Animejin 5
Issue 5, July 1994
All articles contained in this document are copyright their respective authors. Permission is granted to reproduce any articles herein for non- profit purposes only, provided that the articles remain intact, the authors are correctly credited, and TWO copies of the relevent publication are received by Animejin.
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- Jonathan Weeks (editor)
CONTENTS
- News
- The Rainy Season: July news from Tokyo by Peter Evans
- A Statement: by Andy Frain
- Reviews
- An Englishman in New York: by Jim McLennan
- The Joy of Laserdisc: by Jonathan Weeks
- Gunbuster: review by Richard Steele
[1] - NEWS -
Manga Video
The latest theatrical releases from Manga is Roujin Z, which is touring the country as I speak. The long awaited Appleseed, will premiäre in the Phantasm '94 season at the National Film Theatre and then tour the country in November. On the video front:
- June Guyver 3, Monster City, Gunhed
- July Guyver 4, Devilman 1, Maris the Wondergirl
- August Guyver 5, Tokyo Babylon 1
- Sept Guyver 6, Tokyo Babylon 2, Roujin Z
- Oct Guyver 7, Devilman 2, Cyber City Oedo 0080 1
All subject to change of course. Future plans include the release of Crying Freeman 5 and 6, Genocyber and AD Police. No sign of Ranma ´ yet, I'm afraid.
Kiseki Films
Only the next two months releases have been officially confirmed:
June 20th:
- Black Magic M-66 (dub)
- Clash of the Bionoids (dub)
July 25th: Return of the Overfiend 3 (dub)
- Ambassador Magma 6,7 (dub)
- Gunbuster 5,6 (sub)
Kiseki hope to be able to release a subtitled version of Clash of the Bionoids later in the year under it's original title Macross: Do You Remember Love. Also, the original Robotech TV series will be released by Kiseki, completing their monopoly of all things Macross. Other titles from Kiseki in the pipeline are Adventure Kid and Plastic Little.
AUK Video
Anime UK are branching out with the creation of their own video label. Their first release is to be an English version of KO Century Beast Warriors, a light- hearted action/comedy OAV series. The release has been delayed slightly until 4th July.
Anime Projects
No new titles to report this time from AP, but the release dates of their forthcoming releases have been confirmed. The three episodes of Genesis Survivor Gaiarth will be available monthly from June exclusively through Virgin Megastores for #12.99 each. Bubblegum Crisis is to be re-issued for #12.99 an episode - 1-4 in August, 5-8 in September - with a new cover design. The English dubbed version of BGC will be released one a month starting in December.
On the merchandising front, AP will are releasing a series of BGC miniature figures. 4 packs of the 25mm designs will be available, featuring the Knight Sabres, Leon, Daily, the AD Police and assorted boomers. Also, three badges featuring Priss, Riding Bean and Misty May are being produced
Western Connection
An interesting clutch of titles has been acquired by WC recently for future UK release:
Salamander. Based on the arcade game, with character designs by Harihito Mikamoto. 3 episodes (60/50/60 mins)
Hummingbirds, aka Idol Defense Force Hummingbirds. Basically, this is an anime take on Thunderbirds, only with cute Japanese girls as the pilots. 2 episodes (50/30 mins)
Yoko, The Devil Hunter, aka Mamano Hunter Yoko. Already available in the US from AD Vision. 3 episodes (45/30/30 mins)
Lupin 3:The Fuma Conspiracy, Lupin 3:The Gold of Babylon. Two movies based on the famous Monkey Punch manga. (100/73 mins)
Dancougar. Big robots (yawn). (80 mins)
Grey. A grim anti-war tale set in a post- apocalyptic future. Based on the manga.
Ladius. Every list of titles that gets announced contains one I've never heard of, and here's the one in this list. (48 mins)
Ushio & Tora. The adventures of a boy and his `tiger'. 10 episodes plus comedy special (30 mins each)
Slow Step. A high school sports/romance drama series. 5 episodes (45 mins each)
Space Firebird, aka Phoenix 2772. The classic movie adapted by Osuma Tezuka from his own manga.
Lodoss on the horizon
The classic fantasy OAV series Record of Lodoss War is currently being sold for release in the UK. Don't hold your breath though, because it's still only in the planning stages at the moment. A number of companies are bidding for the release rights, including Manga Video, Western Connection and Crusader Video.
New Companies
Rumour has it that two major companies - Polygram and Virgin, are both looking to enter the anime market. The rumour regarding Polygram claims some kind of deal with Manga Entertainment, but no specifics as to its nature.
Meanwhile, Pioneer's releases are still in the planning stages. The distributor has been decided upon, but the contract isn't signed yet so no details are available yet. Their first release is most likely to be Tenchi Muyo and is not expected to be available until September.
Animeigo
Animeigo has announced their acquisition of US rights to two of the Lupin III movies: Rupan III: The Fuma Conspiracy and Rupan III: The Gold of Babylon. The change of spelling is due to the fact that the Lupin character is based on a real historical figure, the estate of whom will not allow the original name to be used in English. "AnimEigo is very pleased and proud to be able to bring these two fine animated adventures, suitable for all ages, to American audiences." says Robert J. Woodhead, Animeigo CEO. "In addition to our usual dubbed and subtitled video and laserdisc releases, a theatrical release of these films is planned."
Orders for the Urusei Yatsura TV series boxed set have failed to reach the minimum required for the release. Animeigo are therefore extending the offer by moving the closing date for orders to September 1st and fixing the price at $300 for all orders.
The latest titles Animeigo is rumoured to be releasing in the future are Bastard! and Spirit of Wonder.
Other US News
LA Hero have confirmed their intention to release Wings of Honneamise later this year in the US. It will be available on a English dubbed VHS tape, and a bilingual laserdisc. WoH is consistently rated by fans as one of the greatest anime films of all time, and its release is eagerly anticipated.
The video release of Totoro has been set for July 19th, with Fox video giving it the level of publicity normally reserved for Disney movies. VHS copies will be $19.95, laserdisc $29.95, both with a free cuddly totoro.
After the success in the US of the Guy series, AD Vision is starting a new label called 'Soft Cel', given over entirely to the less morally stringent type of material (i.e. porn). The first two releases on the new label will be Magical Twilight and Dragon Pink.
Project A-Ko fans are to be well catered for over the summer. As well as the US Manga Corps release of the series on video, there is the soundtrack CD, a poster, a four-volume manga-style comic from Malibu Publishing, Project A-Ko: The Role-Playing Game from Dream Pod 9, and a Project A-Ko CD-ROM computer game for Windows and Macintosh systems from Media Vision.
A live-action Macross movie is to be released later this year. Production is by LA Hero and the team responsible for the live-action Guyver movies. There will also be a new OAV series Macross Plus in the summer, and a new TV series Macross 7 in October.
A new company, The Right Stuf International will be releasing an English subtitled version of the science fiction movie Toward the Terra (112 mins for $29.99), and the short experimental film Legend of the Forest (30 mins for $12.95).
