Father Geek here with a Special Post BUTT-NUMB-A-THON Double Issue of our regular weekly Manga-Anime column for you. Scott's really stuffed this issue with info... info on everything you could possibly want to know, sooooo sit back and trip thru the wide-world of Anime & Manga in this week's...

AnimAICN

by Scott Green

Manga Spotlight: Trigun Volume 1 By Yasuhiro Nightow

Released by Digital Manga Publishing and Dark Horse Manga

Maybe it is because "Nightow" is memorable, but there is something creator Yasuhiro Nightow that causes people to remember the name where they might forget the names of other creators. It evokes a style that people respond to. Grungrave, a game that by most accounts was pretty unremarkable received considerable attention because Nightow's name was attached to it. Gungrave was then adapted into an anime series, which again from many reports isn't particularly good, but with Nightow's name, it drew eyes. T

he quality most associate with the name is the strength character design. Nightow applies judicial use of wild excess in his design. A few of his creations like chain gun overloaded Monev the Gail are about as excessive as you get without venturing into parody territory, but more often a character is a bit extract lanky, a bit extra short, or a bit extra bulky. Plus, they're well accessorized with niceties such as six foot tall machine-gun crosses, or jackets with concealed straps holding massive amounts of derringer pistols. The effect, beyond providing source material for top notch action figures, is that the character look ready to leap forward. There is no stiffness of cookie cutter familiarity. You want see what they are going to do, and see what they are going to do next.

Trigun is an sci-fi western for an audience somewhere between the young hero's journey fight tournaments of Shonen Jump, and the more violent series like Hellsing. Despite a pacifist hero, it is able to add weight to the violence with a sense of how it impacts lives, and despite a situation that is a bit familiar, there are enough unique element that give the series a great deal of potential.

One hundred years ago a human colonist ships crashed a desert world. Slowly population decline stopped, and some semblance of civilization began to reasserted itself in the form a series of outlaw plagued towns built around imported production factories. One of these town was destroyed under mysterious circumstances, leaving one known surivor, Vash the Stampede. As contradictory as it sounds, Vash is a pacifist gunman with a bounty on his head for the murder of a count, and massive amounts of property damage. Partiauly due to his reputation, and a bounty o his head, he's a trouble magnet. Random threats seem to just find him. On his tail are Meryl Strife and Millie Thompson, a pair of women Bernardelli Insurance Society who are tracking Vash in hopes of mitigating the damage he causes.

Vash has a bit of an unexpected look for a gunfighter. He's a tall thin man, with blonde spiked hair, and a trademark buckle and button heavy red trench coat. Only a beat and worn look prevents him from looking like he wandered off the set of a cyberpunk story.

The volume is bookend by two encounters with the Nebraska family, a clan of outlaws: first a cackling mad scientist and his Godzilla sized cyborg son, then normal looking if fashion eccentric daughter along her behemoth mother, and pair of pillbug-esque brothers. The middle situates Vash in a train robbery caper run by Brilliant Dynamite Neon, a gunslinger who looks like a Texan Confederate by way of Las Vegas and Rob Liefield who's enough of a shot to keep Vash on his toes.

Trigun is Nightow's first major work, and he hasn't yet adapted his style for comics. In this early volume he is better at scenes than translations, so that moments leave more of an impression than actions. He clearly has the necessary ideas for dynamic action scenes, but his execution has caught up. It also looks like he hasn't determined a successful method of quick illustration, or successful short cuts. Details in the illustrations are missing where they are needed, giving the it a sloppy look. Likewise his system of exaggeration hasn't been mastered, often characters have heads too large for their facial features.

Trigun is one of manga series that was adapted into a well known anime series as the story that was being adapted was still being told. Consequently the two versions of Trigun differ in a number of ways, some small, others more profound. Beyond translation differences, and shifts in order, there are changes that alter the tone from the more familiar anime adaptation. Where as in the anime a number of episodic encounters passed before Vash drew his gun, in the manga it is drawn in his first serious battle. Consequently, despite some moments of light wackiness, Vash comes across more as a hard individual with some soft heart than the anime's free spirited eccentric who can turn become serious when circumstance requires. There a strong nudge in the direction addressing the mystery of Vash's origins also appears very early in the story.

Character design, and glimpses at the civilization's back-story provide a core of originality, but the events of the volume are fairly stock. A few tweaks and almost any hero and setting could replace Vash and his world. While fast moving and entertaining the story hasn't yet taken a direction the fulfils its potential.

Digital Manga and Dark Horse have played with the current trend in manga packaging a bit for Trigun. The collection is a oversized 360 pages for $14.96

Anime Spotlight: Orguss 02: Super Dimension Century Orguss Two

Released by Manga Entertainment

Orguss 02 turns out to be a rather surprisingly non-standard giant robot series, with an interesting lower case "R" republican leanings. The six episode OAV (direct to video) series is a follow-up to the Macross/Robotech source-era sci-fi Orguss, but it stands perfectly well on its own. Set in a few world where modern technology exists, but the masses have limited access, the two nation empires Zafrin and Revillia scramble to excavate the robot armor "Decimators" that were brought to the world in a time/reality merging event.

Orguss 02 starts off in staggeringly typical giant robot fashion. Lean, a young mechanic from Revillia, along with mentor Zante, and cavalier military officer Manning recover a damaged decimator from the ocean floor. As they begin to transport their find, a squad Zafrin decimators attack, forcing Lean to pilot the new robot against the attackers.

Typically in a giant robot series you would expect Lean to remain the pilot of the found decimator, which in turn would turn out to be some special example of its kind. Except, in this case. the excavated armor is taken by the army, repainted the standard issue colors, only to be flown by the military's elite aces. In fact, Lean barely pilots a giant robot in the series. What does happen is that after witnessing Lean's quick thinking, Manning coerces Lean to join him in Revillia'd Palace Guards. As a member of the Palace Guard Lean and Manning undertake a covert missing into Zafrin to access the nation strength in decimators. Lean finds himself left in the enemy nation as war is declared, and the series takes a World War II espionage tone. In Zafrin he meets a strange woman named Nataruma, who turns out to be a refugee, and part of the scecret to Zafrin's ultimate weapon. Interlaced with Lean's story and the march to total war in the palace intrigue of Revillia court.

