Anime Spotlight: Gankutsuou

The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 1

To be Released by Geneon October 25th

With series like Gonkutsuou, animation studio Gonzo has carved themselves a niche in the forefront of high production TV anime.
Count of Monte Cristo was the ideal choice for this venture. Not only because its a classic of whose foundations many are familiar, the benchmark of revenge epics, or because its a well spring of intriguing and colorful characters, but because its opulence and truly conspicuous wealth are central components. If you're going to pack a work with social events of hard to parallel visual density, dinners and balls that scream enormous resources, its best to fit it into something where the extravagance will pay dividends. The topic of a cold, other-worldly man, traveling through an explosively vibrant culture is perfect for an anime with its own unique look. When was through with the work, every second of the anime screamed to be freeze-framed.

Televised anime has tended to represents smaller increments in the medium than movies or the increasingly rare direct to video releases. Studio Gonzo builds on their reputation for innovation with an absolute must see anime series that stunningly diverts from conventions. It appears to be inspired by the look of high fashion and the technique of video games. Surfaces have a have a flat, but texture mapped look, so a head of hair may look like the polished stone, sky may look like cloudy liquid, a background might look like painted ceramics. The most attention grabbing facet of the look is its application towards clothing, which appears a studied variety of patterns and materials.

The characters almost look upholstered in patterned cloth, but often, as a character moves, their form traverses along the pattern, as if their shape was a traveling window as opposed to a form wrapped with a design. The involvement of designer Anna Sui is perhaps overstated, but its indicative of where the series' head was. The results sometimes are garish, but always captivating.

Because there is something beautiful, but unnatural with the look, 2D figures integrate well with 3D object and backgrounds.
The mosaiced 3D background almost look like Gustav Klimt works with CGI depths.

It's not a novelty that gets quickly exhausted, but a technique that promises to stay enthralling as it is explored over the course of a full lengthed anime series.

With an elusive, worn, gothy anti-hero alter ego, homosexuality, drug use, and an ambivalence to living a religious prescribed life, not to mention a 24 density of plotting and intrigue, the epic soap opera of Monte Cristo can speak in familiar terms to a modern audience. With intrigue, and strong emotions of longing and hate, genre, shonen and shojo fans will find themselves with a good example of their favorite story characteristics.

Gankutsuou ("Lord of the Cave", a reference to an early Japanese translation of the Dumas novel) shifts the narrative into a space faring society. Oddly, though the series is in a planet traveling culture, with Carnival on Lunar and talks of travels through "Eastern Space", the significance of France, Paris and Marseilles are preserved. The more significant deviation is that it is told from the perspective of Albert de Morcerf, a young and sympathetic piece in the Monte Cristo gambit. It opens with Albert and Franz d'Epinay at Carnival, where among the packed reveling they meet the mysterious, fantastically rich and well traveled Count of Monte Cristo.

Those who have read the book might end up envying those who haven't for getting to see the history unfold for the first time in this manner. Not that it is going to top Dumas' narrative, but it does present the story in a modern fashion, in which the histories are slowly unveiled, and the motivations are held out of sight.

Fans of the novel may be surprised by the frequency of cases where the anime perfectly capture the description of the original novel, especially in Monte Cristo's manner.

There are also substantial departures. One could conjecture that these mostly owe to condensing a 1000+ page novel into 24 episodes. Monte Cristo's handling of the Luigi Vampa kidnapping is considerably more physical. At this point, it isn't clear whether the facet will be addressed later, but Monte Cristo doesn't seem to have his interest in the Morrel family, despite Maximilian's presence during Monte Cristo's introduction to Paris. The death of Franz' father seems to happen under different circumstances, possibly simplifying the relationship between the circles of families involved in the Count's plot.

Other, generally minor characters are remade for the purposed of the anime.
Peppo, an androgynous supporting barely mention member of the Vampa incident is kept on as character a in the larger proceedings. Cristo's steward Bertuccio and servant Baptistin are now also muscle.

The raw, if at this point, unvocalized emotions feed into the display of the for an effect that will not soon be matched.

Anime Preview: Godannar

Volume 1

Based on English dub

To be Released by ADV October 4th

Godannar is the best Go Nagai show that Go Nagai didn't work on. Likewise, its the best Masami Obari show Masami Obari didn't work on.
If you think the elements of a classic, strange giant robot anime sped up like a Chipmunks record sounds like a grating idea, you'll be pleasantly shocked by Godnanner. It takes this potentially disastrous notion and implements it well enough that giant robot fans will love the series, but so will everyone else with a sense humor.

During the incrediblely straight faced clash of Earth's stalwart defenders and invading Evangelion angel-esque threats, never have logic defying humanoid fighting machines and mammoth mammaries been so amusing. The gall to show such outrageous gags outside an outright comedy, along with the don't blink speed make 25 minute episodes of the series pass even more quickly than popular manic comedies.

There's an early scene in Godannar set during the wedding of a young, pink haired teenager to a square jawed veteran hero. Mid-church/white gown ceremony the mountainous chest of her mother starts vibrating. The hard nosed commander with long purple hair reaches into her considerable cleavage and pulls outs a cell phone, from which she begins launching the counter-offensive against invading monsters.

What catipults this gag into the realm of the memerabke, and immediately separates these proceedings from both tired giant robot repetitiveness and lowest common dominator titillation built farces is that jets along, never flaunting the attributes a tired series might wallow in. It's awing that these character do what they do and look the way that they while conducting themselves that they are going what needs to be done.
The balencing of tribute with pisstake, and creators who had to be falling out their seats with steeled character is set pefectly.

Anime Spotlight: The Cat Return

Released by Disney Home Entertainment

The Cat Return is considered a lesser Ghibli movie, and maybe next to the Miyazki and Takahata opus work it is, but it is one real charmer thanks warm humor and wonder edged with an attitude that life isn't simple or easy. While the script is lighter and more obvious than Ghibli high spots, director Hiroyuki Morita has fun with the feline and fairytale moments, and while linking the Ghibli house style with jointed geometric abstraction that works wonders in digital animation under the guidance of directs like Masaaki Yuasa (Mind Game, Crayon Shin Chan).