Digital Diversions is "an interactive media production company" formed by Harmony Gold, best known for producing the Robotech TV series. Their first project is a release of the new Casshan OAV series, in both subtitled and English dubbed editions.
[2] The Rainy Season
by Peter Evans
Unfortunately, Peter Evans' article arrived by fax, so a text version does not exist. Please refer to a printed copy for this article.
[3] MANGA ENTERTAINMENT TRADEMARK - A STATEMENT
A letter entitled: "A MESSAGE TO ALL JAPANESE MANGA AND ANIME FANS AND COMPANIES" date May 15, 1994 and written by ANIME UK editor Helen McCarthy has been brought to may attention by several concerned Japanese artists, producers, distributors and publishers. For those of you who have not read the letter, it makes a number of serious allegations about Manga Entertainment Ltd., its company trademark applications and its general business practices. Theses allegations, together with my responses are set out below but firstly I would like to point out, that at no time has Ms McCarthy or any of her staff contacted me or our legal representatives for comment or clarification regarding her allegations.
1.) ALLEGATION: Ms. McCarthy states that Manga Entertainment Ltd. made an application on the June 10, 1993 to register the word MANGA and the company logo.
REPLY: In fact this is incorrect. The actual registration is for the company's unique logo, which contains the word MANGA.
2.) ALLEGATION: Ms. McCarthy makes reference to the Dark Horse (UK) magazine MANGA MANIA, inferring that Manga Entertainment Ltd's trademark application was prompted by the publication of that magazine.
REPLY: Not only was Manga Entertainment's trademark application made prior to the launch of "Manga Mania" but Manga Entertainment Ltd (formerly Island World Communications Ltd) has been using the name "Manga" and the logo since the beginning of 1992. Furthermore, the fact that Manga Entertainment has been one of "Manga Mania" magazine's biggest and most consistent advertisers would suggest that we have been supportive of the magazine not, as I can only assume Ms. McCarthy implies, that Manga Entertainment perceived the publication of "Manga Mania" as some kind of threat.
3.) ALLEGATION: Ms. McCarthy states, "they (Manga Entertainment) have applied to use the word "manga" as their exclusive trademark on a huge range of items and goods. This includes all published materials - books, comics, magazines etc; clothing such as t-shirts and caps; toys and games; videotapes and many other items."
REPLY: Firstly, the application is not for the WORD "manga", it is for the company logo which contains the name "Manga" and secondly, registrations have only been made in the USA, Canada, Europe (including the UK) and Australia/New Zealand - clearly an application in Japan would be ridiculous. Trademark registration and protection is a very complex legal process and it varies from country to country (even within the EEC). I am therefore enclosing a report from Denton Hall Burgin & Warrens (Manga Entertainment Ltd's legal counsel for trademark applications). This sets out the legal position concerning Manga Entertainment Ltd's trademark applications.
DENTON HALL REPORT:
Manga Entertainment Ltd - Trade Mark Protection
In parallel with the European launch of its videos, Manga Entertainment Ltd filed a series of trade mark applications in Europe, Australia and North America in order to protect their rights in the logo which they had developed to identity their brand. The logo consists if the name MANGA or MANGA VIDEO in Roman script incorporated in a special designed rising sun device with Japanese characters also reading "MANGA". No filing was made in Japan because the term "Manga" already has a special meaning there.
The purpose of obtaining registered trade mark protection is to ensure that the owner has exclusive rights in relevant markets for the brand or label appearing on its products. It is not to obtain a monopoly over the products themselves.
The reaction of different trademark registries to the application has varied enormously not least because the word has a range of different meanings in different languages but also because others have already applied to file marks containing the word MANGA or similar words in respect of the same or associated classes of goods and services.
Trade Mark Agents acting for Manga Entertainment Ltd are confident that they will be able to secure registrations to protect their brand but in many countries the protection will not prevent use of the word MANGA outside the context of the Manga Entertainment logo. The precise scope of protection will depend on the policy and practice of the trade mark office in question.
Manga Entertainment Ltd. has been advised that, regardless of the outcome of its registered trade mark application, the reputation already established by virtue of their promotional activities and the success of the brand will give the company common Law rights which will entitle them to bring action against anyone adopting the brand or one which is confusingly similar in the same or a similar business in the UK and elsewhere
Denton Hall
May 23, 1994
END REPORT DENTON HALL
4.) ALLEGATION: Ms. McCarthy states: "This means that if any company in the UK or Europe wishes to use the word "manga" to market their products, they would have to get permission from Manga Entertainment Ltd. to do so.
REPLY: It is my understanding (from Ms. McCarthy and others) that the word "manga" means comics in Japanese and its general meaning outside Japan is "Japanese comics". In fact, when we launched "MANGA VIDEO" an article was written in ANIME UK magazine in which it was written: "the confusingly named Manga Video". If it is confusing to associate the word "manga" with videos (or presumably any goods other than Japanese comics) why should any other company want to market their goods (other than Japanese comics) using the word "manga"?
I believe that we have demonstrated, through our support for "Manga Mania" magazine and through our association with the Italian publisher of "Mangazine", that we have no desire or intention to prevent or restrict the business of commercial usage of the word "manga" in its "true" context (ie: with Japanese comics, books, magazines or the like). However, Manga Entertainment Ltd. has spent millions of pounds over the last two and a half years marketing Japanese animation in the UK, Europe and Australia under the name "Manga". Therefore, in its association primarily with audio-visual material and ancillary spin-offs, Manga Entertainment will vigorously defend its unique logo, name and reputation within its territory, whether a trade mark application has been upheld or not. For example, even if the UK trademark office decides not to grant our application for the class relating to video goods etc., we would not stand by and watch another company begin trading under the name "New Manga Video" (for example).
It may also be worth pointing out at this point, that in Spanish the word "manga" means "sleeve" (as in shirt or jacket sleeve). I also believe that it has a slang usage in Greek language, meaning "tough guy" or "strong guy". It may also be worth noting that "manga" has been a registered trademark in France for several years, covering a range of goods including video/electronic and publishing goods and the principle owner of that mark is a company primarily involved in the manufacture of radiators.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, of course it is ridiculous to assume that any individual or company can trademark a name or word to the extent that Ms. McCarthy implies. Even owners of the most well known and protected trademarks in the world (eg: Coca Cola, Disney etc) cannot prevent someone writing or saying their names (in fact I've just done it here).
5.) ALLEGATION: Ms. McCarthy stated: "Manga Entertainment Ltd seems to be trying to achieve monopoly control over European manga and anime markets, as their recent acquisition of the magazine "Manga Mania" and their many attempts to negotiate European licence deals demonstrates". She also adds the following comment later: "To allow one company to dominate the market does not simply reduce choice and variety for fans, but also restricts the ability of Japanese companies to negotiate the best price and release terms for their product".
