Old news

From February 2003. Two butchered episodes of Eva aired on Cartoon Network.


2/28/03 I put up a Pen Thought in the Pen Penny section and moved one to Previous Pennys.

Last fall, French fashion label Louis Vuitton began using a new "LV" logo designed by Japanese artist Murakami Takashi. Murakami and Louis Vuitton have now collaborated on the production of a 5 minute long anime film titled "Superflat Monogram" that will screen in at least 18 Louis Vuitton stores worldwide beginning March 1st.

Pioneer has confirmed, via a trailer on the upcoming first Gatekeepers 21 OAV series DVD, that the current anime TV series L/R - Licensed by Royal will be released in America later this year.

ADV and Right Stuf have ended their partnership for the anime music lable Animetrax. ADV will be starting up their new music label "ADV Music" while Right Stuf will take complete control over the Animetrax label.

The "Astro Boy Tetsuwan Atom Exhibit" to be held with the renewal opening of The Osamu Tezuka Memorial Hall. The Osamu Tezuka Memorial Hall that was closed for renovation from the end of January is planning for a new opening on March 1. In addition, April 7, 2003 is the birthday of Astro Boy. To celebrate both the renewal opening and the birthday of the main character, the memorial hall is holding an "Astro Boy Tetsuwan Atom Exhibit."



2/27/03 You can find the edit list for the second episode of Evangelion here. This one was really shredded. Beer cans become blue, liquor disappears, fan service removed, Misato now takes baths in a bikini, but worst of all... Pen Pen is completely cut out! Anyway, they were bound by FCC regulations. Still, butchering anime is never pretty.

Madhouse has opened its official homepage for Tokyo Godfathers, the new film from Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress director Satoshi Kon.

Yahoo! Movies reports that Gerald R. Molen, producer of the Oscar-winning "Schindler's List," has acquired the rights to produce a live action adaptation of Lupin the 3rd directly from Lupin creator Monkey Punch. Kazuhiko Kato, better known as Monkey Punch, reportedly insisted that all five standard Lupin cast members appear in the Hollywood film, but otherwise will leave creative control up to the film's American producers.

Playmore, the company that owns much of what was once known as SNK, has announced a number of tentative console game release dates:In May: The King of Fighters 2001 (PS2). In July: The King of Fighters 2002 (DC), Metal Slug Advance (GBA), The King of Fighters Advance (GBA), Metal Slug 5 (Neo Geo). In 2003: SNK Vs Capcom Advance (GBA), SNK Vs Capcom (Neo Geo).

AD Vision has opened its official English language homepage for Neo Ranga. The site includes release information, character biographies & artwork, a series overview, production art gallery, desktop backgrounds, the trailer, and two hidden sections.

Although the Kinnikuman Second Generation TV series ended on Japanese television on December 25, 2002, after 51 episodes, Toei Animation has officially announced that further episodes will be created specifically for American television broadcast. The episodes will be specifically written for, and tailored for American viewers.

The official site for the AD Vision co-produced AD Police spin off OAV series Parasite Dolls is now online also. The first of 3 OAV episodes will be released in Japan on May 22nd. An American release date has not been announced yet.

The homepage for the upcoming fantasy adventure TV series Scrapped Princess is now online.

Naruto now has an independent official site.

In the UK from Ghibli you can expect several items. Due on 18/08/03: Castle in the Sky, Pom Poko, Kiki's Delivery Service. While On 22/09/03: Porco Rosso, Whisper of the Heart, Only Yesterday.

Trigun's run on Cartoon Network reportedly begins on March 31st at midnight.


2/25/03 I added a review for the fifth volume of Excel Saga to Other Reviews.

A few portions of the first Evangelion episode, Angel Attack, were edited. You can find the list here.

According to FUNimation, Infogrames will release the Dragonball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 fighting game to the American PSone on March 25th, 8 years after its Japanese release.

Chas Ort of Buena Vista Home Entertainment has confirmed that 6 Studio Ghibli titles will be released to home video in the UK later this year, including films not yet announced for release in America. The films are: Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Only Yesterday, Pom Poko, Porco Rosso, and Whisper of the Heart.

