USA Anime and Manga Report
Gilles Poitras
The latest issue of the USA Anime and Manga Report has been uploaded to
the web at:
http://www.koyagi.com/USAAnimeRelease.html
Note:
As this newsletter has grown significantly over the past several years
sending it out as email has become more difficult.
I will now send the text section alone and refer you to the web site for
the lists of items coming out.
USA Anime and Manga Report
November 2002 Volume 7 Number 11 Issue #83
Contents:
Editorial:
Press Releases:
ADV Films Announces Launch Of The Anime Network (tm) On Digital Cable
CBLDF To Appeal Castillo Decision To The U.S. Supreme Court
Gutsoon! Entertainment Changes Name Of Fujin To RGA (Raijin Game &
Anime)
Newtype USA: Issue Two Partial Table of Contents
Reviews:
Anime Explosion by Patrick Drazen
Newtype USA: Issue One
Samurai Girl Real Bout High School
Release Information:
Anime Releases by Date.
Anime Releases by Title.
Magazine and Translated Manga Releases by Date.
Japanese Cinema Releases by Date
Select Anime Related Goods Releases by Date.
Short List.
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Editorial
A pretty productive month. We have some interesting items added this
month with lots of new entries especially for manga. Of special note the
first issue of Newtype USA is out, and it's pretty impressive, see my
review below. Also news of an all anime network. Manga fans will note
that TOKYOPOP has been adding many more titles to their list and Comics
One has put out the first soft cover book of Crayon Shin Chan, the title
someone said in the rec.arts.manga newsgroup would never get released in
the US, two days later Comics One announced the release date.
With the increasing amount of manga coming out in book form, some
straight to book more stores are shelving the new issues by author
separate from the traditional comic books. For this reason I will start
including the author's name in the entries for the graphic novels, I
will not do this for the comic book versions.
Number of New Entries in this issue:
Anime: 77
Manga & Magazines: 85
Cinema: 1
Other: 13
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Press Releases:
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ADV Films Announces Launch Of The Anime Network (tm) On Digital Cable
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ADV FILMS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF THE ANIME NETWORK (tm) ON DIGITAL CABLE
FOR THE FIRST TIME, QUALITY ANIME PROGRAMMING TO BE AVAILABLE ON CABLE
TELEVISION 24 HOURS A DAY
HOUSTON, November 6, 2002-ADV Films today announced publicly the
creation of The Anime Network (tm), the first television channel in
North America dedicated to anime (Japanese animation) and anime-related
content. The Anime Network (tm) targets the nation's estimated 85
million cable television subscribers, and seeks to capitalize on cable's
increasing dominance in the world of at-home entertainment.
Initially announced in June, 2002 at ADV Films' 10th Anniversary party
in Tokyo, and announced in the U.S. at ADV's November 2 invitation-only
10th Anniversary party in Houston, the creation of The Anime Network
(tm) has the industry abuzz with excitement and speculation.
"This has been in the works for some time," said ADV Films President,
Founder and CEO John Ledford. "Until now, the market and the culture
haven't been ready for it. But today ever-increasing numbers of
Americans are becoming familiar with anime and its distinctive
aesthetic; they're curious about anime, they're hungry for it, and The
Anime Network (tm) is going to deliver it right to their televisions."
Competitive Advantage
While existing cable outlets have enjoyed strong ratings with limited
blocks of anime and anime-inspired animated programming, The Anime
Network (tm) will make fine anime programming available to viewers 24
hours a day.
"The Anime Network (tm) is the next logical step," said Ledford. "The
television outlets that currently carry anime aren't meeting the
potential demand; they offer very limited selections of titles, and only
during very restricted hours. The Anime Network (tm) will change all of
that, and we're excited to be leading the revolution."
Content
The Anime Network (tm) model is 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.
Coming Up
Coming soon, releases detailing geographic/service provider availability
of The Anime Network,(tm) along with information about whom viewers can
call regarding local availability; also, a sneak preview of programming
that will be available in The Anime Network (tm)'s first months.
