Natsume Goushin Ryu 1-15 February 2003 news

1-15 FEBRUARY 2003 NEWS

15 February 2003 (second update)

For Studio Ghibli fans, there's the Inoue Azumi's 20th anniversary CD album "Kimi wo Nosete... Haruka" with songs from Laputa, Tonari no Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. For more details, see CD Japan's entry.
The DVD box set for the live-action dorama version of You're Under Arrest will go on sale on 16 April 2003, price 17,000 yen (excluding tax), duration 810 minutes. Source: Musicmarket.
Volume 1 of the TV anime series Tsuri-baka Nisshi (The Diary of a Fishing Fool) will be released on 16 April 2003 as well, price 3,800 yen (excluding tax), duration 75 minutes. Source: Musicmarket.
The Berserk series has previously been released as a DVD box. Now the individual volumes will be released, with volume 1 to hit the shelves on 23 April 2003, price 4,800 yen (excluding tax), duration 96 minutes. By the way, the old mecha series SPT Layzner is also being released as individual volumes with the first volume on sale on the same day for the same price. Source: Musicmarket.
The Lupin III OVA Ikiteita Majutsushi which was released in April 2002 is set to be re-released on 23 April 2003 at the lower price of 3,800 yen (excluding tax). Source: Musicmarket.
Volume 1 of the TV anime series Raimu (Lime) iro Senkitan Director's Cut DVD will be released on 25 April 2003, price 2,800 yen (excluding tax), duration 40 minutes. Source: Musicmarket.
More on the Mahoromatic Ongaku Matsuri DVD to be released on 9 May 2003, price 4,725 yen (including tax). It'll be a first pressing limited edition DVD containing live performance and music clips from members of the seiyuu for the series in December 2002. Source: Musicmarket.
The Neon Genesis Evangelion DVD-box to be released on 25 June 2003 will cost 41,790 yen (including tax). Individual TV volumes 1 to 8 will cost 3,990 yen each (including tax) except volume 8, which will cost 3,675 yen (including tax). Those volumes will be released on 24 July 2003 (volumes 1 and 2), 27 August 2003 (3 and 4), 26 September 2003 (5 and 6), 22 October 2003 (7 and 8). The movie DVD will cost 5,775 yen (including tax) and be released on 27 November 2003. Source: Animate Yokohama. This time, the DVD release of the individual volumes will be in "tall cases" rather than the jewel cases of the past. Source: Musicmarket.
The Happy Lesson Song Collection CD will be released on 26 March 2003, price 3,200 yen (including tax). First pressing will come with sticker and mousepad. Source: Animate Yokohama.
Volume 1 of the DVD release of .hack//Tasogare no Udewa Densetsu is due out on 25 April 2003. First pressing will come with a box to hold the entire series, Puchiguso screen cleaner (?), Black Rose clear figure and poem card (?). Price 6,090 yen (including tax). Source: Animate Yokohama.
DVD release details for Gunparade March ~ Arata naru Kougun Uta ~ (A New Marching Song). Volume 1 will be released on 23 May 2003 with first pressing to come with box to hold three volumes, poster, booklet and one sheet of a calendar. Volumes 2 to 6 will follow on 25 June 2003, 25 July 2003, 22 August 2003, 26 September 2003 and 24 October 2003 respectively, with the first pressing of each volume to come with booklet and one sheet of a calendar. First pressing of volume 4 will also come with a box. Each volume will cost 5,250 yen (including tax). Source: Animate Yokohama.
Volume 1 of the DVD release of The Big O - Second Season will be released on 23 May 2003, price 3,900 yen (including tax). First pressing will come with box and liner notes. Source: Animate Yokohama.
Sorry for the irregular updates. Strange sleeping patterns lately.
Sorry, my release date details for Shin Seiki Evangelion Koutetsu no Girlfriend 2nd were out of date even as I posted them on 11 February 2003 m(_ _)m In fact GAiNAX has announced on its website that the Windows game will be released on 16 May 2003.
Watched Jungle SCS's live action tokusatsu production Powered Sister recently. Where B-grade production qualities meet B-grade special effects ^_^;; And apparently B-grade editing as well. Though, from what I can tell, the quality of the editing seems to have been a deliberate decision, since the editing of the action scenes was fine. Production qualities were up from Jungle's first work Jan Jan! Junko-chan but there was something appealing about the rawness of that work. I don't normally watch tokusatsu, but Powered Sister was interesting in a B-grade sort of way too. And the "making of" bonus clip was fun. The main feature has English subtitles; it's too bad the bonus clip didn't. Pick of the actors was definitely Hayashi Yuusuke as villain Hanagata Noboru. But I hope to see more of Justin Buck and hopefully Moyu as well in Jungle's next work ^_^
Movies to be released this year: the new One Piece movie, "Dead End no Bouken", will be released theatrically on 1 March 2003. Then the 24th Doraemon movie "Nobita to Fushigi Tsukai" will be released on 8 March 2003. This will be followed by the new Crayon Shin-chan movie "Arashi o Yobu ~ Eikou no Yakiniku Road" and the new Detective Conan movie "Meikyuu no Jyuujiro (Crossroad in the Ancient Capital)", both on 19 April 2003. Source: TA Group BBS.
It's been announced in the February 2003 issue of Shogakukan's magazine Coro Coro Comic that the manga "Corokke!" (Croquette?), serialised in the magazine, will be adapted into an anime. Source: TA Group BBS.