The cat who returns is Baron, a carved sculpture of a cat dress as a European gentlemen who came to life in the fantastic CGI dream sequence of Yoshifumi Kondô's 1995 Whisphers of the Heart. The measured look at a pair of young people taking the first steps towards becoming artists has been worked on by Disney for a North American release, but has been held up. Speculation on the dely fall on the rights to the song "Country Road" which plays a role in the movie.

Baron, along with the fat lord of the neighborhood cat Muta/Moon make return engagements in The Cat Returns as the companions of a teenage girl who is shaken out of her underachieving daze of everyday life by a fairy tale adventure. Walking down the street with her more active friend, she sees a cat walking purposefully into the street with a bundle in its mouth. The cat fails to notice an oncoming truck, but his observer rushes into the out to save him. To her surprise, he thanks her, and runs off.

The girl is awoken that night by a precession of cats, walking and dressed in a strange parody of human regality. They stop in front on her house and their mangy walleyed king announced that for saving his son, she will be presented with an array of gifts and services, spelled out in a scroll of cat-hieroglyphics. She awakes the next morning and begins being besieged by exasperating cat-presents. At wits' over the cats' oddly egocentric attention, and disturbed by the announcment that she is to wed the cat prince, a disembodied voice advises her to find the Cat-Bureau, where she obtains the help of Baron and Muta. Which is fortunate, because she's taken to the cat kingdom, where must escape by dawn or become a cat herself.

The Cat Return is not purely ace storytelling. It relies on some of notorious anime short cuts. Why spend time establishing another character is an over-sleeper. As an adventure its fun to see pieces of Labyrinth, The Nutcracker and Something Wicked This Way Comes from a cat perspective, its basic fairy tale material, and a little too predictable.

That being said, it is packed full of nice moments, such an incident her mother reminds of her of when she was a child and she claimed to have spotted to a dirty stray kitten that told her "life is tough", or the half cruel affections of the cats, who fill her school locker with gift boxes of live mice.

The Cat Return isn't another Ghibli classic, but it is a brilliantly fun movie. New visual storytelling and attitudes complement an older story well enough to entertain any audience.

Anime Spotlight: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Volume 5

Released by Super Techno Arts

Jojo's volume 5 sports a bipolar pair of episodes. One is pure taut tension and unconventional (though maybe less unconventional since the advent of Yu-Gi-Oh and other game anime), the other is a more familiar pre-final conflict build, but one that really promises super powers that go for the jugular. A high level of violence is maintained along with consistently well built threats. The series knows how to construct a dangerous and dire situation, such that even if the heroes, villains and conflicts aren't compelling on there own (or even especially easy to follow), the action puzzles hold their own fascination.

Especially in that Jojo's doesn't repeat a trick, (the series' famous machine gun-punching green spirit hardly makes an appearance, and when he does, he's quiet), the progression has remained incredibly creative.

Being the second set of cell animated episodes, after the later produced (and earlier domestically release) prequel series, there's plenty of background material, but apart from a very long, and unless your familiar with the back-story, gratuitous prologue (with kindof a regrettably sexualized human sacrifice) scenes are kept self contained.

The cell animation sports some nice effects, such as comic split screens and circular camera spins. The series also serves as a reminded how well cell animation handled the tone and look of an a locale (Egypt in the case of this volume).

"Bizarre" is an apt description. It's quickly apparent how bloody vicious the action is, going to depths of things you'd expect a popular story not to do (to hint more would give away a good spoiler).

Doubling, down, its not its only one of the bloodier battles of supernatural powers, but one of the stranger ones, progressing more in that direction. A non atypical confrontation features one of the series' flamboyant pop music inspired characters shows up looking like an intensely muscled Poison-ish hair band rocker, spouts some very Star Trek-ish dimensional pocket techno-babble. Swallowing himself, he begins punching large spherical holes in everything in his path.
(for those familiar with the work, if you were wondering how the character named "Vanilla Ice" would be localized, its "Iced")

The first episode plays with the versatility of the concept of using phantasm alter egos with specific powers as tools, exercising the fast thinking intelligence that this series distinguishes itself by. It sets up conflicts between groups with supernatural abilities of limited capacity in which the winner strategies mostly effectively to apply their ability, or finds the rind hole in their opponents.

After the heroes' travelogue takes them to Cairo they fall into a trapped laid by an enemy agent who leverages his power to steal souls with his passion for gambling. Quickly using the emotional outbursts of the French gallant against him, then out-advanced-thinking the series' more in the moment, older Indiana Jones-esque elder statesmen, its down to the villainous southern gentlemen versus the hard Japanese punk young hero Jotaro Kujo (the latest in generation of the titular JoJo's). The conflict sets cheating against bluffing. Being mentally nimble, unsentimental, and brutal, not to mention stone faced, Jotaro is the perfect candidate to pick up the task. With its shifting interplay of tense misdirection, finding a more intense episode one room set piece anime would be a considerable task.

Once that problem is solved, it is finally the chance for the heros to put an end to the generations long feud between the heroic Joestar family and the vampire Dio. Having learned of their opponents location, the heroes desperately try to determine his abilities as they approach the confrontation.
The first sample of what's to come strikes when fire wielding hero Avdol blows the lid of Dio's supposed coffin. When smoke clears and the other heroes gather 'round to see what's inside, the coffin reveals Avdol's punctured body (its as confusing for the heroes and viewers as it sounds)
The new dimension of the quick brutality is established with the battle against the previously mentioned Iced. There's a mortal dread among the heroes going into the fight, and their fears are certainly realized. If there's a glaring problem with this bloodbath its that unlike most Jojo's fights it isn't won by intelligence but by a character acting in a stupid cardboard heroes and villains fashion.

