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Anime Spotlight: Arjuna volume 1: Rebirth (Episodes 1-3 of 13)

Released by Bandai Entertainment

Arjuna is a social critique of modern society from the producers of some of the most detailed, and breathtaking anime series, including Macross Plus, and Escaflowne.

Hovering between life and death, Juna, an average young girl with a stubborn streak, an average boyfriend, and a slightly tradition based mother, is given the choice to save her life by agreeing to fight against the Raaja. A physically crippled, but psychically strong boy named Chris begins to force her to confront the Raaja, and destructive tendencies of humanity that are endangering the planet.

Macross Plus and Escaflowne's Shoji Kawamori does an outstanding job using the traditionally unnatural looking tools of digital animation to create an ecological language in the film. Scenes of forests, or insect spring to life while power plants, dumps, and houses have all the familiar details of human creation and use. It is a visually unforgettable series.

Bandai does an exemplary job in the presentation of Arjuna, with Anamorphic widescreen video, and Dobly Digital 5.1 and 2.0 audio on the Japanese and English language tracks.

The twin themes of the series are ecological, and spiritual relationships. There is a heavy current of religious mysticism in the series, starting with the titular reference to the receiver of the Hindu Bhagavad-Gita, the visual manifestations of characters' powers, and creator Shoji Kawamori's affiliation with the environmental Taidou religious group.

Yohko Kanno is probably the one anime soundtrack composer whose name is generally know. While there are a handful of other whose names deserve equal weight, there is no denying Kanno has richly earned her recognition. There hasn't been a Kanno work not worth owning the soundtrack to in order to enjoy it in its own right. The music in Arjuna is both intense, and enjoyable. In Arjuna, she returns to her role in the Escaflowne TV series, and the non-Sharon Apple music in Macross Plus, where she enhances the emotion, as opposed to the Cowboy Bebop role of setting it.

Discussing environmental topics in a 25 minute anime episodes, with adventure tendencies is a tricky proposition. If one creative team could pull it off, you would think it would be this one. Stark and memorable points are made. The consequences of short sighted thinking, and prioritizing immediate gratification over sustainability are well illustrated. Constant lingering on illustrations of over consumption brings is a healthy reminder for the audience. However, the presentation of the argument is flawed for a number of reasons. The series is very adept at making striking emotional arguments, but in an issue like the environment is always going to be reduced to scientific discussion. After you throw out the ostrich denial of the existence of problems, there is still a great breath of scientific debate weighing alternatives, pinpointing causes, and finding solutions. It is difficult to criticize allowing famine to ravage populations, and use of bio-engineered plants, and pesticides in the same breath without expounding on your logic for the drawback of cheaply produced crops.

The format does not lend itself to discussion of facts. At best it can only make a few statements about a topic, and making the statements risks breaking the flow of the episode. It is a bit absurd to see two nuclear technicians at risk of dieing in a reactor leak discussing the economics of nuclear power.

The trade-off between what works in an anime series, and an environmental statement are constantly popping up. Well animated helicopters look cool, putting characters into them looks dramatic, but it isn't a great counter example when the earth protectors use them for all transportation.

The spirituality is likewise a bit questionable. Maybe society is too divorced from spirituality, but many have become wary of this sales pitch; it registers a small blip on the cult radar of the modern mind. There is a balance between the search for wisdom with the accompanying mental purification, and brainwashing that sets off alarms when not handled with care. Religion and animation are a bit of a dangerous mix. It can feel a bit too much like proselytizing. One gets the impression a series was named "Abraham", "Jesus" or "Mohammed", and featured a young woman who manifested super powers, surrounded by religious symbols would make a western audience a bit queasy.

Arjuna warrants praise, not only for its animation, and music, but for its scope, its message, and not goingthe safe route with its voice. In breaks the typical bounds, over tread topics, and makes a statement. Few are more ready for the task than Shoji Kawamori, who can pack more ideas into a moment of animation that any other director.

This Week's Releases

Anime

Berserk - White Hawk (Episodes 10-13)
Brain Powered - Resolutions (Collection 3)
Cosmo Warrior Zero:Sea of Stars
Dragon Half
GTO - The Test (Vol. 4)
Gokudo - Lover Extraodonaire
Lupin III - The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure
Martian Successor Nadesico - The Complete Chronicles
Neon Genesis Evangelion - The End of Evangelion
Real Bout High School - Strange Journeys (Vol. 3)
Ronin Warriors - Arise New Armor (Vol. 6)
Rurouni Kenshin - End Song (Episodes 91-95)
Vandread - Second Stage - Survival (Vol. 1)
X - One (TV Series, Vol. 1)
Yu-Gi-Oh - Heart of the Cards
Yu-Gi-Oh - Hornet's Nest
Zone of the Enders - Idolo (OAV)

