Father Geek here posting another packed to the gills Anime-Manga report from our reporter Scott Green. As is the case every week Scott has covered the entire world of Manga and Anime, soooo sit back relax and dive into the sea of info we have for you in...

AnimeAICN...

by Scott Green

Anime Spotlight: Brigadoon Volume 1

Released by TOKYOPOP

If Roald Dahl made anime, it might have been a bit like Brigadoon, a fairy tale that captures the wonder, and brutal sides of humanity and circumstance. What might have been a typical fantasy series with moments of action, or human is an emotional ride, with marvelous strange moments, and moments that everyone how experience or can relate to.

Marin is a bright and energetic girl, raised by an elderly couple in a working class tenement. Her over active imagination often leads to day dreams where she ends up as a pile of glasses adorned pink bones. The tenement community has a John Waters demented endearingness to it: Marin's now widowed caretaker, a withdrawn carver/philosopher, a set of food obsessed triplets, a non-functioning alcoholic divorcée and his young adult daughter, and a mad inventor and his American assistant.

Marin cheerful deals with the problems the world presents her with, but it becomes too much when the sky opens up to reveal a strange city. Its one thing when her classmates razz her about causing it by exposing her panties, but when her human problems are compounded by being accosted by strange automatons she needs help. This comes in the form of a knight in shinning armor. While chasing a cat-gremlin (star of the series' claymation previews), she find blue vile that produces Melan, her blue mechanized warrior protector.

Brigadoon certainly looks like a children's series. It's a bright, colorful work, and despite signs of poverty, and hardship, it looks homey. The lead is sweet looking, cartoonish girl, with oversized glasses, and boots. Her appearance hits the same lost puppy pathos/charm of Harry Potter. Yet, its a playground with sharp edges. You only have to get as far as the opening animation to see burdened heroes battered and abused to a chilling extent.

There's a constant meandering between the whimsical and odd, and firm, harshness. Marrin may face bubblegum pink sniper snail that follows her like a juggernaut, expect when it gets carried off by a bird, its also a world of classroom bullies, and abusive parents.

Both natural threats such as a nihilistic, violence prone classmate, or a sociopath, Buddha faced police detectives, and supernatural ones invoke genuine menace. Some appear in quick action attacks, other are built in a horror-style. The first volume features a water creature that infect a zoo a in a manner that will given an adult audience pause.

The effortless way that Brigadoon goes from light entertainment to dark is unique, and gives the series some weight. It paints a world where may things appear arbitrary, but every action has a consequence, which makes it interesting to see where Marin and Melan's past, and present take the,

This Week's Anime and Manga Releases

Anime

• Angel Links - Complete Series Set
• Crying Freeman - Abduction in Chinatown (Vol. 3)
• Dragon Ball Z:Babidi Set
• Genesis Climber Mospeada
• Mobile Fighter G Gundam - Round 10
• Mobile Fighter G Gundam - Round 11
• Mobile Fighter G Gundam - Round 12
• Mobile Fighter G Gundam Boxed Set - Rounds 10-12
• Rahxephon - Harmonic (Vol. 3)
• Real Bout High School Boxed Set
• Reign the Conqueror Volume 3

Manga

• Big O Part 4 #4 (Of 4)
• Big O Vol 1 Tp 2Nd Ed
• Big O Vol 3 Tp
• Cannon God Exaxxion #14
• Firefighter Daigo Of Fire Company M Vol 1 Gn 2Nd Ed
• Firefighter Daigo Of Fire Company M Vol 3
• Five Star Stories Eng Lang Manga #9
• Five Star Stories Eng Lang Manga #10
• Raijin Comics #27
• Rebound Vol 2 Gn (Of 10)
• Rebound Vol 2 Gn (Of 10)
• Super Manga Blast #32

Next Week on TV

Sunday June 22nd

• 12:00 Am Cartoon Network .Hack//Sign
• 7:00 Am Family Channel Beyblade (through Saturday)
• 7:30 am Family Channel Medabots (through Saturday)
• 9:00 am Family Channel Beyblade
• 10:00 am UPM Digimon: Digital Monsters
• 6:00PM Cartoon Network Hamtaro
• 10:30PM International Channel Dragonball GT
• 11:00PM Internal Channel Slayers

