Father Geek here taking a break from my very busy routine today getting everything together and in proper order for Harry's trip to China that starts at 5:30 am tomorrow morning and runs through the end of this month. Sooooooo this weeks column comes as a welcome pause in the hectic hustle and bustle here at Geek Headquarters. This trip will be way COOOOOOOL... if we don't forget anything important. Well, I must go get a passport case, sooooo here's Scott with our regular mid-work-week report on all things Anime/Manga...

Spotlight on Upcoming Manga Anthology Preview Part I Raijin Comics

Two new anthologies of Japanese comics, or manga will begin circulation this fall. The launches for Viz's Shonen Jump, and Gutsoon!'s Raijin have rivaled each other for the biggest manga event in the American market, and it isn't hyperbola to say, both have the potential to change the North American Comic market.

With certain examples, both titles are decidedly marketed for a male audience, and mostly feature action oriented titles. The titles presented in Raijin are pop entertainment for an audience older than Shonen Jump's. It covers an impressive breath of genre from urban action, to kung fu to sports, to political drama, to romantic comedy. Highlights include the Slam Dunk, City Hunter, and the Fist of the North Star prequel Fist of the Blue Sky. For descriptions of the featured series see here.

Raijin Comics wills be released weekly. Subscriptions through the end of August are $9.95 for four issues, $59.40 for 12, and $189.60 for a year's subscriptions. See www.raijincomics.com/

Raijin Comics Issue 0:

Raijin Comics issue 0 is a fall sized, 185 page ssue with 30+ page entries in Fist of the Blue Sky, City Hunter, Baki the Grappler, and Guardian Angel. It is enough to get a sense of these offerings. There are no immediate turn offs, it and maybe just be compelling enough to be readable weekly, but there are no killer apps, sharp hooks either.

Fist of the Blue Sky is a pre-World War II Shang Hai prequel to the post-apocalyptic martial arts epic Fist of the North Star. Its Japanese-occupied China setting, secret societies and techniques, and charismatic lead capture the mystique of a good Kung Fu movie. The hero Kasumi Kenshiro or "YanWang" King of Death is a student of the Chinese classics, and master of Hokuto Shinken, a martial arts form that specializes in hitting the opponent's tsubo pressure points, which can lead to all sorts of interesting effects. In the preview, there is only one instance of the exploding body parts that made North Star so famous. He's the kind of Indian Jones or Burroughs' Tarzan pulp hero, equally at home bloodied in some exotic street, as he would be socializing at a high class gathering, or coolly staring down a powerful foreign operative. Fist of the Blue Sky uses many tried tools, but it has the energy of something new. The illustrations have a vibrancy that jumps off the page.

City Hunter is a unique mix of urban action, and crime noir with moments of humor. In the preview, hired gun or "sweeper" Ryo, a man who alternates between lecherous loud, and cold gunslinger, implements a lethal solution to the problem of a cruel fight fixing boxer. City Hunter is wildly popular in Japan, but in a country that already crowded Raymond Chandler, Dirty Harry and Lethal Weapon, it has more of an uphill battle catching the readers attention.. While its oscillations between cartoonishness, and crime procedurals can be jarring, it does both well. Its skill at capturing both emotional expression, and action makes the illustration perfect for a crime series. If there were a Law & Order comic, this is how it should look.

There's probably going to be a considerable negative reaction to Baki the Grappler. The series follows Baki, a young martial artist who enters the Nation Karate Tournament, and the Underground Coliseum in order surpass his father, a man known as "the strongest creature on earth". Its not really poorly conceived or executed, but the sample isn't able to prove that the jarring oddness is a good thing. It's like the karate breaking competitions from ESP2, with people who've been stretched wider, and had their ugliness enhanced. After completing the preview, it is a bit perplexing. It seems to be both aiming at sports-manga semi-realism, and fight manga wild exaggerations. This is epitomized by its lead, a baby faced martial artist whose body is covered in scars. The two striking features create to much of a dissonance. Its qualities don't seem has cemented as the other titles in the preview. There is a quirkiness with the potential to grow likable, it may provide some good fight scenes.

