1-15 SEPTEMBER 2002 NEWS
14 September 2002 (final update for the day)
- A special Gamers limited edition version of the Dejiko
no Champion Cup Gekijo manga will be
released on 26 September 2002, price 1,029 yen (including
tax). It'll come with a set of playing
cards illustrated by Koge Donbo. Regular
edition is 410 yen (including tax). Pre-order
cutoff date for the limited edition is 22
September 2002. Source: Mangaoh.
- The limited edition version of volume 6 of the Rizelmain
DVD (ie second volume of the second season) will
come with a BGM CD. Price 5,500 yen (excluding
tax), to be released 20 November 2002. The
regular edition will be released on the same day
for 4,500 yen (excluding tax). Source: Music Market.
- The limited edition of volume 6 of the live
action Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi (Steel
Angel Kurumi) Pure DVD (ie again, second
volume of the second season) will come with a DVD
with the "film-like version" of the
remastered 1st to 3rd episodes, whatever that
exactly means... Prices and release date are the
same as for Rizelmain volume 6.
- A Wild 7 another Collectors DVD box
will be released on 25 November 2002, with a
number of "rare" items including a
reproduction genga (key animation illustration)
and booklet. 390 minutes, 35,000 yen (excluding
tax). Source: Music Market.
- Music
Market also suggests that the box which comes
with the first pressing of volume 1 of the second
season of Mahoromatic, Motto Utsukushii
Mono, will only contain four of the
total seven volumes, so I assume the first
pressing of one of the later volumes will also
come with a box to hold the final three volumes.
To recap on the details for volume 1:
To be released 6 December 2002
Price 5,250 yen (including tax)
50 minutes in length
- Looks like the first pressing limited edition of SaiKano
will come with a 72 minute special disc as well
as the Chise figure and box. Source: Music Market.
For more details on this release, see my 12
September 2002 entry.
- Some other upcoming release dates:
12 Kokuki volume 2: 20 November 2002,
price 3,800 yen, 52 minutes.
Maou Dante (Dante the Devil) volumes 1
and 2: 25 November 2002, price 5,800 yen each (excluding
tax).
Palme no Ki (A Tree of Palme): 21
December 2002, price 6,000 yen (excluding tax),
136 minutes long.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
volume 2: 25 January 2003, price 6,000 yen (excluding
tax).
Source: Music
Market.
- Volume 1 of the DVD for the basketball OVA I'll/CKBC
will be released on 18 December 2002, price 5,880
yen (including tax). Volume 2 will then be
released on 19 February 2003 at the same price.
Source: Animate
Yokohama. For more information on this work,
see my 3 May 2002 entry.
- Watched Jan Jan! Junko-chan! this week. I don't
normally watch tokusatsu, but it was fun, cos the
show revels in its B-grade production qualities
^_^ I understand the next Jungle SCS blockbuster
will be the 30 minute tokusatsu powered suit
story "Power Sis", currently scheduled
for release at the end of the year.
- A Playstation 2 adventure game based on Ao
Yori Aoshi will be released next
year by Kid
Corporation. Source: Ma-ten.
- The Sakura Taisen one-shot OVA Kanzaki
Sumire Intai Kinen (Retirement
Commemoration) "Su-mi-re"
will be released on 12 December 2002. There will
be a first pressing limited edition special DVD
box with T-shirt, pamphlet and 12cm CD. Price 9,240
yen (including tax). A regular edition will be
released on the same day, price 6,090 yen (including
tax). Source: Animate
Yokohama.
- The DVD of the live action movie Eat and
Run is to be released on 25
September 2002. Yuko and Rikako, as the title of
the movie suggests, like to eat and run, ie they
go to famous restaurants, eat and then run (without
paying). The duo travel to Osaka to eat in a
famous Italian restaurant, but then become
embroiled in an illegal weapons sale taking place
there. Why am I mentioning this action comedy
live-action movie in anime and manga news? Cos
the cast includes a lot of anime seiyuu (whose
first names in the show are basically the first
names of the actors). In the lead roles are
Miyamura Yuko (Asuka in Evangelion) and Aikawa
Rikako. Other seiyuu to appear in the movie
include Iizuka Mayumi (Millerna in Vision of
Escaflowne), Kouda Mariko (Miki in Marmalade Boy),
Seki Tomokazu (Van in Vision of Escaflowne),
Iwata Mitsuo (Kintaro in Golden Boy), Kozakura
Etsuko (Alielle in El Hazard), Noto Mamiko (Rin
in Inu Yasha), Toyoshima Machiko, Morikubo
Shoutarou (Orphen in Sorcerous Stabber Orphen),
Chiba Taeko and Itoh Hidetoshi. You can view
various interviews etc on this page,
including this 3 minute, 6Mb trailer.