Anime Spotlight: Planetes Volume 2

Released by Bandai

Planetes takes a view of science and future-tech not as a panacea but as a process. Set in the year 2070 humanity has gone into space to preserve the status of human society. Rather than existence threatening, it?s a situation where resources need to be brought in to maintain the industrialized world. It's particular blue collar view looks at the people with their hands in the mess, the debris collects who remove the trash and discarded objects from earth orbit, which poses a danger of causing catastrophic collisions.

When Planetes works best, its is thoughtfully engaging the practical and philosphical. The social and mundane aspects are as thought through as the larger concepts. There are plenty of quick hit, granular moments to make you smile like drunkenness in low G or smart MacGyver moves. Above the mechanical is a layer of procedural, such as the economics of working in space from a business enterprise standpoint, along with that would be important to individuals, such as work visas.

It finds its most emotional and intellectually charged material pondering the implications, especially, during the course of this volume the slow dangers of space, what radiation and low gravity does to the human body. That space kills the people who love it

Planetes is an excellent anime that provides a number of things missing in most genre releases.
It mixed hard sci-fi with a dedication to keep the characters, no matter how large or small, human. It's animation matches detailed working tech with an incredibly diversity of faces from a spectrum of races and body types. It's not a series that does thing badly, but one that doesn't consistently do things as well as it could. The manga it is adapted from lends the anime alot of faith and reputation. The manga was terse, going through several significant changes and a large amount of material in five volumes. Substantially expanded, the anime provides some strong original material, with the emotional and intelligent weight of the manga, but still ends up bloated.

A little of married couple bickering between hard headed, ambitious Hachi and sentimental Tanabe goes a long way. As does Tanabe's "All You Need is Love" rhetoric. The pair are universally inescapable in the anime incarnation.

The bigger problem is that the anime challenges a suspension of disbelief more frequently than it should. The manga moved from blue collar work to top level missions/exploration. It kept a sense that its stories were either real or the type of tall tale that might be told in a bar at the end of the day. The anime gets too silly too often, such as an episode that prominently featured a neighborhood of Cowboy Andy type ninjas. While this touches on the what happens when employment in space fails, and vaults off the ethnic diversity for a fun look at Japanophilia, but it extends the period of the characters looking silly long enough to damage their standing in viewer perception.

Compounding the disbelief problem is that it goes to the well of astronomical coincidence too often. When characters react to their experiences and start thinking above their lives after an event, the strengths of the series build on a progression that the viewer can follow along with. When synchronicity seems to drive the order, progressing from thought to experience (for example in the first volume, the characters discuss the chance of dying in space, then find the space burial coffin of an astronaut while on the job), it seems more like typical story telling than a true narrative. This happens enough, each time invoking a step out of the events to look at them as a fictional narrative, that it severely undercuts a sense of semi-vérité.

One of the strengths of the manga in setting itself apart from most popular series, and attracting many readers who were not typically dawn to manga releases was that it didn't start off with the conventional heroes like the youthful Hachi who was a hard-headed pragmatist and in his idealistic aspirations with Tanabe who was an even more youthful, vocal romantic.

The early manga balanced Hachi's role, and early on maybe dominated it, with the collector crew's veterans: Fee, a blue collar heroin, intelligent, gutsy and fiercely individualist, and Yuri, quiet, zen and traveled. The pair both had a perspective and a view of the job as their career rather than a stepping stone that added a gravity to their stories, and appealed to an order audience who might be making sense of their own career rather than looking at a nebulous personal future.

Half way through the volume, the series devotes some episodes to these two characters. It's still seen through the eyes of Hachi and Tanabe, but a sense of the concerns of older people is still captured. That they have past decisions and experiences as adults makes a difference. In some cases the arrangement isn't kind to these stories. Yuri's history started the manga, and was the perfect vehicle for connecting the work to the people. Moved to after the viewer is comfortable with the Planetes setting, it still presents has a compelling presentation of a painful set of events through an introverted character, but as as hinted revelation, it doesn?t have the impact of when it was sudden.

Anime Spotlight:
Genshiken

Volume 1

Released by Media Blasters

If you've ever chuckled on overhearing an intelligent, witty, purely dyed in the wool geek conversation you've experienced something like watching Genshiken. Documentaries doesn?t portray geek culture this well. This will invoke the proud and embarrassed reaction of seeing fandom in its full glory.

As opposed to the over accentuated types and circumstances than geek parodies like Comic Party or Nurse Witch Komugi the focus is believable characters do and saying that type of things that make mundane situations into stories worth repeating.

The series follows the exploits of the Genshiken or The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, an university club whose missions statement purports to explored the influence of modern media such as anime, manga and video games. To that end the anime titles its episodes with names like "Comparative Classification Of Consumption And Diversion Among Modern Youth"
or (breath intake) The Sublimated Process Of Mental Blocks Regarding The Dissimilation Between Dress And Costume". In practice, they're notoriously unmotivated. Typically, the action is from point of view newbie Sasahara, witnessing attractive, but passive video game savant Kousaka's non-geek girlfriend verbally and or physically assaulting club members, sparking a outfirst by diehard Madarame. The last episode spices the group up with the arrival of girl geek Ohno, a shy girl who comes out of her shell for cosplaying (dressing up in character costumes).

Though the series is in part poking fun at the over-analysis or anime, despite the academic sounding titles, the characters generally flail with over-exertion when trying to intellectual anime, it seems to be taking a legitimate, if somewhat circuitous look at the appeal of anime. It's not all about sex, but a lot of it is. Madarame gets in a classic rant justifying the appeal of being turned on by abstract representations of human forms. These characters aren't irredeemable horny bastards, but it does address an interest in pornographic material. Even Ohno has her turn ons. And Kousaka, the nice, handsome guy, has his collection.

Of note in Media Blaster's release, the characters not only play a recognizable video game (Guilty Gear), they talk about actual titles. These got a bit mangled in Del Rey's localization the manga. Media Blasters use the real references to other anime works , which is helpful for the dated classics (ie Loddoss War).

