There's a direct, explicit quality to naming manga "The Quest for the Missing Girl." It's an unadorned description. Not marketing, not metaphorical and not intriguing in and of itself. It's a fitting title for what could be thought of as a purged version of an genre thriller. Think Die Hard with a lead that is even more human and physically breakable. The result of marrying the story of an unconventional hero with unshakable determination to Jiro Taniguchi’s precise style of line work is manga that refurbishes a familiar plot with a crystalline quality. It's the quintessential story of an accidental investigator tracking down a prodigal child, told with distinctive clarity and maturity. Because it dictates how the manga registers, Jiro Taniguchi's approach to illustration is worthy of primary attention. The notion of "manga style" art is easily refutable. Even in a given manga anthology, illustration traits are far from monolithic. Taking Shonen Jump in the year 1984 as an example, Fist of the North Star, Dragon Ball and Kimagure Orange could hardly be called examples of one, unified movement. Even with that disclaimer, Taniguchi's work, which draws inspiration from French artists in addition to manga creators, features a distinctive look. Especially in Taniguchi's genre work, the precise clarity of his lines serves to comment on the subject. A favorite example of this is Hotel Harbor View, written by Natsuo Sekikawa, illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi and released by Viz in 2001. The literally steamy noir, set in Hong Kong and Paris, is entrenched in lies. Exiles and killers deceive each other and themselves. Sekikawa deceives the reader. While all of this human dissembling is occurring, Taniguchi's art frames it in objectivity. Person A shoots person B, and Taniguchi captures the bullets as it cut through the air with photorealistic detail. Sekikawa has obscured the motivations and other human dimensions that lead to that climactic moment but graphically, Taniguchi strips the instant of expressionism or anything other than surgically detailed true. The clash serves as an act of a medium mistrusting its own tenants akin to dissonant avante-guard music The Quest for the Missing Girl features Jiro Taniguchi writing and illustrating, and in this case, he does not over saturate the sights or pack the surroundings in such a way as to project the manga into the realm of the abstract or imagined. There is a director's control of mise-en-scène in how an airy, sunlit patch of flowers on a mountain slope differs from a packed, low-lit night club. None of this is overdone. There’s a reality framed in places that are drawn to life, whether they are a mountain trail, an apartment complex, or the neon lit streets of Shibuya. Regulated into the manga's boxed panels, Taniguchi's imagery borders on understatement. When Taniguchi does overlay a mountain over a building to reflect how the hero sees what's ahead of him, dramatically emphasizes a scene with speed lines or even page layout departing from rigidly structured boxes to emphasize a single moment, the break from impartiality in a believable, concrete world establishes the significance. In these departure from its standard restraint, The Quest for the Missing Girl invites emotional outpouring. The Quest for the Missing Girl is the story of mountaineer Takeshi Shiga. The quest in question sees Shiga break his decade long self exile in the mountains of Yamanashi Prefecture to search the youth spots of Tokyo for the missing daughter of his former climbing companion. Twelve years ago, Shiga's best friend Tatsuko Sakamoto journeyed on a Himalayan expedition despite Shiga's refusal to accompany him. Sakamoto froze to death, leaving behind a journal. As he lost his ability to write, the dying man expressed regret that he was leaving behind his wife and daughter and implored Shiga to look after his family. In the intervening years, Shiga had some contact with his friend's wife and her daughter Megumi. Megumi visited trails overseen by Shiga and came to view her "uncle" as a protector. Then, Shiga receives a call from her mother, explaining that the regularly reliable Megumi has been missing for several days and asking if she'd absconded to the mountain for a hike. Concerned by the unexplained absence, Shiga takes the train to Tokyo to check in on his friend's wife and daughter. As tough and intelligent as Shiga is, he's no action hero or even hard boiled investigator. Nor is he an exaggerated stranger in a strange land. He's a man who dives from quiet mountains to noisy streets with little time to acclimate to the radical change in social pressure. The expected reaction to being immersed in an unfamiliar culture in a crowded city, is confusion, if not overwhelming melt down. Shiga tenaciously holds on and slowly advances, like, well... a climber deliberately making their way up a challenging rock face. Presumably, in that metaphorical endeavor, you need some faith that there is in fact a navigable route up the stone wall, and in this case Taniguchi works off the conceit that the problem is not intractable. Shiga does strike some lucky footholds in his advance, in which he is in the right place at the right time to gleam some critical clue. Granted, the character does deserve credit for recognizing and taking advantage of the intel, but the instances of authorially engineered happenstance do serve as a reminder of the manga's genre underpinnings. The Quest for the Missing Girl was originally published in 1999, and viewed from the passage of a decade, it does seem to be a story of a particular moment in time. Cell phone do have a role, but so does their non-ubiquity. Characters rush to pay phones. A plot point concerns physically relaying photographs and messages. Like the mechanisms, the culture of the story is linked to a time frame. In recent years, bullying and hikikomori - social shut-in have been among the primary concerns to bleed into manga - though even they aren't particularly up to date. In the case of The Quest for the Missing Girl its paid dating, or teenage prostitution, chiefly undertaken to support consumer habits or as an act of rebellion. Here, it is not unheard of, but not in the forefront of the characters' consciousness either. When an explicit warning sign is spotted, it's not ignored, but it doesn't sound the warning claxons as loudly as it perhaps should have. When The Quest for