Orguss 02 strains under the confines of giant robot genre. It was initially release in 1990, after Gainax's release of their Evangelion precursor Gunbuster, so while it wasn't revolutionary, it still feels forward looking. There is a barrier they never break, but there are given extra dimensions to fill the confines allotted to them by the genre. The tangibility of Lean's emotions, and the slow exploration of Manning as a rounded person with a habit of going for the easy money regardless the cost is at odds a desire to be a good person and effect positive change than a scoundrel with a soft heart are utilized well in the war drama. Even the evil nobility have facets of Shakespearean tragedy that humanize them. There is even amusing thread of a heroin who takes being put in revealing outfits, yet by constantly ends up wearing them.

It isn't uncommon giant robot anime series position themselves as antiwar, but even Gundam, which many would point to as a prime example of using the genre as a statements, opens itself up to be labeled a power fantasy. Years later, much of the legacy of Gundam is how cool Amura, Char and their giant robots where, in the same way that people think of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and light sabers when thinking about Star Wars. In contrast Orguss does little to romanticize piloting a war machine. In the end they are little more than tools of mad men. While it doesn't quite capture a World War I machine gun distain for them, it does whittle then down into tools used to produce senseless amount of destruction.

Orguss 02 has an acute sense of what a giant robot war would do to the average citizen of an effected nation. It features a number of intense scenes of what happens to a city or town when monstrous war machine start firing stray energy blast, or dropping broken pieces. The grim reality of medical triages, and mast destruction are starkly portrayed in a number of memorable scenes. It isn't Grave of the Fireflies, but it much more than your standard token reminders.

From this it builds a case for republicanism, but a panacea, it doesn't solve the ills of the world or its people, but it is a buffer in which their baser motives are tempered.

Manga Spotlight Record of Lodoss War: The Lady of Pharis Volume 1 by Ryo Miyuno and Akihiro Yamada

Part of CPM Manga's Collector's Series Line

Much of the appeal of most Loddoss adaptations is seeing fantasy rendered in anime or manga. Lady of Pharis is different. Lodoss War is one of the foremost names in fantasy or manga, probably because it fits the western molds of the genre to a T. While "The Grey Witch" is a standard adaptation of basic warrior, cleric, wizard, elf, dwarf Dungeons and Dragons, "The Lady of Pharis" is pulp fantasy in the vein of Howard's Conan, Leiber's Lankhmar or Frazetta's paintings. It is the prequel to the more familiar Lodoss War stories, in which the future dark emperor of the evil land is a wild barbarian, and partner to the man who will age into the role of wise wizard mentor. Its a hard battling legend with an evil goddess capable of savageness and serene malevolence walking the earth, and a group destined to become storied heroes (and villains) who find themselves aligned against her.

On its own, Lady of Pharis is a high octane pot boiler for those who want to see heroes carving their way into history instead of another routine epic of stopping a faceless evil overlord. For Lodoss fans, this is the untold story you want to see: the legendary heroes in their prime.

There is a maturity to the characters and the story not found in other fantasy works, or other Lodoss, entries. Rather than kids looking for adventure and building their skills, these are young professionals looking for their big break, and finding their destinies in a run in with a goddess of madness and darkness. The story also has a sense of a legend being told, and that the destinies of players is known to the observer.

The story moves briskly with some lulls to establish legends of the characters and their time. There is a quality of classic myth to the story. The bold personalities of the character build them into something larger than life. Changes come at monumental moments rather than the gradual shaping of personality. They have more in common with Persius and Jason, or Conan and Doc Savage than their elf and wizard descendants.

The art work mirrors the more mature, revered tone of the story. The illustration is attractive, lithe, and very different. Costume, and monster design has a British style, with some Celtic influence. Lady of Pharis's fight scenes don't quit. You wouldn't find a better barbarian versus goat head demon fight anywhere.

Central Park Media has released a new edition of Record of Lodoss War: The Lady of Pharis. The 300 page volume measures 8 by 6 inches rather than the first edition's 10 x 7 and retails for $16. The new edition also features 80 new pages, which bring the story forward. With the long awaited volume 2 due in January, it is a bit of a raw deal for owners of the first volume. Otherwise, it is an interesting change in pase from the many cookie cutter fantasies you'll find.

Manga Spotlight: Rurouni Kenshin Volume 1 By Nobuhiro Watsuki

Released by Viz's Shonen Jump Graphic Novel

If you strip Rurouni Kenshin to its bare structure, you'll find a fairly routine fighting series. A group of heroes is assembled. After defeating various minor threats, an undefeatable group of opponents is introduced to forces the heroes to build theirs skills, before pairing off in a series of final battle. Still, though it comes from Dragon Ball's publication Weekly Shonen Jump and features many structural similarities, it is the antithesis of its popular predicissor's narrow appeal. It is hard to find someone who doesn't enjoy Kenshin.

The story focuses on a complex and likable hero with a unique demeanor. Kenshin is a small, feminine looking vagabond, who talks in an almost archaic overly polite dialect , but can walk towards a crowd of adversaries with the presence of Toshirô Mifune's Sanjuro. He lives in an era where a revolution that he aided changed the face of his country, but he is emotionally stuck in a particularly bloody point in the past. His struggle to leverage the skills of the cold hearted killer he once was without abandoning his new morality, the humor growing from his generous new personality and his slow, subtle romance with independent minded woman makes him a universally appealing character.

