NEW MAISON IKKOKU AND RANMA ˝ VIDEOS
Viz Video announces the new August 2000 releases of Rumiko Takahashi's hit anime Maison Ikkoku and Ranma 1/2.
MAISON IKKOKU
The most beloved anime romance of all time! At Maison Ikkoku, a run-
down apartment house inhabited by drunks, deadbeats and busybodies,
love blossoms between Yusaku Godai, a bumbling college student and
Kyoko Otonashi, his beautiful, young apartment manager. Between nosy
neighbors, financial problems, and romantic rivals, will their two
hearts ever meet? The entire Maison Ikkoku manga is available
complete in English in 14 graphic novels.
VOL. 22: WISH UPON A FALL
It's bad enough being laid up in the hospital with a broken leg. At
least Godai can enjoy Manager Kyoko's undivided attention since it
was her fault he fell in the first place, right? Tell that to Coach
Mitaka. Then, while rummaging in the attic one day, Kentaro finds
an
old photo album from 50-100 years ago. What a surprise to find within
it an image of the ever-mysterious Yotsuya.looking exactly the
same
as he does now. 2 complete episodes, 52 minutes,
English-subtitled.
Available August 2000 for $28.95 USA (retail).
RANMA 1/2
Ranma Saotome never thought a martial arts training mission to China
would end up like this! An accidental dunk in a cursed spring changes
boy Ranma into a curvy young girl, every time he is splashed with
cold water. Hot water reverses the effect-but only until next
time!
Pursued by suitors of both genders, constantly challenged by battle-
happy martial artists for crimes both real and imagined.what's a
half-
girl, half-guy to do? New Ranma 1/2 comics are released monthly from
Viz Comics, with 15 graphic novels already available.
MARTIAL MAYHEM, VOL. 10: SWIMMING WITH PSYCHOS
Determined to enter a swimming competition even though she never
learned to swim, the definitely non-buoyant youngest Tendo sister
starts swimming with sharks-or in this case, with
psychos-especially
once Principal Kuno offers Akane his "help".ALSO: Ryoga, the
Eternal
Wanderer, stumbles into a scene straight out of Shane. Think of it as
an eastern story, but with a western theme! 2 complete episodes, 52
minutes, English-dubbed. Available August 2000 for $24.95 USA
(retail).
OUTTA CONTROL, VOL. 11: YOU BET YOUR DOJO
Meet the strangely familiar Gambling King, whose poker face conceals
the fact that he's the world's second-worst cardplayer. But
since
Ranma is the world's worst cardplayer, the Gambling King has the
cards on his side in his plan to turn the Tendo Dojo into.a
casino!
Plus, Azusa Shiratori returns! Available August 2000 for $28.95 USA
(retail).
"Good reading and lots of fun.This comic book was charming. Children of all ages and fans of Pokémon will thoroughly enjoy this."-Comics Buyer's Guide
POKéMON ADVENTURES PART 3 MONTHLY COMIC SERIES
RUMBLE IN SAFFRON CITY
Viz Comics proudly announces the August 2000 release of Pokémon Adventures Part 3, a 7-issue monthly comic series continuing the adventures of a group of colorful Pokémon Trainers and their battles against Team Rocket. Not the same plot as the animated TV series, this is the personal favorite Pokémon comic of Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri: "This is the comic that most resembles the world I was trying to convey."
Pokémon Adventures follows the story of the original Game Boy game, with all the Gym Leaders, places and opponents. There's plenty of action as these trainers explore forests, jungles, cities and caves in search of Pokémon and adventure.sometimes working together, sometimes on their own! But don't expect to find Ash in this comic! Red is the fiery star of the comic, an enthusiastic hero whose friends includes Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Poliwrath. Blue is Red's cool-headed rival, the son of famed Pokémon researcher Professor Oak. Green is the sneakiest of them all, a Pokémon trainer and snake oil salesman who's not above using her charm to get what she wants!
