Father Geek here the day after Christmas with Scott Green's column for the AICN Anime Report, all the latest from the worlds of Manga and Anime. Before we get into the column I just want to wish everyone of you readers out there a very happy and safe New Year. Now here's Scott, and we'll see you right here next week in 2002...

Anime Spotlight: Blue Gender Volume 1

Contains Episodes 1-3

Blue Gender has more than a passing resemblance to Starship Troupers. Humans are locked in a mortal struggle with giant insect like creatures known as Blue. Crumbling cities are pot-marked with Blue colonies. The human forces extracted themselves to an orbiting station, armed with exoskeleton mecha, and organized into a military/fascist structure complete with skull helmets.

The first episodes do not make the Blue's origin clear, but they are clearly a credible threat. The Blue's ability to ingest inorganic matter, and adapt to threats gave them an advantage over their human adversaries.

Yuji Kaidou was a member of a young of young people cryogenically frozen in hopes that a gene therapy would developed to cure a terminal disease they were suffering. He is woken from his sleep by a military team hoping to retrieve genes from people frozen before the Blue attacked. He wakes up to the sight a Blue snapping the head off a soldier, and soon a fellow patient's head bellow the surface of a mucus-like cocoon.

At first Yuji is treated like cargo by the extraction team, a recovered "sample", but as his shock wears-off, he adapts to his dire situation, and assumes a more active role in the team.

Yuji's past relationships leave a tantalizing open end. All of his fellow sleepers are dead. His parents are old enough to possible be alive, but person who appears most vividly in his mind is a friend from the days leading up to his freezing, a dread-locked, motorcyclist.

Blue Gender does not pull its punches. Its often quick in brutal. In an early episode a surprise Blue attack causes the deaths of several established from falls and collisions, the type of injury most action oriented features ignore. The emotional and physical consequences of the battles are clearly felt in the series.

The tone the series will take is not clear in the first three volumes. Yuji's flirtation with overwhelming despair in the first several episodes appears to be more a transition than an indication of direction. By the third episode he is relating to others in calmer manner. Establishing camaraderie with member of the team.

It appears more character driven than combat and action driven. It takes its time for the characters to relate in quiet moments, but it cuts off a fight scene if its point it made. This isn't to say that battle fans will not find a great deal to enjoy in the series. Battle scene are creative, and have an air of realism to the strategies, mecha, weapons, and their interaction with the Blue. Director Takahashi Ryousuke's years of experience from the classic Votoms to the recent Gasaraki, shows in the way he coordinates groups of fanciful machines in a believable manner.

The series' English voice acting is really top notch. Its arguably better than the Japanese characters for some characters and spots. It sounds very natural and believable. The commentary track by the lead English voice actors and voice director is a fun feature on the DVD release. >

Spotlight Bastard!!: Wizard Volume I of II (Release Version)

The first issue of Bastard gets more fun after the 22 page preview as the cartoon violence escalates. If you enjoy two giants getting ripping apart in a magical fireball, you'll really enjoy their remains falling around a nonchalant naked wizard, with a pretty girl staring on in amazement. The series excels in enjoyably gratuitous magic combat.

Later, the issue gets around to introducing an ongoing plot. Dark Shneider's four generals are still causing trouble, and working towards the rebirth of the Geiger-esque demon god Anthrasax (there is heavy metal theme to the series name, House of Judas, Kingdom of Metalicana, ect) >

The 64-page issue retails for $3.95 > >

This Week's Anime and Manga Releases >

• Blade Of The Immortal #63 Husk One Shot
• Inu Yasha Part 6 #8 (Of 15)
• Lodoss War Chronicles Heroic Knight #15
• Lodoss War Deedlits Tale #5
• Magical Journey Pokemon Part 6 #2 (Of 4)
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 Vol 2 2Nd Ed
• No Need For Tenchi Part 12 #5 (Of 6)
• Pokemon Advs Part 6 #1 (Of 4)
• Pokemon Advs Vol 4 Trainer In Yellow Tp
  >

  Blade of the Immortal is about a swordsman who is cursed with immortality until he kills one thousand evil people. He is hired by a hire to protect her in her quest to kill her parents murder, the head of a sword school that has rejected tradition and form in favor of victory. >

  Inu Yasha is Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma ½)'s genre shifting fairy tale of a modern girl, and a ½ dog demon boy from Japan's era of warring states. >

  Lodoss War is traditional fantasy epic about a party of adventures' battle against the forces of evil. "Deedlits" trail is the romance take on the series, focusing on the relationship between an Elf, and the young knight she loves. >

  Marvel Comics will be releasing a number if comics that may interest anime and manga fans. Ultimate Marvel Team-Up will feature a Spider-Man/X-men illustrated by Chynna Clugston-Major, best known for Blue Monday. X-Fan posted an interview with Chynna Clugston-Major here. X-Men Evolution #2 features art by the anime inspired Udon. Elektra & Wolverine The Redeemer #2 features art by Yoshitaka Amano, known for his character design for Vampire Hunter D and Final Fantasy. >

  Capcom on Dragon Ball?

  Capcom, makers of the popular Street Fighter games series are rumored working on a Dragonball game that would likely to be a 3D shooting action type game, similar to their Gundam arcade game recently released. > > > >

  New Lupin III OAV

  According to The Lupin Encyclopedia the next Lupin III oav, entitled "Return of the Magician" will be released on 04/03/2002. > Pictures of the Monkey Punch Lupin 2002 calendar can be seen at here .