Monday-Friday

• 12:00 AM Cartoon Network Kikaider (Tuesday - Friday)
• 12:00 AM Tech TV Anime Unleashed (not Monday, through Saturday)
• 12:30 AM Cartoon Network Inuyasha (Tuesday - Friday)
• 12:30 AM Tech TV Anime Unleashed (not Monday, through Saturday)
• 1:00 AM Cartoon Network Reign
• 1:30 AM Cartoon Network Lupin III
• 3:00 AM Tech TV Anime Unleashed (not Monday, through Saturday)
• 3:30 AM Tech TV Anime Unleashed (not Monday, through Saturday)
• 6:00 AM Cartoon Network Transformers: Armada
• 7:00 AM Cartoon Network Hamtaro
• 7:30 AM UPN Digimon: Digital Monsters
• 9:00 AM WB Pokemon
• 2:00 PM Cartoon Network Hamtaro
• 4:00 PM Digimon: Digital Monsters
• 4:00 PM WB Pokemon
• 4:30 PM WB Yu-Gi-Oh
• 4:30 PM Tech TV Anime Unleashed
• 5:30 PM Cartoon Network Dragon Ball Z
• 6:00 PM Cartoon Network Yuyu Hakusho
• 6:30 PM Cartoon Network Rurouni Kenshin
• 9:00 PM Cartoon Network Pokemon
• 11:00 PM International Channel Soul Hunter (Monday)
• 11:00 PM International Channel Fushigi Yugi (Tuesday)
• 11:00 PM El Hazard - The Wanderers (Wednesday)

Saturday June 28th

• 2:00 AM Tech TV Anime Unleashed (not Monday, through Saturday)
• 2:30 AM Tech TV Anime Unleashed (not Monday, through Saturday)
• 8:30 AM WB Yu-Gi-Oh
• 9:30 AM Fox Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
• 9:30 AM Fox MegaMan: NT Warrior
• 10:00 AM Fox ltimate Muscle: The Kinnikuman Legacy
• 10:00 AM WB Pokemon
• 11:00 AM WB Yu-Gi-Oh!
• 11:00 AM Family Channel Tokyo Pig
• 12:30 AM Cartoon Network Transfomers Armada
• 1:00 PM Cartoon Network Hamtaro
• 7:00 PM Cartoon Network Pokemon
• 9:30 PM Cartoon Network Yu-Gi-Oh
• 10:00 Cartoon Network YuYu Hakusho
• 10:30 Cartoon Network G Gundam
• 11:00 PM Cartoon Network Transformers Armada

Cartoon Network News

Hasbro has announced that Transformers Energon, a Transformer series currently in the work, will appear on Cartoon Network in early 2004.

Rave Master will likewise to appearing on Cartoon Network's Toonami block in 2004. Rave is an action series that's part Dragon Ball, part One Piece, about a boy and his group of adventurers who must find the pieces of a sword to stop a demon invasion.

New episodes of InuYasha will be appearing on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block starting on August 4th. Blue Gender will premiere on August 25th.

InuYasha is Rumiko Takahashi's (Ranma ½) fairy tale (and sometimes relationship comedy, or horror) about a girl from modern times, and a half demon boy from the Era of Warring States.

DIC will be bringing Knights of the Zodiac, the anime series known as Saint Saya to Cartoon Network starting August 30th.

Saint Saya is a sentai (think Power Rangers or Ronin Warriors) action.

Bandai will be handling the toy license, and ADV will be distributing the home video release.

Starting this week the August Swim block has been shuffled. Reign (Peter Chung's retelling of Alexander the Great) returns at 1:00am, and Lupin III returns at 1:30am. Cowboy Bebop has been bunked off the block.

The New York Post has an article about the strength of Cartoon Network's strong male ratings here.

Anno Directs Anime Opening

Evangelion creator/director Hideaki >Anno has announced that he will be directing the opening animation for OAV (direct to vide) series Submarine 707R. Volume 1 of the series will be released September 26th. The Official site for the series can be seen here.

Evangelion Teases from Gainax

Anime News Network reports that Gainax, the studio behind Evangelion has announced that in light of the upcoming living action Evangelion movie, they will be making a big announcement about the title late this summer.

In more concrete news, they've also stated that the second Evangelion Koutetsu no Girlfriend (Iron Maiden) computer game will be adapted into a manga series that will appear in Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Asuka stating August 24th.

Kare Kano Release Information

Right Stuf has announced that the final volume of Kare Kano (His and Her Circumatances), and a five volume box set sollection will be released on September 30th.

