Animejin 6

Issue 6, September 1994

eZine lover (@eZine)

Published in 

Animejin

 · 2 years ago

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.

This document contains the text portions only of Animejin 6. For a complete printed copy of any issue, send 1 pound (UK) or US$3.00 cash (everywhere else) for each copy to Animejin, stating your name and address and which issue(s) you require.

All comments, suggestions and submissions will be gratefully received.

Address all correspondence to:

Animejin,
65 The High,
Streatham High Road,
London
SW16 1EY
UK
or
Jchan@swallow.demon.co.uk

- Jonathan Weeks (editor)

CONTENTS

1. News
2. Competition: Free tapes!
3. Helen McCarthy Strikes Back
4. Reviews: loads of stuff this issue
5. The Girl from Phantasia: review by Richard Steele
6. Carl Macek: analysis by Steve Whitcher
7. Otaku no Video: review by Richard Steele

Yes, I know it's late. It is a fanzine after all. One piece of editorial news: I have recently obtained access to the Internet, so you can now contact me by e-mail at Jchan@swallow.demon.co.uk. All feedback welcome.

Animejin no. 6 (September 1994). All copyrights and trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Animejin acknowledges the creators and copyrights holders of the material herein, and does not seek to infringe on their rights. All rights to articles/artwork revert to their respective artists/writers upon publication. UK subscriptions are ú1.00 per issue. Submission guidelines available on request. Please address all correspondence to the editor: Jonathan Weeks, 65 The High, Streatham High Road, London SW16 1EY. E-mail: Jchan@swallow.demon.co.uk

[1] - NEWS

Manga Entertainment

A steady stream of theatrical releases from Manga have been scheduled. Appleseed is currently doing the rounds, with Wings of Honneamise set for a November release. Look out for Castle of Cagliostro in January, Cobra in February and Patlabor in March. For all you tape addicts out there, here is the forthcoming video schedule (all subject to change of course):

• September: Guyver 6, Tokyo Babylon 2, Roujin Z
• October: Guyver 7, Cyber City Oedo 0080 1: Virtual Death, Devilman 2: The Demon Bird
  
• November: Guyver 8, Cyber City Oedo 0080 2: Psychic Trooper, Crying Freeman 5&6 (one tape), Appleseed
  
• December: Guyver 9, Cyber City Oedo 0080 3: Blood Lust, AD Police 1: Boomer Madness, Genocyber 1
  
• January: Guyver 10, AD Police 2: Paradise Loop, Genocyber 2, Legend of the Kings 1, Wings of Honneamise
  
• February: Guyver 11, AD Police 3: I Want Medicine, Genocyber 3, Legend of the Kings 2, Ninja Scrolls
  
• March: Guyver 12, Legend of the Kings 3, Gokuu: Midnight Eye 1, Macross Plus 1, Dominion 3
  

AD Police is a spin off from Bubblegum Crisis, set before the creation of the Knight Sabers. The episode names are different from the US release.

Wings of Honneamise is a feature produced by the Gainax studio in 1987. Many fans regard this as the best anime film ever made.

Gokuu and Cobra are based on science fiction manga by Buichi Terasawa that have been published in English by Viz.

Macross Plus is the latest Macross anime to be produced. It consists of three 45 minute OAVs and is reportedly a lot better than Macross II.

Dominion is the new series based on the manga by Masemune Shirow. It differs from the first series in that it has was supervised by Shirow himself, ensuring that it remains much more faithful to the original manga than the first series.

MEL have acquired a 95% stake in the US anime company LA Hero, giving them a base from which to enter the US market, and a new source for material to release in the UK.

Kiseki Films

Here is Kiseki's release schedule:

• August: Adventure Duo 1, Starblazers vol. 1
• September: Black Magic M-66 (sub), Ambassador Magma vol. 1, Return of the Overfiend 3 (dub), Robotech vol. 1
  
• October: Starblazers vol. 2, Megazone 23 part 1, Return of the Overfiend box set, Robotech vol. 2
  
• November: Return of the Overfiend 4 (dub), Return of the Overfiend 3 (sub), Cobra vol. 1, Ambassador Magma vol. 4
  

Plans for 1995 include the release of M.D.Geist, Plastic Little, 8th Man, and You're Under Arrest!

Western Connection

September sees the release of Grey and Samurai Gold from WC - reviews and competition appear elsewhere in this issue. In November - Devil Hunter Yoko 1, Ushio and Tora vol. 1, Salamander 1 and Lupin III: The Fuma Conspiracy. The second episode/volume in each of these series will follow in February.

Pioneer

Pioneer have announced their official launch date as 10th October with Tenchi Muyo and Moldiver as the first titles to be released. Two volumes of each series will be released simultaneously, with two episodes on each volume. Future releases will include Green Legend Ran and Kishin Heiden. Their marketing campaign is being aimed deliberately away from the 'traditional' UK market (the 'tits and tentacles' brigade) and toward a more general audience. Here is a quote from the press release:

"The choice of product is an obvious one for PIONEER as with this, their Original Video Animation series, they cement what has been a long standing commitment to the anime genre. With a history in animation and co-production in Japan, PIONEER have continually supported the thriving market and have finally made the decision to make the fruits of their labour available to international audiences, starting with UK audiences with other European territories to follow."

Anime Projects

No exciting news from AP this month. The new editions of the Bubblegum Crisis subtitled tapes will all be out by the end of September. Further episodes of Urusei Yatsura TV and Genesis Surviver Gaiarth will be available in due course. The first episode of the English dubbed version of Bubblegum Crisis is now scheduled for release in February next year.

Crusader Video

Unfortunately, Crusader have gone bankrupt and the company effectively no longer exists. They have lost their distribution rights to CatGirl: Nuku-Nuku by default and have had the bailiffs in already. Oh well...