In Part 3, the trio works together for the first time to save Saffron City from an assault by the evildoers called Team Rocket! How will they get into the city past Mr. Mime's giant glass-like barriers? Once inside, can they defeat an assault squad of fearsome opponents: Koga, Lt. Surge and Sabrina? And they've got the three Legendary Bird Pokémon on their side-Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres! The chaos continues as Mewtwo is born and Ash must fight his toughest opponent yet.Team Rocket leader Giovanni! Finally, when the dust clears, it's time for the championship match.Red vs. his rival Blue! You've never seen such wild Pokémon matches, full of strategies, superpowers and action!
It all starts in August with the 48-page special #1: The Impassable Mr. Mime, and continues in #2: The Articuno Ambush, #3: Saffron City Showdown, #4: Master Mewtwo, #5: Return to Viridian Gym, #6: The Pikachu Maneuver and #7: The Final Challenge!
Pokémon Adventures Part 3 is a 7-issue series written by Hidenori Kusaka and drawn by Mato. Issue #1 is b&w, 48 pages, and retails for $3.50 U.S./$5.25 Canada. Issues #2-7 are b&w, 32 pages long, and retail for $2.95 U.S./$4.50 Canada.
"Kawaguchi is an incredible storyteller.Eagle gets my highest recommendation. it's a terrific comics work that deserves your attention."-Tony Isabella
"Compulsive reading.the story caught hold of me right away." -Comics Buyer's Guide
EAGLE, BOOK 1 THE MAKING OF AN ASIAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT GRAPHIC NOVEL
The election is approaching. This year, there is only one comic that captures the passion and the struggle of American politics.and it's a manga. Viz Comics proudly presents the August 2000 release of Kaiji Kawaguchi's Eagle Book 1, collecting the first 4 issues of the acclaimed monthly series in a mammoth 424-page graphic novel.
Ken Yamaoka, a third-generation Japanese-American, has all the qualifications of a presidential candidate: he studied at Yale, he fought in the front lines in Vietnam, and he has been a Senator for several terms. Now, as he challenges the Vice President for the Democratic presidential nomination, a young Japanese journalist, Takashi Jo, is sent on assignment to Washington, D.C. to study Yamaoka. What is his platform? What is his true personality? And, inevitably, what are the hard questions about his past?
Simultaneously intelligent and exciting, Eagle presents a near-future vision of America as seen through the eyes of one of Japan's most politically aware manga artists: Kaiji Kawaguchi, the creator of the Cold War drama Silent Service, which the Los Angeles Times compared to a Japanese version of Tom Clancy. Kawaguchi's research for the series has taken him to America several times, most recently to visit the Democratic National Convention. With a contemporary story and relevant characters, Eagle combines an insider's attention to detail with a fascinating outsider perspective on American politics. Eagle Book 1 will take characters from the start of the campaign to the New Hampshire primary, collecting Issues #1-4 of the monthly series.
In This Volume: While in mourning for his mother's recent death, journalist Takashi Jo was personally selected by Kenneth Yamaoka to cover his presidential campaign. Soon the young reporter is swallowed up in the passion, the maneuvering and the backstabbing of Washington politics. From a barge on the Potomac to the Democratic primary in New Hampshire, Jo joins Yamaoka and his supporters on the campaign trail: his adopted daughter Rachel, his troubled son Alex, and his campaign manager (and Vietnam war comrade) Arthur McCoy. Bill Goldblum, Yamaoka's Democratic rival, is crippled by a concocted scandal. Yamaoka courts the services of George Tuck, a Republican political strategist. As the primary approaches, Yamaoka must do the impossible and challenge the nomination of the obvious Democratic candidate.Vice President Albert Noah.
Eagle, Book 1 is b&w, 424 pages long, and retails for $19.95 U.S./ $29.95 Canada.
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 0079, VOL. 2 GRAPHIC NOVEL
"Good, solid ensemble playing in a big space opera.the benchmark genre show to which every other that came after has been compared"- Manga Max
Viz Comics proudly presents the August 2000 release of Mobile Suit Gundam 0079, the second graphic novel of the manga series based on the classic mecha animation (available in America from Bandai). Before Gundam Wing (the anime series currently running on the Cartoon Network) there was this story, the saga of a group of refugees and their secret weapon that may turn the tide in Earth's greatest war.
