The spring, 2002 Toei Anime Fair has kicked off March 2 featuring latest productions "Soccer King of Chopper Kingdom, ONE PIECE / Rare Animal Island, DigimonTamers. Also a stage greeting by popular vocal group DASEIN singing a theme song from ONE PIECE / Rare Animal Island has occured. Seiyuu appearing in a stage greeting are Masako Nozawa, Tomiko Origasa from "DigimonTamers", Mayumi Tanaka, Harumi Okamura, Katsuhei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue ootani, from "ONE PIECE." Masako Nozawa of Tomiko Origasa from "DigimonTamers." Two people of DASEIN rush to help, too and tell an idea to a work. Furthermore, a character of each work appears, too and is to heap up the stage. An enforcement theater is Tokyo / Marunouchi Toei of the main screening building. From 11:30 that start time No. 1 showed it, and was finished. "ONE PIECE" & "DigimonTamers" which won the greatest popularity by the screening of 2001. Attendance is planned for Mayumi Tanaka, Harumi Okamura, Katsuhei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue ooyani, Masako Nozawa, Tomiko Origasa, DASEIN at "spring, 2002 Toei anime fairsl" first sunrise of the year stage greetings.
Source: E Goo
"Dragonball", the first three years of the series, is about Goku's childhood, while the 500 episodes of "Dragonball Z" follow Goku's life as hero sons. "Dragonball GT", which will begin airing on Cartoon Network in the fall 2004, includs a year's worth of episodes that return to the time when Goku and his buddies were young. Produced by Toei Animation in Japan, the show arrvies at the FUNimation offices with all of the characters speaking Japanese. Writers of FUNimation's staff of 50 translate the dialague and the ideas for an American audience.
Future of 'Dragonball Z'
But by the fall of 2005, the "Dragonball GT" episodes will have all been broadcast, which prompts the question: What next for FUNimation? First, there's more to mine in the Dragonball business, beginning with videos. The latest "Dragonball Z" strate-to-video movie, "Cooler's Revenge", was ranked No.4 in video sales in the Feb.1 issue of Video Business magazine, sandwiched between "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "Pearl Harbor". So far, 13 "Dragonball" movies -- five by FUNimation -- and two specials have been produced. "We're consistently in the top 10 of total video sales," says Dave Moran, press representative for FUNimation. And the possibility of a big-screen version of "Dragonball" -- either in cartoon or live-action format -- is in the works. FUNimation president Gen Fukanaga, though he is reluctant to reveal details "We're not supposed to talk about it much", Fukanaga says.
Other Anime Series
Funimation isn't putting all its eggs in the "Dragonball" basket, though. The group, led by brothers Daniel and Robert Cocanougher; their father Allen; and Gen Fukanaga and his wife Cindy, also are brining more Japanese anime series to the Untied States. "Yu Yu Hakusho", aimed at older teens and adults, recently began airing on Cartoon Network on Saturday nights. This series has more humanlike characters then "Dragonball Z" and deals with the spirit world. The weekly show runs with the "Adult Swim" action block. FUNimation is translating and Americanizing "Yu Yu", which like "Dragonball" began as a popular manga (Japanese comic book) and became an anime series in the early '90s in Japan. Other Japanese anime from FUNimation will go direct to video. "Lupin III" features and Inspector Clouseau-like detective a la the old Pink Panther movies, Moran says. "Blue Gender" is a violent action series about bugs that take over the Earth and the human warriors who plot to take it back. A recent acquisition, "Fruits Basket", is a new series with 26 episodes completed and others still in production in Japan. It's about a young girl whose mother dies and who is then taken in by a family of man with a secert. Look for it on video.
Check out an article on a Godzilla festival-held at Hanayashiki Park in Akasuka, Tokyo-at Cinescape.
"Another SF Bay Area TokyoScope Event! TokyoScope author PATRICK MACIAS presents: JAPANESE CULT SEXPLOITATION Book Reading/Signing
WHEN: SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 8 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $5
WHERE: ATA GALLERY 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco (415) 824-3890
Just back from the neon-lit Shinjuku streets (16mm roll to be screened!), here's thee "Tiger on Beat" himself, Mr. Patrick Macias, leading our group prowl, gape, and grope through his new cult-study of Japanese exploitation genres, Cadence Books' TokyoScope. Mission-based yet world famous, our gangly grindhouse guru shows clips and shares dirty secrets about this previously marginalized yet tremendously influential area of Asian cinema. His focus tonight is on the so-called "Pink" or sexploitation chapter, flashing and slashing through a tsunami of erotic exotica without even spilling his sake.