REPLY: Firstly, Manga Entertainment Ltd has not acquired "Manga Mania" as Ms. McCarthy states, it has however reached an agreement with Dark Horse Comics (US) to purchase the UK based subsidiary Dark Horse Comics (UK) International and such acquisitions includes the magazine "Manga Mania" as well as several other magazines. How does Ms. McCarthy see our acquisition as an attempt to monopolize or threaten the industry? We are not only keeping several people in employment but also attempting to breathe new life into what is undoubtedly one of the worst comic book markets in the world. Secondly, almost all of our "many attempts" (as she states) to acquire European audio-visual rights have been successful. Personally, I would put this down to the fact that the many Japanese companies with which we deal, acknowledge our extensive Europeans distribution network and are able to evaluate the best deal for their company on a case by case basis. For Ms. McCarthy to suggest that Manga Entertainment's position as market leader is detrimental to Japanese companies is totally without meaning or substance. We have worked hard to establish European recognition and success for Japanese animation and it is largely down to the efforts and marketing skills of Manga Entertainment that there are suddenly dozens of other companies "waiting to join the boom".
Anyone with even the vaguest idea of the Japanese business would recognize what a ridiculous allegation it is to suggest that Manga Entertainment is "trying to achieve a monopoly" distributing Japanese animation in Europe. The vast number and variety of different animation films, ova's and TV series produced in Japan each year would mean we would have to spend hundreds of million (if not billions) of dollars "tying up" product, the vast maj which we would be unable to release of commercially exploit. Alternatively, we would have to acquire every Japanese company involved with or associated with animation!!!
6.) ALLEGATION: Ms. McCarthy states that: "Manga Entertainment Ltd. have been instrumental in creating the view that "manga movies are all violent and sexually exploitative".
REPLY: In my opinion, this is probably the most serious and spurious allegation made against Manga Entertainment and the films it has released. whilst it is certainly true Manga Entertainment has concentrated on the acquisition, release and marketing of action (often sci-fi) orientated films, it is absolutely not true that we have created the view "that manga movies are all violent and sexually exploitative." We have deliberately targeted a specific market (primarily males aged between 17 and 28) just as most book, magazine or comic imprints would attempt to do and I make no apology or excuse for that. But, the suggestion that all of the films released or acquired by us are violent or sexually exploitative or are portrayed by us as such, is grossly demeaning to the works of artist such as Katsuhiro Otomo, Masamune Shirow, Buichi Terasawa and Monkey Punch, to name but a few and I would call upon the entire anime and manga industry for Ms. McCarthy to make a public apology for such a grossly offensive comment.
Finally, I would like to thank those companies and individuals in Japan who have brought this matter to my attention and for the support you have shown to Manga Entertainment Ltd. To those many other individuals and companies who have a vested interest in anime and manga and may not know Manga Entertainment Ltd directly, I would like to ask you to evaluate Ms. McCarthy's allegations very carefully. Ms. McCarthy claims to be an ardent manga & anime fan and to be committed to the continued growth and success of manga and anime in Europe. However, Ms. McCarthy also has her own business interests to consider and I would suggest that the motivation behind her letter of objections and allegations against Manga Entertainment Ltd. and her clear attempt to damage the company's reputation and standing within the Japanese animation and manga publishing community is perhaps more than just the motivation of a committed fan.
Manga Entertainment Ltd. is a company run by professionals who love what they do, love the product and are committed to the success of the company and its products. Manga Entertainment Ltd. is wholly owned division of the Island International Group, a multimillion dollar company which has maintained an excellent reputation within the entertainment industry for more than thirty years. The company's relationship with both the business and creative communities is almost without equal and it is on this footing that Manga Entertainment Ltd. conducts its business.
As I feel sure the many Japanese publishers, distributors and producers who know us would testify, Manga Entertainment is genuinely committed to the growth and success of Japanese animation and Japanese comics in Europe and beyond. The company has not only spent millions of dollars on the acquisition and marketing of anime in Europe but is now embarking on several co-production ventures for new animated feature films, as it is our firm belief that through the additional investment of international co-production and effective worldwide distribution, the Japanese animation and comics industries can truly become a major force in worldwide entertainment.
I apologise for writing so many words but I feel compelled not only to defend the company's position regarding our trademark application but also to dispel the spurious allegations with which we have been accused.
I thank all of you who find time to read this letter and I hereby grant permission to any individual, company or publication to reprint any or all of its contents as they may see fit.
Yours sincerely,
ANDY FRAIN
MANAGING DIRECTOR
MANGA ENTERTAINMENT LTD.
[4] REVIEWS
Monster City
Manga Entertainment, 78 mins, #12.99
Despite being a relatively prolific author and one of two most famous novelists in Japan's horror/action genre, Hideyuki Kikuchi is somewhat of an unknown to many UK anime fans, even though many of his works - Vampire Hunter `D', Kaze no Na wa Amnesia (aka The Wind of Amnesia), Youjuu Toshi (aka Wicked City) - have been unleashed here in animated form by our infamous `friends' at Manga Video.
Based on the first book in his Makai-Toshi Shinjuku (Hell City Shinjuku) series of novels, Monster City delivers stylistic and moody artwork, exquisite animation and a quality sound score (which should of, and could of, been far more emotive) enwraped in a solid eighty minutes of storytelling about reluctant hero Kyoya Izayoi (voiced by Brad Lavelle) and his task to stop Rebi Ra in his attempts to bring about the Day of Resurrection, when Demon's will have free reign over the world and civilisation.
Far from clichÇ, Monster City has many strange and interesting characters, each of which have been nicely emphasized by Yoshiaki Kawajiri's powerful character designs and Manga Entertainment's usage of distinct American and European dialects and accents; the awkwardly Germanic Mephisto (Gareth Armstrong), mild Hillbilly ramen vendor, Hispanic Chibi (Alan Sherman), and a stereo-typical Oxford English Sayaka (Theresa Gallagher) being a few of the ones that really stood out.
Yes, as much as it pains me to say so, Monster City is one of the few (others being Battle Angel Alita and The Wind of Amnesia) recent title from Manga Entertainment that demonstrates a definite improvement on their attitude to dubbing; no longer are we subjected to inadequate voice actors who were probably chosen for their cheap rates. Granted, the dub could still of been a little better (George Little being miscast as Master Rai, and Bob Sessions' interpretation of Rebi Ra being somewhat stale), but at least it's competent enough to stop me wincing every time an actor speaks.
If you're a fan of Kikuchi's other works, I'd strongly advise you to add Monster City to your collection at the earliest opportunity, and if you're not... try it anyway, you might just be pleasantly surprised.
- Kanji T. Bates
Guy: Awakening of the Devil
Animania, 70 mins
Animania have left nobody in any doubt what they think the future of anime in the UK is, namely the type of extreme material that got the tabloid press all excited in the first place. They have said they do not intend releasing anything without an `18' certificate.
Guy fits the bill perfectly, with plenty of gory violence and explicit sex to keep fans of that sort of thing happy. The story concerns the adventures of Guy and his sidekick Raina, a pair of mercenaries who roam space looking to earn a fast buck from any venture that comes along.