About ADV Films:
In 1992, ADV Films (ADV) began to forge the international market for
Japanese animation ("anime") by combining unique titles, outstanding
production values and efficient large-scale distribution. Today, ADV is
the #1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation to the North American
market, with the firm's holdings including such premier titles as
"Spriggan", "Sailor Moon," "Samurai X," "Medabots," "Robotech,"
"Gasaraki" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion." ADV has also expanded into
other forms of genre programming, including live-action science fiction
programs "Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda" and "Farscape," and classic
science fiction such as "Gamera: Guardian of the Universe."
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, USA, with additional offices in the EU
and Japan, and distribution on four continents, ADV is fast becoming an
international entertainment powerhouse. For more information, visit ADV
on the web at <http://www.advfilms.com>http://www.advfilms.com.
For more information contact your distributor, or your ADV Films Sales
Representative at:
Karen Strebeck
800.282.7202 x 7115
<mailto:Ka...@advfilms.com>Ka...@advfilms.com
Craig O'Connor
800.282.7202 x 7102
<mailto:cr...@advfilms.com>cr...@advfilms.com
Mike Bailiff
800.282.7202 x 7147
<mailto:mi...@advfilms.com>mi...@advfilms.com
Stacey Santos
800.282.7202 x 7137
<mailto:Sta...@advfilms.com>Sta...@advfilms.com
Barbara Herman
800.282.7202 x 7232
<mailto:bhe...@advfilms.com>bhe...@advfilms.com
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CBLDF To Appeal Castillo Decision To The U.S. Supreme Court
From their web site:
http://www.cbldf.org/pr/archives/000055.shtml
November 05, 2002
CBLDF To Appeal Castillo Decision To The U.S. Supreme Court
The Board of Directors of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has voted
unanimously to appeal the case of Texas v. Castillo to the United States
Supreme Court. This decision follows last week¹s notice from the Texas
Court of Criminal Appeals that Castillo¹s Petition for Discretionary
Review was refused.
Jesus Castillo was convicted for promoting obscenity by selling an adult
manga to an adult in a Dallas comic book store. In the original trial,
the Prosecution successfully secured Castillo¹s conviction by
introducing prejudicial comments about the store¹s proximity to an
elementary school and exploiting a misperception of comics as a
children¹s medium. The conviction was arrived at despite unchallenged
expert testimony from the Defense and without using the ³Miller Test² to
determine whether the whole of the work in question was constitutionally
obscene.
Attorneys funded by the CBLDF appealed the case on those constitutional
grounds and were met with a split decision upholding Castillo¹s
conviction. Last August, the Fund¹s lawyers submitted the Petition for
Discretionary Review, which asked the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to
reconsider the case. That plea was denied last week.
Castillo now faces criminal charges for doing his job. His penalty
includes a six month suspended sentence, a $4,000 fine, and a year of
probation. The Fund will continue to fight this injustice in the appeal
to the U.S. Supreme Court. The expense of doing so will not be less than
$10,000, escalating this case¹s projected costs to more than $50,000.
³It¹s shameful that Jesus is facing these charges for responsibly
selling adult material to an adult,² says Charles Brownstein, the Fund¹s
Executive Director. ³While it¹s anyone¹s guess whether the high court
will hear the case, it is our responsibility to this industry to take
this fight as far as we can. While there is a chance of justice being
served, we cannot back down. Especially in this case where a man¹s
liberty is being trampled by forces who fail to recognize the comic book
medium¹s ability to speak to adult audiences and the rights of retailers
to responsibly distribute such speech to its appropriate audience.²
Brownstein continues, ³The Fund has already had its most expensive legal
year in recent memory, and the costs of supporting those legal battles
just skyrocketed again. Fighting those battles is the right thing to do,
but to do it, we need the support of the comics community more than
ever. If you believe in the rights of retailers and cartoonists to
create and sell the full breadth of content this medium offers, then we
need your help. If you¹re not already a member, now is the time to join.
