Old news

From January 2004.


1/25/04 I added a Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section and moved an old one to Previous Pennys.

The following will be released this Tuesday on Region 1 DVD:
Ayane's High Kick
Crying Freeman Complete Collection
Dragonball Z TV 60: Cell Games: A Moment's Peace
Figure 17 Vol. 3
Gunparade March Vol. 1 (also w/box)
Knights of the Zodiac Vol. 1
L/R Vol. 2
Legend of Lemnear
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi Vol. 2
Mystery of Nonomura Hospital
Robotech Remastered: Extended Edition Vol. 1
Samurai X OVA Collection
Twelve Kingdoms Vol. 4: Reunion
YuGiOh Vol. 17: The Mystery Duelist
YuGiOh Vol. 18: Obelisk the Tormentor

Geneon's Last Exile will be airing on Anime Unleashed starting the first week of March. Anime Unleashed will be on every weekday at 1am EST on Tech TV.

Square Enix, in association with Dimps Digital Innovator, have released a new "network shooting RPG" titled "Moero Skyslave." The game features character designs by manga artist Aoi Nanase, and is played exclusively on cellular telephones.

The Chan & Associates marketing/promotion firm has issued a press announcement of Viz LLC's participation in the touring Jump to Japan: Discovering Culture Through Popular Art children's museum tour. The Jump to Japan exhibit will tour more than 70 U.S. cities over the next four years, introducing American children to popular Japanese culture. Viz will provide video and image content from Pokemon and Hamtaro, manga published in Shonen Jump, and even a life sized catbus from Hayao Miyazaki's classic film My Neighbor Totoro.


1/22/04 Internet's back, on with the news.

Decipher, the company behind the .hack//ENEMY collectable trading card game, has secured the rights to produce an original American trading card game based on MegaMan: NT Warrior (Japan's Rockman.exe).

Manga Entertainment has announced a new partnership with the Starz Encore Action Channel to broadcast 13 Manga Entertainment licensed anime titles:
Ghost in the Shell
Patlabor movies 1 & 2
Blood: The Last Vampire
Perfect Blue
Street Fighter II V
Fist of the North Star TV series
Black Magic M-66
Macross II: Lovers Again
Macross Plus OAVs 1-4
New Dominion Tank Police
original Shadow Skill OAV (AKA: Shadow Skill pilot, Shadow Skill Act 2.5)
X movie

Right Stuf International has announced that the first DVD volume of Comic Party will hit shelves on March 30th in a $29.95 regular edition and a $39.95 DVD with series box edition. The debut Comic Party DVD will include episodes 1-3 plus "Special 1," an art gallery, character bios, translator notes, an interview with lead Japanese voice actors, and more.

The official Innocence (Ghost in the Shell 2) homepage now hosts a third theatrical trailer in Windows Media Player and Quicktime formats.

A manga adaptation of Samurai Champloo will be serialized in the Japanese monthly Manga Shounen Ace starting in the March issue that is due out on January 26th.

CPM has issued a press release announcing their May manga releases. Notable releases include The World of Narue Volume 1, Duck Prince Book 1: Transformation, and re-releases of Record of Lodoss War: The Grey Witch Book 1 and Geobreeders Book 1 in the now standard 5" x 7.375” format.



1/21/04 Internet's on the fritz, don't know how much I'll be able to update the next couple of days.

ADV will be releasing Anime Essentials, initially a repricing with increased sound quality for titles like Ninja: Resurrection and Plastic Little.

Starting on Saturday, April 17th, Cartoon Network will replace their current Saturday programming with an additional day of Adult Swim. Providing that they do not cancel any of the other Adult Swim blocks, the Adult Swim block will then be aired 6 days a week, every day but Friday. Cartoon Swim has also confirmed several new anime coming to the popular programming block. The Animatrix and Detective Conan will air during the new Saturday time block. Meanwhile Wolf's Rain is expected to start in April and new episodes of Inu Yasha are expected sometime in March or April.

According to the Ghibli Diary, storyboarding of the upcoming Miyazaki film, Howl's Moving Castle, was recently completed. At just under 1400 storyboards Howl has slightly more storyboards than Spirited Away.

Ironcat has posted an update on their website stating that My Code Name is Charmer Volume 1, The Wanderer Volume 1 and, Vampire Princess Miyu Volume 5 are all at the printers. The titles should ship in February.

ComicsOne announced today the April release of the Onegai Twins novel. They also announced another novel, Storm Riders The Novel: A Tale of No Name based on the popular Hong Kong Comic.