How much of the film remains intact after the BBFC have finished with it remains to be seen, but if you were happy with Legend of the Overfiend, you won't be disappointed with Guy.
- Jonathan Weeks
Appleseed
Manga Entertainment, 70 mins, Theatrical
I expect that there are many fans out there that have been waiting for the release of OAV adaptation of Masamune Shirow's classic manga. Being a fan of both the Manga and the OAV, I was very interested in discovering that MEL was going to give Appleseed a theatrical release. It is rather strange to show in a cinema something intended for video release.
Appleseed is a mix of mecha, action, and cute that I think works extremely well. It is set after the 3rd world war in the city Olympus. Olympus is run by artificial bio-engineered humans called Bioroids. The story follows two SWAT police officers Deunan Knute, and her cyborg partner Briareos. Deunan and Briareos have to stop A. J. Sebastian from gaining control of the Gaia computer, if Gaia is turned off Olympus will be defenceless. A. J. Sebastian belongs to the Free Human Liberation terrorist group. The FHL group want real humans, rather than the Bioroids, to run Olympus.
MEL's dubbing isn't too bad, and it will bring this classic OAV to a wider non-anime fan audience, and hopefully a few MEL fans will start reading the manga. The voice casting is not what I would have chosen, and there are a few changes. Briareos has become Bullyaros, Bioroids have become Biodroids, and there are a few more changes that other fans will notice.
Personally I prefer the US Renditions version, I don't know if MEL will release it on video. I would go and watch it in the cinema, mainly because it is a chance to see it on a wide screen and in proper colour (Not pseudo-NTSC). I would have paid to see it in the cinema. If you are a fan go and see it, to see what sort of dub MEL can do if they really want to. If you have never heard of Appleseed go and watch it too, then buy the manga.
- Steve Whitcher
Riding Bean
Anime Projects, 46 mins, #12.99
Revolving around the mercenary adventures of ace courier Bean Bandit, and female partner Rally Vincent, Riding Bean is arguably one of the - if not the best action-cum-car-chase anime titles ever made. A menu of high-octane action, dramatic violence, large cars, a spattering of comedy, and dynamic character designs from fan favourite Ken-ichi Sonoda have all contributed to making this '89 OAV an instant classic and a `must-see' on many anime fans lists.
Unfortunately, the dub doesn't live up to expectation, and to be honest I've no idea why. In theory, Riding Bean should have been one of the best dubs ever seeing as AnimEigo (the American company who originally dubbed it) let the fans choose the voice actors in an unprecedented move a year or two back.
With the exceptions of Rally (actresses name) and the wonderfully over-acted Percy (actors name), the voices cast are but a pale shadow of the originals. By far, Percy's sidekick `Dick' has the most annoying voice, being little more than a cross between Pee-Wee Herman and Screech from Channel 4's Saved By The Bell series. Bean himself, sounds like a half-dead accountant, and would've been far better if voiced by someone as `gruff' as Hulk Hogan.
However, this doesn't mean I'd give Riding Bean the thumbs-down; quite the contrary... I can recommended it with the utmost amount of enthusiasm, but suggest you pick up the subtitled version instead, as you'll get far more out of it.
- Kanji T. Bates
Maris the Wondergirl
Manga Entertainment, #8.99
This is the latest story to be released as part of Rumic World, and I think is one of the best OAVs in the series.
Maris is a super-human female ex-wrestler who ran short of money and became a Space Patrol cop. According to the press release it is a sexy, space- comedy adventure complete with mecha, chases, explosions, aliens and a psychic nine tailed anthropomorphic fox.
But, before you get too excited it is a PG, has no sex, apart from a shower scene that will probably be cut by the BBFC, no mecha, and not that many chases or explosions. What it does have is brilliant humour, and some excellent anthropomorphic alien characters. I think I would class it is a superhero parody.
Maris is a walking disaster area, having the strength of six humans, but living in a human world. She has to wear restraints to reduce her strength, but she still manages to trash everything she touches. Heavily in debt as she keeps wrecking her spaceships and paying for the damage that her alcoholic father does. She even has to work her vacations.
Her sick-kick called Murphy is an anthropomorphic fox with nine tails, and follows her diligently, but always complaining, and has psychic abilities which he uses to produce mirages.
Her latest assignment is to rescue the son of a rich business man who has been kidnapped by one of Maris's old wrestling adversaries Strangler Sue. Will Maris rescue him and find love and riches or will she come back with more debts, a trashed ship and a crazy fox?
This excellent OAV has been dubbed by MEL a la Crusader Video style, or to put it bluntly with regional accents. Murphy has a broad Irish accent, while Stranger Sue sounds like a little'o cowgirl. I know that this will annoy a lot of anime-fans, and although it works quite well it wasn't necessary. It will sell well to non-fans, and may introduce new people to Takahashi's work. I liked it, and at #9 is really good value. But if you are an anime purist you will have to fork out #26 to import the US Manga Corps. version.
- Steve Whitcher
Gunbuster, Aim for the Top! Vol. 2
Kiseki Films, 60 mins, #10.99
The story continues! Like Jonathan, who reviewed Vol. 1 last issue, I came across Gunbuster quite soon after entering anime-fandom. It is great to see it released over here at a very reasonable #10.99.
These 2 episodes are a mixture of mecha, madness and sadness. In the first episode `First Love, First Sortie' Noriko meets Smith while she is on a dare and she soon falls in love with him.
When `Big Sister' loses confidence in Noriko, and splits their partnership, Noriko teams up with Smith. Tragically Smith gets killed when they go into battle for the first time.
In the second episode `The uncompleted final weapon' Noriko and the rest of the fleet are heading back to The Earth when they are attacked by the enemy. Although most of the ships are destroyed, the `top' team are sent to attack the aliens. Because she has lost her nerve Coach stops Noriko from going with the others, and she is forced to stay on board the ship.
This is the final straw, and she really feels sorry for herself, and she decides that she has to buck her ideas up. Unauthorised, she takes out the Gunbuster and attacks the alien mothership, and somehow she manages to destroy it. The aliens retreat and Noriko returns a hero.
Gunbuster is full of contrasts, Cute girls controlling mecha, that smash the hell out of aliens. The sadness of Smith's death also contrasts with the lunacy of the SD pseudo science lessons.
It may be a parody, but Smith's death gets to me every time which is a sign of good anime. If you have not bought it already, go out and buy it.
- Steve Whitcher
Gunbuster, Aim for the Top! Vol.1&2
Kiseki Films, 60mins ea., #10.99
Buy 'em - that's all you need to know.
- Kanji T. Bates
The Guyver Data's 1-4
Manga Entertainment, approx. 30 mins ea., #5.99
After watching the first episode of The Guyver a few months back, it was readily apparent that this series wasn't going to be anything special. We're four episodes in... and nothing's changed: a poor-cum-mediocre dub, with an appropriately matching storyline, met by an acceptable level of animation. It's not engrossing, or - for that matter - even entertaining, so why Manga thought they could sell each episode separately as a monthly comic is beyond me: you'd be far better off buying all three Gunbuster tapes from Kiseki and pocketing the #38.91 change, than shelling out the #71.88 needed to buy all 12 episodes.