Details:
Catalogue number CPVA-1004
Price 3,800 yen (excluding tax)
Approximately 80 minutes, single layer, stereo,
standard 4:3 aspect ratio.
DVD includes cast interviews and "making
video"
First pressing of the DVD comes with "making"
photo.
A soundtrack CD will be released at the end of
October 2002.
- The 2002
Campus Film & Movie Festival is
underway and taking votes over the internet
during September. You can view the nominated
films by student creators here.
In the anime
section are two works, both from Sakamoto Rie
of Yoyogi Animation Gakuen. (Yoyogi Animation
Gakuen is also the school which produced the
Junko music video anime for the Jan Jan! Junko-chan
DVD). Both works are about 27 minutes in
duration, the first titled "Wing!", the
second "Hoshi Aii". Click on the
screenshot, not the words/link below (that link
is to vote ^_^ ). Source: Moonphase.
12 September 2002 (final update for the day)
- Katsura Masakazu's manga I''s is to be
animated, but it seems it'll be a 30
minute anime. Further, the company DigiCube
has announced
that it will have the exclusive sale rights. And
the anime is to be put out in collaboration with HMP, which, from
what I can tell, makes adult and idol videos. Hmm...
The anime will also include three gravure idols
Nakane Kasumi, Yoshioka Miho (soon to be seen in
the live-action dorama version of You're Under
Arrest) and Isoyama Sayaka as seiyuu. Details-
Title (tentative): Original anime DVD "I''s
Aizu"
Release date: Beginning of December 2002
Price 2,500 yen (excluding tax)
Iori has set aside a possible career as an idol
and started on the road to becoming an actress.
Itsuki has returned to the US in futherance of
her modelling. Ichitaka decides to go on a
bicycle trip to work out his feelings. This is
the story of one summer for the three "I's".
Source: Moonphase.
- Chapter 2 of story 3 of the "sound novel"
Kamakur@
Love is now up. For more info, see
my entry on 31 May 2002.
- A RealPlayer preview for the Blue Gender
the Warrior movie can now be viewed at
AIC's homepage.
Source: Moonphase.
For more details about the movie (a digest of the
TV series), see my 2 and 4 September 2002 entries.
- In today's third instalment of the web radio
program "Kawasumi Ayako no Piano" on animate.tv,
there's a four and a half minute preview of the
TV anime Piano (character
designs by Fujishima Kosuke). For more details on
Piano, see my 31 August 2002 update. On the
animate.tv page, click on either of the buttons
with the green arrows (left is for narrowband
connections, right is for broadband). The Piano
anime preview occurs around about the 18.30 mark.
- Bandai has announced
that it'll be releasing "Karaoke
Station", which allows people to
download music from the internet and enjoy
karaoke on their television, on 19 October 2002.
Price 9,800 yen (excluding tax). The item is
aimed at a market ranging from primary school
girls to families. Bandai is hoping to move 200,000
units by March 2003. The Karaoke Station website,
due to officially open in October, should have 4,000
songs (with images and lyrics) available for
download, with 10,000 by March 2003. There'll be
a charge for download, of course. This is a bit
outside the scope of this page, so I'll stop here
^_^ More details (in Japanese) can be found at
the link above. Source: Ma-ten.
- The website for Oobari Masami's TV anime series Chojushin
Gravion has updated, including the
announcement that the series will commence
broadcast on 7 October 2002. Source: Moonphase.
- The limited edition version of
volume 1 of Saikano will come
with box to hold the series, Chise figure and
booklet. The regular edition will just have the
booklet. Source: Animate
Yokohama. For more details on the release,
see my 13 August 2002 report.
- Updated: The RahXephon website has
announced that a movie of the
anime will be released in the (northern) spring
of 2003 by Shochiku. Source: Ma-ten.
