Nostalgia is an essential component of the DVD-release landscape, and the next few months feature more than a few wistful looks back, especially to the 1980s. The entire Megazone 23 series, the first of which I described as "utterly immersed in its era," comes out in a box set in December, as do Super Dimension Century Orguss, Nobody's Boy Remi and the first season of Cat's Eye. From the Western side of things, there's the first collection of Pixar shorts, as well as the next Voltron release. Step a bit farther back than the leg-warmer era and you get the indescribably addictive badness of the late-'60s Rocket Robin Hood (only from Warner Canada, but if you're really jonesing our links point to Amazon.ca), but you also get this year's Walt Disney Treasures releases. The most pleasant surprise, however, is something you may never have seen: the DVD release of the Chinese feature Princess Iron Fan, which Noel Vera admired in his essay on Chinese animation a few years ago.

New titles:

October:
10/9 - Fate/Stay Night Vol. 6: The Holy Grail Limited Edition (DVD)
10/9 - Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination (Paperback) (Book)
10/15 - 3ds Max 9.0: Accelerated (Paperback) (Book)
10/15 - After Class Lesson Box Set (Adult) (DVD)
10/15 - All About Techniques in Drawing for Animation Production (Paperback) (Book)
10/15 - Hot Juicy Teacher Box Set (Adult) (DVD)
10/15 - Slutty Princess Diaries Box Set (Adult) (DVD)
10/16 - Cat's Eye Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/16 - Cat's Eye Vol. 4 (DVD)
10/16 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/16 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 4 (DVD)
10/16 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/16 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 4 (DVD)
10/23 - Rocket Robin Hood Vol. 1 (DVD)
10/23 - Rocket Robin Hood Vol. 2 (DVD)
10/25 - Art of Bee Movie (Hardcover) (Book)
10/25 - Hanna-Barbera Retro Gift Set (DVD)
10/25 - LightWave 3D 8 Modeling: A Definitive Guide (Paperback) (Book)
10/30 - Bizarre Cartoons of the Past (DVD)
10/30 - Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen (DVD)
10/30 - Polar Express (Blu-ray)
10/30 - TV Animation Gift Set (DVD)
10/30 - We Are the Strange (DVD)