If you can spare any donation , large or small, it will make it possible
for us to push forward. Now is the time to get involved with the Fund.
Now is the time for us to stand together as a community and fight this
injustice.²
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GUTSOON! ENTERTAINMENT
CHANGES NAME OF FUJIN TO RGA (RAIJIN GAME & ANIME)
The Second Publishing Property for the Company
Premieres In U.S. Stores on Dec. 4th, 2002
For Immediate Release:
(Los Angeles, CA) (November 6, 2002)—Gutsoon! Entertainment, Inc. the
U.S. sister company to Japan-based Coamix, has changed the name of
FUJIN, previously a Raijin Comics supplement magazine, to RGA or RAIJIN
GAME & ANIME.
In addition, RGA, will no longer be distributed as a supplement issue,
but as a separate newsmagazine, becoming Gutsoon Entertainment’s second
U.S. published property. RGA will feature the latest news on videogames,
anime, manga and Japanese cultural trends. RGA will be offered to
subscribers of Raijin Comics free of charge, and available in stores at
a shelf-price of $0.99. (Raijin Comics store shelf-price will be $4.95.)
The name change was selected to better reflect the magazine's contents
and add to Gutsoon's branding initiatives for the upcoming launch of
both magazines, slated to be in stores on December 4th, 2002.
Our decision to change Fujin's name to RGA is to offer our readers an
extension of the Raijin brand name, said Horie Nobuhiko, President and
CEO of Coamix, Although the name has been changed, the content will
remain the same offering weekly highlights and news on the latest news
in anime, manga, and Japanese trends.
Created by Horie, President and CEO of Coamix, artists Hara , Hojo ,
accomplished editors Negishi and Yamamoto, Gutsoon! Entertainment, Inc.
is a privately-held corporation operated by its shareholders and
U.S.-based management team. The company's partners include publishing
powerhouse Shinchosha, Hakuhodo and Sega Corp., who will work with the
company to develop game and anime based content.
Visit: www.raijincomics.com
SSA Public Relations – Media Contacts:
Sabrina Propper / Brian Hershey
+1 818-501-0700
spro...@ssapr.com
bher...@ssapr.com
Blanche Frankel
+1 212-679-4750
bfra...@ssapr.com
Jamie Lynn
+44 20 7494 2755
jlyn...@aol.com
Sabrina Propper
SSA Public Relations
818.501.0700
fax: 818.501.7216
spro...@ssapr.com
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NEWTYPE USA ISSUE TWO-PARTIAL TABLE OF CONTENTS
A SNEAK PEEK REVEALS DETAILED COVERAGE OF UPCOMING ANIME TITLES,
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS, OFFICIAL ARTWORK, FREE EXTRAS
HOUSTON, November 15, 2002-Newtype USA, the leading anime and manga
publication in the English-speaking world, today went public with a look
at the Table of Contents of Issue Two (December 2002). Readers eagerly
await the arrival of subscription copies, and the delivery of the
magazine to retail outlets; faced with overwhelming demand for the
November issue, Newtype USA has nearly doubled the size of its print run
for Issue Two.
The COVER STORY: .hack: a comprehensive look at the world of .hack,
including discussion of the game, the OVA, the soundtracks and more!
FEATURE ARTICLES include coverage of
· Puchi Puri Yucie;
· Galaxy Angel;
· Witch Hunter Robin;
· Sento Yosei Yukikaze;
· Kiddy Grade;
· Love Hina;
· an interview with Peter Fernandez, the voice of Speed Racer;
· A profile and interview with world-champion food fighter Takeru
Kobayashi;
· and much more!
The NEWTYPE PRESS section includes numerous insider columns, and ANIME
LAND is filled with news about upcoming events, monthly sales figures,
new releases, and what's on TV in the U.S. and Japan.
FOR THE BARREL: the second installment of the serial novel, including
new material created exclusively for Newtype USA.
FREE BONUSES!