You can view a short 15 second clip with the
announcement here,
which was shown after the recently broadcast
final TV episode. That clip comes from the Tokyo
Jitterbug Boys page. I've provided a direct
link to the clip (normally I'd just link the page)
because the page may contain a couple of
spoilerish screenshots and descriptions (in
Japanese) of the series. Source: Magicalantique.
- Another
place to view the Gundam Seed Count Zero
trailer.
- Abe Yoshitoshi's new TV anime series Hibane
Renmei is to commence broadcast on 9
October 2002 on Fuji TV. Source: TA
Group BBS.
- TV Tokyo's page for Asobot Zenki Goku
(another anime with a Monkey legend influence) is
now
up. Source: TA
Group BBS.
- Looks like Witch Hunter Robin is
going to be 26 episodes, with a 13 volume DVD
release (2 episodes per volume). Source: TA
Group BBS.
10 September 2002
- gregorm at the Animeondvd
forums has discussed
the DVD magazine Grasshoppa!,
which features short films, including the special
Hal and Bons edition. Yahoo's "Short
Movie Box" has an interview with director
Ishii Katsuhito here
(in Japanese, of course). But you will also find
episodes 1 and 2 of Hal and Bons
and episode 1 of TRAVA - Fist Planet
there, available for streaming download at rates
of up to 1M. Source: Aniota.
- The Yokohama
Kaidashi Kikou (Yokohama Shopping
Travelogue) website has undergone renewal, and a
release schedule for four products has been
revealed:
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 3 (drama CD)
To be released 4
December 2002
Catalogue number
SVWC-7148
Price 3,000 yen (excluding
tax)
Comes with 8 page
booklet
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou - Quiet Country Cafe
- #1 (OVA DVD)
To be released 18
December 2002
Catalogue number
SVWB-7120
Price 5,600 yen (excluding
tax)
5.1ch sound, music
track also included.
BGM will be by
Choro Club, but ED will be composed by Iwasaki
Taku ^_^
DVD includes design
works
When a midsummer
storm damages Cafe Alpha, Alpha decides to go on
a journey to raise money for the repairs. This
story is partly original and partly based on
volume 7 of the manga.
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou - Quiet Country Cafe
- OST
To be released 22
January 2003
Catalogue number
SVWC-7149
Price 2,900 yen (excluding
tax)
Music by Choro
Club, with four tracks arranged by Iwasaki Taku,
also includes ED
Comes with 6 page
booklet
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou - Quiet Country Cafe
- #2 (OVA DVD)
To be released 19
February 2003
Catalogue number
SVWB-7121
Price 5,600 yen (excluding
tax)
Specifications same
as for volume 1 but DVD will come with promotion
video instead.
Alpha works part-time
jobs in Kamakura for two months (where the temple
and torii gate are largely submerged under water)
before moving on to new places and new encounters.
Bonus
In addition, those who purchase all four items
will be able to apply for a special item, the
details of which have yet to be determined.
However, the application form will be contained
in volume 1 of the OVA. Volume 2 of the OVA, the
drama CD and OST CD will then come with stickers
to be affixed to the application form. Completed
applications must be submitted by mid-March 2003.
Source: Moonphase.
- The Kiddy Grade website is
now open. Source: Moonphase.
- My package finally arrived. Seems customs decided
to inspect the contents. Wonder what they thought
of the Jan Jan! Junko-chan! DVD? ^_^;; A friend
of mine has always wondered, if he tried to ship
the TV series of Akazukin Chacha by mail, would
customs sit through the entire mahou shoujo
series to see if there was objectionable
material? ^_^
- The Bomberman Jetters TV anime
will commence on 2 October 2002. The official
website is also up, though there's not a
great deal to see except descriptions of the main
characters. Source: TA
Group BBS. The special team Jetters is formed
to prevent the evil deeds of the Hige Hige
thieves.
- It's showtime. Bandai's The Big O
website
is now up. This will only be up until 30 December
2002.
- Volume 1 of Ghost in the Shell: Stand
Alone Complex will be released on DVD (in
Japan, of course) on 21 December 2002, catalogue
number BCBA-1391, price 6,300 yen (including tax).
