Anime News Service - January 16-20 Anime News

1-20-00---- Bandai Entertainment Mobile Suit Gundam Wing VHS & DVD Release Info

Bandai Entertainment is scheduled to be release Mobile Suit Gundam Wing in May 2000, on English Language VHS, English Subtitled VHS, and DVD formats. The VHS version will contain 4 episodes for the first volume and 3 episodes thereafter. The DVD version will contain 5 episodes for each volume.

The first volume of both the VHS and DVD release will contain a limited edition 3D jacket cover. This specialized cover will be limited to the first print run of both the VHS and DVD). The Gundam Wing DVD will contain both the English language and English subtitled versions. Other features will include the Gundam Wing Commercials, trailers, teasers, image gallery, and more...

For more imation, visit Anime Village or Gundam Official

1-20-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Capcom / Arika's upcoming PSX 2 game, Street Fighter EX3, will feature a new Tag Team fighting system, allowing the swapping of characters at any time during battle. A new Touch System is also present, allowing the launch of tag combos with two characters simultaneously, Momentary Combo enables the cancelation of a special attack into another. Other new systems include the ability to launch two super combos with the two characters, increase the attack power of your characters in a fixed time by absorbing power gauge energy, and a new unblockable Hard attack, which replaces Guard Break. There will be new endurance stages where the player fights against 3 to 10 others.

Mahou's PSX 2 title, Syouhin Ohedo: Fireworks 2 is a firework display creation sim, with a reportedly heavy ancient Japanese theme. Taking place in in Edo, the player must create fireworks displays, that act as a barrier to keep ghosts, who plan to create huge earthquake, out of the city. There are 7 stages and over 200 characters in the game, besides creating fireworks / displays, the player must gather info and talk to people in the towns. Japanese release is slated for spring.

According to rumor, Sega will release Dreamcast Passport 3 in Japan this fall, which includes a new version of the web browser supporting Flash 4.0, and MP3.

1-20-00---- Region 1 Anime DVD News

The Right Stuf announced their first planned DVD release on Wednesday, The Cool Devices Box Set (All 11 Operations) is out on Feb. 29th listing at $79.99. Released side by side will be the Cool Devices series as three separate DVD's for the price of $29.99 each.

A Chinese Ghost Story (Animated) now has a release date of Feb. 8th

1-20-00---- Update On Sega Toys Robot Dog

Sega Toys upcoming Robot Dog, POO-CHI, goes on sale in Japan in April and wil be available in the U.S. and Europe later this year. Tiger Electronics will handle distribution of the robot toy outside of Japan.

P.O.O-C.H.I. stands for "Partner 2000 Communication Heartful Interactive", controlled by sensors, it can move its legs, ears, and eyes. The dog responds to treatment, has six different moods, comes in three different colors (blue, green, and pink), is 14-centimeters tall, and is powered by 3 AAA batteries. Sega Toys plans to sell one million units in Japan in the first 12 months of release, with projections for overseas sales totaling over 3 million units.

1-20-00---- Tecmo Ordered To Pay Compensation In Horse-Racing Game Case

The Nagoya District Court on Wednesday ordered Tokyo-based game maker, Tecmo, to pay 3.4 million Yen in compensation to thoroughbred owners for using the names of their horses in the popular Gallop Racer video game series without their approval. 22 Owners including the legendary Oguri Cap and Tokai Teio, sought 19 million Yen in compensation and a ban on production of the series.

Judge Takeaki Noda awarded publicity rights, to horses that have performed at the Grade One level of the Japan Racing Association. This is the first time that publicity rights have been granted to animals. Citing a lack of legal statutes, Judge Noda did not halt Tecmo from selling the software. To-date, Tecmo has sold about 750,000 copies of the Gallop Racer series transfering to sales of about 4.3 billion Yen.

1-20-00---- Starblazers Mentioned In TV Guide

The Jan. 22-28 edition of the American TV Guide magazine, features an article on the Star Blazers TV series on its internet focussed "The Web Page". The article mentions Studio Next's website mentioning the site gives fans the opportunity to "rediscover the charms of this Pokemon precursor", as Studio Next cofounder Spencer Huang puts it "they may not remember the name, but if you show them a picture of the ship, or whatever, it sparks something."