In the future, overpopulation drives the inhabitants of Earth to live in colonies in outer space, until the Duchy of Zeon, a militant colonial group, declares independence from Earth. In a devastating civil war, Zeon's army of Zaku mobile suits is the deciding weapon. until Amuro Rey, a young electronics wizard, inherits his father's top-secret invention, Mobile Suit Gundam. But can one civilian protect the people of White Base, a space colony inhabited by thousands of refugees?
In This Volume: The White Base has landed, but its journey is far from over. On the ruined cities of Earth, Commander Char joins forces with the ace Garma Zabi to destroy the Gundam.with fatal consequences. During a lull in the fighting, Amuro runs to a refugee colony to search for his mother, only to have the war come home, as he must defend them both from Zeon soldiers. Both sides' weaponry escalates as the Federation produces the Guncannon and Guntank, and Zeon responds with a mighty new Zaku, piloted by ace Ranba Ral. Zeon is consumed with infighting, but the Federation's heroes have problems of their own.as Sayla, without any fighting experience, takes the Gundam into battle to interrogate a Zeon soldier and discover the identity of her long-lost brother! This volume re- engineers the monthly comics Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 Part 1 #8 through Part 2 #5 into one volume, together with background information and mechanical designs compiled by Mark Simmons (maintainer of the "gundamproject.com" website) and Julie Davis (editor of Animerica magazine).
Kazuhisa Kondo's faithful retelling of the first Gundam story arc is drawn with a purist's detail, and follows the plot of the original Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 TV series, rather than the three movies usually used as the basis for the "official" series timeline. Originating in 1979, Gundam has spawned seven TV series, eight movies, four OAV series and innumerable toys, model kits and video games.
Mobile Suit Gundam Vol. 2 is written and drawn by Kazuhisa Kondo. It is b&w, 176 pages long, and retails for $15.95 in the U.S. and $23.95 in Canada.
GUNDAM WING: GROUND ZERO MONTHLY COMIC SERIES IN AUGUST 2000, THE WAR HITS HOME! Viz Comics proudly announces the August 2000 release of Gundam Wing: Ground Zero, an all-new monthly comic based on the hit animated series now playing on the Cartoon Network! Not just an anime adaptation, these are original stories of the heroes of Gundam Wing.
In the future, rebel space colonies fight back against the tyrannical United Earth Sphere Alliance, which has become a puppet government of the secret organization OZ. Five resourceful, highly-trained young pilots, from five different colonies, answer the call to arms: Chang Wufei, Quatre Rabera Winner, Trowa Barton, Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy. Their weapons: five distinctive Gundam mobile suits. Their opponents: the armies and artillery of an entire planet. Science fiction action takes on a lushly drawn shôjo (girls') manga style in this gripping tale of the struggles between five handsome young men upon whose shoulders rests the fate of the free Earth.
In This Series: What can the revolutionaries depend on when the Gundams are gone? When Heero finds his Gundam stolen, a cryptic message sends him to a remote space station. There, he finds the station deserted except for his four fellow pilots, who have also come to track down their missing Mobile Suits and discover who is responsible for the crime. But there are only a few people who can pilot a Gundam Wing.is the thief one of them? As tension and distrust grows, the team of five is pitted against one another, with assassination, mind control, and a loaded gun thrown into the standoff. And are they truly alone in the space station, or is there a sixth enemy among them? Ground Zero is a psychological drama featuring the tormented heroes of Gundam Wing like you've never seen them before! Plus, issue #4 includes "En Rose," a romantic story starring Heero and female lead Relena.
Gundam Wing: Ground Zero is a 4-issue monthly series written and drawn by Reku Fuyunagi. Each issue is 32 pages long and retails for $2.95 U.S./$4.50 Canada. Issue #1 includes four color pages.
CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE GOLDEN DRAGON!
