the most innocent and most sincere young lady there ever was. Its almost inconceivable that she could be a vampire. And with her powers as a vampire, she could easily entice any human to do her biding but she chooses not to. Especially when it comes to Kuroe, a young author who has a deep running past with vampires. This wonderful story of pure innocent love charmingly bonds Misaki to the readers. Shell absolutely delight you with her earnest love for a human and her resolve to protect a willing mutual relationship versus turning Kuroe.
Blood Alone # 1 will be available in January 2006 at Borders, Walden Bookstores, your local comic book stores, and on the Infinity Studios website. Each volume will be priced at $9.95.
Blu Website
AnimeNewsNetwork points our that the official site for Blumanga.com, the yaoi manga line distributed by TOKYOPOP has gone online.
Production I.G Website Revamp
Anime News Network points out that Production I.G is in the process of revamping their English website, with a new layout and new content.
TOKYOPOP Views
Retail site ICV2 has posted a lengthy interview with TOKYOPOP's Mike Kiley, covering much of manga market
in:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Heidi MacDonald interviews TOKYOPOP's Jeremy Ross for Publishers Weekly here
Irresponsible Pictures points
Manga is about attitude, it's about lifestyle, and it's bolder and better than before. If you have to ask what Manga means (or don't even know how to pronounce it), your finger's just not on the pulse. Come on, we don't have to tell you that manga is really a state of mind.
Love Manga is compiling a complete list of TOKYOPOP's original English language (OEL) titles here.
Warren Ellis' comic creator board has been turn a coversation about TOKYOPOP's ambitious OEL line into a debate about the merits of TOKYOPOP's creator contracts here. While TOKYOPOP offers creators without entensive resumes a chance to get their work out, backed by entensive publishing and marketing machinery, some creators are wary of the ownership percentages required by their contracts.
Some noteworthy external comments can be seen at the blog of Robert DeJesus, Matt High, Elin Winkler, the now defuct Fanboy Rampage, Heidi Macdonald and Lea Hernandez here, and here
Then for another round (via Comics Worth Reading) Lea Hernandez's I'm Hurting Comics" column at Hero Realm, and an effort to the comic record of note Comic Journal to look into things here
FUNimation Channel Aiming for Younger Viewers
KidScreen has an article about FUNimation's attempt to attract younger viewers to their upcoming anime channel here
Street Fighter Alpha: Generations Clips Online
AnimeNation points out that Manga Entertainment is hosting preview clips of Street Fighter Alpha: Generations, which will be released on October 25th.
Extras: Kaoru on the Characters
Sugur Sugur Scenes Redrawn?
An Anime on DVD forum poster has pointed out that several scenes of Moyocco Anno's magic girl shojo series Sugur Sugar Rune have been re-dawn between the initial release and Del Rey's domestic one. See here. For more details.
Executive Changes
Anime News Network reports Manga Entertainment's president Marvin Gleicher has left adter being with the company since it was founded 11 year ago. He has been replaced by Kaoru Mfaume, a Manga Entertainment veteran who produced titles such as Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter Alpha Generations and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
Cartoon Network has appointed James Anderson as VP of public relations. Anderson moved to Cartoon Network from Carsey-Werner, the LA prodution company behind That '70s Show and other sitcom hits.
Manga Endings
From MangaNews.net reports Spiral Suiri no Kizuna by Kyo Shirodaira and Eita Mizuna (licensed by TOKYOPOP) and Hinako Ashihara's Suna-dokei will be ending their Japanese serialized runs.
ALC Signs with Diamond
ALC Publishing has signed Diamond Distributors as the exclusive distributor for its 100% yuri (homosexual female romance) manga titles to major bookstores. This follows closely upon the success of ALC's relationship with Diamond for distribution to the hobby market.
The first book to be available to the general booktrade will be ALC Publishing's third 100% yuri anthology, "Yuri Monogatari 3." This English-language anthology features yuri manga written and drawn by artists from Japan, America and Europe. "Yuri Monogatari 3" will be available in bookstores in winter, but is premiering in Newark, NJ at Onna!, a festival of women's roles in animation and comics, October 8-10, 2005.
Princess Ai to Be Animated
The Tokyo Project Gathering lists "Princess Ai ~Ai-land Chronicles~", an animated adaptation of the manga featuring a Courtney Love alter-ego, as one of the projects that will be featured for licensing.
