Manga Spotlight: Between the Sheets By Erica Sakurazawa

Release by TOKYOPOP's Authentic Manga Line

Between the Sheets is TOKOPOP's first of six planned one volume stories by Erica Erica Sakurawza ("Angel" has also been released), whose mature relationship dramas are being described as "Sex and the City, manga-style".

Sometimes you can't help who you fall in love with, and sometimes falling in love with the wrong person leads you down a corridor and into a pitfall. From a shared kiss to blow off an annoying party guest, twenty-something best friends Minako and Saki where locked in such a situation. After the kiss shy Minako can't stop thinking about outgoing friend. Lesbianism isn't as much the focal point as Minako's obsession and to less degree Saki's dating life. The two have hit an emotional impasse, and the jostling to find a way out creates some real drama. Minako's love becomes obsession. It stays a shade below creepy, and Minako stays unassuming, but the results are unforgettable

Erica Sakurawza has an amazing sense of balance in her work. Everything teeters on the edge of too much, but because it gets close without falling over it is that much more effective. Just when you think a character is too clueless and self involved to see the forest for the trees they have a lucid moment that both advances the story and fits their personality. Similarly the illustration is charge with sexuality, and nudity, but the sex itself is never too graphic.

Maybe Between the Sheets a little too real. It's believable, it's interesting, but it's also the kind of personal dirt not everyone wants to listen to. If your friend was telling you this relationship catastrophe story about themselves, or someone they knew, you might be include to tune out or tell them that you've heard enough. Between the Sheets is the right length, it is a story that may have worked a little better serialized. In one stretch it is a bit of a grind. It's the difference between hearing a juicy rumor, and someone's sordid life story. Still, Between the Sheets is worth sticking with. The relationship developed in an unexpected and engaging manner.

Anime Spotlight: Heat Guy J Volume 1: Super Android

Released by Pioneer

Cyborgs, android, and steam-tech, oh my. Escaflowne alumni Kazuki Akane and Yuki Nobuteru may not have set out to create a Cowboy Bebop riff, but with a jazz sound, slick flow, culture meld locales, and personalities exuding cool Heat Guy J can't help but be compared to its popular predecessor. Still, its it's own show, structurally owing more to Hawaii 5-O or Miami Vice. Procedural, and action stepping stones are linked with a unique look, characters worth watching and a setting that almost participates in the story to build an entertaining show that briskly hops from episode to episode.

Daisuke is a slick young man working the crime prevention beat in the Judoh city state. J is his hulking android partner. The pair serve as the agents of Judoh's Safety Management Agency, a perhaps semi-private organization that investigates potential crimes. The object also means that Daisuke is harried by the office's cute administrator (who look like an older, pink haired version of Escaflown's female lead Hitomi, Escaflowne character design is similar to Escaflowne's minus the stylized noses), who also keep locks/unlock the officer gun from the agency's safe, and allocated bullets: three normal, one special red tip.

The Wo Fat role is taken by Claire Leonelli the newly ascended Vampire (a title rather than an undread blood-sucker) of the Leonelli crime family, a cunning, extremely disturbed young man who commemorated his father's desk by lobbing a grenade on the casket.

In a series like this, much of the success or failure balances on style, the ledger is very much in the back. There are a few misses, Daisuke's oversized, amphibious motorcycle is a bit much. Fortunately the side-car has yet to be used. Daisuke's physical and verbal grace, along with physical force and terminator two stoicism provides classic odd-couple material, which the show bolsters with plenty of "wow, that's unexpected" moments.

Heat Guy J is strikingly elaborate. It appears like it is going to coast on Daisuke's charisma, and J's ability to jump around the city like The Tick, and pound thing.

Judoh is like a big, intricate model house you only get to look through slowly. Gradually you get to see how it works. That it is steam powered. That its underworld is more than family gang wars.. It's paradoxes are at their height in its law enforcement. It tightly controls immigration, and imports, but little reign on the internal organized crime, vice, with some implication that its allowed to happen as long as it isn't random

The cases and story are often more clever than expected. One case in particular involved a smuggled relic, which turned out to be petroleum to be used to manufacture napalm. Others catch you in the lowered expectations of an action series. Amusing red herrings turn out to be clues.

