Anime Preview Shadow Skill
Volume 1

To be released by ADV

If you enjoy the fight scenes in anime like Yu Yu Hakusho or Slayers, Shadow Skill is worth investigating. It is a pretense-free, know what you're going to get action series with some solid moves along quick interplays of attacks and catchy ideas such as guys with fists going after a two story were-beast. The dominant stand out quality is that it looks a bit different. This is anime back from the departed days of cel dominance.

A while back, Shadow Skill was briefly a big buzz title after Manga's release of the OAV, though the lackluster second oav did a bit to kill enthusiasm with unexciting animation toppling the forgettable plotting. The one the grabbed attention was fantasy fight anime that showcased a Capoera crossed with a Street Fight version of Muay Thai like martial art developed by chained slave women, displayed in a little martial arts versus horror beasties fighting and alot of the hero and his mentor beating the hell out each other while philosophizing on the joy of fighting. It was bright, dumb fun, with kicks and punches ending in blood spurts and explosions.

The Shadow Skill TV series, now being released by ADV is a time capsule from popular late 90's anime. It's not exactly a lost classic, but, if you miss volatile female leads voiced by Megumi Hayashibara, fast beat female vocal opening themes, again with Hayashibara and slick cel animation, 26 episode length, Shadow Skill captures the quintessential feel of what was hot. Now that digital animation has become the norm and new trends have been running some time, Shadow Skill doesn't look so much old as different. Color palette, effects, even the look of the motion differs. For those who discovered anime or rediscovered it in the mid/late 90's Shadow Skill can be seen as a return to classic action anime fundamentals.

The opening episodes benefit from a quick cast introduction and history that gets plenty out the way with what for anime is rare clarity. You don't have to guess on the character origins through several episode for once. The building blocks for the series are the frameworks of Final Fantasy and Street Fighter. It's not far off from a fantasy adventurer party with martial arts being the central ability: a young, destined for greatness hero, his mentor/adopted sister (a raging, in debt drinker, it might have been more interesting if she was portrayed as an alcoholic instead of a quirky rowdy), a magic user/government agent and a cute young monster catcher.

There's something like a RPG class/profession system at work. There are martial artists who rely on various effects channeled through their movements, flame kicks, and the like. There are magic wielders who use scroll cards (like the famed anti-evil post-it notes) to summon elemental forces. And there are those who physically capture and tame the various beasties wondering the country side, and those who magically control them. It's not clear at this point whether these last two are derivations of each other or not.

The quick block, strike, dodge movement of a martial arts anime are present, and there are some slick examples of them, nicely mixed with the fantasy staging, but there is alot more explosions and big visuals. Even with kicks flying, it's of a lot of text on the screen "here's my attack" material.

Anime Spotlight: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Volume 6

Releases by Super Techno Arts

Speaking of cel based fight anime, here's the alpha male of the pack. It's been a long wait to get to this point, but in the end ,it's worth it as one of the great super-power action series comes to its conclusion. Jotaro Kujoh versus Dio Brand. Macho characters that look more like 80's rock stars than super heros, with a good run of a city to carry out nicely budgeted cell animation, Rin Taroh like urban set super-power combat/destruction fest. The final confrontation of JoJo's Bizarre adventure is one of the most memorable fights in anime. In some quarters, it's more iconic than Spike versus Vincent, or Kenshin versus Soujiro.

Played out, it feels a lot less silly than it does sounds in plain text. Jotaro Kujoh, a stone cold half-Japanese street punk dressed like in denim and chains who can manifest a spirit screaming green Aztec warrior to punch things versus Dio, a hair band looking vampire who's head has been attached to the body of Jotaro's great-great-grandfather with the mysterious power of "The World". The two meet in a battle in which they are tearing through Cairo, absolutely trying to kill each other. It is both personal and it necessarily for both parties to kill the other.

Even if you've watch this on anime, and not read dozens of volumes of manga (though if you've been keep pace with the North American release, it's been quite the trip) this is the big pay off that pays off big. The hero has been jerked every and ambushed every inch of the way from Japan to Cairo, his mother is dying, his companions have been beat down. Now he's face to face with the man responsible.