· The next installment of the Full Metal Panic manga
· FLCL postcards
· A scorching hot centerfold of Naga, from Slayers
· A DVD insert from ADV Films, including the first episode of the
eagerly awaited new series Chance Pop Session!
Availability
Newtype USA Issue Two will ship from the printer on/around November 18,
2002, with availability at retailers across North America circa December
1, 2002.
About Newtype USA:
Newtype USA is the official English-language version of Newtype, Japan's
#1 source for information about anime and manga. Newtype USA includes
all of the best Japanese content translated plus loads of original U.S.
material. Anime, manga, music, game, toy and model reviews, feature
articles, director interviews, artist profiles, and regular columns by
industry experts, tastemakers and deep-cover insiders. Every issue of
Newtype USA also includes free bonus gear: posters, a centerfold spread,
postcards, a manga (comic) special and an exclusive DVD insert. For more
information, visit
<http://www.newtype-usa.com>http://www.newtype-usa.com.
For more information contact your distributor, or your ADV Films Sales
Representative: Karen Strebeck
800.282.7202 x 7115
<mailto:Ka...@advfilms.com>Ka...@advfilms.com Craig O'Connor
800.282.7202 x 7102
<mailto:cr...@advfilms.com>cr...@advfilms.com Mike Bailiff
800.282.7202 x 7147
<mailto:mi...@advfilms.com>mi...@advfilms.com Stacey Santos
800.282.7202 x 7137
<mailto:Sta...@advfilms.com>Sta...@advfilms.com Barbara Herman
800.282.7202 x 7232
<mailto:bhe...@advfilms.com>bhe...@advfilms.com
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Reviews
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Anime Explosion
by Patrick Drazen
Berkeley. Stone Bridge Press 2002
ISBN1-880656-72-8
The latest title from Stone Bridge Press is an impressive one.
Drazen has done a great job of covering many broad aspects of Japanese
culture that are part of anime. The book is divided into two sections:
"Interpreting Anime" and "Films and Directors". The first interested me
the more as he provides a cultural framework that assists non-Japanese
to better understand what they are seeing in such a Japanese product.
Now don't assume that Drazen's book covers the same ground that Antonia
Levi did in her Samurai from Outer Space or I have in my books. He
actually goes into realms Levi and I only occasionally touched on and
covers alot that we don't.
Heck I think I know more about Japanese culture than most anime fans and
I learned alot from this book. I strongly recommend it to fans who wish
to deepen their knowledge of Japanese culture in anime.
The book does have one major flaw, the author did not closely check his
descriptions of what is happening in many of the titles he refers to in
the book. I suspect this was due to writing from memory or relying on
the descriptions of others. But don't let this keep you from reading the
book, his interpretation is excellent and still right on the spot for
the titles he is describing.
My recommendation, get this one.
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Newtype USA: Volume 1 Issue One
192 pages
Published by AD Vision
www.newtype-usa.com
I recently heard issue one was out on rec.arts.anime and rushed to get
this issue as my subscription is not starting until issue two. Went to
the first store likely to have it, Kinokuniya in San Francisco, sold out
in two days, hit another store, sold out hits several others, never
heard of it.
So I went back to Kinokuniya and convinced them to sell me their display
copy. Glad I did as the Newtype USA web site now indicates they are sold
out of the first issue so Kinokuniya may not get the second batch they
ordered. The web page also indicates the second issue will have a much
larger printing.
OK on to the actual magazine.
I like it, the content is heavily taken from the Japanese issue which is
very useful for non-Japanese fans as it is very difficult to obtain
information on what is current in Japan. The articles are from very
recent issues of the Japanese version including descriptions what is
currently on TV in Japan, pretty crucial stuff for serious fans. The
layout is, like the original edition, colorful with lots of
illustrations and information about the characters and mecha in various
series, all finally in English so us language challenged ones can easily
read the text.
