The official Japanese homepage for the Final Approach (Phi-nal Approach) love simulation game for the Playstation 2 now hosts the game’s opening animation in a downloadable 20.5 Mb MPG file. The game will be released in Japan on October 7th, to coincide with the October premier of the Final Approach anime TV series.
Source: Moon Phase
Question:
The August issue of Japan’s Windows100% Magazine includes a lengthy interview with AnimeNation’s “Ask John,” John Oppliger, as part of its “100 Questions for Overseas Otaku” column. Page 104 of the printed magazine includes 19 selected questions and answers with photo illustrations. One of the two CD-ROMs included with the magazine contains an extensive photo gallery of “Anime Master Otaku John-san” at home and work, and includes the full 100 question interview in English and Japanese.
The English language version of the interview is today’s “Ask John Article.”
Denkyu.com has published a very positive review of AN Entertainment’s Miami Guns.
Anime Jump has published a review of Miami Guns DVD volumes 1 & 2 that praises AN ENtertainment’s localization and presentation of the series, but harshly criticizes the show itself.
FUNimation and UGO are now sponsoring a sweepstakes that will award one lucky winner the opportunity to visit the FUNimation studios in Texas and play a cameo voice actor role. Ten winners will also win the first volume of Dragon Ball GT: The Lost Episodes DVD.
Article provided by Kareem “Daigoji Gai” Harper
DC Comics has added a section of its website devoted to its upcoming CMX manga line. The site hosts series descriptions and sample pages in Adobe Acrobat format.
Source: Anime on DVD
Submarine 707R will be released on November 9th in a $19.98 disc only edition and a $29.98 limited edition.
Popotan DVD volume 1 will be released on December 7th. The 4 episode disc will retail at $24.98.
Geneon’s music division has also scheduled a number of new releases, each retailing at $14.98:
R.O.D. the TV Original Soundtrack 2 - available November 9th
Gungrave Original Soundtrack: lefthead - available November 9th
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Refrain of Evangelion - available November 9th
Sonic Heroes Official Soundtrack - available November 9th
Love Hina Again - available December 7th
Sister Princess: 12 Angels - available December 7th
The domestic “Rave Master” soundtrack has been canceled.
Source: Anime on DVD
The first English translated volumes of Yukiru Sugisaki’s latest manga series Lagoon Engine, and MEE-kun’s Hyper Police will be released on January 11, 2005.
Source: Jagged Team
Saiyanz Rage has compiled a Q&A transcript with representatives of the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim program, culled from the Adult Swim forum and website.
Source: Anime on DVD
Viz has announced a partnership with Sorrent, Inc. to offer Inuyasha messaging, wallpapers and games for mobile phones.
Source: Anime News Network
Question:
One of my favorite manga artists is Masamune Shirow. The females he draws are gorgeous. They almost hurt my eyes they are so good looking. Why is it that all of the anime derived from his stories are plain and unattractive? The only one who is close to his style is Agahali of Landlock. Deunan, Sybil, Leona, and Motoko are all homely in their anime incarnations. He puts such detail into his manga. Can’t he be bothered to draw females for anime with his name on it?
Bandai Entertainment has announced that the upcoming Otakon convention will host the American theatrical premier of the Mobile Suit Gundam F-91 motion picture. The F-91 movie will be released to limited American theatrical release tentatively this fall in Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis, Chicago and San Francisco, with more cities potentially being added at a later date. The different markets will not have simultaneous screenings. Prints of the film will progressively tour from one city to the next.
Source: Anime News Network
Comics One has announced that the first volume of the Infinite Ryvius manga, based on the anime TV series, will be released in October.
TOKYOPOP has announced that the first volume of DearS manga will be released on January 11th.
Source: Jagged Team
DVD Vision Japan has published four new DVD reviews:
Happy Lesson OVA
Kiddy Grade volume 4
Malice @ Doll
Memories
Question:
When I read customer/fan reviews of anime and manga series I often find loads of reviews that just don’t make sense. With series like Mahoromatic and Chobits being overall light series with heavy endings, I notice that the American fan-base gets quite pissed off. I personally happen to enjoy the layered plots and open ended or even upsetting conclusions found in anime and it makes me believe that many people are missing the point. Does the American audience in general try to understand the stories being told in context or is our attention span limited to funny-sexy-kawaii-T&A-SciFi?
Anime News Network has launched its good-will effort Project: New Future, an outreach program for children suffering with cancer. Anime fans are encouraged to spend time with cancer stricken children then relate their experience in a letter to Anime News Network. As a token of appreciation, Anime News Network will see that all volunteers are rewarded with an anime DVD or manga provided by a major American translating house.