The bonus feature is an episode of Kujikibi Unbalence, an episode of the hot anime title watched within Genshiken. It's a faster farce, in a number of ways less subtle comedy that unabashedly mixes of cliche and unsubtle double entondre. Characters with strangely wide-bottoms navigate the anime archetypes and typical situations in a school that tests its student in Iron Chief-like competitions.

Between an undressed sister tumbling down a flight of stairs and a classmates pseudo-orgasming after consuming an especially phallic looking mushroom, reading between the line, it seems to be insinuating that that the appeal of anime is very sexual.

Naruo Bumps Cartoon Network Ratings

Anime News Network and Animation Insider report Cartoon Network's debut of Naruto garnered the following ratings as compared to the previous Saturday's:

Kids 6-11:

Viewership: 575,000 (increased by 15%)

Ratings: 2.4 (increased by 14%)

Boys 6-11:

Viewership: 432,000 (increased by 16%)

Ratings: 3.5 (increased by 17%)

Tweens 9-14:

Viewership: 572,000 (increased by 20%)

Ratings (2.3) (increased by 21%)

Tween boys 9-14:

Viewership: 443,000 (increased by 25%)

Ratings: 3.5 (increased by 25%)

Saturday night's replay of the program was the highest-rated show on Cartoon Network for the week with two key demographics for the cable channel; tweens 9-14 had a 2.8 share with 700,000 watching while boys 9-14 had a 4.7 share with 594,000.

Advent Children News and Previews

TwitchFilm points out that extensive screen shots of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children can be seen at here. A look at the special box set packaging can be seen here and a Japanese Blog.

The movie is currently schedule for a November 29th North American Release.

Japanese Hellsing OAV Release Date

The first volume of the direct to DVD Hellsing Ultimate, a new adaptation of the horror action which will more closely follow the original manga than the original TV series, will be released in Japan on December 9th.

Viz Expanding European Manga

VIZ Media, LLC announced today a venture with London-based Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, Ltd.(CPLG) to drive the long term growth of its Japanese manga and animation brands in the European market. The new venture, called VIZ Media B.V., will generate new business opportunities and revenue streams by coordinating all aspects of brand development through a property?s lifecycle. VIZ Media and CPLG will each hold a 50% share in VIZ Media B.V., which will officially open in Amsterdam October 3, 2005.

Among the first titles that will be offered by VIZ Media B.V. will be DEKO BOKO FRIENDS, MÄR and BLEACH. These titles reflect the diversity of offerings of the venture, which will manage content ranging from pre-school to boys action, girls manga to more niche sci-fi and fantasy properties.

TOKYOPOP Experience 40% Direct Market Growth

ICV2 and Anime News Network report that during the first half of 2005, direct market (comic book specialty shops) manga sales have grown 33%, with TOKYOPOP's sales expanding 40%. Direct Market sales account for less than 20% of North American manga sales.

OEL Manga Comments

Relating to a conversation about original English language manga (OEL), manga guru C.B. Cebulski (formerly of CPM, Fanboy Inc, and Marvel Comics), comments regarding Japanese perceptions of medium that challenged widely accept North American notions. On Warren Ellis' forum The Engine here, Cebulski commented that from the Japanese viewpoint, contrary to the understanding of many North American fans, "manga" is not the universal term for comics. "Komikusu" (the transliteration of "comics") describes the medium, while "AmeComi" describes American comics, and "manga" specifically describes Japanese comics.

Cebulski states

Look, agree or diasgree, I'm just stating facts here. Offering up a side of the discussion most people don't get to hear. Yes, this will rock the boat a bit and I know that, but I'm just trying to give another perspective on the discussion. Manga is purely Japanese and that's just how it is.

I have three projects coming out with Japanese artists in the States over the next year. I also have two projects I'm working on in Japan with Japanese artists that will be published in Japanese in Japanese gekkan manga in the next year. And do you know what I'm told, even by my Japanese pubishers? "These are not true manga.", and that's simply because I'm involved. But because I understand their way of thinking, because I understand what manga is, I accept it.

Later

I find that a bit of a blanket statement. Any country, Asian or not, takes pride in their national heritage. Try arguing that kimchi isn't Korean. Or tell an Irishman that Guiness isn't Irish. Or that baseball isn't American. There are just some things that are attributed to individual cultures. Manga is Japanese. They're just calling it like they see it.

Speaking of baseball, I think that might be an apt anology to make. There's no denying that baseball's inherently American, but it's the second most popular sport in Japan. They've taken it and adapted it to their culture. However, the Japanese have always acknowledged that baseball is American, they just play it. The same could be said for manga here. We've now started playing their game. We can't change what it is or where it came from and have to accept that.

But just as Nomo, Ichiro and Matsui have made it to the big leagues here, will a non-Japanese ever have a hit in the Japanese manga market? Hard to say...

See the full forum thread for a very intelligent and controlled conversation on the topic.

CPM Announces New Re-Priced Releases

Central Park Media announced several re-price releases collection: the action adventure Mecha Masters box set containing works by the legendary Koichi Ohata, the supernatural action series Legend of the Dragon Kings from the screenwriter of "InuYasha: The TV Series" and The World of Narue DVD Collection based on the best selling graphic novels.

The 6-disc (4 DVDs, plus 2 CDs) Mecha Masters box set will be priced at $34.95srp, the 6-disc Legend of the Dragon Kings DVD Collection will be priced at $59.95srp and the 4-disc The World of Narue DVD Collection will be priced at $39.95srp. All individual DVDs will be available at the new, low price of $9.95srp each.

All DVDs will have audio tracks in both English and Japanese with English subtitles. All titles will have a pre-order date of October 25, 2005 and a street date of November 22, 2005.