The series is from with production by Toshimichi Otsuki (EVANGELION, SLAYERS, NADESICO), chief direction and story by Hideaki Anno (EVANGELION) and character design by Tadashi Hiramatsu (EVANGELION)

Like a drug, Yukino Miyazawa was addicted to admiration and praise from those around her. She worked hard to become the perfect student, the perfect girl. But that was before... him. Souichirou Arima. The instant she met him, she hated him. Without even trying, he snatched the very glory from her hands by easily acing the high school entrance exam that should have made her the class representative. To take back what is rightfully hers, Yukino is putting all her efforts into plotting her revenge; but was love part of the plan?

Covers can be seen http://www.rightstuf.com/outgoing/sleeves/rsdvd8015.jpg and http://www.rightstuf.com/outgoing/sleeves/rsdvd8016.jpg

New Anime Magazine

Hiramaki International will be releasing the first issue of the new anime magazine Anime Play on June 17th. The official site is online at animeplay-mag.com

Ninja Scroll Dates

Urban Vision is planning to release the first three episode volume of the Ninja Scroll TV series on September 2nd.

AnimeNation has learned Manga Entertainment has delayed the 10th anniversary edition of the Ninja Scroll movie to September 30th.

Viz Updates Shoujo Line, and Possibly Licenses Hunter x Huner

From Anime on DVD The format of Viz's shoujo (female demographics) manga anthology Animerica Extra is being shifted.

Next month's issue will feature an extra-long installment of Marionette Generation - bringing the series to its conclusion. The romantic comedy by Macross character designer about an illustrator whose rag doll comes to life and begins causing problems with his young assistant.

Crime epic Banana fish will not appear in the issue, but will return in 6.9 with a double sized entry. A review of the first volume can be read here.

Issue 6.9 will also mark the beginning of the new format. Animerica Extra will feature a "cover" image on both sides of the magazine. Fushigi Yuugi, Short Program 2, Utena and Banana Fish will then be presented in the original right-to-left unflipped format. Video Girl AI, and Steam Detectivews will remain left-to-right flipped.

Startings with issue 7.1, Fushigi Yugi with be presented in double sized issues. With Short Program 2, and Utena ending by the end of the year, expect a new series.

Collected editions of Fushigi Yugi will be released in the new $9.95, unflipped collections

Bannan Fish will also be re-released, but a schedule has not been arranged.

Maison Ikkuku, Rumiko Takashi's romance about a struggling would-be student, and his recently widowed apartment superintendent, will be re-released in unflipped editions, bi-monthly for $9.95. The missing chapters will be included.

Anime News Network reports that Viz looks like it may be bringing Hunter X Hunter to the US.. .

Shueisha has filed for two trademark in relation to Hunter X Hunter with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The first for "comic books and comic magazines" and the second for a number of categories: "electronic publications in the nature of comic books, downloadable computer game software", "stationery, trading cards", "action toys, toy action figures, dolls, arcade games, board games, card games" , "entertainment services, namely, providing comics via the Internet, providing non-downloadable games via the Internet; providing information on-line relating to computer games and comics."

The first trademark was filed in July 2002, and the second one in October.

Studio Proteus Talks Shirow

From Studio Proteus' feedback page about new work from Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow

From a Paul Bautitsa: "I've seen quite lot of Mr. Shirow's recent works (GunArms, Wild Wet West, et al.) lately....You've already mentioned that they will be a part of a future collection of Mr. Shirow's erotic materials. Any idea on how long it will take for that to happen?..."

Toren : "The Shirow works you mention may be out sooner than you think. And that's all I have to say about that! (^_^)"

Companies Talk What Get Licensed

From Studio Proteus' feedback page

From John Watson: "Any interest now in translating the manga?..."(Referring to Azumanga Daioh)

Toren: "...As for doing the comic...well, a net search turned up so many sites posting the translations...it's really probably not worth it for me to suggest it to Dark Horse. The sad fact is that with a series that probably has a somewhat limited audience (compared to, say, Blade of the Immortal), having translations posted on the net really poisons the well.

On the other hand, I like it a lot, and I know we could improve on the translations....

And who knows? Someone else may already have picked it up."

Icv2 recently spoke with FUNimation's CEO Gen Fukunaga about their recently acquisition Kiddy Grade.

As Funimation told ICv2, "If a show isn't popular and doesn't get good ratings in Japan, there is no reason to think that it will be popular here." Although the director of Kiddy Grade, Goto Keiji, has never directed before, he is well known in anime circles as the character designer for Martian Successor Nadeisco and Gate Keepers. In Kiddy Grade the director found the right balance between the ultra cuteness ("kawaii") of the female leads, the sleek coolness of the spaceships and mecha designs, and edge-of-your-seat scenes of combat mayhem

Gainx at MIT

From a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com">Anime News Network Toshio Okada, former president of Gainax, wrote in his web diary on May 15th that there is a possibility that he would chair a lecture MIT in the September semester. He did not mention on what subject.

