News Of Northern California interest:

http://www.sacramentocomics.com - for more info on the Collectors Shows in Northern California, such as the Sac Anime event scheduled for Saturday, February 12, 2005 (location?).

Kimi no Hanyo Anime Convention to be held at Sierra College Rocklin Campus on September 9 to 11, 2005. For more info, visit http://www.ryoplace.net/KimiHanyo/. It's in the early planning stage.

Bay Area Animation Society website: http://www.dotsumi.org, with lots of anime news.

Sacramento Taiko Dan News: Check their website (http://www.sactaiko.org) for their performance schedule. They'll perform at the International Taiko Festival, to be held at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus on Sat-Sun, Nov 20-21, 2004. For more info about that event, contact the San Francisco Taiko Dojo showroom at (415) 928-2456, or the website (yeay! The website is up again!) at http://www.taikodojo.org

My stuff for sale: Japanese CDs: ULTRAMAN ACE double CD set ($7); SFX GRAFFITI-ULTRAMAN - 4 CDs for $12; SHADOW SKILL original music soundtrack double CD set, very nice music for $7. Also for sale are Roman Album-type publications, manga, laser disks. Please email ("Attn Laurine") me for titles, lvbwhite@concourse.net

News of General Interest:

Conventions: Anime Los Angeles on 28-30 January '05, at the Airtel Plaza Hotel in Van Nuys. Pre-register for $30 (students $25), $40 at the door. Address: Anime Los Angeles, PO Box 5310, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293-5310, or http://www.anime-la.org. Guests are Carmen Curtis, Fred Patten, and Jerry Sprite Monkey Koudelik.

Katsucon Eleven on 18-20 February '05, at the Marriott Crystal Gateway & Sheraton Crystal City in Arlington, VA, $45 pre-reg thru 31Dec 31, $50 at the door. Address: Katsucon Pre-Registration, PO Box 7064, Silver Spring, MD 20907-7064, or http://www.katsucon.org. Guests include Johnny Yong Bosch, Lisa Ortiz, and Mike Sinterniklaas.

Dale Berry, artist/writer for Tales of the Moonlight Cutter wu xia comic, now has his own website, at http://daleberrysketchblog.blogspot.com, with some of his artwork and info on how to order copies of Moonlight Cutter. Issue #3 is in the works. Also, Dale will have a table at DragonFest, to be held Sunday, November 21, in Glendale, Calif. (Info at http://www.dragonfest.com)

Furry Artist business card I picked up at Boston Worldcon (I've known him since 1988) - you can find artwork for the prints he has for sale, at http://www.furnation/Rivercoon. Some of them aren't female furries in bikinis. Some are. Rivercoon does artwork on commission.

Anime Hasshin Fan Club current website is http://home.comcast.net/~hassin/ I ran into Lorraine at Boston Worldcon. It was great seeing her again. Her site has anime, book, manga, music reviews, interviews, translations, archived material from The Rose, the Anime Hasshin clubzine.

http://www.budplant.com - has a stock of COMIC ARTISTS: ASIA by Rika Sugiyama, a lavishly illustrated sequel to JAPANESE COMICKERS includes the work of 12 upcoming manga and manhwa artists, with over 250 beautiful pieces of art. Price $25 [code: COAR]

Looks like AVATAR: The Last Airbender will now begin airing on Nickelodeon next February (http://www.nick.com), not as originally scheduled for November 2004.

Supposedly Anime Network is now available on Comcast on Demand in Sacramento and in the Bay Area. I haven't checked this out, but you can find out more at the Anime Network website: http://www.theanimenetwork.com/vodschedule.asp?VODSub=comcast

Websites of possible interest: The Sengoku website ("chambara roleplaying in feudal Japan", from Gold Rush Games (http://www.goldrushgames.com). Here's a website with a list of good reference books on samurai: http://www.sengoku.com/bibl.html. And their website with a list of good samurai films: http://www.sengoku.com/viewlist.html. // Here's a new website, news sent to me by Jeff (thank you, Jeff) - Your Online Asian and Indie Horror Film Source, with store, news, contests, etc: http://www.kyonsi.com. We all know what a kyonsi is, neh? There's even a book out, SPOOKY ENCOUNTERS: A Gwailo's Guide to Hong Kong Horror by Daniel O'Brien.