The Meiji restitution or revolution of 1868 ended Japan's military shogunate, restored the rule the emperor and begun the era of the modern nation Japan. The feudal system, including its samurai class was abolished. One of the most feared combatants in this complex storm of ideals and agendas was the political assassin known as the Hitokiri Battousai.

In the 10 years since abandoning his blood stained life as the Hitokiri Battosai, Himura Kenshin has lived as a wandering vagabond. He has vowed never to kill again, and exchanged his sword for reversed blade sakabato. In the new capital Tokyo, he finds a new home with Kaouru, a young woman who has inherited the role as head of a defensive sword school, and Yahiko, the young orphan son of a samurai.

The first volume features Kenshin's meetings with Kaouru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke a "fight merchant" gangster and social avenger who is the first opponent find himself still standing after a blow from Kenshin. Kenshin's fight with Sanosuke introduces some of the exotic nature of the series eith a zanbato, a sword used for fighting cavalry, in this case a giant point slab on a thick pole.

The volume also has a prequel side story with Kenshin meeting another Kaouru like young woman.

Rurouni Kenshin captures the spirit of an era. It captures it with an accuracy most westerns use for depicting post Civil War America, but still like those westerns, it has a very distinctive spirit. Many of the characters are based on historical individuals, and a few are true historical figures. Set in a time where social stratifications have been flattened, and recreated, it is aware of the irony that Kenshin is often fighting abuses by a government that he helped install, and that he taken in a boy who is a son from of the samurai class he fought in the revolution.

The manga is another example where the original series differs in a number of substantial ways from its better exposed anime adaptation. Content differs mostly because the animated television series had to content with a running story. Both built with small stories to the lengthy Kyoto story in which Kenshin must prevent a new revolution fermented by the man who replaced him as Hitokiri during the Meiji revolution. The anime had to reach the Kyoto story through a more circuitous route which required the addition of new side stories whose tone didn't quite match the originals. The manga used the conclusion to quickly lay on a second story of comparable length and complexity on top of the Kyoto story, and the anime never caught up. Instead it told a number of original stories which increasingly meshed poorly with previous events. The side narrative of Kenshin's past was later animated in a direct to video series.

The second difference in the manga is that it doesn't exert the anime's effort in trying to be light. There are no cute children running around Kaouru's sword school, and while there are jokes about Kenshin's pliable nonresistance to suggestions, considerably less time is allotted to him cooking and cleaning. While the anime's use of color negative for the moment of a particularly brutal attack was an effective technique, Nobuhiro Watsuki's illustration has a uniquely explosive look to impact that makes all of the action look more brutal.

Anime preview: SD Superior Defender Gundam Force Volume 1: The Hero Arrives

To be Released by Bandai Entertainment February 3rd

The term super deformed reffers a stylized depiction of characters where the head's size is noticeablely large compared to body. Generally the body is also depicted as short and pudgy. The style is used to emphasize cuteness, or heightened emotions, ussually in a comedic sense. It is more prominently used in shoujo (for female audiences), but it is not uncommon to find its use in shounen (for male audiences).

The giant robots of the venerable Gundam franchise have been super deformed a number of times: in self-parody anime, in a series of video games, and in toys and models. Superior Defender takes the catalogue of super deformed Gundam design, and uses it for to introduce young viewers the universe of fighting robots. In this case, they are human size, and able to converse with an inquisitive young boy who has to balance robot warfare with homework, and taking care of his infant sister. For a cynical mind it is easy to think of Superior Defender Gundam as a means of indoctrinating the young into the Gundam franchise (similar sentiment was expressed for an older audience with the recent Gundam Seed), but ultimately it is a fun series with winning visuals, energetic heroes, strange villains, and a story that does boast some interesting concepts. SD isn't going to please the Gundam purists or fatigued, but younger viewers will genuinely enjoy it, and there is ample material to keeper older fans entertained.

SD GundamForce is divided into a number of dimensions. Neotopia is a world where humans and robots live in peace. It is the home of Shute, a young boy with some mechanical aptitude. One day as Shute is returning home from school he stumbles onto invasion force from Dark Axis: robots who enslave other robots and release insects that pave over worlds. With the help of Shute, the invaders are fought off by Captain Gundam, the not-so giant robot defender of Neotopia. After their meeting Shute and Captain Gundam spend several episode trying to keep the secret of Captain's existence, and learning that they work best together.

The information regarding the series seems to offer some promising extensions to the concept with the introduction of the dimensions Lacroa, a medieval world that Dark Axis has conquered, and Ark, a feudal Japanese inspired robot world without humans that was in the midst of a civil war when Dark Axis invaded.

The visual appeals of SD Gundam is sure to win many fans among younger viewers. It's bright and attractive, with cgi animation that looks like the new cell shaded video games. Super deformed Gundams are a mature concept in that they're now been in existence for a considerable length of time, and their design has really been well refined. They have the whole pudgy funny looking robots thing down to science. The hordes of Gundam robots feature good use of a vast array of good design. They're complex without being distracting or busy. They aren't as monumental as their older cousins, but they are wonderfully weapon laden.

There are also a new of quirks of amusingly strange design (though after the cultural parodies of G Gundam, they're comparatively tame).

For series made for young audience's, Superior Defender Gundam admirablely avoids many of the pitfalls and short cuts of its ilk. It is never shrill or overly sweet. At least through the first three episode it hasn't used the excuse of a young audience to pull the blatant short cut of grossly repeating animation The introduction of a chivalrous rival Gundam in the third episode shows that the serious is wanting for a little attitude from its heroes or backbone .

Manga Spotlight: Battle Royale Volume 3 By Koushu Takami & Masayuki Taguchi

Released by TOKYOPOP

The third volume of Battle Royale takes the infectious naughtiness to the next level. The first volume introduce the game where a class room to teens are forced to kill each other until one survivor remains. The second introduced the decision to participate in the game, and the consequences of opting out. Volume three introduces sex. Now there's fairly explicit sex to go with the explicit violence. Battle Royale plays on the levels of the ultimate exploitation vehicle, and as commentary of teenage life, and in both cases all roads pass through sex.