13 February 2003 (third update)

Bandai Visual's website for the TV anime .hack//Tasogare no Udewa Densetsu is up. Source: TA Group BBS.
Toei Animation's webpage for the upcoming TV anime series Konjiki no Gash Bell!! is also up, though there isn't much to see. The series commences broadcast on 6 April 2003 on Fuji TV. Source: TA Group BBS.
The space-time adventure anime movie Ougon no Hou (The Golden Laws) will see theatrical release in Japan in the (northern) autumn of 2003. Source: TA Group BBS.
The upcoming TV anime series Uchuu no Stelvia will commence broadcast in April 2003. Source: TA Group BBS.
The upcoming TV anime version of Narue no Sekai (The World of Narue) will commence broadcast on 5 April 2003. Source: TA Group BBS.
Urushihara Satoshi's sci-fi manga Chirality is to be re-released by Gakken, in two volumes. Furthermore, this re-release will contain a new "episode" and each volume will come with a 30 minute drama CD with a pretty impressive cast. Both volumes are to be released 1 March 2003 and will be B5 in size, price 1,800 yen (excluding tax) each. The drama cast will include Inoue Kazuhiko as male Carol, Inoue Kikuko as female Carol, Hayashibara Megumi as Shiori and Yamadera Koichi as Shizuma. Furthermore, the first CD will come with an image song by female Carol, while the second CD will contain an image song by Shiori. It's not exactly clear whether this is a limited edition item (or perhaps the drama CDs just come with the first edition), so if you don't want to miss out, best to order it soon. Source: Mangaoh Club and Toranoana. (edit 26 March 2003: The drama CDs have the same contents as the Chirality drama CD released back in October 1995, which contained a song each by Inoue Kikuko and Hayashibara Megumi).
The website for the anime version of Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto ~ Someday's Dreamers now has some wallpapers up for download. Source: Magicalantique.com.
Sorry for the lack of update yesterday. I was buggered by the end of work and had a bit too much to drink. Actually, I only had a bit to drink, but to me that's the same thing :P
Not really news anymore, but something a bit different: a manga about American football. Volume 1 of the manga Eyeshield 21 (story by Inagaki Riichiro, art by Murata Yusuke) was published by Shueisha on 20 December 2002. Shueisha even has two webpages up about the manga: here and here, with the second appearing to be the official website for the manga. You'll note that there's also a Flash movie that can be downloaded at both sites about the manga. Source: ultimatum half edition. What'll it be next? Will there be a manga about Australian Rules Football? I'd like to see that :P
The limited edition version of volume 2 of the manga Matantei Loki Ragnarok, to be published in March 2003, will come with a school calendar notebook. And the limited edition version of volume 3 of the manga Tactics, to be published in March 2003, will come with an artbook. Both manga will cost 980 yen (including tax) and are serialised by Monthly Comic Blade. Source: ultimatum half edition and Monthly Comic Blade.
The April 2003 issue of monthly manga magazine Afternoon (on sale 25 February 2003) will come with CD-ROM for Windows PCs containing 34 wallpapers, screensaver, desktop key holder (?), desktop clock and calendar. Source: ultimatum half edition and Afternoon.
The RahXephon movie Tagen Hensoukyoku (Pluralistic Variation) will be released theatrically on 19 April 2003. Source: ultimatum half edition and JVC's RahXephon page.
The limited first edition of volume 1 of the manga Koi Koi 7, to be published by Akita Shoten on 13 March 2003, will come with a school calendar in a special case. Price 980 yen (including tax). Source: ultimatum half edition and Akita Shoten.
Volumes 1 and 2 of the DVD release for the upcoming sci-fi violence TV anime series Maju Sensen The Apocalypse (to commence broadcast on 23 February 2003) will go on sale on 21 June 2003. Source: Nifty Animation Online.
The limited edition Stratos 4 Character Song Album, to be released 21 March 2003, price 3,675 yen (including tax) will come with a Honjou Umikaze pin. Source: Animate Yokohama. For more details on the contents of the CD, see the CD Japan entry.
Tip for those using FrontPage Express: save your work frequently.
Still not fully on top of things anime news-wise.
Might leave things at this for today... More next time I'm online.