Mecha Masters: Explosive Anime Classics

Includes M.D. Geist I & II Collector's Series Edition, Cybernetics Guardian, Genocyber: The Collection, M.D. Geist and Genocyber I Soundtracks and bonus disc in an collector's box.

The World of Narue DVD Collection

Narue is an adorable school girl with a secret. She's really an alien with powers right out of a sci-fi comic book. Join our spunky heroine as she faces androids, alien invaders, and her first date with the boy next door. It's the sci-fi comedy that's a direct hit to your heart. Complete Series: All 12 episodes on 4 DVDs.

Legend of the Dragon Kings DVD Collection

What if dragons existed, hidden in plain sight, magically disguised as the boys next door? The Ryudo brothers seem like typical neighbors, but they hide a mystical secret. They are ancient dragons pledged to protect humanity from evil. Now, as mankind drives itself to extinction, the brothers answer the call of their destiny. Firebreathing dragons once more roam free, and the Earth is transformed into a world of enchantment.

TOKYOPOP Mountain of Manga Contest Extended

TOKYOPOP's referal "Win a Mountain of Manga" has been extended. Contestants can enter to win every Manga title that TOKYOPOP publishes for the month of September by reffering friends to the Takuhai free promotional magazine. For more details see here.

Right Stuf Talks Kimba and Upcoming Releases

The Right Stuf International has announced that the 52 episode original Kimba: The White Lion anime series will be released on November 29th for $129.99.

First aired in 1965, KIMBA is known worldwide as one of Osamu Tezuka's greatest masterpieces (along with Tezuka's crowning achievement, Astro Boy). And now, in this 11-disc Limited Ultra Edition release, Kimba: The White Lion will look better than ever. With completely restored video, interviews with Fred Ladd, deleted scenes, the original Japanese pilot episode and more, animation fans young and old will fall in love with the adventures of the original lion king.

In addition to the restored episode, the collection be include a special "How Kimba Came to Be" booklet written by Fred Patten and Robin Leyden; the original Japanese Episode 1 (with English subtitles); an interview with Fred Ladd; deleted scenes; the textless English opening; the original English closing; an original Character Art Gallery; a merchandise gallery; and character profiles.

The DVDs will be packaged in a fully telescopic artbox.

Shingu: Secret Of The Stellar Wars Dvd 5: Fateful Conclusions and a remastered and re-authored Weather Report Girl will be release November 29th.

New Gaiking Anime

Anime News Network reports a new Gaiking anime is in the works. Further details are available here.

JPop Breakup

Anime News Network reports that J-pop group Do As Infinity, whose anime work includes themes songs for Inu-Yasha have broken up.

December and January Dark Horse Releases

Berserk Volume 10 Tpb

Written and art by Kentaro Miura.

240 pages, black and white, $13.95, in stores on Jan. 25.

Blood: The Last Vampire -- Night Of The Beasts Novel

Written by Mamoru Oshii, cover by Katsuya Terada.

At Yokota Base in Japan, American soldiers stand guard at the brink of the Vietnam War. Although they fear the enemy outside their base, an even more dangerous enemy waits within?bloodthirsty vampires walk among them. Appearing human, the beasts lurk in secret among the soldiers, waiting for the moment to attack. Saya, a fierce and beautiful vampire hunter, is sent to lead a team of undercover agents whose mission is to decide who is human and who is not, and wipe out the vampires before they can wipe out the base. But even though Saya is a powerful warrior whose skill with her Japanese sword is lethal, her ferocity may not be enough. The first book in a highly successful series of novels from Japan, Blood: The Last Vampire is a startling, fast-paced thriller full of chilling surprises.
300 pages, $8.95, in stores on Dec. 14.

Gungrave Anime Manga Tpb

Based on the anime created by Yasuhiro Nightow and the animation produced by Madhouse.

160 pages, $14.95, in stores on Jan. 18.

Seraphic Feather Volume 6: Collision Course Tpb

Written by Toshiya Takeda, art by Hiroyuki Utatane.

A game of power, treachery, and violence plays out over possession of advanced alien technology discovered buried on the Moon. These "Emblem Seeds" can unleash incredible power, but only a few are capable of wielding that power, and those who can are as valuable as the technology itself. Separatist corporate terrorists have hijacked a shuttle to Earth with the intent of kidnapping one such paranormal, Kei Heidemann, but U.N. agents, led by the beautiful and deadly Attim M-Zak, are out to spoil their plot. If the agents fail, not only will Kei fall into enemy hands, but the crippled shuttle will collide with Earth's orbital elevator, cutting off the moon colonies and setting the stage for the moon's independence?and potential war with Earth.
$15.95, in stores on Jan. 11.

Super Manga Blast! #59

128 pages, black and white, $5.99.

Vampire Hunter D Volume 3: Demon Deathchase Novel (Adapted as the Bloodlust movie)

Written by Hideyuki Kikuchi, art by Yoshitaka Amaon.

The third volume of the popular Japanese series Vampire Hunter D comes to America in Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase. The vampire hunter known only as D has been hired by a wealthy, dying man to find his daughter, who was kidnapped by the powerful vampire Lord Meierlink. Though humans speak well of Meierlink, the price on his head is too high for D to ignore and he sets out to save her before she can be turned into an undead creature of the night. In the nightmare world of 12090 A.D., finding Meierlink before he reaches the spaceport in the Clayborn States and gets off the planet will be hard enough, but D has more than just Meierlink to worry about. The dying man is taking no chances, and has also enlisted the Marcus family, a renegade clan of four brothers and a sister who don't care who they kill as long as they get paid. Beautiful illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano complement the post-apocalyptic plot, filled with chilling twists. Co-Published with Digital Manga Publishing.
300 pages, $8.95, in stores on Dec. 14.

Takahashi Autographed Card Sells for $670

ICV2 reports the first Rumiko Takahashi autograph card from Score's InuYasha TCG sold on eBay for $670 after a three-day auction. Tony Yamada of Ideal Collectables had the winning bid. "...We were very keen on acquiring this card if ever presented the chance," Yamada told Score in an e-mail. "It was fortune that gave us the opportunity...."

