Anime Preview
Cromartie High School
Volume 1

To be released by ADV Films

It is not exactly right to say that Cromartie is a more male oriented Azumanga Daioh, but in that is strip based manga turned into quick hit anime about school life that, the comparison is applicable. While Azumanga scrap-booked the in-between moments in school life, Cromartie diffracts some of school's personalities, especially their shonen aesthetic incarnations, through an absurdist lens.

Cromartie probably will not become a phenomenon of Azumanga Daioh's caliber. It lacks the infectious craze vector of Azumanga's characters and running gags, but being another an antidote to the anime comedies that you need to scrape off the ceiling, and that it possesses a winning charm with its unique personality, it is a worthy successor to Azumanga Daioh.

A landmark in Japanese pop culture is the gangster, or "Yankee" high school, where the equivalent of 50's greasers cultivate exhibitionist hairstyle and constantly vie with each other for position in primal dominance hierarchies.
As if flamboyant, scarred thugs weren't enough, Cromartie High School is also home to a gorilla with a bald crown, the tin can robot Mechazawa and Queen's Freddie Mercury (or maybe just a random guy who speaks no Japanese, has a bushy moustache and old covers his hairy chest with suspenders).

Kamiyama stands out, as one not so bright youth with a flame of purple hair points out, as a rabbit among lions. He does what many teens dream about, goes to a new school and re-invents himself. He's still a straight, bland guy with dweebish hobbies, who writes his mother regularly, but among the chest thumpers and guys who snap packages of pencils in their teeth, he's recognized as a leader.

Because of the episodes' brevity, the series doesn't need to build or telegraph its humor. Jokes remain simple, for example, everyone is humming a song, but no one knows its titles, but following it own foreign logic it's easy to become engrossed what's almost a comedy of etiquette. The characters' need for a cool composure is constantly assaulted by robots granted with slick social dexterity or cigarettes as color sticks with random bobbing cgi-globs; adding stimuli to a bizarro, often clueless culture and watch it try not to react.

One complaint about the English dub script, and a comment on English dub scripts in general is that there are certain slurs that a translation should just avoid unless the context really calls for it. A script can capture the derogatory nature of a comment without going so far. "Faggot" in particular is used in Cromartie, and at least one other recent series. Especially in the context of a teen character throwing it out to be derisive rather than with any real emotion force, it can be replaced with something less charged without watering down the content.

Manga Spotlight: Vagabond
by Takehiko Inou
Volumes 14-17

Released by Viz

Vagabond built its foundations on Eiji Yoshikawa's fictionalized biography of renowned historical swordsman Miyomoto Musashi (also adapted into the Samurai trilogy with Toshiro Mifune)

There's a wide breath in what the currently running English samurai manga has to offer, between Ruruoni's addicting pot boiler, Blade of the Immortals more mature action and character work, along with Hiroaki Samura's beautiful mixed media art, and Lone Wolf and Cub predecessor Samurai Executioner’s gritty look at crime and society. In Vagabond, Takehiko Inoue gets into the mind and spirit of a world where great minds express their ideas with metal blades; creating something violent and resolved through action, but also thoughtful and beautiful. Whether its the natural beauty of a sea shore, or the troubled thoughts and worn down appearance of an old man who is disgusted by his life, Inoue painstaking renders an organic world, where characters think, age and change.

Viz's treatment of Vagabond is the most amazing manga release currently being produced. It's released monthly for $10 a volumes. It's an excellent translation, down to character voice. Sound effects illustrations and chapter titles are translated, and the text is well touch up to integrate with the original work without masking it. Even the notes on the chapter buffer page sketches are translated. Color pages are reproduced in color, and black and white pages are bold and vivid, the sea shores in these chapters are literally breathtaking. Production value alone would make Vagabond essential to any manga library.

In these volumes, the series does something original and genius. He fabricates a lengthy sidetrack down the history of a legend's antagonist. One some levels the prospect resembles the buffers that manga creators throw into series to lengthen their runs, or if they need time to figure the course of the work. However rather than a branch or an apologia for the grinning counter-force to the hero, the chapters paint a detailed portrait of a parallel life to Musashi's that shows the workings of a fundamentally different mind within its own engrossing population of characters and circumstances.

In the popularized version of Miyamoto Musashi's history, the two feuds that establish him are with the Yoshioka school and Sasaki Kojiro. The Yoshioka school marked his progression past the decaying system of outdated swords school in his new era of post unification enforced peace. Kojiro was his competition for the crown of the preeminent swordsman and mind of his day.