11 February 2003 (third update)

The manga version of the anime series Wolf's Rain will commence serialisation in Kodansha's monthly manga magazine Magazine Z with the April 2003 issue, published on 26 February 2003. The manga will be drawn by Iida Toshitsuu. Source: ultimatum half edition.
Further confirmation from the store Paper Moon that an OVA is to be produced of the vampire manga Hitsuji no Uta by Toume Kei (previously serialised in Monthly Comic Birz). The manga was previously adapted into a live action movie. Source: Moon Phase and Paper Moon.
Starchild's webpage for the upcoming OVA Eiken (based on the manga by Matsuyama Seiji) is up. Source: ultimatum half edition.
The live action dorama Black Jack ni Yoroshiku (Say Hello to Black Jack), based on the medical manga by Satou Shuuhou (serialised in the weekly magazine Morning) will commence broadcast on TBS on 11 April 2003. TBS has a page set up for the upcoming series. Source: ultimatum half edition and Nikkansports.com.
The manga Papa Told Me by Haruno Nanae (serialised in Shueisha's monthly shoujo Young You magazine) is to be made into a live action dorama. The series will commence broadcast on NHK on 12 April 2003. Source: ultimatum half edition and Young You.
Yo. Sorry for lack of update yesterday - I was using the computer for something else.
Volume 2 of the OVA series Sentou Yousei Yukikaze will be released on or around 25 February 2003. A trailer for the second volume can be viewed at the official website. Just go to the movie page.
The new Di Gi Charat TV series, Di Gi Charat Nyo will commence broadcast on 6 April 2003. Source: Reinbo Actress and ZDNet Japan.
Further, the manga version of Di Gi Charat Nyo will commence serialisation in Shogakukan's monthly shoujo magazine Ciao, starting with the April 2003 issue on sale 3 March 2003. The manga will be drawn by Minase Itsuru. Source: ultimatum half edition.
For anyone looking to buy the upcoming R2 Neon Genesis Evangelion DVD box set, Amazon Japan has it up for pre-order at 15% off, a saving of 5,970 yen. Source: Tentative Name.
As is to be expected, FrontPage Express crashed on me.
Obana (Child's Toy) Miho's new manga "Aruyoudenai Otoko" will commence serialisation in the April 2003 issue of Shueisha's shoujo magazine Chorus, on sale 28 February 2003. Source: ultimatum half edition.
Kodansha's e-manga website has the first chapter of the sci-fi manga Metroid available for viewing in a Flash format. Source: ultimatum half edition.
GAiNAX's PC game Shin Seiki Evangelion Koutetsu no Girlfriend 2nd is to be released at the end of April 2003. This game will be set in the alternate universe of episode 26 of the TV series, where Rei is a transfer student and Misato a teacher. Price will be 8,800 yen. Source: ultimatum half edition and ZDNet Japan. [15 February 2003 edit: see my 15 February 2003 entry now.]
The TV anime based on Yagami Hiroki's manga Dear Boys (serialised in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine) will commence broadcast in April 2003. Source: ultimatum half edition and Monthly Shonen Magazine.
Volume 1 of Iwahara Yuji's manga Ibara no Ou (serialised in monthly Comic Beam) will be released on 31 March 2003 by Enterbrain, price 620 yen. Source: ultimatum half edition and Manga no Mori.
A trailer (in streaming Real format) for Gonzo's next work Last Exile is now up at Victor Entertainment's website for the anime. This TV aviation adventure anime series brings the staff of Ao no Rokugo (Blue Submarine No. 6) back for Gonzo's tenth anniversary. Source: ultimatum half edition.
That's all for today. I need to get some sleep.

