Father Geek here with the Thanksgiving Holiday Edition of our regular weekly Manga & Anime column. Its a little shorter than usual due to the short work week's lower level of news generation, buuut there's still plenty to interest you in this week's report of...

AnimAICN...

by Scott Green

Anime Preview: Wandaba Style Volume 1: Rocket to Stardom

To be Released by ADV Films 1/18/05

Wandaba Style is an odd series, even by anime standards. The clownish, candy colored work tries to send a group of idol singers to the moon via aircraft carrier pulled elastic sling shot, giant carbonated soda bottles with packing peanut backed crew capsules and the like. It is occasionally as spasmodic as some of its recent kindred, but it's a half-clever unabashed creativity really makes it a good exercise in the quick, 12 episode, between season tv anime format. When it aired proponents didn't understand why it didn't gain much attention, and in small doses, not four episodes in one setting, there is undeniable charm in waiting to see what it will pull off next.

Mix Juice (a real entity to some degree) is a pop girl band foursome, manufactured by a kinetically brash manager with a large blonde afro (not unlike Excel Saga's directorial self insertion Nabeshin), consisting of an angry washed-up child actress, a construction worker by day/traditional performer by night, a confrontational rocker, and a invisible fairy (over the over muscled green variety) accompanied bad folk singer. Failing to find an audience, even with their manager promising that girls will "flash their tits" (the first indication that the show is not entirely innocuous, along with the perpetual puppy noses on the traditional performer's construction worker top). The group finds a platform in a young eccentric genius planned lunar launch.

From the assistant robot that can't coordinate the correct emotional responses to anime voices on helium, to a young scientist who wears purple ascot and brightly barred stockings, the series take pride in its garishness and bubblegum sci-fi. : bright and arresting ideas taken to the full extent of their implausibility. It is the brand of humor that consistently provides particularly odd ideas, but the episodes need space. While not repetitive, or over reliant on running gags, with deep or likable characters, the jokes do merge with over exposure. An episode or two at a time and its an excellent diversion.

Toei Geneon Distribution Details

Right Stuf list the first titles release for Geneon's recently announced distribution deal with anime giant Toei. The first two volumes of teen fighting anime Air Master, and basket ball sports anime Slam Dunk will be released on February 8th for $24.98 each.

ICV2 has clarified the relationship between Geneon and Toei. According to Geneon's Chad Kime, the new agreement is similar to the agreements that Geneon had with Viz and Bandai in the past (both of whom now handle their own titles). Geneon will distribute any titles that Toei decides to distribute in the U.S.. According to Kime, "This would naturally exclude the titles that Toei Japan may license to other U.S. companies."

ICV2 also asked Gen Fukunaga of FUNimation, whose best known series, Dragon Ball is a Toei work, about his company's relationship to Toei. He said, "We expect our relationship with Toei to continue. This quarter we'll probably be announcing some of the new titles we'll be doing with them."

CLAMP Anime Adaptations

CLAMP's related manga series XXXHOLiC and Tsubasa are being adapted into anime for 2004.

CLAMPConflicting report refer to adventure remix Tsubasa as a TV series or theatrical movie.

Howl's Moving Castle News

Nausicaa.net indicates that producer Toshio Suzuki announced Monster's Inc. director Pete Docter will be heading the English adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle, Mayao Miyazaki's adaptation of British author Diana Wynne Jones' fantasy novel. Miyazaki's first choice John Lasseter was unavailable to work on the project due to commitment to Pixar's Cars.

Anime News Network reports that with 1.1 million ticket sales for 1.4 billion yen (US$13.5m), the latest Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki films Howl's Moving Castle enjoyed the most successful opening for any Japanese movie in history. Miyazaki's last film, Spirited Away held the box office record, earning 2 billion yen (1.5 million tickets) in its opening 4 days (it was released during a national holiday).

Howl's Moving Castle accounted for 72% of the total Japanese box office sales this past weekend.

Daily Yomiuri Online has posted an English article about Ghibli's balence of international regard and local roots.

Bastard Manga Gone Again

After breafly returning to his heavy metal swords and sorcery manga Bastard, Kazushi Hagiwara has again announced that the series is going on hiatus.

Urusei Yatsura Release Plans

AnimEigo announces that the 6th and 7th box sets of Rumiko Takashi's relationship comedy Urusei Yatsura are shipping. Preorders for the 8th set will open near the end of the year and be released in Early 2005.