US News

Viz

Ranma 1/2 fans will not disappointed by Viz's forthcoming release schedule:

• September: Ranma 1/2 Movie 2: Nihao My Concubine
• October: Ranma 1/2 TV Vol.7
• November: Ranma 1/2 OAV "Akane and Her Sisters"
• December: Ranma 1/2 TV Collector's Edition Vol.2

For 1995, Viz Video plans to release 18 titles plus the subtitled tapes. There will most likely be a Ranma Release every month (TV, New OAVs, Subs). Sales of Ranma 1/2 subtitled tapes have been "disappointing". Unless sales pick up, they'll be cancelled after a few volumes. Ranma 1/2 laserdiscs will come out in Spring of 1995, at the earliest.

For those of you fed up with Ranma, Viz will be releasing Onikirimaru, an anime based on the Shonen Sunday manga of the same name.

On the manga front, Urusei Yatsura is moving out of Animerica into its own magazine. It will be replaced in Animerica by One Pound Gospel, another Rumiko Takahashi manga. They will also be doing their own continuation of the Macross II manga drawn by Schulhoff Tam (best known for drawing Battle Angel Alita covers). Dirty Pair fans can look forward to the upcoming DP anime comics series, made using cels from the TV series 5 issues, 48 pages, $4.95 each.

AD Vision

ADV are creating their own line of comics based on their video releases. Titles will include translations of The Girl From Phantasia and Magical Twilight, and original comics based on Burn Up and Sol Bianca. The Sol Bianca comic will expand upon the world in the anime, leading in to the release of the Sol Bianca 2 OAV.

Further anime acquisitions by ADV are Legend of Lyon: Flare, New Cutey Honey, and the rest of the Girl from Phantasia series.

AnimEigo

The Urusei Yatsura TV series tapes will go on hiatus after volume 15. Pessimists can put this down to falling sales, optimists can attribute it to the need for AnimEigo to concentrate on their backlog of acquisitions that has built up. Serious consideration is being given to dubbing some of UY into English, but there is no indication yet of exactly what yet.

If your a Bubblegum Crisis fan looking for a slightly more sensible piece of merchandising than the BGC pillow case, you can buy a copy of the Bubblegum Crisis Screen Saver CD-ROM. The CD works on both Macintosh and Windows systems, and includes a Quicktime version of the entire Hurricane Live 2032 video.

Pioneer

The US Pioneer releases are way ahead of the UK:

• Tenchi Muyo - December: Mihoshi Special, January: #8, March: #9
• Moldiver - September: #5, October: #6
  
• Green Legend Ran - November: Box set #1-3
  
• Kishin Heidan - November: Vol 1, January: Vol 2, March: Vol 3
  
• Amitage the Third - January: Vol 1, February: Vol 2, March: Vol 3
  

All releases will be on bilingual laserdisc, as well as dubbed and subbed VHS.

US Manga Corps

USMC have won the battle for the US distribution right to the classic fantasy series Lodoss Wars. Other recent acquisitions include Genji Monogatari, and Night on the Galactic Railroad.

Sailor Moon set to hit US

After months of speculation, the news has finally leaked out - Sailor Moon is going to be dubbed into English for broadcast on US TV next year! Publicity is currently in the early stages, with mainstream news programmes running items on the Sailor Moon phenomena. There is no sign yet of interest from any British broadcaster to carry the series, so we appear to be safe for now.

[2] It's Competition Time!

As you no doubt know by now, Western Connection have decided to seriously assault the anime market with loads of stuff due for release over the coming months. In a superb marketing move, WC are giving away copies of their new releases. The catch is, you have to win this competition to get one! One copy each of Grey and Samurai Gold are on offer to the lucky readers who answer the questions below:

1. What is your name?
2. What is your address?
   
3. Which tape would you like to win?
   

Send your entry to: Western Connection Competition, Animejin, 65 The High, Streatham High Road, London, SW16 1EY. Alternatively, e-mail your entry to me at Jchan@swallow.demon.co.uk. Entries should arrive no later than 10th October 1994.

A Reply
by Helen McCarthy

Jonathan Weeks has asked me to reply to or comment on Andy Frain's press release printed in the last issue.

For some time prior to the issue of this release it had been impossible for me to contact Andy Frain or any member of Manga Entertainment Limited (MEL)'s staff. MEL had instructed their PR agents, Partridge and Storey, not to supply any more review copies, information, transparencies or other material to me or ANIME UK MAGAZINE, and letters and phonecalls from me and my staff were not returned. However, after the Internet exchange I did succeed in talking to Andy and he put his point of view on the matter very forcefully.

I must point out, since Andy has already implied that he is considering legal action for defamation against me and ANIME UK and I want to avoid that if possible, that everything in this article is my own personal opinion unless otherwise stated. Where anything is not my own personal opinion I have been given the information in good faith and have no reason to believe anything but the honest opinion of the other party, and I include it purely for the purposes of clarification.

I should also point out that every public comment I have made on any aspect of the MANGA trademark matter in any format has been in response to a direct enquiry or request from a third party (e.g. participants on Internet and Japanese newspapers). I have never sought to promote negative feeling about or do harm to MANGA VIDEO or MEL. It is my belief that unblinkered and independent discussion about the products and actions of companies in a free market can only serve the best interests of all concerned, and in particular of the consumer, who is left to rely on the less broadly based sources of press releases and advertising alone in the absence of such comment.

Since this matter arose, I have been informed by the editor of MANGA MANIA, Cefn Ridout, that my services are no longer required by that magazine, and by the editor of SUPER PLAY that he has been asked by MEL to replace me with another writer suggested by them. SUPER PLAY have declined to do so because my editor tells me he is happy with my work and does not feel I display an unfair bias of lack of balance in my writing. I have also been informed that another source of work is now closed to me because of the company's links with MEL. Readers will understand, therefore, that I now feel somewhat less than entirely detached about this matter, and will doubtless make their own judgements on any unfairness of bias which I am said to display. Let me therefore make a few comments in relation to the MEL press release printed in ANIMEJIN's last issue.