1-20-00---- Toho / Sony Partner On Tokyo Cinema Complex

Japanese film producer / distributor Toho Co., announced Thursday, it will take part in Sony Corporation's a large-scale Tokyo-based cinema complex project, leasing the facilities, named "Mediage". The complex is scheduled to open in April, a creation of Sony unit Sony Urban Entertainment Inc.

1-19-00---- Pokemon / Princess Mononoke American Boxoffice Update

Pokemon: The First Movie, in it's 10th week of release in North America drew $492,031 over this past weekend, raising it from #45 to the #25 on the Daily Variety movie chart. To-date, Pokemon has grossed $84,797,478. In it's 8th week of expanded release, The Princess Mononoke (which is in it's 12th week of release total) pulled in somewhere under $44,000 keeping it somewhere below #60 and off the chart. To-date Miramax's limited Mononoke release has estimatedly grossed somewhere over $2,332,000.

1-19-00---- Super Manga Blast Characters Make January Previews Cover

The January '00 Edition of the American Previews comics / collectibles order catalog features an illustration of Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess) and other characters from Dark Horse Comic's upcoming, monthly "Super Manga Blast" anthology on the back-cover.

1-19-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Bandai's PSX release of Mobile Suit: Gundam Giren's Ambition Genealogy of Zion has been puhed back from Feb. 3rd to Feb. 10th.

Nintendo's N64 title, "Pikachu Genki Dechu" has received the official U.S. title, "Pikachu Virtual Pet Simulator". The game allows players to speak to Pikachu which affects the course of the game.

Square is running a reservation promotion in Japan for it's upcoming PSX title, Vagrant Story. Those reserving the title in participating game stores will receive a VKP License Book, a Vagrant Story intro booklet, and Square Digital Trading Cards Vol. 1. Vagrant Story is out in Japan Feb. 10th.

Konami's Gameboy Color title, Metal Gear: Ghost Babel is out in Japan April 27th.

In Japan, Kadokawa Shoten and Bandai have announced they will be jointly developing novel theater (interactive fiction) titles for WonderSwan. The software will feature 3D sound effects and visuals as you proceed through the story. Each story contains many branchings leading to multiple endings. The first such title will be an adaptation of the popular horror novel, The Ring, it's scheduled for Japanese release this summer, retailing at 3800 Yen. This title will support the WonderGate modem.

Easily Staff's PSX war strategy sim. sequel, Brigadine: Grand Edition, is slated for Japanese release in March. The story occurs in medieval Europe, players can select from 3 levels of play difficulty, play as different countries, A new story navigation mode allows players to view stories encountered.

1-19-00---- Arc The Lad TV Series Production Data

Production
Planning: R. Shirakawa, Y. Nagasaki
Series Setting: A. Omode, I. Kawasaki
Story Supervisor: R. Akagawa
Character Designer: Y. Kikuchi
Mechanical Designer: K. Teraoka
Art Director: T. Koyama
Color Supervisor: Y. Katayama
Filming: S. Morishita
Special Effects: M. Murakami
Editor: S. Morita
DPE: Imagica
Sound Director: T. Matsukawa
Recording: S. Hata
Effects: E. Morikawa
Music Director: T. Kodama
Music: M. Oshima
Main Theme Composer: M. Ando
Line Producer: H. Deguchi
Associate Producers: A. Iwagami, Y. Yamamoto
Producer: H. Katsumata
Director: I. Kawasaki
Production: Bee Train
Production: Sony Computer Entertainment, SPE Visual Works

Cast
Arc - H. Yuki
Elk - D. Namikawa
Liza - Y. Horie
Kukuru - Y. Mizutani
Shu - H. Ikeda
Garu-Arno - H. Iwasaki
Cleip - N. Tobita
Tosh - S. Yariyama