In story and tone Guardian Angel greatly resembles the early episodes of the almost universally liked anime version of Ah! (or Oh) My Goddess. Domestic comedies about boys and their relationships with acquired magical spirit girls are a pretty worn path in anime and manga, but one has proven reward too many times to discount. The spirit girl in question here has some interesting protective habits, and origins in Chinese legends that could play out well.

Anime Spotlight: Hellsing Volume 1 Impure Souls

Released by Pioneer

Horror/action was a recent vogue anime genre permutation, like synchronicity that spawned sci-fi westerns Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, and Trigun in a short period of time. The horror action genre, lead by works such as Hellsing and Soul Taker probably owe a lot to Go Nagai's pop-gruesome works, such as Devilman. They are set in world of post X-File conspiracies where the protagonists life is effected by large and complex forces that are more a labyrinth backdrop to live through rather than unravel. The hipply tragic anti-heros battle antagonists with eye catching powers fueled by the new toolbox of digital effects, and the whole outing is more for flare than substance.

In the world of Hellsing, the undead are a bit like organized crime, in that they exist, society recognizes, and generally loathes there presence, and organizes task forces to deal with the issue. These task forces have adversarial relationships with each other and the general police forces. One of these task forces is The Hellsing Organization, which disposes of vampires. The Hellsing Organization has ties to the Church of England, but is more interested in carrying out the agenda of the Hellsing family.

Hellsing's Sammy the Bull is Alucard. Hopefully pointing out that this is a world play, and a used one at that wouldn't insult anyone's intelligence. He has a marriage of convenience with Hellsing, in which they use him to get rid of troublesome undead, maybe by holding something over him. The vampire-vampire killer travels around on missions for Hellsing in an red trench coat, and hat that looks like an exaggerated update of the PI motif. On a mission to dispose of a vampire priest, Alucard meets Sera Victoria, a police officer about to be killed by prey. Before executing his mission, Alucard gives Victoria the option of surviving, or not. When she choices to survive, Alucard kills his prey by putting an explosive round through Victoria's lunges, into the vampire, they making Victoria a vampire herself.

There is a "choice" thread that runs through the series, presumably to give it a tragic foundations, but it more about Victoria hefting and firing giant sniper rifles, and Alucard mixing it up with regenerating Vatican paladins. Hellsing is animated by Studio Gonzo, who has been at the forefront of digitally animated anime, and there effect work well in the series. It doesn't have Soul Takers' acid inspired editing, its super powered zombie killing visuals do stand out. Maybe Matrix meets Resident Evil with less innovation and energy than the former, and less camp, and gotcha timing than the later. Still, it's good evil-things-getting-splatted violence for when you want to turn off your brain, and Studio Gonzo's digital work well for the series.

This Week's Anime and Manga Releases

Anime

• Burn Up Excess - To Serve and Protect (Vol. 1)
• Dragon Ball Z:Fusion - Ambush
• Dragon Ball Z:Fusion - Hope Returns
• Gasaraki - Perfect Collection ($127.49)
• Hyper Police - Episodes 1-4
• Love Hina - Love Hurts (Vol. 4)
• Mobile Suit Gundam - Char's Counterattack (Feature)
• Ronin Warriors - The Hardest Battle (Vol. 5)
• Saber Marionette J to X - Program 3
• Silent Mobius - Twists of Fate (Collection 2)
• Super Atragon

Manga

• All New Tenchi Muyo Part 1 #4 (Of 5)
• Dragonball Part 5 #3 (Of 7)
• Futabakun Change Vol 8 #6
• Inu Yasha Part 7 #1 (Of 8)
• Md Geist Complete Ed Tp
• Medabots Part 3 #1 (Of 4)
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 Vol 6 Tp
• Seraphic Feather Seeds Of Chaos Tp
• Super Manga Blast #24
• X 1999 Vol 8 Crescendo Tp

A review of Gasaraki can be read at here

Hyper Police is an action comedy about a post apocalyptic world were humans co-exist with were-creatures demons, and other supernatural denizens. It follows two officers in a private police force, a young cat girl with lightning throwing hamster-like symbiotes, and an eight tailed fox woman who wants to eat her partner to get a ninth tail.