the Missing Girl takes place also has a bearing on how its characters are handled. Though not precisely underwritten, in keeping with the essential nature of the story, the characters are playing roles dedicated to their type... the mother who is too wrapped up in work to notice her daughter, the dangerous friend who is compensating for her own family issues. Though it does not weigh on the conscious of characters like Shiga, the teen alienation connection to paid dating wasn't bleeding edge at the time. The only surprise might the lack of surprises. This lends purity to the work. As the title, "The Quest for The Missing Girl" suggests, there is not an over abundance of human particulars. There is nothing to distract from the landscape of the situation, the place and Shiga's navigation of the problem. The Quest for the Missing Girl publisher Fanfare/Ponent specializes in nouvelle manga, a movement that focuses on depictions of the ordinary. Shiga is an exceptional person able to deal with a situation in an extraordinary manner. Yet, what makes The Quest for the Missing Girl a compelling work is that, even if the reader can't see themselves accomplishing what Shiga accomplishes, an adult can map Shiga's concerns to their own life. Here's a person whose spent years living with the decisions that he's made, and is still trying to reconcile whether he did the right thing for the right reason. Given the book's premise, it's obvious that Shiga is going to have to make some climactic climb up some urban environment. As much as this is a visual spectacle, the impact is a function of how it demonstrates that Shiga shelved his deliberations and single-mindedly carried out the obligations laid out by the path he chose. This resolute follow-through in the face of ambivalence towards past decisions makes The Quest for the Missing Girl powerful manga. Conveyed with Jiro Taniguchi's tight mastery of his medium, The Quest for the Missing Girl the manga distinguishes itself with his clenched potency. Previews of The Quest for the Missing Girl can be found on Publishers Weekly Fanfare/Ponent

Anime Spotlight Rewind: Sword of the Stranger Released by Bandai Entertainment on Blu-ray and DVD June 16, 2009 (Review Based on preview disc from ImaginAsian theatrical screening on the movie)

Skipping past act one, scene one, which serves as an unfortunate revelation that the kids and critters quotient of the movie is going to be driven up by plenty of onscreen time allocated to a young child and his dog... Sword of the Stranger closes in on a preying mantis as it lingers on a rain soaked tree branch before the film pans over a ravine to spy on the convoy of red-cloaked strangers about to move their guarded cargo across the gap. A scout, hiding below that branch-perched mantis stirs, and reports back to a haunt full of sketchy folk, who had been keeping dry by sharpening weapons, gambling, or otherwise killing time in a den of vice. The ambush is on... Sword of the Stranger is set during the Sengoku or "Warring States" period of Japanese history. This was the height of the samurai's role as a battlefield presence rather than enforcers of social order. Marked by large scale power-contests, as well as natural disasters, media, especially genre media, remember this period as a desperate time of chaos. Think Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Ran, or Osamu Tezuka's Dororo. In keeping with that tradition, this ambush is muddy, and desperate. In its opening instants, the convoy’s guide is shot through the throat with an arrow. Horses bolt. Cattle plunge into the ravine. Then, the script is flipped. An order is issued in Chinese. A tall, blonde man from among the red cloaked group begins advancing, redirecting the volleys of arrows with snaps of his mantle. He gets to the fallen guide, grabs the body, and uses it as a shield as he starts running towards the attacking bandits. It's still a gray, grimy Sengoku-jidai period piece, but all of the sudden, there is a wushu hero who has wandered onto the set, a red streak of Shaw Brothers in the mess. Given the quantity of parties and agendas involved, the movie's plot appears complicated. There's this red-cloaked group, who, in modern parlance could be called a Ming ambassador and his attached special forces team. Within that group, there is the blonde gentleman heavy, whose philosophy does not entirely conform to the Ming party line. There's the local daimyo lord who is working both with and against the Ming. There's the lord's sword master, whose ambitions might outstrip his loyalty. There are Buddhist temples, with similarly divided allegiances. There's a boy and his dog, which are the object of the search by the Ming and their proxies. And, finally, there's the titular, nameless, money chasing Sanjuro figure who wanders in with a sword bound into its scabbard, who finds himself protecting the boy. Sword of the Stranger is at its best when these parties are contesting their wills with swords drawn. In terms of animation that has been well received in North America, there is a considerable track record behind the creators setting these fights in motion. Sword is a recent feature from Bones, the studio that launched with Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door, and subsequently produced RahXephon, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Eureka Seven. Director/key animator Masahiro Ando was a key animator on the Cowboy Bebop movie, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Ghost in the Shell, as well a storyboard artist on the Fullmetal Alchemist movie, and an episode director on Rahxephon and Fullmetal Alchemist. Other animators with recognizable styles, such as Yutaka Nakamura (animator of the scene from Blood: the Last Vampire in which the base guard gets gobbled, and a number of the Cowboy Bebop movie's fights) contribute to a feature that is punctuated with impressive fight scenes featuring memorable style, intricacy and fluidity. The fights of Sword of the Stranger look more towards the fluid exchanges of Spike versus Vincent in the Cowboy Bebop movie or Ed versus Greed in Fullmetal Alchemist than they do to the slash and gush model live action chambara. Rather than two forces charging at each other like bucks, the nature of the fights are that the opposing parties try to maintain there own, clear, ordered view of the battle, while throwing the other party into chaos. One of the red