SAT. MARCH 9, DOORS OPEN AT 8PM FOR BOOK-SIGNING. $5. ATA GALLERY 992 VALENCIA STREET SAN FRANCISCO (415)824-3890 http://www.othercinema.com"
Source: Pulp
Also, an interview with Ghibli designer and key animator-and character designer of the Jade Cocoon series-is available at Animerica
6. "Dragonball Z: Majin Buu-Tactics (Unedited)," FUNImation.
7. "Dragonball Z: Majin Buu-Tactics (Uncut)," FUNImation.
Copyright 2002, BPI Communications Inc. and SoundScan Inc.
Top DVD Sales
7. "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust," Urban Vision Entertainment.
Copyright 2002, BPI Communications Inc. and SoundScan Inc.
Courtesy to Natsume Maya for the above news.
For those who might be interested in the current situation of the German manga market, here are the brand-new February charts of the best selling manga in Germany. All mangas are new entries, except for "Dragon Ball":
1. X/1999 Vol. 10 (CLAMP, from Carlsen)
2. Angel Sanctuary Vol. 6 (Kaori Yuki, from Carlsen)
3. Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne Vol. 6 (Arina Tanemura, from EMA)
4. Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne Vol. 5 (Arina Tanemura, from EMA)
5. Vampire Master Vol. 1 (Satoshi Urushihara, from Planet Manga)
6. One Piece Vol. 14 (Eiichiro Oda, from Carlsen)
7. Fushigi Yuugi Vol. 3 (Yuu Watase, from EMA)
8. Bronze Vol. 5 (Minami Ozaki, from Carlsen)
9. Legend of Lemnear Vol. 3 (Satoshi Urushihara, from Carlsen)
10. Dragon Ball Vol. 42 (Akira Toriyama, from Carlsen)
11. Kenshin Vol. 5 (Nobuhiro Watsuki, from EMA)
12. Bastard!! Vol. 15 (Kazushi Hagiwara, from Carlsen)
13. Kenshin Vol. 4 (Nobuhiro Watsuki, from EMA)
14. Clover Vol. 1 (CLAMP, from Carlsen)
15. Tenchi Muyo Vol. 3 (Hitoshi Okuda, from Carlsen)
At Animexx you can find a complete list of all manga series published in Germany so far, with further information on every volume and hundreds of cover scans.
On the Connichi Convention in Germany there will be a Exihibition with original material from Gainax. Studio Gainax will make available stuff from theire own stocks.
Gainax has brought us "Neon Genesis Evangelion", "Fushigi no Umi no Nadia", "Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou" and the new series "Mahoromatic". 3rd until 5th of may 2002 in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
Mike Lazzo - Vice President Of Programming - Cartoon Network
December 18, 1997 - USA Today
"The best action shows in the marketplace were the anime shows as far as I was concerned. When it comes down to characters, animation quality, stories, shows from the East are just vastly superior to the crap that is being made in the states."
Sean Akins - Head Of Programming - Toonami - Cartoon Network
May 2, 2001 - Akadot - "Pleasing All The People"
Secondly, entertainment rag The Hollyood Reporter made an apparent attempt at westernizing Rintaro's psudonym as "Taro Rin" in this article.
Courtesy to Natsume Maya for the date
Animefringers assemble! The March issue of Animefringe is up and ready for your reading pleasure. In this month's issue we have...
Morning Musume Morning Musume is a huge sensation that has taken the J-pop world by storm. It has become a kind of launch pad for the careers of the girls who come and go from the troupe. But how did the Morning Musume phenom begin? Where did this come from, how has it progressed, and where is it going in the future? Alex, Holly, and Jack took it upon themselves to surf the web and try to come up with as much information as possible on this wonder of the J-pop world. So if you're a fan of Morning Musume who wants to find out more, or if you're a total novice to the world of J-pop, sit back and prepare to be educated by Animefringe's all-out MoMusu information bonanza.
