Courtesy To Geoff for this news.
Source: Natsume Maya
Source: Natsume Maya
Source: Cinescape via Daniel
'Japanorama' Series on BBC Choice
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Japanorama is a new TV series on presented by Jonathan Ross that starts this Sunday on BBC Choice at 10pm. Here is an official quote: "Japanorama takes a thematic look at Japan's current popular culture, and how it came to be that way. Based on Jonathan Ross's love of all things Japanese, Japanorama takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride through post-war Japan, tracing its amazing rise from the ashes of war, to its peculiarly energetic and inspired way of delighting the modern world." The series will include interviews with anime directors Mamoru Oshii and Hayao Miyazaki.
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Manga exhibition resurrected
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The exhibition 'Manga - Short Comics from Japan' that toured the country during the Japan festival last year is being brought back for another outing at Sevenoaks Library Gallery in Kent from 29th June until 10th August. For more details, call the library on (01732) 453118 or e-mail clare.hamilton@kent.gov.uk
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'How to Draw' books to hit UK
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The US has seen a recent glut of 'How to draw anime/manga' books, some of which are making their way over here. 'Anime Mania - How To Draw Characters For Japanese Animation' by Christopher Hart will be published in the UK on 27th June, priced £14.95. Other titles such as 'Manga Mania' and 'Mecha Mania' will follow.
More details about the books can be found on the publisher's website at http://www.watsonguptill.com.
I thought you and your readers would like to know about a major anime event happening in SF at the 26th San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
The Festival will be screening REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA: THE MOVIE at the Castro Theatre on June 22 at 8:45 pm. UTENA is the latest work from Kinihiko Ikuhara, the director of SAILOR MOON. Ikuhara will be in attendance at the screening to discuss the film and answer questions from the audience.
UTENA is a wild anime about the intense relationship between two schoolgirls at Oohtori Academy, a Japanese Hogwarts as designed by MC Escher where students vie for the mysterious power to revolutionize the world. Co-created with popular female anime artist Chiho Saito, Utena first broke ground as a television series, and the film takes the story of gender-bending Utena and femme Anthy to new heights.
Other highlights from the Festival, which has been the largest film festival of any kind in California for the last few years, drawing about 85,000 audience members each year, include a spotlight on the explosion of queer characters and storylines in Asian cinema, including FISH & ELEPHANT, the first lesbian feature out of China, and WU YEN, Johnnie To's gender-bending period comedy starring Anita Mui. Over 20 features and 20 shorts will be presented, many for the first time in North America, and many with the stars and directors in attendance. Countries represented include: Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Burma, and more.
A total of 290 films from 33 countries will screen across 18 days. For more information: And, of course, visit the Festival website at www.Frameline.org
Booth 1467 TOKYOPOP® To Showcase Hit Japanese Properties INITIAL D and STRAY SHEEP at Licensing 2002 International
Phenomenal Track Record in Broadcast TV, Publishing and Merchandising Make These Two of the Show's Most Highly Anticipated Brands
Los Angeles, CA (June X, 2002) - TOKYOPOP®, a burgeoning force in the world of youth entertainment, has set Licensing 2002 International for the worldwide introduction of INITIAL D and STRAY SHEEP - two of the most highly anticipated brands in the teen and children's entertainment market.
With the addicting anime sensibility of Speed Racer and the pulsating street cred style of The Fast and the Furious, INITIAL D ranks among the highest-rated animated series and best-selling manga lines in Japan. The anime reached a 47% share in its broadcast time slot, book sales have topped 30 million, and the property has earned over $300 million in revenue from the Asian marketplace alone.
INITIAL D tells the story of 17-year-old Tak, a tofu delivery boy who suddenly finds himself caught up in the heart-stopping world of street racing. When chance puts him up against street racing's most notorious driver and he actually wins, the lure is too much - he's hooked. Watch the INITIAL D trailer at www.TOKYOPOP.com.
To coincide with this year's World Cup in Japan, TOKYOPOP will feature a special INITIAL D promotion during the show. The "TOKYOPOP World Cup" is a competition style event that combines the excitement of racecars and soccer in a clever game held every hour, on the hour at TOKYOPOP's booth (#1467). Players attempt to score goals using INITIAL D remote control racecars to move STRAY SHEEP plush toys across the field into the net.
Created by Japan's renowned TV commercial and film director Tatsutoshi Nomura, STRAY SHEEP is a fresh alternative to the current selection of children's entertainment titles. Nomura created STRAY SHEEP for Fuji TV after studying graphic design and taking inspiration from Russian animator Yuri Norshteyn. With warm and friendly characters, STRAY SHEEP has become a tremendously successful franchise in its native Japan, expanding outside the core children's market into high school and college-aged consumers.