cloaks squares off against the Stranger in a hovel. Red tosses a throwing dagger, while positioning himself to draw his whip. Once the Stranger is snared, Red uses the whip to slam the opponent into a support beam. Once slammed, he charges the opponent with a knife. Like Wilson Yip's new generation of MMA influenced martial arts movies, such as Saat Po Long/Kill Zone or Dou Fo Sin/Flash Point, there is an attention to and exaggeration of fight dynamics. Even if it is not realistic, there is evident mindfulness of foot work, weigh distribution, and how the combatants work dynamically to push and receive the attack. There are moments of superhuman leaping ability, strength and fortitude to absorb damage, but there is also discernable athleticism in the dancing out of the range of an attack or sinking weight to hold ground. Feet bounce, grind, and push. Bodies, weave, twist and change level. It's an actual fight and not just flashy shorthand. Through the complex exchanges between the two combatants and their environment, the movie spells out the story rather than a more effect driven exchange of distinct attacks. At the same time, Sword of the Stranger maintains its overlap of wushu and Sengoku-jidai, in which grace and brutality slosh around in the gritty wash. As in Tezuka's historical epics, the hero factor of fiction is cancelled out. Someone can perform dazzling feats, springing through a crowd of faceless soldiers with an exotic weapon, loping off heads and limbs without breaking stride. But, with a single unexpected blow, from another, unseen hero or a faceless combatant, that object of our focus can be the next fatality on the battlefield. In concept and in execution, this is a captivatingly fresh approach to bringing the adjacent genres together. Script writer Fumihiko Takayama has previously written for anime (the Raxephon movie, Rescue Wings), directed it (Gundam 0080: War in a Pocket, some Bubblegum Crisis), and carried out both duties on the same title (Patlabor WXIII). He has not previously worked on what would be called an action movie, which might explain why Sword of the Stranger's narrative does not move nimbly or forcefully. Keeping all the pieces on this board moving in a logical order is probably a sufficiently complex task. That there are no disappearing/re-appearing figures in the movie is probably an accomplishment worth noting. In terms of herding the players towards the construction of an exciting action movie, Takayama and Ando accomplishes it with mixed results. In terms of doing more than building towards exciting martial confrontations, as is common in the genre, Sword of the Stranger has a complex relationship with nationalism. While it doesn't entirely eschew implications beyond its own events, it does not seem written with much interest in exploring those ideas either. At one hour, forty minutes, Sword of the Stranger runs long for an anime action movie. Getting through that 100 minutes is not the problem. It gets to a fight or the brink of a fight often enough that watch checks are warded off. Yet, even if that run time includes a gargantuan climax, in retrospect, the question, "why so long?" crops up. While the complexities of the whole host of actors in the movie's conflict are intriguing, the crowded convolutions ultimately seem to be their own justification. If all of the secrets, McGuffins and crosscurrents are going to amount to is "let's you and him fight", it's a good thing that Takayama and Ando do their fight booking well; that it establishes reasons for anticipating the fights between different match-up selections of characters and teasing those battles. The excess does not spell disaster for the movie, but a terser Sword of the Stranger probably would have been more potent. Evaluating Sword of the Stranger for how it will be received, these are valid points. Evaluating the film on its own terms, the American concept of an action movie may not entirely be the correct model for judging it. On the commentary track for Appleseed Ex Machina, animation expert/Streamline Pictures founder Jerry Beck and Appleseed Ex Machina producer Joseph Chou touch on how the expectations that a Japanese audience bring to an anime feature differ from those that an American audience bring. While the American audiences insist on a strict structural coherence, Japanese viewers are more likely to appreciate distinct set pieces. For example, if the script introduces an extravagant tower into the final act of the feature (something that both Ex Machina and Sword of the Stranger do), the Japanese audience will evaluate the design and, if done well, appreciate it, while the American audience will question its late introduction. Accept that generality for what generalities are worth, but Sword of the Stranger is notably set-piece driven. Not all elements join in favor of a coherent movie. It will spend time in one of its numerous sentimental scenes of the stranger and the boy, in which they are bonding, sharing experiences, and complementing the missing pieces in each other’s lives. Then, it will immediately cut to a searing torture scene. The only reason to put the sweet male relationship scene next to the torture is for plot chronology. As much as it is a jump in tone, it is not a meaningful juxtaposition. Anime movies are tricky. Far fewer are made than anime TV series, so, maybe the reason why so few are unequivocally, successfully entertaining is due to the gap in experience? Yet, Sword of the Stranger demonstrates the reason to watch these films despite their flaws. The budget of the film allowed its animators to craft scenes far beyond those that could be produced, even in an exceedingly well budgeted TV series like Samurai 7. And in this case, it results in a display of the kind of spectacle that draws fans to anime. For an American audience, Sword of the Stranger might be missing the transgressive thrills of Ninja Scroll or the excitement of celebrity and the inclusion of native pop culture of Afro Samurai, but compared their fights to the fluid dynamic between the warriors of Sword of the Stranger, and Sword notches its place in the pantheon of great samurai anime.

Ghibli News