Hikaru no Go Go. Played by more than 25 million people worldwide, it's possibly the most popular strategic board game on the planet. Its history stretches back more than 3000 years. Shindou Hikaru, however, doesn't care how old it is; he has absolutely no interest in playing the game when he finds an old board nestled among his grandfather's belongings. But when he is approached by the spirit of an ancient Go master who inhabits the board, he finds there's a whole lot more to the game than it seems...
Shoujo Madness! Ever wonder what the heck people are talking about when they refer to shoujo anime? Or, maybe you think you know what shoujo's all about, but you don't want to touch it with a 10 foot frilly pink scepter? In either case, Animefringe is about to take you on an enlightening trip to Shoujoland. So, strap on your sailor suit, crack open The Mysterious Play, and give Mokona a pat on its fuzzy little head as Ellie guides you along the way...
Plus... we've got a special guest editorial by Graviton City's Neil Creek, a ton of Anime Briefs from around the world, and a slew of hot new reviews including one on the first episode of Cartoon Network's new series Yu Yu Hakusho. Read all this and more at www.animefringe.com.
"Image Entertainment will be releasing two Ultraman movies in May 2002 on home video and DVD with English subtitles. Here is the info from the website:
Ultraman Gaia: The Battle In Hyperspace (DVD) Year: 1998 Length: 74 minutes Rating: Not Rated MSRP: $ 24.99 Status: Active Release Date: 5/14/2002 Pre-Order Date: 4/16/2002 Studio: Image Catalog Number: ID0388TPDVD UPC: 014381038828
Actors/Artists: Director: Kazuya Konaku
Synopsis: Nine-year-old Tsutomu discovers a strange glowing red stone with the power to make wishes come true, but the meanest bully in school uses it to create a gigantic, evil monster. Now Tsutomu can realize his own heart's desire to meet his hero, Agent Gamu of the XIG Team, the human alter ego of the mighty Ultraman Gaia! The skyscraper-sized silver and red superhero takes on a growing army of monsters with the aid of Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna, pitting this intrepid trio of good guys against the forces of darkness in a blistering battle over the future of Earth! Packed with explosive special effects and exciting action, "Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace" is a dazzling entry in the popular Ultraman saga that raises the bar for spectacular entertainment!
Product Features: Audio Format: 5.1 Dolby Digital, Stereo Screen Format: 1.85:1 16x9: Yes Color: Color Region Code: Region 1 Original Languages: Japanese English Dubbed: No Other Languages: None Subtitles: English Special Features: Isolated Music Score
Ultraman Tiga And Ultraman Dyna (DVD) Year: 1998 Length: 68 minutes Rating: Not Rated MSRP: $ 24.99 Status: Active Release Date: 5/14/2002 Pre-Order Date: 4/16/2002 Studio: Image Catalog Number: ID0387TPDVD UPC: 014381038729
Actors/Artists: Jou Onodera, Mio Takaki Director: Kazuya Konaku
Synopsis: Invaders from the planet Monera are attacking! The terrifying robot Deathfacer and the city-sized, tentacled monstrosity Queen Monera are rampaging on a mission to destroy Earth, and only the reappearance of legendary heroes Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna stands a chance of stopping them. Meanwhile the seven person monster-fighting team Super G.U.T.S. (Global Unlimited Task Squad) races against time to help the gigantic superheroes save the planet from certain disaster! Interstellar mayhem and cosmic chaos are the order of the day in this rousing monster bash! The eye-popping special effects include more city-smashing, beam-blasting, hyper-powered showdowns than any Ultraman feature ever before!