Anime Spotlight: Boogiepop Phantom Evolution 2

Released by Right Stuf

Before electrical lighting, it was easy to imagine that the darkness would spawn a host of malicious creatures.

In the modern the age, the breeding grounds of ghosts, goblins, and banshees is behind the eyes, and inside the minds of faceless neighbors. In Boogiepop Phantom obsessed computer geeks, middle class drug pushers, domineering parents are the pod people for the other worldly predators and threats that feed on social disease.

The teen fear Twilight Zone episodes are told as if a nearly omniscient observer were correlating notes, or arranging facts in its head from available glimpses of events. Each episode focuses a person, or a series of events, and then jumps in time and perspective until that story is told. The exception in the second volume is the Rosetta Stone episode 5, a collage of conversation, and a storm of information and misinformation.

The second volume of Boogiepop Phantom establishes a physical epicenter, which serves to give what is happening a more consciously malicious edge. Ironically, as the causes solidify, their holistic nature is reinforced. Unlike many other horror anthologies, the tragedies aren't just a character flaw and a catalyst. It isn't greedy people and a magic camera, or an unhappy couple and an evil cat spirit. For example here a couple geek looses touch with relation, starts seeing the world through the lenses of a dating video game, and ultimately becomes slave to a supernatural drug. In Boogiepop Phantom, the drug dealer, its supplier, the boy's intended victim, and his parents are part of the puzzle.

The danger is making something as complex as Boogiepop Phantom is that it becomes too large and nebulous. Given the amount of time dedicate, connecting the dots appear have an emphasis, but the thrills of the series come from its atmosphere and composition. Through the sepia tones and murky plot, small things crack and leave a deep effect, like a women dealing with her husband's death jumping to selling and adjusting insurance.

There are several good horror anthology anime series, but Boogiepop Phantom stands out as an excel for of any medium. Modern discontent and disconnect as the breeding ground of horror, is brought to such a mundane and recognizable level that it becomes truly chilling.

This Week's Anime and Manga Releases

Anime

• City Hunter - Season 1 Collection 1
• City Hunter - Season 1 Collection 2
• Detonator Orgun
• Dominion Tank Police
• Dragon Ball Z - Majin Buu 7 Volume Gift
• Fist of the North Star Volume 3
• Fist of the North Star Volume 4
• Genma Wars - Tribal Skirmish
• Guardian of Darkness
• Gun Frontier - Midnight Samurai (Vol. 2)
• Heat Guy J - Super Android
• Lupin the 3rd - The Mystery of Mamo
• Rune Soldier - A True Champion? (Vol. 3)
• Space Pirate Mito 04 - Like Mother
• Twelve Kingdoms Chapter One: Shoku
• Weathering Continent
• A Wind Named Amnesia
• Wrath of the Ninja: The Yotoden Movie
• You're Under Arrest (The Movie)

Manga

• Boys Over Flowers Vol 1 Tp Hana Yori Dango
• Escaflowne Vol 1 Gn (Of 3)
• Excel Saga Vol 1 Tp
• GTO Vol 13 Gn (Of 25)
• Lost World Tp
• Naruto Vol 1 Tp Tests Of The Ninja
• No 5 Vol 2 Tp
• Tuxedo Gin Vol 1 Tp

Boys Over Flowers follows working class girl fueds with a quartet of attractive and well to do boys at the elite highschool she attends.

Excel Saga is the comedy comic that spawned the notorious manic anime series.

Lost World is Astro Boy creator Osamu Tezuka's take off on Arthur Conan Doyle's dinasour story.

A review of the early chapters of ninja adventure Naruto can be read here

Tuxedo Gin is a relationship comedy about a boy reincarnated as a penguin.