Firstly, in relation to the attempt to trademark the word MANGA, it is the view of the officer handling this matter at the Patent Office Trade Marks Registry that the application filed on behalf of MANGA ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED includes both their unique logo and name and its component parts. He states that this means that the application covers the word MANGA alone, not merely in Roman letters but also in kanji. He also informs me that this would restrict the use of the word by any other party in any format covered by the classes in which the mark has been applied for.

This means, in my view, that MANGA ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED would control the use of the word MANGA in relation to most of the products of interest to anime and manga fans, and that no other company of individual would be able to use the word without licensing it from MEL. This obviously creates a situation in which MEL control use of the word and. therefore, the trade of any other company of individual seeking to use it.

Whether or not Coca-Cola, or any other party in possession of a trademark, chooses to take legal action against anyone infringing their mark, is irrelevant to the fact that they have a right to so do. Of rather more relevance in this particular case if the fact that Coca-Cola was a previously non-existent name created specifically for one product by the company which created that product. MANGA in its Japanese meaning of comics, and in its usage relating to an influence on and sometimes source for anime, is a long-established word in the Japanese language which has been known and used widely in this context in a number of countries outside its original home, in Europe and the Americas, as well as Australasia, for years before MEL began to use it in 1992. Many fans, publishers and even trade mark agents from all over the world have, I understand, submitted evidence of this widespread prior usage to the Patent Office Trade Marks Registry.

My opinions on MEL's intentions in the industry remain as I have stated them and neither Andy Frain's comments in the press release nor our telephone conversation have clarified or changed anything for me. For instance, I completely fail to perceive the real difference between buying MANGA MANIA and acquiring certain of the DARK HORSE UK titles including MANGA MANIA; perhaps this indicates naãvety and lack of grasp of business realities. (Those who feel that MANGA MANIA is an independent and unbiased source of information with no trace of outside influence in its editorial policy will, no doubt, continue in this opinion for as long as the published evidence supports it.)

On the subject of MEL's advertising and promotional methods and my opinion that these are largely responsible for the perception in the British tabloid press and public that anime and manga are violent and sexually exploitative, my opinion is also unchanged. I offered no insult to artists and writers like Otomo Katsuhiro, Terasawa Buichi and others, nor did I intend any, by believing that MEL have created a negative impression of the whole anime and manga field. It is entirely proper that writers and artists such as these - whose work often considers the subjects of violence and sexual exploitation - should be available to the young adult audience for which they are created, and it is also proper that the work should be distributed and sold in the UK in accordance with our laws. (There are many differing views on what level of censorship is proper in a free society, but I trust that we all agree that adherence to the laws protecting minors from exposure to material considered unsuitable for them is mandatory on us all).

In my opinion, however, reference to such MEL promotional and publicity material as the back cover notes to their recent release of TOKYO BABYLON indicates their attitudes and intentions in these matters.

While on the subject of promotion and advertising, in the interests of balance I should say that Andy Frain told me over the telephone that, contrary to my recollections and those of a number of other people in the audience at AUKcon, a member of his staff did not answer David Row's question as to why FIRE TRIPPER was treated in a way that the questioner felt to be exploitative and inappropriate by saying "Because it sells videos", and that all questions on such matters of company policy should be directed to him and not to his executives, who are not authorised to comment on company policy. He also told me that the Japanese companies with which MEL deals fully approve all their advertising copy and promotional material.

Andy Frain has implied in his press release that my actions in this matter are at least partly motivated by the prospect of personal/business gain. It is no secret that I have business interest in anime and manga and that I would very much like them to continue and expand. (Whether this will be possible, having incurred the active enmity of an important company with a great deal of money and a big advertising budget, is open to question). I am content, however, for those fans and business associates who know me to judge what they know, and hope those who do not know me will take the trouble to consider both sides of this matter.

Both as a fan in the early days, when I met with Andy Frain and his staff and gave them whatever small assistance I could, and as a writer and editor, I have always acknowledged MEL's importance in the UK market (see, among other writings and speeches, my book ANIME! A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO JAPANESE ANIMATION, pub. Titan Books). I have also frequently defended aspects of the company's policy where I thought they were being unfairly criticized, and have neither hesitated to praise their products myself where I felt praise was merited, nor failed to print praise from reviewers and readers in ANIME UK MAGAZINE. Whatever the behaviour of MEL towards me and AUK I shall do my utmost to continue this attitude.

Personal vendettas are puerile and destructive and I have no wish to enter into one. My own survival as a writer and magazine editor may well be compromised by opposition to the market leader and largest advertiser in the field. However, when in my opinion the actions and policies of any anime or manga company merit criticism and affect so many important issues, I feel it is my right and also, in all honesty, my duty to criticise.

[4] Reviews

KO Century Beast Warriors
Anime UK Collection, 90 mins, ú12.99

The news that Helen McCarthy was going to release KO Beast Century was surprising. Helen was going to enter a very competitive market. Dubbing anime can be really expensive, so where was the money coming from? But at least Helen would do a good job.

Before the tape arrived, rumours were flying about. Stories about engineers making mistakes, comparisons to Nuku Nuku were made, so it was with a heavy heart that this tape was played. It was going to be the most difficult video I have had to review. I knew what the people were trying to achieve, but also I had to bear in mind that the fans really want to know what it is like. As Kanji Bates reviewed it in the last issue, I will only comment on Helen's dub.

It isn't as bad as the rumours stated, it's OK, but it isn't the best dub in the world. It looks amateurish, but then that is exactly what it is. I think that Helen must have recruited everyone she knew, into being voice actors. Some do very well, others don't do so well. Quality of the dub is very variable, some bits don't lip sync. Other characters sound flat with little inclination in their voices.

KO Beast is a wonderful piece of anime, but I am afraid that Helen's dub doesn't do it credit. Everyone who was involved with the UK dub deserves a big pat on the back.

However, I am afraid that the cards were stacked against them from the start, you can't dub on the cheap. Helen may not have to make a profit selling videos, but I really don't know if she will sell enough to cover her costs.

