Newsarama has published a lengthy introduction and interview with Vertical, Inc. concerning the company’s new English language release of Osamu Tezuka’s classic manga series Buddha. The official English language presentation of Buddha is being produced and marketed as literary fine art, not in direct competition with the less expensive pop-culture manga published by firms including TOKYOPOP, Viz and Dark Horse.
Source: Jagged Team
Galaxy Anime has updated with a streaming Real Audio interview of Henry Goto, Executive Producer at Geneon Entertainment, about what’s happening at the anime distribution powerhouse and their plans to corner the soundtrack market. And Robert Bricken of Wizard’s Anime Insider Magazine contributes to the Week in Review segment.
Question:
What do you think about Alien Nine? Do you feel it was right for it to be released here in American (dispite it having some rather disturbing scenes in it, both in the DVD and manga) and what are you thoughts about it?
Anime on DVD has published its positive review of the recently released Omishi Magical Theater: Risky Safety DVD volume 2.
Comics One has announced its acquisition of translation rights to the Junk Force manga serial. Volume 1 of Junk Force will be available in January 2004. The black & white 200 page graphic novels will be priced at $9.95 each.
Yuusuke Tsurugi’s new and ongoing manga series currently has 2 collected volumes available in Japan.
Source: Anime News Network
According to Diamond Comics, the following previously unannounced anime DVDs have been scheduled for release this January:
Be Forever Yamato ($29.95)
Crying Freeman Complete Collection ($44.98)
Princess Nine Complete Collection ($89.98)
Samurai X OAV Collection ($69.98)
For the full list of tentative January releases, visit Anime on DVD.
Publisher’s Weekly has printed a new article titled “Manga is Here to Stay” that discusses the effect the increasing popularity of translated manga is having on the American comic industry. The article also includes detailed statistics on the domestic sales of manga and predictions for 2004.
Source: Anime News Network
DVD Vision Japan has published new reviews of AnimEigo’s DVD release of Urusei Yatsura Movie 1: Only You and Bandai Entertainment’s release of Infinite Ryvius.
Question:
Do you know of any anime based on the theme of “girls with guns” other than Noir and Gunsmith Cats?
The Japanese cinema review site Midnight Eye has published a positive and spoiler free review of Nasu: Summer in Andalusia along with an interview with the film’s director Kitaro Kosaka.
AnimEigo has announced that the Urusei Yatsura Movie/OVA box set has been canceled as they intend to dub the remaining four movies that they have. There hasn’t been any determination at this time as to whether they’ll dub the OVAs or not but they do intend to put out a movie box. “[W]e’re going to arrange that anyone who buys one of the UY Movies on our website can also get a free box to hold all the rest of the movies (including Beautiful Dreamer from CPM).”
Source: Anime on DVD
AnimeNation has been informed that the International Channel will broadcast Tenchi Muyo anime for an hour on Friday, October 24, from 11 pm to midnight Eastern time (8 to 9 pm Pacific time), and repeat the broadcast on Sunday, October 26, for an hour, from 11 pm to midnight Eastern time ( 8 to 9 pm Pacific time).
According to Kung Fu Cult Cinema, on November 25th Kino Video will release a 3 disc DVD boxed set of Takeshi Miike’s Dead or Alive, Dead or Alive 2: The Birds, and Dead or Alive 3: Final. Miike’s critically acclaimed post-modern gangster films Dead or Alive 2 and 3 have never been officially released in America.
Fangoria Magazine has learned that Ventura Distribution will be producing American DVD versions of Hirohisa Sasaki’s genre films Crazy Lips (a supernatural detective film) and Gore from Outer Space. Crazy Lips will be released next June, with Gore from Outer Space to follow.
According to Kung Fu Cinema quoting Variety Magazine, Miramax will release Takeshi Kitano’s Zatoichi on June 4, 2004.
Question:
Do trends in Japan stay popular longer than here in American? Like Pokemon, for instance, is still going pretty strong in Japan and it has been since its debut in 1998. But the fad of Pokemon in American only lasted, I’d say, for about a year. And does Japan have any indication if Pokemon is in its last and final season?
According to Anime News Network, Viz has announced that the upcoming re-release of the original 9 volume Battle Angel Alita manga series will include new content at a reduced price. Volumes 1-8 will include “background pages pertaining to the respective volume” while volume 9 will include a new afterword by creator Yukito Kishiro. It’s not clear if the new content in the upcoming $9.99 5″ x 7 1/2″ books will be some or all of the bonus content included in the Japanese 7 1/4″ x 10 1/4″ Gunnm Complete manga.
Viz has announced limited edition re-releases of the first Naruto and Yu-Gi-Oh! manga graphic novels. Limited edition releases of Yu-Gi-Oh! volume 1 and Naruto volume 1 featuring special foil covers will be available this November at bookstores nationwide. In addition to the special cover, each copy will feature an imprinted serial number on the cover so that collectors can experience the thrill of owning one of only 5000 printed editions.
Viz has also announced the availability of two different free limited edition Ceres: Celestial Legend Collector’s Edition DVD boxes. The boxes are designed to house the new “Collector’s Edition” DVD re-release of the series, and are only available to consumers that purchase the new DVD re-release. Consumers must purchase the Collector’s Edition Ceres two-disc DVD sets and mail in a sales receipt plus a proof of purchase (presumably cut from the DVD packaging or insert) plus $3.95 to cover shipping. The offer is limited to one box per household, so even collectors devoted enough to purchase two sets of Collector’s Edition DVDs cannot collect both boxes.