It's huge, it's brutal and it's smart. Michael Bay staging and props, Paul Verhoeven level violence, Christopher Nolan thought. The scale quickly escalates from dinner knifes to tanker trucks (a replacement for the famous dropped steam roller like in the manga or video games). The level of violence is to the point where internal organs are lying on the street. But it's the intelligence that really set JoJo's part. It's not just another big explosion fest (though a cell animated once is nice to see for a change).

There are a few, "I didn't know I could do that moments", but more often, it's a poker game with a smart hero fighting a smart villain. Some of the hand is shown, there's some bluff, and a lot of quickly calculated strategy. The participants themselves are trying to determine and mask what they're capable of.

Of the six episode chronologically second OAV (produced first), first two were in stand alone situation, getting out of one particular deadly trap. The other three are an interesting build. They set a goal post of arriving at and solving a particular problem, finding and killing Dio, and long the way lay out the mental and physical tools the participants have. When its time to address the true problem, even if, like the participants, the viewer doesn't know exactly the nature of what the hero facing, the surprises will come in innovation rather than spontaneously occurring resolutions. There's a good lead up hints to what Dio's mystery power is, and when seen in action, the teased build is cinched. The ultimate victory isn't just earned because the hero has the right moral attributes, or even because of his toughness. At least the toughness is one of his tools, but he gets there because he had the right mind to solve the problem.

Part of the fun its watching these particular two characters. It's pro-wrestling baddass versus outright heel. Dio is a real evil guy and enjoying it. There's a good half episode worth of fun watching him be creatively vicious and toy with the world. Jotaro is the heroic bad boy. Not the guy who breaks the rules or tramples on boundaries, but the guy who is oblivious to them. Unlike the others he works with, he doesn't seem too bothered by the collateral damage. He's misanthropic, socially avoidant, detached, macho but asexual (he chases off girls, but doesn't seen to like guys either). The line the he will not across is that he'll give his opponents quick deaths rather than give in to the impulse for slow torture. Other than that, he's raring to rip into Dio.

There have been some quality extras on the Jojo's release, including storyboards and a narrated/illustrated running summary of the two, currently unanimated phases of the original manga. The new extras in the final volume are slightly disappointing. A family tree of the Joestar clan omits the next couple of generations, which would be more intriguing than be spoiler-ish. It's also in video format and moves quickly, requiring a number of run through to parse. The real disappointment is the feature on the upcoming movie, which is simple a text scroll saying that a movie, based on the first phase of the manga is development(nothing more).

Manga Spotlight: Crossroad
Volume 1
by Shioko Mizuki

Released by Go! Comi

At first glance, Crossroad looks like the kind of none marquee title readers may have been burned by in the not long gone flood days of the domestic manga market. Thankfully, Go! Comi found some gems to put onto the crowded shelves. Crossroad is one of the compelling shoujo with dark edges, along the lines of Mars or Hot Gimmick. The central relationships are interesting, but there's a real draw to be present to witness how the characters will react to their trials scratching through tough situations.

A story like this could be developed a number of ways. It could ignore the stress of the situation and become a sitcom or light comedy. It could take a heavy handed approach and become one of the dour stories librarian recommend to young adults. Crossroad, like a number of other top shoujo manga series treads an in-between path: consistently entertaining but also ready to throw around its emotional weight.

Part of the hook is that the young characters are faced with a situation that the previous generation failed miserably at, much to the regret of the current one. Any anime/manga fans will certainly recognize a prevalence of absentee parents in the media, but lately there has been a shift in the motivation. Rather than work or profession, death or illness, it's social irresponsibility. In series like Crossroad and movies like Nobody Knows, parents are leaving their children rather than struggle to care for them.

The protagonist's flighty mother Rumiko aka Run-Run deservedly receives plenty of blame, but the anonymous men certainly warrant plenty too. At age 6 Kajitsu and Rumiko are thrown out by Rumiko 's then husband, they move in with Granny. Soon, they are joined by a new husband, and two step brothers: rough, older Taro, and slightly young, chubby, smiling and kind Natsu. A few years pass and Rumiko leaves the kids, then they are separated, Kajitsu staying with Granny.