Personally I would have preferred a subtitled release, as it would have been easier to do and thus better quality, and would have pleased the fans. KO Beast is a strange title which I love, but I don't think the mass market is ready for such a title. And I can't see anime fans buying a dubbed tape.

Having been so negative, it does have some good points, Jim Swallow deserves a medal, has he really never been a voice actor before? The translation was also very good. The dub is really the only part that lets it down which is a pity.

- Steve Whitcher

Roujin Z

This film is Katsuhiro Otomo's first anime after Akira and it does not disappoint, with all Otomo's hallmarks - beautiful animation, sharply drawn mecha, an intelligent, layered plot not lacking in humour, and long worm-like wriggly things that take on a life of their own.

The main thrust of the story is the ever-relevant, ever-increasing cost of looking after an ageing population, and involves the problems this causes to the State Medical Emergency Lines (or SMELS) and the Special Homes In The Sun (or SHI...) - you get the picture?

In an effort to alleviate the burden on the state budget, and also to further his own career, the basically-honest-but-too-caught-up-in-his-own- importance bureaucrat develops a computer bed to care for the elderly. The guinea pig for the trials is chosen against his will, his nurse isn't going to take this lying down (although the guinea pig doesn't have any choice), and the computer engineer isn't quite what he seems. Cue lots of running around, a gang of octogenarian hackers, the unplanned redevelopment of large amounts of real estate, and a bit of tasteful schmaltz.

Like Gunbuster, this is anime that you don't have to be an aficionado to appreciate. Watch and enjoy.

- Marlon A Seton

Grey
Western Connection, 80 mins, ú12.99

Grey: Digital Target is another OAV that has been on the fan circuit for some time. It was originally a manga, but has transferred well to anime. Like all good anime it contains many different elements. Like much anime it is set in the future, in a world which although is the Earth, is very different to our present world.

A central computer called BIG MAMA rules the planet, and society has been broken down into a strict hierarchy. All people have a rank A to F. But only rank A are citizens, who live in the luxury of the city. Classes B to F have to struggle to stay alive, and very few people get to become rank A.

Grey is a rank C who is trying to become a citizen. Will he be one of the lucky 0.3% to make it to rank A? Or will he die in the process?

It is well animated and is definitely a title for the true anime fan. It is both subtitled and a decent piece of sci-fi. The only bad point is that it isn't exactly an original plot, but it is a good story, nicely presented.

- Steve Whitcher

Samurai Gold
Western Connection, 60 mins, ú10.99

A title that I hadn't heard of before. Like Grey this title has an enjoyable if slightly tired plot. While watching it I had the feeling that I had seen it all before. Think of a mixture of Crying Freeman, and any cute anime, forget the sex and violence and you will be thinking along the right lines.

Gold Disus Mount is a samurai warrior who had been disowned by his father, the powerful overseer Reklaad Disus Mount five years ago. Gold's father gets attacked by a mysterious person, and is put in hospital. Gold attempts to discover the truth behind the attack, why it happened and who the attacker was. Gold finds cover-ups, intrigue, conspiracy and a plan to kill all the overseers.

This title does have its comic moments; at one stage Gold dresses up as a woman, so he can tease a gay hired killer. Although Gold may be a samurai warrior, he can behave like a spoilt little boy at times.

I quite liked this title, and I would guess that it would appeal to many anime fans. It has a good mixture of cute girls, sci-fi, and quite a few twists and turns in the plot. I probably wouldn't have bought this if I had seen it on the shelf. But having watched it, I would have bought it.

Western Connection seem to be moving away from the sex and violence "end" of the market, and are going for a more sci-fi market. In my opinion this is going to be a good move. WC have this 'Fan Subtitled' feel about them. There are errors in the text, mis-timings and the tape quality can be a little disappointing. However, if this means that they can bring to the 'proper' anime fans, titles that would not sell enough to be released by the likes of Manga Entertainment I am quite happy. Neither Grey nor Samurai are mainstream titles, and WC are aiming them at the fans. I hope that WC can find a market, they have listened to the fans, and will hopefully continue to release 'fan' titles.

- Steve Whitcher

Tenchi Muyo vols. 1 + 2
Pioneer, 60 mins, ú12.99

This is Pioneer's flagship title, a best seller in Japan that has the rare distinction of making the transition from an OAV series to a TV series, a feat only achieved once before (by Patlabor).

The plot of the first episode involves the Tenchi of the title accidently releasing a demon that was imprisoned by an ancestor of his 700 years ago. The 'demon' turns out to be a notorious female space pirate named Ryoko, who is none to pleased when she is released and proceeds to vent her anger on Tenchi. Further episodes introduce Akeya, Sasami, Mihoshi and Washuu, who all wind up staying with Tenchi as well.

Tenchi Muyo skilfully parodies the ordinary-boy-meets-weird-girl genre that is so common in anime (cf. Urusei Yatsura, Video Girl Ai, 3x3 Eyes, Outlanders etc.), as Tenchi tries to cope with not one, but five cute girls entering his life. There is minimal plot development, as the series concentrates on character development and situation comedy. It is also extremely cute - you have been warned!

The English dubbing is good, but not up to the high standards of the original Japanese. Despite this, I highly recommend it.

- Jonathan Weeks

Moldiver vols. 1 + 2
Pioneer, 60 mins, ú12.99

The Japanese have never quite embraced the American superhero concept, so any superhero anime is most likely to be a parody, as is the case with Moldiver.

The Moldiver unit is a super-suit that allows the user to circumvent all the laws of physics. The inventor Hiroshi Ozora wants to use it to become a superhero, but hasn't reckoned with his younger sister Mirai, who inadvertently redesigns the suit to her own taste. The first two episodes concern the efforts of the nefarious Professor Machinegal to add to his antique collection. As this is the 21st century, this involves stealing a Formula 1 car in the first episode, and a space shuttle in the second.

Moldiver scores over Tenchi Muyo on plot, but falls just short on cute. There are lots of nice touches throughout the series that have been faithfully reproduced in this English version. Some people who have seen both versions have claimed that the English dub is superior to the Japanese, and I can well believe this. On balance I prefer this to Tenchi Muyo, but I have found myself to be in the minority on this issue. Avoid the agony of choice and buy both. You won't be disappointed.