Next Week on TV

Sunday August 3nd

• 12:00 Am Cartoon Network .Hack//Sign
• 7:00 Am Family Channel Medabots (through Saturday)
• 7:30 am Family Channel Beyblade (through Saturday)
• 9:00 am Family Channel Beyblade
• 9:30 am Family Channel Medabots
• 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 Fooly Cooly (Tuesday - Friday)
• 12:00 AM Tech TV Anime Unleashed (not Monday, through Saturday)
• 12:30 AM Cartoon Network Blue Gender (Tuesday - Friday)
• 12:30 AM Tech TV Anime Unleashed (not Monday, through Saturday)
• 1:00 AM Cartoon Network Trigun
• 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 Zoids
• 7:00 AM Cartoon Network Hamtaro
• 7:30 AM UPN Digimon: Digital Monsters
• 9:00 AM Cartoon Network 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 Cyborg 009
• 6:30 PM Cartoon Network Yuyu Hakusho
• 9:00 PM Cartoon Network Pokemon
• 11:00 PM International Channel Lost Universe (Monday)
• 11:00 PM International Channel Fushigi Yugi (Tuesday)
• 11:00 PM El Hazard - The Wanderers (Wednesday)

Saturday August 9th

• 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 Ultimate 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 PM Cartoon Network Transfomers Armada
• 1:00 PM Cartoon Network Hamtaro
• 8:30 PM Cartoon Network Transformers Armada
• 9:30 PM Cartoon Network Rurouni Kenshin
• 10:30 Cartoon Network G Gundam
• 11:00 PM Cartoon Network Pokemon

The first hour of Cartoon Network's weekday adult Swim will be FLCL/Fooly Cooly followed by Blue Gender. A review of the first volume of FLCL can be seen here. A review of the first volume of Blue Gender can be seen here Sunday August 10th Big O appears at 11:00PM

Del Rey Kondansha Relationship

Dallas Middaugh, formerly of Viz, now of Del Rey's relationship made the following comment Pulse about the company's relationship with Japanese manga publisher Kodansha, many of whose titles are currently being licensed by other American manga publishers, especially Dark Horse/Studio Proteus: "Their relationships are not affected at all. Del Rey is launching four core titles and while we certainly want to go out with the strongest titles we can, we're not trying to dominate by flooding the market with tons of releases. Kodansha is not exclusive with us. They have a relationship with Tokyopop, Viz, and Dark Horse. We don't anticipate that changing an any way."

Kondandah's releases have included Akira, Oh My Goddess, Ghost in the Shell, and Blade of the Immortal. Their English site can be seen here.

Golden Boy Creator Produces Live Porn

Anime News Network reports Tatsuya Egawa, creator of the Golden Boy manga has directed adult movie Akogare no Katei-Kyoshi ("The Private Tutor, Whom I Had So Much Wished to Be").

Golden Boy is a comedy about a young man leaves college before graduation to travel Japan, take odd jobs, and learn about life. The anime version of the title was released by ADV Films. Reviews of the anime can be read here.

In addition to Golden Boy, which became pornographic, and the adult Tokyo University Story , Egawa is known for creating children's manga Magical Taruruuto-kun.

World Masterpiece Theatre Online (In Japanese)

Anime News Network reports that the long running World Masterpiece Theater series, the umbrella project from animating classic children's stories from around the world including Ann of Green Gables Romeo's Blue Sky, Lassie, and Dog of Flander will be put online (in raw Japanese) by the Nippon Animation Co. on Yahoo Japan.

Hayao Miyaki's Future Boy Connan, which was likewise animated by Nippon Animation will also be available.

Twelve, as of yet unnamed, WMP series will be made available for download in August, with another twelve following in September. It will cost 300 Yen (US$2.50) to view the first episode of each series and 500 yen to view 5 episodes of any series

Ghost in the Shell 1.5 Flash Preview

A flash preview for the Japanese release of Ghost in the Shell 1.5 is online at here.

US Anime Companies Change Ownership

Dentsu Inc. has purchased the video and music subsideries of Pioneer Corporation including its American arm Pioneer Entertainment.

Anime News Network reports that Palm Pictures Entertainment is closing on a sale of Manga Entertainment

Missing Scene in Inu Yasha 7 DVD

Viz's release of Inu Yasha volume 7 is missing a scene because the version that Viz recieve from its Japanese licensor was the version that appeared in the Japanese DVD release rather than the longer version of episodes 21 and 22 which original aired on JApanese television as an hour long special.

Live Action Cutey Honey News

According to Anime News Network:

The new live action Cutey Honey is set to come out in Japan sometime next year and will be directed by Hideaki Anno of Gainax fame, the part of Cutey Honey will be played by 21-year-old Eriko Satou. Filming on the project started on the 10th of July.