It'll be 60 minutes long and will contain just
the first two episodes of the 26 episode TV
series. Presumably widescreen with 5.1ch sound.
Source: Animate
Yokohama and Panorama
LD-DVD.com.
- Volume 1 of Atashi'n chi will be
released on the same day for the same price, but
that anime is to released on VHS - no details of
any DVD release yet. Source: Animate
Yokohama.
- Further, volume 1 of the Saint Seiya OVA,
Meiou Hades Juunikyuu Hen, will be
released on 25 January 2003, price 5,040 yen (including
tax) and will come with a Saint Cloth strap (I
guess that means a mobile phone strap). Source: Animate
Yokohama.
- Not news in any way, but I just thought that I'd
mention that Seishinsha's Shirow Masamune
website
has updated again with another two Shirow pics.
The page is updated with two pictures every month.
- From yesterday's episode of Media Watch comes a
timely report
on the bias and scare mongering in (some parts of)
Australian media. Not anime/manga related. One or
two comments may require you to be familiar with
a few events in Australian news and politics,
some recent, some over the past year. Trust Media
Watch, Media
Watch is your friend ^_^
- This day last week (or maybe it was last Monday),
I appear to have had about 6,500 hits to this
page \^_^/ From what I can work out, it was
because my page was mentioned on a second
Japanese fan news site that day. That's about 6,499
more hits than usual (thanks Mum and Dad ^_^/ ).
The next day, things were probably back to normal
but no bill from my friendly ISP, so everything's
fine ^_^
- And remember: reality is for those who can't
handle anime.
9 September 2002
- An OVA version of the computer game Kikou
Heidan J-Phoenix has been announced in
Comic Dragon magazine. Source: Moonphase.
- As if there weren't already enough Gundam
Seed pages up, Nifty
now has one up too, where you can also view the
Count Zero preview clip. Source: Moonphase. For
other sites hosting the clip, see my 1 September
2002 entry.
- At the Bones website
you'll see four screenshots of the upcoming anime
Wolf's Rain.
- As reported on 22 August 2002, the Flash
anime version of Ginga Tetsudo 999 (Galaxy
Express 999) is now underway at the Yahoo site.
While viewing the episodes is not free, you can
watch a Flash trailer here.
You can also watch the OP and ED in streaming .asx
format on the main page. Just look for the 56k
and 300k buttons. Source: Aniota.
- For fans of Koge Donbo, the tankouban of the
manga Dejiko
no Champion Cup Gekijo will be
released on 26 September 2002, price 410 yen (including
tax), by Akita Shoten. Source: Ma-ten.
- There's a new trailer up for Millennium
Actress at the official website.
Source: infoanime.com.
- Shinkai Makoto has announced on his website
that the two Hoshi no Koe books
which I reported on on 14 July 2002 will be
released on 25 September 2002. A bit more detail:
the DVD Book version of the anime will not
contain the seiyuu soundtracks, nor the 5.1ch
soundtracks, nor the trailers, nor Kanojo to
Kanojo no Neko, nor the booklet. The DVD will
contain just the stereo version of the "original"
soundtrack. Publisher Tokuma Shoten has also set
up a page
for the two book releases. The DVD Book will
include storyboards (64 pages), comments and CG
animation technical descriptions by Shinkai, key
visuals from the anime (in colour), and comments
from related persons. The book "Hoshi no Koe"
no Kike will be 260 pages with a colour
frontispiece, but since that book will be
basically text, I doubt a lot of fans in the West
would be interested in this second book. Source: infoanime.com.
- Today I picked up volume 1 of the manga Kaze
no Tachibana by Inokuma
Shinobu (and serialised in Weekly Shonen
Sunday). (edit 10 September 2002: Official
English title of the manga seems to be "The
Draft of Citrus" - hmm). This is the story
of Tachibana Tachibana (that *is* his name), a 15
year old boy who's short for his age, but though
he's basically never picked up a shinai (bamboo
sword) before, proves to be a prodigy at kendo
due to his relatively hardy lifestyle.
Personally, I'd prefer a more realistic storyline.
Basic introduction of the story reminds me of
Chiba Tetsuya's 1984 manga series Ore wa Teppei (Chiba
also wrote Ashita no Joe). I prefer Inokuma's
artwork though ^_^ You'll see relatively large
pics of the main characters on Inokuma's Kaze no
Tachibana page.