AnimeFringe Retires
Anime Fringe, a highly regarded monthly web magazine will be returning after 6 years and 72 issues.
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo Manga To Jump Into Series
Anime News Network reports Viz will be releasing absurd action comedy Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo starting with volume 9 rather than 1 to test its reception with a more stand alone sample.While not currently comitted to releasing the entire manga, they haven't ruled out future releases either.
New Amano and Oshii Animation Projects Confirmed
TwitchFilm reports that Tokyo International Film Festival will be showcasing Elle is burning!, a sci-fi action film written by Mamoru Oshii and directed by Kenta Fukasaku (Battle Royale II) and N.Y.SALAD ~Vegetable Fairies, a full CG animation based on illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano to potential licensors.
Anime Boston PodCast
The AnimeBoston convention has begun a promotional podcast (RSS feed distributed media content, in this case MP3s), included a recording of voice actor Greg Ayre's guest panel at the 2005 convention here.
Go Nagai Looks At Black Jack
Anime News Network reports that Go Nagai, known for his strange, subversive and pioneering manga, did a talk show appearence at the Osamu Tezuka Memorial Hall in we had said he is interested in remaking Osamu Tezuka's classic medical adventure Black Jack. Nagai commented that Tezuka's works are still be best the manga medium has to offer. No direct plans have been made towards his intention to remake the series.
Upcoming in Japan
Anime Nation reports Japanese publisher Media Works has announced a new multimedia project from artist Mari Matsuzawa titled "Inukami!"
The official Japanese website for the PC/console video game Kishin Houkou Demonbane has announced the development of a Demonbane anime television series. The series will be produced by Viewworks, the anime studio that produced the 2004 Demonbane OVA. Staff will include:
Scenario and setting by Shoichi Masuo (Evangelion, Nadia)
Series composition by Yosuke Kuroda (Tenchi Muyo, Onegai Twins)
Character design by Hideki Hashimoto (Samurai 7, Basilisk) and Masaaki Sakurai (Stratos 4, KimiNozo)
A second season of the anime adapation of CLAMP's Tsubasa Chronicle will air in spring 2006. XXXHOLiC will also be made into an anime series next year.
Akihito Yoshitomi's medical action Ray will be adapted into an anime series. The original manga is released domestically by ADV.
Anime Game News
ICV2 report Score has announced that the first expansion for its successful Dragon Ball Z TCG re-launch, scheduled for release November 23rd , will be titled Dragon Ball Z TCG: Showdown. The 121-card set (46 commons, 39 uncommons, and 36 rares) will be drawn from episodes 32-66 of the anime, and will be tied closely to plot points. New villains Zarbon, Dodoria, and Frieza will be introduced; and victory conditions such as Dragon Ball and Survival, which allow players to work toward collecting all seven Dragon Balls, will emulate the anime. MSRP remains $3.29 per pack.
Anime News Service reports a PSP fighting game based on the My Hime anime/manga series will be released in Japan this October.
Gunota points out the Patlabor Minipato, based on the cute, super deformed version of the giant robot police procedural has updated the game site here
Anime News Network and IGN report that Gundam: True Odyssey, a PlayStation 2 RPG set in a new Gundam universe will be released in North America in February as Gundam MS Sage.
Anime News Network and 1up report that Bandai Games will be releasing Playstation 2 game Naruto: Narultimate Hero in North America in early 2006. Tomy will be releasing Naruto: Clash of Ninja for the Game Cube and Naruto: Ninja Council for the Game Boy Advance. Additional games for the Game Cube and the GBA will also be released by the end of the year.
From The Magic Box, Bleach Playstation 2 RPG Bleach: Hanatareshi Yokoku is demonstrated in a trailer here. Bleach GC! Tasogare ni Namieru Shinigami for the Game Cube can be seen
hereNaruto: Gekitou Ninja Taisen 4 GameCube fight game can be seen here. Playstation 2 game Naruto: Narutimate Hero 3 can be seen here
Japanese Manga News
From Little Harlock re The December issue of Japan's Ikki anthology (on sale October 25th) will run a one shot No. 5 Gaiden (side story). Viz has released the first two collections of No. 5 in North America.