Product Features: Audio Format: 5.1 Dolby Digital, Stereo Screen Format: 1.85:1 16x9: Yes Color: Color Region Code: Region 1 Original Languages: Japanese English Dubbed: No Other Languages: None Subtitles: English Special Features: Isolated Music Score
"You fans of the Lone Wolf and Cub manga will be happy to learn that AnimEgo is going to be releasing the original film series on DVD this summer. Here's an e-mail I received this morning from Bits reader Jerry: "I purchase anime from AnimEigo.com. I found a listing of Samurai films I've never noticed before, to my surprise & delight. They are listing The Lone Wolf & Cub (6 films) a.k.a.; the Baby Cart films and Zatoichi (7 of this films series) as coming to DVD this spring (of 2002). They will announce a firm date when they're ready to duplicate. I watched the laserdisc years ago of Lone Wolf. As it turned out the Laser was a pan & scan and edited version (bad dub), according to Leonard Maltin's movie guide, from a great 6 film series. I e-mailed Amimego because I had a few questions regarding the release of the series. I asked about Anamorphic and release dates - separate or all 6 together. I received a nice reply from Robert Woodhead, CEO, of AnimeEigo. To quote: "When we do the DVD of LW&C, it will be "anamorphic" digitally transferred from a new print. Summer more likely, we expect the inevitable snags. It's much more complex than it seems. One at a time, every few months."
1)"In an exclusive chat with CINESCAPE, HOUSE OF THE DEAD scribe Mark A. Altman talked about bringing the popular Sega video game to the big screen with co-writer Dave Parker. "I absolutely love this video game so it's really exciting to be bringing the film to the big screen," Altman (FREE ENTERPRISE, ABDUCTED) told us. "The zombie genre has been in desperate need of some new blood for over a decade now and with RESIDENT EVIL, which I'm very excited about, coming out this year and HOUSE OF THE DEAD in '03, I think zombie fans will be able to find some great entertainment to pass the time while waiting for the next [George] Romero [NIGHT OF THE LIVING] DEAD flick."
"The film, directed by German music video director Uwe Boll, starts shooting in May. Altman is happy it will veer away from the PG-13 horror films of late and go for the blood and guts mavens of the genre have been missing. "We want our film to be smart, scary and gory. No PG cop-out here," Altman teased. "We're casting now and I think Uwe's going to do a great job with the film. He's as crazy about this material as I am and has a real vision for the film."'
Source: Cinescape
2)"Henshin! Online, which was graciously hosted by Monster Zero for several years, is striking out on its own -- but the two sites will continue to support each other and share information and articles. Created and edited by August Ragone and Bob Johnson of Kaiju Productions, "Henshin! Online" is your doorway to the wonderful world of Japanese Fantasy Films & Television.
"From state of the art tokusatsu (special effects) to old school anime (animation), Henshin! Online will strive to cover not only the latest releases to cinemas and home video, but also the people behind the scenes, and the actors who bring this genre to life. Don't despair, the Golden Age of Japanese Cinema & Television is alive and well at Henshin! Online, and here you will find extensive coverage on this incredible era and those who made it happen. Not only will you see onset reports, in-depth articles, essays, reviews, and interviews, you will also have access to an extensive and expanding database of cast and credit listings, episode guides, biographies, and other minutia for the enthusiast and fanatic, alike. The temporary preview site is now open with a report on the AFM screening of GMK in Santa Monica, the door to Henshin! Online has been opened... The magic begins. http://www.henshinonline.com"
Source: Cinescape
Sakura-Con is pleased to announce Jessica Calvello & Johnny Yong Bosch as Guests of Honor. Joining Jessica will be Returning Guests Pam Lauer, Doug Smith & Dr. Antonia Levi as well as Returning Japanese Guest of Honor Hiroki Hayashi.
Jessica Calvello is already known for her latest role, and the show hasn't even been released yet. That would be the role of Excel from Excel Saga. Jessica's real break into voice acting came when she was hand picked to play the role of Cutey Honey by creator Go Nagai himself. Other roles include Princess Minerva from the show with the same name as well as Yuri from the Original Dirty Pair.
Johnny Yong Bosch, is the voice of Vash the Stampede of Trigun, Reiji Kageyama in GateKeepers, Kaneda in Akira. Johnny's career started in 1994 when he was cast as Adam Park in the television series "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers". He continued the role of Adam in "Power Rangers Zeo" (1996) and in "Power Rangers Turbo" (1997) and in the films Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1995) and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997). He recently starred as Billy Lee Ray in Wicked Game (2001).
Returning Guest Pam Lauer is most known as Kei from the Original Dirty Pair. Pam has also had minor roles in shows including New Kimagure Orange Road, Those Who Hunt Elves as well as a meatier role in Dragon Knight.