American Costumer/Cosplayer Magazine #2 has been published, includes pictures from BayCon and the '02 Cherry Blossom Festival cosplay. For more info, email editor Joe Eibe, efecss@inreach.com. Price $10.50 (includes postage, make check payable to Joe Eibe, address, 6570 CO RD 49 1/2, Willows, CA 95988. Also, Joe takes photo submissions in the fields of sf & fantasy, anime, period history, and photomanipulations, on floppy disc, CD (at least 300 dots per inch), scannable picture, or link to a webserver blind spot. Expect Issue #3 in early 2005.

http://www.apple.com/jp/ - website with previews of current Japanese anime and live action.

News swiped from Locus Magazine (http://www.locusmag.com) - The latest of the big publishers (like Del Rey, DC) to jump on the manga bandwagon is Penguin Putnam, which now has a 3-year agreement with Digital Manga, which will acquire the manga titles and prepare translations. Penguin plans to publish 8-10 volumes in 2005, and 10-15 volumes the following year.

News from WorldCon - Look for a translation of Vampire Hunter D (written by Hideyuki Kikuchi, translated by Kevin Leahy) to be published in Spring 2005 by Dark Horse and Digital Manga.. The Miyazaki anime panel was held in a meeting room that was way too small for the crowd of Miyazaki fans. Video equipment wasn't provided for the Bad Anime panel when Neil Nadleman wanted to show some examples. Of course, the best news was that Japan in 2007 won the site vote for the 2007 World SF Convention. Info on how to join can be found at http://www.nippon2007.org/e_win.html.

http://www.anime-tourist.com News - Broccoli Books (http://www.broccolibooks.com) will publish the first volume of Under the Full Moon manga at the end of October (limited release to select bookstore chains). The manga is by artist Sanami Matoh (FAKE). Under the Full Moon is a 2-volume vampire fantasy romance.

News from Jeff (thank you): From http://film.guardian.co.uk - John Woo has plans to make another film set in China, based on the War of the Red Cliff part of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, set during the fall of the Han dynasty. Chow Yun Fat has been offered the lead role. The budget is expected to be about $36 million, with production to start in 2006.

RightStuf News (http://rightstuf.com) - ADV apparel available from RightStuf in November includes Cosplay caps from Excel Saga: Menchi & Puchu. // News from Otakon - Geneon has the rights to Jubei-Chan 2 (among other titles). Geneon releases for Dec-Jan include Last Exile DVD 7 and R.O.D. the TV DVD 4. 12 Kingdoms DVD #8 is being released in October and #9 in December. Geneon CD releases for January include Angela: Sora no Koe, Rahxephon ST and Samurai Champloo: Best ST. // New cable channel ImaginAsian TV is adding anime to its programming, including Patlabor TV, Space Pirate Mito, Votoms, and 12 Kingdoms. Website http://www.iatv.tv // CPM now has a website for its new OAV release, MUNTO: http://www.centralparkmedia.com/munto/ And don't forget the Anime Network. If it's not on your cable system, RightStuf has provided the URL for the Anime Network Request Form: http://www.theanimenetwork.com/demandit.html // CPM is releasing the Slayers Premium Graphic Novel in early 2005. // Tofu Records has released Japan For Sale 4 CD with music from some of Japan's hottest rock, pop and hip hop artists. // Fullmetal Alchemist DVD Vol.1 will be released in Jan 2005.

http://www.animenewsservice.com News - Del Rey Manga has bought the rights to publish shoujo manga, Othello by Satomi Ikezawa and The Wallflower by Tomoko Hayawasa. // The International Channel (http://www.i-channel.com) has plans to expand into Asian pop culture content on the air. // Koch Vision (http://www.kochvision.com) has plans to release the Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers tv series on DVD. Volumes 1-2 are scheduled for release in October, at $15 each. (See the previous issue of this newsletter, August Previews.) The 65-episode space western series, animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha, played on tv in the U.S. in 1986. It never ran in Sacramento. (Thanks again, Gloria, for sending the episodes, and the episode guide!) // Blackbelt TV (http://www.blackbelt.com) has signed a deal with Comcast to expand its viewer base.