Much of the drama comes from fire light before the from before the game was iniated. It is an explosion of unresolved issues unleashed by ironic freedom afforded the game. The dominant axis point of discussion is teenage prostitution. Middle class, teenage prostitution isn't on the media radar in the US, but for at least half a decade its cultural resonance has been felt through popular media in Japan. Generally it is a launch point for examination of materialism, parenting, disconnection or cliques. It is the later two in this case. Though like all aspects of the manga it is stretched and exaggerated almost to the breaking point it is hard not to feel chills when a confrontation between intimates ends with one scooping out the other's brains.

Of note, the character played in the movie by Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill's Go Go Yubari) has a major role in this volume.

The third volume of Battle Royale was delayed several months because of the quality of the image reproduction. While translated manga certainly has been released looking worse, the problems this is volume where not completely cleared up for the released version.

Last Week's Releases

Anime

• Android Kikaider - Unveiled Past (Vol. 3)
• Argentosoma - Annihilation (Vol. 6)
• Banner of the Stars II - Survivors (Vol. 3)
• City Hunter - Season 3
• GTO Box Set Vol. 1
• Iczer Reborn
• Inu-Yasha - Swords of Destiny (Vol. 12)
• Inu-Yasha - Den of Wolves (Vol. 13)
• Interstella 5555
• Original Dirty Pair - Affair of Nolandia (Vol. 5)
• Pokemon Johto League Champions Vol 6
• RahXephon - Crescendo (Vol. 7)
• Saint Seiya - Debts Unpaid (Vol. 2)
• Steam Detectives-Case 2
• Witch Hunter Robin - Belief (Vol. 2)

Manga

• Cowboy Bebop Boxed Set Collection
• Crayon Shinchan Gn #6
• Dot Hack Sign Vol 2 Gn (Of 3)
• Hellsing Vol 1 Tp
• Jing King Of Bandits Vol 3 Gn (Of 7)
• Kare Kano Vol 6 Gn (Of 13)
• Peach Girl Change Of Heart Vol 5 Tp (Of 11)
• Rave Master Vol 6 Gn (Of 18)
• Record Of Lodoss War Lady Of Pharis Collectors Ed Book 1
• Red Prowling Devil Gn #6
• Shaolin Soccer Gn #2
• Slayers Super Explosive Demon Story Vol 3 Tp
• Storm Riders Part 2 Invading Sun Vol 1 Tp
• Story Of Tao Gn #6

This Week's Releases

>Anime

• All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl-Mode Tw
• Assemble: Insert
• Corrector Yui - Out of Sync (Vol. 3)
• Final Fantasy Unlimited-Phase 2
• Heat Guy J - Sins of the City (Vol. 3)
• Inu-Yasha - Special Limited Edition (Vols. 1-3)
• Master Keaton - Blood & Bullets (Vol. 4)
• Neo Ranga - The Search for Paradise (Vol. 6)
• Orphen Season 2 - Revenge (Vol. 1)
• Super Gals - Ran Loves Shibuya! (Vol. 3)
• Yu Yu Hakusho - Dark Tournament - Tournament's End

Manga

• Blade Of The Immortal #85 Mirror Of The Soul (Pt 1 Of 3)
• Castle In The Sky Gn Boxed Set
• Ghost In The Shell 2 Man Machine Interface #10
• Inu Yasha Vol 7 Tp 2Nd Ed
• Inu Yasha Vol 8 Tp 2Nd Ed
• Kodocha Vol 10 Sanas Stage Gn (Of 10)
• Naruto Vol 2 Tp Shonen J Format
• Oh My Goddess #104 Dr Moreau (Pt 5 Of 5)
• Raijin Comics #40
• Rurouni Kenshin Vol 2
• Spirited Away Gn Boxed Set
• Yu Gi Oh Vol 3 Tp

Interstella 5555 is the music video collaborations between Daft Punk, and Captain Harlock/ Battle Ship Yamato creator Leiji Matsumoto

Appleseed Movie Information

Anime News Network reports that a press conference was held last Thursday to reveal the latest information on the movie adaptation of Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow's Appleseed.

The movie was called "the world's first real-life-CG-anime movie." It will be directed by Bubble Crisis' Aramaki Shinji. Sori Fumihiko, who worked on the live action adaptation of Taiyo Matsumoto's (Black and White, No. 5) Ping Pong and James Cameron's Titanic will be creative director.

Sori says of the computer animated movie "It should be easier to empathize with the characters due to the more realistic and three-dimensional drawing."

21-year-old actress Minowa Asumi will play the role of hot headed SWAT officer Deunan.

Manga Entertainment Set Delays

Manga Entertainment has indefinitely postponed their plans for releasing Macross Plus, and Evangelion movie sets.

Anime Trailers

From Anime News Network and Natsume Maya

A teaser for Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle can be seen here

Catsuka.com is hosting the 6 minute Innocence: Ghost in the Shell here

Catsuka also has a five minute pilot for an anime based on the manga Black and White here A review of the unique manga's first volume can be seen here

Toei's trailer for the upcoming Saint Seiya movie, which will be released in Japanese theatres February can be seen here.

One Piece Anime Status

Anime News Network has learned that contratry to popular belief FUNimation does not hold the license to the anime version of pirate adventure One Piece. There has been contention as to whether FUNimation announced that they had licensed it. Initial reports of the license came from FUNimation's panel at Anime Expo New York 2002. FUNimation is stating that they expressed an interest in the series rather that stating that they had licensed it. Anime News Network was informed today that the license for One Piece has not been awarded and that FUNimation "Remains one of the top companies in negotiations for the property."

There's been a bit of controversy and fan ruffled feathers (see the Anime on DVD forum), but it looks like FUNimation was a least close to having the series in the past. FUNimation has registered the trademark "One Piece" in 2002, but did not renew it 2003. A number of voice actors have stated that they worked on an English dub pilot for FUNimation.