The first Takahashi autograph card was given to a female player after winning the InuYasha World Championship at Anime Expo; that one is unlikely to surface. That leaves one still out in the Yokai expansion, and two more to come in the Kassen expansion in November.

Golgo 13 Release Moved

Urban Vision has moved the release of globe trotting assasin action Golgo 13: The Professional to November 1st.

Upcoming Manga Premieres

Del Rey will be releasing the first volume of Pastel on December 27th. TOKYOPOP will be releasing the first volumes of PitaTen Fan Book on November 11th and Broken Angels, KamiKaze, and Loveless on February 7th.

New Boys Over Flows Adaptation

MangaNews reports a new live action adaptation of shojo school drama Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flows is being adapted into a new live action television series. See here.

Score on Upcoming Fruits Basket Game

Fruits Basket Card Game, scheduled to release in the first quarter of 2006, marks the first time Score Entertainment has ever released a single purchase game. Each deck sells for a suggested retail price of $9.99 and contains 121 cards including a poker deck of 54 cards, a play deck of 53 cards and 14 character cards.

The multiplayer game is based off of the Japanese animation Fruits Basket and the manga, created by Natsuki Takaya. Like in the anime, every member of the Sohma family, even Kyo, represents an animal in the Chinese Zodiac. Tohru is the center of the card game and works with players to befriend members of the Sohma family.

Fruits Basket card game encompasses the theme of friendship like the television program. Players work with the Tohru character card to befriend all the characters in the Chinese Zodiac. The goal for each player is to make friends with the Zodiac-cursed characters. The player with the most friends wins the game.

While making friends with the Fruits Basket Zodiac-cursed characters, players can also befriend each other during the game. Players have the option to entertain and strengthen their relationships by sharing experiences from their own past, prompted by questions on the cards. This interaction makes Fruits Basket more than just a card game; Fruits Basket is an experience that brings friends closer together.

Miyazaki Receives Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival

Anime director Hayao Miyazaki was given a lifetime achievement award at the recent Venice Film Festival.
A video clip can be seen here

Nausicaa.net has photos and more coverage here, and BBC here.

A inteview with Miyazaki has been posted by the Guardian Unlimited here.

Gonzo's MMORPG Involvement

Anime News Network reports Gonzo Digmation, the studio behind popular anime series such as Full Metal Panic and Gantz has purchase Warp Gate, the game studio responsible for fantast online roleplaying game Knight Online. The company plans on attracting more subscribers by
creating animation that coincides with game events.

Late October/Early November ADV Releases

ADV will be releasing the following on October 18th:

FULL METAL PANIC? FUMOFFU: Full Metal Mania! (volume 4 of 4)

GATCHAMAN Volumes 5 & 6 (of 18)

GILGAMESH: A Wake For The Undead (Volume 3 of 7)

JING: KING OF BANDITS Complete Collection ($39.98)

Jing: King of Bandits

Jing: King of Bandits is a fun-filled adventure story based on the popular manga series by Yuuichi Kumakura and animated by fan-favorite Studio DEEN (Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok, Tactics). The series follows the adventures of Jing, a young boy whose remarkable skills make him one of the most feared thieves on the planet.

Synopsis: Hide your coin pouches! No priceless bauble or exquisite jewel is safe from the leering eyes and stealthy hands of Jing, the King of Bandits. With a heart of gold and a wisecracking, girl-crazy bird sidekick, Jing steals his way through one exciting adventure after another!

ADV will be releasing thin-pack collections of Kino's Journey and Those Who Hunt Elves on October 25th.

Kino?s Journey Complete Collection

Based on the popular novel by Keiichi Sigsawa and directed by Ryutaro Nakamura (Sakura Wars TV, Serial Experiments Lain), Kino?s Journey is the slightly surreal story of a nomadic teen astride a sentient motorbike he rides from one adventure to the next. Part The Little Prince and part Knight Rider, Kino?s Journey is a sophisticated anime in which each episode?s destination is a platform to explore complex themes of frailty and fear.

Synopsis: Destination is a state of mind. Travelers not only find themselves in a variety of locations and geographic phenomena, but they also bare witness to the whims of culture and the skewed effects of subtle circumstance. Kino is such a traveler. Sitting astride Hermes, the ultimate internal combustion companion, Kino searches for life?s answers, life?s questions, and the myriad of interpretations connected to them. A wielder of cutlery, firepower and a piercing tongue, Kino is ready to embark on a journey unlike any other!

Kino?s Journey Complete Collection (SRP $39.98 DVD) is a DVD thin-pack release including all 13 episodes of the original television series, presented in both English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 with English subtitles.

Those Who Hunt Elves Complete Collection

There are some stories that almost couldn?t be told in any other way than through anime. Those Who Hunt Elves is one of these. An actor, a martial artist, a gun-crazy high school student, and a tank are transported from the modern world to a place inhabited by elves and magic. Unfortunately, the spell to send them back home is blown into bits, scattered across the bare skin of random elves all around the planet. The spell fragments must be recovered before our heroes can return home. But how to find them? There?s only one thing for it: they must hunt elves... and strip them!

Directed by Kazuyoshi Katayama (Appleseed OAV), Those Who Hunt Elves is based on an original manga from Yu Yagami (published in North America by ADV Manga).

Synopsis: WARNING! NAKED ELVES AHEAD! The elves of Middle Earth never faced a foe as terrifying, as determined, as down right demented as Those Who Hunt Elves. Strongman Junpei, Hollywood actress Airi, teenage Ritsuko and their T-74 tank have landed in a (different) world of elves, and the spell to send them home has run amuck and split into five pieces that appear as tattoos on the bodies of five young female elves. So they set out on a quest to strip evey elf they can lay their hands on until they find the missing spell pieces. Get ready for the wildest, craziest fantasy ever animated as Those Who Hunt Elves prove that elf stripping is more than just a job; it?s an adventure!