DRAGON BALL, VOL. 1 GRAPHIC NOVEL
THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG GOKU
Viz Comics proudly announces the August 2000 release of the first collected volume of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, the most popular manga ever made! If you've seen Dragon Ball Z on the Cartoon Network, step back in time to the beginning of the story when all your favorite characters were younger, and the tone was lighter and funnier. Every great adventure has a beginning.go back to the origins with Dragon Ball Vol. 1!
Meet a naive young monkey-tailed boy named Son Goku, whose quiet life changes when he meets a girl named Bulma who is on a quest to collect seven "Dragon Balls." If she gathers them all, an incredibly powerful dragon will appear and grant her one wish. But the precious orbs are scattered all over the world, and Bulma needs Goku's help (and his super-strength)! And so the unlikely pair sets off.
In This Volume: Who or what will Goku and Bulma encounter on their quest for the Dragon Balls? One ball is owned by the Turtle Hermit, a venerable, respected (old, lecherous) martial artist who'll gladly give it up.for a price! One ball is in a humble village, but to get it, they'll have to save the village from Oolong, the shapeshifting terror! Then, with a humbled Oolong in tow, it's off to the desert where they are attacked by the bandit Yamcha and his assistant Pu'ar! The next ball is on fiery Frypan Mountain, guarded by the fearsome Ox King.and his fearsome daughter Chi-chi! But with magic cloud and magic staff in tow, Goku is ready to face anything! This volume collects the monthly Dragon Ball comics #1 through #6.
Widely known all over the world for his playful stories and humorous, distinctive art style, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama is also known in his native Japan for the wildly popular Dr. Slump, his previous manga series about the adventures of a mad scientist and his android "daughter." His hit series Dragon Ball ran from 1984 to 1995 in Shueisha's weekly Shônen Jump magazine, where it was the most popular title in the magazine's history, and generated innumerable movies, video games and merchandise. Toriyama has also done design work on video games such as Dragon Warrior, Chrono Trigger and Tobal No. 1.
Dragon Ball Vol. 1 is written and drawn by Akira Toriyama. It is 192 pages long and retails for $14.95 USA/$22.50 Canada. Dragon Ball Z Vol. 1 will be released in September 2000.
"A sweeping saga.Watase has an excellent grasp of characterization. a talented storyteller."-Wizard
"A charming, exciting romp through time and imagin ation.thoroughly fun and almost impossible to put down."-Comics Buyer's Guide
FUSHIGI YŰGI, VOL. 3: DISCIPLE
GRAPHIC NOVEL
Viz Comics proudly announces the August 2000 release of Fushigi Yűgi Vol. 3: Disciple, the third collected edition of the fantasy adventure series now running in Viz's monthly manga magazine Animerica Extra! This is the most popular new shôjo (girls') manga in America, as seen in the anime series from Pioneer- part The Neverending Story, part The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and part teenage romance, the story of a Tokyo schoolgirl who becomes the savior of an empire.
When best friends Miaka and Yui open an ancient Chinese book, they find themselves transported inside! Trapped in the Universe of the Four Gods, a parallel world strangely like ancient China, Miaka is at a loss (No fast food?) until she is identified as a prophesied priestess from another world. But the journey has just begun, for now she must find and befriend seven Celestial Warriors-dashing mercenary Tamahome, emperor Hotohori, petulant would-be empress Nuriko, and others-to summon the power of the Suzaku, fulfill her wish, and find her true love.
In This Volume: In search of her friend Yui, Miaka and Nuriko visit Tamahome's family home, where they meet the friendly monk Chichiri but are attacked by the ninja emissaries of the evil empire of Qu- Dong. Feeling that she can no longer put her loved ones at risk, Miaka breaks a promise to Tamahome and heads into Qu-Dong alone. There, in the court of the enemy, she is reunited with Yui-but their reunion turns into a tragedy as Yui is groomed to become the Priestess of Seiryu! Are the Suzaku Seven a match for Seiryu's chosen warrior Nakago? Can the empire of Hong-Nan withstand an invasion-and can Yui and Miaka remain friends? This enchanted (and enchanting) graphic novel is imbued with the Fushigi Yűgi installments from Animerica Extra Vol. 2, No. 11 through Vol. 3, No. 4.