Upcoming in Japan

From Natsume Maya:

Studio Fantasia is producing an anime series based on the Kimi ga Nozomu Eien game, which should air this fall.

It looks like manga series Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Full Metal Alchemist) by Arakawa Hiromu will be adapted into an anime series.

There is indication that a new Comic Party OVA in the works.

The TV anime mecha Godanner (tentative title) is to commence broadcast on AT-X in October 2003.

The TV anime of Takahashi Rumiko Gekijo (Theatre) will commence broadcast on TV Tokyo on 5 July 2003. This will be a 13 episode series.

The new Happy Lesson series, Happy Lesson Advance TV will begin July 1st.

Mediaworks has announced that the upcoming TV anime Sumeba Miyako no Cosmos Sou - Suttoko Taisen Dokkaida will commence broadcast on 11 July 2003.

The manga Yugo (original story by Makari Shinji, manga by Akana Shuu, serialised in Afternoon magazine) is to be made into a TV anime to be broadcast starting January 2004. Yugo is the story of a young but skilled negotiator dealing with shadowy organisations and government departments. Kondonsha has an English summary here

Fujimishobo has announced on its Full Metal Panic website that the Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu series will begin August 4th/

Character design for the Phantom anime by Watanabe Kouji (who did design work on AIC anime such as El Hazard TV, Battle Atheletess and Photon), based on the DVD player game has been posted the series' site

A trailer for Tezuka Production's Boku no Son Goku (My Son Goku) is online on the movie's site here (the top left button after the flash intro). Part of the movie's renue will be donated to fight SARS.

Sailor Moon creator Takeuchi Naoko announced on the official website that the upcoming series this October will be live action.

Satou Shuuhou's (Say Hello to Black Jack) Umizaru 2 manga about a young sea rescue/safety officer is being adapted into a live action drama.

The final installment of the Pita Ten manga by Koge Donbo's will be published in the August issue of Dengeki Comic Gao! The Pita anime completed its broadcast last September.

Anime News Network has posted the following schedule

OVA

• Macross Zero Second Chapter - May 23
• Majinkaizer - July 25

Movie

• Appleseed - Spring 2003
• Steam Boy - October 2003

TV

• Super Kuma-san - June
• Onegai Twins - July 15
• Green Green - July
• Divergence Eve - July

Live Action Lone Wolf and Cub Info

The new season of the live action Lone Wolf and Cub series is scheduled to start in Japan on TV Asahi on July 7th. The official website is at here

Anime Game News

From The Magic Box

DigiCube will release Ys I & II Eternal Story for PlayStation 2 in Japan this summer, for 6800 yen.

Bandai will release a new Inu Yasha action game for PlayStation 2 in Japan by the end of the year. The game is a follow-up to the action/fighting InuYasha game on the PS1 entitled, InuYasha: Sengoku Otogi Kassen.

Capcom announced they will begin a location test of their latest arcade action game Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: AEUG Vs Titans in the coming week, the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs Zeon.

Gainax will be releasing a will be releasing a PC game based on Battle Flag of the Stars, see here. The tacticle simulation features a short story by the author of the original novles, Morioka Hiroyuki.

Dark Horse Manga News

Dark Horse new has the official listing for the first volume of Berserk online

The Digital Manga translation of Berserk, Hellsing, the Ring and Trigun will be released in the right-to-left page arrangement.

Astro Boy Updates

According to Internet Movie Database, demonstrating Japanese studios' inherent suspicion of Hollywood studios, even one displaying the banner of Sony, officials at Tezuka Productions have said that they have obtained controlling rights in the production of a U.S. live-action version of Astro Boy, the long-running animated kids show.

In an interview with the Asahi Shimbun, Takayuki Matsutani, president of Tezuka, said that he and his colleagues were shocked at the way Sony recreated Godzilla in its $125-million epic in 1998 as a totally unsympathetic monster. "No way did we want a repetition of that," Matsutani told the newspaper. Under the deal, he said, Teszuka has the right to approve the look and character of Astro Boy and allows it to make script revisions at three different stages of the preproduction. He said he would insist that Astro Boy not be turned into "a mindless automaton" and that he wanted assurances that the film would portray the essence of the series' message -- that one day humanity will coexist with a machine civilization.

