AnimeNation Anime News Blog

Anime on DVD has received a massive number of reports confirming that Manga Entertainment’s new DVD release of End of Evangelion is defective. Apparently the DVD will play flawlessly in Playstation 2 and Xbox consoles and select set-top DVD players, but either will not play at all, or experiences massive compatibility problems with numerous models of set-top DVD players from manufacturers including Sony, Pioneer, Toshiba, Sanyo, Daewoo, Apex, Sampo, and others.

Manga Entertainment general manager Mike Eagen has informed AnimeNation that Manga is currently evaluating the situation to determine the seriousness of the problem. Consumers experiencing problems with the DVD are highly encouraged to contact Manga Entertainment directly to report the defect, either through the Manga Entertainment website or by phone at 312.751.0020 or fax at 312.751.2483. Contacting Manga Entertainment directly is the fastest and most effective way to urge the company to address the problem immediately.

Consumers that have purchased the End of Evangelion DVD from AnimeNation and experienced compatibility issues are encouraged to email us. AnimeNation will then relay directly to affected customers whatever information we receive from Manga Entertainment as news becomes available. We are working with Manga Entertainment to determine the best and fastest way for customers to receive replacements. We are not shipping replacement discs until we know more about the situation from Manga, and whether or not they decide to replace discs directly with consumers. Replacement discs shipped may be defective also. We should know more by Monday or Tuesday. If you have a defective disc, please be patient as we find the best solution for replacement.

UFO Princess Walkure ended on episode 12, broadcast on September 19th.

Tokyo Underground, Chobits and Tenchi Muyo! GXP ended on episode 26 broadcast on the 24th. Saishuuheiki Kanojo ended with episode 13, also broadcast on the 24th.

Shaman King concluded with episode 64, broadcast on the 25th. .hack//SIGN ended on episode 26, broadcast on the 25th. Ai Yori Aoshi ended with episodes 23 & 24, both broadcast on the 25th.

Rave will with episode 51, scheduled for broadcast on the 28th.

PitaTen will end on episode 26 broadcast on the 29th.

Azumanga Daioh will end on episode 26 broadcast on the 30th.

G-On Riders will end with episode 13 scheduled to air on October 1st.

Captain Tsubasa 2002 ends with episode 52 on October 6th.

New anime TV series taking the place of these concluding shows include:

Premiering September 11: Hungry Heart: Wild Striker

Premiering September 26: Mahoromatic: Moto Utukushii Mono

Premiering September 30: Puchipuri Yushi

Premiering October 1: Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna, Asobot Senki Goku, Yobarete Tobidete Akubi-chan, The Big O second season, Heatguy J, Hanada Shonen Shi

Premiering October 2: Bomberman Jetters, Sister Princess Re Pure

Premiering October 3: Naruto

Premiering October 5: Get Backers, Shin Megami Tensei Devil Children: Light & Dark, Rizelmine second series, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed

Premiering October 6: Galaxy Angel third series

Premiering October 8: Kiddy Grade

Premiering in October: Tsuri Baka Nisshi, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Kidou Sennyo Roland, Chojushin Gravion, and Haibane Renmei

Dragonball Z ends its broadcast on the International Channel on November 3, 2002. Dragonball GT, in unedited and untranslated original Japanese, will premier on Sunday, November 10 at 10:30 pm Eastern time. Viewers can find translations of DBZ, and later DBGT, at Dragonball Z Otaku Alliance. Please note that the International Channel is not affiliated with dbzoa.net.

El Hazard, dubbed in English, premiered yesterday on the International Channel. The broadcast begins with the OAV series and will be followed by the “Wanderers” TV series.

Slayers, subtitled in English, currently airs on Wednesdays at 10:00 pm Eastern time, with a repeat the following Sunday at 11:00 pm Eastern time.

International Channel is a cable channel available in the US. If people are interested in receiving these programs, but their cable provider does not offer IC to their viewers, they can call their cable provider, and ask for IC to be added to the line up.