In the anime, during Cutey Honey's transformation, her breasts are visible. Anno says that there will be one transformation scene in the movie, "The transformation is one of the higlights. Please look forward to it," but gives no hints as to what it will be like.

Anno says that the film will contain the most cosplay in a Japanese movie. Before her first transformation, she is known as office lady [OL] "Kisaragi Honey". Policewoman, Waitress, and Bike Racer are only some of the approximately 30 outfits she will wear throughout the film. There's also a sexy masquerade scene.

CPM News

This October Central Park Media will be releasing the Alien Nine Ultimate Collection with anime DVD, and the third volumes of manga for $59.99.

Effective September 2nd, the prices of the following box sets will be reduced:

• Legend of Himiko DVD Collection $89.99 $69.99
• Maze TV Series DVD Collection $129.99 $69.99
• Now and Then, Here and There DVD Collection $89.99 $69.99
• Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight DVD Collection $129.99 $69.99
• The Ping Pong Club DVD Collection $119.99 $89.99

The Central Park Media Anime Test Drive is ready to hit the road! This fall your customers can TRY any or all of the Anime Test Drive DVDs for only $7.99 each, then BUY the corresponding box sets at a new low price and get a $10.00 mail-in rebate coupon.

The Anime Test Drive DVDs will introduce your customers to the first couple of episodes of some of CPM's best-selling series and will be packaged in the clear THINpakT case. You will want to stock-up on all 6 Anime Test Drive DVDs and their corresponding box sets as there is sure to be heavy traffic in the anime section his October.

The following DVDs will be released on will be released on October 28th: Pre-Order: September 15, 2003 Street: October 28, 2003

• Legend of Himiko $7.99
• Maze TV Series $7.99
• Now and Then, Here and There 4 $7.99
• Patlabor The Mobile Police: The TV Series$7.99
• Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight $7.99
• The Ping Pong Club $7.99
• Anime Test Drive 12-Pack (Includes 2 of each title) $95.99

Box Sets Related To Anime Test Drive Discs

• Legend of Himiko DVD Collection $69.99
• Now and Then, Here and There DVD Collection 325 min $69.99
• Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight DVD Collection $69.99
• Maze TV Series DVD Collection $69.99
• The Ping Pong Club DVD Collection $89.99
• Patlabor The Mobile Police: The TV Series DVD Collection $99.99

Tokyo Godfathers Trailer

A teaser trailer for Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Millenium Actress) Tokyo Godfathers is online here

The movie follows three homeless people, a former bicycle racer, a transvestite and a teenage runaway who find an abandoned baby girl on Christmas Eve.

Anime Mechandise News

From Figures.com

High Dream, in collaboration with Reigning Looney Corp.has announced a 12" figure based on Leiji Matsumoto's Queen Emeraldas. The sculpt head of their first figure, Captain Harlock can be seen here.

Figures showcaded at San Diego Comic Con 2003 can be seen here. Toycom's figures of Kenshin Berserk Love Hina, Hellsing, Please Teacher, Ewscaflowne, Akira, and Big O can be seen here.

Toynami's Serial Expirements Lain dolls(school, and club outfits), Voltron figures , mini Dragon Ball Z mini figures, various Robotech and a placard announcing upcoming Haibane Renmei dolls can be seen here

Fewture's Mazinger and Vagabond can be seen here

Bandai's Gundam can be seen here

Five Star Stories can be seen here

Anime/Manga Adaptations

Kidou Shinsen Gumi Moeken. the samurai video game with character design by Ranma/InuYasha character design is being adapted into an anime. The anime will be brodcast on Japanese television, but it is also being called on OAV (direct to TV releases).

A live action version of Jigoku Koushien (Battlefield Stadium) opened in Japanese theatres July 19th. A trailer can be seen here.

A new Rockman (Megaman) based anime will be airing in Japan this fall.

Horror novel Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari is being animated into under the tile Kyogoku Natsuhiko Yami Emaki.

The official website for the live action movie version of the manga Umizaru is now up here.

The webpage on Kadokawa Shoten's website that announced the anime version of the manga Keroro Gunso has now been changed and the announcement deleted.

The official website for TV anime version of Gunslinger Girl is now open here

Groove Corperation Files For Bankruptcy

Japanese anime production company Groove Corporation has filed for bankruptcy after accumulation 5 billion yen in dept. The companies current series include current Scrapped Princess Mao Dante, and Wild 7 Another.