The manga version of the story is part of Viz's Shonen Jump manga anthology.

New Manga From Hikaru No Go Creator

From Natsume Maya Obata Takeshi, the illustrator of Hiraku No Go has begun a new manga series, "Death Note" which begins serialization in the Weekly Shonen Jump which will be released in Japan 1st. Hikaru no Go recently ended in Japan, and began in the most recent issue of the English edition of Shonen Jump. The series follows a boy who becomes the host of the spirit of a master of the ancient strategy game Go.

Full Metal Alchemist Interest

Natsume Maya, according to Bloomberg Japan business report, a publications manager of Square Enix states that the company has received expressions of interest from five TV stations across Europe and North America in relation to the TV anime Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Full Metal Alchemist). Full Metal Alchemist, which has not relationship to the similarly named Full Metal Panic, is the adventurer of two brothers who seek to become master alchemists. Along the way one loses his leg, and the is sealed in a suit of armor.

Marmalade Boy Anime TOKYOPOP will be releasing a 3 DVD set of the first 19 episode of the shouji anime Marmalade Boy on April 27th for $99.99. From TOKYOPOP's description: Miki Koishikawa's world is turned upside down when her parents tell her they are divorcing, swapping partners and are all going to live together under one roof. It's hard enough being a teenager, but dealing with new parents, a cute step-brother and all her friends' problems is almost too much to take!

Murderer Attributes Evangelion

According to a Mainichi Daily News, a Japanese man accused of beating his mother to death with a baseball bat has stated that he was inspired by the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion which cause him to form "The ultimate conclusion of (human) evolution is ruin."

He also came to believe that humans were unnecessary beings who were destroying the world's environment, and in turn began to want to kill people, prosecutors said.

Mezzo Date

Mezzo, the television spin-off Mezzo Forte, the slick action direct to video release will commence broadcast on Japanese TV January 4th.

New Wolf's Rain Ending

Anime News Network reports that Studio Bones, of Cowboy Bebop fame will be releasing four new episode of Wolf's Rain straight to DVD. Episode 27 and 28 will be released January 23rd, and episodes 29, and 30 will be released February 25th.

The series, which original aired on Japanese TV started out with strong following, but faltered as Bones ran into problems, which where most apparent when the show ran four consecutive re-cap episodes.

Viz to Release Kinnikuman/Ultimate MUSCLE

Viz announced that it will be releasing the manga ULTIMATE MUSCLE: The Kinnikuman Legacy from Shueisha starting next March.

The original MUSCLEMAN (KINNIKUMAN in Japanese) was created by the renowned manga artist duo Yudetamago (composed of Nakai Yoshinori and Takashi Shimada) in 1979 while the pair was still in high school. MUSCLEMAN was an action-packed tale of a band of wrestlers who take on a motley gang of evil, equally muscle-bound counterparts to save the earth from destruction. Yudetamago was also responsible for other popular manga series including LIONHEART, TOTAL FIGHTER K, and MR. GOURMAND. MUSCLEMAN, drew a devoted following in the pages of the Japanese edition of Weekly Shonen Jump. Its sequel, Ultimate Muscle: The Kinnikuman Legacy, has now spawned 23 volumes and sold over 7 million copies in Japan. In America, an anime version of ULTIMATE MUSCLE premiered in 2002 on the Fox network's Fox Box and the show has become a favorite of children and young adults. The program is now into its second successful season and a bevy of related action figures and video games have followed.

Anime Network on RCN

As of December 1st, ADV's video on demand Anime Network expanded into RNC cable provides in the Impulse on DemandSM VOD service for Manhattan, Boston, Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

MainFrame to Animate Alien Legion

In non-anime news, it looks like Mainframe Entertainment of ReBoot and Transformers Beast Wars fame will be animating Alien Legion. The official site can be seen here, based on Chuck Dixon's galactic war comic.

Upcoming ADV Releases

December 30:

• City Hunter Tv '91
• Eden's Bowy: Eden's Fall
• Legend Of The Mystical Ninja: Goemon The Good

January 6th:

• Angelic Layer: Idol Worship
• Full Metal Panic! Mission 06
• Pretear (Volume 2)
• Saiyuki: The Gods Of War
• Slayers: Great

January 13th:

• Saint Seiya: Dark Adversaries (volume 3)
• Steam Detectives: Case Three

January 20th:

• All-Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku Dash! Mode 3
• Final Fantasy: Unlimited-Phase 3
• Super Gals!: Look Out! Love Is Dangerous! (Volume 4)

January 27th

• Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi: It's a Mad, Mad,
• Mad, Mad Alternate World (volume 2)
• Samurai X: The Ova Collection

Saiyuki: The Gods Of War

Seventh Volume; Collector's Edition With Exclusive Premium Available

The Saiyuki series is the latest manifestation of the 16th-century Chinese novel Xiyouji (Journey to the West) by Wu Cheng-En, which tells a time-proven story of a band of eccentric travelers bound for adventure. In the Saiyuki tale, a pistol-toting monk and his three eccentric companions are assigned the task of traveling to India from China to quash the resurrection of a sinister demon, encountering a few unsavory characters and experiencing a smattering of mishaps along the way.

Full Metal Panic! Mission 06

Things are steaming up! We open on a hot bath with three hot babes: Sergeant Major Mao, Captain Testarossa and Kaname. The lovely sergeant major exposes her past-and then some!-when she tells the story of how she first met Kurz and Sousuke. Funny how little has changed since then...

Full Metal Panic!, which was directed by Kouichi Chigara (Gate Keepers, Phantom Quest Corps) and produced by GONZO Digimation (Hellsing, Blue Sub No. 6), successfully mixes mecha combat, martial arts, international criminal intrigue, and high-school politics with a final dash of teen romance to make this series an irresistible treat for viewers.