The second collection of Kenichi Sonoda´s Gunsmith Cats revival, Gunsmith Cats BURST will be released November 22nd.
Two delayed CLAMP art books for their apocalyptic conflagration X will be released November 24th. X illustrated collection X[ZERO] and X illustrated collection X[INFINITY] will retail for 2,520 Yen each.
A new CLAMP short comic and interview will be appearing in Magazine SPECIAL No. 10 (Special issue of Shûkan (Weekly) Shônen Magazine in which Tsubasa - RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE gets serialized in).
CLAMP will resume for XXXHOLiC after their break from the series during September starting with Issue No. 44 of Shûkan (Weekly) Young Magazine, on sale on 3rd October 2005.
Upcoming Dark Horse Releases
Space Pinchy
From the twisted mind of creator Tony Takezaki comes the silly and sexy new manga series Space Pinchy
Meet Space Pinchy. The last remaining member of the Pinch Tribe, Space Pinchy travels through space in search of the tribe?s lost treasures, everything from dirty magazines to doomsday devices! In her adventures Pinchy utilizes mysterious superpowers, a form fitting outfit, and about every innuendo in the book to aid her in her quest. It?s a sexy, silly manga in full, digital color from Japan?s very odd Tony Takezaki, and it?s coming to America in a special six-issue series from Dark Horse Comics.
Space Pinchy features story and art by Tony Takezaki. Issue #1 arrives on sale
December 21 with a retail price of $2.99.
Cover image
Gungrave Anime Manga
From Trigun creator Yasuhiro Nightow comes Gungrave Anime Manga
An adaptation of the popular anime created by the masterminds at Madhouse and creator Yasuhiro Nightow, the Gungrave Anime Manga comes to you in a full color graphic novel format for the first time ever!
For Brandon Heat, death doesn?t matter. Driven by his need for revenge, he returns frombeyond the grave to cripple Millenion, the huge mafia organization that uses undead monsters as its enforcers. His ultimate goal will be to destroy Harry McDowel, the leader of Millenion, and at one time, Brandon?s best friend. Created by Trigun mastermind, Yasuhiro Nightow, Gungrave began as an animated TV series and has been adapted into a popular video game. Gungrave Anime Manga is based on the anime created by Yasuhiro Nightow and the animation produced by Madhouse.
It arrives on sale January 18 with a retail price of$14.95.
Cover image
Blade Of The Immortal #109
Written and art by Hiroaki Samura.
"Shortcut," part 3 of 5.
32 pages, black and white, $2.99, in stores on Jan. 11.
Blade Of The Immortal Volume 15: Trickster Tpb
Written and art by Hiroaki Samura.
Kidnapped and bound by three Itto-ryü warriors, Rin is unable to warn her bodyguard Manji, the immortal swordsman, that he's heading into a trap. To make matters worse, the Itto-ryü possess a large dose of kessen-satsu, the only poison known to damage Manji's blood and severely cripple his regenerative abilities. And is Mugai-ryü assassin Giichi following Manji in order to help rescue Rin ... or will he just stick around long enough to finish off any survivors?
224 pages, black and white, 5 3/4 inches by 8 1/4 inches, $16.95, in stores on Feb. 15.
Eden: It's An Endless World! Volume 2 Tpb
Written and art by Hiroki Endo.
Graphic, cyberpunk, and philosophical, Eden is a place where endearing heroes face a constant struggle for survival and violent surprises wait around every corner! After a large portion of humanity is wiped out by a brutal, new virus, an organization known as the Propator seeks to wrest control of the world from the United Nations. Elijah, a young survivor with immunity to the virus, crosses paths with a group of supposed freedom fighters. His companion, an artificially intelligent combat robot named Cherubim, is appropriated and reprogrammed, and Elijah is pulled into a world of relentless peril and intrigue! Cybernetic enhancements! Extreme violence! This breathtaking ride is just getting started.
208 pages, black and white, 5 inches by 7 inches, $12.95, in stores on Feb. 1.
Oh My Goddess! Volume 2 Tpb
Now that Keiichi and the goddess in his life are the hot item on campus, they find themselves constantly putting out fires! First, to raise money for the N.I.T. Motor Club, they get roped into posing nude together for a life drawing class<even though, as Keiichi's sister correctly guesses, they haven't even kissed ye