Japanese telecomunications company NTT DoCoMo announced yesterday that it will offer manga on its "M-stage book visual content distribution service" as of February 3rd. The M-Stage book service permits mobile users to read content on certain cell phones, PDA's and other mobile devices. The service will initially offer six manga.

ADV's releases of Aura Battler Dunbine volume 5 and Aura Battler Dunbine volume 6 have been delayed until April 20th and June 8th respectively. Volume 5 was originally scheduled to be released 3 weeks ago, on December 30th, Volume 6 was scheduled for March 23rd.


1/19/04 The official Japanese Devilman live action movie site has released the first images of Sirene.

According to Jagged Team, the unusual independent anime film Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space will receive a limited American theatrical release the week of April 2nd through 8th at select Landmark Theaters nationwide.

Bandai Entertainment has announced that the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed TV series will debut on the American Cartoon Network this April, to coincide with Del Rey Books' release of the Gundam Seed manga on April 30th.

Mr. Joe Menosky, writer and producer for TV series including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and The Dead Zone, has contacted AnimeNation with confirmation that last Friday, January 16th, the Sci-Fi Channel closed a deal with Sunrise Studios of Japan to remake Witch Hunter Robin as a live-action American television series. Mr. Menosky will write the series and executive produce along with Mr. Roy Lee (who licensed the remake of "Ring") and his business partner Doug Davison.

The official Japanese homepage for Satoshi Kon's upcoming anime TV series Mousou Dairinin "Paranoia Agent" now links to a two-and-a-half minute long streaming Windows Media format trailer.


1/18/04 ATTENTION A NEW section is up!! Yes, that's right. It is a sort of sub site I've put up dedicated to the live action Evangelion movie under development. You can find it on the nav bar just above analysis or just click here. However, this will delay the weekly Pen Penny update for at least a day.

The following will come out this Tuesday on Region 1 DVD:
Big O II Vol. 1
Final Fantasy Unlimited Vol. 3
Hamtaro Vol. 5: A Ham-Ham Valentine!
Kimagure Orange Road OVA/Movie Box Set
Nuku Nuku Dash Vol. 3
Orphen II Vol. 2
s-Cry-ed Vol. 4
Super Gals Vol. 4
Yu Yu Hakusho Vol. 20: Terrible Truths

The Fooly Cooly (Furi Kuri) OST 1, His and Her Circumstances Act 1.0, and Neon Genesis Evangelion OST 1 are all released this week.


1/16/04 ATTENTION Ain't It Cool News now hosts the 27 pre-production sketches for the live action Evangelion movie, produced by Weta Workshop and found on AD Vision's new release Evangelion Director's Cut volume 1 DVD.

Watch Impress has announced that Sega, H.M.P. & Shogakukan have co-produced a two episode anime OAV adaptation of Tatsuya Egawa's popular manga series Tokyo Daigaku Monogatari (Tokyo University Story).

Central Park Media has announced that the first volume of Hitoshi Tomizawa's Treasure Hunter Jubei manga will be released in America on April 7th. The 200 page book, titled "Treasure Hunter," will retail at $9.99.

The official Pokemon Heroes website has announced that the fifth Pocket Monsters movie, Pokemon Heroes, ("Guardian Spirits of the Water Capital - Latias and Latios") will be released to American DVD on January 20th. The DVD will include bonus features including behind the scenes footage, charater guides, and the bonus short movie Camp Pikachu ("Pika Pika Starlit Sky Camp").

From animeondvd.com: According to people who have managed to see the first episode of the new Burn-Up Scramble TV series that just started airing in Japan, the end credits list Geneon Entertainment (USA) as being on the producing side of the program.

Although not listed in Viz's press release about new manga for the first quarter of 2004, Ultimate Muscle Volume 1 will be released in April. Viz will also be issuing re-releases of Banana Fish and Evangelion in April, preceded by Nausicaa in March and followed by Video Girl Ai in May.

Bandai Japan will be releasing in March a Doraemon robot that has the ability to recognize voice commands and be able to speak 750 words. A total of five thousand of these robots will be for sale in 2004. They will be for available in Japan at retail outlets, as well as on the internet.


1/14/04 The BBC News has reported that Shobunkan Publishing president Motonori Kishi has been found guilty of publishing and distributing obscene material in Japan, namely the "Misshitsu" adult manga by artist "Beauty Hair" (Suwa Yuuji). Suwa Yuuji and his publisher were first charged with violating Japan's obscenity laws in October 2002. The guilty verdict is on appeal, but if it stands, it may deal a massive blow to Japan's manga and animation industry, which accounts for nearly half of all published books and periodicals in Japan.