The new Hayao Miyazaki film Ponyo received a G rating from the MPAA Frank Marshall discussed the adaptation with SciFi Wire Tomomi Mochizuki directed Studio Ghibli TV special Ocean Waves (or I can Hear the Ocean) will be on DVD from Optimus Releasing in the UK on August 14th. The quiet 72 minute feature follows a love triangle as it is remember a decade after it was resolved Manga Entertainment UK will be publishing a new release of Panda! Go Panda on July 7th. The Isao Takahata work features Hayao Miyazaki's first original screenplay A looks at the Ghibli Museam's Ponyo Exhibit Studio Ghibli Matchbox Collection Nice Miyazaki fan art Trailers for Animal Treasure Island - an early Hayao Miyazaki work

Event News

Man-in-suit monster wrestling Kaiju Big Battel is in Philadelphia this weekend All Out War 2: The Search for the Golden Treasure When: Saturday, June 20, 7 PM Where: The Trocadero, 1003 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA Tickets: $18.50, All Ages, Available at Ticketmaster * Robot Trifecta: Astro Boy, Voltron, and Gigantor Screening (6/26) Friday, June 26, 2009 7:30 pm 'til 11:30 pm Feel free to bring your lawn chair, blanket, beach ball, because this will be a FREE outdoor screening on the JACCC Plaza - located at 244 S. San Pedro St., in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles. The mother of Japanese animation, ASTRO BOY was the first anime series to be broadcast on TV in Japan - in 1963. The story follows the adventures of a heroic robot named Astro Boy which originated from the manga of the same name, created by legendary Tezuka Osamu. Set in the "future" year of 2000, GIGANTOR is the story of a young boy named Jimmy Sparks who lives with his uncle Dr. Bob Brilliant on a remote island. With the help of a huge remote controlled robot named Gigantor, Jimmy fights crime around the world. GIGANTOR is the American adaptation of the Japanese anime and manga series TETSUJIN 28-GO by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. * The upcoming festival schedule for Intergalactic Who's Who has been announced The Intergalactic Who's Who, a series of 1:30 minute animations, absurd sci-fi "documentaries" on various fantastical creatures from the wild planet of Zig 5. Melbourne International Animation Festival June 22 - 28, 2009 Melbourne, Australia The Pork 'n' Being and The Praepredatorprae are screening in the International Panorama at the biggest animation festival in Australia Super Shorts International Film Festival London, UK July 7 - 12, 2009 All 5 episodes are in competition at one of the leading independent short film festivals in Britain Open Air Film Festival Weiterstadt Weiterstadt, Germany August 13 - 17, 2009 All 5 episodes are screening at this unique outdoor festival. If you like camping, watching films on giant screens in a park in the dark in the centre of town, drinking beer and eating sausage, this is the festival for you * As part of the New York Asian Film Festival, Japanese actor Eiji Okuda and director Sion Sono (Suicide Club) will be making an appearance at Kinokuniya Bookstore (1073 Avenue of the Americas) in NYC on July 3 at 4:30 PM. Both Okuda and Sono will be in NYC as guests of the New York Asian Film Festival, and they'll be at Kinokuniya to speak about their careers and their work together on their newest film, BE SURE TO SHARE, which will receive its World Premiere on Sunday, July 5 at 8:15 PM at Japan Society in NYC. * The Anime Expo 2009, July 2-5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, schedule is now online A performance by Moi dix Mois has been added to the event. Moi dix Mois is a sound project headed by Mana, the consummate guitarist and leader of Malice Mizer which is on indeterminate hiatus. In addition to writing music and lyrics, Mana does all of the computer programming and arrangements for his songs. Mana's strikingly electrifying and unprecedented musical creation is the result of his remarkable talent to combine the diametrical opposites, such as the classical and the avant-garde, the elegant and the delirious, or the creative and the destructive. Bandai Entertainment and American Cosplay Paradise will celebrate the US release of MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 00 with a costume contest The top five entries will be invited as guests to the GUNDAM 00 Focus Panel featuring director Seiji Mizushima, writer Yosuke Kuroda, and Yun Kouga. They will then choose the 1st and 2nd place winners. Prizes include a complete set of Gundam 00 Season 1. The details for the 2009 SPJA Industry Conference, connected to Anime Expo, have also been announced This year's key note speakers include Austin Osueke-CEO/Publisher. eigoMANGA (July 2, 2009; LP3; 11:00am), Shawne Kleckner-President/CEO, Right Stuf, Inc. (July 3, 2009; LP3; 11:00 am) and Kun Gao-CEO, Crunchyroll (July 4, 2009; LP3; 11:00 am). Industry Conference panel include the following topics: Making Mangas and Animes into Hollywood Features (July 2, 2009; LP3; 11:30 am) Can Manga Be Created in the USA and Become Commercially Successful? (July 3, 2009; LP3; 11:30 am) Digital Distribution the Wave of the Future (July 4, 2009; LP3; 11:30 am) In attendance as panelists will include industry experts from the anime and manga industries, as well as high profile Hollywood professionals including Northrop Davis (Professor/Producer/ Screenwriter), Jason Hoffs (VIZ Productions), Ken Holinsky (MX Media, LLC), Robert Le (Artist), Joshua Long (Producer), Nobuo Masuda (Bandai Entertainment), Robert Napton (Bandai Entertainment), Luis Reyes (Nexon America), and Justin Sevakis (Anime News Network) * Otakon 2009, July 17-19 at the Baltimore Convention Center, had added a number of new guests to the events. American voice actor Travis Willingham - Colonel Roy Mustang in Fullmetal Alchemist, Kanda (D. Gray~Man), Pierre (Aquarion), Badrick Serihan (Black Blood Brothers), Andreas Darlton (Code Geass), Iggy (Ergo Proxy), Kaiji (GunxSword), Cleo (Glass Fleet), Ginko (Mushishi), Portgas D. Ace (One Piece), Leon (Vexille), Takigawa (Ghost Hunt), Eustoma (Shuffle), Yanagisawa (Yu Yu Hakusho), as well as other roles in Hellsing Ultimate, Case Closed, Blue Gender, Dragonball Z, GT, Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, Mermaid Forrest, and The Melody of Oblivion. His video game credits include: Guile (Street Fighter 4), Nathan Hale (Resistance 2), Torgal (The Last Remnant), Clint (Tales of Vesperia), Zhang Liao/Zhou Tai (Dynasty Warriors 6), Evan Bernard (Time Crisis 4), Roy Mustang (Fullmetal Alchemist games: Dual Sympathy, Broken Angel, and Curse of the Crimson Elixir), Yodai Higashizawa (The World Ends With You), Gabriel Celeste (Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria), Stroud (Dawn of Mana), Portgas D. Ace (One Piece: Grand Battle), Armored Core: For Answer, Legendary, and Guitar Hero World Tour. Misako Rocks! - Manga artist and the creator of Biker Girl and Rock and Roll Love VAMPS - music act featuring HYDE and K.A.Z. VAMPS will appear at Baltimore's SONAR on 16 July 2009. The autograph session and Q&A panel will take place on Friday afternoon, 17 July 2009, at the Baltimore Convention Center. MELL - vocalist known for "Red Fraction," the theme song for Black Lagoon Frederik L. Schodt - a writer, translator, and conference interpreter, known for his work on books such as Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics , Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga and The Astro Boy Essay Kikuko Inoue - voice actress known for her work as Belldandy in Oh My Goddess Otakon has teamed with Paramount to offer passes to the sneak preview of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, via a contest for cosplayers and giant robot fans The sneak preview will be held at the Cinemark Egyptian at Arundel Mills Mall, Monday, 22 June 2009, at 7:30 p.m. (The actual screening is closed to the public.) Show up at 6 p.m. in your best Transformers or giant robot costume. Show off for the media! At about 6:45 p.m., the best five costumes will be selected by judges from 98 ROCK. Once winners are selected, you'll have time to put away your costume before the movie starts. Those best five costumes will each win two reserved seats for the screening. Runners up will receive Transformers swag including toys and Otakon t-shirts. The best costume will also receive a free membership to Otakon 2009. ALL participants will be invited to appear in costume the next morning on Fox 45 News, where they'll promote the movie (and Otakon) on Transformers Tuesday. * SIUniverse Media, the company behind the groundbreaking graphic novel Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology, in association with the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), the Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW), Asian CineVision, AsianAmericanComics.com and Diamond Comic Distributors have joined forces to organize the First Annual Asian American ComiCon (AACC), a celebration of the unique contemporary role and historical legacy of Asians and Asian Americans in the world of graphic fiction. The event will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the brand-new, Maya Lin-designed home of the Museum of Chinese in America. The Asian American ComiCon—the first of its kind—will be the first major event to take place at MOCA’s new two-level, 14,000 square-foot facility at 215 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan. Registration information can be found here In addition to an exhibition room and an Artists' Alley, the Asian American ComiCon will feature three concurrent programming tracks: The SPOTLIGHT features high-profile comic creators in one-on-one settings discussing some of the ways in which the comics and non-comics worlds are overlapping and interleaving. Scheduled to participate in these sessions are Derek Kirk Kim (The Eternal Smile, Same Difference & Other Stories) and Larry Hama (G.I. Joe: Origins, Barack the Barbarian). READING COMICS, curated by AAWW Executive Director Ken Chen, explores comics as literature, as texts, and as cultural artifacts, with speakers including non-comics creators and critics as well as comics artists and writers. Finally, MAKING COMICS, programmed by Marvel writer Greg Pak, allows creators to share their insights on the industry and profession with those wanting a behind-the-scenes look at comics or advice on how to pursue a career in the field. Among some of the top comics industry professionals scheduled to attend the First Annual Asian American ComiCon include: --Bernard Chang (Wonder Woman) --Fred Chao (Johnny Hiro) --Sean Chen (Iron Man) --Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow/Black Canary) --Larry Hama (G.I. Joe) --Derek Kirk Kim (The Eternal Smile) --Jerry Ma (Burn) --Christine Norrie (Breaking Up) --Greg Pak (Incredible Hulk) --Khoi Pham (Mighty Avengers) --Misako Rocks! (Biker Girl) --Christina Strain (Runaways) --Tak Toyoshima (Secret Asian Man) * The live action adaptaton of Osamu Tezuka's MW will open the 13th Puchon Intl. Fantastic Film Festival (July 16-26). The closing will be Indonesian martial arts film "Merantau." The films in competiton for the Puchon Choice, include "The Beast Stalker," Dante Lam (Hong Kong) "The Children," Tom Shankland (U.K.) "Cold Souls," Sophie Barthes (U.S.) "The Forbidden Door," Joko Anwar (Indonesia) "Invitation Only," Kevin Ko (Taiwan) "Kaifeck Murder," Esther Gronenborn (Germany) "Macabre," The Mo Brothers (Singapore/Indonesia) "Martyrs," Pascal Laugier (France/Canada) "The Neighbor," Oh Young Doo et al (Korea) "OSS 177 Lost in Rio," Michel Hazanavicius (France) "Pontypool," Bruce McDonald (Canada) "Private Eye," Park Dae-min (Korea) * The Beat has posted information on ICv2 Comics and Media Conference: Building Connections, to be held on Wednesday, July 22nd, in conjunction with San Diego Comic-Con International Back in the day, the Wednesday of San Diego was an opportunity for industry networking and business — first as a retailer trade show, and, briefly, as ProCon, a professionals only conference. Both these events stopped in the 90s, but now there’s a new opportunity to get some grounding in the business before the consumer show begins. Milton Griepp’sprevious afternoon conferences before the New York Comic-Con have been an opportunity to hear hard facts and exchange ideas…now he’s presenting a one-day conference in San Diego, to be held on Wednesday, July 22nd, prior to Preview Night. And in the spirit of disclosure, the conference is being co-sponsored by The Beat and PW Comics Week. We know you already have too much to do at San Diego, but this promises to be very informative, so please consider attending. Confirmed speakers and panelists include film, TV, and comics writer Jeph Loeb, who will deliver the keynote address for the event; Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, who will participate in the discussion of Comics after Hollywood; and businesspeople from the worlds of comics, film, TV, and videogames, with more speakers still being added. Confirmed Sessions: Keynote Address Comics and Media Case Studies Comics and the IP Life