Doug Smith has been an anime fan since childhood. Almost immediately out of Art Institute of Houston, Doug began working for A.D.Vision as one of their top graphic artists. Doug found that he had another valuble talent for A.D.Vision: Voice-Acting. He is best known for the lead character role of Kintaro Oe, from Tatsuya Egawa's Goldenboy series. In addition to Goldenboy, Doug has also voiced well over 20 different characters in various other A.D.Vision titles, including Dragon Knight, Sorcerer Hunters, Gamera, Original Dirty Pair, several Evangelion episodes, the new Bubblegum Crisis 2040, and much more! Doug is still amazed by this since he has never had any formal voice-actor training. Since leaving A.D.Vision in 1999, Doug joined forces with Steve Bennett at Studio Ironcat as a graphic artist, primarily working on all titles' cover art. In his spare time, he still pursues a voice-acting career.
Dr. Antonia Levi is an ex-hippie, ex-English teacher, ex-businesswoman & ex-several other things she doesn't admit to when she's sober. Dr. Levi is also the author of "Samurai From Outer Space: Understanding Japanese Animation", several scholarly articles about anime. Her latest article is "Myths for the New Millennium" which appears in John Lent's "Animation in Asia." She is currently working on a paper entitled "American Shoujo: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, shoujo manga, and the Female Audience" which will be presented at the Popular Culture Conference in Toronto. She currently teaches at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Her classes include Asian Studies, Popular Culture, and of course, Anime.
Sakura-Con is pleased to welcome back Returning Japanese Guest of Honor and AIC Creator/Director Hiroki Hayashi. Mr. Hayashi's latest work includes Magical Witchland (aka Mahou Yuugi) which was premiered at Sakura-Con 2001. Mr. Hayashi is also the co-creator and Director for Tenchi Muyo! and has worked on shows such as El-Hazard and Bubblegum Crisis and Battle Athletes.
"Sega has announced that it will hold its second Game Jam event on March 30 and 31 at the Tokyo International Forum in Japan. The titles scheduled to appear at the show are listed below, though new titles are also expected to be announced during the show.
Arcade
Lupin the Third: The Typing
Initial D: Arcade Stage
The King of Route 66
Soul Surfer
The Maze of the Kings
Disney Fan Square from Sega
PlayStation 2
Virtua Fighter 4
Power Smash 2
Sakatuku 2002
Guru Guru Onsen PS2 (working title)
Space Channel 5 Part 2
Rez
Switch
Roommania #203
NFL 2K2
NBA 2K2Z
Dreamcast
Sakura Taisen 4
World Series Baseball 2K2
NHL 2K2
GameCube
Super Monkey Ball
Virtua Striker 3 ver.2002
Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
Phantasy Star Online (working title)
Xbox
Jet Set Radio Future
Gunvalkyrie
SegaGT 2002
Game Boy Advance
The Pinball of the Dead
Sonic Advance
Shining Soul
Minna De Puyo Puyo
Columns Crown
Let's Make a Pro Baseball Team Advance (working title)
PC
Phantasy Star Online
Typing Space Harrier"
Source: Gamespot
The March 8 issue of Entertainment Weekly listed Battle Royale and The Ring as two of the ten "most wanted" films on dvd in the U.S. They describe Battle Royale as[And I'm paraphrasing.] "positively enthralling". Also, the Criterion edition of In the Mood for Love(with Tony Leung) got an A.
Thanks to Daniel for the news.
"NEW YORK (Variety) - Miramax Films and MGM will co-produce a contemporary retelling of Akira Kurosawa's classic saga of dueling Japanese warlords, "The Seven Samurai." One of the Japanese auteur's most influential films, "Seven Samurai" first got the Hollywood treatment in 1960 when John Sturges remade the picture as a Western, "The Magnificent Seven," with an all-star cast, including Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson.
"In the Kurosawa picture, which was nominated for two Oscars (news - web sites), a poor village besieged by marauding bandits hires seven samurai warriors to defend them, offering only handfuls of rice as payment.
"Miramax Films co-chairman Harvey Weinstein described "Seven Samurai" as "the mother of all 'guys on a mission' movies."