- Jonathan Weeks

Gunbuster Vol 3
Kiseki Films, 60 mins, ú10.99

Episode 5 "Hope! Time for Love!": Although only a few months have passed for the crew of the Excelion, ten years have passed on Earth. Noriko and Kazumi receive their school diplomas ten years after their class mates.

High command are planning to evacuate the planet, as they have detected a swarm of space monsters are heading for the earth. Unfortunately there are neither enough ships for a full evacuation, nor enough firepower to counter the invasion.

Coach Ota is dying, but as Gunbuster is humanity's only hope, Noriko and Kazumi have to pilot the Gunbuster. The plan is to escort the Excelion to the centre of the swarm, and to blow it up causing a black hole to suck up the swarm. Will the plan work.......

Episode 6: Fifteen years have passed since the last battle. Kazumi bids farewell to her dead husband Coach Ota, she is about to go into space again. Kazumi is going to pilot Buster 3, a black hole bomb, formed by compressing the planet Jupiter. She meets Noriko for the first time in 15 years, but for Noriko it was only 6 months. The space monsters are not going to be wiped out so easily, and hundreds of thousands of humans are killed defending Buster 3. The Buster 3 doesn't have the power to implode by its self. Noriko and Kazumi decide to use Gunbuster to jump start Buster 3, they will be killed in the implosion, but humanity will be saved.

The Gunbuster just about struggles to get away from the Buster 3, but is enveloped in extreme slow time created by the implosion. Gunbuster limps back to earth where 12 thousand years have passed. The 2 pilots feel apprehensive, as they wonder what has happened to the earth in 12 thousand years. The word "Okaerinasai" ("Welcome Home") appears in lights on the planet's surface.

As I said in my review of volume 2, It may be Parody, but the sadness, the self sacrifice gets to me every time. If you haven't bought it get, go out and buy it.

- Steve Whitcher

If all anime was this good, would we still need human actors ? (Well, actually, yes, as anime and live action are two different kettles of sushi.) I hope, however, you get my point. I've been consistently impressed by this series since episode 1 and the finale hasn't disappointed, except for the stupid positioning of the timecode across the sub-title strip which left me guessing what some of the dialogue was.

Gunbuster has a good script, excellent characterisation and mecha that looks like it could work. Also, the sociological problems of time- dilation are dealt with better than anywhere else in the cinema - Star Wars, for instance, totally ignores it.

The only dislikes I have are the nudity which, whilst not pornographic, is obviously meant to titillate and is therefore unnecessary, and the Gunbuster itself, a technological marvel but yet another transformer and I'm fed up with transformers. Having said that, it's the best one I've seen.

I was a little nonplussed when the last episode came up in black and white, but it works very well, as does the almost surreal use of still sketches to show the last fleet-to-fleet action.

All in all, thoroughly recommended. Both episodes stand up as individual stories, but see the previous episodes first to get the best out of these ones.

- Marlon A. Seton

Tokyo Babylon 1
Manga Video, 45 mins, ú10.99

When you see this title in the shops, don't be put off by the cover. MEL has again given a title a sleeve designed to appeal to their target audience rather than reflect its contents. The sleeve mentions a "debauched mire of rape, phone sex and sinister religious sects". Well there wasn't any of these in my copy.

Tokyo Babylon is excellently animated with a wonderful soundtrack and good character development. The plot it a little tired, and is too similar to Doomed Megalopolis. A series of mysterious and fatal accidents has plagued the construction of Project 5. Project 5 is going to be the new high-tech Headquarters of MCC Corp. Subaru Sumeragi is called in to perform an exorcism, but before he can do it, the company's president has a heart attack during a lift accident. It this just another coincidence, or is there something more sinister afoot?

Tokyo Babylon was created by Clamp, who are a group of four women artists. The animation was done by Madhouse, who also did Monster City. I was very impressed by this title, although the sleeve would have put me off buying it. I felt that it was only very slightly violent, and the character development caused me to become very involved, quite early on. The only bad point was the lack of originally in the plot. Having seen this video, I would have bought this title. This is a title that you will want to see more than once, it is a worthwhile addition to every anime fan's collection, not just horror fans.

- Steve Whitcher

Zeguy
Manga Video, 72 mins, ú8.99

This title is definitely going to worry Manga fans. For a start it only has a PG certificate, and there is no sexual or violent content claimed on the cover. In fact this turns out to be a very standard cute fantasy adventure anime, not what we've come to expect from Manga.

Modern-day Japanese school girl Miki and her friend Sakaya are mysteriously transported to the Empire of the Clouds where they become embroiled in a quest to open the Gateway of the Wind and return home. This is standard fantasy with the appropriate mix of weird characters and peculiar goings on. There is a lot of nice design work, and even a Sailor Moon parody worked in to the plot.

If you prefer the cute side of anime you may like it, but although it kept my interest on the first viewing, I felt no enthusiasm to watch it again. Worth buying if you're a dedicated cute fan, but not otherwise.

- Jonathan Weeks

The Wind of Amnesia
Manga Video, 80 mins, ú12.99

Also known 'A Wind Called Amnesia', which is a more literal translation of the original title, this movie is adapted from an SF novel by Hideyuki Kikuchi. A sudden disaster strips mankind of all memory, speech and reason, and thus brings about the abrupt extinction of civilisation. The hero, Wataru, survives with help of a non-amnesiac boy, and later teams up with a strange young woman, Sophie. It's a road movie of a sort, in which the journey serves to break up the story into sections. One of the most fascinating sequences occurs when the two stumble on an ideal town, still inhabited, and under the control of a master computer.

A strong script and good dubbing that recaptures the tone of the original dialogue make for compelling viewing. There are a few wobbly bits in the plot, and the use of voice-over seems a little excessive at times, both problems deriving from the original version. On the plus side, some of the visuals are superb, A serious-minded movie, and surely one of the best things Manga Video have done so far. Surprisingly, Manga's version seems much more powerful than the original, even though I'd read a script for the latter.