Production on the OAV set is complete. Preorders will be open around the same time.

Bree Sharp singing "Mew Mew" Songs

Anime News Network points out that official website of indie pop-rock singer Bree Sharp, reports that she will be singing the theme song and "several other recurring tunes" for Mew Mew Power, which, according to the site, is due to air on Fox Box in January 2005.

Gen Fukunaga Interview

ICV2 has posted a two part interview with anime distributor FUNimation's Gen Fukunaga here and here

Special Edition Ghost in the Shell

Manga Entertainment will be releasing a special edition of Ghost in the Shell on January 11th.

According to Anime Nation, features include

• Japanese & English DTS ES 6.1 audio
• Japanese & English DD-EX 5.1 audio
• Spanish & French 2.0 audio
• Character Dossiers
• Creator Biography
• Director Biography
• Digital Works
• Production Report
• Ghost In The Shell Trailers
• 2 sided color poster
• Postcard

More Stand Alone Complex Audio Problems

Anime on DVD reports that less severe audio problems have been found in the third volume of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex than those of the first two releases.

According to what few reports are available so far due to this being an early release, on the DTS disc's English DTS 5.1 mix, the opening sequence for episode 10 has a shift from being a fully enveloping track to one where it shifts to the center and left rear channels.

Upcoming CMX Manga Releases

DC Comics' CMX Manga plans the following releases

March

The Devil Does Exist Vol. 1 By Takanashi Mitsuba

Monster Collection Vol. 1 By Tsukuba Sakura

Sword Of The Dark Ones Vol. 1 Written by Kotobuki Tsukasa Art by Yasui Kentaro

April

1. Madara Vol. 3 Writer: Tajima Sho-u Artist: Otsuka Eiji
2. From Eroica With Love Vol. 3 By Aoike Yasuko
3. Land Of The Blindfolded Vol. 3 By Tsukuba Sakura
4. Phantom Thief Jeannie Vol. 1 By Tanemura Arina
5. Tenryu: The Dragon Cycle Vol. 1 By Matoh Sanami

   Second Half of Last Exile on Anime Unleashed

   Anime News Network reports G4TechTV's will be airing the episodes 14-16 of Gonzo's aviation epic Last Exile, released domestically by Geneon weekday starting December 6th. Episodes 1-13 will re-air Monday through Sunday beginning November 29. There will also be marathon broadcast of the entire Last Exile series, episodes 1-26, on Christmas Day.

   Broccoli Manga Delayed

   Broccoli Books' released of Juvenile Orion #5 Limited Edition and Galaxy Angel #4 have been delayed to January 12th.

   Speakeasy to Release Yoshitaka Amano Comic

   Speakeasy has announced that they wll be releasing artist Yoshitaka Amano's, character designer for many Final Fantasy games, Vampire Hunter D and Gatchman, Hero. The first 96 page volume will be released in March for $9.95. Speak easy describes the release as a "prestige format" comic, but the description sounds like illustrated prose, which would be more in keeping with Amano's past works.

   Tentative March Releases

   Diamond's Previews list the following noteworthy anime titles for a March time frame. The titles have not bee official announced.

   • Blue Seed Dvd Box Set
   • Es Otherwise Vol 1 Operation Gald City Dvd
   • Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 1 Dvd Ltd Ed Metal Box W Cd Ost
   • Gantz Vol 1 Dvd
   • Kekko Kamen Dvd
   • Koi Kaze Vol 1 Dvd
   • Ninja Scroll Tv Ultimate Collection Dvd Box Set
   • New Getter Robo Vol 1 Rude Awakenings
   • Overman King Gainer Vol 1 Yapans Exodus
   • Saiyuki Reloaded Vol 1
   • Tokyo Underground Vol 1 Awakening
   • Urusei Yatsura Movie 6 Always My Darling

   New manga releases (less tentative) include Blade Of Heaven, Dead End, Qwan, Sorcerer Hunters, Tarot Cafe and Warcraft from TOKYOPOP and Legendz, SOS, and Times Two from Viz

   Gantz is a violent, perpetually shocking series about people plucked the moment before death, and equipped to fight alien creatures.

   Saiyuki Reloaded to be released by Geneon, is the sequel to Saiyuki, a pop retelling of the Journey to the West (basic for early Dragon Ball and other work), released domestically by ADV.