STRAY SHEEP is based on the tales of Poe, a naïve, independent and curious ram who finds himself sleepwalking into the most unpredictable situations on his path to reuniting with his herd and finding the "ewe" of his dreams.
TOKYOPOP will hold STRAY SHEEP Sketch Sessions during the show with Tatsutoshi Nomura, at the TOKYOPOP booth (#1467) on Wednesday, June 12 at 10:00am and 2:00pm. Visitors will be treated to live art demonstrations with original signed sketches given away. Come watch and meet the artist behind one of the Web's biggest screensaver phenomena! TOKYOPOP will also offer show attendees the chance to win one of two giant STRAY SHEEP plush toys in the STRAY SHEEP Giveaway, by simply dropping their business cards into the fish bowl at TOKYOPOP's booth (#1467). Winners will be announced at 1:00pm on June 13.
Said Stuart Levy, the company's Founder and Chief Executive Officer: "We are truly energized at the prospect for worldwide success for these two phenomenal properties. With stellar track records in Japan, universally appealing characters and compelling storylines, both INITIAL D and STRAY SHEEP are poised to reach superstar status in the worldwide marketplace."
This just went up on the AnimeNation news page and is all that we know via telephone conversation with one of ADV's advertising reps.
New Confirmation of English Newtype Magazine
A representative of AD Vision has confirmed for AnimeNation that the premier
issue of the long delayed English language version of Newtype Magazine will
debut at next month's Anime Expo convention in Long Beach California. AD
Vision will be the official American distributor of the new monthly
magazine, and will have a limited edition of 20,000 copies of a special
premier issue available for sale only at Anime Expo. The first regular
monthly issue will be available through normal retail channels tentatively
in August.
Details are still slim, but AD Vision has confirmed that the American version of Newtype will cover both Japanese and American anime fandom and will be printed in the same "back-to-front" Japanese format as the veteran Japanese version of the monthly anime magazine.
ANS drew from a number of our retail sources and discovered that by contrast, while some companies that have originated in Japan have enjoyed far greater success by using the brick and morter locale as a staging warehouse for e-commerce operations shipping out across the U.S., the actual business generated within the physical stores themselves is often eclipsed by e-tail revenue as a whole. How this may bear upon the reality of Mandarake's situation if indeed might have any bearing at all is unknown.
Last but not least, Fox Home Entertainment has announced that effective immediately, the Bruce Lee Collection box set has been placed on moratorium. No word on how long it will last or if the studio plans on reissuing or repackaging the title, but catch 'em while you can...
The Supreme Court of Austria has ruled Sony Corporation has lost the trademark right on its Walkman brand, now commonly used to refer to portable cassette players, according to a ruling statement made available Tuesday. Sony said the ruling, made in January, is unacceptable because the brand is registered as its trademark all over the world. The ruling started with a lawsuit the Japanese consumer electronics giant filed in Vienna in 1994 against an Austrian company that advertised a non-Sony portable cassette players under the Walkman name. The top court made the ruling on the grounds Sony had not taken steps to prevent the widespread use of Walkman as a common noun. Sony said it will continue to seek protection of its trademarks. But some legal experts in Austria said the ruling may be adopted by other European courts as Austrian trademark rights are based on criteria set by the European Union.
11 AM to 5 PM at the Joyce Ellington (formerly named Empire) branch library in San Jose.
WE WERE PREEMPTED BY THE LIBRARY THIS MONTH, SO WE'LL BE MEETING AT THE ROSE GARDEN LIBRARY (1580 Naglee Ave, San Jose, near 880 and Bascom).
Meetings are free and open to the public Schedule for 8 June, 2002 All shows are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted
11:00 - 12:00 Hime-Chan's Ribbon episode 35, 36 12:00 - 1:00 Open Programming Bring what you want to show New releases often make this the best part of the program. (and obscure shows can make it one of the weirdest parts!) 1:00 - 2:00 Chobits episode 4, 5 2:00 - 3:00 Aquarian Age episodes 1, 2 3:00 - 3:30 Tokyo Mew-Mew episode 1 (magical girls with cat ears and tails) 3:30 - 4:00 .hack//Sign 03 4:00 - 4:30 Pita Ten episode 1 4:30 - 5:00 Gatekeepers 21 OVA 1 (times are approximate, schedule is subject to change)
Yaoi-Con 2002 Oct. 18-20, 2002 San Francisco, CA http://www.yaoicon.com
Plans are well underway for this year's Yaoi-Con, the only Western convention dedicated to the yaoi genre of anime and manga. Yaoi-Con 2002 will be the weekend of October 18- 20, 2002, in San Francisco, CA.
