Anime News Service - January 24-26 Anime News

1-26-00---- Region 1 Anime DVD Release Dates

Anime Nation lists the following Region 1 Anime title release dates:

Fushigi Yuugi: Seiryu DVD Box Set - 08/08/2000
Sailor Moon S Movie DVD - 04/11/2000
Sailor Moon SS Movie DVD - 06/13/2000
Trigun: Vol. 2 DVD - 05/23/2000
Kite DVD - 04/25/2000

1-26-00---- Another Pokemon Ball Implicated In Death

A 4-month-old Indianapolis boy has suffocated in his crib on a Burger King Pokemon-ball, subject of a nationwide recall after a similar death last month.

Source: Yahoo News

1-26-00---- Space Shower TV J-Video Music Awards

Winners out of the recently hosted, annual, Space Shower TV Music Video Awards include Hikaru Utada's "Automatic", for Best New Artist Video; Ringo Shiina's "Honno" (Instinct), for Best Female Video; Dragon Ash's "Let Yourself Go, Let Myself Go," for Best Artist Video; Kazuyoshi Nakamura's "Jubilee", for Best Male Video; The Mad Capsule Market's "Pulse", for Computer Graphic Video Award; and UA's "Private Surfer", which received the Best Shooting Video Award.

1-26-00---- Anime Music News

A Lupin The Third vocal collection album commemorating a decade of Lupin III TV Specials in Japan, is scheduled to be released Feb. 21st, retailing at 2,913 Yen. The album consists of a compilation of opening and ending themes aired as part of the annual TV specials, with additional themes from the 1995 & 1996 Lupin theatrical movies as bonus tracks.

1-26-00---- Sony Acquires Godzilla 2000

Sony Pictures has acquired the rights to Toho's Godzilla 2000. This is the sixth Godzilla Movie that Sony has acquired the rights to since the early '90s, it will be the first that will receive a theatrical release. Godzilla 2000 is expected to debut in American theaters sometime this summer.

1-26-00---- The Roots Of Japanese Animation

The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography is currrently running an Anime-related exhibition entitled, "Animations...from the Past to the Future," it showcases Animation in Japan from cave-painting to the current paradigm of digital design. The second part of this exhibiton that's currently on display, "Pictures in Motion--Animations in Japan," focuses on animation techniques of the 1800's, these consist mostly of spinning wheels and optical illusions. In 1830's, if one had access to a mirror, it was possible to create vivid animations with a device known as a phenakistiscope. A phenakistiscope consists of a sequence of 10 or 12 separate images drawn radially on a flat disk. The illustrated wheel is then fixed concentrically onto a larger disk perforated with several narrow slits, one corresponding to each image. These disks are then attached through the center to a handle so that they may be spun freely. If the spinning disk is viewed on its own, it becomes simply a whizzing blur of lines and colors. But when viewed through the perforations, each image is briefly isolated, and the result is a relatively seamless animation loop. Exhibitors recruited several members of the Japanese Animation Association to create phenakistiscope disks exclusive to this exhibition. One soon discovers that psychedelic qualities attributed to modern Anime are not such a present-day concept.

Another exciting draw of the exhibition is a piece by Japanese graphic artist Tadanori Yokoo. It consists of a mirrored cylinder rising up out of a twisted blur of colored carpet reflecting the surrounding room. As the viewer approaches the cylinder, the reflected carpet reveals an artwork titled "Earth Beat" (Amorphosis).

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun

1-26-00---- JIN-ROH Japanese Premier

Written by Mamoru Oshii (Director: Angel's Egg, Ghost In The Shell, Patlabor, Patlabor II), directed by Hiroyuki Okiura; based on Oshii's live action films: The Scarlet Spectacles and Stray Dogs; and produced by Production I.G., Jin-Roh (Wolf Brigade) will finally receive it's official Japanese theatrical premier at the Yubari International Film Festival on Feb. 19th at 6 PM. The film is set in an alternate history 1960's Japan occupied by Germany where riots and ominous occupying forces "maintain order" in a terrorized police-state. A deal is reportedly under negotiation for a possible American acquisition / release (with which companies negotiations are being conducted is currently unknown).

1-26-00---- JIN-ROH Award / Rotterdam Screening Dates - Times

The Japanese Animated Motion Picture, JIN-ROH, was announced as the winner of the "Best Animation Movie," at the 54th Mainichi Movie Contest held Jan. 18th.