Kojiro is the more physically vivid of the two rivals, picture as young, roguishly arrogant and handsome, using his Drying Pole, a sword of what unknowing first time observers would label foolish length, in the darting Swallowtail Cut.

In Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Kojiro is a bit unlikable, but in a manner conscious that the key reason is his opposition to the protagonist. His brashness mostly differs from Musashi's by a shade of degree and its object. He's the natural genius who breezes into success as opposed to Musashi's hard gained revelations. Eiji Yoshikawa deepen the character by aging his characters leading up to their final duel, mellowing Kojiro's caustic qualities, but Kojiro generally used more as an obsticle than a distinct life.

While Eiji Yoshikawa's novel casts a heavy shadow of over the perceptions of Musashi and those in his life, two factors allow provide space for a canvas of Kojiro's pre-Musashi life. First, a general overview of the accepted version Musashi' career is well known. There is no rush to see how it pans out, because the Eiji Yoshikawa progressions has been adapted, or alluded to so often that samurai fiction fans are going to know the major markers.

Secondly, Kojiro is rightfully called legendary. He's talked about to this day, but a historical Kojiro stands on very shaky grounds. No matter how radically the character, if he's talented, handsome and fights with a long sword, there isn't much to point to argue against a depiction. Musashi probably owes his place in historical memory to his Book of Five Rings, without which his reputation wouldn't have the same volume. His dueling accomplishments mostly come from the writings of supporters and don't hold up well under the standards of academic scrutiny. The existence of a factual Kojiro in particular is largely uncooberated. He's has the mark of the a personality that history would create, or maybe play up, if it hadn't existed.

Musashi already had an interesting origin story: a wild bully tamed by a monk, propelled into a self betterment by a forced education, a sort of Jean Valjean of intellect rather than morality. In this history, Kojiro's natural intelligent is made more profound. He's deaf, and an orphan, raised by a disgraced swordmaster at a seaside hermitage.

Zatoichi comes to mind instantly, but the idea of handicapped martial artist is nothing new. However, the deaf Kojiro doesn't invoke the tradition of preternatural compensation for a lost sense. He's a genius with sparkling intelligence who, from infancy has fixated on the sword. Musashi struggles to reign in his rage until he apply an intellect able to notice things like picking up on mark's of another genius from the cut on the flower. Kojiro works feverishly too, but he does so with a natural grace and a spontaneous confidence.

Observing Kojiro physically and mentally age through these volumes, along with the redemption of his guardian, a formerly respected sword teacher brought down his inability to see the world beyond himself and lack of self-knowledge, is one of the real human tales to be found in manga. In its richness it ties the two characters into a story about what happens after a Seven Samurai rescue of a village and the politics of the days' world of sword masters. Actual sword work is abundant and peerless, but the ability to create real characters in a real world sets Vagabond apart.

Manga Spotlight: Di Gi Charat Theater: Leave It To Piyoko
Volume 1
by Hina.

Released by Broccoli Books

Much of Leave it to Piyoko's parent franchise Digi Charat was originally imbedded in larger collections of material, appearing in magazines in the case of the manga or variety shows in the case of the anime. Collecting a work like this, or many of the manga anthology works, highlights their weakness or does translated well into collected form. Leave it to Piyoko doesn't have many overt weaknesses, and it isn't overly damaged by collection, but it isn't very distinguishable either. It's a diverting light read, but more filler than anything memorable or substantive.

The mini-caper comic follows the exploits of green haired, cat-girl, maid-outfit wearing, alien wannabe-starlet and pop-culture speciality store employee (talk about a fetishistic full house) Di Gi Charat aka Dejiko's cute, panda-motif Florence Nightingale nurse outfit wearing, wannabe evil, but nice-ish arch nemesis Piyoko (not to be confused with Dejiko's rabbit ear wearing rival Rabi~en~Rose). With the help of her support officers, a caring trio of a doctor, a dentist and veterinarian named for famous Germans (is there a more specific pattern to Erhard, Sweitzer and Heisenberg?) who try to be evil and Black Gemma Gemma Gang's faceless assistants, Piyoko attempts to kidnap Dejiko, hoping to support her native planet Analogue with the ransom.

The not so subtle irony that is that Piyoko's evil crew are generally more altruistic, caring people than Dejiko's loud, fame-seeking slacker ethos. The Black Gemma Gemma's are litterally less colorful characters than Digiko's gang, buth with Piyoko's adorable Upchuck Bazooka and the like, the manage some comic energy. The gags generally work, and the series doesn't have the Di Gi Charat pitfall of labor pop-culture references.