Industry Size

TOKYOPOP's Stuart Levy has recently been quoted as saying " Tokyopop, which is the leading publisher of manga in the country, has seen its revenue double every year since its founding in 1997, to about $40 million this year"

From Natsume Maya Asahi.com reports that the US market for Japanese anime and related business in 2002 was worth US$4,359,110,000 (approximately 520 thousand million yen) - four times the value of Japanese exports of steel to the US. Of that market, approximately US$3,937 million related to licence fees for related goods, games and TV broadcast, approximately US$414 million related to video and DVD sales and approximately US$8,110,000 related to box receipts at theatres. There were over 18 conventions in 2002, attracting over 100,000 attendees and racking up attendance fees of approximately US$3,549,000. In the first half of the 1990s, there were 13 anime works broadcast on US TV, but in this new century there have already been 40.

Japanese Manga Market Changing

Anime News Service points about a Japan Times article which speculates that with falling sales, the lack or a new giant like Osamu Tezuka the glory days of Japanese manga are over. Slipping sales are attributed to an aging core readship, bad ecocinubc times, and new forms of entertainment, but the more immdiate threats are used bookstores, manga kissaten where customers read for free, and manga rental shops.

Megatokyo Update

After leaving IC Entertainment there has been rumors that the printed version of popular web comic Megatokyo would resume at Dark Horse. Creator Fred Gallagher told Pulse .

"After I announced that IC Entertainment would not be doing Megatokyo book 2, I was surprised to find that several publishers were interested in talking with me about future publications of my work," said Gallagher. "I took the opportunity at San Diego Comic Con to talk with a lot of different people in the industry. At this time I have made no commitments or decisions regarding a possible future publisher for any of my works. Having said that, I will say that I was flattered by the article on ICV2 because I have always been impressed by the quality of the books that Dark Horse produces. I enjoyed talking to the Dark Horse folks at Comic Con, but sadly this article is pure speculation.

Licensing List Re-Launches

Anime on DVD has re-launch is licensing list, which attempts to corrolate all anime titles currently licensed for American release, here.

Jikuu Boukenki Zentrix Licensed?

English Voice Actor & Production Staff Database points out a English voice director's site which is low lising anime title Zentrix on his resume.

Haibane Renmei

Pioneer has launched a Haibane Renmei site at here.

Xenosaga Anime

Monolith Soft has announced that Xenosaga will be adapted into a Japanese novel and anime.

Japanese Evangelion News

From Natsume Maya GAiNAX's manga based on the Evangelion computer game Koutetsu no Girlfriend 2nd (Iron Maiden 2nd) http://www.gainax.co.jp/soft/koutetsu2/index.html will commence serialisation in the October 2003 issue of Kadokawa Shoten's shoujo manga magazine Monthly Asuka (on sale 24 August 2003). Based on the game, but with a new story. GAiNAX has now announced that the author will be Hayashi Fumino. Furthermore, there's a four page preview of the manga in the September 2003 issue of Asuka.

Broccoli has announced that the release of the "Shin Seiki Evangelion Ayanami Ikusei Keikaku With Asuka Hokan Keikaku" (Neon Genesis Evangelion Ayanami Rearing Project With Asuka Complementation Project) computer game has been put back from 11 September 2003 to 23 October 2003.

New GAINAX Project

From Natsume Maya News out of the Tokyo Character Show: ZDNet Japan reports on a new project by GAiNAX, Broccoli, Takara and Nitroplus. Titled "Neppuu Kairiku Bushilord", a meteor crashes into the earth in 2026, causing much destruction, with the resulting dust etc in the atmosphere blocking out the sun and causing an ice age. The decimated human survivors fight over the inhabitable land which remains. The story takes place 500 years in the future, during an age of civil war. Involves mecha. So what exactly is this project? An anime? A game? Or a "media mix"? I'm not certain... If Takara's involved, I guess that means a toy tie-in. Nitroplus is doing the mecha design, but Nitroplus make computer games, I think. GAiNAX make games and anime. The official webpage for Bushilord is now up here. See here

Site for New Lupin TV Special

The website for this year's Lupin III TV special, "Mission to return the treasure" is online here.

