Old news
From November 2002. Anime Network announced and more of the same.
11/30/02 I added a Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section. I also moved one to Previous Pennys.
11/26/02 Today I got back an End of Eva disc after sending it in to Manga. I also received my Virus volume 1 disc, without cover art and since I didn't find after searching vigorously (one site) I just left the little 'x' next to the review I added until furhter notice. I also added a review to Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Both can now be found in Other Reviews. I don't know when I'll get the summary done for End of Eva, I'm going to be pretty busy for the next little while.
11/23/02 I added a Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section. I also moved one to Previous Pennys.
11/22/02 Apparently, the Anime Network is supposed to be up by December 30th. Also, there are some new Evangelion figures coming out in December. They are of Rei and Asuka, both are Christmas-type figures.
11/19/02 I added a Pen Thought to the Pen Penny section. I also moved one to Previous Pennys.
11/18/02 The Anime Network has opened their website, although all that's there is the ability to sign up for a newsletter. You can find it here.
11/17/02 Yesterday I put up a review of the second volume of GTO in Other Reviews. I also moved the rest of October updates to Old News. However, my computer froze and it was late so I didn't bother getting back on and updating this page.
11/14/02 Well, I decided to return, although I don't have any new content just some news. Although just a rumor, Ain't it Cool News said that there may be an animated Star Wars series made, whether it would be CGI, anime, or some other form there is nothing said. And keep in mind it is a rumor. Also, I started getting a bunch of spam recently, which means someone thought it would be funny to sign me up for some e-mail list. Oh, I will hunt you down.
11/9/02 I added reviews to the first volume of GTO and the special edition of Vampire Hunter D to Other Reviews.
11/8/02 I do not know if any of you read Newtype USA's review of the Evangelion movies, and hope you didn't for it's blatant stupidity here is the official response from Manga Entertainment to Newtype:
Dear Editor;
On behalf of GAINAX Studios and Production I.G., I feel compelled to respond to what I feel is a biased and disrespectful review of the two Evangelion feature films - Evangelion: Death and Rebirth and The End of Evangelion.
As many of your readers are no doubt aware, from its very inception GAINAX has consistently produced some of the most creative, thoughtful and iconoclastic works of animation ever set to celluloid. By breaking with the long-standing tradition of basing their animated works on pre-existing stories and folk tales, GAINAX has been credited with freeing animation from the constraints which have allowed it to be perceived as a derivative medium. In so doing, they have established animated film as a self-sufficient art form (Time Magazine, November 22, 1999).
With Evangelion, GAINAX once again revolutionized anime by taking the "giant robot" genre - a stagnating staple of the otaku diet - and deconstructing the adolescent power fantasy to its foundations. In so doing, Hideaki Anno has painted us an intensely personal portrait of psychological paralysis. The fact that legions of anime fans in Japan and abroad have identified with and embraced Anno's weak, self-loathing and reluctant protagonist, Shinji, is a testament to the importance of this work and reinforces one of the ultimate messages within the films - human existence, though replete with frustration, miscommunication and anguish, is to be chosen and embraced despite these qualities.
To characterize Evangelion as a tale about "14 year old rugrats who pilot lanky bio-mechs that contain the souls of their dead mommies...," is tantamount to reducing Brave New World to a sci-fi action/adventure novel. To summarize the events of End of Evangelion as "... Rei gets big. Eva unit 1 turns into an intergalactic crucifix ... everybody dies," is to completely ignore the depth and symbolism present within the film. It's clear that the author of this "review" hasn't made the slightest effort to interpret or reflect upon anything he's seen, but has merely given us the most facile and vapid "book report" of these films. Moreover, his observation that the first 20 minutes of The End of Evangelion repeat the content of the last 20 minutes of Death and Rebirth fails to acknowledge the fact that this is the way these films were released theatrically in Japan. Any decision Manga Entertainment might have made to deviate from this content would have been done at the expense of the artistic integrity of the films' creators. The subsequent implication that we consider our audience comprised of "Sucka's" because we did not edit this content is based entirely upon the author's ignorance and lack of research.
You, as editor of this magazine, are responsible for its content. As such, you've allowed an article to appear therein which is flippant in its tone, completely devoid of anything resembling responsible journalistic research, and insulting to the Japanese creators to whom your magazine owes its existence. I can only infer that the decision to print this article was made in order to malign our product. If it is the intent of NewType Magazine to compromise journalistic objectivity in favor of the marketing agendas of its parent company, ADV, I sincerely hope your readership quickly realizes that in purchasing your magazine they, in fact, are the "Sucka's."
Sincerely,
Marvin Gleicher
C.E.O. Manga Entertainment Inc.
11/7/02 Although it doesn't come out until the 19th of this month, I got myself a copy of Berserk volume 4 and updated the review in Other Reviews.
11/6/02 There has been an official press release concerning the 'Anime Network' as it will apparently be called. The Anime Network(tm) model is going to be "structured around four categorized content areas: Action Zone, Sci-Fi, Comedy Incorrect, and Horror/Martial Arts. These categories are designed to include virtually the entire spectrum of quality anime, while contextualizing content for new viewers unfamiliar with specific titles." There is no detail of whether they will show subtitled, dubbed, or both. However, it will probably be dubbed in an attempt to appeal to more viewers. There will be a sneak preview of the network the first few months or so and there is yet to be released something concerning geographic availability of the channel or it's starting date.
11/5/02 I added a review for the third volume of Excel Saga to Other Reviews.
11/4/02 I added a review for Perfect Blue to Other Reviews. Also, ADV has apparently announced they have made arrangements for a 24 hour all anime cable channel.
11/2/02 I moved most of the posts from October into Old News and I edited the paragraph above Recent declaring that this site has no intentions of turning "auto-pilot." Recently, ADV Films has made a deal to market some merchandise for one of the anime series they've released in the US, whether this means they'll release Eva merchandise in the future is unknown. Also, a new figure, of the Third Angel Sachiel, will be released later this month. You can preorder it from various store sites, if you know of none check our Links.