Those Who Hunt Elves Complete Collection, (SRP 600 minutes DVD) is a DVD-only release including all 24 episodes of the original Japanese TV series, presented in both English 2.0 and Japanese 2.0 with English subtitles. $49.98

The first volume (of 5) of Ghost Stories will also be released on October 25th.

With Ghost Stories, ADR director Steven Foster took a perfectly nice kids? show about modern children who take on supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore and brought in the best voice talent in anime to create a hip, funny action-comedy.

In online fan forums, however, Foster?s improvisational adaptation has come in for some heat from dub purists, who worry that the American pop culture references and comedic asides take Ghost Stories too far from its Japanese roots.

Just to be clear, ADV?s English dub of Ghost Stories follows the plot of the original exactly. But in place of a written script, Foster simply blocked out scenes and let the actors go. It?s the anime equivalent of Curb Your Enthusiasm, in that the actors have freedom to riff of one another instead of simply following a prewritten script. The result is a fresh, lively, funny dub with a spontaneous energy that stands apart.

Synopsis: When nearby construction disturbs a spiritual resting place, kids aren?t the only ones starting classes at this school. And that means it?s up to a scruffy band of young ghostbusters to expel their satanic schoolmates before everyone goes into permanent detention! So join Satsuki, her crybaby brother, the resident class stud, the school nerd and "psychical researcher", a born-again beauty, and a resentful, demon-possessed cat in the funniest, most ghoulish grade school you?ve ever enrolled in!

"Get Back the Future", the 10th and final volumes of Get Backers, and thin-pack collections of

Chrono Crusade (SRP $89.98 DVD) and Kaleido Star ($49.98) will be released November 1st.

CHRONO CRUSADE

She?s the nun-with-a-gun who captured America?s heart and never let go. He?s the demon sidekick that?s devoted to her. Together they?ve made Chrono Crusade one of the most popular action series of the year, and on November 1 fans everywhere can exorcise their good taste by picking up the smart new DVD thin-pack Chrono Crusade Complete Collection.

Chrono Crusade is based on the original manga series by Daisuke Moriyama, a best-seller published here in the States by ADV Manga. Directed by Yuu Kou and produced by the famous GONZO Digimation (Full Metal Panic!), Chrono Crusade?s holy heroes are elite exorcists sworn to stop a steady onslaught of demons crossing over into the human world of America in the 1920s. Chrono Crusade is "an outstanding series and embodies just about anything and everything that any anime fan could ever hope to have in a single show" (Underland Online). The series recently began airing on Showtime, where it will be broadcast in its entirety.

Synopsis: The year is 1928. Jazz is hot, bootleg liquor is king and the idle rich of a nation have discovered a horrifying new past-time: summoning demons! To combat this growing threat, a new order of Holy Warriors has arisen. This is the story of Sister Rosette, an elite Exorcist in the Order of Magdalene, whose soul has been bound by alchemy to that of the devil Chrono. Armed with Sacred ammo, they form an unstoppable team, ready to wage war at a moments notice... because when the gates of Hell are opened, someone?s got to put the devils back!

KALEIDO STAR

series aimed at tweens and teens, combining playful elements of children?s anime with the sophisticated vision of Cirque du Soleil. Kaleido Star combines a sense of fun and play-such a crucial element of Sailor Moon-with a believably positive storyline that emphasizes empowerment through bravery and determination.

Synopsis: When Sora leaves Japan to join the circus family of the Kaleido Stage it seems like her life long dream is finally coming true. But Sora soon finds out the being a star involves more than gymnastics. First she must get past the circus rivalries that could shatter her dreams, and rigorous training for death defying shows! Along the way she finds friends, family and romance and a home away from home at the Kaleido Stage. Get ready to feast your eyes on the dazzling costumes, the high flying extravagance, and the unrivaled glamour of the Kaleido Stage!

TOKYOPOP Talks Mark of the Succubus

TOKYOPOP announced that the first volume of original English language manga Mark of the Succubus will be released in November.

Previewed in the August issue of the top teen publication, ELLEgirl, Mark of the Succubus was created by two hot new stars, Irene Flores and Ashly Raiti, who came to TOKYOPOP's attention in the company's third Rising Stars of Manga competition. This three volume series marks their first full-length story as professional manga-ka.

Mark of the Succubus is a Gothic, supernatural tale of Maeve, a young succubus--or spiritual vampire--in training. Sent to the human world to learn how to interact with her soon-to-be victims, Maeve encounters serious problems when she falls in love with her target and finds herself entangled in a massive Demon World conspiracy.

Fans can preview a chapter of Mark of the Succubus for free beginning in November at http://www.TOKYOPOP.com/takuhaionline A manga preview will also appear in the fall edition of the print version of Takuhai, TOKYOPOP's free magazine.

Diamond Changes

This week's Lying in the Gutters runs through changes that Diamond Distributors, responsible for supplying comics to specialty shops, will be making to low order titles. The move could effect manga from smaller or newer publishers or resolictitations of released titled.

Yoko Kanno on MMORPG

Yahoo buisness news reports acclaimed anime sound track compuser Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Arjuna, Macross Plus), has agreed to compose 90 songs for Ragnarok Online 2.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Review

GzeP from the Philippines has sent along the following review of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children:

Yes I finally saw it... my God. It's a spoiler-free review- I think. I mean it would take more than this to talk every cool shit about the movie.