CONFIRMED GUESTS Nitta Youka Nitta Youka (pronounced neet-ta yuu-ka) is one of the most popular yaoi mangaka in Japan today. Proof? Her doujinshi have been known to fetch over $100 on Yahoo Japan. A doujinshika turned pro, she's most famous for her Haru wo Daiteita (He Hagged Hooker) series, about two actors, and the When a Man Loves a Man series. Both of these have several tankoubon issued and are still going strong in the pages of BeBoy Gold and Comic Hanato. Nitta is known for her detailed, intricate style as well as her tall and gorgeous men. Her works deal with very 'adult' themes of conflict and jealousy, with largely adult characters, which gives them a broad-based and cross-generational appeal. Her fans range from teenagers to middle aged women with teenaged kids of their own. Patrick Drazen Patrick Drazen holds a Master of Arts in Communications, and has had a diverse career history. His main interest for years, though, has been Japanese history and culture, including its pop culture. He's given lectures on manga and anime at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the University of Chicago, and most recently at Anime Central 2002, near his home city of Chicago. In his Anime Central presentation, entitled, "Mukashi Mukashi (Once Upon a Time)," he discussed anime's use of traditional Japanese legends and folktales in works ranging from "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds" to "Cowboy Bebop." We are very pleased to welcome both Nitta-sensei and Patrick to Yaoi-Con 2002. More guests are on the way, so please refer to our web site for the latest update.
CONTESTS Music Video Contest Have an eye for direction and an ear for music ... or perhaps just a love of pretty boys on film? Then why not try your hand at making your own music video? This year's video theme is "Friendship Eternal," celebrating the bonds of friendship between your favorite male anime characters. Fiction Contest We will once again have a fan fiction contest, giving attendees a chance to put pen to paper to write about their favourite series and pairings. We'll accept both new and previously written stories, so long as they fall into one of our judging categories: shounen-ai and yaoi. Cosplay Love to dress up and show off your sewing and accessorizing skills? This year Yaoi-Con will feature two contests for cosplay enthusiasts: a casual hall contest and Saturday night's "Bishounen"-themed stage fashion show. Anime Pictionary Challenge Hone your speed-drawing skills, grab your friends and brush up on your anime trivia! Inspired by the game Pictionary, we'll be pitting teams of fans against one another -- and the clock -- as they try to come up with the right anime characters and titles for fun prizes.
For details and rules for each of our contests, please visit our web site. http://www.yaoicon.com
PROGRAMMING Doujinshi Showcase Table In the Art Show room this year we'll have a special table set aside just for doujinshi artists to display and sell their personal doujinshi. Can't make it to the con, but still want your work to be seen? This table's perfect for you. Doujinshi Exchange Pick up something in the Dealers' Room that just isn't quite your thing? Have some old doujinshi from fandoms past strewn around the house? Bring them along with you to the con and swap with other attendees for that perfect volume of manga or hard-to-find doujinshi. Bishounen Auction If you ever wanted a real live bishounen of your very own -- even if just for a few hours -- then this auction's right up your alley! We'll be corralling a harem of lovely young men from the con to auction off to the highest bidders at this exciting event. So come prepared to ante up and squire your bishie prize around the public areas of the con for a few hours!
GET TOGETHERS After hosting a wildly successful party called "The Revenge of the Return of the Night of Bishounen Pleasure!" at Fanime Con '02, we'll next be at Recca Con, June 8-9 in Pittsburg, California, where we hope to sponsor yaoi-themed panels and videos. We're also trying to have staff at Akon 13, Anime Expo, World Con (Conjose), Nan Desu Kan, and the Middle Tennessee Anime Convention so be on the lookout for us if you're in the neighborhood.
CONVENTION VENUE Our block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, set in the heart of San Francisco, is filling up fast! You can make reservations by calling the hotel directly at: 1-415-441-4000 or 1-800-465-4329 Be sure to mention "Yaoi-Con," "Y-Con," or "Aestheticism" to get the special con rate: $110 per night: single and double occupancy $125 per night: triple occupancy $140 per night: quadruple occupancy
PRE-REGISTRATION Registration is now open. Pre-reg now and be eligible for exclusive Yaoi-Con gifts! Membership Fees: $50 ~ Until September 18, 2002 $60 ~ At the Door Enjoy the convenience of online registration by visiting our Web site today for rates, payment methods and more! Due to the mature nature of Yaoi-Con's subject matter, attendees must be 18 years old by October 18, 2002. Registrants will be required to provide proof of age, both with their registration and at the door of the event.
FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about Yaoi-Con, the yaoi genre, and our programming, please visit http://www.yaoicon.com. Hope to see you in October!! Tracy PR Staff Yaoi-Con 2002 http://www.yaoicon.com
Currently the release date of Shadowskin is planned for July 9th. There will be a some extra features ondisc, including a special FX scene deconstruction (tutorial), interview with cast member and indie filmmaker Jim May and wireframe to scene comparisons. There will likely not be a preorder setup for the Shadowskin DVD as the release is so close. The original trailer is here: http://chaos.indirect.com/SS_Teaser.htm
There will be a new trailer released on the day of the launch. For more info: Shadow Skin Official
Here are CPM Manga's October releases.