Legend Of The Mystical Ninja: Goemon The Good

Legend of the Mystical Ninja: Goemon the Good, first volume of the zany anime tie-in to the immensely popular Nintendo video game from Japanese game-maker Konami.

A god of unparalleled evil lurks at the edge of the Game World. This vile creature, Makuamuuge, declares a revolt against the Game World and sends his loyal and steadfast foot soldiers into the Human World to unleash his master plan. Only by twisting the very nature of the Human World can they bring about the total victory of evil. Confronted by a worthy adversary, they are forced to resort to ever more malicious tactics. The fearless and noble Goeman from Game World's lost city of Edo, the protector of all that is good, may have the strength, the will and the sweet rice balls to prevail over this insidious threat.

The series stays loyal to the colorful characters and wacky sense of humor that attracted so many to the game while introducing a storyline that will appeal to all game players. Using a television as a portal, the brightly coiffed Goemon, hero of both the game and the series, crosses from the game world to the human world to save humankind from an invasion of the video game world's most undesirable citizens.

Angelic Layer: Idol Worship

Third volume of the remarkable and original series Angelic Layer, a shonen anime revolving around fighting action figures in thrilling tournament competitions. But in a twist that could only come from the series creators, the all-female studio CLAMP (Chobits, Rayearth, Tokyo Babylon), the lead character of Angelic Layer is not the typical shonen adolescent boy, but a young girl freshly arrived in Tokyo.

Pretear

The second volume of Pretear, the enchanting fantasy anime series created by Kaori Naruse and noted anime fantasy creator Junichi Sato (director of the first series of Sailor Moon and creator of Kaleido Star).

The title cleverly combines elements of the age-old fairy tales Cinderella (the heroine has a new family complete with a new stepmother and stepsisters) and Snow White (she finds friends, and romance, in seven handsome knights) under the umbrella of mahou shoujo anime.

Himeno Awayuki should be happy. Her family is rich. And when Himeno merges with a Leafe Knight, she transforms into an all-powerful superhero: the Pretear! But a discarded lipstick leads Himeno to learn that her archenemy Fenril, Princess of Disaster, was once the human Takako and the previous Pretear. Worse, Hayate-Himeno's current love interest-spurned Takako and turned her to evil! Devastated, Himeno loses her Pretear abilities.

Sensing Himeno's weakness, Fenril begins toying with the Knights-and nearly kills Sasame. Things look dire, until Hayate declares his feelings for Himeno. Then, to everyone's amazement, Himeno discovers how to be the Pretear again!

Unfazed by this setback, Fenril sends Transport Demons into the Awayuki home. The Leafe Knights and Himeno race to protect her family. Unfortunately, Mawata, Himeno's stepsister, succumbs to despair, and the Knight Sasame loses hope. When the Princess of Disaster is finally found, she has a few cards up her sleeve-and secrets to reveal.

Slayers: Great

Slayers: Great brings back odd couple Lina Inverse and the buxom Naga the Serpent to entertain fans with more (mis)adventures that are equal parts action and comedy. The movie is based on a manga by Hajime Kanzaka (Lost Universe) and directed by Hiroshi Watanabe (King of Bandit Jing, Orphen).

All Laia Einburg wants for her golem-making father Galia and her equally ambitious brother Huey is to end a long running feud. But her world gets turned upside down when short-stature Lina Inverse and overly endowed Naga the Serpent save Laia from a rampaging golem.

A grateful, but smitten, Galia asks Lina to be a model for his work. Not to be outdone, Huey makes a similar request to Naga. The results are towering remote-controlled golems in the image of our favorite sorceresses! Huey gets all the proportions right, but Galia's taste is just weird. Adding insult to injury, Galia turns Lina into a magical battery pack!

Eden's Bowy: Eden's Fall

The concluding volume of the acclaimed anime fantasy series, noted for its multilayered complexity and wide-ranging appeal. Eden's Bowy is based on a manga by Tennoji Kitsune, and was directed by Tsukasa Sunaga (Southern Cross), with character designs by Kazui Hiroko (Ranma ½, Oh! My Goddess!).

Samurai X: The Ova Collection

Samurai X: The OVA Collection ($69.98), a compilation of the six episodes comprising the two stunningly animated and beautifully told OVAs that accompany the classic anime series featuring legendary samurai Rurouni Kenshin.

Samurai X: Trust

Nineteenth century Japan is a land torn by warfare and rebellion where small bands of soldiers seek to overthrow the tyrannical Tokugawa Shogunate. Enter Kenshin, a young orphan whose fighting skills were honed by the great swordsman Hiko. Though still just a teenager, Kenshin develops a reputation as a skilled assassin. Then, his world is thrown into confusion by the arrival of a mysterious woman named Tomoe, whose kindness shows him a life he didn't know existed. Only Tomoe has secrets that could either help the Kenshin to become a man or destroy everything he holds dear.

Samurai X: Betrayal

Kenshin and Tomoe are forced to escape to a small farm in rural Japan after disastrous events in Kyoto. Living as simple farmers, the two begin to learn more about who they really are and settle comfortably into the peaceful country life. But the political conflicts of the outside world are begin to encroach on their peaceful existence-a traitor is at work to bring down the rebellion and destroy Kenshin in the process. The fugitive couple is eventually drawn to a terrible but stunning climax.

Samurai X: Reflection

The prolonged and bloody war where Rurouni Kenshin gained his fame as a master assassin has long ended, yet Kenshin has found little peace. He is a wanderer, a lost soul, cursed to seek atonement for his life in the bloody trade of the samurai. His wife Kaoru steadfastly awaits his return, mourning his absence as well as that of their son, Kenji. As her health steadily declines, she holds on to the desperate hope that someday Kenshin will return.

The OVAs are both prologue and epilogue to the hit television series, as Samurai X: Trust and Samurai X: Betrayal tell the story of Kenshin's mysterious past while Samurai X: Reflection continues Kenshin's life after the series' conclusion.

