Anime News Service - October 24-29 Anime News

10-29-99---- Right Stuf Acquires Original Kimba TV Series

The Right Stuf International officially announced the acquisition and upcoming release of the original Kimba The White Lion series today. The version to be released will be the original 1966 television, with the original dialogue and music. Distribution will be four episodes per cassette with a retail price of $14.95 per volume.

10-29-99---- The Big Day For Princess Mononoke

Today, Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece, The Princess Mononoke, opens in theaters nationwide in limited release. Here are links to a number of new reviews of the film:

Variety
LA Weekly
Chicago Sun Times
LA Times
Boston Globe
Boston Phoenix
New York Post

Here are a list of cities where the film will open, if PM did'nt start in your local city today it may next week or in the coming weeks, check the list:

NEW YORK OCT 29
LOS ANGELES OCT 29
CHICAGO Oct 29
PHILADELPHIA Nov 5
SF-OAKLAND-SAN JOSE Nov 5
BOSTON Oct 29
WASHINGTON Nov 5
DALLAS-FT WORTH Nov 5
DETROIT Nov 5
HOUSTON Nov 5
ATLANTA Nov 5
CLEVELAND Nov 19
MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL Nov 5, Nov 12
SEATTLE-TACOMA Nov 5
ST LOUIS Nov 5
SACRAMENTO-STOCKTON Nov 5
PHOENIX Nov 5
DENVER Nov 5
SAN DIEGO Nov 5
PORTLAND Nov 19

10-29-99---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Shen Mue for Dreamcast will feature several mini games. There are several arcades in the city, where you can play actual classics such as Hang On and Space Harrier. You can also collect Anime figures from the coin-op plastic egg machines which you can then trade with people over the internet.

SNK vs Capcom: Top Match of the Strongest Fighters for Neo Geo Pocket Color is scheduled for release in Japan on Dec. 22nd, listing for 4300 Yen.

10-28-99---- Mixx Entertainment Teams Up With CPM To Offer Manga Online

Earlier this week, Joel Baral, Director of Business Development for Mixx Entertainment, announced the launch of Tokyo Station, a new section in the Japanimation section of the America Online service. Tokyo Station will offer daily updated pages from Sailor Moon the and Parasyte Comics and is the product of a collaborative effort between Mixx Entertainment, American publishers of the Sailor Moon Manga, and Central Park Media, American licensers of popular Anime titles including The Record of Lodoss War.

"Mixx and Central Park Media are trend-setting leaders in bringing great manga and anime to the US," said Baral. "Bringing the art of Sailor Moon and Parasyte to a wider audience is why we all got into this business, and it's great to work with CPM in creating more exposure for this terrific material."

10-28-99---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Agetec will be bringing RPG Maker to the PSX, here in the U.S. this spring.

Sacnoth's new Neo Geo Pocket SRPG, Faselei!, is scheduled for release in Japan next month. In the game the player commands a mech platoon, anticipating enemy moves and reserving special weapons attacks and resources.

ASCII's Dreamcast internet e-sekai drama series, Bird Cage of Grauen, will be released on GD-ROM in Japan. ASCII will release a whole chapter of the 6 chapter drama for 2800 yen each.

Nintendo of Japan will only be able to ship around 1 to 1.5 million copies of Pocket Monster Gold & Silver for Gameboy Color on Nov. 21, due to the Taiwan Earthquake. Nintendo originally planned to ship 3 million copies at release, but due to the earthquake's toll on Taiwanese suppliers, less than 50% of the cartridges will be able to make it to retailers in Japan on time.

10-28-99---- U.S. Gundam Model Kit Launch

A Bandai Entertainment event to launch Gundam Model Kits in the U.S. will be held this Sunday, October 31st, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Toys 'R Us in Santa Monica, CA., located at 4th and Santa Monica Blvd. This will be a very big event for Gundam here in the United States. Everyone is invited to join in on the launch.

10-27-99---- First J-Pop Concert In South Korea

Singer Kim Yon Ja, held a concert in Kwangju, South Korea, on Tuesday, marking the first time the South Korean government has given official permission for a professional artist to perform Japanese popular songs at a privately organized concert since it lifted a ban on such performances in September. The concert attracted 3,000 people.