News Daichi Akitaroh Anime

Director Daichi Akitaroh has wrote is online journal herethat he is completing an anime called "Norstein no Shougai" (Norstein's Life).

Japanese Nausicaa DVD Release

The Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli movie Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind will be released on region 2 DVD on November 19th.

The statard version will retail for 4,700 yen. Features include English subtitles and commentary by animation director Kazuyoshi Katayama, and Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno who also worked on the movie. A limited editition release will retail for 7,800 yen, and ship with a ceramic figure of Nausicaa.

DVD Box Sets

From Anime on DVD FUNimation will release a DVD boxed set version of Blue Gender on September 30th for a retail price of $119.98, a savings of nearly $80 off the individual DVD retail prices.

Media Blasters has announced a Space Pirate Mito First Season DVD Boxed set (episodes 1-13) for release on October 28th at a retail price of only $39.95.

Upcoming ADV Releases

The following titles will be released on September 30th:

• *Zaion: I Wish You Were Here--Epidemic (First Volume Of The Acclaimed Series; Collector's Edition Available!)
• *Najica Blitz Tactics: Volume 2 (Collector's Edition Still Available!)
• *Sakura Wars Tv: Intermission (Volume 4 Of The Tv Series)
• *Orochi, The Eight-Headed Dragon (Updated Kaiju Action!)

The first volume of the thrilling sci-fi anime series Zaion: I Wish You Were Here. Directed by Seiji Muzushima (Dai Guard, Generator Gawl) and produced by Gonzo Digimation (Full Metal Panic, Hellsing, Blue Sub No. 6), Zaion found success with Japanese fans not only through its 2001 television release, but also with a groundbreaking Internet broadcast of the first episode. Praise for the series has traveled across the Pacific, increasing U.S. anticipation for the four-episode series, praised for its plot, its character designs and its successful combination of CG and traditional cel animation.

The Story: A meteorite crashes to Earth, bringing with it a deadly virus known as M34 that infects humans, turning them into lethal beast-like monsters. The world's top organizations gather to form the organization CURE to combat the infectious disease. One organization, NOA, stands in the virus' destructive path by using solders implanted with super nanotechnology to fight the vicious disease. But as the virus continues to spread and mutate into different strains, mankind's only hope may be a sixteen-year-old girl...

Directed by Katsuihiko Nishijima (Project A-ko, Labyrinth of Flames), and with animation direction by Noriyasu Yamauchi (Guyver: Out of Control), Najica Blitz Tactics is a fast-paced "spy-fi" thriller, packed with hard-hitting action and more than a little eye-candy for the fans.

Sakura Wars TV: Intermission, fourth volume of ADV's DVD release of the title.

Well known for its enthusiastic genre hopping, including robot combat, musical theatre, romance, a dose of history lesson and more, the Sakura Wars franchise-including video games, OVAs and this television series-has proven an enduring fan favorite.

The Story: The nefarious Satani is up to his tricks again-and the only thing more horrifying than the wickedness of his actions is the revelation of his true identity! Meanwhile, Sakura must face the Spirit World in order to make peace with the troubled soul of her father; Iris finally gets her hands on her own Koubu; and the Crimson Lady is back for another death match. Just your average day on the job for the Imperial Flower Combat Troop!

The adventure continues as the girls of the Koubu face off against the lords of destruction in a tag-team, steam-punk fight to the finish!

Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon,

...the live-action monster motion picture that thrilled U.S. fans in its original VHS release. Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon is slated for release on ADV Films' Rubbersuit Pictures imprint. Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon was produced by Toho Studios, famed for the beloved Godzilla movies, and directed by Takao Okawara (Godzilla Vs. Destroyer, Godzilla Vs. Mothra).

The Story: Born under an evil sign, Takeru Yamato's own father orders him executed at birth, but the Gods intervene and a hero is born! Motion-picture technology finally catches up with the grandeur of the epic myth as Toho Studios unleashes an unparalleled spectacle of swordplay and mass destruction! Utilizing state of the art special effects and stunning sets, Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon breathes awe-inspiring life into Takeru's legendary confrontations with black sorcerers, fire demons and the monstrous Orochi!

Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon (SRP $19.98) is a DVD-only release including English- and Japanese-language versions, with English subtitles. Includes ADV Previews.

The following will be released October 7th:

• Aura Battler Dunbine: The Kings Of Byston Well (Vol. 3 of the anime classic!)*
• Eden's Bowy: Fallen Angels And Flower Towns (Fourth volume of the fantasy series)*
• Steel Angel Kurumi 2: Earth's Guardian Angels (Second and final volume of the charming Kurumi sequel!)

First broadcast in Japan in the mid 1980's, Aura Battler Dunbine is widely considered one of the finest and most significant titles from the "golden age" of televised anime. Conceived by Yoshiyuki Tomino (creator and director of Gundam) and based on Tomino's novel Wings of Lin, Aura Battler Dunbine has long been celebrated not only for its exciting plot and extraordinary mecha designs (by Studio Nue, of Macross fame), but also for the series' emphasis on strong and detailed characterization, and the consistently excellent quality of its animation (produced by Sunrise Animation).

As befits the title's extraordinary production pedigree, Aura Battler Dunbine is a rich and complex tale, mingling a fantasy-inspired setting with an anachronistic blend of technologies, and spicing the mixture with extensive elements sourced from ancient folklore of the British Isles.

The Story: Show Zama and his comrades are witness to what seems to be the inevitable conquest of Byston Well by Drake Luft's massive army. Kingdom after kingdom falls as Bern Bunnings pushes Luft's troops closer and closer to a final showdown in the Land of Ah. Personal relationships are strained; while more mysteries are revealed as both good men and bad fall victim to the relentless appetite of war.

Aura Battler Dunbine is the stuff that legends are made of. An epic, one-of-a-kind adventure that dives headfirst into a rich, fully defined world to create one of the most unique anime experiences ever envisioned.

The Following will be released October 14th:

• *Angelic Layer: Divine Inspiration (Vol. 1 of the series; Collector's Edition Available!)
• *Full Metal Panic!: Mission 04
• *King Of Bandit Jing: Volume 3
• *Neo Ranga: Ghosts Of Days Gone By (Vol. 5 of the intriguing series)

Anglic Layer

With its offbeat combination of mind-controlled robots and junior high school tragicomedy, Angelic Layer was an instant success on its 2001 Japanese release and U.S. fans are expectantly awaiting its stateside appearance.

Much of Angelic Layer's hit status can be attributed to its production team. Based on a manga from the all-female studio CLAMP (Chobits, Rayearth, Tokyo Babylon), Angelic Layer was animated by BONES, the animators of the highly acclaimed RahXephon and Wolf's Rain.

The Story: The moment small town girl Misaki Suzuhara arrives in Tokyo, she is thrust into the excitement of Angelic Layer-a high-tech, fast-paced game where dolls called Angels are controlled by the thoughts of their operators, also called Deus.

Twelve-year-old Misaki, a middle school freshman now living with her aunt, quickly makes friends with others who are as interested in Angelic Layer as she is. Misaki builds her own Angel, Hikaru, and begins competing in battles where will and determination count for far more than size and strength.

Will Misaki get the hang of Angelic Layer quickly enough to avoid defeat? Who is that mysterious man who keeps popping up, anyway? And what is really the deal with Misaki's mom? Watch the first four fun-filled episodes to see how Misaki fares in battle and deals with life in the big city.

Lady Death Movie News

ComicsContinuum has reported on ADV Films Comic Con Lady Death discusision. Andy Orjuela, producer of the Lady Death animated movie from ADV Films, told The Continuum that it will be released on Oct. 30, 2004.

Orjuela just returned from Korea, where he was overseeing production. "I actually got to see a good portion of it," he said. "It's coming together pretty nicely."

Orjuela told The Continuum that casting for the official voice tracks will take place in March, with recording at the end of April. He hopes to have the film completed in time for Comic-Con International next year.

Although Lady Death has been relaunched at CrossGen, Orjuela said the movie will be closer to the Chaos! Comics roots of the character.

"It's definitely based off the original comics, although it's a little tighter and more complete," Orjuela said.

Orjuela will be part of an ADV panel on Lady Death on Friday at Comic-Con.

"We'll show a small sequence of key animation of line art and we'll show the trailer and some behind-the-scenes stuff," he said.

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