Super Gals!: Look Out! Love Is Dangerous!

Super GALS! successfully combines the light comedy characteristic of Japanese high school girls-shopping, high-school gossip, and teen romance-with strong and compelling storylines while providing stateside audiences with a glimpse of Japanese pop culture.

New Gigantor Anime

Tetsujin 28, known as Gigantor in the US will be adapted into a new anime series which will appear on Japanese TV next spring.

Japanese Company Request Fansub Removal

Anime News Network reports that Kyoto Animation has contacted Saikou-fansubs to request that they cease distributing the OAV (direct to vide release) Munto. After its Japanese release the creators of Munto posted a low quality version of the series online for reviewing for one day. Though it has not been announced by Central Park Media, the Japanese Munto page states that the series has been licensed by CPM. Fansubs are anime released they have been translated and subtitles by fans rather than official licensors. Typically, fansubs are now distributed as movie files.

Cutey Honey Cast Pictures

Jagged Team points out that the website for the live action Cutey Honey movie has been updated with pictures of the cast.

Japanese Animation Runner Kuromi to Feature English Subtitles

The Japanese direct to video release of Animation Runner Kuromi, a follow up to the anime about anime production, will be released on a region free DVD which will feature English subtitles. The DVD will be releasing on January 28th,

Astro Boy in Canada

According to Anime News Network, the most recent Astro Boy anime series will be broadcast on Canadian YTV starting on January 31st.

YTV will wil also be showing a 15 hour Anime Marathon on New Year's Eve starting at 2:30 PM on Dcemeber 31st, which will include Dragon Ball GT, Yu Gi Oh, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon and Pokemon.

ComicsOne to Release Four Constable Kung Fu Comic

ComicsOne has announced that they will be releasing Tony Wong and Andy Seto's comic adpation of Wen Rui-An's Four Constables novels.

Four of China's supremely skilled assassin/detectives serve only their Master Zhuge Zhen-Wo - The Little Flower, who in turn is head bodyguard and advisor for China's all-powerful Emperor. The Four constables include: Wu Chen - The Emotionless Cripple is a master of weapons and devices, Tie Sho - The Iron Hand possesses incredible chi and can stop the sharpest blades with his bare hands, Zhue-Min - The Life Snatcher is highly skilled in light-foot granting him undaunted legwork and kicks, and Len Hsueh - The Cold Blooded who was raised by wolves and has since learned to convert his pain into strength enabling him to defeat opponents much stronger than himself. Each man is entrusted by the Emperor with the power to arrest and execute any corrupt officials or lawless criminals within the Chinese Empire.

Availability Volume One of The Four Constables will be available in February 2004. The full color 120+ page graphic novels will be priced at $13.95. Visit http://www.comicsone.com/4constables/ for more detailed series information.

New TOKYOPOP Execs

TOKYOPOP has hired Bill Josey (formerly of Saban Entertainment/Fox Family and MGM/UA) as General Counsel and VP, Business Affairs and Masashi Matsuhashi (formerly of Virgin Cinemas Japan) as Tokyo Office General Manager

Broccoli Books Announces Aquarian Age - Juvenile Orion volume 1

Broccoli Books, the publishing division of Broccoli International USA, will be releasing the English version of Aquarian Age - Juvenile Orion volume 1 in January.

Known as Orion no Shounen in Japan, Aquarian Age - Juvenile Orion is by popular manga artist Sakurako Gokurakuin. The first volume will be released exclusively at Waldenbooks and Anime Gamers through April.

Aquarian Age - Juvenile Orion is a spin-off series of the card game of the same name. The five-volumed manga combines elements of fantasy, romance, and action, focusing on five young men with supernatural abilities.

About Aquarian Age - Juvenile Orion Mana is a 16-year-old teenager who came back to Tokyo after her mother's death. She reunites with her childhood friend Kaname, but he is not happy to see her again. Mana's presence sets off a chain of events that changes the lives of Kaname and his best friend Naoya forever. Their classmates Isshin and Tsukasa, and their teacher Tomonori find themselves drawn to her as well. They soon discover that they are part of the Aquarian Age-an ancient war that has raged in secret for thousands of years.

Bandai Going into Collectable Card Games

Bandau has announced that that they will be releasing collectable card games (CCGs) based on Superior Defender and Knights of the Zodiac (aka Saint Seiya). Games based onGundam and Digimon will debut in June.

"Bandai has a unique understanding of these popular Japanese properties that has helped sustain their success for so many years," said Bill Beebe, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Bandai America. "We are taking that knowledge and translating it to the design and game play of these cards. Fans will now be able to explore the fantastic worlds of these properties in ways they have not been able to before."

To aid in accomplishing this goal, an entirely new division and design team has been created at Bandai to make a unique gaming experience for fans and collectors. Distinct game play has been created for each property, rather than simply recycling the same game with new graphics for different brands - a complaint often heard in the gaming community. Dedicated websites for each individual game will also be accessible online with rules, tactics, tips and even upcoming tournament information.

Voltron on DVD

According to DVD.com Voltron Defender of the Universe will be released on DVD in 2004 to mark the 20th anniversary of the series' debut un the US

FUNimation Site News

FUNimation has posted their winter catalogue online here.

www.funimationcentral.com is rummomg am "Ask Sheron" contest that will be giving away products from the ZStore.

ComicsOne to Release New Manga From Onegai Teacher Creator

ComicsOne has announced their upcoming release of "Sister Red", a tale of gothic drama by Onegai Teacher artist Shizuru Hayashiya.

What lurks behind the world of the living? What is it that hides just out of sight of human perception? There is more to our world than our eyes reveal.

Mahito, a young High School girl, is about to find out. She has just died.

Mahito lives at home with her father (an ex-pro wrestler) and her cousin Erika, who came to live with Mahito's family several years ago after the death of her parents.

