HOUSTON, September 25, 2003-ADV Films today announced a November 4, 2003 release date for Sin: Special Edition, the movie tie-in to the video game of the same name from Ritual Entertainment. Sin: The Movie, produced by ADV Films and animated by Japan's Phoenix Animation, was originally released in 2000. This Special Edition release includes Sin on DVD, plus the original soundtrack on CD, performed by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.

The DVD includes both English-language and Japanese-language audio, and offers viewers two distinct storylines in the subtitled versions. One is Sin: The Movie's original English-script, while the other is the Japanese-language translation of the English script-creating intriguing variations in the storyline.

The Story: Enter the world of SIN. Sometime in the 21st century, the city of Freeport teeters on the verge of collapse. The twin tides of rampant crime and ruinous graft face but a single barrier-an elite strike force called HARDCORPS. Led by Colonel John Blade, the HARDCORPS have become a fierce fighting force for justice in Freeport.

Now, Blade must unravel a mysterious series of unexplained kidnappings. An elaborate puzzle unfolds as he delves into the decadence of the city, and at its heart is SinTEK, one of the most powerful companies in the world. Elexis Sinclaire's genius, ruthlessness, and determination built an empire that, on the surface, seems to be giving society everything it wants and needs-drugs that prolong health and, perhaps, even life. But within the company's well-guarded walls, Elexis' secret experiments yield considerably darker results that may bring about mankind's greatest evolutionary leap-or its extermination.

Sin: Special Edition (SRP $29.98) is a DVD-only release, including both English 5.1- and Japanese 2.0-language versions, and two versions of the English subtitles, and the CD soundtrack. Extras include: a photo gallery, storyboards, production sketches, Sin manga concepts, pre-production artwork and a behind-the-scenes feature.

SIN: SPECIAL EDITION Running Time: 60 minutes; Age Rating: 15+ Pre-Book Date: 10/7/03 Street Date: 11/4/03 Format SRP DVD+CD soundtrack $29.98

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ADV ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR SAIYUKI: DEMON RISING SIXTH THRILLING VOLUME OF ACCLAIMED ANIME SERIES TO BE AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 25, 2003

HOUSTON, September 25, 2003-ADV Films today announced a November 25, 2003 release for Saiyuki: Demon Rising, sixth volume of the thrilling, humorous, wildly entertaining, 50-episode anime saga.

The first iterations of the Saiyuki tale, which was inspired by the 16th-century Chinese novel Xiyouji (Journey to the West) by Wu Cheng-En, were animated in the late 1960s; ADV Films' release of Saiyuki is based on a manga by Kazuya Minekura, and directed by Hayato Date.

The Story: As draught and famine spread throughout the land, local townships have fallen under the control of demons. Sanzo and his crew teach one village to rise up against a Baron who demands a human sacrifice every year, and things get rough when the Armored Demon Corps comes after Sanzo's scripture. But, in the end, it is little Lirin who may prove to be the party's mightiest foe! With each step westward, the Sanzo party faces a barrage of both physical and psychological attacks!

Saiyuki: Demon Rising (SRP $29.98) is a DVD-only release, containing four complete episodes. Includes both English 2.0- and Japanese 2.0-language versions, with English subtitles. Extras include a Saiyuki trailer; production sketches; cultural background notes; clean opening and closing animation; and ADV previews.

SAIYUKI: DEMON RISING Running Time: 100 minutes; Age Rating: 15+ Pre-Book Date: 10/28/03 Street Date: 11/25/03 Format SRP DVD $29.98

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RELEASE DATE SET FOR SLAYERS: RETURN MOVIE TIE-IN TO POPULAR SLAYERS FANTASY-ADVENTURE SERIES; IN STORES NOVEMBER 25, 2003

HOUSTON, September 25, 2003-ADV Films today set a release date of November 25, 2003 for Slayers: Return, the second movie tie-in (after Slayers: the Motion Picture) to the fan-favorite fantasy-adventure anime series Slayers.

Slayers: Return, based on a manga by Hajime Kanzaka (Lost Universe) and directed by Hiroshi Watanabe (King of Bandit Jing, Orphen), brings back odd couple Lina Inverse and Naga the Serpent in a series of (mis)adventures that are equal parts action and comedy.

The Story: The indomitable Lina Inverse and the inexplicable Naga the Serpent are in trouble up to their eyebrows again! If you thought Slayers: the Motion Picture was wild, just wait until you see Lina and Naga take on a horde of vicious demons and a band of road warriors intent on collecting an unpaid debt.

What starts out as a simple task ridding a village of some villains turns into a fiasco when Lina and Naga realize their spells won't work. An ancient elf-made weapon, a would-be world conqueror and a plot with more twists than a pretzel factory-this Slayers adventure is sure to have you in knots with laughter!

Slayers: Return ($19.98 SRP) is a DVD-only release. Available both English 2.0- and Japanese 2.0-language versions, and English subtitles. Includes Slayers: Return trailer and ADV previews.