Manga

Astro Boy Vol 7 Tp
Ceres Celestial Legend Part 3 #4 (Of 4)
Chobits Vol 3
Dragon Knights Vol 4 Gn
Dragonball Vol 9 Tp
Gto Vol 6 Gn
Initial D Vol 3
Inu Yasha Vol 12
Lone Wolf & Cub Vol 25 Perhaps In Death Tp
Love Hina Vol 6 Gn
Mars Vol 5 Gn
Medabots Part 3 #4 (Of 4)
Paradise Kiss Vol 3 Gn
Planet Ladder Vol 3 Gn
Real Bout High School Vol 4 Gn
Storm Riders Gn #5
Wounded Man Gn #9
Zoids #8

Ghost in the Shell Updates

From Anime News Service

A post on Production IG's message board states Bandai's Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex DVD's will likely feature a Dwight Hwang's IG documentary.

Ishikawa-san from Production I.G (together with Sony and Bandai,) announced that there will be a new Ghost in the Shell video game to be released on the PS2. They showed the game's intro movie that was 100% CG that featured a Motoko and Tachikoma in action. The designs for the game were based on the characters from the new Ghost in the Shell:Stand Alone Complex television anime coming this fall. Oshii-san came as well to speak and offer his support for the announcement.

Natsume Maya reports Nikkei BizTech reports that during a press conference about Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex on 20 September 2002, Oshii Mamoru spoke about a full digital anime movie in the works with Production IG, which is presumed to be the second Ghost in the Shell movie. Work started two years ago, and the movie should be completed in another one and a half years.

Totoro On DVD?
Though it has yet it be officialy confirmed, site likes Amazon.com are listing that Fox will be releasing My Neighbor Totoro on DVD December 3rd for $19.99
ADV Projects Update
ADV Films released the following list of projects at the recent MIPCOM licensing fair in Cannes, France.
"Lady Death" The Movie Animation 1 x 72 minutes
"Kaleido Star" Anime 26 episodes x approx. 25 minutes
"The Super Milk Show" Animation 13 eps x approx. 25 minutes + 14 eps x 5 minutes
"SIN" The Movie Animation 1 x approximately 50 minutes
"Rahxephon" Anime 26 episodes x approx. 25 minutes
"Noir" Anime 26 episodes x 25 minutes
"Neon Genesis Evangelion" Anime 26 episodes x 30 minutes
"Bubblegum Crisis-Tokyo 2040" Anime 26 episodes x 30 minutes
Co-productions include
"Honor Harrington" Live action TV series 22 episodes x 50 minutes.
"Mutineer's Moon" High-quality animated TV series of 26 episodes x approx. 25 minutes.
"Farscape: The Animated Series" Anime 26 episodes x approx. 25 minutes.
"Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2041" Anime 26 episodes x approx. 25 minutes.
Lady Death is the adaptation of Chaos Comic's bosomy death goddess.
Sin is the adaptation of the shooting video game of the same titles.
The Super Milk Show is a Powerpuff Girls for an older audience with a deceptively diminutive lead, who must pay her rent, and save the day, peppered with pop culture references.
Rahxephon is an Evangelion-like giant robot series with a strong plit and cast.
Noir is a mixture of Hong Kong gun-fu and European backdrops and noir cinema featuring a pair of young women assassins.
No Blood Sequel?
Dwight Hwang posted on, Production IG's message board, that the studio considered the brief movie Blood: The Last Vampire an experiment, which they will unlikely revisit, despite the opened ended nature of the story. The digitally animated Blood movie features a young looking Japanese girl enlisted to exterminate vampire-like creatures on an American army base.
Macross 20th Anniversary Soundtracks
Realidad Alterntivo reports in celebration of the Super Dimensional Fortress Macross's 20th anniversary, 3 new Macross soundtracks will be released. Macross: The Tribute and Mari Iijima sings Lynn Minmay on November 7th and the Macross Song Collection 2002 on December 4th
CPM DVD Moratoriums
Anime on DVD is reporting Central Park Media has placed the following titles on moratorium, to be repackaged and released at a lower price at a later date:
Here they are...
Battle Skipper: The Movie
Complete Shamanic Princess
Darkside Blues
Demon City Shinjuku
Garzey's Wing
Knights of Ramune
NightWalker: Eternal Darkness
NightWalker: Midnight Detective
Silent Service
Strange Love
Venus Wars
Wild Cardz