Fushigi Yűgi Vol. 3 is written and drawn by Yű Watase. It is b&w, 184 pages long, and retails for $15.95 in the U.S. and $23.95 in Canada.
. 2001 Poster Calendar
. Pokemon Tales: Eevee's Weather Report
. Pokemon Tales: Diglett's Birthday Party
Viz Communications proudly announces the August 2000 release of three unique new Pokemon items for fans of all ages!
POKEMON 2001 POSTER CALENDAR
"A terrific Pokemon poster calendar.The high quality of the
artwork
and the sheer size of the calendar makes this an excellent
purchase."-
Tips & Tricks
A Pokemon for every day of the year! This oversize calendar with original artwork features the new characters from Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver, plus your old favorites, divided up by type (grass, water, fire, electric, etc.). The biggest, most attractive Pokemon calendar available anywhere! Color, 6 sheets plus cover sheet, 2' x 3'. Retails for $12.95 USA/$20.50 CAN.
POKEMON TALES
"These books are perfect for all of the younger Pokemon fans out
there, but will also be a treat for older fanatics as well.a
great
addition to any Pokemon fan's collection."-GameFan
Viz presents two new Pokemon Tales! Each of these charming board
books is beautifully illustrated in full color in a different style
and stands completely alone from the others. Featuring original
artwork (not just the same old images you've seen in a million
places), they're perfect for reading aloud to very young Pokémon
fans, or for collecting by older enthusiasts. Color, 18 pages, 4 1/2"
x 6". Each book retails for $4.95 USA/$7.50 CAN.
. Vol. 13: EEVEE'S WEATHER REPORT
Eevee wants to go on a hiking trip with the other Pokemon, but they
keep having rain and bad weather, and Eevee must become a weather
reporter. Story by Junko Wada, art by Masako Yamashita.
. Vol. 14: DIGLETT'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
Diglett invites its friends for a birthday party underground.but
what
Pokemon can see in the dark? Story by Junko Wada, art by Yasukazu
Arai.
Plus, don't miss Viz's ongoing Pokemon monthly comics: Pokemon Adventures Part 3 #1: "The Impassable Mr. Mime", Magical Pokemon Journey Part 2 #2: "Eevee the Genius", and Pokemon the Movie 2000 Animation Comics: The Power of One #2.
Bandai Entertainment Confirms Fox Kids Broadcast of "Escaflowne" Fall 2000
Fox Kids Network has licensed and will be broadcasting all 26 episodes of Escaflowne this Fall. Details are still being worked over, more information will be forthcoming.
The Bandai Entertainment Home Video release of Escaflowne English Language VHS and the Bilingual DVD will be delayed. Although this announcement may come as an unwelcomed delay. Fans won't be disappointed and will definately appreciate the extras being included on the DVD and the various promotional items being offered. Replicas of the tarot cards used by Hitomi will be bundled with each volume of both the Dub VHS and DVD and a limited Escaflowne T-shirts will also be available to keep the excitement going for Escaflowne from now until release time. These shirts will only be available at fan conventions Bandai will be attending. Please be sure to check the www.Bandai-ent.com website for a new release schedule for Escaflowne next week.
Capcom of Japan has announced Rockman-X GB for Gameboy Color, scheduled Japanese release is July 21st, for 3980 Yen.
Capcom's SNK v.s. Capcom for Dreamcast and Naomi platforms is set for release in Japan in August, featuring characters from both SNK and Capcom universes. The DC version will retail for 6800 Yen.
Capcom has announced that they will release Street Fighter Zero 3 Complete Version in Japan sometime in the summer.
Bandai will release Pocket Digimon World, the first WonderSwan / WonderWave coresponding PSX title in Japan on June 29, it will retail at 2800 Yen. Using save data from Digital Partner: Digimon Adventure 02 for WonderSwan.
A second Digimon title to be released for PSX soon, Digimon World 2, is scheduled to see release this summer.