Production on the first of three episodes of the Bandit King Jing OAV episode was finished last week. The OAV was originally expected to be released in late 2003.

Although Digital Manga Pusblishing (DMP) website was somewhat unclear as to whether IWGP was another Dark Horse co-release or a DMP only release at first, they have updated their website today to make it clear that IWGP is being released entirely by DMP.

The Japanese releases of the final four episodes of Wolf's Rain have been delayed. DVD volume 9 with episodes 27 and 28 has been delayed until February 7th, and volume 10 with the last two episodes has been delayed without any new date announced.

According to Bandai's website, it appears that they have delayed .hack//SIGN - Terminus Limited Edition. Originally scheduled for March 2nd, the Limited Edition is now listed for March 16th. The regular edition is still listed for March 2nd.


1/13/04 According to a BBC report, for the first time ever, a Japanese court has found a manga publisher guilty of sale and distribution of obscene materials. Monotori Kishi, publisher of the manga Misshitsu ("Honey Room"), was given a one-year prison sentence, suspended for three years, which he immediatey appealed to the Tokyo Supreme Court, citing infringement of freedom of expression. The presiding judge in the case gave the fact that "there was little attention paid to concealment of genitalia" while "bodies were drawn in a lifelike manner" as the reason for the sentence.

1/12/04 Digital Manga and its publishing partner Dark Horse Comics have officially announced the acquisition of translation rights to the Ikebukuro West Gate Park manga, an adaptation of the popular Japanese live action television series.

ICv2 News has confirmed that the 3 volume English translation of the RahXephon manga series by Viz LLC will be released to the Barnes & Noble bookstore chain 6 months before it becomes available through other retailers. The first volume will be available from Barnes & Noble in April, and available from other retailers in September.

Viz has announced the acquisition of the 6 volume "Megaman NT Warrior" manga series by Ryo Takamisaki, due out in May; shoujo artist Yasue Imai's "B.B. Explosion," due out in April.

Central Park Media has opened the official English language homepage for World of Narue and revealed its release plans for the series. The first episode of the 12 episode series will be released individually on a $7.99 "Test Drive" DVD that includes a $10 mail-in-rebate toward the cost of the entire series boxed set. At the same time, all 12 episodes plus extensive supplemental material will be released in a single 4 disc digipack set retailing at $79.99 on April 6th.

MSNBC has published an introductory article relaying the success of AD Vision. The article includes some specific statistics and figures including AD Vision's size and estimated income.

ADV Films has formally announced their acquisition of the new Fist of the Northstar Anime Trilogy.



1/11/04 I added a Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section and moved an old one to Previous Pennys.

The following will come out on Region 1 DVD this Tuesday:
Brigadoon Vol. 5
Chobits Vol. 6: My Only Person
I'm Gonna Be An Angel Vol. 2
Patlabor TV Vol. 7
Princess Nine Complete Collection
Rune Soldier Vol. 6
Someday's Dreamers Vol. 2
Steam Detectives Vol. 3
Tales of Seduction by U-Jin
They Were 11
Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer

The Chinese produced live action adaptation of Initial D, directed by Tsui Hark and featuring Edison Chen as Takumi, is set to begin filming in Japan in March.


1/8/04 The Production I.G./Manga Entertainment co-production Dead Leaves will debut at Anime Expo Tokyo on the second day of the convention, January 17, during the Production I.G All Night film track which will start at 10:10 p.m. Tokyo time. Also included in the video track will be a new promotional trailer for the Ghost In the Shell: Innocence movie.

Shogakukan has officially announced that Inoue Kazurou's Midori no Hibi manga serial will be adapted into an anime TV series this April. The comedy tells the story of a high school boy whose right hand transforms into a small girl.

TV Tokyo has opened its official homepage for the upcoming Jubei-chan 2: Siberia Yagyuu no Gyakushuu anime TV series. The site includes a small streaming Real Media trailer for the first episode, scheduled for broadcast on the 14th.


1/7/04 TOKYOPOP has scheduled the release of the first volume of its Princess Ai "manga" for July 6th. The gothic shoujo fantasy co-created by rock star Courtney Love will feature character designs by manga artist Yazawa Ai.

Media Blasters has revealed further details about their plans to expand into translated manga. Their first release will be an anthology of 7 stories based on the Media Blasters produced live action horror movie Flesh for the Beast. Six of the seven stories will be entirely American while the seventh story will be produced by a Japanese creative team.