1-19-00---- Medarot TV Series Production Data

Production
Original Story: Medarot Production
Planning: Yutaka Sugiyama
Director: Tensai Okamoto
Series Setting: Ryota Yamaguchi
Character Designer: Tokuyuki Matsutake
Mechanical Designer: Hirobumi Suzuki
Color Supervisor: Miyoko Kobayashi
Art Director: Toshihisa Koyama
Filming: Seiichi Morishita
Editor: Seiji Morita
Recording Director: Yuji Mitsuya
Production: TV Tokyo / NAS
Production: Bee Train

Cast
Ikki - Michiru Yamazaki
Meta - Bee - Junko Takeuchi
Arika - Eri Sendai
Plus - Shinji Suzuki
Iwanoi - Mikinori Yamazaki
Kagami-yama - Yoshiko Iseki
Agata Hikaru & Phantom Thief Retoruto - Rei Naito

1-19-00---- Wild Arms TV Series Production Data

Production
Head Director / Series Setting: Koichi Mashimo
Director: Itsuro Kawasaki
Character Designer: Kanami Sekiguchi
Mechanical Designer: Kenji Teraoka
Art Setting: Yasunori Miyazawa
Art Director: Toshihisa Koyama
Series Setting / Script: Aya Matsui, Itsuro Kawasaki
Production: Bee Train

Cast
Cheyenne Rainstorm - Mayumi Asano
Kiel Aronakus - Junpei Morita
Loretta Oratorio - Fumiko Osaka
Mirabelle Graceland - Seiko Fujieda
Izak - Mitsuo Iwata
Jiruja - Rikako Aikawa
Laila Lai - Kaori Asou

1-19-00---- Utada To Begin First Concert Tour of Japan

Popular Japanese singer / songwriter, Hikaru Utada, is set to begin her first concert tour around Japan.

1-19-00---- Region 1 Anime DVD News - Gasaraki Production Begins

From the Anime On DVD Forum: production seems to be beginning ADV's recently acquired Sunrise / Ryosuke Takahashi Gasaraki TV Series. U.S. release could come in late summer - early fall.

According to a representitive from New Gen Pictures, the company behind the dub and DVD of Nazca, the Fox show Malcolm in the Middle will have a new opening sequence featuring clips from the Nazca TV series.

Warner Brother's dub-only DVD release of Pokemon: The First Movie is March 21st. Extras may include commentary from the director and producer, a brand new animated segment, "The Story of Mewtwo's Origin", a preview of Pokemon: The Second Movie, "Poke-Fun Facts: The History of Anime", guides to various Pokemon games, as well as an archived version of Nintendo's online Pokedex and M2M's music video "Don't Say You Love Me".

Volume 2 of Pioneer's Nazca, Blood Rivals is out on DVD March 14th. The disc will contain epis. 4-6.

Source: Anime On DVD

1-18-00---- Sega Toys Developing Robot Dog

Sega Toys Ltd., announced Tuesday it will release ''Poo-Chi'', a 17 centimeter-long, 365-gram robot dog controlled by sensors in Japan on April 1st retailing at 2,980 Yen ($28).

1-17-00---- Ghost In The Shell Figure

Gamers Republic is offering an exclusive Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell) action figure. The "Whiteout" variant, in the style of the manga series, is available through the Gamers' Republic web site here and the Jan. issue of their magazine for $17.99.

1-17-00---- Guardians Of Order News

Guardians Of Order, publishers of Anime-based role playing game and resource books announced several updates to its list of products today:

The Sailor Moon Role-Playing Game And Resource Book, now in its fourth printing, is now available for ordering and shipping.
Big Eyes, Small Mouth, in its fourth printing, is also available.
Big Robots, Cool Starships, the first supplement for BESM, and the Dominion Tank Police Role-Playing Game And Resource Book, are also now available, both books are in their second printings.

Guardians Of Order also announced five new books:
The Demon City Shinjuku Role-Playing Game And Resource Book is now in stock at Wizard's Attic, the company's fulfillment house. Preorders shipped this week.
Four new supplements for The Sailor Moon Role-Playing Game And Resource Book had been released: The Complete Book Of Yoma Volume 1, Sailor Scout Character Diary, Knight Character Diary, and the Dark Warrior Character Diary.

1-17-00---- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Commercials

The American, Cable, Cartoon Network, has recently began showing commercial spots for Bandai Entertainment's Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. The TV series is slated to begin airing this spring, as part of Cartoon Network's Toonami block.