Not all of the content is from Japan there is plenty of material that is
unique to the English edition including information what is on TV in the
US, as well as columns by Fred Patten and Jonathan Clements, I hope they
are regulars as they are two of writers on anime I have high respect
for. Page 186 lists many other contributing writers who are helping to
make this a magazine different from the other anime magazines out there.
The layout is pretty much the same as the Japanese edition, it even
opens in the same manner so they don't have to flip the art. Anime and
manga fans will have no trouble with the pages opening in the "other"
direction but those not familiar with East Asian publications will have
to spend a few minutes adjusting.
The content is also similar with serialized manga, omaki such as post
card sheets, posters, discs etc. The omaki may present a problem for
retailers who will have to keep an eye out to see the magazines stay in
their bags.
My recommendation, pick it up regularly and I hope you scored a copy of
issue one.
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Samurai Girl Real Bout High School: Enter the Samurai Girl
DVD Episodes 1-4
TOKYOPOP
English and Japanese Audio
English subtitles
Extras
Ryoko is not your typical teen. She may be cute and popular, but she is
racking up an impressive record of successive wins against opponents at
her school. She is a student at Daimon (Japanese for Big Gate) high and
the school has a system of permitted fights, called K-Fights. Ryoko says
she is tired of being challenged all the time but when someone does so
she is more than willing to take them on.
Then there is the day when she finds a necklace in the locker room.
After a bout she find the necklace around her neck and herself
transported to a very different bout with a very different non-human
opponent.
Things get stranger when the founder of the K fight system shows up, and
he knows about her bouts with the non-human opponents. She also
discovers his teacher is still alive and begs to become the teacher's
apprentice.
I'll leave it at that.
My recommendation, check this one out.
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Each month when the new issue of this newsletter is uploaded to the web
a notice is posted on the following newsgroups:
rec.arts.anime.misc
rec.arts.anime.fandom
rec.arts.anime.info
referring people to the newsletter on my web page at:
http://www.koyagi.com/USAAnimeRelease.html
Enjoy, & don't hesitate to send comments.
-Gilles-
cow...@koyagi.com
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Whenever possible dates are from information supplied or published by
the companies listed, via email, in their ads, Web pages or Usenet
postings.
When information is not from the companies I have noted the source.
Information is organized by:
Street Release Date [Year-month/day (if available)] TITLE IN CAPS
Note: Titles from the following companies will likely be on the
shelves later than announced.
Viz - all dates are shipping dates
CPM Manga
Manga Entertainment
Studio Ironcat
Tokyo Pop
Format (VHS, LD, CD-ROM, Magazine, Etc.)
*Company Name*
Any other useful information. (Unless indicated prices are in U.S.
dollars)
Verification [If I have seen the item on store shelves]
And by:
TITLE followed by the release date for easy checking for items you
are anxious to have.
DVD language information:
DVD without further information means language unknown.
DVD - Bilingual - Japanese and English voice tracks including
subtitles
DVD - Subtitled = Only Japanese with English subtitles.
DVD - Dubbed = Only English only in English re-dub format,
Jpn - Japanese
Eng - English
Fre = French
Spa = Spanish
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"Hybrid CD-ROM" means CD-ROMs that run on both the Windows and Macintosh
operating systems.
New & significantly updated entries have their date followed with a note.
Any errors I am notified of will be noted & corrected in the next
release.
I include information for releases from the previous month's releases
due to the fact that it sometimes takes far too long for titles to reach
many localities due to distribution or production delays.
To be sure you have the complete text of this issue check the end of
this document for the words "End of file."
Permission is granted to re-post this list on any BBS or electronic
service as long as no extra fees are charged for downloading it.
Web page duplication of this newsletter is not permitted, instead please
link to:
http://www.koyagi.com/USAAnimeRelease.html
If you have a store you regularly use you may wish to give them a
printout of this for their reference, I will also directly email this
newsletter monthly to retailers upon request.
--
Gilles Poitras
Obsession: Anime
Profession: Librarian
cow...@koyagi.com
http://www.koyagi.com/