"MGM and Miramax haven't yet determined whether the remake will be set in Asia, the West, or some other contemporary context. MGM will distribute domestically, while Miramax will handle its international release."
Source: Yahoo
Anime at the NFT
To compliment the British Animation Awards that are being held next week,
the National Film Theatre in London is showing a short season of animated
features, including two Japanese films, Jin-Roh and Utena: The Movie.
The full schedule for the season is:
Tue 12
6.30 NFT 1 MTV Classics
8.45 NFT 1 Animated Music Videos: Screening & Panel Discussion
Wed 13
6.20 NFT 2 Landscape: William Kentridge & Jerzy Kucia
8.40 NFT 2 Never Mind is it Art, is it Animation?
8.45 NFT 1 Jin-Roh
Thur 14
6.20 NFT 2 International Animation I
6.30 NFT 1 Utena: The Movie
8.45 NFT 1 Deep Throat: Voice Acting and Directing for Animation
Fri 15
6.20 NFT 2 International Animation II
8.40 NFT 2 Utena: The Movie
Sat 16
11-6.30 TATE* Tate Modern Cinema: Art & Animation Symposium I
6.30 NFT 1 Fabriqué en France: CGI Promos
8.45 NFT 1 Jin-Roh
Sun 17
10.30-6 NFT 1 Art & Animation Symposium II
6.30 NFT 1 British Animation Award Winners
8.45 NFT 1 International Animation III
For further details, contact the National Film Theatre Box Office on 0207 9283232 (open 11.30-8.30pm), or visit the BAA website at http://www.britishanimationawards.com
Za Manga exhibition
There have been two manga exhibitions already as part of the Japan Festival
2001, and a third is due to open this month. "Za Manga" will be at Magma
Clerkenwell in London from 12th March to 12th April. This exhibition looks
at the development of manga and its influence on Japanese culture in
general. Opening times will be 10am-7pm Monday to Saturday. For more
details visit the website at http://www.zamanga.com.
Learning from Miramax’s long-delayed and much-criticised North American release of Miyazaki’s previous hit, Princess Mononoke, Disney is moving quickly to get Spirited Away released, possibly as early as July. The studio has already engaged Pixar creative chief John Lasseter to serve as creative consultant on the dubbed version of Spirited Away, though no voice casting choices have yet been announced.
Still on release seven months after its opening in Japan last July, Spirited Away is closing in on the Y30 billion ($226m) and 23 million admissions mark. Shortly after the film won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival, Japanese distributor Toho announced that it would give Spirited Away an "encore" release on 130 screens, starting March 9.
Disney has been distributing Studio Ghibli films since a deal signed with Ghibli corporate parent Tokuma in 1997. The only North American theatrical release to emerge from that deal, however, was of Princess Mononoke, a 1997 Miyazaki animation that was the previous Japanese box office record-holder. It earned $2.37m after opening in October 1999 on 131 screens in 69 U.S. and Canadian cities, a disappointing showing considering its $150m gross receipts in Japan.
Thanks to Sany for the reference
Thanks to Silver Khosla for the reference
"SquareSoft announced today that it will begin its PlayOnline service on May 16 in Japan, and contrary to recent rumors online, Final Fantasy XI for the PlayStation is also scheduled to hit store shelves on the same day. Priced at 7,800 yen ($58), the Final Fantasy XI package will contain two discs: the game software itself and a separate disc for the installation of the PlayOnline service. The service itself will not incur monthly fees, but Final Fantasy XI will have a monthly fee of 1,280 yen (approximately $9.50). A card battle game--called Tetra Master--will also be available at the PlayOnline launch for a monthly fee of 100 yen ($0.74). Players will need the PS2 hard disk drive to run the service and play the games. Though the company highly recommends using a broadband Internet connection (via the Ethernet adaptor on the HDD), the service also supports narrowband modem devices that can be connected to the PlayStation 2 via its USB ports. Keep in mind that all the above information is for the Japanese market, as SquareSoft has yet to announce details on the PlayOnline service and Final Fantasy XI for the North American market. "
Source: Gamespot
A preview of Xenosaga is available at Gamespot
Release day decided "The Final fantasy XI!"