First things first, I'm a BIG Final Fantasy fan ever since the SNES days (I guess you should know that by know) and Final Fantasy VII is NOT my favorite Final Fantasy of all time. That title still belongs to Final Fantasy VI, my favorite game (yes game, not just RPG) in my whole lifetime. I could go all day argue with you why I would pick a 16 bit classic opposing to a 32 bit classic, but of course that doesn't entirely mean I don't love Final Fantasy VII. I do love VII it is my second favorite FF title next to the War of the Magi. In fact my top 5 goes like this: VI, VII, IV, IX and V. I can see why VII is the most popular pick among the gaming crowd primarily because of its modernization of the FF franchise and the memorable cast. The ending of VII to me was a lil disappointing coz we never got the idea of what happened to Cloud and the gang. Unlike VI's classic ending (and is still my favorite RPG ending too mind you) where a closure could be found, VII's ending was left hanging. Fast forward to 2003 where Square-Enix announced a movie sequel based on VII and I was going nuts. Ok sure a VII-2 game would be heaven sent but a movie isn't a bad idea. I mean it would be totally awesome to see Cloud kick ass in real motion cinema and such. Not to mention adding voices to these characters which add more depth in their already established state. So the delays were really keeping us fans pissed since it's been almost 2 years since it was first announced. In fact those countless trailers were getting tiring already since we just want to see the real thing y'know. Then again I realized something about these delays- originally the movie was just going to be 20 minutes and that would've sort of sucked since its short- the delays were in fact meant to keep the movie long and run at like 100 minutes, almost as long as a real movie. Ok so cool plus I heard they were really going to make some tweaks to make this biggest CG movie ever and also the best game-movie adaptation. So were the delays all worth it?

Obviously, a big fucking yes.

Advent Children is the best CG movie ever created and also puts those game-movie adaptations to shame. Tetsuya Nomura (director and character designer of FF VII, VIII, X plus the man behind Kingdom Hearts) really just made this simple concept to keep this one of the best movies of our time; he just delivered what exactly the fans would want in a Final Fantasy movie. Forget 2001's The Spirits Within, that was not a FF movie, Advent Children is the real thing. Everything in this flick is solid and shall I say perfect. The characters/story, the effects, the score and the pacing/directing- it's just marvelous and astounding. In short, it has the ingredients we would definitely want in a Final Fantasy movie. Seeing Cloud, Tifa, Vincent and the rest talking is breathtaking for me since I finally get to see our heroes act and emote. Almost everybody in VII are present plus the new 3 bad guys. The characterization is no surprise here since all of them retain their personalities 8 years ago. Cloud is definitely the hero that defines Final Fantasy. If you guys thought his winning streak in the gamefaqs character battle is debatable, wait till you watch this one- he is acts/moves exactly just what we envisioned him in a movie form. Same goes with the rest of the heroes namely Tifa and Vincent, since they got more screen time than the others. Vincent, like Cloud, is also the cool guy we always imagined and I can't wait to see more of him in his upcoming game. The 3 bad guys are like what we always thought they were, sly and cunning. The Turks too retain their personalities especially Reno being the semi-comedic type. Quite surprising really to see the Turks play good guys here and I like it. Story on the other hand is more of the closure I wanted to see 8 years ago. There isn't a big super twist or something and I don't mind since like I said- a proper closure. Things are resolved here and I guess they were right about ending Cloud's story. Does this mean we won't see a VII-2 game soon? Well, I'm afraid so unless of course there would be another reason for Cloud to take up his sword again. A remake looks brighter though even it's not being considered as of yet but who knows. Nomura-san could just have another cool thing in his sleeve to show us as the PS3 evolves.

Visuals aside, not surprising here since its Square-Enix. It may not have that realistic approach like The Sprits Within but it works. How? Well, this is technically an anime movie and it doesn't need to look real or some sort. Meaning no Hollywood look-a-likes but more on just being edgy and cool. I really like the designs of the movie. They manage to retain the steampunk feel 8 years ago. Wish we could've seen more besides Midgar though but it's no biggie.

The musical score is obviously as good as every FF game. Nobuo Uematsu re-used some of VII's tunes and even put some rock-ish style on the battles. Nice work and the first few minutes really gave me goosebumps as I hear a familiar tune 8 years ago. Watch out for a semi joke regarding the FF victory fanfare ^_^.

Now for the cool parts, the battle scenes- there are lots of em. I'm serious man, the pacing is tight with those battles as it leaves you to the edge of your seat. It's like the amazing choreography won't stop especially at the last scenes of the movie. Trust me, those fights will leave you in awe and you wish you could've seen it on a big screen. The choreography is super amazing really. Imagine a cross between Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus) and Yuen Wo Ping (Matrix) with Hideo Kojima (MGS series) over the top camera angles then you'll get the idea. The bike battle in the desert and the tunnel, Tifa versus Loz, Cloud against the 3, Reno and Rude versus Yazoo and Loz respectively (yea, good rivalry there too)- they were all breathtaking. And of course the final climatic battle between... well you know- it was the shit. Sort of like the Neo and Smith battle in Matrix Revolutions only a gazillion times better. That was definitely one of the highlights of the movie. Dude I go on with how many cool scenes the movie has to offer but you guys should definitely experience it yourselves.

I really really really love this movie no questions asked. It's the type where you wouldn't want it to end even after the credits rolled. As a devoted Final Fantasy fan, it has everything I always wanted. Maybe the use of magic was shallow compared to the wire-fu action but its ok since Cloud is the greatest swordsman ever- ok ill stop... man even the way they use Materia is also neat- ok ill really stop. This movie is a masterpiece, a work of art- I can't believe I cried to joy and keep jumping on my seat while I watch this on the small screen. A shame really considering Sony has the budget to release this on the big screen and compete at this year's Oscars. Yes I will cry if this baby doesn't even get nominated or something.

Do me a favor and please watch this one, FF fan or not. So it is prerequisite to play and know the story of Final Fantasy VII- but hey just ask someone about the major points of the game and I believe you're all set for this one. Speaking of which, it's not really required to replay VII again to truly understand Advent Children. It's more like reversed, you will want to play VII again after watching it- sort of like watching Star Wars Original Trilogy after watching Episode III.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is now my favorite movie of all time... you heard me Skywalker, Parker and Elessar- times are changing these days ^_^

Alternate Perspective

An interesting review of Advent Children has been posted by Daryl Surat on Anime Jump's forum here