- Kanji T. Bates
Devilman: The Birth
Manga Entertainment, 52 mins, #12.99
Without a doubt, Gou Nagai has to be one of my all-time favourite anime/manga creators; and of all his works the two Devilman OAVs (`The Birth' and `Battle of Silene') are appreciated in my eyes as second only to Kekkoh Kamen, and even then: only just.
Animation-wise, D:tB is by no means the best example of Japanese animation you'll find around, but with a halfway decent plot, some quality animation, and a healthy dose of Nagai-brand horror and humour, there aren't many other titles that can compete with it for sheer entertainment value.
Trying not to be over critical (which is hard having been involved in two separate fan translations of Devilman: The Birth), it's dubbed format is bearable with no voice actors being spectacularly miscast like I've found in so many other pieces of Western-dubbed anime. They are, however, bland in comparison to the originals, although that could probably be attributed more to a mediocre translation and George Roubicek's adaption than anything else; an example being Ryo Asuka, and his eccentric way of speech having been completely lost.
Half-heartedly recommended.
- Kanji T. Bates
Macross: Clash of the Bionoids
Kiseki Films, 110 mins, #12.99
If you read the sleeve notes, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is action-packed sci-fi. It's really a trite 1950's sci-fi love story dressed up in anime clothing, with every piece of mecha a transformer of some kind of other, and a few pretty poor pop-songs.
To a background of super spacefortress Macross being attacked by first male bionoids and then female bionoids, with the origin of the human species thrown in for good measure, we are shown the heart-rending tale of 'does the lieutenant fighter pilot get the major or the pop-star?'. I've seen it many times before and frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn who ends up with who. Nor, if you watch this, will you.
- Marlon Seton
Every time I've drawn up enough courage to sit down and watch a piece of anime labelled Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, I've inevitably ended up pondering why Macross ever became so popular in either it's original or bastardized American (`Robotech' ack ) forms.
By today's standards the animation is stale (Macross II is far better), and having only got 10 minutes in before switching off my VCR thanks to a prime example of incredibly crap dubbing, I can't vouch for the story either.
Maybe the subtitled version of Macross: Do You Remember Love? (Clash of the Bionoids original title) to be released later this year will fair better in my books. However, if you're one of those who enjoyed Macross II, I've no doubts you'll probably enjoy this too.
- Kanji T. Bates
KO Century Beast Warriors
Anime UK Video, 90mins, #12.99
Friends may think I'm over critical of what I watch, and even what I praise, but there's no escaping the fact that there's only a finite amount of anime in the world that I would deem worthy of watching. Fortunately, KO Century Beast Warriors is one of them....
Best described as anthropomorphic slapstick, sprinkled liberally with mecha-action (read: robots!) and a bizarre `dance' soundtrack, KO Century Beast Warriors chronicles the adventures of a group of `Beasts' (humans who have gained the ability to take on aspects of various animals) in their efforts to reach the mysterious Gaia before the non-Beast humans.
It always puzzled me why this never made it big on the fan circuit as Project-B4's character designs help contribute to the impeccable animation, with as much attention to design and detail (if not more) as you'd expect to find in any other high-grade OAV series.
At the risk of sounding pessimistic, I'm expecting the dub (this review is based on a fan sub a friend sent me) to be comparable with the majority of other titles currently available in the UK, but sincerely hope I'm proved wrong - which I will be if all the voice actors and actresses are up to the insane standards of gentleman Jim Swallow.
Whether the dub ends up being good or bad, this is one release I'd urge everyone to buy, as it's one of the few even I would consider buying if I had the money.
- Kanji T. Bates
[5] New York, New York...
by Jim McLennan
Compared to the anime shopper's paradise that is California, New York is almost a desert, at least as far as imported Japanese anime goes. However, it has the major advantage over California in that it is two thousand miles closer and thus a trip gives you an extra couple of hundred quid to spend which would otherwise have gone on airfares.
It does have a Yaohan Plaza there, but it's situated in New Jersey, and is thus something of a full day excursion (much as the one at Colindale is for this Sarf Londoner!). Probably not worth it except for the hard-core otaku, as you're unlikely to be in New York for more than a few days - there's not much point in staying longer, there's isn't really that much to do except shop. Once you've been up one staggeringly tall building, you've been up 'em all.
The commercially released anime is widely available, with HMV and Tower having the best selections. HMV has also got one of the best selections of general laser-discs, though all these places had an annoying habit of leaving empty slots, containing no discs whatsoever, for titles which turned out not to be available any more. Aargh!
The major surprise was the easy availability of bootleg material. There is apparently a clause in American copyright law, called the Harrison Act I believe, which says that if material is not commercially available in the States, then it is automatically public domain. The moral ins and outs of this are complex (I would generally say it was a Good Thing) but it is unquestionably a bit disconcerting to go into a video store and see, as a result of this law, tapes from AnimEigo, AD Vision and US Manga Corps, next to those with photocopied sleeves and written on spines. Readers of a less-than-saintly disposition may wish to investigate Kim's Video (several branches in Greenwich Village), which had one of the best selections of, er, non-commercially available material.
However, the prize in this category must go to a shopping arcade on Lafayette Street, close to Chinatown. Our eyes were caught by a Totoro in the window of one shop, and on further investigation, it turned out to be a shop entirely dedicated to the selling of unofficial anime tapes. You name it, they had it, albeit in Japanese, as it was mostly catering to the ex-patriate and immigrant community. However, the guy working in it was very helpful, and they did have some subtitled material which I hadn't seen before, so this was duly liberated. At a price of $25 for three tapes, they can't really be accused of ripping off people, and the quality was entirely acceptable. [Moral Police please note: the subtitling did not seem to be fan-done, no 'Not for sale or hire' message could be seen].
Chinatown otherwise was something of a disappointment. There were several laser-disc shops, but without exception these were all rental only, which had me sobbing my little heart out by the end of the day - one of the main aims personally had been the acquisition of HK movies. Anime was notable by it's absence, perhaps because the normal source of tapes, Hong Kong, is PAL rather than NTSC. There did seem to be some bits and pieces of anime merchandise around, but I didn't pay a great deal of attention. Never been into Ranma 1/2 pencil-cases and the like!
Biggest surprise of the trip, however, was found in the 'Blowout' video store on 5th avenue at about 45th St. This specialised in ex-rental and remainder tapes, most of which were the usual sort of stuff. However, in one corner, they had a section of Japanese ex-rental tapes at very pleasant prices. A large pile of the anime tapes were acquired on the "dragnet" principle - if I don't like them, I can always sell them! Though I've still got to live down the fact that they included Gundam, albeit of the SD variety...