9 February 2003 (second update)

Just quickly before I go to sleep: it's been announced on the CLAMP website that the next CLAMP work will be xxxHolic (I don't know if the "xxx" is supposed to represent something else ^_^;; ) This manga will be serialised in Kodansha's weekly Young Magazine, commencing with the number 13 issue (on sale 24 February 2003) which will have four colour pages and 24 pages of the manga. Source: ultimatum half edition.
Would've updated more yesterday, but had problem with internet connection...
Sorry, still not up to date with stuff. I'm always very slow to recover from a holiday...
The April 2003 issue of monthly shoujo manga magazine Nakayoshi (on sale 3 March 2003) will feature the start of a new Tokyo Mew Mew manga series: Tokyo Mew Mew A Ra Modo (A La Mode?) by Ikumi Mia. Source: Tentative Name.
A Mahoromatic adventure game for Windows PCs will be released in the (northern) spring of 2003. The game will feature a new storyline. Source: Magicalantique and Gameiroiro.com.
For fans for the Rose of Versailles manga series, Shueisha will release the Rose of Versailles Perfect Reprint Edition Set on 20 May 2003. This pre-order only set will cost 8,000 yen (including tax) and will contain all ten volumes of the Margaret Comics edition manga, as well as a box, Rose of Versailles card and 68 page art booklet (including artwork from when the manga was first serialised in Weekly Margaret magazine) and a reprint picture. Pre-order cutoff date is 31 March 2003. Source: Mangaoh Club.
An OVA of the ecchi series Lingerie Soldier Papillon Rose will be released in the (northern) spring. Volume 1 of the DVD is due on 25 April 2003. You can download a trailer here. With the OVA series, there won't just be bishoujo in underwear, but also bishonen. Source: Tentative Name.
ZakZak reports that on 4 February 2003, Japanese police arrested 43 year old office worker Abe Kazuhide in relation to internet auctions of pirated DVDs. Police also seized 57 pirated Hong Kong DVDs of anime works including Gundam at the home of the suspect. Abe has been charged with selling DVD sets of the series Crest of the Stars by net auction in May 2002. It's estimated that the man has sold more than 10 million yen of pirated DVDs and counterfeit designer brand goods by internet auction. Source: Tentative Name.

8 February 2003

Catching up on old news: a new Di Gi Charat OVA will be released, titled "Di Gi Charat Gekijo Piyoko ni Omakase piyo!" Volume 1 will be released on 21 March 2003 and the concluding volume 2 on 3 May 2003. Volume 1 will contain three 15 minute episodes, with the DVD having a total duration of approximately 50 minutes. Volume 2 will have similar contents. The remaining 5 minutes on each DVD will presumably be taken up with creditless new OP, creditless new ED and clips from the PKO Yokohama Arena Live performance. Those clips do not appear on the BTL Live DVD. A limited edition of each volume will be available. Limited edition of volume 1 will come with special picture label CD, limited edition of volume 2 will come with Choro Q (Black Gamers edition). Prices of each volume: 6,800 yen (limited edition), 5,800 yen (regular edition). Source: Chara-Ani.com.
The official website for the series Stratos 4 has two wallpapers and a screensaver available for download. Source: Chara-Ani.com. You need to register as a member first, though. Registration is free. To do this, go to the Member Entrance and click on the yellow button at the bottom of the page. Unfortunately, the process is a bit inconvenient because at times you need to enter the fields in Japanese script. Romaji won't be acceptable. After you register, you need to fill out a questionnaire about Stratos 4. Then you'll be able to download the stuff. By this stage, you'll have accumulated 60 points with Net Charabang. Those points can later be used to download other stuff from the Net Charabang site. I think further points can be earned through ordering stuff through Chara-Ani etc, but note that I think that sort of stuff is limited to people living in Japan.
It's been announced on the official website of the upcoming TV anime Kino no Tabi that the series will commence broadcast on 8 April 2003 on WOWOW. Source: Chara-Ani.com.
No news yesterday because I fell asleep and no news on Thursday because, well, frankly, I couldn't be bothered :P
The Mahoromatic Ongaku Matsuri DVD will be released on 9 May 2003, price 4,725 yen (including tax). From the sound of the title, I'm guessing it'll have music clips on it or something. Source: Animate Yokohama.
Looks like the Slam Dunk DVD box, to be released on 21 July 2003, price 92,400 yen (including tax) will come with a choice of 1 of 5 uniforms: Sakurai Hanamichi, Rukawa Kaede, Akagi Takenori, Miyagi Ryota or Mitsui Hisashi. Source: Animate Yokohama.
An Inuyasha Theme Song Collection CD will be released on 26 March 2003, price 3,058 yen (including tax). First pressing will come with a box and booklet. Source: Animate Yokohama.
I've been re-organising the links on my website. If any links to stuff within my site (ie I can't monitor all the links to external sites) don't work, please let me know :)