Cycle Comics after Hollywood Confirmed Speakers, Panelists, Moderators: Nick Barrucci, Dynamite Entertainment Robin Brenner, author, librarian Milton Griepp, ICv2 Matt Hawkins, Top Cow Rick Jacobs, Circle of Confusion Jeff Katz, American Original Jeph Loeb, writer for film, TV, and comics Tom Mclean, writer for Variety, Animation Mike Mignola, writer, artist, creator of Hellboy Joe Nozemack, Oni Press PW Comics Week and The Beat by Heidi MacDonald, two publications of Publisher’s Weekly, have signed on to sponsor the conference. * Date and venue information has been announced for this year's Anime Weekend Atlanta. (A highly regarded event among dedicated anime fans) The 15th annual festival of Japanese animation and comics on September 18-20 2009, at the Cobb Galleria Centre and Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Planned programming includes Costume Contest The Video Art Track, The Aetheric Navy Grand Admiral's Ball The Imperial Maid's Cafe, Famous Dave's Original Japanese Anime Hell Yaoi After Dark Improv Comedy, Nightly Karaoke, The Lolita Fashion Show, Bebop Lounge Midnite Madness Parody Video Dances The World Premiere of Ozone Commandos: The Movie The Ozone Commandos Sneak Preview from Corn Pone Flicks on Vimeo. Additional panels and workshops will examine Steampunk Classic Anime Costuming, Art And Artwork Culture Fandom 20 Years Of Star Blazers Other features include four dedicated Anime Video Rooms Artists Alley Video Gaming and Rpg Gaming the yard-sale extravaganza of Superhappyfunsell Giant hall for Dealers And Exhibitors Guests include Troy Baker - voice talent - Full Metal Alchemist, Trinity Blood) Caitlin Glass - voice talent - Shin-chan, Baccano!, One Piece, Gunslinger Girl Vic Mignogna - voice talent - Full Metal Alchemist, Macross, Dragonball Z, Saiyuki Amy Howard Wilson - voice talent - Star Blazers, Irresponsible Captain Tylor Misako Rocks! - artist - Savage Love Jennie Breeden - artist - The Devil's Panties Robert And Emily Dejesus - artists - Studio Capsul Carl Gustav Horn - industry figure - Editor Dark Horse's releases of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Evangelion, Oh My Goddess, Ghost In The Shell Neil Nadelman - industry figure - translator Gundam, Macross, Utena, Code Geass, Slayers, Fist Of The North Star Jonathan Tarbox - industry figure - Raijin Comics, CMX Manga David Williams - industry figure - ADV Films Advance 3-day passes for the show are available for $35 until September 9, 2009. Admission at the door for all three days is $45. * Paul Robertson and Mechafetus will be at Anime Expo's Artist Alley (table A-15) * Junko Mizuno Events, Past & Present * Japanese cinema blogathon begins * Manga Recon & Midtown Comics present 20th Century Boys NYAFF Giveaway * Anime Almanac collects Twitter coverage of Anime Next day 1 - day two - day three highlights Melinda Beasi's AnimeBoston report

Upcoming in Japan

summer 2009 preview Previews Summer Wars (from The Girl Who Leapt Through Time's Mamoru Hosoda) Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 Birdy the Mighty: Decode - “Between You and Me” OVA Tales of Symphonia: Teseara Chapter OVA - Tales of Vesperia Umi Monogatari Umineko no Naku Koro ni - based on the game from the creators of Higurashi - When They Cry Aika Zero Bakemonogatari Symphony in August Anime Via Anime News Network Revolutionary Girl Utena/Sailor Moon director Kunihiko Ikuhara indicated in a series on blog posts May 29 and June 16 he's been storyboarding the opening for an upcoming anime. Risque fantasy Queen's Blade and Production I.G's game adaptation Sengoku Basara (Devil Kings) will be getting second seasons Girl band Stereopony will be animated in a Yatterman music video for their new single, scheduled to be used as the theme for the Yatterman film. Following the end of the recent Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)/Production I.G Eden of the East anime, two films are planned. Eden of The East the Movie I: The King of Eden, will open throughout Japan on November 28. , Eden of The East the Movie II: Paradise Lost, will open in January of 2010. The fourth volume of Ajiko Kojima's yaoi fan based comedy manga Tonari no 801-chan will ship on September 10 with a "Tonari no 801-chan R" anime short on DVD. Yutaka Yamamoto (Kannagi) will direct the production of the 90-second "opening anime" at Aniplex's A-1 Pictures studio (Kannagi, Ookiku Furikabutte). Volume three had announced a full anime series, which was later cancelled for unexplained reasons. Manga ANN reports Nodame Cantabile is going on hold gain due to creator Tomoko Ninomiya's hospitalization for appendicitis. Ninomiya returned to the main Nodame Cantabile manga in March after taking time off to have her baby and recover from carpal tunnel syndrome. In conjuction with the live action movie, Kozueko Morimoto will be producing two new chapters of Gokusen for You magazine, to ship July 1 and 15 Live Action A look at 2010's Kamen Rider Double Toho Studio will be releasing The Akira Kurosawa: The Masterworks Blu-ray Disc Collection on October 23 - featuring Seven Samurai, Kagemusha, Sanshiro Sugata, Sanjuro, Men Who Tread On The Tiger’s Tail, Sanshiro Sugata Part II and The Bad Sleep Well

Upcoming in North America

CMX OH! MY BROTHER VOL. 1 Written and illustrated by Ken Saito CMX. From the author of THE NAME OF THE FLOWER. Masago is an average high school student who not only doesn’t stand out in a crowd, but who also has to live in the shadow of her very popular and charismatic older brother. Then one day, tragedy strikes when Shiro sacrifices his own life for Masago and gets hit by an oncoming truck. Not too long after — to her shock and confusion — Masago finds herself sharing her own body with the spirit of her deceased brother. Needless to say, life is about to get very complicated for Masago! Advance-solicited; on sale October 7 • 5" x 7.375" • 192 pg, B&W, $9.99 US • TEEN + APOTHECARIUS ARGENTUM VOL. 8 Written and illustrated by Tomomi Yamashita rame Argent for the crime. Beazol is no longer safe and Primula is going to have to make a very difficult choice. Advance-solicited; on sale October 21 • 5" x 7.375" • 192 pg, B&W, $9.99 US • TEEN THE BALLAD OF A SHINIGAMI VOL. 2 Illustrated by Asuka Izumi Original story by K-Ske Hasegawa Advance-solicited; on sale October 7 • 5" x 7.375" • 192 pg, B&W, $9.99 US • TEEN + I HATE YOU MORE THAN ANYONE VOL. 8 Written and illustrated by Banri Hidaka Honjo, who