Fractionally away from the true anime line, one shop worth visiting is the Warner Bros store, also on Fifth Avenue. In addition to the incredible array of merchandise for Looney Toons and Tiny Toons, the top floor has a cel gallery, where you can dribble quietly over original work with frightening price tags, and also debate Japanese vs American animation with the staff, who are both knowledgeable - the one I spoke to was a trainee animator - and friendly.
Overall, I had a fine time in my four days, racking up credit card at a ferocious rate; the final tally was $900 on laser-disks alone. However, as a fan destination, it definitely comes a poor third to California and the land of the rising trade surplus itself.
[6] A Beginners Guide to Laserdisc
by Jonathan Weeks
Anyone getting into anime fandom is bound to encounter them eventually. The idea of a quality video format has yet to fully catch on in the UK, but is well established in Japan and the US. Laserdiscs now account for well over half of the sell-through video market in Japan, and is the most common form in which original copies of anime appear. Their rise has been helped by the video rental market in Japan, which has pushed the average price of tapes well above discs.
Physically, a laserdisc resembles a 12-inch double-sided CD, and laserdisc players are essentially oversized CD players with appropriate video circuitry bolted on. Their main advantage is picture quality. Unlike VHS, laserdisc does not lose any of the detail in the picture giving is a resolution 60% better than tape. Their durability is another advantage, particularly their immunity to magnetic fields, which allows them to be sent overseas without risk of being accidentally erased en route. In a nutshell, laserdisc is to video tape what CD is to cassette.
There are a number of dual standard (NTSC/PAL) laserdisc players available in the UK. Three of these are produced by Pioneer, the main supporters of the format. They produce the cheapest model, the #500 CLD-950, a player with only the barest of features as you'd expect. Next up the price ladder is the #600 CLD-1850. This adds a selection of extra features such as a digital output and improved picture. Top of the range is the #700 CLD-2850, with auto side changing and the best picture quality on the market. The main challenge to Pioneer's dominance comes from Sony with its MDP-650 and MDP-880 players which roughly correspond in features to the Pioneer 1850 and 2850 models respectively.
The main difference between the Pioneer and Sony models is the method in which they allow NTSC laserdiscs to be played on a PAL TV. Pioneer have chosen to include a conversion circuit that turns the NTSC signal into M-PAL, the well known 'pseudo-PAL' format used by NTSC-playback videos. This ensures the maximum chance of compatibility with a TV, but at the expense of picture quality. Sony's models both have an RGB output which solves the problem by by- passing the PAL circuitry of the TV and connecting directly to the CRT. This can produce a much better picture than the Pioneer, but you need an RGB connected SCART socket on your TV for it to work.
No anime laserdisc titles have been released in this country yet, but most US companies have at least their most popular titles available on the format. Animeigo in particular is committed to making all its future releases available on LD. Pioneer's titles are not available on any other format.
Lack of availability of LDs is one of the main reasons people are put off the format. If you want to collect them, you are going to have to be prepared to go out of your way to find a good supplier. The Sheffield Space Centre (33, The Wicker, Sheffield S3 8HS), and Anime Projects (19 The High Street, Bangor) are the only shops in the country that specialise in stocking US anime LDs. There are plenty of other LD suppliers that should be able to obtain any US laserdiscs that are available, but you have to know exactly what you're looking for if they don't normally stock it.
The price of LDs varies, but for US discs is always at least two to three times that of the equivalent UK tape version, another reason they're not too popular. Japanese LDs typically cost twice as much again (up to #100 for a full-length movie). Despite this, plenty of die-hard fans who have the money to be able to insist on the best have invested in the format.
[7] Gunbuster - Aim for the Top!
by Richard Steele
Gunbuster is one of, if not the, most exceptional pieces of Anime ever created in Japan or anywhere. Produced by GAINAX, Gunbuster spans several genre ranging from high school sports competition to hard science fiction. The tone is dual in nature, combining humour and drama in expert fashion. Gunbuster focuses on the relationships between characters forced to live both in the same and different times. Their emotional relationships are some of the most touching and beautifully depicted in Anime. All of this is set against a science fiction background that is one of the most fully realized of any science fiction setting, Anime or otherwise. In this future humanity faces the prospect of total destruction by alien life forms who seem quite oblivious to the notion that they are destroying humanity as they strive for their own survival. Not possessing any intelligence that humans can understand, the aliens of Gunbuster behave as insects, working cooperatively for the betterment of their own colony at the expense of all life forms around them. Humanity is forced into a position where they can do nothing but destroy these implacable alien lifeforms or suffer their own destruction.
The person most responsible for the marvellous visual appearance of Gunbuster is director Hideaki Anno. Anno's incredible skill has helped to bring together the myriad of separate elements that combine together to form one completed work of unparalleled beauty. Colour, sound, lighting, and a thousand other elements have all been interwoven in such intricate detail that every facet of the OAV which is Gunbuster reflects the skill of the individuals who put so much of themselves into this work. One of these individuals who has risen to the pinnacle of his own skill in Gunbuster deserves special recognition for his work is just as important as Hideaki Anno's. That is the work of character designer Haruhiko Mikimoto. Mikimoto is one of the most sought after character designers in Japanese animation today. His past works include Macross, Macross II, Eve from Megazone 23, High Speed Jecy, and his own Manga series Marionette Generation. With a reputation like this it would not be unusual to expect great things from a man such as Mikimoto but what he delivers in Gunbuster are the best character designs he has ever created.
The original story concept for Gunbuster is the work of Shin Onosawa, Isamu Senda, and Toshio Okada. Okada turned the basic story of Gunbuster into a screenplay. Others contributed important elements to the completed work, Shinji Higuchi joined principal director Hideaki Anno as art director. The unconventional mecha design for Gunbuster was done by Kazutaka Miyatake and Koichi Ohata. Art designers Masanori Kikuchi and Hiroshi Sasaki also contributed their skill. Finally an army of animators, headed by chief animator Toshiyuki Kubowoka, brought Gunbuster to life with skill and attention to detail that can only come from countless hours of exacting work. All of these elements have combined to create one of the single most remarkable works of Japanese animation produced to date.
The first episode of Gunbuster begins with the voice of Noriko Takaya, a third grader, who is telling us about her father. He is a captain in the earth space fleet and commander of their most powerful space ship. All this makes him an important individual, which Noriko is proud to relate to us. The scene changes; it is several years later and Noriko's father is dead. His ship was attacked by an alien life form and destroyed. Noriko vows that she will follow in her fathers footsteps and become a space pilot as well. Noriko is the main character around which most of the action of Gunbuster takes place. Gunbuster is unique in Anime in the fact that it progresses through many different genres as the story progresses. This first episode fits into a genre that is characterized as the sports competition genre. The trials Noriko goes through while trying to live up to the responsibility of representing her school along with upper classwoman Kazumi Amano are typical of the sports competition genre. As it continues through future episodes Gunbuster explores other genre always presenting them in a way that is unique and intriguing.