- Geoff Cowie

Galactic Pirates Vol. 1
Western Connection, 50 mins, ú10.99

Based on an award-winning SF novel by Kambayaski Chohei, this may be better known to some as 'The Enemy are Pirates'. All six parts were released simultaneously in three volumes. At first viewing this series can be highly disconcerting; a mixture of cop show, space opera and acid trip, with two detectives, Latell and Apollo from the Cat Planet, a sweet young cop, Marsha, and a talking computer, Dolar. Their last-chance assignment is to rid the universe of the Galactic Pirates; yes 'The Enemy are Pirates'. There is a contemporary music soundtrack and all the dialogue is American streetwise, and fairly well dubbed. This is all great fun and clearly aimed at a fairly sophisticated audience, though I cannot understand why cert. 18 is shown on the covers. The complete antidote to Star-Trek. Try it.

- Geoff Cowie

Mermaid Forest
Manga Video, 56 mins, ú8.99

Rumiko Takahashi's manga story was based on Japanese legends, in which eating the flesh of a mermaid can confer eternal life - at a price. The eternal life can be a lonely hell. A catalogue of the nasty things that happen in this video, like sudden death, bloodletting, and gruesome medical experiments, could be misleading as it is not particularly gory or explicit. Rather, on a first viewing it works on the imagination to curdle the blood in the way that the best horror movies do.

Manga Video's low-priced mass-market version uses a rather free translation, and though the dubbing doesn't set the tape alight, it's quite inoffensive. Definitely one of Manga Video's better offerings.

- Geoff Cowie

[5] The Girl From Phantasia

by Richard Steele

The Girl From Phantasia is a good natured fantasy romp light on story, strong on humour and just a wee bit naughty. When high school student Akihiro finds an enchanted carpet he opens up a portal to a world of magic, mystery and adventure. The Girl From Phantasia is an entertaining and light hearted fantasy anime that shouldn't be passed over. The story of The Girl From Phantasia is the creation of Akane Nagano. His dreams of a fantastic world of magic have been brought to life by director Jun Kamiya and character designer Kazuya Kise. Together they have created a wonderful animated version of the manga which is being published in Comic Gamma.

High school student Akihiro couldn't be happier. He has just invited the beautiful Miyuki to come and visit him and she actually said yes! Delirious with thoughts of Miyuki, Akihiro fails to notice a carpet that has been abandoned on the pavement, that is he fails to notice it until he trips over it. Impressed by the fine quality of the carpet Akihiro takes it home to furnish his room in hopes of impressing Miyuki. However, no sooner does he unroll the carpet then he discovers that it is the magical gateway between our world and the world of Phantasia. Phantasia is a magical realm that is guarded from the greedy aims of humankind by a Knight Sentry named Malon. Malon has been waiting a long time for a compassionate human to aid her in defending Phantasia and thinks she has found one in Akihiro. But when Miyuki arrives and finds Akihiro and Malon together she gets the wrong impression. Things worsen when Roll appears. Roll, the grandson of a sorcerer banished from Phantasia, has come seeking vengeance against the people who exiled his ancestors. The action that follows is fast and furious as Roll tries to dispatch Phantasia's Knight Sentry Malon before he can attempt to destroy the carpet itself and seal the portal between Earth and Phantasia forever. Aided by Malon's friends Short and Monbran, Akihiro sets off to help Malon defeat Roll and protect Phantasia.

Characters of Phantasia:

Akihiro: Voice actor Shinnosuke Furumoto plays the roll of Akihiro, your typical high school student. Akihiro is really a rather average individual who seems to have trouble getting a date. When Phantasia begins he has just made a date with Miyuki, the most beautiful girl in school as proclaimed by Akihiro. However, when Akihiro meets Malon from Phantasia his more lecherous side leads him into a misunderstanding with Miyuki. Akihiro is a rather ambitious and brave individual who seems to handle all of the strangeness surrounding Phantasia rather well. Although he is far from perfect and does allow his headstrong nature to get him into situations which he would have wished to avoid.

Malon: Voice actress Mitsuki Yayoi provides the voice of the often immature Knight Sentry of Phantasia, Malon. Malon is young and impressionable, falling hard for Akihiro when she first meets him. Malon also refers to herself in the third person, "Malon happy!", which adds to the air of immaturity. However, Malon is a strong and capable Knight Sentry with a good command of her magical powers. When Malon first causes problems between Akihiro and Miyuki she thinks that her magic is to blame so she decides not to use it so that Akihiro will not be angry. This turns out to be a near disastrous decision when Roll appears seeking her life in retribution for his family's long years of exile.

Miyuki: Voice actress Mako Hoyodo plays the roll of Miyuki. Miyuki is a rather attractive young high school girl possessed of a strong character. She is an independent young woman who doesn't take well to being played for a fool which is what she thinks is going on when she walks in on Akihiro and Malon. Clearly the explanation of "this girl just came out of this carpet I found, I'm not two timing you really!" isn't going to cut it with Miyuki.

Roll: Voice actor Keiichi Naniwa plays the part of Roll, one of the most colourful characters in Phantasia. He is the foul mouthed grandson of an exiled sorcerer and bent on exterminating Phantasia's Knight Sentry. Roll is powerful, ruthless, and thankfully for Malon, not all that bright. But what he lacks in savvy he more than makes up for in raw power.

Short: Voice actress Kikuko Inoue plays the part of Malon's friend Short. It may be only coincidence but Short's name perfectly describes her temper. She is a hot headed young woman who gives Roll a run for his money when it comes to reckless behaviour. Prone to acting before thinking Short finds herself in trouble when she confronts Roll in an attempt to save Malon.

Monbran: Voice actress Junko Otsubo plays the roll of Short's cohort Monbran. The two of them are close friends of Malon and have come to Earth to look after Malon. Monbran is just as headstrong as her friend Short but not so hot under the collar. Like her friend short she possesses strong magic powers as do most of Phantasia's natives. However, both her and Short's power prove to be no match for Roll.