Prior to this series, the author wrote Salad Days
(also serialised in Shonen Sunday), a collection
of generally unrelated short shonen love stories
(although the series continued for 18 volumes).
- Sorry for not making any further updates
yesterday. Yankumi, if you're reading this, I
guess I'm not completely over the virus as I'd
thought... -_-
- Chara-Ani.com
reports that the second series of Rizelmain
and the live-action Koutetsu Tenshi
Kurumi Pure (Steel Angel Kurumi Pure)
will commence broadcast on 5 October 2002. You
can also listen to the new EDs here.
Finally, you can view previews for the first
episode of each second season (ie the thirteenth
episode) here
(for Rizelmain) and here
(for Kurumi Pure). Just click on the title for
the thirteenth episode towards the bottom of the
respective pages. Source: Magicalantique.
- According to Comic Dragon magazine, the TV anime Mahou
Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto ~ Someday's Dreamers
is to commence broadcast in January 2003 on TV
Asahi. Source: TA
Group BBS.
- October 2002 will see the commencement of
broadcast of Shin Seiki Tetsu Mars
(not sure how to read the title, particularly the
part in katakana) on Sky Perfect TV's AT-X.
Source: TA
Group BBS. I have no idea what this TV anime
will be about, but it seems it'll be an original
work.
- Details are out for the second phase of Sony's
reduced price DVD releases. The
following are all to be released on 4 December
2002, and prices all include tax:
Arislan Senki (Heroic Legend of Arislan),
price 8,400 yen
Gakkou no Kaidan (School Horror Stories),
price 14,700 yen
Gallforce, price 10,500 yen
Kasho no Tsuki ~ Aki Kyougen, price 2,100
yen
Carol, price 2,100 yen
Grandeek ~ Gaiden, price 2,100 yen
Ko Seiki Beast Sanjuushi (Ko Century
Beast: Three Beast Warriors), price 4,200 yen
Mahojin Guruguru movie, price 2,100 yen
Kodomo no Omocha (Child's Toy) Chuugakusei
Hen, price 25,200 yen
Twin Signal, price 2,100 yen
Parappa the Rapper TV series, price 16,800
yen
Source: Animate
Yokohama.
8 September 2002
6 September 2002 (final update for the day)
- With manga magazine GanGan
Wing's October 2002 issue "GanGan Wing
minimini Edition" comes rough
designs for Kojima Akira's new work "Seiken
Shoujo" (Holy Sword Girl). Source: Moonphase. Cute
and somewhat strange designs. Like, why does elf
girl Tsurugi have the holy sword embedded in her
head? ^_^;;
- The release of volume 3 of the OVA Cosplay
Complex has been put back from 25
September 2002 to 25 October 2002. For release
details, see my 30 August 2002 entry.
- According to the Kyoto
Shimbun, Mushi Production, the animation
company founded by Tezuka Osamu, is to produce a
100 million yen anime about the
construction of the Lake Biwa canal in Kyoto
during the Meiji era. Construction of the canal
will be told via the plot device of a girl in
present-day Kyoto time-slipping to the past. With
the 3rd World Water Forum (to be held in Kyoto
next year) in mind, the anime will also have the
theme of water and man and the future. The
provisional title is "Kyoto Incline
Monogatari (Story)", the same name as the
original novel by Tamura Yoshiko. The anime will
be approximately 70 minutes in duration and will
also mix in live action footage and computer
graphics. Director and scriptwriter will be
animation pioneer Yamamato Eiichi, who directed
the Jungle Taitei (Kimba the White Lion) series.
Source: Aniota.
- The third set of character designs for the
upcoming web anime Vie Durant is
now up at animate.tv.
Click on the faces for more detail. Click on the
URLs at the bottom of the page for the past
updates regarding that anime. Source: infoanime.com.
- Sorry, fell asleep before I could report news
again yesterday... And today's update is late too...
^_^;;
- Volume 1 of the DVD for the second season
of Mahoromatic, Motto Utsukushii Mono
will be released on 6 December 2002. First
pressing will come with a box. Price 5,250
yen (including tax). Source: Animate
Yokohama.