Spirited Away Updates

The officil website and trailer for Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away are now online at here, and at www.quicktime.com/.

The premiere of Spirited Away has moved to the El Capitan Theatre at 7:30. Tickets are on sale at the theatre box office or by phone at 1-800-347-6396.

Spirited Away is said to be opening at the Angelika Film Center in Dallas, Texas on October 4th, 2002. Boston's Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge is also said to be showing the film as of September 20th.

Monsters Inc Manga Acquired By TokyoPop

According to Anime News Service, TokyoPop has licensed the manga series hased on the Pixar film Monsters, Inc.

First KaraKano Manga in January

TokyoPop's web site is listed a January release date for the delayed first volume of KaraKano.

Cartoon Network Schedule and Ratings

Starting on August 30th, Adult Swim Action will have a new schedule: 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) --- Inuyasha 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT) Cowboy Bebop 12:30 a.m. (ET/PT) --- Gundam 0083 01:00 a.m. (ET/PT) --- Mobile Suit Gundam 01:30 a.m. (ET/PT) --- Outlaw Star

Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz will air on Cartoon Network on August 30th at 4:00 PM

Accordng to Saiyan Z Rage Sunrise Animation has officially announced that the tentatively titled Big O Second Season will premier on Japanese television this October.

According to Animation Magazine, thanks mostly to the popularity of Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star, Cartoon Network has announced a 100% ratings increase for Adult Swim Action. Also helped by the strong performances of YuYu Hakusho, Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam, Adult Swim pulled in it's highest ever (0.8) rating this past week.

Individually these shows performed as follows (excerpt from press release):

Highlights of individual series' ratings and delivery of adults 18-34*each indicating double and triple-digit increases vs. the same time period last year*are noted below:

Series...

• * Cowboy Bebop (11:30 p.m.) * 0.9 rating (up 125%); 442,000 delivery (up 151%)
• * Outlaw Star (1 a.m.) * 0.9 rating (up 125%); 414,000 delivery (up 135%)
• * Yuyu Hakusho (11 p.m.) * 0.8 rating (up 60%); 378,000 delivery (up 80%)
• * Gundam 0083 (12 a.m.) * 0.8 rating (up 100%); 398,000 delivery (up 131%)
• * Mobile Suit Gundam (12:30 a.m.) * 0.7 rating (up 133%); 349,000 delivery (up 136%)

Macross Zero Website

The official website for the new Macross Zero direct to video series has gone online at here.

American Release Date for Gungrave

AnimeNation reports Gungrave, the shooting game from Trigun creator Yushirow Nightow will be released un the US on September 17th.

From Anime Nation's description:

"Gungrave" is all about Hong Kong action-styled retribution as Grave, a long-dead assassin, is resurrected to clean house in a corrupt cartel while a deeper story unfolds. Players battle through massive, destructible areas in an over-the-top, anime-inspired fashion, earning punk-pummeling special attacks and life-saving power-ups. By vanquishing enemies with style - such as leaping backwards over the edge of a stairwell while keeping your trigger finger recoiling nonstop - players can unlock secret movies and attacks.

To help keep rival goons and their bad-ass bosses in check, Grave totes a coffin on his back that can be swung like a pendulum or converted to a rocket launcher when it's not scraping every doorway he walks through. Of course, the attention to detail goes beyond Grave's freestyle "enemy ventilation" techniques and his coffin's interaction with its surroundings. The dramatic movie quality cut scenes showcase original animation from Yasuhiro Nightow, creator of the hit series Trigun, resulting in both a compelling playing and viewing experience.

