Upcoming Titles: Dear Boys TV (in production due for 2005 release)
Overman King Gainer (6 volumes)
Digi Charat Nyo
Please Twins
Dan Doh!!
Scrapped Princess
Galaxy Angel Z
Kenran Batou Sai
Mars Daybreak
Hiyou Senki

In possible response to ADV’s recent foray into the TV medium, Bandai has announced that they are currently working with Cartoon Network and Anime Village to launch a Video on Demand Channel based on the popular Adult Swim brand that will be available through various cable providers. The name will be Adult Swim on Demand.
The first episode of Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex will air on Cartoon Network on November 6th at 11 PM.
Bandai has always seemed like the type of company that you wouldn’t want to cross, and at AX they proved it by having 2 dealers removed from the exhibitors’ hall for selling bootleg products. Lawsuits have been filed. (see the press release below) I know none of you download anime, right?? Right??

Bandai Entertainment Cracks Down on DVD Piracy and Intellectual Copyright Infringement

Cypress, CA (July 7, 2004) —Bandai Entertainment announced today that it has served lawsuits against several retailers for engaging in the duplication, importation, distribution, and/or sale of unauthorized merchandise infringing upon copyrighted and trademarked properties at this year’s Anime Expo convention in Anaheim, California. Defendants in Bandai’s lawsuit include:

Otaku Entertainment, Inc., dba MANGA HOUSE
EJ International, Inc., dba ABCTOY4ME.COM and ANIMECIRCLE.COM
Anime Combo
MTWC Group, Inc., dba Kawaii Anime and Kawaii-Anime.com
John Lo, Inc., dba House of Anime and Houseofanime.com

“The increased proliferation of counterfeit merchandise and DVD piracy of Japanese animated properties has gone on for too long”, states Ken Iyadomi, Executive Vice President of Bandai Entertainment. “The time has come to take a stand against the flood of cheap knockoffs and blatant bootlegs. The vendors who sell pirated merchandise, CDs, and DVDs are causing huge economic losses for legitimate businesses and must be stopped.”

With the full cooperation of all those who participate in the creation and distribution of these products in Japan and elsewhere - Bandai Entertainment aims to aggressively protect its intellectual property rights and licenses through these actions and hopes that these lawsuits will send a clear message to other retailers and distributors that distributing counterfeit or bootleg DVDs and merchandise will not be tolerated.

Consumers and retailers are urged to contact Bandai Entertainment at support@bandai-ent.com to report other distributors suspected of selling counterfeit DVDs and merchandise.

Geneon (Pioneer)

Geneon announced an impressive list of titles at their panel and gifted fans who took the time to attend with panel with a Pioneer Animation 10th Anniversary limited edition Commemorative Coin. The coins, minted in a bronze metal, were beautifully stamped on one side with Tenchi Muyo’s Ryu Oki, and on the other with Mihoshi. Each coin was encased in plastic and sealed in an envelope. The entire set contains 3 other coins which will be available while supplies last in each of the four volumes of Tenchi Muyo. Definitely a tasteful “thank-you” goody for the fans from Geneon.
Before Geneon kicked off their announcements a small matter of the pronunciation of their new name needed to be cleared up. The 2 most popular pronunciations (Geh-Knee-On) and (Gee-knee-on) are indeed incorrect. According to the official Geneon representatives the correct way to pronounce the company name is (Jenny-On). Yes Jenny-On. Now you know. Now spread the message.

Announcements:
Ikki Tousen
Vol. One Legendary Fighter
August 10 04 release date
Directed By Takashi Watanabe (Slayers, Rave Master)
Volume one will also come in a Collectors Box version as well as the normal single disc version
$29.88 for the regular version
$44.98 for the Collectors Box version
Once again the blood flows in the streets of Kanto. Ancient warriors who have been reincarnated into the students of the seven top schools, are now fighting the eternal fate that has been handed down for over 1800 years. One such student, Hakufu Sonsaku, arrives on the scene and is rumored to be the legendary, undefeated warrior, Shou Haou. But can this blonde airhead with the overly endowed assets actually be the legendary Shou-Haou?