Sensou Kamozawa: Thursday, February 28, 2002 23:35
The square announced that decided release day of the latest product "The Final fantasy XI" (for Play Station 2) of popularity role-playing-game on May 16 on February 28. It is an on-line game to be first in the series, and this software starts correspondence on-line service in total. A price of software is attached with access software to an on-line service "play on-line" of a square by 7800 yen. A play on-line uses a HardDisk unit for PS2 and is connected to a net. This software can utilize the functions that fellow players does communication of by "friend list" "email" "chat" "messages." In addition, as for this software, there is a play of original card game "Tetramaster" in a trial, too. "The final fantasy XI" is monthly basis 1280 yen a rate by May 16 a service start day. and "Tetramaster" is monthly basis100 yen. Free about basic service such as an email, a chat.
Source: C-Net Japan
When "Arcadia Of My Youth" of Reiji Matsumoto was broadcasted from now on before around 20, the program on a different channel was "Urusei-yatsura." It was going to broadcast which of "Arcadia -" and "Macross", and TBS of a TV station was troubled with a program on a different channel of "Urusei-yatsura" in those days. However, it broadcasted "Arcadia -" in those days by a period of time the same as "Urusei-yatsura" because the popularity and the popularity of Reiji Matsumoto were very high. However, the audience rating of "Arcadia -" fell behind "Urusei-yatsura" low. And "Macross" was a high audience rating in spite of the worst broadcast time of the daytime of Sunday.
"Space Battleship Yamato", "Captain Harlock" and "Gun Frontier" - new works from Leiji Matsumoto
A significant work among Japanese anime is "Space Battleship Yamato", based on the manga by Leiji Matsumoto. From Autumn this year a new TV series will go into production, with the manga creator Leiji Matsumoto involved in the project. Although not much information has yet been released, the new series will take place 1,000 years after the last series concluded. There is also discussion that a movie will be made, in collaboration with an overseas film production company.
"Captain Harlock" also has a new series going into production, as does a new series "Gun Frontier". "Gun Frontier" is the story of Harlock's buddy Tochiro in his young days in the setting of a SF western. Like most of his works this one is also linked to others, through using the same characters.
Leiji Matsumoto is a veteran in the manga scene, his recent works include the OVA released in 2000 "Maetel Legend", "Cosmo Warrior Zero" released in summer, 2001 - a series which had had been broadcast 19 years before, and now in the 21st Century it seems that Mr. Matsumoto is forging full steam ahead. Most of his latest works will appear in 2003.
We will soon be treated to more perspectives of Leiji Matsumoto's world.
Check out an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto and Satoru Iwata(Nintendo general manager of corporate planning for Kyoto ) at Gamespot:
Two things that stand out in the interview are the following:
1)"Well, I think that for the most part, games that will end up staying in the Japanese market might be tie-ins with Japanese animation that hasn't come overseas...."
2)"And actually with Pokémon, it's kind of interesting because Pokémon was not designed specifically to be a series that would be popular around the world. And yet it's succeeded around the world and has done very well...."
According to a post to the Animeigo DVD Mailing List by Robert Woodhead:
I talked yesterday to my contacts at Harmony Gold. The legal ruling in Japan relates to issues between Tatsunoko and Big West. It has nothing to do with, and no effect upon, Harmony Gold or their licenses to Macross.
Harmony Gold will probably be posting a more complete statement soon.
According to a post to Anime News Network, The Macross Saga of ADV Films' Robotech release is currently "unaffected". Regular contributor Daniel has contacted Manga Entertainment with the following question:
1) "Does [the Big West ruling] mean that you'll have to postpone Macross Plus and even pull out Macross 2 from the shelves?" Keith Burgess of Manga responded "Nope."
2) As for Animeigo, Robert Woodhead mentioned the follwoing to Daniel:
"Obviously, there is no way I can make any sort of comment until I get more information from Harmony Gold, but I will make a statement as soon as there is something useful to say. Please be patient with us, it may take a while to get any solid information."
[Daniel]: Will this stop you from selling Macross dvd's?
[Mr. Woodhead]: Unlikely. Neither we nor HG are at fault, we've acted in good faith. It might take a while to get sorted out. But again, until I know more, it is useless to speculate.
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