http://www.monkeypeaches.com News - Wong Kar-Wai may be making a film, titled THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI, set in 1930's Shanghai, with female lead played by Nicole Kidman and possibly Takeshi Kitano as the villain. // Stephen Chow plans to make a sequel to Kung Fu Hustle, maybe in early 2005, with a bigger budget than Kung Fu Hustle. // Red Cliff update - John Woo and Terence Chang have gone to China to meet the president of Asian Union Film & Media, the company to co-produce the historical Chinese film based on The War of the Red Cliff from ROMANCE OF THREE KINGDOMS (set during the fall of the Han Dynasty nearly 2000 years ago). John Woo will finish ALL THE INVISIBLE CHILDREN and SPY HUNTER before starting work on the Chinese movie. The budget has grown to $50 million, and shooting won't begin for at least another year. // The Pang Brothers, who've made The Eye series of supernatural movies, will make their first Hollywood film, SCARECROW, partnering with Sam Raimi. Plot for SCARECROW was written by Stuart Beattie. // Following the successful general release of the Zhang Yimou movie, HERO, Zhang Yimou's more recent sword film, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, is getting a December release by Sony Pictures (Dec 3 in L.A. and NY). Official website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/houseofflyingdaggers - includes lots of stills and the official press release. The movie stars Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi (eye candy - beautiful sets and hunky guys!) // The Hong Kong movie INITIAL D has started shooting in Japan. It has a budget of 12 million dollars.

http://animenewsnetwork.com News - Anime News Network and Protoculture (PA) Addicts are teaming up to put out Anime News Network's Protoculture Addicts zine. First of the new issues will be out in January, 72 pages, $4.95, still bi-monthly. Protoculture Addicts zine has been published for the past 17 years, and, unlike another I could mention, is independent. It is North America's oldest still-existing anime zine. PA's editor is looking forward to having a larger staff and getting involved with other publication projects. // Cartoon Network News - CN will start airing The Super Milk-chan Show on November 7 at 12:30 AM. It will run the (Tezuka) Metropolis movie at midnight January 1st. Full Metal Alchemist starts airing November 6 at midnight. CN has also acquired the Cowboy Bebop movie (to run in about a year) and two InuYasha movies, which it will run in the spring and summer of 2005. // Studio Ironcat (http://www.ironcat.com) has cancelled or delayed quite a few titles that were announced in the Diamond Previews for September (except that I can't find any Ironcat titles in that issue). // Japanese animation studio Madhouse will do the animation for a Highlander animated feature, HIGHLANDER: VENGEANCE, which should be out in 2006. (source http://www.awn.com) // Infinity Studios (http://www.infinitystudioz.com) now has the rights to the following manhwa titles: The Missing White Dragon and Bambi (by Park Young Ha), Witch Class (by Lee Ru) and Animal Paradise (by Yu Sue Mi). // ADV has acquired the rights to the series Madlax. Funimation has the license for the series, Samurai 7. // Sony and Comcast are talking about bringing three new cable channels to North America, possibly including Animax ("Anime for Everyone"). // Disney might be releasing TOTORO, NAUSICAA, and PORCO ROSSO on DVD next February. // It is reported that the anime series Zatch Bell (52 episodes) will begin airing on Cartoon Network next spring.