Japanese rock bands performed in public in South Korea for the first time in August at a festival sponsored by Pusan Festival Culture Promotion Society, a local government organization, after the South Korean government revised the law in May to allow local governments to stage performances of popular songs at their own discretion.

Source: Daily Yomiuri

10-27-99---- March Of Princess Mononoke / Anime Related Articles

There is a sizeable new article on Pokemon, Anime, and Princess Mononoke in USA Today, you can read it here. Also you can check out a a new Princess Mononoke review in Salon magazine here.

10-27-99---- Pokemon Related Stabbing

A dispute in a primary school in Canada over a $45 box of Pokemon cards ended with a 14 year old being stabbed in the shoulder with 10-centimeter knife. You read the entire, very disturbing story here.

10-27-99---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Enix has released some new story info on their forthcoming PSX RPG Dragon Quest VII. The hero is fisherman's son, living on a small, peaceful island. One day the hero discovers a strange lithograph with the outline of a mysterious new continent was carved into it. The hero gathers his friends and sets off exploring invisible continents and discovering the mystery of the world and the lithograph. Other things to note: there is a job system in this game and DQ 7 is expected to have lighting fast loading speed. Dragon Quest VII is expected out on Dec. 29th in Japan, listing for 7800 Yen.

10-27-99---- J-Pop / Seiyuu News

Nippon Columbia records will release a another vocal best collection album for the Beast Wars Transformers anime TV series Dec. 18th, the album will retail for 3,059 Yen.

10-26-99---- Sony Pictures To Produce Live Action American Astro Boy Films

Columbia Pictures, the film production unit of Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., has been chosen out of five contenders to produce a live action American Astro Boy motion picture. Columbia announced Tuesday that it had acquired the film rights and plans to release the first in a series of films beginning in the summer of 2001. Tetsuwan Atom, is one of the most popular manga and anime characters in Japanese history, created by Osamu Tezuka in 1951, in 1963, Tetsuwan Atom became the first animated series to air on Japanese Television. Jim Henson Pictures and Don Murphy will be involved in production, Antz writer Todd Alcott will be writing the script. The movie is expected to combine CGI, animatronics and live action.

10-26-99---- Dragon Ball Z Postcards

Kaboom! Greeting Cards, the only official licensee for Dragon Ball Z postcards in the U.S. currently offer a set of 10 DBZ styles on their website, they're also seeking new postcard design ideas and feedback on their existing ones from fans. You can e-mail them at: michael@kaboomcards.com

10-26-99---- Anime / Manga Gaming

Enix USA has announced that they will be bringing their PSX RPG's Dragon Quest VII and Valkyrie Profile to the U.S. next year. Reports from Nihon Kezai Shimbun stating that Enix will be bringing 7 new titles to US next year, other possibilities include Planet Laika also for PSX and Dragon Quest 1 & 2 for Game Boy Color.

Takara is producing a new PSX Beast Wars Metals 3D fighting game called Transformers Beast Wars Metal: Gun Gun Battle the game is expected out in Japan Dec. 2nd. There are 8 playable characters and Anime FMV sequences.

Hello Kitty Dreamcast (Blue Version) Sega / Sanrio will release a special Hello Kitty Edition of Dreamcast in Japan on Nov. 25. The Dreamcasts will sell for 34,800 yen, and be available in Skeleton Blue or Pink color, with the Hello Kitty logo on the main chasis of the console. The package will also include the DC Keyboard, Visual memory, and the Kitty Mail software. This special edition will only be available at Sega Partner Shops in Japan.

Sega of Japan will release Dream Flier, a new Dreamcast e-mail software in Dec., this software has a number of new features not found in DC Passport, including a new roulette software keyboard which enable users to input characters using the control pad and a paint function, where you can draw your own illustrations, create hand-written messages and send them out over the internet.

10-25-99---- New Nadesico CD Drama Series On The Way

A new Nadesico CD drama series is set for release early next year, featuring several new character vocal tracks. The 1st episode is tentatively scheduled for a late Feb. release, with the 2nd CD expected out in late March.