Manga Spotlight:
Pilgrim Jager
Volume 1
vt Toh Ubukata and Mami Itoh

Released by Anime Works

Pilgram Jager is an exciting find from a lower profile release by a newer manga distributor. Set in the religious fires of late-Renaissance Europe its familiarity with history and its ability to capture the impressive qualities of exceptional motion make it the best manga you that you probably haven't heard of. While it doesn't have Tezuka's ability to working cinematic vision into manga, its action, and even its nudity when that happens, invoke the kind of responses that simular scenes would in live action.

It isn't yet convincingly a great manga. The characters haven't registered as something beyond the comely young women of a more generic action/adventure. Still their circumstances are intriguing. A pair of wondering performers/problem solvers raising money to buy indulgences, one which is from the Benandanti pagan tradition, and carries a strange staff called the Fennel Stalk (an allusion to the instrument Prometheus used to carry his stolen fire), and the other a woman whose bandaged arms produce nail points, aren't exactly the traditional protagonists.

Aside from the supernatural, the series isn't purely historically accurate, but the author knows when they are departing from historical accuracies, they says as much in their chapter end notes. The series is frequently incorporating interesting aspects of the political, religious and social features of the time. It hasn't just picked a rich point in western civilization as an arbitrary setting to for medieval otherness, it is fully utilizing the history and lore of the time.

Largely by virtue of the illustration's body forms, if a character in Pilgrim Jager performs a physical action that is beyond the capabilities of the average person, the illustration captures the forms in such as way the act has some of the weight of video presentation. If a characters users a spear to vault upwards, or even swings a staff around their body with flare. It registers as something beyond a flat step in a visual narrative. What should be a feet or a stunt, and it registers as a feet or stunt.

Howl's Moving Castle News

A schedule June 2005 North American release for Hayao Miyazaki's latest feature, Howling Moving Castle is looking more likely, including IMDB's list.

Nausicaa.net points a Studio Ghibli's plans for a Howling Moving Castle following up, the "Big Circus Show". Work will start April 27th and last 100 days. There will also be a gigantic "Howl's City" in the site of the show at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Tokyo. All the characters in the story will be displayed as puppets. In the middle of the site, an old-style "tent house" will be built. There will be even more surprises waiting for the people.

Producer Suzuki explained, "Outwardly there seems to be no correlation between the 'sequel' and the original story. In the 'sequel', the characters will make you feel that they have feelings of isolation. But when we examine the outward appearances and the inner hearts of the characters again, you can find that it is related to the original story."

"We don't want to be limited to animation which is just a narrow form of creation. We hope that through the circus show, people can grasp the new charms of 'Howl's Moving Castle'."

English Steamboy Cast

Sony Pictures has listed some of key roles English dub roles in their upcoming adapataton of Steamboy, including:

• Anna Paquin will play Ray Steam
  
• Alfred Molina will play Eddie Steam
  
• Patrick Stewart will play Lord Steam

Warner Brothers to Distribute Anime in Japan

Anime News Network and Variety report Warner Brothers Japan will be distributing Fuji TV's Brave Story theatrically in Japan, with a international option. The one billion yen production (US$10 million), produced by Fuji TV and Gonzo in their recent partnership, and scheduled for a 2006 release, was initially thought to have been picked up by Buena Vista International Japan.

Brave Story is based on a best selling novel by Miyuki Miyabe and will be directed by Koichi Chigira.

ADV Trailers

ADV has posted new trailers of Elfen Lied, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu and Kekko Kamen here

Elfen Lied is a shockingly violent take on what looked to be a magic girl romance.

Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu is a followup/re-invisioned version of bipolar commando/highschool romance Full Metal Panic! Unlike it the original, it is not animated by popular Studio Gonzo.

Kekko Kamen is cult creator Go Nagai's extra-over the top bondage comedy/adventure.

Anime Game News

A game based on Ken Akusmatsu's Negima can be seen here

A new Playstation 2 game based on the rock anime/manga Beck can be seen here

From The Magic Box

Bandai's 55 character fighting game One Piece Grand Battle: Combat Rush, which takes the characters through the Davy Fight story can be seen here. The game can be seen is scheduled for a March 17 release in Japan, for PS2 and GameCube.

Avalanche Software and Atari's Dragon Ball Z Sagas, to be released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube on March 22nd in the US can be seen here. The third person action game allows the allows the user to play as five Dragon Ball Z fighters, Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Vegeta and TrunksGoku, Gohan, Piccolo, Vegeta and Trunks, to battle in the stories between Saiyan and Cell Game Sagas.