Maxion: Book Four - Manic Obsessions (Graphic Novel) Story and Art by Takeshi Takebayashi
SCANDALOUS!
YUICHIRO is out of control. His sexual urges have taken over his psyche and the beautiful coed SHION is the object of his desires. What will happen if his true love, MAKI finds out? And what happened to the sexy health professor?
Beautiful women, hapless students, and a dose of voyeurism with sci-fi suspense!
10/2/2002 $15.95 192 pages Black and White CPM Manga Suggested for Mature Readers ISBN: 1-58664-857-8 UPC: 7-19987-00620-1-00411 Catalog: CMX 62004G
Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight - Book Three (Graphic Novel) Story by Ryo Mizuno Art by Masato Natsumoto
"...this is an epic adventure for those who love Dungeons & Dragons, Tolkien, and other fantasy adventures…Very cool and unusual." -Comics Buyer's Guide
SPARK and the Heroes of LODOSS have been distracted from their mission to deliver a letter to the kingdom of ROID. The brutal Dark Elf JIBA is trying to assemble the magical items necessary to resurrect KARDIS, the goddess of destruction. Now Spark and his friends must defeat Jiba, but they never guessed that someone so young could wield so much power. Can our heroes prevent the destruction of Lodoss?
10/09/2002 $15.95 192 pages Black and White CPM Manga ISBN: 1-58664-861-6 UPC: 7-19987-00641-7-00311 Catalog: CMX 64103G
Courtesy to Natsume Maya-san for this excellent piece of news
372 Santa Monica Blvd
Space B new Construction
Santa Monica, CA, 9401
Phone 310-393-7739
Fax 310-393-7577
Thnaks to Kittybert for the news
- Due to Technical Problems Service Service was down for an undetermined amount of time. Now we are back up and running full speed ahead. Sorry for any problems this may have caused.
Based on the manga by Takeaki Momose and Yutaka Izubuchi (mecha-designer for GASARAKI, AURA BATTLER DUNBINE, PATLABOR, GUNDAM: CHAR´S COUNTERATTACK etc.), Rahxephon, a Scifi TV anime series to begin airing on Fuji TV. The show's staff will be headed by premium talents as well including Director / Rahxephon Designer Yutaka Izubuchi (Mechanical Designs: Patlabor OVA), Chara Designer Akihiro Yamada (Illustrator: Lodoss War), and Mecha Designer Michiaki Sato (Producer: Earth Girl Arjuna).
The plot occurs on Earth in Japan where in the year 2012 an "intruder" appears in Tokyo's sky called the "MU". An autonomous region called " TOKYO JUPITER " is formed in response to the threat and the viewers are flashed forward to the present: 2027. Tokyo Jupiter consists of a dome type, self contained city 150km in diameter centered from Tokyo Haneda airport and extending out over open sea. A high school student must meet his challenge in this world threatened by unknowns. Seiyuu include Maaya Sakamoto (Escaflowne).
Meanwhile, Original Soundtrack 1 is out 9/21 (VICL - 60813) at 2,900 Yen. The 20th Emotion Festival 2002 in July will feature a great deal of production staff talk events and screenings from Yukikaze.
Tsuyoshi Okada's appointment will see him hit the ground running to regain financial stability for the company. According to its recently announced results for the 2001 fiscal year, ending March 31, Toei’s consolidated net profit dropped 89.9% to $7.3m (Y911M). Toei experienced only modest success at the box office in the last fiscal year, with only one film, the controversial Battle Royale, in the 2001 box office top twenty.
Source: Natsume Maya-san
Other notable rankings:
Male Character Ranking
1. Spike Spiegel(Cowboy Bebop)
3. Tuskasa(.hack//SIGN)
Female Character Ranking
2. Mimiru (.hack//SIGN)
Bandai Entertainment announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (“E3”) the acquisition of the Japanese animated series, .hack//SIGN (pronounced dot-hack) for release exclusively on DVD home video. A release date has not yet been scheduled.
Bandai America’s video game division has also announced at E3 the release of .hack for Playstation 2. Visit the website at www.dothack.com
David Goyer, the writer we can, and should, all thank for the first two BLADE films, is talking about his work in the upcoming third in the trilogy, BLADE 3. According to Goyer, a prolific comic-and-screen writer, he's decided to shift away from the idea he floated around the time of BLADE 2's release, which was to take place 20 or so years after the first two films and take a DARK KNIGHT RETURNS angle on Blade's eternal fight against vampires, and shifted towards an as yet unknown idea. "It's been modified somewhat from the PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES approach," Goyer said. "I'm pretty excited about it, though."...
Source: Cinescape
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