1-26-00---- Pokemon / Princess Mononoke American Boxoffice Update

Pokemon: The First Movie, in it's 11th week of release in North America drew $251,540 over this past weekend, lowering it it from #25 to the #33 on the Daily Variety movie chart. To-date, Pokemon has grossed $85,118,270. In it's 9th week of expanded release, The Princess Mononoke (which is in it's 13th week of release total) pulled in somewhere under $32,000 keeping it somewhere below #60 and off the Variety chart. To-date Miramax's limited Mononoke release has estimatedly grossed somewhere over $2,332,000.

1-26-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Konami is producing it's 3rd Yugioh! GameBoy Color title, tentatively named "Yugioh!: Capsule GB", the game will revive popular capsule monster elements, and the Die Roll System used in the combats. "Yugioh!: Capsule GB" is slated for release in Japan on April 13th, listing at 4500 Yen.

Bandai has delayed the U.S. release of Digimon World for PSX by one month, from March to sometime in April.

Namco's PSX 2 title, Tekken Tag Tournament, will be released on March 30th in Japan, listing at 6800 Yen. Tekken Tag Tournament was originally planned as a PSX 2 launch title, now Namco will release Ridge Racer V as their launch title on March 4th, listing at 6800 Yen.

Sony plans to use the open price system for Playstation 2 software in Japan, this means software makers will be able to set the retail price of their PSX2 titles freely.

In Japan, KDD and Capcom have teamed up to create a new Communication Fighting Service for Dreamcast. Scheduled to launch on March 1st, it allows players to battle over a high-speed networ. A new Match System is used, after the player dials in and registers their name and game title ID, the network will connect you with another player with the same game ID, for a network battle. The first games to support this network will be Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (out March 23rd, listing at 5800 Yen) and Power Stone 2. Future titles to support the network include SNK V.S. Capcom, Private Justice Academy 2 (Rival Schools United by Fate 2), and Street Fighter III 3rd Strike.

Japanese cable TV service provider, MediaCAT, is teaming up with KMN and StarCAT to create a new online game aerver for console systems in the Nagoya area.

1-25-00---- Ranma 1/2 Martial Mayhem VHS Dub Delay

The Right Stuf is reporting that Ranma 1/2 Martial Mayhem Vol. 3 VHS English dub has been delayed by Viz due to technical problems. Viz has yet to to set a new release date.

1-25-00---- Region 1 Anime DVD Release Info

The Right Stuf also reports that Bandai Entertainment's Region 1 Haunted Junction DVD boxed set is slated for an April 18th release, listing at $39.99. The Region 1 Ranma 1/2 OVA Collection boxed set is listed as retailing $119, and listed for release on April 25th. Pioneer is listed as releasing Sol Bianca: The Legacy Vol. 1: Lost Treasures on April 25th.

Pioneer lists the following Region 1 DVD releases in it's Pioneer Entertainment Weekly Update:

Blue Submarine No. 6: Vol. 1 Blues DVD
Bandai 10302
669198094095 $24.98 2/29/00 4/4/00
0940 13UP Stereo Surround Sound 30 Canada
The Earth's oceans have risen, leaving most of the land now underwater. Even worse, humanity is plagued with attacks by a race of sea mutants who are dedicated to eradicating mankind. Our last hope is the state of the art Blue Submarine No. 6 and her crew, made up of the best personnel available. Join ace pilots Mayumi and Tetsu as they fight for the fate of all mankind. Combines traditional 2D animation with breathtaking state-of-the-art 3D computer animation.

Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio track
Interactive DVD Menus.

Cowboy Bebop: Vol. 1 DVD
Bandai 10363
669198129094 $29.98 2/29/00 4/4/00
1290 13UP Stereo Surround Sound 150 Canada
Meet Spike and Jet, a drifter and a retired cyborg cop who have started a bounty hunting operation. In the converted ship The Bebop, Spike and Jet search the galaxy for criminals with bounties on their heads. They meet a lot of unusual characters, including the unusually intelligent dog, Ein, and the voluptuous and vexing femme fatale, Faye Valentine. See why Cowboy Bebop was Japan's best-selling anime title in 1998.
The hottest show in Japan in 1998-99!
An all-star creative team who has worked on some of the greatest anime titles, including: Director Shinichiro Watanabe (Macross Plus) Character Designer Toshihiro Kawamoto (Golden Boy, Gundam 0083) Music composed by Yoko Kanno (Escaflowne, Macross Plus)

5 Episodes on one DVD!
Interactive DVD menus
DVD extras include full-length music clip and character introductions.

Eat-Man '98 DVD
Bandai 10364
669198078095 $39.98 2/29/00 4/4/00
0780 13UP Stereo Surround Sound 300 Canada
Bolt Crank is a mercenary, but he's no ordinary man. He's gifted with the ability to eat metal objects. Later, he can produce these items from his right hand, as the need arises. Bolt is the strong silent type-he doesn't say much and prefers to let his actions speak for themselves. And in the course of this series, Bolt will serve as protector to many people. He will hunt down a murderer who is brutally killing scientists, protect an entire country, and destroy a demon. And that's just the first disc!