SLAYERS: RETURN Running Time: 60 minutes; Age Rating: 15+ Pre-Book Date: 10/28/03 Street Date: 11/25/03 Format SRP DVD $19.98

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RELEASE DATE SET FOR SORCERER HUNTERS: CHOCOLATE, SPRINGS AND OTHER HOT THINGS! OVA TIE-IN TO FAN-FAVORITE FANTASY ANIME SERIES IN STORES NOVEMBER 25, 2003

HOUSTON, September 25, 2003-ADV Films today set a release date of November 25, 2003 for Sorcerer Hunters: Chocolate, Springs and Other Hot Things!, an OVA tie-in to the popular television anime series. The OVA brings back the zany (and tastily named) characters-Carrot Glace, Chocolate Misu, Tira Misu and more-and throws them into another series of hilarious and wacky adventures that are sexier than ever before.

Sorcerer Hunters: Chocolate, Springs and Other Hot Things! was directed by Koichi Mashimo (.hack//SIGN, NOIR) and Nobuyoshi Habara (Martian Successor Nadesico, Steam Detectives), and was written by Satoru Akahori, the creator of the original Sorcerer Hunters television series and screenwriter on the upcoming ADV release Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi.

The Story: Take two gorgeous women with whips, add a magician and a body builder, tie it all together with an amorous young man willing to put the moves on anything that moves, and what do you get? Simple: the funniest, sexiest adventure series around! That's right, Chocolate, Tira, Carrot and the rest of the cast of Sorcerer Hunters are back in three titillating episodes.

When Carrot tries to seduce a lovely older woman (while Chocolate is trying to seduce Carrot), a steamy hot springs vacation gets steamier... and funnier. Then our heroes leap into battle with the Death Master, an evil necromancer who's transformed an entire town into his willing zombie slaves! Finally, an ancient tree with legendary romantic powers turns a relaxing picnic into a love-crazed free-for-all! Can even the Sorcerer Hunters handle this kind of heat?

Sorcerer Hunters: Chocolate, Springs and Other Hot Things! ($24.98 SRP) is a DVD-only release, containing three complete episodes. Includes both English 2.0- and Japanese 2.0-language versions, and English subtitles. DVD extras include: Sorcerer Hunters: Chocolate, Springs and Other Hot Things! trailer, clean opening and closing animation, and ADV previews.

Mr. Fukunaga is being recognized for his entrepreneurship and success with his company, FUNimation Productions, Ltd., which he founded in 1994. The company was grown from a business plan developed by Mr. Fukunaga and is known for its brand management success all over the world. With hits like Dragon Ball Z® and Yu Yu Hakusho®, top-selling home videos, and its collaborative business partnerships with Atari, Cartoon Network, 4Kids Entertainment, JAKKS Pacific, Inc., and SCORE Entertainment, FUNimation is one of the leading companies in the industry.

"It is a great honor to be recognized by one's alma mater," stated Mr. Fukunaga. "Purdue is an excellent university and I am very proud of my accomplishments there." Mr. Fukunaga received his bachelor's and master's degrees in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University, where he was a member of Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi honoraries as well as graduating in the Honors Program.

"Each year a handful of ECE alumni emerge from a vast field of over 20,000 professionals to gain our notice. Mr. Fukunaga is a perfect example of the type of alumni we look to honor with the Outstanding Electrical and Computer Engineering award," said Mark J. T. Smith, the Michael J. and Katherine R. Birck Professor and Head of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "His entrepreneurial spirit and success has allowed him to engineer his own destiny in the world of anime."

Previous winners of the OECE award include: Thomas Engibous, president and CEO, Texas Instruments; Michael Sears, executive vice president and CFO, the Boeing Corporation; James Kahan, Senior Executive Vice President, SBC Communications; and Eugene Cernan, the NASA Astronaut who was the last man to walk on the moon. "I am indeed very fortunate to have been chosen to become a member of this very impressive list of Purdue alumni," explains Mr. Fukunaga.

Not only is this the first time NBM publishes in the manga style (other than adult) but this will also mark the first time NBM enters into the pocket 5x7 format that is taking over the wider market by storm.

"Silky Warrior Tansie", the first story arc in this series started at Image will come to its full completion in this thick 176 page tome due out in December with an easy on the wallet price of $9.95. This can be ordered from comic bookstores now. Hernandez and NBM have also come to an agreement (over a delightful lunch in San Diego) on continuing the series with bi-monthly comic books then compiled in the same manner in a series of story arcs. The comic book will start publication some time in the spring of 2004.

Lea also has a book on how to draw manga called "Manga Secrets" in the works to come out from North Light Books in January 2005.

"I'm really excited that Rumble Girls will finally be in a collected edition and in reader-friendly venues like the big bookstores that have already embraced manga," said Lea Hernandez. " I think readers who've been following my work since my first GNs and new readers both will enjoy RG:SWT, which was inspired by many years in various entertainment businesses, and is a nice healthy dose of snarky media fable about staying sane in a culture where storytellers can't make weird things up faster than real people do them."

The promotion is scheduled to begin September 23th, 2003 and will last until October 31st, 2003. For official rules and sweepstakes entry, please visit www.witchhunteronline.com.