Viz Management Interview

ICV2 has posted a two part interview with Viz's management here and here

Nadia Movie Release

ADV Films has set a street date of August 27, 2002 for the DVD-only Nadia-The Secret of Blue Water: The Motion Picture, the feature-length follow-up to the wildly popular 39-episode television series of the same name. From the creators of "Neon Genesis Evangelion."

The television series tells the story of circus performer Nadia and her globe-trotting submarine adventures with Jean, an inventor, who once rescued her from an attempted robbery. The motion picture picks up the action several years after the series ending.

The Story: On the eve of a worldwide conflict, when businessmen, admirals and ministers of state are evaporating into thin air, a mysterious girl named Fuzzy reunites Nadia and Jean after years of separation. Together with the Grandis Gang, they must fight off the minions of a new nemesis-Giegar-bent on world domination. Giegar plots to use a mind control device to set the world ablaze with war, and in the ensuing chaos conquer the world with his own personal army. It's up to Jean and Nadia to stop him and save the day again. A final, feature-length adventure for the pair, with their tempestuous relationship tested even as they struggle to stop Giegar once and for all.

Nadia-The Secret of Blue Water: The Motion Picture ($29.98 SRP) is a DVD-only release including both English- and Japanese-language versions, and English subtitles. DVD extras include original Japanese opening footage, clean closing animation, original trailers and ADV previews.

NADIA-THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER: THE MOTION PICTURE

Running Time: 90 minutes; Age Rating: 12+ Pre-Book Date: 7/30/02 Street Date: 8/27/02 Format SRP DVD $29.98

First Yugi-oh DVD Street Release

From the release: 4KIDS ENTERTAINMENT'S HIT ANIMATED TV SERIES YU-GI-OH! SLATED AS FIRST RELEASE FROM NEW HOME VIDEO UNIT

The #1 Ranked Children's Show On Network Television Available on DVD and VHS September 24, 2002

New York, NY (August 13, 2002)-4Kids Entertainment Home Video, Inc., the newly established home video unit of 4Kids Entertainment (NYSE: KDE), in association with FUNimation, will release the first two YU-GI-OH! home videos on September 24. Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Heart Of The Cards and Yu-Gi-Oh!: Into the Hornet's Nest, each with three episodes, will be available at retail and at the yugioh.com Web site in both DVD and VHS formats. Based on a popular Japanese comic book series, Yu-Gi-Oh! follows the adventures of Yugi and his buddies - Joey, Tristan and Tea - who spend most of their free time playing the coolest new game ever ..."Duel Monsters." The game allows them to challenge their minds using logic and strategy while players pair up different mystical creatures against one another in wild, magical duels. When Yugi's grandfather gave Yugi an old Egyptian artifact called the "Millennium Puzzle," Yugi pieced the puzzle together and was infused with incredible mystical powers. With the help of his friends, his belief in the heart of the cards and the mysterious power of his Millennium Puzzle, Yugi sets out on the adventure of a lifetime!

Enoki Films updates Licenses

Anime News Network reports US Anime licensor Enoki films has updated their webpage with the following New Products:

• SuperGALS!
• Cosmo-Warrior Zero
• Babel II - Beyond Infinity
• Captain Kuppa
• Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002
• Ghenma Wars
• Gun Frontier
• Bistro Recipe - Fighting Chef Zen

S

everal of these titles have already been sublicensed for home video release by various Anime Distributors.

Enoki Licenses Anime but does not distribute it; instead they sublicense the home video rights to various American distributors such as Media Blasters and TRSI. They generally only license TV shows that they hope to also license to TV broadcasters such as Cartoon Network, ABC Family and Fox Kids.

Nickelodeon Picks Up 1997 Speed Racer Series

According to Anime News Service

The American children's programming channel Nickelodeon has announced 1997's Speed Racer Anime TV series as an addition to the network's new Sunday programming block SLAM, set to premiere August 25 (4-6 p.m. ET/PT). Speed Racer's slot is Sundays at 5 p.m. "Nickelodeon SLAM will get the adrenaline pumping with this new version of the ever-popular Speed Racer that first captivated millions of kids in the Sixties and Seventies," said Cyma Zarghami, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nickelodeon.