All 12 episodes - the entire series - on one low-priced 2 disc set!
Interactive DVD menus. - Japanese and English Audio with English Subtitles (English Audio on Episodes 1 and 2 only)

1-25-00---- American Laputa Debut

Miramax will premier their English Language version of Hayao Miyazaki's Laputa: Castle in the Sky at the New York International Children's Film Festival. The film, loosely based on a passage from Swift's Gulliver's Travels, features voice-acting by Anna Paquin as Sheeta and James Van Der Beek as Pazu. The premier screening will be presented on Friday, Feb. 4th at 6 P.M. at the Director's Guild of America Theater, 110 West 57th Street, Manhattan. Tickets are $10.00. A catered reception will follow this premier. The film will be screened a second time at the Cantor Film Center located at 36 East 8th Street on Saturday the 5th at 4:30 PM. Tickets for this screening cost $8.00 each. Other anime films, ranging from Star Blazers to Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind will also be screened during the film festival.

For more information, visit the Official Site.

Source: Anime Nation

1-25-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

ASCII's RPG Tsukuru (Maker) 4 PSX is out in Japan March 30th, listing at 6800 Yen. It will be possible to import music you create in Music Tsukuru 3 into RPG Tsukuru 4.

Banpresto has pushed back the release date of Super Robot Taisen Alpha for PSX from Feb. 24th to sometime in March.

Tri-Ace has announced that the planned GameBoy Color Star Ocean title will be a completely new game, separate in story from Star Ocean 1 & 2.

Sega has announced a new Hello Kitty puzzle game for Dreamcast, Magical Block Of Hello Kitty, it's scheduled for release in Japan on March 30th.

Capcom will release their Dreamcast port of Marvel V.S Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes in Japan on March 23rd. The Naomi arcade version is expected to be released in early March.

1-25-00---- Sony Plans Massive AIBO Sell

Sony Corporation announced in Japan on Tuesday that it will take orders in Feb. for its popular AIBO robot dog from Japan, the United States and Europe without setting limits on the size of purchases. The retail price will be 250,000 Yen in Japan, $2,500 in the U.S. and 2,400 Euro in Europe. Orders will be accepted Feb. 15-25.

1-25-00---- Review: Sailor Moon Mixx Manga #13

In Mixx's Sailor Moon Manga #13 by Naoko Takeuchi many questions are answered and many more are raised. In Crystal Tokyo, the spirit of King Endymion appears to Bunny and reveals Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask's true identity and their relationship to Rini.

Lot's of fan extras from Takeuchi-sensei in this issue as well!

$2.95 | 48 pages

1-24-00---- J-Pop / Seiyuu News

Aya Hisakawa will release her 3 CD-set compilation vocal best album, "Decade", Feb 21st listing at 4,500 Yen. It will contain 45 tracks, digitally remastered with newly recorded vocals of her previous anime and game songs. A bonus AD-extra data track is included, featuring a visual history & video messages from Aya. 1st presses are packaged with a photo booklet.

The 2nd Trouble Chocolate CD single is set for a March 8th Japanese release. The single will list for 1,020 Yen and feature tracks by Kyoko Hikami and Sakura Tange. 1st presses will include a Trouble Chocolate sticker.

1-24-00---- Region 1 DVD Release Dates

The Right Stuff lists release dates for the following Bandai Entertainment DVD's:

Blue Submarine No. 6: Vol. 1 Blues DVD - 04/04/2000
Cowboy Bebop: Vol. 1 DVD - 04/04/2000
Eatman 98: Vol. 1 DVD - 04/04/2000

DVD Express reports these dates for Nazca DVD's:
Nazca: Vol. 3 Betrayal Of Humanity DVD - 05/09/2000
Nazca: Vol. 4 Eternal Power DVD - 07/18/2000

1-24-00---- Supplementary Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Release Information

Jerry Chu of Bandai Entertainment was kind enough to answer a few additonal questions from us regarding Bandai's upcoming American release of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing:

Will the original Japanese Background Music remain intact in both the dub, sub, video releases, and broadcast releases of Gundam Wing?

The background music remains unchanged from the dub and sub.

Does Bandai Entertainment have current or future plans to release soundtracks on CD to Gundam Wing (or other Bandai Entertainment series)?

Currently, there are no plans to release a soundtrack for Gundam Wing, but I won't rule it out if Gundam Wing takes off big.