Enter the world of Witch Hunter Robin…

This year's Metreon Festival of Anime features screenings from anime authority, Bandai Entertainment, like "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie" and "s-CRY-ed," and culminates with the haunting debut of "Witch Hunter Robin," which fans will experience in 4-D rumble seats. Festival goers can take part in activities hosted by Bandai Shop, including a Q&A panel and autograph session with Kari Wahlgren, the voice of 'Robin Sena' from "Witch Hunter Robin". The Festival will include a "Gundam" model building contest, and "Jagun Fighters" game demos, a new toy line that combines action figures with intricately crafted game pieces called Power Eye Stones. Chronicle Books will host a presentation by Academy Award-winning artist Doug Chiang, creator of "Robota."

Astro Boy - the classic icon of Japanese animation - will be making a special appearance to give a sneak peek at his new series coming to the Kids' WB! in early 2004. Astro Boy is the story of a robot boy in Metro City, a futuristic town inhabited by humans and robots alike. Astro is a reluctant hero, fighting for peace and justice for all the city's inhabitants against those seeking their destruction. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan and Tezuka Productions, and distributed in the U.S. by Sony Pictures Television.

Just in time for the Festival, Bandai America and Bandai Entertainment will unveil their newly expanded store on Level Two of Metreon. The Bandai Shop is increasing its offering of anime DVD titles, like "Cowboy Bebop" and "Escaflowne", model kits, toys and collectibles from Gundam, the company's 24-year-old Japanese saga, as well as other favorite Bandai America properties, including Superior Defender, Power Rangers, and Strawberry Shortcake.

Tickets to Metreon Festival of Anime are $15 and can be purchased online at www.acteva.com/go/metreon. Price of admission includes entry to all film screenings in Action Theatre, workshops, guest appearances and tournaments, Metreon Festival of Anime lunch specials at In the Night Kitchen, a 1200-point gaming passport to Portal 1, $2 drink specials and $1 Pepsi products at the Metreon Festival of Anime after-party in Portal 1, and a Goodie Bag. The first 100 attendees will receive a "Witch Hunter Robin" theatrical poster.

A long time ago in a county far far away BI-CHICON There began an adventure of a young anime loving Boy His journey would bring him grate tragedy and punishments But give him Good friends and no enemies During his adventure he decided to give as many people As he could the knowledge of anime and give those rich in Knowledge More than they could ever imagine. Along This journey he promised to bring them a Convention Witch will be known through out the world as the Best ever. This convention is Know as Bi-chicon Registration is not open yet but should be open buy the end of November. We have room for 1000 people but we are only going to have 300. Maybe more if we become overwhelmed. There will be trips into the local town to get some treats from local supermarkets and there are loads of grate pubs. For those of you of drinking age. And DDR for 50p ago at the grate arcades which are

Planned so far…
4 24 hour Video rooms
3 3 meeting rooms for talking to friends and playing games etc.
4 DDR machines. One of them WILL be an Extreme Machine.
AMV compatisions.
Cosplay compatisions.
Drawing compatisions.
Beach games on a proper beach.
Anime sand art.
And many many more events.
There is also a local swimming pool and arcade If you would like to find entertainment in town.
Sorry no cinema.

An action-comedy title telling the story of a high-school honor student who unwittingly carries a valuable secret, and the extremely gung-ho young secret agent who goes undercover to protect her, the Full Metal Panic! manga ties in to a highly popular anime of the same title, currently being released by A.D. Vision, Inc.'s ADV Films division.

In our last release, we mentioned some enhancements were coming to the site. Well, those are all done and you can see them on our main page. We've added some info about us, link banners so readers can share links to @anime!, and a readers forum so you can talk about anime, manga and all things related to the magazine. To access the forums, point your browser to http://forums.atanime.com/ or hit the link on our main page.

With the new release, we're also in the search for folks to advertise with @anime!. We have information online about how you can advertise your business with us. Check out the advertising info page at http://www.atanime.com/advertising.html and use our online ad reservation form to reserve your space today.

The Korean animation industry, long known for the quality of its behind-the-scenes animation work on overseas productions, has in recent years begun to gain considerable attention for its original productions. Directed by Lee-Sung Kang, and largely animated using digital techniques, "My Beautiful Girl, Mari" is widely considered to be the finest original animated work to emerge from Korea.

"We've been paying very close attention to Korean animation for some time," said Ledford. "The industry is not yet as well established as the Japanese animation industry, but the quality of the work is very impressive. The recognition that 'My Beautiful Girl, Mari' has received is proof of that, and we're excited to have the opportunity to bring the title to North America."

"My Beautiful Girl, Mari" tells the story of a young boy, Nam-woo, who escapes from a difficult life (his widowed mother has a new boyfriend, his beloved grandmother is gravely ill, and his best friend is leaving for school in Seoul) through an elaborate fantasy involving a lovely young girl named Mari. Later in the film, the adult Nam-woo looks back at the period and reflects upon the importance of this dream-life in getting through the challenges of his youth. "My Beautiful Girl, Mari" makes extensive use of symbolic magical realism elements, in an animation style that is noticeably different from both Disney-style American animation and Japanese animation.