The second episode continues the adventures of Noriko Takaya and Kazumi Amano as members of the earth anti-space monster force. Their training continues aboard the space station Silver Star which bears an uncanny resemblance to the space station of 2001. This is another element of Gunbuster that will continue throughout the entire piece; that is the humour of parody. Gunbuster incorporates elements of other anime and popular science fiction to add a comic element to the story. The use of background humour or in jokes in Gunbuster is literate and witty. As you watch you may see parts of space ships under construction bear an uncanny resemblance to parts on a model tree or even spot the submarine from fantastic voyage floating in space. It is remarkable how much these subtle touches of humour add to the overall feel of Gunbuster.
Another element that should be mentioned now as it is used to great effect in this and other episodes, is the use of colour. Gunbuster is not confined to conventional notions of colour nor does it always portray the characters in what would be natural lighting. Black and white as well as greys are used to great effect to create mood as well as a vast range of colours. Some characters may appear bathed in deep shades of violet, radiant blues or reds as well as oranges and greens. Colour is used to depict mood, to reflect a characters' personality, or to set the tone of a scene. While using colour in this manner is certainly not unheard of it is seldom used so well or to such a degree as it is used in Gunbuster.
The third episode begins to expand the relationships of the two main characters Noriko Takaya and Kazumi Amano. Noriko becomes somewhat infatuated with a brash young pilot named Smith Torren. This relation with Smith leaves a strong impression on Noriko and is important to the continuing development of her character. Kazumi Amano's relationship with their mentor coach Ota is also explored in more detail during this episode. Throughout Gunbuster the personal relationships between these characters are much more important to the story then the action itself. The epic space battles between humanity and the alien creatures serves as a backdrop only. The true emphasis of Gunbuster is on the intricate and delicate relations that individuals form with one another. The emotions of these characters are both strong and genuine, seeming neither contrived nor exaggerated. Haruhiko Mikimoto's skill as a character designer comes strongly into play here as his characters often communicate their feelings through body language, posture, facial expression, and other non verbal cues. However, Mikimoto's characters would not be complete without the vast talent and range of the voice actresses and actors that have worked on Gunbuster. Their ability to capture the emotions of the characters they are portraying is nothing less than fantastic.
In the fourth episode we get our first full view of the aliens in Gunbuster. These creatures use no form as ships for they themselves roam freely through normal as well as warp space. Implanting their eggs in stars to incubate them these creatures carve a path of destruction wherever they travel. The smallest of these creatures is well over ten meters in length and the largest measure several thousand. The design of these creatures is fascinating. All their `weapons' are biological in nature, natural defense mechanisms if you will. The larger creatures generate laser energy from their bodies while the smaller ones seem only able to attack with their many limbs. What they lack in sophistication the aliens make up for in number. Add to this the fearless nature of these creatures and you have an implacable menace of epic proportions.
It is also in this episode that we get our first real look at the Gunbuster itself. Constructed with smooth and simple lines the Gunbuster seems to be a throwback to giant robots of an earlier era. This is, of course, intentional as the Gunbuster is an amalgamation of many different classic robot designs. The Gunbuster only demonstrates a few of its many weapons systems in this episode, we will see them utilized more fully in the next episode, but still proves to be more than a match for the alien fleet.
The fifth episode re-introduces an idea that was only explored briefly in the previous episodes. That is the idea of living in the same time with someone. Because of the relativistic effects of space travel time has passed more slowly for the characters who are a part of the anti space monster fleet. Noriko has aged only a few months while her close friend Kimiko has aged ten years. The effects of this change in time on Noriko's relationship with Kimiko become important as they will be reflected in the relationships of other characters to each other as these differences in age begin to affect the other characters as well. Before she left Noriko and Kimiko were the same age but now Noriko can not live in the same time as Kimiko more. Kazumi struggles with this problem too because coach Ota, who she loves, is dying of radiation poisoning and if she returns to space with Noriko he could die before she returns. She struggles to live in the same time with coach Ota even as forces beyond her control pull her away from him. These emotional struggles continue into the next and final episode.
This episode is a marked departure from the previous five in artistic style. It is done entirely in black and white with the exception of the final scene. Those people responsible for the artistic style of the final episode demonstrate an excellent command of the black and white medium and use it to great advantage. This departure from the previous style of Gunbuster is heightened even more during humanities final battle with the alien menace which is depicted with the use of sketches rather than painted artwork. The use of these still images together with the selection of music for this battle portray a sense of vast sweeping conflict beyond the scope of what can be portrayed rationally through the visual medium. Only the abstraction of these images can begin to capture the terrible nature of a conflict of such epic proportions.
The culmination of this series comes in the resolution of Kazumi and Noriko's relationship. Kazumi has married coach Ota and stayed behind on earth while Noriko continues to confront the alien menace in space. As a result Kazumi has aged some ten years or more while Noriko has remained young. Kazumi's struggle to return to living in the same time with Noriko is the real struggle that must be resolved in the final tape so that Gunbuster can come to its ultimate conclusion. The fate of the aliens and humanity itself is not important compared to the spiritual struggle that Kazumi and Noriko go through to live in the same time once again. Finally, their relationship is resolved and they find that they can return to the same time. It is at this point that Gunbuster has reached its end. And what a magnificent piece of work it is.
Characters in Gunbuster:
Noriko Takaya: Noriko Takaya is blessed with the voice of Noriko Hidaka. Noriko Hidaka portrays Noriko from the age of eight through adolescence. When portraying the eight year old Noriko her voice takes on a childish quality that would make you think that you really were listening to an eight year old child and not the accomplished voice actress Noriko Hidaka. However, it is when she plays the older Noriko that the true extent of her talent becomes clear. Noriko Hidaka is able to portray the greatest range of emotions of any voice actress I have ever heard. From the deepest of sorrow to the height of elation Noriko Hidaka captures the essence of what her character is feeling with skill that most voice actresses only dream of.
Noriko Takaya is a freshman at the Okinawa Space High School For Girls and the daughter of a famous space captain. She is often teased because of her famous father, the other students think she is being pampered by the school because of her fathers fame. Noriko tries not to let the ridicule of her classmates get to her but she is still a young and sensitive girl who is hurt by the cruelty of others. When she is selected to accompany Kazumi Amano, the schools star pupil, in joining the space force she begins to feel inadequate and comes to believe that coach Ota only piked her because he himself is a survivor of the destruction of Norikos fathers ship the Lukshion. Noriko is a complex person who is forced to deal with responsibility far beyond the scope of what a fifteen year old girl should have to deal with. But throughout it all her spirit remains undiminished. In fact her love for her `big sister', Kazumi, and for her friends becomes her one of her greatest strengths which allows her to deal with everything that happens in her life and even become a source of strength for her "big sister" when she needs her most. Noriko Takaya is a passionate young girl with a great inner strength that can overcome even the most tragic of hardships.