Ys III: Wanderers, from a series of anime-style games that have been adapter into anime will be released in Japan on March 24th.

Creator Profiles

Comic Book Galaxy has a retrospective on the works of manga creator Naoki Urasawa here, who has produced a library of works unlicensed for English distribution worth knowing about, including Master Keaton, Monster, Twentieth Century Boys, and Yawara.

AniPage Daily looks at Japanese independent animation Tadanari Okamoto here
There is also a translated conversation between animator Gisaburo Sugii and manga illustrator Hiroshi Masumura about Night on the Galactic Railroad, the adaptation of beloved children's writer and poet's Kenji Miyazawa best known work here

Japanese Group Looking to Halt Sexual Depiction of Minors

Manga News Service reports that kidnapping and murder of an elementary school girl in Nara, Japan advocacy groups have gained momentum in their effort to regulate lolicon, the sexual depiction of minors in pornographic magazines, such as hentai manga, and adult video games.

CASPAR, a non-profit organization founded in 1989 says "For 5 or 6 years we have been collecting material, and the so called bishoujo adult anime magazines and bishoujo adult anime simulation games are terrible. Grown men manipulate childlike little girls, themes of turning them into slaves to have one's own sexual desires fulfilled being very common. "

TOKYOPOP To Offer Stock in Japan?

Anime News Network reports Nikkei Kinyu Shimbun's list of companies planning an initial public on the Japanese stock exchange offering in 2005, includes domestic manga distributor TOKYOPOP. TOKYOPOP's corperation is listed as Japanese, with a subsidiary in North America. Major, current share holders include Softbank Finance Corporation, Mitsui MVC, Nippon Venture Capital, and Trans Cosmos.

4Kids CEO Honored

Anime News Network reports that LIMA, the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association has announced that Al Kahn, the CEO and Chairperson for 4Kids Entertainment, will be inducted into the Murray Altchuler Licensing Hall of Fame on June 22nd at the annual LIMA awards gala in New York City. Candidates for the hall of fame must demonstrate "continual and outstanding" contributions to the licensing industry over a period of at least 10 years.

4Kids' English adapation of anime has Pokemon, Yu Gi Oh!, One piece, Shaman King, Sonic X, and Ultimate Muscle. Their degree of localization of frequently caused contraversy amoung anime fans.

Anime on American TV

G4, formerly Tech TV and G4TechTV will be showing Gainax's parody anime Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi on February 7th.

The International Channel has begun showing Akitaroh Daichi's child conscript army series Now and Then, Here and There.

From Anime News Network, Cartoon Network has announced that D.I.C.E will premiere on January 22nd, and the second on their season divisions (as opposed to the season division in their Japanese run) of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Full Metal Alchemist will run between January and June.

The Cartoon Network has announced that the Bandai and Xebec co-produced "anime" series D.I.C.E. (DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises) will premier on Saturday, January 22nd at 7:30 pm. The science fiction/adventure series is targeted at 6-11 year-old boys. Although the show is animated in Japan, there are presently no plans for the series to be released in Japan.

Cartoon Network presents the U.S. television debut of D.I.CE on Saturday, Jan. 22, at 7:30 p.m. (ET, PT). D.I.C.E (DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises) is a large organization established to deal with emergencies occurring throughout the Sarbylion galaxy. D.I.C.E F-99 is the only unit comprised entirely of highly trained kids. When a problem arises, D.I.C.E is called to the rescue. And when their special training and skills aren’t enough, they rely on their Dinobreakers to help get the job done.

Animated series Fullmetal Alchemist returns with a new season beginning Saturday, Feb. 12, at 11:30 p.m. (ET, PT). The 30-minute action-adventure series from Japan tells the story of two brothers who have mastered the art of alchemy, though at considerable personal cost. Edward lost his leg, and Alphonse lost his entire body. But Edward is able to enclose Alphonse’s soul inside a suit of armor but at the cost of his right arm. Equipped with a replacement mechanical arm and leg, and a near mastery of alchemy, the brothers set forth on an adventurous quest to find the fabled Philosopher’s Stone to restore their bodies to their natural state

Animé series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex returns on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 12 a.m. (ET, PT) with its second season following the adventures of female cyborg, Maj. Motoko Kusanagi, and her fellow police officers of Section 9. Along with the ever-ready Tachikomas, the officers must continue their mission to hunt down criminals in both the real and online world. In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, the officers of Section 9 are called in to resolve a murder before it turns into an international incident, hunt down a runaway state-of-the-art killing machine and solve the mystery of a defective android.