10-25-99---- Japan Digital Film Festival Winners

The results are in from the Japan Digital Film Festival, which was held in Nagoya Oct. 13th-17th, The festival was a competition showcasing amateur, computer produced Animation. The competition was open to anyone, from anywhere and of any age, there were no restrictions on content, just that all entries must have been created using a computer. Among the judges were well known names in the animation industry: Mamoru Oshii (Director: Ghost In The Shell) and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (CEO: Production I.G.). You can view the winners below:

Grand Prix: Tim Hope
Entry: "The Wolf Man"
Country: England

Gold Prize: Dummy System Productions
Entry "SUTERU-OTOKO"
Country: Japan

Silver Prize: Wolfgang Morell
Entry: "PLANET PARANOID"
Country: Germany

Special Prize: Erwin Gomez Vinales
Entry: "Lords of Sipan"
Country: Chile

Special Prize: Nobuaki Ozaki
Entry: "BUTTERFLY KIDS"
Country: Japan

For more information on the Japan Digital Film Festival visit it's official website here.

10-25-99---- Mononoke Articles In EON, Details, New York Daily News

There are articles related to the American release of Princess Mononoke in the current issue of Details Magazine and the current issue of EON magazine. The EON Magazine article focuses on PM English screenplay writer Neil Gaiman and the American cast, you can read it here. There was also a PM related story in Sunday's issue of the New York Daily News, you can read it by clicking the link.

10-25-99---- Pokemon News

Pokemon Halloween costumes are selling in record numbers, and outselling many traditional favorites (vampires, witches etc.) nationwide. Meanwhile, Topps, a leading American producer of trading cards said Monday that it expects sales of Pokemon products to be in the range of $80 million to $100 million for the fiscal year ending February 26, 2000, based on orders for cards featuring the Pokemon movie, due out Nov. 12th. Also, the company's first Pokemon lollipop product scheduled for shipment in late November has exceeded expectations. That product has been highly anticipated by the marketplace, since it's announcement in June.

10-25-99---- New Anime Expo Homepage

A new Anime Expo Convention Hompage has been created, you can view it here.

10-25-99---- Anime Related Articles In Minneapolis Star Tribune

2 Anime related articles have recently appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper. The first is on Princess Mononoke, Pokemon, and anime in general you can read it here, the second is an article about the Ghibli film festival which was part of the Asian Children's Film Festival, you can read it here.

10-25-99---- Japanese Fall TV Anime Report

Steal Angel Kurumi
Kurumi is a cyborg maid created in the Taisho era (1912-1926). She meets a "Inyoushi (Dark-light soldier)" boy and discovers the contemporary world. This series is to bishoujo action serie. Director Naohito Takahashi (To Heart) is involved in the production of this anime.
Began Oct. 5th, Airs 19:00 on WOWOW

Blue Gender
At the end of the century, a new virus is developed. This virus not only copies the genetic codes, but has a tendency to mutate. In 2031, the world is filled with the mysterious organisms called Blue which eat humans. 100,000 humans evacuate the Earth to a satellite to live there as the second Earth. At the same time, they send troops to the Earth and start the battles with Blue.
Airs Thursdays 25:50pm on TBS

HanaMaru Kids
Based on the kids magazine dog character, Hanamaru- kun, this TV series focuses on Hanamaru and his funny friends.
Aira Sundays at 9:30 on TV Tokyo

Re Re Re no TenSai Bakabon
Based on Fujio Akatsuka's masterpiece "Ten Sai Bakabon" This comedy revolves around the unique character, Bakabon's dad with many other characters like a cop who shoots his gun everywhere. Airs on Tuesdays at 19:30

Source: J-Dream Direct Newsletter, J-Dream Web

10-25-99---- Boogie Pop Wa Warau Wanai

A new Anime TV series based on the teen novel Boogie Pop-Don't Laugh (published by Media Works and Dengeki Bunko, winner of the 1st Media Works Novel Award), is currently in production along with a live-action motion picture adaptation. Written by Kohei Kadono The story takes place ain a present-day Japanese school, an entity that fights the world's evil, Boogie Pop, livies in a high school girl's body. The TV series, directed by Takashi Watanabe (Lost Universe) and produced by studio MadHouse begins airing in Japan in January. The live-action movie will be Japanese theaters this spring.