tells her more about the brothers’ troubled past and a girl who was at the center of their conflict. Advance-solicited; on sale October 21 • 5" x 7.375" • 200 pg, B&W, $9.99 US • TEEN TWO FLOWERS FOR THE DRAGON VOL. 5 Written and illustrated by Nari Kusakawa Advance-solicited; on sale October 14 • 5" x 7.375" • 192 pg, B&W, $9.99 US • TEEN FUNimation The English language dub cast were announced for FUNimation's release of Dragonuaut -THE RESONANCE- MAIN Cast List: Toa- Colleen Clickenbeard Jin- Justin Pate Gio- Christopher R. Sabat Akira- Brina Palencia Machina- Caitlin Glass Seiglinde- Cherami Leigh Amadeus- Mark Stoddard Raina- J. Michael Tatum Howlingstar- Brad Hawkins Kazuki- Todd Haberkorn Widow- Jamie Marchi Asim- Jerry Jewell Garnet- Lydia Mackay ADR Director- Zach Bolton ADR Engineer- Peter Hawkinson In order to avoid Earth's impending destruction from an asteroid, the International Solarsystem Development Agency (ISDA) works on the "D-Project", and secretly creates weapons called “dragons “. However, they soon find out that the asteroid is not their only threat, as powerful dragon-like creatures appear on Earth. After witnessing a murder by one of the creatures, Jin Kamishina gets involved with the ISDA and becomes a dragon pilot, otherwise known as a "Dragonaut". Helping him on his journey is the mysterious Toa. FUNimation Entertainment will release the series beginning in November 2009. Via the Anime on DVD forum via AAA Anime * Dragon Ball Z: Bardock Father of Goku (Re-release) - $9.98 - 9/15/09 * Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks (Re-release) - $9.98 - 9/15/09 * Ghost Hunt: Complete Collection - $59.98 - 9/29/09 * Heat Guy J: Complete Collection - $49.98 - 9/29/09 * Jinki: Extend: Complete Collection - $49.98 - 9/29/09 * Kaze no Stigma: Complete Collection, Part 2 - $59.98 - 9/29/09 * Sonic X: The Egg Moon, Emerald & Homebound Sagas - $14.98 - 9/22/09 * Black Lagoon: Seasons 1 & 2 Collection - $69.98 - 9/29/09 Not Listed * Dragon Ball: Season 1 Boxest - $49.98 - 9/15/09 * Nabari no O: Complete Collection, Part 1 - September according to the FUNi Blog * Sgt. Frog: Season 1, Part 1 - 9/22/09 Wal-Mart is listing an upcoming "Dragon Ball: Season One (Widescreen)" for release15 September 2009 for an MSRP of $49.98. FUNimation has not officially confirmed the release Kodansha More evidence and details have emerged that Kodansha will in fact being entering the North American market with re-release of Akira and Gost in the Shell, now list on amazon and The Right Stuf International. Akira will be priced at $24.99. Ghost in the shell will go for $26.99 . Akira vol. 1 (368 pgs) – Oct. 13, 2009 [TRSI, Amazon] Ghost in the Shell vol. 1 (352 pgs) – Oct. 13, 2009 [TRSI, Amazon] Akira vol. 2 (304 pgs) – Jan. 12, 2010 [TRSI, Amazon] Akira vol. 3 (spec. 288 pgs?) – Apr. 13, 2010 [TRSI] Ghost in the Shell vol. 2 (spec. 312 pgs?) – Apr. 13, 2010 [TRSI] Last Gasp Ryan Sands and Evan Hayden, the guys from the Same Hat! blog (featuring horror, gag & erotic-grotesque nonsense) who previously localized Tokyo Zombie, will be preparing Last Gaps's North American release of Suehiro Maruo's "The Strange Tale of Panorama Island." The publication is planned for Spring 2010, and will be only Suehiro Maruo's third book released in English (after Creation Books' "Ultra-Gash Inferno" and Blast Books' "Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show"). From Same Hat's description Panorama is an adaptation of a novella by Japanese detective fiction godfather, Edogawa Rampo. The story takes place at the end of the Taisho era, and follows an unsuccessful science fiction author with an uncanny resemblance to a former classmate/son of a rich industrialist family. When the industrialist's son dies, the author fakes his own death, digs up and hides the other man's body, then washes himself up starving on a beach in a town where the dead man's family lives. After some more intrigue and scheming, he proceeds to take redirect all of their money to build a mysterious pleasure palace island, and live like a sensual weirdo king. Crazy and amazing stuff! A seminal figure in Japanese horror and mystery, Edogawa Rampo is probably best known to anime fans as half of the namesake of Detective Conan's hero Edogawa Conan, and known to horror/mondo film fans as the inspiration for the likes of infamously banned Horror of the Malformed Men. Suehiro Maruo is a noted manga artist from the ero-guro tradition whose graphic work ofteb refers back to ukiyo-e print. Protoculture Inc. Anime News Network and Protoculture Inc. announced that the magazine will return with Protoculture Addicts guide to 80 Anime You Must Watch. Anime News Network and Protoculture Inc. present the all new Protoculture Addicts guide to 80 Anime You Must Watch! Whether you're a long time anime fan, or just getting started, this guide will introduce you to some of the most interesting anime you've never heard of. We've selected the best anime, the most thought-provoking anime, the funniest anime, and the most unique anime, and brought them together in one place. A perfect starting point for new anime fans, and a damn good way for the veteran otaku to find the best anime they've missed. Also includes the ten most overrated anime, ten best soundtracks and several other “top-10” lists. In a letter sent to subscribers and posted on the magazine's blog, Protoculture Inc., the publisher of Anime News Network's Protoculture Addicts, explained why the magazine has not been published for several months and is detailed the magazine's new schedule and format. In the magazine's new format, Protoculture Addicts frequency will be reduced to two or three issues per year. Issues will also be dedicated to a specific topic. For 2009, Protoculture is planning only two thematic issues, one to be released in Summer (around late-July) and the other in Fall. The first thematic issue (officially issue #98) will be 80 Anime You Must Watch! and is promoted as follow: The magazine will be available to retailers from distributors such as Diamond, AAA Anime, Disticor and directly from Protoculture. Shout! Factory On the live action front, has released the details on Shout! Factory's 2 disc special edition of Takashi Miike's AUDITION AUDITION comes to DVD and BluRay this October, and will feature the following supplements, • Feature-length audio commentary with Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan, who is also