The official Japanese Naruto anime homepage has announced that the Naruto movie "Daikatsugeki!! Yukihime Ninpouchou Datte Bayo!" (Big Battle!! It's the Snow Princess Ninja!) will open in Japanese theaters on August 21st.

Sony has announced plans to begin offering its Animax Japanese satellite TV network to viewers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Indonesia this month, with possible further expansion in the future. Since its debut in 1998, Animax has become Japan's #1 cable and satellite network. The network, sponsored by Sony, Toei Animation, Sunrise Studios, TMS Entertainment, and Nihon Ad Systems, is a linear TV network that broadcasts all animation all day- most of its programming classic anime series

Millennium Actress and The AniMatrix have been nominated in several categories in this year's Annie Awards for excellence in animation, presented by the International Animated Film Society.

Bandai has issued a very anticipated press release today that details how they're handling the change over to their own distribution. One of the first factors is to place existing releases (prior to 2004) as discontinued and resolicit throughout 2004 with new UPC codes. Bandai will also begin resoliciting titles in waves starting in March 2004 - many of which look to have new price reductions.



1/6/04 Media Blasters has announced plans to release a single volume "manga" adaptation of the Media Blasters produced American live action horror film Flesh for the Beast. Media Blasters is promising authentic manga creators for the book, which will be released in b/w, with two covers, later this year.

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, Texas, has announced a theatrical screening of Mamoru Oshii/Yoshitaka Amano's classic anime art-house film Angel's Egg. The movie will screen at 9:30 PM on Tuesday, March 30th to the accompaniment of a live musical score performance. Angel's Egg is not presently confirmed as officially licensed for American home video release.

animeondvd.com posted an interesting fact: As of today, there are an equal amount of anime DVDs released in 2004 as there were in all of 1997.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie will see its television debut on STARZ on January 15th at 11pm and will air several times throughout the next 3 weeks.


1/5/04 Amada Printing has announced plans to release "Ojamajo Adventure: Naisho no Mahou," a new Ojamajo Doremi text based PC adventure game, this June.

The Appeal to Miramax petition site has learned of Miramax's latest mistreatment of imported Asian cinema. The American DVD release of Mamoru Oshii's live action sci-fi drama Avalon contains a heavily re-written English dub and no literal, accurate subtitles.

Accordign to their press release, Japan-A-Radio will no longer be carrying Anime in the Limelight and they are looking for new shows.



1/4/04 I added a Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section and moved an old one to Previous Pennys. I also moved most of the December updates to Old News.

The following will come out this Tuesday on Region 1 DVD:
Angelic Layer Vol. 3
Boys Over Flowers Vol. 3
Full Metal Panic Vol. 6
Pretear Vol. 2
Saiyuki Vol. 7 (also w/box)
Slayers Great


1/2/04 Well, Happy New Year. My internet's been going off and on at random lately so I'll update all the news from the past couple of days I missed, no certainty of it continuing to work though.

According to The Magic Box, Bandai of Japan has scheduled the release of "SD Gundam G Generation Seed," the latest entry in the super deformed strategy RPG game series, for February 19th. Bandai has also scheduled the release of a Saiyuki Reload game for the Playstation 2 for March 18th.

From the Digital Bits: You'll be surprised to learn that a new and completely hidden bonus feature has been discovered on the R1 DVD release of Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky. You can't access it from the menus at all, but there's a hidden video file (a .VOB file) on the disc featuring a 20-minute Japanese TV documentary on the making of the film. You can only access it via DVD-ROM by searching through the individual VOB files. Unfortunately, it's not subtitled, so our best guess is that it was originally intended to be included on the disc as a regular feature, but was "dropped" at the last minute for unknown reasons (so the menu links and subtitles were left off).

The official Japanese homepage for the Final Fantasy 7 movie now hosts the film's trailer, for those who haven't already seen it. The site requires Macromedia Flash 7 to enter.

TOKYOPOP has opened a survey requesting suggestions for manga series to license for English language release. The survey will be open until the end of the month.

According to the Barnes & Noble bookstore chain, Viz will begin releasing Konomi Takeshi's Prince of Tennis manga in English translated graphic novel format this May. Tennis no Ohjisama manga volume 21 was just released in Japan last month.

TOKYOPOP has officially announced its acquisition of translation rights to Kazuya Minekura's Saiyuki manga series, the basis of the Gensomaden Saiyuki and Saiyuki Reload anime TV series. The first English langauge graphic novel is tentatively scheduled for release on March 2nd.


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