According to the official site, the upcoming Japanese DVD release of Saishuuheiki Kanojo (She: The Ultimate Weapon) will include optional English subtitles. The first DVD volume will be available in Japan on November 28th in regular edition and limited edition versions. The limited edition will include the 1st TV episode and 72 minutes of bonus material including voice actor interviews, storyboards, TV commercials and non-text credits. The limited edition will also include an 8 page booklet, picture disc, a collector’s box to hold all 5 DVDs, and a collectable Chise figure, all for 5800 yen. The regular edition volume 1 DVD will include the first episode, voice actor interviews non-text credits and 8 page booklet and retail for 2800 yen. The remaining 4 DVDs will include 3 episodes each and retail at 5800 yen each.

“SaiKano” is the most recent anime TV series from Gonzo Studios. The just concluded TV series is an adaptation of the best selling, emotionally heart-wrenching tragic love story manga Saishuuheiki Kanojo: Last Love Song on This Little Planet.

AnimeNation will be able to accept pre-orders for this import DVD series by e-mail.

Source: Anime on DVD

Midnight Eye has published a lengthy, negative critical review of the new live action adaptation of Yoshikaze Takeuchi’s novel Perfect Blue.

Source: Anime News Service

AD Vision will rerelease Streamline’s dub of the 4 episode Doomed Megalopolis anime OAV series in a single 2 disc DVD set on November 26th at $29.98. The set will include only the English dubbed version originally produced by Streamline Productions in the early 1990s. There will be no Japanese language option on the DVD set.

Source: Anime on DVD

Question:
I was just wondering if the online store will ever carry the Hokuto No Ken import DVD sets 1 and/or 2? I believe there is 6 DVDs on each and about 40-60 episodes on each.

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AnimeNation will be officially attending the 8th annual Anime Weekend Atlanta convention this weekend. Stop by, pick up our new print catalog or an AnimeNation T-shirt, and just say “Hi.”

AD Vision has recently announced its acquisition of the English language distribution rights to the 1999 Hello Kitty Paradise anime TV series, the “director’s cut” movie version of the original Rurouni Kenshin OAV series, and a pair of new anime TV series still early in the pre-production stage: Mutineer’s Moon, and Bubblegum Crisis 2041.

Although fan favorite voice actress Megumi Hayashibara is the voice of Hello Kitty in Japan, the American Hello Kitty Paradise DVDs will be dub only.

Source: Anime on DVD and Anime News Network

According to Anime on DVD, Fox retains the US distribution rights to Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro until mid 2004 and now plans to release the existing pan & scan English dubbed version of the film on domestic DVD on December 3rd for $14.98.

Takeshi Miike’s latest film, Rekka (roughly translated as “flame of anger”) has just opened in limited Japanese theatrical release. The movie is a violent, yakuza rock & roll movie seemingly returning to the style of early Miike films including Dead or Alive and Fudoh. The cast includes Riki Takeushi (DOA 1-3), Sonny Chiba, Renji Ishibashi (Audition), Tetsuro Tamba (The Happiness of the Katakuris) and Yuya Uchida (Zatôichi). The official site includes a violent Real Media trailer.

Source: Kung Fu Cult Cinema

Now that the 26 episode RahXephon anime TV series has concluded, plans are underway for a RahXephon theatrical motion picture. The text directly underneath the site name on the official RahXephon homepage states that Shochiku will distribute the RahXephon movie next spring.

For the first time in its 23 year history, Gundam will employ a pop celebrity as a voice actor. Takanori Nishikawa, better known as T.M. Revolution (Takanori Makes Revolution), will act as a voice actor in the upcoming Gundam Seed TV series, and his latest single, “Invoke,” will be the show’s theme song.

Anime fans may be most familiar with T.M. Revolution through his hit song “Heart of Sword,” used as the third and fifth ending themes for the Rurouni Kenshin TV series.

Source: Anime News Service

No Name Anime has published a brief summary of Pixar Studio’s recent charity screening of Spirited Away, and published numerous, very interesting annotated photos of the event.

Source: Anime News Network

The Digipedia fan site has published an exclusive interview with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, story editor, director and voice actress for American Digimon seasons 3 & 4, and dubbing director for the Cowboy Bebop movie.

Source: Anime News Network