TOKYOPOP to Sponsor Free Comics Day

TOKYOPOP will be contributing as a Bronze Level Sponsor in this years Free Comics Days, an event on May 7 that hopes in introduce new readers to comics by providing free comics at comic shops.
TOKYOPOP will donate free quantities of previously published titles to the event.

Latest Astro Boy on DVD

TVShowsOnDVD reports that the English adaptation of the latest anime incarnation of Atro Boy will be released by Sony in a 5-DVD set on March 29th.

Manga From Square Enix

Eurogamer and Anime News Network report that game makers Square Enix will release series "Code Age" as a manga before its video game. The series will start in the Shonen Gangan anthology this February.

Sunabozu Released Online

Animaxis reports Gonzo's Sunabozu will be running one episode a week online here

Mind Games News

AniPages Daily reports that Mind Game has won the Nobuo Ofuji Award at the prestigious 59th annual Mainichi Film Concours hosted by the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. Mind Game earlier won the Japan Media Arts Festival's Animation Divison Grand Prize.

The Japanese DVD of the movie features English subtitles. More information can links can be seen here

January/February Geneon Releases

January

Star Ocean Ex Volume One - Inception

With the universe on the brink of destruction, the chance meeting of two people will set in motion a series of events that will bring about the wrath of the gods and their devlish advisors in Star Ocean Ex Volume One ­ The Inception, on DVD January 4 from Geneon Entertainment. Based on Azuma Mayumi¹s manga adaptation of the PlayStation® game Star Ocean: The Second Story, Star Ocean Ex is a lush and rich realization of a world that fans have come to cherish. Brought to life by Kenichi Kanemaki (Agent Aika, Ai Yori Aoshi), director Hiroshi Watanabe (Slayers Movie, Bandit King Jing,
Orphen) and animation Studio Deen (You¹re Under Arrest, Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X).

SAMURAI CHAMPLOO VOLUME 01

Incorporating the Okinawan word for ³mixing,² Samurai Champloo is a hard-edged, pulse-pounding blend of wry humor, hardcore samurai action, lush animation and moreŠ and volume one is coming to DVD January 11, 2005 from Geneon Entertainment. Hailed as ³hip beyond comprehension² (Anime Insider) and ³anime with bite and both chompers clamping down hard² (DVD Etc.), Samurai Champloo is the latest project from character designer and animation director Kazuto Nakazawa, who directed the animated portion of Quentin Tarantino¹s Kill Bill; creative director Shinichiro Watanabe, internationally-acclaimed for his work in Cowboy Bebop and Animatrix; and production designer Mahiro Maeda, a collaborator on Animatrix and Last Exile. Powered by a smashing musical score with contributions by American and Japanese hip-hop artists ­ including Tsutchie, fat john, Nujabes and FORCE OF NATURE ­ Samurai Champloo is the cutting edge of cool and a redefinition of the genre.

BURN-UP SCRAMBLE VOLUME B - BABES BATTLE BANDITS

CYBUSTER V2

GREGORY HORROR SHOW V3 - THE NIGHTMARE TRAIN

FEBRUARY

HUMAN CROSSING - THE 25TH HOUR (V.1)

In a departure from the hyper-kinetic action and frenzied pacing that the world has come to expect from anime, Human Crossing offers a subtle and realistic portrayal of life¹s random intersections, and the countless ways that those human interactions affect one another.

SAIYUKI RELOAD - VOLUME ONE

Guns. Cigarettes. Attitude. These aren¹t you¹re average demon slayers, and they¹re out to kick some tail in Geneon Entertainment¹s sequel to the immensely popular Saiyuki TV series. Saiyuki Reload Volume One, debuting
on DVD February 8, follows the legendary Sanzo group as they tear across the countryside, wreaking havoc on the demon population that threatens to take over the world. It¹s four against an army of the dark side, but this badass bunch has a few tricks up their sleeves and they¹re ready for the challenge. And the best part isŠ they look good doing it! Goku, Gojyo, Hakkai and Sanzo are four cute guys who walk the walk and talk the talk... and woe to anyone who stands in their way! Volume One features four full episodes, as well as four must-see extra episodes of URA-SAI!