Nick's description of the series is as follows:

A young Lancelot of the raceways, Speed Racer returns with his legendary Mach 5, a vehicle with no equal, racing into a brave but dangerous world filled with exciting new technologies, in this rendition of the classic series. In the suspense-filled, search-and-destroy dramas, the 16-year-old, who aimed to become the world's best race car driver after losing his brother in the Earth Grand Prix, encounters spies and counter-spies in a web of subterfuge, conspiracy and espionage while trying to uncover the truth behind his brother's disappearance. He battles evil forces with his friends, aspiring camerawoman Trixie Fontaine and her little brother Spritle.

Live Action Perfect Blue

Kung Fu Cinema reports a live action version of the anime suspect movie Perfect Blue will be released in Japanese theatrs August 24th. A trailer cna be see at here

Takeshi Okazaki Returning to Anime

Anime News Service reports Takeshi Okazaki,creator of the anime/manga series Elementors will be providing characters for a new anime series called Platonic Chain. Anime Nation describs the full CG cel shaded as a slightly futuristic life-sim style drama will focus on teen girls that spend their time in the Shibuya fashion and entertainment district of Tokyo. The series will be broad

X TV Sites

Pioneer has opened two site for the upcoming tv series based on the CLAMP's apocalyptic drama X. The sites are named after the two super powered factions fighting to determine whether humanity or the earth will be saved at DragonsOfHeaven.com and DragonsOfEarth.com

Upcoming Anime Releases

ADV will be releasing Sakura Wars OVA 2 Vol. #1 : Return of the Spirit Warriors on October 8th.

Amiego has update their schedule on their site:

You're Under Arrest Box Set 1 (Episodes 1-12 + Bonus Disc) : Mid-October

Crusher Joe (Movie & OVAs on 1 disc) : End of October

Urusei Yatsura Box Set 4 (Volumes 15-20) : End of November

You're Under Arrest Box Set 2 (Episodes 13-24 + Bonus Disc) : Early December

Rupan: The Fuma Conspiracy : Mid-December

Zatoichi 1 : Xmas

You're Under Arrest Box Set 3 (Episodes 25-36 + Bonus Disc) : End of January

Urusei Yatsura Movie 1 (Only You, Subbed & Dubbed) : End of February

Lone Wolf & Cub 1 : End of February

Lone Wolf & Cub 2 : Early March

Arcadia of My Youth : Early March

You're Under Arrest Box Set 4 (Episodes 37-52) : End of March

Dagger of Kamui : Mid-April

Urusei Yatsura Box Set 5 (Volumes 21-25) : End of April

Bandai's October releases include Arjuna volume 1: Rebirth (10/8), Betterman volume 3: Seeds of Death (10/8), Love Hina volume 5 Summer by the Sea (10/22), Ronin Warriors volume 7: The Evil Priestess (10/22), Saber Marionette J to X Program 04 (10/22), and Silent Mobius Collect 3 (10/22)

From their description of Arjuna:

Two of Japan's most popular creative team of all time pool their talent to create the most highly anticipated anime release of the year - Arjuna. Created and directed by veteran animator - Shoji Kawamori (Macross, Macross Plus, Escaflowne) with music composed by Yoko Kanno (Macross Plus, Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne) - The battle for Earth's future has begun!

High school, archery club, and boys were the things that filled Juna's daily life. But when an accident leaves her clinging tenuously between life and death, fate intervenes as she becomes the sole witness to scenes of Earth's destruction. Juna is given a new chance at life and bestowed the powers of the Earth, a power she must wield in order to stop an evil bent on Earth's destruction.

CPM will release the four episode Revolutionary Girl Utena Vol. #3: The Black Rose Blooms on November 12th. Legend of Himiko Vol. #3 and the Legend of Himiko Collection will also be released on that date. Volume 2 of the Ping Pong Club, and the collection, will be released on December 3rd, as will the third volume of the Patlabor TV seris.