Dokkoidai?
Vol. 1 Ultra Diaper Man
August 24 release date
Directed by Hitoyuki Matsui (Inu Yasha)
Vol.1 will be released in the regular single disc format and in a limited edition format
$28.98 for the regular single disc format
$39.98 for the limited edition format
The Galaxy Federation Police (GFP) desperately wants to cover up its personnel shortage with new mechanized power-suits. Suzuo, 19, desperately needs a job. Tampopo needs an earthling to fit the prototype of her company’s suits and declares Suzuo the perfect candidate. Strong competitors and the wacky A-class criminals fight against our hero in diapers, but they must not recognize each other out of costume or the test results will be a failure – but it’s OK if they all live in the same apartment building to save money, right?

October 2004:
Lunar Legend Tsukihime
Animated by GC Staff
On DVD Oct. 26th.
$29.98
tsukihimedvd.com
The ability to see the threads that bind everything and to be able to destroy anything just by severing it is known as the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception. Shiki has the power – or would that be a curse? When Shiki is strangely attracted to a woman and unwillingly kills her, his life takes a strange turn in that he didn’t actually kill her… After all, it takes more than a simple cut to kill a vampire.

Requiem from the Darkness
requiemfromdarkness.com

Paranoia Agent
From Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, Roujin Z)
Madhouse Animation
$29.98 per volume
28 Episodes
1st. volume w/ art box
paranoiaagent.com

EX Driver Movie
60 minutes + 30 minutes short
By Kayosuke Fujishima
exdrivermovie.com

November 2004:
Burn Up Scramble
Follow up to Burn Up Excess (ADV)
12 episodes on 3 volumes
$24.98 per volume
burnupscramble.com

Cybuster
25 episodes on 6 volumes
$24.98 per volume
cybusterdvd.com

Onmyoji 2
Live action feature length movie
onmyojimovie.com

Submarine 707R
Feature length movie
submarine707R.com

December 2004:
Popotan
Madhouse and Studio Shaft
By Staff of Mahoromatic
12 episdes on 3 volumes
$24.98 per volume
popotandvd.com
Popotan is about 3 sisters living inside of a dimension hopping house.

The Daichis
13 episodes on 3 volumes
$24.98 per volume
Comes with home video bonus episodes
thedaichis.com
The Daichis are an Earth Defense dysfunctional alien fighting family!

January 2005:

Samurai Champloo
By Shinichior Watanabe and Mahiro Maeda
samuraichamploodvd.com
Samurai Champloo might just be the coolest thing since Cowboy Bebop.

Appleseed
A theatrical release is hopeful by the end of 2004.
Features 3-D animation with beautiful cel shading
Music by Boom Boom Satellites

La Verite
Daphne in the Brilliant Blue
Shin Getter Robo Sequel
13 episode OAV

Anthology
13 episodes
Based on the Viz Manga by Rumiko Takahashi

February 2005:

Saiyuki Reload
(Saiyuki Gunlock for a possible 2006 release)

Summer 2005:

Mermaid Forest
By Rumiko Takahashi
Completely new series

Tokyopop

If any one company has been at the forefront of the “Manga Revolution” in America, it’s Tokyopop. With manga finally coming into its own many other companies are running to catch up. When fans think manga, they think Tokyopop.
Tokyopop not only releases a mind-boggling list of manga titles each month, but it also has been the first company to really take a vested interest in its American fans as well as the future of the manga industry by giving American would-be manga creators their shot at the big-time. Who says you have to live in Asia to get your own manga made? Tokyopop has recognized that manga doesn’t have to only come from the land of the rising sun, and there is a huge pool of talent just waiting to be tapped here in America. The Rising Stars of Manga competition has already completed its second run and the talented winners of this unique contest have already been given their very own titles to be produced, edited, and distributed by Tokyopop.

Announcements:

North Side
South Side
CLAMP Art Books
Showcases CLAMP’s works from 1989 to 2000 in two volumes.
$19.95 per volume
North Side will feature artwork from manga such as Magic Knights Rayearth, Clover, Legend of Chun Hyang, and Sohryuden.
South Side features pieces from many series including Man of Many Faces, Duklyon: CLAMP School Defenders, Suki, Wish, Miyuki-Chan in Wonderland, The One I Love, Shirahime-Syo and Legal Drug
Both volumes will present “hot-to” tutorials showing aspiring artists how to draw their favorite CLAMP characters.