5 February 2003 (third update for the day)

TV Asahi's website for the live-action mystery dorama series Skyhigh, based on the manga of the same name by Takahashi (Ice Blade) Tsutomu, has been up for a while. The TV series commenced broadcast on 17 January 2003.
The 2003 issue 10 edition of Kodansha's Young Magazine sees the start of Takada (3 x 3 Eyes) Yuzo's new "medical human story" manga The Booking Life. This first part will be 36 pages.
Back again. First pressing of volume 4 of the PuchiPuri Yushii DVD will come with a box (to hold three volumes) and four cards. To be released 25 April 2003, catalogue number PIBA-1389, price 5,040 yen (including tax), 50 minutes duration. Source: Animate Yokohama, Mangaoh Club and Musicmarket.
Japanese passports will go hi-tech, the ABC reports.
For fans of Marmalade Boy, the TV series will be released on DVD in Japan, with the first DVD box due on 2 May 2003, price 30,450 yen (including tax). DVD box 2 will be due on 26 September 2003 and DVD box 3 due on 26 December 2003, both at the same price. Source: Animate Yokohama.
Two Tokyo Mew Mew CDs will be released on 26 March 2003: Tokyo Mew Mew Super Best: Cafe Mew Mew Side and Tokyo Mew Mew Super Best: Tokyo Mew Mew Side. First pressing of each will come with box and sticker. Each will cost 2,599 yen (including tax). Source: Animate Yokohama.
The Digimon Frontier Best Hit Parade CD will be released on 2 April 2003, price 3,200 yen (including tax). First pressing will come with a box and booklet. Source: Animate Yokohama.
The OST for Gunparade March ~ Arata naru Kougun Uta ~ (A New Marching Song) will be released on 21 March 2003, price 3,058 yen (including tax). First pressing (catalogue number PICA-1278) will come in a box to hold 4 discs. Regular edition catalogue number is PICA-1275. Source: Animate Yokohama, Mangaoh Club and Musicmarket.
Volume 2 of the manga Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto, on which the current anime series is based, will be released on 1 March 2003, price 740 yen, from Dragon Comics. Source: Fujimishobo.
Old news but worth pointing out: the mail magazine which once was the Anime Daisuki site has wound up, but in its place is the site Anime Caravan, a wonderful resource of information relating to recent and upcoming anime.
The Kawai Kenji CD Box will be released on 26 March 2003, catalogue number KICA-9601, price 5,715 yen (excluding tax). This first pressing limited edition box will contain 4 discs: Kurenaii Megane (Crimson Glasses), Kerberos and Talking Head. The fourth disc will contain Avalon and previously unreleased music sources. Source: Mangaoh Club.
More info on the release of volume 1 of the DVD for L/R. To consolidate it all, it'll be released on 21 March 2003, catalogue number PIBA-1400, price 6,000 yen (excluding tax). First pressing will come with box to hold the first three volumes and a "mission cigarette". Source: Mangaoh Club.
Shirow Masamune's Intron Depot 3 is scheduled for release by Seishinsha in March 2003, price 2,800 yen (excluding tax). It'll be B4 in size (ie same size as Intron Depot 2) and 116 pages in length. Otherwise details are unknown. Source: Mangaoh Club. I've placed my order ^_^

2 February 2003

The pain... If I have to get an abominal virus, can't it at least be during the working week instead of over the entire weekend? >_< Hence the lack of updates: I've been in bed all this time.
Happy Lunar New Year to those people who celebrate it: Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese (sorry, don't know which other cultures following the lunar calendar).
Shocked to hear of the explosion of the US space shuttle. Not as much loss of life as other disasters and not as close to home as the bush fires all around Australia, but it seems particularly tragic all the same.

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