Studio APPP has opened a new bilingual Japanese and English homepage for Jojo's Bizarre Adventures



2/24/03 Namco has announced plans to develop a new GameCube RPG in its popular "Tales" series. The GameCube entry will be titled "Tales of Symphonia."

Atlus has announced plans to release the new Playstation 2 SRPG "Makai Senki Disgaea" in America this fall under the title "Disgaea: Hour of Darkness."

Super Techno Arts has informed that volume one of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (to be released March 11th) will only be available at "specialty stores" and not larger retailers.

Lucasfilm is producing a series of short animated episodes entitled Star Wars: Clone Wars to be aired exclusively on Cartoon Network. However, it is not anime.

Ikki Tousen, a manga created by Shiozaki Yuuji, will be adapted into an anime series, according to an upcoming issue of Comic Gum magazine

Spirited Away has been designated "Best Animated Feature" at the 2003 Cinemarati Awards.

episode two of the new television series, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, captured the "Excellence Prize" in the animation division at the 2002 CA Media Arts Festival.


2/23/03 The following are being released on DVD Tuesday: Ai Yori Aoshi Vol. 1: Faithfully Yours, Babel II Vol. 3, Cosmo Warrior Zero Vol. 4, Dragonball: Red Ribbon Army, Excel Saga Vol. 5, FLCL Vol. 2, Guyver Vol. 1, Guyver Vol. 2, Hello Kitty's Paradise: Share and Care, Hyper Police Vol. 4, Idol Project Vol. 1: Starland Festival, and Reign: The Obsession of Alexander Vol. 1.

2/21/03 Newtype USA has confirmed that Cowboy Bebop: The Movie will be released in US theaters on Friday, April 4th.

Some copies of the Ranma 1/2 Hard Battle DVD Box Set have shipped with faulty discs. Viz is currently issuing a recall and is issuing instructions on returns.


2/20/03 According to the current issue of Newtype Magazine (Japan), the remastered "Renewal of Evangelion" will be broadcast on Japanese satellite TV network WOWOW beginning in April.

Konami has announced that "Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Soul" will be released for the Gameboy Advance in America on April 15th. Implementing rules from from the official Trading Card Game and over 1000 cards, the new game will be the most most accurate console re-creation of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game ever. The game will also contain built-in support for English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese and Italian languages.

Bandai officially announced at last weekend's Toy Fair convention that the Mobile Suit Gundam F-91 movie will be broadcast on the Cartoon Network and released to American DVD this year. Furthermore, the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam will be broadcast in an edited form on the Cartoon Network's Toonami program and in a less edited/uncut format during Adult Swim.

Originally solicited for 07/15/2003, Please Teacher Vol. #2 from Bandai Entertainment has been bumped up to 07/01/2003. Price and specs remain the same.

Inspired by the success of Lupin III in the States, Diamond Select is set to produce a number of figures and statues based on the main characters of the show.



2/19/03 Madhouse Studios has announced plans to release a limited edition "CLAMP DVD Collection" on March 26th. The 5 disc 236 minute collection will include the RG Veda, Tokyo Babylon, Miyuki-chan in Wonderland, and the DVD premier of the X2 - Double X animation. The Japanese language only set will include a bonus set of 5 postcards, and will retail for 12,500 yen.

Nausicaa.net has confirmed that at least VHS screener copies of the American home video release of Spirited Away do not exhibit the infamous "red tint" found in home video versions of the film released in Asia and France.

Absolute-0.com has published its first "Fit to Print" column detailing upcoming domestic manga releases. Highlights include I.C. Entertainment's acquisition of publishing rights to the Hanaukyo Maid Tai manga, Yun Kouga's Ren Ai manga, Narumi Kakinouchi's Codename Charmer and The Wanderer manga series, and single volumes of Di-Gi-Charat and Mantis Woman manga. TOKYOPOP has also announced the acquisition of publishing rights to the Tokyo Mew Mew and Petshop of Horrors manga series.

TOKYOPOP has acquired yet another series, this time a 3 volume series called Vampire Game by Judal.


2/18/03 Bandai's handheld Swan Crystal will get a Mobile Suit Gundam Seed shooting game on March 15th, and a Hunter x Hunter: Green Island card collection RPG on April 24th.