Garzey's Wing is a fantasy series from Gundam creator Tomino Yoshiyuki.
Shamanic Princess is a six episode is a six episodes mystical action OAV, with amazing visual effect and design from some of anime's top creators.
Silent Service is a political post World War II submarine thriller from Kaiji Kawaguchi, creator of the award winning manga series Eagle: Making of an Asian American President.
Darkside Blues and Demon City Shinjuku are horror super-heroes set in tone variations of post apolcayltic Tokyo.
Upcoming Releases
ADV Films will be releasing the third volume of Excel Saga on November 5th. Doomed Megalopolis will be released on on November 26th.
Manga Video will be releasing the two volumes of Guyver on February 25th.
Viz will be releasing Ranma Forver volume 4 on December 17th.
El Hazard Arrives On International Channel
Anime News Service According to a well placed contact, The International Channel will begin airing Pioneer/AIC's El Hazard on September 25, 2002, from 9:30-10 pm Eastern time. It will replace the DBZ repeat. For the time being, IC won't repeat DBZ. Not many details are currently available on El Hazard such as order of showing (ie: OVA's before Tv), it seems the dubbed version will be seeing air.
Evangelion Director Works With Ghibli
Natsume Maya reports un the latest entry in his official webpage, director Anno Hideaki (Evangelion) writes on work on the 2'36'' short Studio Ghibli anime Kuusou no Kikai-tachi no Naka no Hakai no Hatsumei.Postrecording dubbing and photography have been completed and they're now up to the rush check stage.
Spirited Away Box Office
Spirited Away earned an estimated gross of $450,000 in the 26 theaters it opened on. Nausicaa.net has a list of where the film will be screening here
Hello Kitty From ADV
From the press release:
ADV Films announced the acquisition of rights to distribute the series "Hello Kitty's Paradise" on VHS and DVD. Detailing the adventures of legendary Sanrio character Hello Kitty, her best friend Mimi and their friends from school, the series is a joyful take on childhood adventures, with a healthy smattering of educational content about such important skills as sharing, having good table manners, writing letters and being polite.
Format "Hello Kitty's Paradise" is in 16 half-hour episodes. ADV Films plans to release the title concurrently on VHS and DVD. The DVDs will be in child-friendly plug-and-play format-no menu navigation necessary. Release will be in sequential multi-episode volumes.
Excel Saga Voice Replacement
ADV confirmed that Larissa Wolcott will be the replacement voice of Excel in the English dub of Excel Saga.
New Bubblegum Crisis
that their are two new Bubblegum Crisis series in the works, Bubblegum Crisis 2041 and Parasite Dolls. 2041 is a continuation of the Bubblegum Crisis 2040 television series, and Parasite dolls will be a spinoff. "Two separate titles. Parasite Dolls is a distant spin-off of AD Police and is already completed. "2041 is still in the embryonic pre-production stages."
ADV Kenshin Release information.
Anime News Network reports in their Nan Desu Kan 6 convention coverage ADV will be releasing a Director's Cut Edition of the Kenshin OVAs previously released. Matt Greenfield suggested that there may be an extra fight scene, but they are still unsure of what exactly will be different on this release. The new Kenshin OVAs are in production now, and should be out early next year.
Gundam Wing Box Set Delay
This week's release of the collected Gundam Wing DVD box set has been delayed to October 22n.d
Live Action You're Under Arrest Pictures
Akadot has pictures of the live action You're Under Arrest cast at here
Crayon Shinchan Sample
ComicsOne has posted a sample of the Crayon Shinchan manga at here
Captain Harlock Site returns
The official website for "Space Captain Herlock: The Endless Odyssey" has returned at here. The website was taken down following the delays in production of the OVA earlier this year, however it now sports a flash trailer and an announcement that volume 1, "First Voyage" Harlock will be released on DVD & VHS in Japan on December 21st (the release date was already public knowledge).
From the press release:
Famous as a Japanese anime TV show in Asia and the UK, Crayon Shinchan follows the daily life of a five-year-old boy whose bodily functions, offensive comments, and outrageous behavior consistently annoys his parents; and lands him in hot water. A national phenomenon in Japan, this shocking laugh-out-loud comic celebrates the terrible power of destruction and indecency wielded by toddlers everywhere!

late dvd releases by arkhan77	Sep 25th, 2002 06:06:42 PM
"'Hello Kitty's Paradise' is in 16 half-hour episode by Kiyone	Sep 25th, 2002 08:09:10 PM
Yeah, but here in Quebec HARLOCK is "ALBATOR" and GRANDIZER is " by Kiyone	Sep 25th, 2002 08:12:33 PM
More of my thoughts on the Live Action YOU'RE UNDER ARREST.. by Kiyone	Sep 25th, 2002 08:26:55 PM
HONOR HARRINGTON???? by ellid	Sep 25th, 2002 10:20:06 PM
New Kenshin OAVs and a Farscape animated series????? by Defiant	Sep 26th, 2002 12:04:05 AM
GODPAINART... by Kiyone	Sep 26th, 2002 01:25:41 AM
I hate to interrupt but... by Zone Zero	Sep 26th, 2002 01:57:57 AM
I've seen a fair share of ads for SPIRITED AWAY on Boston TV by Kiyone	Sep 26th, 2002 09:54:27 AM
hey, kiyone by arkhan77	Sep 26th, 2002 02:23:44 PM
Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2041 ? Ohhh Yess! by jklmno	Sep 26th, 2002 04:58:43 PM
Forgot to mention in my earlier post... by jklmno	Sep 26th, 2002 05:01:00 PM