1-17-00---- Japanese Music Industry Data

-According to the Recording Industry Association of Japan, domestic record production from January through October 1999 dropped 4% from the same period of the year before.
-On an annually adjusted basis, Sony estimates the decline at 5 - 6%.
-The entire Japanese record industry's total estimated sales is 600 billion Yen annualy, a 5% decline translates into 30 billion yen (roughly equivalent to a medium-sized [Japanese] record company's annual sales).
-Since the advent of Compact Discs, 1999 was the first year the Japanese music industry registered negative growth.
-The sluggish Japanese Economy may have played a small role in the 1999 drop, but it's thought that the dwindling population of young people (teenagers those in their early 20's) and more diverse forms of entertainment are mostly responsible.
-It is widely held that the Japnese music market will continue it's decline this year.
-The Japanese music market ranks #2 worldwide behind the U.S. market.
-Japanese produced music accounts for more than 70% of total music sales in Japan.

Source: Asahi Shimbun (Interview With Sony Music Ent. (Japan) Inc. CEO Shigeo Maruyama)

1-16-00---- Top Anime LD Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-17)

1. Card Captor Sakura Vol. 13
2. To Heart 7
3. Sakura Taisen Gokajukuran Episode 1
4. You're Under Arrest Special 5
5. Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi LD-1
6. Queen Emeraldas Vol. 4 Siren no Megami
7. Nanako Kaitaishinsho Opr. IV Fire-Crackers

1-16-00---- Top Anime DVD Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-17)

1. Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket Vol. 1
2. Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket Vol. 2
3. Kareshi Kanojo No Jijo Op. 2

1-16-00---- Top Manga Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-17)

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion 5
2. Hunter X Hunter 7
3. Initial-D 17
4. Ren-Ai Catalog 14
5. Oishinbo 73
6. Sora Wa Akaikawa No Hotori 19
7. Ouke No Monsho 42
8. Yugi-Oh! 16
9. Yukan-Club 18
10. Detective Conan Special Version 9
11. Ryo 13
12. Azumi 16
13. Soten Koro 18
14. Bucho Sima-Kousaku 4
15. Yasha 7
16. QP 3
17. Imagin 11
18. Shoot! -Atsuki Challenge- 10
19. One Piece 11
20. Yami No Matsuei 8

1-16-00---- Top Video Game Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-17)

1. Shenmue Chapter 1: Yokosuka - DC
2. Pokemon Silver - GB
3. Pokemon Gold - GB
4. Gran Turismo 2 - PSX
5. Mario Party 2 - N64
6. Momotaro Dentetsu V - PSX
7. Valkyrie Profile - PSX
8. Donkey Kong 64 - N64
9. Crash Bandicoot Racing - PSX
10. Parasyite Eve 2 - PSX
11. Jikkyou Powerful Pro-Yakyuu '99 Kettei-Ban - PSX
12. Chocobo Collection - PSX
13. Chocobo Stallion - PSX
14. Muscle Ranking Vol. 1 - PSX
15. Pachislot Aruze Oukoku 2 - PSX
16. Dance Dance Revolution 2nd Remix - PSX
17. Yugi-Oh Shin Monsters Duel Monsters - PSX
18. Sea Man - DC
19. Bakusou Deco-Truck Densetsu 2 - PSX
20. Super Smash Brothers - N64

1-16-00---- Top J-Pop Album Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-17)

1. "Love Is The Message" - Misia
2. "Best Of Best All Singles Collection" - Maki Ooguro
3. "Recycle: Greatest Hits Of Spitz" - Spitz
4. "Magnum Collection 1999 Dear" - Masaharu Fukuyama
5. "Carry On My Way - "SPEED"
6. "Max 6 Best Hit's In The World '99" - Various Artists
7. "Loveppears" - Ayumi Hamasaki
8. "1999" - Sophia
9. "Chage & Aska Very Best Roll Over 20th" - Chage & Aska
10. "Nagabuchi Tuyoshi Acorstic Oreno Taiyou" - Tuyoshi Nagabuchi
11. "Muzai Moratorium" - Ringo Shena
12. "Heavy Gauge" - Glay
13. "First Love" - Hikaru Utada
14. "Super Urobeat Vol. 101" - Various Artists
15. "Dance Dance Revolution 3rd Mix" - Various Artists
16. "Music D." - Koumi Hirose
17. "Golden Best" - Yohsui Inoue
18. "Micro Maximum" - Back Drop Bomb