Years pass, and at the death of Granny, the four are re-united. Kajitsu and Natsu, now thinner, sullen (looking a bit like Megatokyo's Piro) and recently separated from foster parents after their move to Canada are 15. Taro is a 20 year old long haul trucker. Rumiko is 28, and she proposes that the group start living like a family. It invokes mixed reactions, but the next morning, Rumiko is gone, leaving Satsuki, a new 6 year old child.

There are few, if any blood relatives involved. Rumiko isn't Kajitsu's biological mother, and probably isn't Satsuki's either. At an instinctive, if not yet intellectual level, Kajitsu understands that she's about at the age and with the opportunities that started Rumiko on her Run-Run path. That she is now hooked up someone with some meager income and several people she has an emotional bond with fuels a strong compulsion to try to make a difficult household situation work.

The manga isn't softened by comedy, but the lighter moments keep the proceedings brisk and sharp. Rumiko doesn't seem likely to be frequently contributor, but her trashy glam was fun. Taro offers something like something like GTO's Onizuka, tough, goofy parentalness. His male posturing and household management like throwing up "no incest allowed!! by order of the man of the house" banners are a promising element for the series.

Crossroad is one of Go! Comi's inaugural releases. With Jake Forbes, who has already been all over the domestic manga scheme, involved, they can't be mistaken from a company making a blind entry into the new popular field of manga. Crossroad is a high quality production. There are a few hard to read panels very early in volume with text going over complex backgrounds, but after that, no complaints. Attention to details such as correctly stylized translated sound effect illustrations are evident. The end notes translation decisions highlight some interesting gray areas in translation.

Trigun Movie Announced

AnimeNewsNetwork reports that Madhouse Studios annotated that they plan to produce a new movie based on sci-fi western Trigun for release "in a couple of years."

Ghibli on TCM

ICV2 and Nausicaa.net report that Turner Classic Movie will be showing 9 animated movies by Studio Ghibli in 2006, including Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, Princess Mononke, Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa, My Neighbor Totoro (the new English dub), and Porco Rosso, Isao Takahata's Pom Poko, and Only Yesterday (subtitled and unreleased in Region 1), and Yoshifumi Kondou's Whisper of the Heart (unreleased in Region 1)

The films will air each Thursday between 8:00pm and midnight.

(all times Eastern)
Thursday Jan 5
8pm Spirited Away
10:15pm Princess Mononoke
1am (Friday) Spirited Away
3:15am (Friday) Princess Mononoke

Thursday Jan 12
8pm Nausicaa
10pm Castle in the Sky
12:15am (Friday) Nausicaa
2:15 am (Friday) Castle in the Sky

Thursday Jan 19
8pm My Neighbor Totoro (new Disney dub)
9:30pm Porco Rosso
11:15pm Whisper of the Heart (first wide showing of English dub)
1:15am (Friday) My Neighbor Totoro
2:45am (Friday) Porco Rosso
4:30am (Friday) Whisper of the Heart

Thursday Jan 26
8pm Only Yesterday (subtitled)
10:15pm Pom Poko
12:30am (Friday) Only Yesterday (subtitled)
2:45am (Friday) Pom Poko

TCM airs all films in their original aspect ratio and does not insert commercials.

Funimation Announces Negima License

Anime News Network reports FUNimation confirmed the rumored license of Ken Akumatsu's (Love Hina) Harry Potter meet sex comedy Negima.

Ranma Price Drop

Anime on DVD and AAA Anime list that Viz Media will be releasing a second edition OAV collection of Inu Yasha creator Rumiko Takahashi's earlier action comedy Ranma 1/2 on February 28th for $49.98, down from the previous release at $119.98.

One Piece DVD Release Info

Anime News Network has learned that while Viz will be distributed the 4Kids edited version of pirate adventure anime One Piece, seen of Fox and Cartoon Network, they are not involved in the show's localizations and will not be releasing unedited or Japanese versions of the series. The first volume will be released under Viz's Shonen Jump Home Video line on February 28th.

Mari Iijima to Voice English Minmay

From Anime on DVD, singer Mari Iijima, who was the voice of the character Minmay in the Japanese version of Macross, which was cut into the English Robotech, will be resuming the role of the character when ADV creates a new English dub for the original MAcross. She has commented it online her site at here.