Subtitled by A.D. Vision, The Girl From Phantasia was released in 1993 by Akane Nagano/Takeshobo/Starchild. Running time is approximately 40 minutes. All rights under copyright reserved.

[6] Carl Macek

by Steve "Yanez" Whitcher

Mention the name Carl Macek and what does the average anime fan think of? Robotech or some other butchered anime series? 'Mash it' Macek, Killer of Anime Plots?

I must admit that I too had a negative image of Mr. Macek, so when I bumped into him at HTC World earlier this year I took the chance to have a chat with him. After hearing so many negative comments about Macek it is very difficult not to be prejudiced against him. But, after meeting the guy, you can't help feeling that he has been seriously misjudged by the American fans. This will sound very strange to the UK anime fans but I have met him and I can only say what I thought of him.

The first thing that strikes you about Macek is that he is a nice guy. Having heard that he is hated so much by the US fans that he has had death threats, it is all a bit confusing. He is prepared to listen to fans, and spent time with them, which is important to me. Carl is very passionate about his films, and he is very proud of what he has done. But I don't see anything wrong with him being proud of what he has done. If I were a producer, I would be proud about my products, and would murder anyone who would say otherwise.

Putting my own opinions on dubbing to one side, Carl's defence of dubbing is logical. He believes that dubbing brings anime to the widest possible audience. It is very easy for us fans to say that we prefer subtitling, but the general public are lazy and can't be bothered with subtitled films. So I think that he is right, only through dubbing will anime be brought to a wide audience.

When Macek adapts a title, he starts with the original scripts. He points out that the script is not the same thing as what the voice actors actually say. The voice actors apparently ad- lib some speech. So, having translated the script literally into English, Carl then turns it into Real English. Finally the text is changed to obtain a decent lip sync. Macek points out that fan subtitled tapes are normally literal translations of what the voice actors said, rather than a meaningful translation of what the actors should have said. And this explains the difference between what we see in a fan sub, and what we hear in a dubbed version.

He will just be talking about a title and he will break into funny voices, and start pointing out the finer points of his adaptation and why he adapted it the way he did. Macek is certainly knowledgeable about anime, and he is obviously a fan. I was impressed that he knows what he is talking about because from what I had heard I would have expected that he would have been only into anime for commercial reasons.

So many UK anime publishers are obviously releasing anime for the money, rather than because they love anime. Whatever Macek has done, at least he is a fan of the genre. Don't just believe me? If you do happen to come across him at a convention, go over and have a chat with him. Make up your own mind about him, but leave your prejudices at home, and you will find out for yourself what Macek is really about.

[7] Otaku no Video

by Richard Steele

Otaku no Video was released in 1982 by the studio Gainax. It was followed in 1985 by a sequel, More Otaku no Video. Both videos contain a combination of animation and live action. The animated segments form a fictional history of the studio Gainax containing many in-references to members of Gainax, Tokyo media personalities, and so on. The live action segments are divided into Otaku portraits. Each portrait centres on a certain type of Otaku, meaning a certain type of dedicated fan of something, not all of which are solely dedicated to Anime. All the portraits do share one thing in common, they are all outrageous send ups of different stereotypes of Anime fans.

Before we proceed any further it is important to explain the meaning of the title of the Anime and the word Otaku itself, this alone will tell you a lot about Otaku no Video. Otaku is a formal and somewhat unusual way of saying you or your house in Japanese, it hasn't been used in common place for some time and has taken on another meaning entirely. Coined first by the Japanese media to refer to dedicated fans of videos and electronics, Otaku has come to mean dedicated fan, someone who goes beyond the normal bounds of devotion to a hobby until it becomes a passion. It is sad however that the term Otaku took on a gruesome connotation after it was used to describe Miyazaki Tsutomu, a serial killer of children who also collected pornographic videos. This incident led to an erroneous assumption that Otaku were in some way unsavoury and so far outside the norm that they forsake civilized behaviour. This is not true as Otaku is just a term used to describe a dedicated fan and the actions of one Otaku do not represent all Otaku. In recent years the term Otaku has begun to shed some of its negative connotations and has become more accepted as a term describing someone who is dedicated to a certain field of interest. Therefore there can be pop music Otakus, military Otakus, video Otakus, sports Otakus, and Otakus of many other devotions. However, here in the United States the meaning of the word Otaku has become much more narrow and tends to only refer to fans of Japanese animation. So knowing this we can give an approximate translation of "Otaku no Video" as a video of fans, a video for fans, or a fan's video. Otaku no Video is not just the fictional history of Gainax, it is a video about all of Japanese animation fandom.

Gainax has created some of the best works of Anime to date and the quality of Otaku no Video is what you would expect from such a prestigious company. The planning of Otaku no Video was done by Maruyama Yoshio and Okada Toshio. Okada went on to complete the screenplay. The director for Otaku no Video is Mori Takeshi. Character designs were done by veteran artist Sonoda Kenichi who has created a group of characters that have both style and personality. In fact the entire visual look of Otaku no Video is sharp by anyone's standards. The animation is fluid, the colours crisp, and the quality of the work in general is exceptional.

In direct contrast to the visual style of the animated segments are the Otaku portraits. Often using video distortion to hide the true identity of the individual in the video they have a well cultivated look of amateurism. Make no mistake though, these interviews are deliberately misleading as they are not interviews with "true" Otaku but staged interviews designed to parody or exaggerate some aspect of being an Otaku. Often words in the original Japanese dialogue reflect a subtle subtext that can be missed in the translation. For example, during one of the interviews a man who has gone on to get a respectable job and leave the fandom of his youth behind refers to himself in terms that are often used to describe Yakuza who have gotten out of the business. In this manner there is a comparison between the level of involvement he shared with fellow Anime fans to being part of a criminal organization that creates fictitious blood ties between its members. This is playing on the general public's ignorance of Anime fandom to poke fun at those people who compare Anime fans to thugs or other disagreeable social types.