Kazumi Amano: Rei Sakuma turns in a magnificent performance as Kazumi Amano. Coming into her own in the latter episodes of Gunbuster, Rei Sakuma's moving performances as Kazumi Amano mark her as a voice actress of the highest calibre. She is able to bring such passion to the character of Kazumi that you can not help but be moved by her performance. Rei Sakuma portrays Kazumi both as a mature girl in her senior year of high school and as an adult some ten years older than her younger self. The change between the two performances is subtle and appropriate to the character. She is able to create the feeling that you are seeing the same character affected somewhat by age but still deep down the same girl you saw before. Such skill is a pleasure to listen to. Kazumi Amano is a senior in the Okinawa Space High School For Girls. Referred to by most of the other classwomen as onesama, meaning big sister, she is the schools star pupil and an inspiration to all of its students. She forms a friendship with Noriko Takaya when they are both selected to join the space force. As the series progresses Kazumi falls in love with coach Ota, the person in charge of training pilots for the Gunbuster. Ota is often unable to return Kazumi's feelings because he fears that if Kazumi falls in love with him she may not be able to go into battle because he is slowly dying due to radiation poisoning. This almost becomes true as Kazumi is forced to travel away from Ota even though she knows he is dying. If it were not for Noriko's strength Kazumi might not have been able to overcome her fear and continue even though Ota might die without ever being able to return her love. However, Ota does not die before the two of them finally are able to share their feelings for each other as Ota loves Kazumi as much as she loves him.
Jung Freud: Maria Kawamura lends her voice to the fiery tempered red-head Jung Freud. A young female pilot form the Soviet Union, Jung Freud becomes a close friend of both Noriko and Kazumi although she is jealous of Kazumi as she also is infatuated with coach Ota. Maria Kawamura does an excellent job portraying the flamboyant and short tempered Jung Freud. Jung is not however always as self confident as she often appears to be. Deep down she cares a lot for her friends and would rather die than part with them. In fact she nearly does die because she is forced to leave Kazumi and Noriko behind during the final battle with the aliens. Only after Noriko and Kazumi convince her that it is better to live so that tomorrow will come than to die simply because she will never see them again that Jung relents.
Coach Ota: Norio Wakamoto provides the voice for the rather domineering figure of coach Ota. A survivor of the tragedy of the Lukshion coach Ota has been placed in charge of the Gunbuster project. It is his responsibility to find pilots for the invincible machine weapon Gunbuster. Emotion seldom is allowed to creep into coach Ota's thinking lest it cloud his judgement, With such a massive responsibility on his shoulders coach Ota is often abrupt and to the point in his dealings. However, there is a human side to coach Ota as well, despite the lengths that he goes to cover it up. This comes through occasionally as he shows pity on Noriko or live for Kazumi. Not until he feels the earth is truly safe is he able to open himself up to the emotions he feels for Kazumi. Ironically, this is also near the end of his own life as coach Ota was exposed to radiation during his escape from the Lukshion and finally dies because of that. He is a tragic character but his final death is not tragic as he is able to reconcile himself with Kazumi at least a short time before he dies.
Due to US Renditions translation of the credits for Gunbuster I am unable to match the names of the remaining members of the vocal cast with the characters they play. This is unfortunate and I am disappointed as these actors and actresses deserve recognition for the parts they played but because of the nature of the translation I can not match their names to their rolls.
Kimiko: A friend of Noriko and fellow classmate Kimiko remains on the earth throughout the entire course of Gunbuster. She is one of the only characters that is not affected by the change in time that occurs due to space travel. She truly lives in the same time throughout her life. She is able to meet Noriko once after Noriko goes off to join the space force but at the time Noriko is still young while Kimiko is in her late twenties. Kimiko is never able to see Noriko again after that but her daughter who is ironically Norikos age is able to send a message to Noriko asking her to come back while she is still alive. It is unfortunate that Noriko is unable to honour this request and one of the final images in Gunbuster is that of Kimiko, older now, thinking that she heard Norikos voice. this is our last view of someone living in their own time.
Smith Torren: An RX-7 pilot from the United States Smith Torren meets Noriko Takaya while the two of them are wandering the corridors of the space cruiser Excellion. It seems they have both gone out on a dare issued by their respective squadrons. Each of them must leave a marker in the mech bay and return to their quarters undetected. However, coach Ota notices the pair roaming the corridors, which are supposed to be cleared during warp, and they end up spending the next morning cleaning the lenses of the Excellion's lasers. Smith Torrens name is actually a tip of the hat to veteran translator Torren Smith. Smith Torren is a likeable sort of fellow, personable and a bit arrogant. He and Takaya become friends during the Excellion's voyage to intercept the alien menace. During their first battle with the aliens Smith Torren is lost along with his RX-7 mecha. Noriko was acting as his partner and felt responsible for Torren's death. She spends much of the rest of the series reconciling the feelings she still holds for Smith.
There are a wealth of other characters that make up the cast of Gunbuster. Pilots, Commanders, students, children, all of them contribute to the Anime in their own way. Their voice actors and actresses are listed here: Kazuki Yao, Tomomichi Nishimura, Masayuku Komuro, Koji Tsujitani, Ayako Shirashi, Ayumi Hashimoto, Kyoko Minami, Daiki Nakamura, Sakurako Hoshino.
One final interesting element present in Gunbuster are the short segments that come in between the episodes. These are referred to as the Gunbuster Science Classroom sections. Each section is narrated by super deformed versions of both Noriko and Kazumi. A super deformed, or SD, character is a version of the normal character shrunken to childlike proportions. These characters are often considered cute and that is the intention. In the Science Classroom Kazumi and Noriko explain some of the technology and physical realities of the Gunbuster series. In the first lesson they explain the nature of physics in Gunbuster. Rather than space being a vacuum it is an ether field. This ether can be pushed aside by powerful forces thus allowing light to travel in a `real' vacuum. The effect is that faster than light speed in an ether field, which is equal to our light speed, travel is possible. Taking this one simple change to the physical nature of reality they build their entire notion of space travel. In later Science Classrooms they talk about time dilation, which is what causes the characters to age at different rates during the length of the series. When travelling close to the speed of light time progresses slower for the traveller than it does for those who are stationary in relation to him or her. This allows Noriko to remain young as she is engaged in near light speed combat most of the time while her friends on earth age at a normal rate. These Science Classroom sessions are often humorous and rater silly as both Kazumi and Noriko will refer to Gunbuster the Anime as an Anime show. This is strange because to them Gunbuster should be real as they are characters in it but during the Science Classroom sessions they step outside Gunbuster into the same reality that you and I occupy and talk to the viewer directly. These segments not only give the viewer a better knowledge of the physics of Gunbuster but an insight into how the characters think about themselves. Overall Gunbuster is a series that embodies the finest qualities of Anime. The direction and artistic vision of its creators is beautiful. The character designs are some of the best ever created for any Anime and the voice acting has to be heard for its true quality to be appreciated. Gunbuster is one of the single best examples of all the qualities that are desirable in an Anime.
Gunbuster was translated into English by US Renditions in 1990 in three tapes each containing two episodes. All six episodes run 25 minutes each for a total of 150 minutes. Gunbuster is distributed under license of GAINAX all rights reserved.