What follows is just a small selection of the Diamond anime-related offerings. Diamond PREVIEWS (http://www.diamondcomics.com) September 2004 for November '04 delivery (except as noted). Comics - Dark Horse - HELLSINGS Vol.5 by Kohta Hirano (Dec), $13.95, 208 pg, b&w; SAMURAI EXECUTIONER Vol.3 by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima (Dec), 312 pg, b&w, $9.95. DC - MUSASHI NUMBER NINE Vol.1 by Takahashi Miyuki, art by Takahashi, 208 pg, b&w, $9.95; SWAN Vol.1 by Ariyoshi Kyoko,200 pg, b&w, $9.95. ADV - APOCALYPSE MEOW Vol.3 (of 3) by Motofumi Kobayashi, 136 pg, b&w, $10; PRINCESS TU TU Vol.1 (of 2) by Mizuo Shinonome, 176 pg, b&w, $10; ENMUSU Vol.1 (of 6) by Takahiro Seguchi, 208 pg, b&w, $10; RAY Vol.1 (of 3) by Akihito Yoshitomi, 208 pg, b&w, $10 (mature themes); GAMERZ HEAVEN Vol.1 (of 2) by Maki Murakami, 184 pg, b&w, $10 (mature themes). Anime Works - APOCALYPSE ZERO Vol.1 by Takayuki Yamaguchi, 216 pg, b&w, $10 (mature themes); BARON GONG BATTLE Vol.1 by Masayuki Taguchi, 200 pg, b&w, $10 (mature themes). Antarctic - HEAVEN SENT #6 by Ben Dunn, b&w, 32 pg, $2.99; YOU CAN DRAW MANGA #10, b&w, 32 pg, $4.95. Broccoli - AQUARIAN AGE JUVENILE ORION by Sakurako Gokurakuin, b&w, $10. ComicsOne - COSPLAY KOROMO CHAN by Mook, 160 pg, b&w, $9.95; IMPERFECT HERO Vol.1 by Gureko Nankin, 200 pg, b&w, $9.95; INDIAN SUMMER Vol.1 by Takehito Mizuki, 200 pg, b&w, $9.95. CPM manhwa - MYTHOLOGY OF THE HEAVENS Vol.1: God of War by Hyun Se Lee, 328 pg, b&w, $10 (mature themes). Del Rey - GUNDAM SEED Vol.3, b&w, $10.95. Digital Manga - DESIRE by Maki Kazumi & Yukine Honami, 184 pg, b&w, $12.95 (mature themes). Eigomanga - MONKEY TALE: Hello Again Vol.1 by Myoung, 120 pg, b&w, $10 (with Monkey Tale #1-3). Radio Comix (furry titles) - FURRLOUGH #143, 32 pg, b&w, $3.50. Shanda (furry titles) - GIANT SHANDA ANIMAL #9, 40 pg, b&w, $4.99 (mature themes). TokyoPop - KINDAICHI CASE FILES Pt.1 by Kanari Yozaburo, art by Sato Fumiya, 192 pg, $10; LOVE OR MONEY Vol.1 by Sang-Eun Lee, 192 pg, $10; MOURYOU KIDEN: Legend of the Nymphs Vol.1 by Tamayo Akiyama, 192 pg, $10; NECK AND NECK Vol.1 by Sun Hee Lee, 192 pg, $10; PRESIDENT DAD Vol.1 by Hu-Yeon Rhim, 192 pg, $10; RISING STARS OF MANGA Vol.4, 192 pg, $10. Viz - MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Vol.1 by Masashi Kishimoto, 152 pg, b&w, $10. Zines - WIZARD ANIME INSIDER #18 with Clamp-o-rama, chronology of Tenchi, Fullmetal Alchemist handbook, $4.99. ANIMEPLAY Winter 2005with bonus DVD, $10. SUPER 7 Magazine #7, 50th anniversary of Godzilla, 64 pg, color, $5.95. Books - CRUISING THE ANIME CITY: An Otaku Guide to Neo Tokyo by Patrick Macias & Tomohiro Machiyama, 144 pg, color, $17. FUSHIGI YUGI Ultimate Fan Guide Vol.4, $25 (BESM). JAPANESE THE MANGA WAY by Wayne P. Lammers, using manga to teach the Japanese language, 304 pg, b&w, $25. ANIMATION ON DVD: The Ultimate Guide by Andy Mangels, 512 pg, b&w, $19. KUNG FU FOR GIRLS by Simon Harrison, 112 pg, $9.95, teaching self-defense and self esteem.

Anime Calendar 2005 Imports - GHOST IN THE SHELL: Innocence; HIKARU NO GO; INU YASHA; DETECTIVE CONAN CASE CLOSED; CARDCAPTOR SAKURA; FIST OF THE NORTH STAR, prices from $28 to $34. Plush - Godzilla 50th anniversary plush, 12" high, $30. Wall Scrolls - Chobits, Initial D, Excel Saga: Hyatt, Inu Yasha, Noir: Mirika & Mireille, $18 each. DVDs - Synch Point - AQUARIAN AGE THE MOVIE, $30. Bandai - ARGENTOSOMA Complete Box Set, $100; BIG O II COMPLETE BOX SET, $50. AnimeWorks - BERSERK box set, $90. ADV - DNANGEL Vol.1, 100 min, $30; CYBERTEAM IN AKIHABARA Vol.1, 125 min, $30; NEW FIST OF THE NORTH STAR Vol.2, 55 min, $30. Funimation - FRUITS BASKET uncut box set, $100; SPIRAL Vol.1, $30. RightStuf - GRAVITATION Vol.4. 75 min, $30; GRAVITATION box set, $100. USManga Corps - MUNTO, 50 min, $20. AnimeWorks - SAMURAI DEEPER KYO box set, $150; SHURA NO TOKI Vol.1, 125 min, $30. Geneon - STELVIA Vol.2, 75 min, $25; SUBMARINE 707R, 100 min, $20. Live Action - ADV - 2009 LOST MEMORIES, 175 min, $20; GUNHED, 90 min, $20. Soundtrack CDs - Geneon - LOVE HINA AGAIN; GUNGRAVE 2; R.O.D. THE TV; SMILE L'ARC-EN-CIEL ($14); SISTER PRINCESS; mostly $15 each. Tofu Records - Japan For Sale Vol.4, $14 (Oct).