On editing, what can fans familiar with the existing Japanese version of the Gundam Wing TV series expect in the U.S. broadcast version regarding, Visual edits (ie: violence, action), script edits (ie: use of explictives etc.), and character edits (ie: moods, personality).

Editing has been conducted through Cartoon Network's production team. So I'm not privy to what edits are taking place. Again, an UNEDITED version will be shown on Saturday night and the [VHS] video release/ [Region 1] DVD release will also contain the unedited version.

1-24-00---- Top Anime LD Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-24)

1. Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi LD-1
2. Card Captor Sakura Vol. 13
3. Sakura Taisen Gokajukuran Episode 1
4. To Heart 7
5. You're Under Arrest Special 5
6. Nanako Kaitaishinsho Opr. IV Fire-Crackers

1-24-00---- Top Manga Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-24)

1. Hunter X Hunter 7
2. Neon Genesis Evangelion 5
3. Initial-D 17
4. Yugi-Oh! 16
5. PPOI! 15
6. 3X3 Eyes 33
7. Tenchi Muyo Ryo-Ohki 11
8. One Piece 11
9. Oishinbo 73
10. Yukan-Club 18
11. Sora Wa Akaikawa No Hotori 19
12. One Piece 10
13. One Piece 3
14. One Piece 4
15. One Piece 6
16. Ouke No Monsho 42
17. One Piece 5
18. One Piece 7
19. One Piece 2
20. Detective Conan Special Version 9

1-24-00---- Top Video Game Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-24)

1. Pokemon Silver - GB
2. Pokemon Gold - GB
3. Gran Turismo 2 - PSX
4. Momotaro Dentetsu V - PSX
5. Valkyrie Profile - PSX
6. Muscle Ranking Vol. 1 - PSX
7. Mario Party 2 - N64
8. Donkey Kong 64 - N64
9. Shenmue Chapter 1: Yokosuka - DC
10. Techromancer - DC
11. Crash Bandicoot Racing - PSX
12. Pachislot Aruze Oukoku 2 - PSX
13. Touge Max G - PSX
14. Konya Mo Doru Bako!!! 2000 - PSX
15. Jikkyou Powerful Pro-Yakyuu '99 Kettei-Ban - PSX
16. Parasyite Eve 2 - PSX
17. Doko Demo Issyo - PSX
18. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing - DC
19. Dance Dance Revolution 2nd Remix - PSX
20. Sea Man - DC

1-24-00---- Top J-Pop Album Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-24)

1. "Love Is The Message" - Misia
2. "Recycle: Greatest Hits Of Spitz" - Spitz
3. "Best Of Best All Singles Collection" - Maki Ooguro
4. "Magnum Collection 1999 Dear" - Masaharu Fukuyama
5. "Max 6 Best Hit's In The World '99" - Various Artists
6. "DanceMania X5" - Various Artists
7. "Carry On My Way" - SPEED
8. "Loveppears" - Ayumi Hamasaki
9. "Muzai Moratorium" - Ringo Shena
10. "Chage & Aska Very Best Roll Over 20th" - Chage & Aska
11. "Heavy Gauge" - Glay
12. "Super Urobeat Vol. 101" - Various Artists
13. "First Love" - Hikaru Utada
14. "Yuzuen" - Yuzu
15. "Nagabuchi Tuyoshi Acorstic Oreno Taiyou" - Tuyoshi Nagabuchi
16. "Dance Dance Revolution 3rd Mix" - Various Artists
17. "Ongaku" - 19
18. "Micro Maximum" - Back Drop Bomb

1-24-00---- Top J-Pop Single Sales (Japan) (As Of 1-24)

1. "Kuchibue" - Mr.Children
2. "Sekirara" - Sads
3. "Pray / Get Into In A Groove" - Every Little Thing
4. "Mago" - Ooizumi Ichirou
5. "Chokotto Love" - Pucchimoni
6. "Love" - Day After Tomorrow
7. "Happiness-Winter Mix" - Glay
8. "Love Mucine" - Morning Musume
9. "Heaven/Squall" - Masaharu Fukuyama
10. "Next 100 Years" - J-Friends
11. "Honnou" - Ringo Shena
12. "Snow Dance" - Dreams Come True
13. "Eien Eternity" - Kyosuke Himuro
14. "Love 2000" - Namie Amuro
15. "Eden Kimigaina" - Janne Da Arc
16. "Movin On" - Dream
17. "Last Tour Yakusokuno Basyohe" - Bluem Of Youth
18. "Hoshiga Kirei (Limited Edition)" - The Little Monster Family
19. "Issyoni" - Max
20. "Kabutomushi" - Aiko

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