- The limited edition version of volume 7 of the Chobits
manga (with figurine), to be released on
27 September 2002, will cost 2,500 yen (excluding
tax). Source: Mangaoh
Club.
- Chapter 1 of story 3 of the "sound novel"
Kamakur@
Love is finally up. For more info,
see my entry on 31 May 2002.
- Apart from You're Under Arrest
and Tensai Yanagisawa-kyouju no Seikatsu
(The Life of Gifted Professor Yanagisawa), two
more manga which are to be turned into dorama for
broadcast in October 2002 are the mystery series Remote
by Koshiba Tetsuya and Amagi Seimaru and Psycho
Doctor by Matoba Ken and Aki Tadashi.
Remote will air on Fuji TV and star Fukada Kyoko.
Amagi Seimaru is associated with a number of
mystery manga series including Kindaichi Shonen
no Jikenbo (The Case Files of Young Kindaichi).
Psycho Doctor will run on NTV and star Takenouchi
Yutaka. Source: Kodansha
Bookclub. For more information about the YUA
dorama, see my 23 August 2002 entry. For more
info about the Professor Yanagisawa dorama, see
my 15 August 2002 entry.
- Newtype
has announced that 8 October 2002 will see the
broadcast commencement of the new Gonzo work Kiddy
Grade. This series will mark the
directorial debut of Goto Keiji (usually known
for his character designs). The official site
is up, but there's nothing to see at the moment
except some screenshots. Source: TA
Group.
- The TV anime series of the Shin
Megami Tensei Devil Children
computer games will commence broadcast on TV
Tokyo on 5 October 2002. Source: Reinbo
Actress. The game series deals with raising
little creatures to fight against devils raised
by other monster handlers.
- Platonic Chain is to commence
broadcast on 8 October 2002. Source: Reinbo
Actress. For more details on this 3D CG
series, see my 8 August 2002 entry.
- Oobari Masami's TV anime series Chojushin
Gravion will commence broadcast on
Fuji TV on 7 October 2002. Source: Reinbo
Actress.
4 September 2002
- Watched the region 1 DVD of Escaflowne the movie
last week with the "isolated score"
audio option. I was struck by the relatively
sparse use of music in the movie. Compare that
with something like Star Wars: Attack of the
Clones, where I literally could not remember one
pause in the music. The BGM in that movie got
annoying once I noticed this.
- A preview for episode 2 of the TV soccer anime Hungry
Heart ~ Wild Striker, which commences
broadcast on 11 September 2002, is now
up at the official website. Source: Moonphase. Since
it's the next episode preview which plays at the
end of each episode, there's of course no preview
for episode 1.
- The Hokkaido
Shimbun Press reports that six people,
ranging in ages from 17 to 27, were arrested
yesterday for extorting 1.9 million yen
from a university student. It's alleged that they
copied the idea from the manga Minami
no Teiou, which I presume is for mature
readers. Source: Aniota.
- Sorry for no update yesterday and late update
today. More headache -_- On top of that, after a
long day's work today, I went to drive home, when
the starter motor died on me >_< The RAC is your
friend. Trust the RAC ^_^
- My site was mentioned on Japanese fan site Tentative
Name \^_^/ Domo arigato gozaimasu m(_ _)m
You'll see it in the 3 September 2002 entry, in
the paragraph about the M.O.E
Cup 2002 Grand Prix Character rankings.
As you can see, the winner (from among the
characters from the anime produced by M.O.E) was
Kalinka from the live action Koutetsu Tenshi
Kurumi Pure. However, why I'm mentioned amongst
that I'm not completely certain ^_^;; Curse my
lack of knowledge of the Japanese language.
Sumimasen, nihongo wa wakarimasen m(_ _)m
- Publisher Fujimishobo
has announced that the third season of Galaxy
Angel will commence broadcast on 6
October 2002. According to the TA
Group BBS, this third season will be more gag-oriented.
- VAP has a webpage up for Hanada
Shonen Shi. The series is to
commence broadcast on 1 October 2002. Nothing
much to see at the page at the moment, however.
Source: TA
Group BBS.