CLAMP No Kiseki: The Ultimate Collection
Available Spring 2005
Spans 12 installments over 2 years
Limited bimonthly anthology
Each volume will be 32 pages of CLAMP’s most celebrated artwork and will also include never-before-seen interviews and other exclusive material.
Also each volume will come with 3 collective chess pieces depicting CLAMP’S most famous characters appearing in that particlar volume. Once all 12 issues have been collected, fans will have a complete CLAMP chess set!
Only 10,000 copies of each installment will be available nationwide.

January 2005:

Peach Fuzz Vol. 1
Created by Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges winners of Tokyopop’s Rising Stars of Manga Competition.
Peach Fuzz tells the story of an unusual odd couple: Amanda, an enthusiastic but lonely young girl, and Peach, a prissy ferret with a royalty complex!

DearS Vol. 1
By Peach Pit
Beautiful Aliens knows as “DearS” are an everyday part of society. High School student Takeya comes to the rescueof Ren, a particularly gorgeous member of the DearS… and thus begins manga-ka Peach Pit’s boy-meets-alien-girl story in the tradition of Chobits and Mahoromatic.

Hyper Police Vol. 1
By Mee and Minoru Tachikawa
In the future, demons and monsters have replaced humans! Creator Mee, tells the story of Natsuki, a powerful but clumsy cat-girl who works as a bounty hunter. Her job is to track down wanted monsters and bring them back dead or alive!

Lagoon Engine Vol. 1
By Yukiru Sugisaki the best selling creator of DN Angel comes a supernatural yarn about Yen and Jin, town brothers who are successors to the family craft of defeating evil spirits. Battling ghost is a game of guessing your opponent’s “name”. Both yen and Jin have secret names only they know… and must keep private or risk death!

Master School Olympus vol. 1
Son-Hee-Joon delivers an action-packed manga with Master School Olympus. Sang is a fearlessly spunky young girl in search of the Deamon School Hades, where only monsters can attend. Intrigue and hijinks unfold as Sang finds a way to become a monster-and begins a fantastic adventure in a devilish domain!

Soul to Seoul Vol. 1
Ji-Eun Kim presents a hard hitting, passionate story about Kai, an American student who is half Korean and half Caucasian. Kai feels out of place because of his mixed heritage. When his arrogant and obnoxious cousin from Korea comes to study in America, Kai has to sort out his feelings about his family and himself.

Acquisitions for 2005:

Alichino
Blade of Heaven
Gundam Seed
Last Fantasy
Passion Fruit Hard Cover: Sweat and Honey
RG Veda
Sorcerer Hunters
Western Shotgun
Yureka

ADV Films

One of the largest forces of anime in America ADV had many title announcements as well as toy announcements, and a tasty tidbit on the Anime Network. Jump for joy, those of you who simply cant afford to keep up with so many series, the Anime Network, ADV’s “all anime all the time” channel, will be going from a video on demand format to a full 24/7 regular channel this summer. And although no details were discussed, plans are also in the works for access to the Anime Network for those of us who prefer satellite dish.
In regards to the Live Action Eva movie, ADV would not comment further than to say that they are in the process of selecting directors for this ambitious film.

Announcements:

Anime:
Maburaho
Hello Kitty Animation Theater
Saiyuki Requiem Movie
Yumeria
Legend of Moby Dick
Moeyo Ken
Gilgamesh
Gantz Partners
Tactics
Elfin Lied
Gravion Zwei
Tree of Palm
Phantom Memory
Mystical Sleuth
Area 88 TV Series
Peacemaker
Parasite Dolls
Chrono Crusade
Fist of the North Star (new series)
DN Angel
Wandaka Style
Lady Death (Halloween)

Manga:
Darkwater

Anime Network:
Marine Boy

Toys:
Jonathan Amazing Seal Plushie from Kaleidostar
Comes in 2 sizes

Menchi Plushie from Excel Saga
Comes in 5” and 10”