STELLVIA FOUNDATION III

TSUKIHIME - VOLUME 3, NOCTURNAL FATE

ADV Releases

January 18th

Wandaba Style: Rocket to Stardom

January 25

Martian Successor Nadesico: Essential Anime Collection, Volume Three (of 3)

Princess Tutu: Märchen (volume 1 of 6)

February 1

Hello Kitty’s Animation Theater: Once Upon A Time (volume 1 of 4)

Saiyuki: Double Barrel Collection, Volume One

Saiyuki: Requiem, The Motion Picture hits

Hello Kitty’s Animation Theater: Once Upon A Time

Hello Kitty® collection gives fans a chance to experience the original Japanese audio track, the first time a Hello Kitty® feature has done this in the U.S.

Princess Tutu: Märchen

Directed by Junichi Sato (Sailor Moon, Kaleido Star) and Shougo Kawamoto (You’re Under Arrest! Season 2) and produced by HAL Film Maker (Kaleido Star) and TBS (Chobits), Princess Tutu is a classic fairy tale story with a twist of mystery, magic and romance.

Darkness hid the pieces of her beloved’s shattered heart, and time is running out for Princess Tutu to find them. Her dream of becoming a human girl has come true. However, peril lurks in the unseen shadows. Using the power of an enchanted amulet, she must unravel a dark and twisted mystery to keep her Prince and herself alive.

Everyone’s favorite feline, Hello Kitty, is here with her friends in some of the best fairy tale stories of all time! Come along and join Kitty, Mimmy, Badtz-Maru, Pochacco, My Melody and Dear Daniel as they re-tell your favorite classic tales in their own adorable style.

Wandaba Style

This out-of-this world comedy pays tribute to the television classic Thunderbirds as the zany scientist Dr. Tsukumo tries to propel the girls to the fame they crave. Created by Junzo Mutusuki (Devil Hunter Yokho), this hilarious sci-fi series is filled with zany humor, wacky inventions, and out-of-this-world action that is perfect for fans of Excel Saga and Puni Puni Poemy.

The sexy girls of the unknown J-pop band "Mixed Juice" are determined to make it to the top, and they'll do whatever it takes to get there! There's Sakura Haruno, a down-and-out child star who's resorted to selling her underwear on the internet; Himawari Natsuma, who works construction by day and sings enka ballads at night; Ayame Akimo, a ditsy young folk singer with an entourage of make-believe invisible fairies; and Yuri Fuyude, a rock singer who's too tough for her own good. When the down-on-their-luck band mates cross paths with Dr. Susumo Tsukumo, destiny takes a turn no one could have predicted. The girls team up with a genius mad scientist to become the first band on the moon. Will they be the hottest thing on the charts? Or, will they freeze to death in space?

SAIYUKI: REQUIEM, THE MOTION PICTURE

The sequel to the hit anime series is here in a brand new feature-length extravaganza! When the unspeakable evil of the demon world begins to plague mankind, powerful heroes are needed to defend the earth from these atrocities. Welcome to Saiyuki, the epic action/adventure story that brings you to a realm of magic and mysticism, sword and sorcery, and the eternal battle of good versus evil.

Based on the original 16th-century Chinese novel Xiyouji by Wu Cheng-En, Saiyuki first began to take shape with an animated version of the tale in the late 1960s. The current incarnation features a colorful cast of characters based on the popular manga by Kazuya Minekura and features the storyboard and direction work of Hayato Date (Naruto) along with Dentsu Inc. (Final Fantasy Unlimited) and Studio Pierrot (The Super Milk-chan Show, Naruto).

The Sanzo party has always been haunted by the past, and most of the time they’ve been able to deal with their ghosts. But when they enter The House of Dougan, they may not be so lucky! Lured to the mysterious shrine by a beautiful girl, Sanzo, Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai become ensnared in a trap of dangerous shikigami, murderous doppelgangers, and a malevolent monster who has destroyed his own soul for a demented purpose.

Saiyuki: Double Barrel Collection, Volume One

The first 2-disc volume of the six volume Saiyuki: Double Barrel Collection series hits the shelves. Experience the story that started it all in this new blazing hot collection.

Viz Licensing 20th Century Boys?

Anime on DVD reports Diamond Distributors lists that Viz will be releasing Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, a thriller about a struggling musician whose beings seeing disturbing parallels between a cult’s attacks and the games he invented with his friends as a child.

Amazing Screw on Head Interview

Suicide Girls has an interview with Dead Like Me/Wonderfalls creator Bryan Fuller that touches on the upcoming SciFi Channel adaptation of Hellboy creator’s animated Amazing Screw on Head here