  Lupin III is the grandson of French literary gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. He is accompanied in the series by his accomplishes, the somber gunman Jigen, the stoic samurai Goemon and his love/rival Fujiko, as well as the Interpol agent tracking him, Zenigata. The series was a large influence on anime that followed it. > > > > >

  Dragonball Z Movie 5 Announced

  FUNimation has announced that the fifth Dragon Ball Z Movie, Cooler's Revenge will be released on January 22n of unedited and edited DVD and VHS. >

  The VHD version will include three exclusive collectable card game cards. >

  Interestingly, there will be an added extra on the VHS version but not DVD. The VHS release will include 3 exclusive Cooler cards for the Dragonball Z CCG not available anywhere else. >

  AnimEigo Starts Shiping Macross Box Sets

  AnimEigo has started shipping the pre-ordered Macross Box sets. In honor of the ordeal they have posted this. >

  Marmlade Boy Anime Confirnmed

  Anime Jump has confirmed that TOKYOPOP will be released the 74 episode romantic comedy Marmalade Boy. > The series follows the romantic adventures of a girl whose parents return from a vaction and announce that they will be swapping spouses with another couple. >

  Viz DVD Dates

  According to Right Stuf Viz will be releasing the eight and final volume of Ceres, Celestial Legend, entitled Denouement, and Ranma 1/2: Random Rhapsody 8: For the Love of Akane on 03/26/2002.

  Ceres Celestial Legend is based on the manga series by popular shouko creator Yu Watase (best known for Fushigi Yuugi) about a girl who is descended from a fisherman who tricked a spirit into marriage. Her family has respired over the generations, and now they want her dead before she can become an instrument of revenge. >

  Alex Ross' Gatchaman on Anime Invasion

  The second issue of Wizard Anime Invasion will features Alex Ross' painting of from G-Force (or Gatchaman in Japanese). The second of the magazine's two covers will be a Dragonball Z Cover (DEC012064, $4.99), depicting a battle sequence from the anime saga as illustrated by Dark-Minds and Warlands creator Pat Lee. Other features will spotlight acclaimed creator Rintaro (Captain Harlock) -- who will offer his input on the current Japanese pop-culture phenomenon and provide readers with news on his latest project, Metropolis -- as well as Wizard's list of Top 30 Manga Trade Paperbacks of all time. > >

  > Urban Vision's New Label

  Urban Vision has been talking about a new, for kids, label for almost a year now. Originally the name "UV Kids" was mentioned as a possible name for this label, but with the recent PR for their upcoming release of Strange Dawn, UV has christened their new label Lil*Vision.

  The series is described as "Nothing can be more surprising for Emi and Yuko, a couple of regular middle-school girls, when they discover a whole new land at their feet. To make matters even more complicated, the people of this world think Emi and Yuko are the legendary protectors of their country! It's a fantastic adventure as Emi and Yuko struggle to find a way back to their world!" >

  Manga Entertainment Ads at Canadian Movie Theatres

  Sony Music Video (SMV), Manga Entertainment's Canadian distributor, has started advertising Manga's Anime releases on screen at Canadian Cineplex Odeon Movie Theatres. The ad is a still image featuring Ghost in the Shell, Blood, Street Fighter, X/1999 and Black Magic M-66 >

  New Arc the Lad Games Announced

  According to the Gaming Intelligence Agency, Sony is currently working on two new Arc the Lad RPGs. Scheduled for release next year, Arc the Lad: Kijin Fukkatsu for the Wonderswan Color takes place 3 years after Arc the Lad III, and stars Elk from Arc the Lad II. A second, currently untitled Arc game is also in the works for release next year on the Playstation 2. >

  Just a Chat Before I Go: Kenji Kawai, anime composer extraordinaire responsible for scoring such titles as Ghost in the Shell and the recent Avalon, had a few minutes to spare on a promotional trip to Paris.

  Luis Reyes puts the man in context..

  http://www.akadot.com/article/article-kawai1.html >

  Anime Composer Interview

  Akadot has posted an interview with Kenji Kawai, composer for Ghost in the Shell and Avalon here. > >

  Anime on Japense TV

  AniHabara's

  Anime Ranking in November Rank Title Point

  • 1 Fruits Basket 929
  • 2 Chitchana Yukitsukai Sugar 640
  • 3 Scryed 635
  • 4 Najika Dengeki Sakusen 438
  • 5 Hellsing 423
  • 6 Vandread the 2nd Stage 376
  • 7 Comet-san 317
  • 8 Gakuen Senki Muryou 278
  • 9 Moootto! Oja-Majo Doremi 277
  • 10 Kokoro Toshokan 276
  • 11 Kasumin 274
  • 12 Hikaru no Go 252
  • 13 Cyborg 009 202
  • 14 Daa! Daa! Daa! 188
  • 15 Okojo-san 187
  • 16 Inuyasha 184
  • 17 Hajime no Ippo > (First Step) 153
  • 18 FF:U(Final Fantasy Unlimited) 132
  • 19 Tenshi no Shippo 131
  • 20 Tennis no Ouji-sama 125

  > >

  Mahoromatic, Scryed, and Fruits Basket will be ending to make way for new series premiering in January. > Scryed tapes is placed in post apocalyptic Japan where the poor are protected by a boy with psychic powers.

  Fruit Baskets is a new series by the popular Daichi Akitarou, known for his extremely energetic series such as Kodomo no Omocha. >

  A new fully digital anime series call "6Angels" will be airing on Japanese TV starting this January. > > > > > > >