The animated story itself revolves around Kubo a freshman in college who meets a friend of his from high school who is an Otaku. His friend Tanaka soon introduces Kubo into the strange and mysterious world of the Otaku. Kubo soon becomes an Otaku himself, loosing many of his friends including girlfriend Ueno Yoshiko. He soon falls in with a new circle of friends made up of Otaku. Kubo seems very happy with his new life as an Otaku but is rather disturbed by the loss of his old friends and social standing. In an empassioned speech made to Tanaka he vow to give up all semblance of a normal life to become the ultimate Otaku, the Ota-king. This ends the first Otaku no Video. At the beginning of More Otaku no Video Kubo and Tanaka have mastered a process that will allow them to become plastic model kit manufacturers. This initial foray into professional Otakudom however ends in failure as Kubo looses his company to a greedy banker. He soon forms a new alliance with his old friend Tanaka and a female illustrator named Fukuhara Misuzu, voice by Kobayashi Yuuko, to create a series of videos that catapult his next company Giant X to undreamed of heights. By the end of the tape Kubo is able to realize his life long dream of building Otakuland, an amusement park for all types of Otaku.

Characters of Otaku no Video

Kubo: Voice actor Tsujiya Kooji plays the part of Kubo, a young man going to college in Japan. Kubo is a typical youth, interested in sports, girls, his studies, his friends, and just having a good time. It is after a round of carousing with some of his buddies that Kubo runs into an old friend from high school named Tanaka. Tanaka, as opposed to Kubo, is an Otaku of Animation and a dedicated one at that. Tanaka soon persuades Kubo to join him and his friends as a fan of anime and other subjects. Kubo becomes involved in anime in a short period of time, perhaps even more so than his friend Tanaka who was responsible for introducing him to anime in the first place. Unfortunately for him Kubo's involvement in anime is so total that he is unable to reconcile his other relationships with his new passion and looses both his friends and girlfriend Ueno. This blow to Kubo's self-esteem drives him to greater depths of fandom which soon consumes his very existence. He emerges triumphant over his passion and goes on to found a series of companies dedicated to creating Anime and allowing him to fulfil his dream of bringing the joys of Otakuness to every man, woman, and child across the globe.

Tanaka: Voice actor Sakurai Toshiharu plays the part of Kubo's best friend and fellow Otaku Tanaka. Tanaka has been interested in anime and manga for several years when he meets Kubo again. He soon entices his friend into joining the world of animation and science fiction fandom. Tanaka is the unofficial head of a small circle of fans. The world 'circle' is often used to describe a group of fans who are all friends or who share similar interests. Tanaka follows Kubo through his corporate adventures and is instrumental in the creation of Kubo's companies. Tanaka is devoted even for an Otaku seeming to have no life outside his fandom.

Miyoshi: Voice actor Kikuchi Masami plays the part of one of the members of Tanaka's circle who later becomes one of Kubo's close friends. Miyoshi is an expert in the many live action super hero shows which were popular in Japan at the time Otaku no Video was made. His ability to demonstrate the many complex transformation sequences the super heroes have to perform is proof of his Otakuness.

Iiyama: Voice actor Morikawa Tomoyuki plays the roll of military Otaku and fellow circle member Iiyama. An expert in both military matters and model making Iiyama is another member of Tanakas circle who also becomes a close friend of Kubo's.

Hino: Voice actor Nakahara Shigeru plays the part of Hino, a science fiction Otaku who is also a member of Tanaka's circle. He later becomes a friend of Kubo and a member of the board of directors for Kubo's first company.

Satoo Yuri: Voice actress Amano Yuri plays the part of the only female member of Tanaka's circle. Satoo is a "genius illustrator", at least by Tanaka's standards. Satoo is an unabashed young woman who seems not at all embarrassed to appear dressed as Lum or Dominique from Space Adventure Cobra. In fact Satoo seems to take an interest in Kubo as the story progresses, much to the frustration of Miyoshi.

Ueno Yoshiko: Voice actress Inoue Kikuko plays the part of Kubo's strait laced girlfriend Ueno. The typical trendy girl, Ueno is interested in Kubo and likes him a lot but as his pursuit of anime fandom consumes more of Kubo's time Ueno becomes alienated. She leaves him after enduring his rather bizarre behaviour and indifferent attitude toward her for several months. Later she returns as the wife of a powerful banker who opposes Kubo in his quest to Otakudize all mankind.

Fukuhara Misuzu: Voice actress Kobayashi Yuuko plays the part of the quiet and reserved Fukuhara. Not a member of the original circle, Fukuhara none the less plays an import roll in the life of Kubo. She is an employee of Kubo's first company who produces a revolutionary character design that is introduced as a model line. Later she joins Kubo and Tanaka to help form Giant X, the movie studio that allows Kubo to attain the success as an Otaku that he had always dreamed of.

There are a great number of other minor and supporting characters that round out the cast of Otaku no Video. Their voice actors and actresses are listed here along with the part they played.

Yamaguchi: Tobita Norio; Kitajima: Takagi Wataru; Yoshida/Shao Bai Lung: Umezu Hideyuki; Inoue: Kanemaru Junichi; Murata: Someda Kiyoyuki; Nakumaru Yooko: Kurihara Rena; Girl: Kikuchi Takako; Banker Kanda/Narrator: Ootsuka Akio

Otaku no Video is funny, intriguing, and satirical. A self-reflective work by Gainax that is one of the most unique titles available in the United States. Both Otaku no Video and More Otaku no Video are available from AnimEigo on one tape that runs approximately 100 minutes. The video is subtitled and comes with extensive liner notes that describe some of the more obscure in-jokes that permeate Otaku no Video. Any dedicated fan of Japanese Animation is sure to find some element of Otaku no Video that may seem familiar, perhaps even more so than they are willing to admit.

Otaku no Video is licensed to AnimEigo by Gainax. All rights under copyright reserved.