Shonen Jump USA issue 1 has become the best selling comic in America ever, according to Anime Insider magazine editor Robert Bricken.

The March issue of Newtype Magazine (Japan) released in Japan on February 10th contains a free R2 DVD that includes the first episode of Evangelion showing side-by-side image quality comparison of the original home video version and the remastered "Renewal" version; the trailer for Makato Shinkai's upcoming OAV Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho; and promotional trailers for titles including Sister Princess Re Pure, Princess Tutu, Kikou Sennyo Rouran, Kiddy Grade, the Last Exile pilot film, a Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex music clip, a trailer for the Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne game for the PS2, and more. In addition, the March issue of Animage Magazine, also released in Japan on February 10th, includes a free CD-ROM with liner notes booklet that contains trailers for Makoto Shinkai's Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho and Hoshi no Koe, a digest (1 min 30 sec) edit of Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko.

FUNimation has reportedly confirmed that they will be re-dubbing and releasing the first two seasons of Dragonball Z when Pioneers rights to the seasons expire.

According to Hasbro, a new season of Zoids is slated to air this fall

Jakks Pacific, new owners of the DBZ toy license, have signed on to create Yu Yu Hakusho action figures. Score, publishers of the DBZ card game, will sell a Yu Yu Hakusho-based CCG.



2/17/03 Since my AOL account will be closing by the end of the month I changed where the e-mail me links take you on this page. I have yet to change it on the other pages yet. I'll still check my AOL account and be done changing the e-mail by the end of the month.

Gainax's upcoming re-release of Neon Genesis Evangelion will combine the classic series with several features never-before released in Japan or elsewhere. In addition to new component digital master "by re-doing the telecine from scratch" and both 2.0 and 5.1 audio tracks (both previously announced), the new box set will include several unreleased "visual clips." All 26 original episodes will be present, as well as the four "remake" episodes as seen on the Japanese LaserDisc release. The final cut of the Evangelion movie--Death(True)2, Air, and Magokoro wo Kimi ni--will also be included. Gainax's newly announced "bonus disc" will contain creditless opening and closing video, the original teaser trailer, and a never-before released live-action edition of the film. All discs will fit in a limited edition art box. You have to reserve it in Japan by April 14th.

Hasbro has officially announced that the company will be sponsoring the creation of a new 26 episode Zoids TV series for broadcast on the Cartoon Network.

Some news from Katsucon:

Bandai Entertainment announced that the 50 episode Mobile Suit Z Gundam TV series will debut on American DVD later this year. Bandai also announced their acquisition of the 2001 sci-fi action TV series Scryed.

DVDs coming out tomorrow are: Dai-Guard Vol. 4, Devil Lady Vol. 2: The Becoming, Great Dangaioh Vol. 2, Magical Twilight: The HeX Files, Noir Vol. 1: Shades of Darkness (Regular & Special Edition), Saber Marionette J to X Vol. 6, Sailor Moon Super S TV Vol. 6, and Trouble Chocolate Vol. 3.

On March 1st Cartoon Network will move some of their anime programs to a Saturday night schedule from Toonami.



2/15/03 Last night the cjb.net server was down, but it's up now so all is well. Anyway, though long overdue, I moved the rest of January updates to Old News. I also added two, count them, two Pen Thoughts to the Pen Penny section and moved two old ones to Previous Pennys.

An Evangelion game and a Saishuu Heiki Kanojo game are due out this year in Japan. The only information on the Evangelion game is that it is by Bandai and a RPG.

Disney has decided not to renew its licensing agreement with UPN, meaning that programs including Digimon will no longer air on UPN television networks after this fall.

RahXephon: Tagen Hensoukyoku (RahXephon: Pluralistic Variation) will open in Japanese theaters on April 19th.

Viz editor Carl Horn has revealed that he will be editing the English language version of the Excel Saga manga, implying that Viz has acquired the translation rights to the series.

The Cartoon Network has revealed that the popular samurai drama TV series Rurouni Kenshin will debut on Toonami on March 17th.

Kids' WB! has obtained broadcast rights for Rockman.EXE from Shopro Entertainment, the title's North American licensor. As it is the sequel to Megaman the show is being renamed "Megaman: NT Warrior" for broadcast.