1-16-00---- Top J-Pop Single Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-17)

1. "Happiness" - Glay
2. "Pray / Get Into In A Groove" - Every Little Thing
3. "Chokotto Love" - Pucchimoni
4. "Love 2000" - Namie Amuro
5. "Next 100 Years" - J-Friends
6. "Heaven/Squall" - Masaharu Fukuyama
7. "Snow Dance" - Dreams Come True
8. "Love Mucine" - Morning Musume
9. "Honnou" - Ringo Shena
10. "Mago" - Ooizumi Ichirou
11. "Last Tour Yakusokuno Basyohe" - Bluem Of Youth
12. "Issyoni" - Max
13. "Addicted To You" - Hikaru Utada
14. "Happy New Millennium" - Ami Suzuki
15. "Movin On" - Dream
16. "Hoshiga Kirei (Limited Edition)" - The Little Monster Family
17. "Love" - Day After Tomorrow
18. "GoldFinger '99" - Hiromi Go
19. "Kabutomushi" - Aiko
20. "Ayarashi" - Arashi

1-16-00---- Transformers: The Movie DVD

New Information on Rhino Home Video's upcoming American release of Transformers: The Movie on DVD. Release date is expected to be the late fall of this year. Talks are currently in-progress for previously deleted footage to be included in the release. Mr. White of Rhino points out letters from fans are not being ignored. The video will be retouched for higher quality. The soundtrack will be remixed. Special features for the DVD are also in the works.

Source: www.actionfigurecollectors.com

1-16-00---- Word From Media Blasters: Kenshin Not Samurai X

According to an email sent to Anime On DVD allegedly received from "high up" in Media Blasters, there is "firm" word that the series when it is finally announced, will not be called Samurai X.

1-16-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Sega's Dreamcast Sakura Taisen fan disc: "Wolf Ichirou Struggle Record" is out in Japan on Feb. 24th. In the game the main character is Wolf Ichirou who has the mission of organizing and making the drama show "Sakura Taisen Drama Bright Red Lizard" a successful production. The player must contact all the actors and solve different problems, various mini games are also spread out that one must accomplish to advance or just for fun like sending flyers, duel battles and auditing movie clips.

Capcom's upcoming Bio Hazard Code: Veronica for Dreamcast has a number of new characters including: Steve Burnside, bad guy Wesker, and the Umbrella officer Alfred Ashford. The game features a new dual gun attack system, allowing the characters to use two guns to attack two different targets at the same time, or concentrating fire on a single target. the player can produce new guns by modifying the existing ones new parts. The electrocardiogram of the character in-play will be displayed on the VMS screen.

SNK's Neo Geo Pocket Color RPG (ported from Dreamcast) title, Evolution is out in Japan Feb. 10th, listing at 3800 Yen. This version will feature a new story, 2D graphics, randomly created dungeon layouts, and link cable support. The goal of the game is to explore dungeons in search of a treasure named Evolusia. During battles, the main character can use a special weapon called Saiframe to perform special attacks.

1-16-00---- Japanese Pop-Culture Export Sales Data

-According to Sanrio, the Japanese company behind Hello Kitty, their export sales are now 7.9 billion Yen ($1.1 billion U.S.) annually and 127.9 billion Yen annually in Japan.
-A survey in Singapore has found 77% of young Singaporeans read manga regularly. -Taiwan ended bans on Japanese cultural imports in 1993 and Korea opened partially in October 1998 and further last year.
-The South Korean Government estimates the effects of completely lifting the ban on Japanese pop culture would see Japanese films gain 7 to 10% of the market, CDs 5 to 10%, videotapes 15% and animated films 78.5%. Annual imports of these products from Japan would total 170 billion Yen.

Source: Australian Financial Review

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