Manga will be releasing a Street Fighter II box set with the Street Fighter anime TV seris, and the Alpha OAV on October 29th for $119.95

Media Blasters will be released the four episode psychic battle OAV, the cute Idol Project on December 17th.

FUNimation will be release of the anime series based on Nintendo's Kirby charactr on 11/12.

According to SaiyanZ Rage Dragonball Z voice actor Chris Sabat has confirmed that Dragonball Z movies 7-9 will be released next year, with a possible 2003 release for movie 10 also. Movie 7 will premier on edited and uncut VHS and DVD in January 2003.

The Cell Games DVDs will begin release on November 12th and continue until they are parallel to the VHS Cell Games. The "Kid Buu" saga will have 4 tapes/DVDs with 4 episodes each.

Dragonball GT will premier on VHS and DVD in late 2003 and will be seen on Cartoon Network in fall 2004, shortly following the conclusion of the home video release.

Original Dragonball will be released to DVD with 7-8 episodes per disc and 3-4 episodes per VHS tape.

Pioneer will release Cardcaptor Sakura Vol. #13 on January 7th.

Right Stuf will be releasing the first volume of Dangaizer 3 on November 26th, and the second volume on January 21st.

From Right Stuf's description of Dangaizer 3:

With fantastic mecha and character designs combined with fast paced action sequences and a complex storyline, Dangaizer 3 will sweep you away into the world of avid game player Hina Mitsurugi!

Story

Avid gamer Hina Mitsurugi loves the fast paced action of battle. Whether it's blasting away the competition on her favorite arcade game or watching the latest kickboxing match, she's always ready for a good fight. When an innocent outing with friends turns into an all out battle for survival, Hina must put her virtual battle skills to the test in the real world - only this is no game and she doesn't get a second chance!

Hunted by assassins and thrown into a battle between ancient gigantic robots, Hina is in for the shock of her life - it seems she's one of the pilots of Dangaizer, the most powerful robot of all time!

Now her and her fellow pilots, Cindy and Reika, have been targeted for annihilation by Dangaizer's ancient enemies, the evil organization of Goma. Somehow the trio must awaken Hina's past memories and unlock her destiny before Goma manages to destroy Dangaizer and seize control of the entire planet!

With Rhino, Right Stuf will be releasing a 26 episode Gigantor box set on October 22nd for $69.96.

TokyoPop will released the Vampire Princess Miyu box set on November 26th for $99.99.

Mahou Yuugi English Website

AIC has launched an official English Mahou Yuugi 3D website in English (The Mahou Yuugi 2D website was never made available in English). The website includes trailers, character bios and more.

More on TokyoPop Manga Competition

TokyoPop has announced a manga competition that will reward $7,500 in cash prizes, and the chance to be publish world wide.

Excerpted From Press Release:

Answering the call of countless manga fans, this contest will give aspiring local U.S. artists the opportunity of a lifetime: to submit their original stories (written in English) for the chance to win cash prizes and get their work published worldwide. The TOKYOPOP® "Rising Stars of Manga(tm)" Talent Competition officially opens on August 15, 2002 and runs through December 16, 2002.

The grand prizewinner will receive $2,500 and the chance to pitch a full-length manga series to TOKYOPOP's top brass. The second place winner will earn a cash prize of $1,000. Eight runner-ups will each receive a cash prize of $500. All ten prizewinners will be published in a TOKYOPOP manga anthology (The Rising Stars of Manga(tm)) scheduled for publication in Spring 2003.

Entrants are encouraged to submit content from all genres -- comedy, drama, horror, science fiction, action, fantasy, romance--and even under-represented genres such as political, historical or instructional manga.

To obtain entry forms and the official Rules and Regulations, visit the TOKYOPOP website (www.TOKYOPOP.com) on or after August 15 or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Rising Stars of Manga, c/o TOKYOPOP, 5900 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2000, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Entries must be postmarked by December 16, 2002.