So it was on a rainy night, when Mahito had gone out for groceries that she was struck by a car. Two days later she awakens at home, covered in dirt and blood, yet there is not a scratch to be found anywhere on her. Shortly thereafter she discovers that she had died that night of the accident, but a mysterious woman named Alice had arrived on the scene and brought her back to life. This strange woman shared a part of her "Sacred Heart" with Mahito, giving her life as a Median, or Undead.

It is a strange world Mahito is introduced to. As a Median, she possesses unique powers and sees the world around her for what it really is - a place quite different than what we humans perceive. It is a darker more foreboding plane where danger can lurk behind any given corner.

Volume One of Sister Red will be available in Feb 2004. The 200 page graphic novels will be priced at $9.95. Visit http://www.comicsone.com/manga/sisterRed/ for more detailed series information.

CPM Announces 100th Graphic Novel

Central Park Media announced the release of its 100th graphic novel release: Slayers Super-Explosive Demon Story Book 3: Red Priest available December 3, 2003.

Central Park Media first exploded on to the graphic novel scene with Project A-ko, the manga version of the widely popular anime. Anime fans embraced the graphic novel and CPM found a new vehicle to bring even more fans to the previously small niche genre. The production of the 100th graphic novel plus continued expansion and growth of CPM's graphic novels prompted the creation of CPM Press.

CPM Press is the umbrella brand enveloping CPM Manga, CPM Manhwa and CPM Comics. CPM Press' diverse catalog features some of the hottest licenses in Japan for science fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, comedy and Shoujo (comics targeted at women). With fans in mind, CPM Press has re-sized, re-priced, and changed the format of its graphic novels to mirror the traditional Japanese right to left format whenever possible.

"This release marks an exciting milestone in the ascendant growth of CPM Press' publishing program, happily coinciding with the phenomenal rise in popularity of manga in the United States." - stated John Davis, CPM Press Account Executive.

Slayers Super-Explosive Demon Story Book 03: Red Priest Writers and Artists: Hajime Kanzaka (writer), Shoko Yoshinaka (artist) and Rui Araizumi (character design). The forces of evil have triumphed. Lina is in the clutches of a sketchy band of sinister brigands in the employ of a mysterious and powerful man.

Upcoming Geneon Releases Anime:

February 24th

Haibane-Renmei - Day of Flight (V.4) DVD

MAO-CHAN - Song of Defense (V.3) DVD

Pint-sized girls, Mao-Chan, Misora-Chan and Silvia-Chan enlist the help of new alien detective, Kiku Ichimonji the Third, and continue give it their all to defend Japan against attacks by the cute yet pesky aliens. Aliens targeting apples, tangerines and melons pop up from nowhere all over Japan. The girls fend off a potential attack by monkey alien at a Japanese inn by the hot springs. Where next will these aliens show up to surprise the girls? And can the trio keep it together?

6 complete episodes on one disc! (15 min. per episode)

Soundtracks

February 17th:

Chobits Character Song Collection CD

This 13-track CD includes the bouncy duet version of "Love of Babble," composed by "Pizzicato Five" mastermind K-taro Takanami and sung by the original voice actors of Hideki and Chi.

Fruits Basket Original Soundtrack - Memory for You CD

Last Exile Original Soundtrack CD

This 19-track CD includes four vocal songs, starting with the rhythm-thumping signature intro song "Cloud Age Symphony" and signing off with the tender closing theme song "Over the Sky."

Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi Site

ADV has opened an Ebglish site for their upcoming release of Gainax's Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi at www.abenobashidvd.com/.

VIZ Announces DVD Releases Aimed at 2003 Holiday Season

Viz has announced the release of a number of products timed to hit stores for the holiday season, including the Inuyasha Special Limited Edition DVD set that will be limited to only 15,000 copies, the final Ranma ½ boxed set, a Maison Ikkoku second season DVD boxed set, and two volumes of a special Ceres Collectors' Edition DVD.

The Inuyasha Special Limited Edition DVD includes 3 DVDs (first 9 episodes of the series), a 2004 Inuyasha calendar (, an Inuyasha mini-poster, and other extras an Inuyasha collector card, a character glossary card and a display case. Suggested retail price is $49.98

The Inuyasha Action Pack includes two graphic novels (vols. 1 and 2), a DVD (vol. 1 with 3 episodes), and a mini-poster in a display case. The set will be offered exclusively by Borders/Waldenbooks through the holiday season. At the start of 2004 it will then be offered through all main channels and retailers. Suggested retail price is $39.98 (USD).

The Ranma ½: Ranma Forever box set includes all 25 episodes from the final season of Ranma ½ and a plethora of extras, including footage from the "Farewell to Ranma Party" held at the 2003 Anime Expo, as well as interviews with the voice talent from the series. Suggested retail price is $119.98 (USD).

Maison Ikkoku, from Rumiko Takahashi, has been re-mastered and released on DVD. The series, which ran ninety-six episodes and aired from 1986 to 1988 is a romantic comedy revolving around the life of a hapless student named Yusaku Godai and his relations with Kyoko Otonashi, the beautiful female manager of his apartment complex, called Ikkoku-kan. The Maison Ikkoku boxed edition from VIZ summarizes the second season and includes 12 episodes. Suggested retail price is $49.98.

Ceres Collector's Edition: Reincarnation (vol. 1) features an exclusive sleeve design by Yu Watase, part one of never before seen interview with Watase, character profiles and line drawings. Suggested retail price is $49.98.

Ceres Collectors' Edition: Ascension (vol. 2) also features an exclusive sleeve design by Watase, part two of the exclusive interview, character profiles and line drawings. Suggested retail price is $49.98.

Kill Bill Anime Interview

Anime News Network points out CGNetworks has posted an interview with Katsuji Morishita, Animation Producer at Production I.G. The interview is about the animated sequences in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill here

Adult Swim Returns

Cowboy Bebop and Reign the Conqueror have returned to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. Lupin III will be returning January 6th.