Diamond PREVIEWS October 2004 for December (except as noted). Comics - Dark Horse - SAMURAI: Heaven and Earth #1 (of 5) by Ron Marz, Luke Ross and Jason Keith, color, 32 pg, $2.99, journey from Japan to Paris in 1704; BERSERK Vol.6 by Kentaro Miura, 224 pg, b&w, $14 (January); GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: Man-Machine Interface, 312 pg, color, $25 (January). DC's new CMX Manga Line - http://www.dccomics.com/cmx - Sorry, can't find anything listed for December, not even on the website. DC - SHIMURA by Robbie Morrison, 224 pg, $20, set in 2117 A.D. Hondo City, from Judge Dredd's world. ADV - PEACEMAKER KUROGANE Vol.2 (of 3) by Nanse Chrono, 184 pg, $10; DREAM GOLD Vol.1 by Tatsurou Nakanishi, 184 pg, $10; TAIMASHIN MASHIN TAIDOHEN Vol.1 (of 4) by Saito & Kikuchi, 192 pg, $10; MORE STARLIGHT TO YOUR HEART Vol.1 (of 3) by Hiro Matsuba, 184 pg, $10; THE FIRST KING ADVENTURE Vol.1 (of 3) by Moyamu Fujino, 184 pg, $10. Antarctic - DRAGON ARMS Pocket Manga Vol.1 by David Hutchison, b&w, $10; HOW TO DRAW MANGA SUPERSIZED Vol.5, 192 pg, b&w, $20.

Comicsone - 888 Vol.1 by Noriko Kuwata, 200 pg, b&w, $10; CATEGORY FREAKS Vol.1 by Sakurako Gakurakuin, 200 pg, b&w, $10; JUNK FORCE Vol.1 by Hideki Kakinuma, 200 pg, b&w, $8; TORI KORO Vol.1 by Hideki Kakinuma, 200 pg, b&w, $10. CPM - PRINCESS PRINCE Vol.1 by Tomoko Taniguchi, 336 pg, b&w, $16; JUST A GIRL Vol.1 (of 2) by Tomoko Taniguchi, 184 pg, b&w, $10; SLAYERS: The Claire Bible by Kanzaka & Yoshinaka, 184 pg, b&w, $10. Devils Due - BLADE OF KUMORI #2 by Ron Marz, color, 32 pg, $2.95, monthly, warrior's assignment to kill an American vigilante; Capcom's DARKSTALKERS #2 by Ken Siu-Chong, color, 32 pg, $2.95. EigoManga - SAKURA PAK Vol.2, 160 pg, b&w, $10, new anthology graphic novel series of original manga stories geared towards young women. Ironcat - DI GI CHARAT Vol.1 by Koge-Donbo ($11); HANAUKYO MAID TEAM Vols.1-3 ($13 each); HYPER DOLLS Vols.1-3 ($16 each), I wonder how many of these titles will be cancelled? Radio (furry titles) - FURRLOUGH #144, 32 pg, b&w, $3.50; SPACE RACE #3 by Favio Montoya, 32 pg, b&w, $2.99. Shanda (furry) - KATMANDU #32, 40 pg, b&w, $4.99. Silent Devil (furry) - SILENT FOREST Television Parody Special, 48 pg, b&w, $4.95. TokyoPop - DEARS Vol.1 by Peach-Pit, 192 pg, $10; HYPER POLICE Vol.1 by Mee, 192 pg, $10; LAGOON ENGINE Vol.1 by Yukiru Sugisaki, 192 pg, $10; PhD PHANTASY DEGREE Vol.1 by Son Hee-Joon, 192 pg, $10; TOKYO TRIBES Vols.1-2 by Santa Inoue; CLAMP art books - CLAMP NORTH SIDE and CLAMP SOUTH SIDE, full color art, $30 each.

end of November 2004 Newsletter