- Corrected some links posted over the past few
days. Sorry for any confusion ^_^;;
- Publisher Asahi
Sonorama Bunko has announced that the sci-fi
novel Hoshimushi (Star Bug) by Iwamoto
Takao is to be animated. Source:
TA
Group BBS. High school student Tomomi dreams
of becoming an astronaut. One evening, she sees a
light descending. The next morning there's a
small jewel-like bug attached to her. Soon there
are bugs on people around the world. At first,
these bugs enhance and improve people's senses
and they become known as "star bugs".
However, the bugs start to gradually grow in size.
- The Saint Seiya Hades Hen OVA
page is now
up, but it's only the single page.
- Yesterday, 3 September, was Doraemon's
birthday. Source: Ma-ten.
- About the Blue Gender The Warrior
DVD which I wrote about on 2 September 2002. I've
learned that this movie has been licensed by
FUNimation. Further, it apparently has never been
released before. I don't know much about Blue
Gender, but in those circumstances, presumably
the R1 DVD release will have the same main
feature (ie same new scenes etc). In that case,
perhaps it may be better to just wait for the R1
release. Sorry for any inconvenience ^_^;;
2 September 2002
- My head hurts again, so I'll be brief >_<
- TBS's official website for the TV anime series Heat
Guy J (to commence broadcast on 1
October 2002) is now open.
Source: Ma-ten.
- Kodansha's manga magazine Young
Magazine Uppers has announced
that the manga Hanada Shonen Shi
(The Story of Young Hanada) by Isshiki Makoto is to
be animated as a TV series to commence
in October 2002. Source: TA
Group BBS. Hanada Shonen Shi is the story of
Hanada Ichiro, a young boy who, after a traffic
accident, finds that he is able to communicate
with ghosts. Isshiki's manga Piano no Mori (Forest
of the Piano) is currently being serialised in
Young Magazine Uppers.
- The Saint Seiya Hades Hen OVA
page is now
up, but it doesn't look like there'll be
anything to actually see until tomorrow. Source: Moonphase.
- AIC has announced
that the Blue Gender The Warrior
DVD, a digest version of the Blue Gender TV anime
series but with new scenes included, will be
released on 21 November 2002. Source: Moonphase.
CDJapan has come preliminary details for the DVD
up here.
- Konaka Chiaki, story editor and writer-in-chief
of the Big O TV series has an
English language page
up and writes a bit about the history surrounding
the decision to make the second season of the Big
O. Source: Moonphase.
1 September 2002
- Henjinkutsu.net
has photos of a live action Doremi Dokan
event ^_^;; Those photos will soon be
archived, so unless you check it soon, you'll
need to look through that site's archive to find
them. If you click on the last photo, you'll
download a wmv clip of one of the dance numbers
from the performance. Source: Tentative
Name. At least the audience in the foreground
appears to be young kids. If it was adults, I'd
be more worried ^_^;;
- During September 2002, Yahoo Japan has a special Gundam
Seed page up, with a special sample
clip "Count Zero" available
for download at connection rates of up to 1M. AII
has a page
with the same clip up as well, but at connection
rates of up to 2M. Gundam Seed
is set to commence broadcast on TBS on 5 October
2002. Source: Moonphase.
The clip shows the various Gundam units etc.
Seems a fair bit of CG use. And why is there
always a masked character in Gundam? Is it Char
again? Not that I really care ^_^
- In the "notebook"
on his website, Kon Satoshi (of
Perfect Blue fame) has released more staff
details for his next work Tokyo
Godfathers, although music and some
other details are yet undecided. You'll also see
an illustration for the work on the page (it's
the second illustration on the page). Sorry,
can't be bothered going through all the staff
details. You'll see some of the very basic
information and a bit more info about the movie
in my 5 April 2002 entry. In the third section of
the page, Kon announces that he'll be working on
another movie as well, called Family Muke
(For Families). This will be the tale of a boy
growing up, of adventure, love and courage. And
it looks like he's also thinking of a TV
series, in which he'll be producer and
provide the original work. He doesn't plan to
direct the series, but plans to be involved in
series composition and script. The series will be
Perfect Blue style horror and will deal with one
relatively small incident setting off a chain of
events and affecting unlikely people. The main
character in each episode will differ, but the
chain of events will eventually boomerang and
return to the origin. Thus, the incident itself
will be one of the main characters. Sounds like
an interesting TV series ^_^ Source: Moonphase.
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