scripting Miike's upcoming remake of the chanbara classic 13 ASSASSINS. Film writer and Eiga Hi-Ho contributor Masato Kobayashi moderates the Japanese-language (and English-subtitled) commentary track. • Video introduction by Miike • New video interview featurettes with the film's main cast From Audition to Vampire Girl: Eihi Shiina Tokyo—Hollywood: Ryo Ishibashi Miike's Toy: Renji Ishibashi The Man in the Bag Speaks: Ren Osugi • Film trailer, plus liner notes by Agitator author and Midnight Eye founder Tom Mes Not vaguely Japanese/animation/other column topics related, but possibly of interest to some readers, Shout! Factory will release Parker Lewis Can’t Lose: The Complete First Season DVD on June 30, 2009. The 90's comedy will be packed with 26 episodes for $49.99. Sony Sony has sent out the press release info for their re-release of the 2003 Astro Boy, scheduled to be released across 5 volumes on August 18th. The anime series based on the legendary Japanese comic series by Osamu Tezuka, known as the Japanese Walt Disney, is now available in five separate collectible volumes and priced to own just in time for the new feature film. Astro Boy™: The Anime Series, Volumes 1-5 follows an atomic-powered robot who is a reluctant superhero possessing super strength, jet-rocket feet and the ability to fly. Inspired by the anime series that originally aired in Japan in 1960, Astro Boy™: The Anime Series, Volumes 1-5 was updated and modernized in 2003 with state-of-the-art animation and visuals that kept the same classic style as the original “Astro Boy” manga and anime. The series debuted on the Kids WB Network in 2004. Each volume, sold separately, contains ten episodes priced at $14.94 SLP. SYNOPSIS Astro Boy is a clever and resourceful atomic-powered robot. A reluctant flying superhero with super strength and jet-rocket feet, he possesses a human-like personality and fights for justice and peace for humans and robots alike. Episodes Included in Astro Boy™: Volume 1: Power Up! Rocket Ball Atlas Astro vs. Atlas Destination Deimos Into Thin Air Rainbow Canyon Neon Express Franken The Venus Robots Episodes Included in Astro Boy™: Volume 2 Reviving Jumbo Robot Hunters The Rise of Pluto The Fall of Acheron Dragon Lake Lost in Outland Deep City The Blue Knight Hydra-Jacked Geo Raider Episodes Included in Astro Boy™: Volume 3: Secret of the Blue Knight Robot Circus Little Sister, Big Trouble Micro Adventure Only a Machine Robot Boy Dawn of the Techno-Revolution The Legend of Tohron March of the Micro Bears Old Dog, New Tricks Episodes Included in Astro Boy™: Volume 4 The Case of the Phantom Fowl Gideon Fairy Tale Shape Shifter Firebird Space Academy Atlas Strikes Back Battle-Bot Time Hunters Escape from Volcano Island Episodes Included in Astro Boy™: Volume 5 Avalanche! Battle of Steel Island Undercover Into the Dragon’s Lair Night Before the Revolution Robotonia Showdown in Robotonia Journey to Tomorrow Astro Reborn The Final Battle Featurette: “Remaking of Astro Boy” DVD Special Features on Each Volume: - Full Screen Presentations - Audio: English, Spanish, Portuguese (Stereo) - Closed Captioned Astro Boy : Volume 1 DVD Catalog: # 32237 UPC Code: 0-43396-32337-0 Order Date: 7/16/09 SLP: $14.94 Astro Boy : Volume 2 DVD Catalog: # 32238 UPC Code: 0-43396-32338-7 Order Date: 7/16/09 SLP: $14.94 Astro Boy : Volume 3 DVD Catalog: # 32239 UPC Code: 0-43396-32339-4 Order Date: 7/16/09 SLP: $14.94 Astro Boy : Volume 4 DVD Catalog: # 32240 UPC Code: 0-43396-32240-0 Order Date: 7/16/09 SLP: $14.94 Astro Boy : Volume 5 DVD Catalog: # 32240 UPC Code: 0-43396-32241-7 Order Date: 7/16/09 SLP: $14.94 * Icons Of Sci-Fi: Toho Collection. will feature Ishiro Honda's The H-Man, Battle in Outer Space, and Mothra for $24.96. VIZ Media Ultimo, the historic collaboration between comics legend Stan Lee, co-creator of many iconic superheroes including Spider-Man™, the Fantastic Four™, and the X-Men™, and Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of the popular SHAMAN KING manga series, will be begin its serialization in the July issue of Shonen Jump, which is on sale now at retailers and newsstands nationwide. The ULTIMO back-story: High above Farmless City, citizens are stunned by the sudden appearance of two floating figures. Are they human boys, monolithic robots, or something much more strange? As the battle ensues between them, destruction and devastation falls on the hapless city. One figure is Vice, and seems to be as evil as his name implies. The other is Ultimo, intent on trying to stop Vice from wreaking more havoc. But who are Vice and Ultimo really? Where did they come from? Find out in the first chapter of ULTIMO! NARUTO Uncut Box Set Volume 15 Special Edition • Rated 'T+' for Older Teens • MSRP: $69.97 US / $99.99 CAN • Available August 25 Includes playing cards 37-45 and a collectible Mininja Gaara Figurine (5 of 6) (limited supply) BLEACH Volume 19 • Rated 'T' for Teens • MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN • Available August 18 Episodes: 76 thru 79 HUNTER X HUNTER Box Set Volume 3 • Rated 'T+' for Older Teens • MSRP: $49.95 US / $71.99 CAN • Available August 11 POKÉMON: DP BATTLE DIMENSION Box Set 2 • Rated 'A' for All Ages • MSRP: $24.92 each US / $35.99 each CAN • Available August 25 POKÉMON: DP BATTLE DIMENSION Volume 3-4 • Rated 'A' for All Ages • MSRP: $14.98 each US / $21.99 each CAN • Available August 25 POKÉMON ALL STARS Box Set 2 • Rated 'A' for All Ages • MSRP: $39.97 each US / $57.99 each CAN • Available August 25 DEATH NOTE: L, Change the WorLd • MSRP: $24.92 US /$35.99 • Available August 18 The live action feature film -DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd introduces the unwritten chapter of DEATH NOTE and reveals how the legendary detective “L” spends the final 23 days of his life. The story begins as L takes on the “Kira” case, in which countless criminals are dying under mysterious circumstances. L successfully solves the case and stops Kira, but only after sacrificing his life, leaving himself with only 23 days left to live. For his final case L faces down a bio-terrorist group trying to wipe out humanity with a deadly virus ten times more potent than Ebola. As L tries to formulate an antidote with a scientist, he must also save the lives VIZ releases listed by distribution Warner Home Video Honey and Clover Box Set 1 - $59.90 - 9/22/09 Yuta Takemoto has no idea what's in store for his life when he enrolls