Anime News Service - March 8-14 News

3-14-00---- U.S. Nausicaa & Angel's Egg DVD's

Anime Nation reports that Anchor Bay Entertainment has confirmed that they own the U.S. DVD distribution rights to Mamoru Oshii's Angel's Egg and Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind Movies. The version of Nausicaa to be released by Anchor Bay will be the original Japanese 116 minute long version. Both titles are currently scheduled for release in December, no details have been released on possible extras.

3-14-00---- Lone Wolf & Cub Manga / Figures Coming From Dark Horse

Dark Horse has acquired the rights to publish Kazo Koike and Goseki Kojima's, Lone Wolf and Cub manga. In it's entirety over 7,000 pages in length, Dark Horse plans to reprint the entire series in 28 volumes, each weighing in at 300 pages per volume. Vol. 1 is slated to be out Aug. 30th, retailing for $9.95.

Also soon from Dark Horse are Lone Wolf and Cub action figures, to arrive in September. The PVC figures with cloth costumes are actually being produced for the Japanese market, since they are being produced at the same time as the Japanese figures, purchasers will be waived high import prices. Two figures will makeup the line at the outset, they will be Lone Wolf & Cub, in a set, and Yagyu. Both are 6 ž inches tall, street release is set for Sept. 20th.

3-14-00---- ADV DVD Announcements

David Williams of ADV Films, has officially announced the street date for the A.D.Vision announced the official street date for the Neon Genesis Evangelion Collection 0:1 DVD as May 23rd. It will contain episodes 1-4 with English, Japanese, Spanish and French language tracks and English subtitles. The disc will retail for $29.98.

The first Monster Rancher DVD is due out on April 25th, containing episodes 1-3, with retail price of $24.98.

3-13-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Takara's delayed PSX SRPG, Brave Saga 2, will feature map-usable weapons, combo/team attacks, and a new stress meter that let's players use super attacks once the bar is filled. Japanese release is set for May 2nd, at a retail rice of 7800 Yen.

NEC Interchannel has new information on two of it's upcoming games:

- Sentimental Prelude has been named, the third in it's popular Dreamcast love adventure game.

- The PSX SRPG, Black Matrix Cross, is to be a slighgtly modified port of the Dreamcast version of Black Matrix Advanced. New to the PSX, players can select a hidden character, Zero, also, a new ability timing system is added.

3-13-00---- Pokemon Cereal

Kellogg's plans to start selling a limited edition Pokemon Cereal this May, "Pokemon Toasted Oat Ceral With Marshmallow Bits." It will include four Pokemon shaped marshmallows: blue Poliwhirl, yellow Pikachu, pink Ditto, and green Oddish.

3-12-00---- Devilman Illustrations Exhibition

An exhibition of original images included in last year's illustration book, "Devilman Illustrations" was recently held at Shibuya Parco Part 3 in Tokyo. Deveilman creator, Go Nagai of-course was the main contributor, however, some 54 artists have submitted their works to the exhibition, including: Kazushi Hagiwara (Bastard!!), Akemi Takada (Mobile Police Patlabor), and Shou Tajima (Madara).

Source: J-Dream Direct Newsletter J-Dream Web

3-11-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Kadokawa Shoten is reportedly, currently producing a new Dreamcast game adaption of The Record of Loddess War. Details on the title are to be released at the spring Tokyo Game Show.

Bandai's new WonderSwan periphrial, WonderWave, will let the WonderSwan exchange data with the Pocketstation via infared. WonderWave will retail at 1500 Yen, and has a Japanese release date of June 29th. "Digital Partner: Digimon Adventure 2", will be the first game to support the device, it will be released to WonderSwan on May 25th (3200 Yen), and in the early summer for PSX.

Square's PSX RPG Final Fantasy IX is currently scheduled for release in Japan on July 19th.

Jaleco's new PSX title, The Yellow Monkey Trance mission: VJ Remix, will feature video clips from the Japanese band, Yellow Monkey. Release in Japan is slated for April 14th, with a retail of 4800 Yen.

3-11-00---- Transformers 2000 Toys By End Of March

Takara's first line of Transformers 2000 toys should be released in Japan by the end of March. C-001, Super Fire Convoy and D-001, Gigantron are to be released in this line.

3-9-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

New features in Sega's Dreamcast port of Sakura Taisen are to include internet feature access, enhanced graphics, VMS games. A limted edition Pink VMS-Unit will reportedly be included in the Limited Edition version of the release. A Sakura Taisen 3 Preview GD-ROM will reportedly be boxwd in both limited and regular versions. Japanse release is set for May 25th, at 4800 Yen (Regular Ver.), and 6800 Yen (Limited Ver.).

3-9-00---- Salon J-Pop Article

www.salon.com has posted an article on Japanese Popular Culture which can be read here.

3-8-00---- Anime / Manga Gaming

In Sega's upcoming Dreamcast title, "Hello Kitty's Magical Block", an action puzzle game, the player must fight ghosts, pushing blocks on them. Upon completion of different levels, players can view Hello Kitty series images. The game is slated for release March 30th, retailing for 2800 Yen.

Nintendo has renamed their forthcoming U.S. N64 Zelda sequel, "Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" (titled "Mask of Mujula" in Japan).

Capcom of Japan announced plans that it will develop 10 software titles for NTT DoCoMo's iMode mobile phones by next March. Among the titles, will be an iMode version of Street Fighter, which will reportedly include network battle capabilities. Players will have to pay a fee of 300 Yen monthly.

3-8-00---- Anime Music News

Maaya Sakamoto will reportedly perform the ending song to Studio Sunrise's upcoming Tenkuu No Escaflowne movie.

Junko Iwao's upcoming maxi-cd single will feature the opening theme "Scarlett", to Studio Pierott's Ayashi No Ceres TV series, to begin airing on WoWoW BS Ch. 5 on April 20th. The single is scheduled to be released in Japan April 19th retailing at 1,500 Yen.

Yumi Matsuzawa's new maxi-single will feature the upcoming Gate Keepers main theme song, "Ashita No Egao No Tameni", it's currently slated for release April 28th, retailing at 1,050 Yen.

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