Meanwhile, Sony has announced that a new Astro Boy TV series has been picked up by Kids WB! Tezuka said that it has budgeted more than $250,000 for each of 26 episodes, which the company said was three times the cost of most animated shows. It is due to debut in early 2004.

Initial D Release

TOKYOPOP is planning a major push for its launch of the Initial D anime series this September, which includes a cable add campaign, and trailers on CD roms in various magazines.

From the press release:

TOKYOPOP Inc.-an influential force in youth entertainment- announces the U.S. introduction of its highly anticipated, high-action anime Initial D, a blend of lightning-fast street racing action, tricked-out tuner cars and suspenseful drama. Slated for a September 2003 debut, the series combines the iconic pop culture appeal of Speed Racer and 2 Fast 2 Furious.

An enormous hit in Japan, the Initial D property has already sold more than 30 million graphic novels, boasted an enormous 47% market share in its television time slot and earned more than $300 million in revenue from the Asian market alone. The fast-paced , action-filled anime/manga series has a storyline built for speed. Its coming-of-age plot follows the adventures of reluctant hero Tak, a teenage tofu delivery boy who gets swept up in the world of street racers by besting some of the fastest drivers in t own.

Soon available on DVD for the first time in the U.S., Initial D is positioned to be the next breakout anime, ready to leave its competition in the dust. Each volume (composed of three separate action-packed episodes) contains both the original authentic Ja panese version (with English subtitles) and the U.S. version, with English dialogue and enhanced video options that intensify the race sequences.

Like Initial D's street racing characters, viewers can "custom tune" these two different versions, mixing and matching the English and Japanese audio and video, and modifying the way they watch each exciting episode.

"With its cutting-edge blend of digital animation and visual effects, its unique on-screen customization properties, and its exciting, relevant storylines, Initial D is TOKYOPOP's premier property of 2003," says Stuart Levy, TOKYOPOP Founder and CEO. "We l ook forward to answering the call of the series' core fans while exposing Initial D to a whole new audience, as well."

The three-episode first volume of Initial D- at a suggested retail price of $19.99-hits the shelves of major retailers nationwide this September. Volume 2 is scheduled for an October 2003 release, and Volume 3 will be in stores in early 2004.

Final Spirited Away BO Numbers

After Spirited Away's post Oscar theatrical return, Spirited Away pull in slightly $10 million in its 36 week run.

Sakura Wars Trailers

A trailer for the Sakura Wars movie is online here

Daft Punk Animated

From Anime News Service Reuters News courtesy Billboard Magazine's James Martin has scored some new details from Cannes on the Daft Punk / Leiji Matsumoto collaboration "Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem."

Each "movement" of this silent film is accompanied by a track from the duo's 2001 Virgin album, "Discovery." "The project was born in 2000, when we flew out to Tokyo with an hour of music and our own script," Bangalter says. "Leiji gave us a warm reception, and after listening to the music, he came on board immediately. Three years later, our dream has come true."

Previewed at this year's Cannes Film Festival, "Interstella 5555" was released in 30 French theaters May 28 and has secured cinema distribution in Japan, Russia, Portugal, and the Baltic states. EMI plans to release a DVD of the film in December.

Card Captor Collected

TOKYOPOP will be releasing the first three volumes of Card Captura sakura in a right to left unflipped box sex re release later this year.

Bandai Date Changes

Anime on DVD reports that Bandai has moved the Angel Links collection to July 1st, and first volume of Infinite Ryvius to October 21st.

Manga Huge at Publishing Expo

The presence of manga at the recently Book Expo America has raised many eye.

From the Publisher's Weekly article:

Publishers who came to BEA found retailers and librarians either eager to hop on the graphic novel bandwagon or certainly very curious about all the commotion about sales growth, title variety and teen readers with money to spend. Slave Labor Graphics publisher Dan Vado told PW, "Even a few retailers who still think comics are kind of dubious stopped by the booth to say, 'I guess I better order something.' " Nearly every graphic novel publisher PW contacted at the show reported excellent responses from booksellers and often wildly supportive encounters with librarians. Manga publishers like Tokyopop, Viz and Dark Horse seemed almost to strut around the floor, all but giggling and making money-counting gestures.

Anime Merchandise News

Figures.com Kaiyodo's mini Evangelion figures, original released as Gashapon/capsule toys will be released in the US by Diamond Previews, pre-assembled and individually blister carded. Each figure is scheduled to ship in September 2003 for $3.99 each. See here for images.

Raving Toy Maniac has images of upcoming Vampire Hunter D mini-busts, featuring D and Meier Link.