   Tokyo Underground is an adventure about student who finds a secret civilization under Tokyo.

   Otakon Changes

   Anime News Network reports that the Baltamores Otakon 2005 anime convention has changed it dates to August 19-21. A limit of 22,000 people will be permitted "memberships" to Otakon 2005. Memberships will no longer be refundable or offered for single days.

   Arkansas Act 858 Developments

   Arkansas Act 858, a measure to regulated the display of material deemed harmful to minors has been challenged by an Arkansas bookseller and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, the American Booksellers Foundation, the Arkansas ACLU and others. On November 18th, Judge G. Thomas Eisele of the U.S. District Court of Arkansas Eastern District ruled that Arkansas Act 858 is unconstitutional, siting "facially unconstitutional under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution because such provisions are overbroad and impose unconstitutional prior restraint on the availability and display of constitutionally protected, non-obscene materials to both adults and older minors."

   Adult comics, such as translated hentai (pornographic) manga were seen as a target of the law).

   InuYasha Movie Plans

   Icv2 reports that Viz plans to run TV advertisement and store displays leading to the December 28th of InuYasha The Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass DVD (January 25th in Canada).

   Viz has sold one million InuYasha DVDs in the U.S. and Canada since the release of the first volume two years ago in October, 2002.

   Self Love Replacement

   Anime News Network reports that Central Park Media has announced that some copies Selfish Love Vol. #1, published by the Be Beautiful yaoi (homosexual relationship stories) imprint, contained a printing error. Details on the printing error and replacement copies are available from the Be Beautiful website here.

   Anime Network inquired on whether an omitted 12 page short story, originally included in the Japanese volume 1 would be included in the later volume, but CPM was not able to comment on the matter. Other stories not included in the Japanese edition were included in the Be Beutiful volume.

   Dragon Ball Game Images

   The Magic Box has images of Atari's Dragon Ball Z Sagas: Evolution, an action adventure game with RPG elements with a story that spans from the Saiyan Saga to Cell Game Saga here.

   Korean Robot Carnival DVD

   Twitch points out that a Korean DVD of theatrical anime anthology Robot Carnival has been release with English subtitles. The films features works from creators ranging from Katsuhiro Otomo to Yusuomi Umetsu (Mezzo, Kite).

   Cameron Talks Battle Angel

   Speaking on NPR's Talk of the Nation, directory James Cameron mentioned that he is working on preproduction for a live action adaptation of Battle Angel Alita (aka Gumn), a sprawling sci-fi about a human braining in a robot body found in the Scrapheap dumping group below a pillar raised city.

   Mid Feburary Geneon Releases

   2/15/05

   • Fighting Spirit - Dream of a K.O. (V.4) DVD: boxing anime
   • R.O.D -The TV- The Darkest Hour (V.5) DVD: action follow-up to Read or Die
   • Requiem from the Darkness - Pain of the Damned (V.3) DVD: Psychedelic horror anthology
   • Tokyo Underground - Awakening (V.1) DVD

   Tokyo Underground

   Deep under the ground of the capital city of Tokyo exists a forgotten sunless world called "Tokyo Underground." From this world, two mysterious figures, Chelsea Rorec and Ruri Sarasa come escaping and find a temporary safe haven in the home of Rumina Asagi. Ruri is called the "Maiden of Life" and an important personage in the underground world. Chelsea is Ruri's bodyguard and she helps her escape. Villains chasing them appear on Rumina's doorstep and the fierce fight continues. Ruri's miraculous power wakens Rumina's latent Wind Powers. Rumina resolves to protect Ruri from the evil forces using his new-found strength and sets off on his long journey.

   "Doraemon" Seiyuu Shakeup After 25 Years

   Toonzone.net points out a Mainichi Shimbun in revealing that long running children's anime Doraemon, about a cat robot from the future, is replacing its voice actors for the first time.

   The current cast is:

   • 68-year-old actress Nobuyo Oyama (who voices Doraemone)
   • Noriko Ohara, 69 (who voices lead boy Nobita)
   • Michiko Nomura, 66 (who voices Shizuka)
   • Kazuya Tatekabe, 70 (who voices Takeshi Gôda)
   • Kenta Kimotsuki, 69 (who voices Jyaian in 1973 and Suneo)