Source: J-Dream Direct Newsletter, J-Dream Web

10-25-99---- Namco to Start Game Information Service For Cellular Phones

Namco is set to launch a new service in Japan called "Namco Station" that will provide video game information to cellular phones. They will also supply users with information on games that use cellular phones as a port. Services will be provided via "Namco I-Land" (300 Yen) and "LV lovers!" (100 Yen). "Namco I-Land" will introduce games ported from arcade versions. Four games are highlighted: X-DAY, Abnormal Check, Caring-a-Baby Quizzes: My Angel, and "Derby Quizzes: My Dream Horse. "LV lovers!" provides information on games developed for NTT Docomo's i-mode cellular phone. It will introduce Poker, Slot Machines, and Black Jack, and 8 other titles. NAMCO is seeking 100,000 sunscribers by March of 2000.

Source: J-Dream Direct Newsletter, J-Dream Web

10-24-99---- Top Anime LD Sales (Japan) (As Of 10-25)

1. Tokimeki Memorial OVA Vol. 2
2. Kareshi Kanojo Vol. 7
3. Card Captor Sakura Vol. 10
4. Gasaraki Vol. 9

10-24-99---- Top Anime DVD Sales (Japan) (As Of 10-25)

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion Vol.7 (Movie)

10-24-99---- Top Manga Sales (Japan) (As Of 10-25)

1. One Piece 10
2. Hunter X Hunter 6
3. Berserk 18
4. Hikaru No Go 3
5. Dragon Head! 9
6. Yu-Gi-Oh! 13
7. Kaguyahime 14
8. Shaman King 5
9. Rookies 7
10. Kochira Katsushikaku Kamearikouenmae Hashutsusho 116
11. Oishinbo 72
12. Gallery Fake 17
13. Sora Wa Akaikawa No Hotori 18
14. Wangan Midnight 15
15. Kazeno Daichi 23
16. Omake No Kobayashi-Kun 3
17. Emblem Take2 41
18. Kaiji 13
19. Koroshiya Ichi 5
20. Sakon 5

10-24-99---- Full Page Color Ads For Mononoke Appear In Newspapers Nationwide

Striking full page color ads promoting the release of Princess Mononoke are appearing in the newspapers of major American cities today. In many cases the spots are by far the largest movie ads in entire Sunday edition newspapers.

10-24-99---- 2 Mononoke Articles In Today's Los Angeles Times

2 Princess Mononoke related articles appear in today's Sunday edition of The Los Angeles Times newspaper. The first article, by Charles Solomon is a lengthy and well done interview / writeup on Mr. Miyazaki, you can read it here . The second article by Valerie Reitman is on Princess Mononoke, the film, you can read it here .

10-24-99---- 2 Mononoke Articles In Today's Boston Globe

2 Princess Mononoke related articles also appear in today's Sunday edition of The Boston Globe newspaper, along with five images from the movie. You can read article 1st article entitled "Waiting for 'Mononoke' - MIT club hopes 1997 film will open more doors to Japanese animation", by clicking on the link. The second article is unfortunetly not available online, it's entitled "Painting with words - Writer Neil Gaiman got the scripting call" and written by Betsy Sherman.

10-24-99---- Roger Ebert's Interview With Hayao Miyazaki

Famous American Movie Critic Roger Ebert has conduted and very enlightening interview with Princess Mononoke director Hayao Miyazaki. The article appears in today's Chicago Sun-Times Newspaper, you can read it here

10-24-99---- Character Kits To Ship In November

Anime related character figure kits to be released in Japan in November:

Ghost in the Shell (Alpha Medium: Injection)
Kusanagi Motoko HD Clear Type (Action Figure) 2200 Y

Final Fantasy VIII (Kotobukiya 1/6 Scale)
Laguna Liore (Medium: Soft Vinyl Completed) 6800 Y
Squall Reonhart (Medium: Resin) 9800 Y
Linoa Hertily (Medium: Resin) 9800 Y

To Heart (Kotobukiya 1/8 Scale Medium: Resin)
Multi (Clear Kit) 6800 Y
Kurusugawa Serika (Clear Kit) 6800 Y

Amano Yoshitaka (Kotobukiya 1/8 Scale Medium: Other)
Elric (Completed) 29800 Y

Ohfen (Tsukuda Hobby 1/5 Scale Medium: Other)
Creeoh Action Doll 12000 Y

10-24-99---- Model Kits To Ship in November

Anime related model kits to be released in Japan next month:

Super Robot (Aoshima Medium: Injection)
Barn Garn 3500 Y

Cyber Formula (Aoshima 1/24 Scale Medium: Injection)
Aoi Orga Aero Boost Model 2000 Y