Digital Partner: Digimon Adventure 02 for WonderSwan is set for release in Japan on May 25th, the game will retail for 4700 Yen. The title will corespond to the PSX title, allowing players to upload save data. In the game Digimons battle by talking, using words and phrases taught or spoke.
ADV FILMS, North America’s top distributor of Japanese animation, is pleased to announce their latest set of hot new anime titles, both shipping in August, 2000. This includes the first spectacular volume of the eagerly awaited Science Fiction/Combat epic Gasaraki, and the fifth installment of the highly successful Martian Successor Nadesico series.
Set in the near future, Gasaraki is a riveting science fiction epic that explores the future of warfare and corporate espionage as giant robots and their pilots face off in the arms race of the 21st century. The first stunning volume, Gasaraki: The Summoning, which contains four complete episodes, will ship on August 22 in both English dubbed and subtitled editions.
Also hitting stores on August 22 is the fifth volume in the popular Nadesico series, Martian Successor Nadesico: The Mind of The Machine. Following the exploits of the Nadesico’s Aestivalis pilots as they struggle to stop a deadly new Jovian weapon, this volume will be offered in both subtitled and dubbed versions. With a large devoted and rapidly expanding fanbase for this series, Nadesico is emerging as a real franchise for the Houston-based film studio
Marketing plans for both titles will include a huge pre- and post-street print promotion to national consumer specialty publications, trade publications, including banner ads on leading global anime, gaming, and related websites. Additionally, both titles are heavily cross-trailered on ADV’s other premier releases . The pre-book date for both tapes has been set for July 25, 2000.
Gasaraki and Martian Successor Nadesico v.5 carry a suggested retail price of $19.98 for the dubbed version and $29.95 for subtitles. Nadesico runs approximately one hour, and Gasaraki’s four episodes run 100 minutes. Both tapes carry a rating of 12+.
Source: Anonymous E-mail - Confirmed By A Party Close To Those Involved
The Matrix anime project is reportedly beyond the contemplation stage at this point. It is a go. The story plots are being worked on at this time. A studio in Japan to produce the anime (as well as director) will be finalized shortly.
Manga Video
Attn Macross Plus DVD
P.O. Box 482
Lincolnshire, IL
60069-0482
Due to overwhelming response to the initial release of the SIDEKICKS Preview Edition, Fanboy Entertainment has announced that they will be making their overrun copies of the limited edition comic available to fans who are eagerly hunting for a copy of the book.
The SIDEKICKS Preview Edition was a eight page comic that shipped to all comic retailers in the April 12th issue of Diamond Dateline. It was sent as a freebie to help promote the new series by J. Torres and Takeshi Miyazawa. However, it seems neither retailers nor the publisher expected the buzz that the SIDEKICKS Preview Edition has stirred up.
"The SIDEKICKS Preview Edition was never meant to become a collectible. It was a promotional tool we wanted to use to simply generate an interest in the book. I don't think any of us expected this kind of fan reaction.", explains Fanboy's C.B. Cebulski. "From what I've gathered, the SIDEKICKS Preview Editions seems to be a hot commodity these days and are being snatched up wherever fans can find them. They were a retailer only promo that caught on in the fan community. However, given the quality of the story and art, I am not all that surprised."
"J., Takeshi and I have been getting flooded with e-mails from fans and retailers alike asking us how they can get their hands on copies of the SIDEKICKS Preview Edition. To be honest, there are not all that many left. The print run was rather small and we only overprinted a limited number of copies for ourselves, friends, family and the press.", Cebulski continued. "However, due to the sheer volume of fan and retailer requests, we have decided that we will make the overrun copies available for sale."
As both writer J. Torres and artist Takeshi Miyazawa will be attending the Anime Central convention in Chicago from May 12th to 14th, Cebulski noted that the extra SIDEKICKS Preview Editions will be made available there first. "With both J. and Takeshi being kindly invited as guests of the convention, we thought it would be nice to offer fans who turn out to see them the first chance to pick up a copy of the now hard-to-find comic. From that point on we will make them available over the net and by mail order, while and if supplies last. Once we decide on a price and determine which website will be selling the SIDEKICKS Preview Editions, we will let everyone know. You can always e-mail me to request copies as well."