2/13/03 Beginning on February 24th, AD Vision's suggested retail price for the Gasaraki Perfect Collection 8 disc DVD boxed set will drop from the current $169.98 to $109.98.

Central Park Media has scheduled the release of their first Japanese format right-to-left translated manga for March 12th. Samurai Legend, written by Kan Furuyama with art by Tezuka award-winning artist Jiro Taniguchi, will be released in a pocket sized 240 page graphic novel.

Toycom has revealed plans to release three series of fixed pose, 4 inch tall PVC plastic figurines based on Berserk, the Love Hina Again OAV series, and Rurouni Kenshin.


2/12/03 Gonzo Studios has opened the official homepage for their next anime TV series, Last Exile. The new TV series is scheduled to premier on Japanese television in April.

The third Di-Gi-Charat TV series, titled "Di Gi Charat Nyo," will premier on Japanese television on April 6th. Unlike the previous Panyo Panyo Di-Gi-Charat children's TV series, Di-Gi-Charat Nyo looks like it will be closer in style to the original Di-Gi-Charat TV series.

Iida Toshitsuu's manga adaptation of the current Wolf's Rain anime TV series will begin in the April issue of Magazine Z.

Miho Obana's new manga "Aruyoudenai Otoko" will debut in the April issue of Shueisha's monthly shoujo magazine Chorus. Miho Obana is best known to American fans as the creator of Kodomo no Omocha.

Starting this "summer", bimonthly and unflipped - at the $10 price point, Yumi Tamura's (Chicago) Basara will begin its U.S. release.



2/11/03 Spirited Away was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year.

The first monthly English language issue of Ghost in the Shell 2: Man Machine Interface has been released and should now be available at better comic book stores nationwide. The monthly comic book issues of Ghost in the Shell 2: Man Machine Interface will include artwork and supplemental material that might not be included in any future collected English language graphic novel editions.

ADV Films today launched http://www.mutineersmoon.com, a content-rich website offering an extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the upcoming title Mutineer's Moon, a 26-episode animated science fiction series currently in production by ADV Films' ADV PRO division. Mutineer's Moon is based on a series of popular science fiction novels by New York Times-bestselling author David Weber.

Mainichi Shimbun reports today that this week's edition of the weekly manga book "Shukan Shonen Magazine" will feature a cover commemorating "The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers done in manga style.


2/10/03 ShoPro Entertainment, the American television licensing division of Shogakugan Press, has opened its official industry/distributor homepage.

FUNimation has teamed with Burger King, Toys "R" Us, and Cartoon Network's "Toonami" to create a series of promotions. Beginning today, Burger King Kids Meals and Big Kids Meals will include two Powerpuff Girls and Dragon Ball Z toys.

The cover of the march issue of Cinescape will feature stills from Cowboy Bebop: The Movie.

Spirited Away has been nominated for four awards in the first Annual International Online Critics Awards (INOCA). The categories in which it is nominated are Best Animated Feature, Best Foreign Film, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Original Score.

CLAMP's next series, according to their official Japanese webpage, will be titled xxxHolic. It is unknown if the "xxx" in the title is in replacement of other kana or letters, but the webpage mentions the official pronunciation is simply "Holic".



2/9/03 Viz is changing distributors from Pioneer to Ventura Distribution.

The new releases on DVD Tuesday are: All-Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku Nuku Collection, Animated Classics of Japanese Literature: Botchan Parts 1&2/Student Days, Animated Classics of Japanese Literature: The Harp of Burma Parts 1&2/Season of the Sun, Animated Classics of Japanese Literature: The Izu Dancer/The Dancing Girl/A Ghost Story, Animated Classics of Japanese Literature: The Sound of Waves Parts 1&2/Growing Up, Ariel, Chance Pop Session Vol. 2, DNA2 Vol. 1: Metamorphosis, Dragonball Z TV Box Set 5: Androids, Dream Hazard/Pianist, Hand Maid May Box Set, Hand Maid May Box Set w/Figure, Kirby: Kirby's Egg-Cellent Adventure, Lupin the 3rd: Dragon of Doom, Patlabor TV Collection 1, Patlabor TV Vol. 4, Project Arms Vol. 3, Strawberry Eggs Vol. 4, Twisted Tales of Tokyo, and Zoids Vol. 6.