Gundam 0079 (Bandai 1/144 Scale Medium: Injection)
HG Zugock Production Type 700 Y
FG MS-06S Zaku II 300 Y

Turn A Gundam (Bandai 1/144 Scale Medium: Injection)
Turn X 500 Y
Mobile Sumo (Silver) 600 Y

Thunderbirds (Imai 1/100 Scale Medium: Other)
TB-3 Big Model (Height: 609 mm) 35000 Y

Big X (Imai Medium: Injection)
Big X 4500 Y

Getter Robo (Wave Medium: Injection 1/550 Scale)
Shin-Getter 1 780 Y

Macross (Studio HalfEye Medium: Resin 1/100 Scale)
VA-3 Invader (Transformable) 20000 Y

10-24-99---- Bandai Visual (Emotion) DVD News From Japan

From the latest Bandai Visual (Emotion) news release, the first 120 min. Region 2 DVD volume of Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory goes on sale in Japan Jan. 25th 2000. Vol. 1 is to retail at 7,800 Yen. Volume 2 is expected out on the same date, lasting 90 min., and listing for 6000 Yen. Macross PLUS DVD Memorial Box is out on Jan. 25th, lasting 97 minutes and retailing for 9,800 Yen. Finally, also out on Jan. 25th, the Stellar Buster Mito DVD BOX is out, weighing in at 325 minutes total program time and listing for 25,800 Yen.

10-24-99---- Top Anime LD Sales (Japan) (As Of 10-25)

1. Tokimeki Memorial OVA Vol. 2
2. Kareshi Kanojo Vol. 7
3. Card Captor Sakura Vol. 10
4. Gasaraki Vol. 9

10-24-99---- Top Anime DVD Sales (Japan) (As Of 10-25)

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion Vol.7 (Movie)

10-24-99---- Top Manga Sales (Japan) (As Of 10-25)

10-24-99---- Full Page Color Ads For Mononoke Appear In Newspapers Nationwide

10-24-99---- 2 Mononoke Articles In Today's Los Angeles Times

10-24-99---- 2 Mononoke Articles In Today's Boston Globe

10-24-99---- Roger Ebert's Interview With Hayao Miyazaki

10-24-99---- Character Kits To Ship In November

Anime related character figure kits to be released in Japan in November:

Ghost in the Shell (Alpha Medium: Injection)
Kusanagi Motoko HD Clear Type (Action Figure) 2200 Y

Final Fantasy VIII (Kotobukiya 1/6 Scale)
Laguna Liore (Medium: Soft Vinyl Completed) 6800 Y
Squall Reonhart (Medium: Resin) 9800 Y
Linoa Hertily (Medium: Resin) 9800 Y

To Heart (Kotobukiya 1/8 Scale Medium: Resin)
Multi (Clear Kit) 6800 Y
Kurusugawa Serika (Clear Kit) 6800 Y

Amano Yoshitaka (Kotobukiya 1/8 Scale Medium: Other)
Elric (Completed) 29800 Y

Ohfen (Tsukuda Hobby 1/5 Scale Medium: Other)
Creeoh Action Doll 12000 Y

10-24-99---- Model Kits To Ship in November

Anime related model kits to be released in Japan next month:

Super Robot (Aoshima Medium: Injection)
Barn Garn 3500 Y

Cyber Formula (Aoshima 1/24 Scale Medium: Injection)
Aoi Orga Aero Boost Model 2000 Y

Gundam 0079 (Bandai 1/144 Scale Medium: Injection)
HG Zugock Production Type 700 Y
FG MS-06S Zaku II 300 Y

Turn A Gundam (Bandai 1/144 Scale Medium: Injection)
Turn X 500 Y
Mobile Sumo (Silver) 600 Y

Thunderbirds (Imai 1/100 Scale Medium: Other)
TB-3 Big Model (Height: 609 mm) 35000 Y

Big X (Imai Medium: Injection)
Big X 4500 Y

Getter Robo (Wave Medium: Injection 1/550 Scale)
Shin-Getter 1 780 Y

Macross (Studio HalfEye Medium: Resin 1/100 Scale)
VA-3 Invader (Transformable) 20000 Y

10-24-99---- Bandai Visual (Emotion) DVD News From Japan

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