Evangelion-XX Figures

Gainax has posted images of their Evangelion Angel XX figures, cute girl re-designs of the invading creatures from the psycho-giant robot classic via the creator of Sgt Frog Mine Yoshizaki. The first two, Sachiel and Zeruel are online here

Next One Piece Movie

Anime News Service reports that the 2006 annual One Piece Movie will be entitled "Karakuri Shiro No Mecha Kyo Hei" ( "Mecha Hei Of Karakuri Castle"). The movie will feature an original story by series creator Eiichiro Oda and will be directed by TV series supervisor Konosuke Uda. It is scheduled to open in Japanese theatres on March 4th.

Cartoon Network To Produce Gamera Animation

According to Anime News Service, Kadokawa Holdings has announced American television company Cartoon Network will produce a new animation TV series based on their Gamera property (the kaiju rubber suit monster turtle). The work is scheduled for broadcast in 2007.

Onmyoji Manga Ends

Anime News Service reports that Okano Reiko's manga Onmyoji, based on the Heian period novel by Yumemakura Bak, which spawned several hit live actions movies has ended after 13 volumes.

Wings of Rean News

From Anime News Service the official site for Wings Of Rean, based on a story by Gundam's Yoshiyuki Tomino is online at www.rean-wings.net/. The 6 episode series will start December 16th with a new one following every month thereafter. Viewers can access the animation online via set-top boxes (STB), PlayStation Portables (PSP), cellular phones in addition to personal computers. Each episode will cost roughly 525 Yen. The serialization of the comic version begins in the Gundam ACE November edition on sale on October 26th.

TOKYOPOP Cancels Flower of Eden

Anime News Network reports TOKYOPOP has announced that they have canceled the upcoming release of Flower of Eden at the request of Japanese publisher after artist Suetsugu Yuki apoligized for plagurizing the illustrations of other artists. For more information on the contraversy see here

Anime Game News

The Magic Box has posted screenshots of Narutimate Hero 3, an RPG fighting game for the Playstion 2 here (images and description feature spoilers), and One Piece: Pirates Carnival for the Playstation2 and GameCube here

The site for a Playstation 2 RPG based on political bishonen fantasy Kyo Kara Maoh is online here

Funimation Announces Rights for Moon Phase

Anime News Network points out that in the latest issue of Funimation's Prime Animation Report newsletter, they announced that they have the license for Moon Phase, a cute horror comedy.

Upcoming in Japan

From Anime News Service: The anime adapation of Yoshitomi's (EAT-MAN) new medical action manga project RAY will broadcast in the spring of 2006. Original Berserk TV series supervisor Takahashi Naohito is directing. Series Composition and script will be by Atsuhiro Tomioka. Character Designs by Hisashi Kagawa (Saikano). Music by Masami Okui. Animation production by OLM. Cast include Nogawa Sakura (Sakuragasaki Fubuki in Arcade Gamer Fubuki) as Ray, Takahashi Hiroki as Sasayama, Ui Miyazaki as Aka Ribbon, Honna Youko as Misato, Chiei Oumi as ONE, Yara Sakurai as Sawa Ichou and BJ as Akio Otsuka.

Zaizen Jotaro, the manga written by Kitashiba Ken and illustrated by Watanabe Yasuhiro (Wild Leager), Naikaku, Kenryoku Hanzai Kyosei Torishimarikan (Government Crime Investigation Agent) Zaizen Jotaro will be animated in the form of a TV series. The manga is serialized by Shinchosha Bunch Comics. The expected broadcast of a 13 episode run will come in 2006. The storyline follows a hardboiled, tough as nails investigator who seeks out corruption inside the highest halls of power of Japan's Diet.

AnimeNation points out that the official Japanese website for the Hellsing OVA series now hosts thumbnail size images of the first Japanese DVD cover in standard and limited edition versions, a close-up photo of the figure included in the limited edition Japanese DVD, and a promotional poster illustration.

Live Action Grave of Fireflies

Nausicaa points out a live action adaptation of Grave of Fireflies, previously into an acclaimed anime movie by Isao Takahata will be broadcast on Japanese television network NTV November 1st. Akiyuki Nosaka's looks at a child's hardships following World War II bombings. The official site is online here.