2/8/03 I changed the entrance image after a few months and the main image after many, many months. It was long overdue, but I don't have photoshop or anything like that.

2/7/03 Pioneer has officially delayed the release of the first Master Keaton DVD to an undetermined future date.

Pioneer has opened its official English language website devoted to the upcoming American release of Little Snow Fairy Sugar.

The "Speed Racer Limited Edition Vol. 1" on April 22nd. The $22.98 DVD with "limited edition rubber tire packaging" will contain the first 11 dubbed only Speed Racer TV episodes

TOKYOPOP has announced plans to debut the Happy Mania, Erica Sakurazawa series, FAKE & Korean Demon Diary manga series in America in April and May.

An Escape from New York anime with Snake will be included on an upcoming special edition of Escape from New York. It is actually a sequel to Escape from L.A. and will be released in 2005.

The third Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema (WFAC), a film festival dedicated to animated feature films, will be held on April 23-26, 2003 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Manga Entertainment is now sponsoring their 2003 Preview contest on their website.

According to Right Stuf, AnimEigo's You're Under Arrest TV series will hit the retail market starting on 02/20/2003.

Bandai's upcoming Please Teacher!, also known as Onegai Teacher, will ship in two editions on April 25. There will be a normal edition and a special edition, which comes packaged with a collector's box, soundtrack, postcards and a mini-comic from Comics One.

Immediately after the Feb 9 NBA All Star Game, Turner Network Television (TNT) will air a special presentation of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

A special adapter for the GameBoy Advance is in the works where you can watch anime on it. Each card will be able to hold 24 minutes of video or 5 hours of audio. Later blank cards will be released allowing the user to download things onto them.



2/6/03 Sorry I haven't updated the news the past few days. My computer has been down because I was installing a new DSL modem and it was having problems. Now it's fixed but very late into the wee hours so tomorrow, probably late, I'll return with updates from the past few days and tomorrow.

2/4/03 Viz Communications has agreed to provide the Borders bookstore chain with copies of the English language Di Gi Charat manga graphic novels six months before the books are available to other retailers.

The newest Animefringe is online.

www.argento-soma.com is now open for the Argentosoma anime.

The final episodes of Dragon Ball Z will be aired in March on Toonami, Yu Yu Hakusho is also being added. Also in March, Inu Yasha will be returning to Adult Swim. Trigun, meanwhile, has been pushed to an April debut.


2/3/03 I added a review of Tekken to Other Reviews.

Kikaider has been pushed back to 08/05/2003.

Rhino Home Video will release a DVD box set of the first 26 episodes of Osamu Tezuka's Jungle Taitei, also known as Kimba: The White Lion. The set will arrive on March 11

Reportedly, Battle of the Planets will return to TV. It is being made using animation from the original Japanese TV series, Gatchaman. However, unlike the previous incarnation, The New Exploits of G Force will also "new" animation produced in with the Animation from the original 108 episode TV show.



2/2/03 At this year's Annie Awards, which were presented yesterday, Spirited Away won in every category in which it was nominated. It won in: Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Theatrical Feature, Directing in an Animated Feature Production, Music in an Animated Feature Production, and Writing in an Animated Feature Production.

New Releases on Region 1 DVD this week: Argentosoma Vol. 1, Arjuna Vol. 3, Betterman Vol. 5, Dragonball Z Movie #07: Super Android 13, G-Taste Vol. 1: A Taste of Honey, Inu Yasha Vol. 3, Melty Lancer Vol. 1: Alpha, Mobile Fighter G-Gundam Box 2, Mobile Fighter G-Gundam Box 4, Mobile Fighter G-Gundam Box 5, Mobile Fighter G-Gundam Box 6, Ranma Forever Vol. 5, and Wild Arms Vol. 1 (w/box).


2/1/03 I moved most of the January updates to Old News.

Funimation has acquired and announced the OVA title Sakura Wars "Sumire Kanzaki Intai Kinen ~ Su Mi Re ~." They have also acquired the three episode OVA Sakura Wars "Ecole de Paris" for distribution.

Animethon, the largest free anime festival in North America, will be taking place for the tenth time July 12-13, 2003. It will be held at MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta Canada.

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