One other interesting point that Cebulski noted was that the story and art contained in the SIDEKICKS Preview Edition will not be available anywhere else. While it was originally supposed to be reprinted in SIDEKICKS #1 this June, the first issue has been restructured and pages have been redrawn, excluding most of the art seen in the Preview.
For More Preview Images Click Here
Fanboy Entertainment is pleased to announce the latest addition to its growing line of creator-owned comics, SPELLBOUND: The Magic of Love.
Written and drawn by Japanese shojo superstar Tomoko Taniguchi, SPELLBOUND: The Magic of Love is unique due to the fact that it is all new, original manga series created specifically for publication in the United States. While Tomokoąs past series' like Call Me Princess and Aquarium are English reprints of manga she did in Japan in the '80s, SPELLBOUND is a brand new shojo manga series Tomoko is currently illustrating for publication here in English. This is the first black and white manga series, shojo or otherwise, of its kind, written and drawn in Japan by a respected manga artist just for fans outside Japan.
"I couldn't be more pleased that Tomoko has decided to bring her newest comic creation to Fanboy. She's wanted to do an original manga series here in English for a long time now and I was more than happy to give it a home.", commented Fanboy Entertainmentąs C.B. Cebulski. "With the manga market here growing as fast as it is, fans are constantly looking for something new. They are growing tired of reading poorly translated and retouched versions of manga originally printed in Japan years ago. With SPELLBOUND, Tomoko will be able to offer fans the newest manga series around, before it even sees print in Japan!"
Ami is your typical Japanese teenager; hip, stylish and more into music, fashion and boys than school and her part-time job. She'd rather spend her afternoon skating, jamming and shopping than studying. But unlike most other teens, Ami also has a secret life. She's a practicing witch! Once given a powerful magic book, Ami has secretly been training in the mystic arts of magic. However, her intentions are not always the most noble as at times she likes to test her spells (and sense of humor) on her friends and cause a little mischief at their expense. However, Ami has yet to master the all important spell of love and win the heart of Hiro, her childhood friend and secret object of affection. But unbeknownst to Ami, Hiro has fallen for the charms of Nicole, the beautiful blonde foreigner who has been hanging around their local haunts recently. What is her interest in Hiro and how will all this affect Ami?
SPELLBOUND: The Magic of Love combines elements of the supernatural like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed with the MTV edge for hip fashion and music, all with an authentic manga feel. SPELLBOUND #1 will ship this August for $2.95.
Also, to promote her upcoming U.S. convention appearance at Anime Central 2000 in Chicago from May 12th - 14th, Fanboy Entertainment will be printing a special eight page SPELLBOUND preview that will be available to all fans who attend the show! This will mark the actual debut of the series so be sure to swing by the Fanboy booth to pick up your copy at the show! Visit their website at http://www.acen.org/main.html for more details.
Additionally, all retailers will be shipped a free copy of the SPELLBOUND eight page preview in the May 31st issue of Diamond Dateline.
Bandai's Giren's Ambition: Genealogy of Zion Capture Instruction Book, an add-on for Gundam: Giren's Ambition Genealogy of Zion will add new features to the game like new playable characters, mini games, missions, equipment, weapons, and CG movies. Japanese release is June 29th, retail price will be for 2800 Yen
Konami has announced that a Metal Gear Solid sequel is being developed for PS2, Japanese release is set for fall 2001.
Kadokawa Shoten's Record of Lodoss War Dreamcast title The Advent Of Cardice will feature a knight as the primary character who is revived by a magician. Japanese release is June 29th, retail price wil be for 5800 Yen.
Coinciding with the TV release, Nelvana is planning a large merchandise licensing program in North America. Nelvana is reportedly partnering with toy, stationery, and card companies to develop Cardcaptors products. Among the items currently slated: trading cards, books, interactive games, CD-ROMs and other collectibles.
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