Viewtiful Joe Scheduled

Kids WB will be airing the anime adaption of Capcom's Viewtiful Joe Saturdays at 11:30am starting November 5th.

Mind Game to Screen at Waterloo

The Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema, being held November 17th-20th, 2005 at the Princess Twin Cinemas in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada., has announced that they will screen Yuasa Massaki's amazing anime movie Mind Game.

Based on the popular cult classic manga (Japanese comic) of the same name by Robin Nishi, this film describes the adventures and misadventures of a young aspiring manga artist who is given a second chance to live his life - which he does, in the oddest way. Rated R.

Kumou no Mukou, Yakusoku no Bashou ("A Place Promised in Our Early Days" by Makoto Shinkai will also be shown, as will now anime featutes Alosha Popovich i Tugarin Zmey ("Alosha Popovich and Tugarin the Serpent" - Konstantin Bronzit, Russia, 2005), Fragile Machine (Ben Steele, United States, 2005), Frank and Wendy (Kaspar Jancis, Estonia, 2005), Nycker! ("The District" - Aron Gauder, Hungary, 2005), Strings (Anders Rnnow-Klarlund, Denmark / U.K., 2004 and Terkel i Knibe ("Terkel in Trouble" - Stefan Fjeldmark, Torbjrn Christoffersen, Kresten Vestbjerg Andersen, Denmark, 2004)

WFAC 2005 will also feature a retrospective on Japan's greatest stop-motion puppet animator Kihachiro Kawamoto, including some of his most acclaimed short films and the anthology Fuyu no Hi ("Winter Days"), directed by Kawamoto with contributions from thirty-five of the world's greatest animators, including Yuri Norstein, Bretislav Pojar, and Koji Yamamura, who was featured at WFAC 2003.

December ADV Releases

12/6
DNAngel Complete Collection ($89.98)
Samurai X: DirectorS Cut Collection
Shinkai Collection (Makoto Shinkai's Voices of A Distant Star and The Place Promised In Our Early Days, $39.98 )

12/13
Madlax: Convergence (5 of 7)
Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok: Love & War (2 of 7)
Saiyuki Double Barrel Collection 6 (of 6)
Super Gals! The Iron-Clad Collection ($49.98)

12/20
All Purpose Cat Girl Nuku Nuku Tv Complete Collection ($44.98)
Gatchaman Volumes 7 & 8 (of 18)
Gatchaman Collection 4
Ghost Stories Semester 2: Sophomore Scares (2 of 5)
Samurai Gun: Lethal Influence (3 of 4)

12/27
Gilgamesh: Under A Blood Red Sky (4 of 7)
Original Dirty Pair Ova Box ($24.98)
Sakura Wars Tv Complete Collection ($49.98 )

TOKYOPOP Acquires New Manga Titles?

From Anime on DVD, Amazon listed the release of several, not currently announced titles from TOKYOPOP.v April 30th releases are said to contain:

X-kai volume 1, by Asami Tohjoh
Shout Out Loud! volume 1, by Satosumi Takaguchi
Magical X Miracle volume 1, by Yuzu Mizutani
Karin volume 1, by Yuna Kagesaki
Spring volume 1

Digital Manga Seeks Support for Lain Book

AnimeNation reports in preparation for the English language release of the expanded, re-issued Yoshitoshi Abe illustration book "ab# rebuild an omnipresence in wired," Digital Manga has issued a request for fans to share their recollections, anecdotes, and thoughts about Serial Experiments Lain, and suggestions for the English language commemorative book, on the Digital Manga Forum. Select entries may be reprinted in the "ab# rebuild an omnipresence in wired" book, due out next year.

Mattel Pick Up Zatch Bell Toy Rights

Viz has announced that it has named Mattel as master toy licensee for ZATCH BELL.VIZ Media was granted the North and South American broadcast and licensing rights in June 2004. Additionally, the company has entered into partnerships with Cartoon Network (where ZATCH BELL! premiered in March 2005 on the Toonami Block) and Bandai for video games and collectible card games in the past year.