November:
11/1 - Human Motion: Understanding, Modelling, Capture and Animation (Hardcover) (Book)
11/2 - Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Fourth Edition: Essential and Advanced Techniques (Paperback) (Book)
11/6 - Ah My Goddess Season 2 Vol. 4: I'm a Believer (DVD)
11/6 - Animated Family Favorites 3-Movie Collection (DVD)
11/6 - Best of Blu-ray: Happy Feet/Tim Burton's Corpse Bride/The Ant Bully/Scooby-Doo (Blu-ray)
11/6 - Bettle Bailey: The Complete Collection (DVD)
11/6 - Burn Up!/Plastic Little 2-Pack (DVD)
11/6 - Cars (Blu-ray)
11/6 - Cat's Eye Vol. 5 (DVD)
11/6 - Cat's Eye Vol. 6 (DVD)
11/6 - Di Gi Charat Nyo! Vol. 4 (DVD)
11/6 - Flag Vol. 1 (DVD)
11/6 - Flag Vol. 1 Limited Edition + artbox (DVD)
11/6 - Gantz Perfect Score Collection (DVD)
11/6 - Gundam Seed Destiny Vol. 11 (DVD)
11/6 - Guyver Vol. 7: Armor of the Gods (DVD)
11/6 - Mars Daybreak Collection (Anime Legends) (DVD)
11/6 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 4 (DVD)
11/6 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 4 Special Limited Edition (DVD)
11/6 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Character Song Volume 5: Ryoko (CD)
11/6 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Character Song Volume 7: Emiri (CD)
11/6 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Character Song Volume 8: Itsuki (CD)
11/6 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Haruhi no Tsumeawase (CD)
11/6 - My-Otome Vol. 3 (DVD)
11/6 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 5 (DVD)
11/6 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 6 (DVD)
11/6 - Once Upon a Time: A Storybook Collection (DVD)
11/6 - Pixar Short Films Collection Vol. 1 (Blu-ray)
11/6 - Pixar Short Films Collection Vol. 1 (DVD)
11/6 - Popeye's Voyage: Quest for Pappy (DVD)
11/6 - Princess Iron Fan (DVD)
11/6 - Ratatouille (Blu-ray)
11/6 - Ratatouille (DVD)
11/6 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 5 (DVD)
11/6 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 6 (DVD)
11/6 - Tide-Line Blue Vol. 4 (DVD)
11/11 - SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers: The Next (Blu-ray)
11/11 - SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers: The Next (DVD)
11/11 - The Shrek Trilogy (DVD)
11/13 - Blade of the Phantom Master: Shin Angyo Onshi (DVD)
11/13 - DuckTales Vol. 3 (DVD)
11/13 - Eureka Seven Vol. 10 (DVD)
11/13 - Eureka Seven Vol. 10 Special Edition (DVD)
11/13 - Scooby-Doo Gift Set (DVD)
11/13 - Shadow Skill Complete Collection (DVD)
11/13 - Shrek the Third (HD DVD)
11/13 - Sonic X: New World Saga (DVD)
11/13 - TaleSpin Vol. 2 (DVD)
11/13 - Ugly Duckling and Me: Yard Party (DVD)
11/13 - Venus Versus Virus Vol. 1: Outbreak (DVD)
11/13 - Xenosaga Vol. 2: Voices From the Past (DVD)
11/13 - Zorro: Return to the Future (DVD)
11/16 - Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams: Japanese Science Fiction from Origins to Anime (hardcover) (Book)
11/19 - Adobe After Effects CS3 Professional Studio Techniques (Paperback) (Book)
11/20 - Death Note Vol. 1 + manga vol. 1 (DVD)
11/20 - Fruits Basket Box Set (DVD)
11/20 - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Box Set (DVD)
11/20 - Jing, King of Bandits: Seventh Heaven (DVD)
11/20 - Karas The Prophecy/The Revelation 2-Pack (DVD)
11/20 - My Friends Tigger and Pooh: Super Sleuth Christmas Movie (DVD)
11/20 - Princess Tutu Complete Collection (DVD)
11/20 - Red Garden Vol. 2: Breaking the Girls (DVD)
11/20 - Red Garden Vol. 2: Breaking the Girls + artbox (DVD)
11/20 - Super Mario Bros./Sonic the Hedgehog Box Set (DVD)
11/27 - Air Vol. 4 (DVD)
11/27 - Futurama the Movie: Bender's Big Score (DVD)
11/27 - Imma Youjo: The Erotic Temptress Vol. 4: The Bewitching Countess (Adult) (DVD)
11/27 - Jin-Roh (Blu-ray)
11/27 - Land Before Time: Good Times and Good Friends (DVD)
11/27 - Land Before Time: The Wisdom of Friends (DVD)
11/27 - Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi Perfect Collection (DVD)
11/27 - Nadia, Secret of Blue Water Perfect Collection (DVD)
11/27 - Neon Genesis Evangelion Platinum Perfect Collection (DVD)
11/27 - Paprika (Blu-ray)
11/27 - Paprika (DVD)
11/27 - Return to Never Land Pixie-Powered Edition (DVD)
11/27 - Third, The: The Girl with the Blue Eye Vol. 3 (DVD)
11/27 - Third, The: The Girl with the Blue Eye Vol. 3 Limited Edition + artbox + puzzles (DVD)
11/30 - Learning with Animation: Research Implications for Design (Hardcover) (Book)

December:
12/4 - .hack//Roots Original Soundtrack 1 (CD)
12/4 - .hack//Roots Vol. 5 (DVD)
12/4 - Air Gear Vol. 6: Kill 'Em Dead (DVD)
12/4 - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Vol. 5 (DVD)
12/4 - Basilisk Vol. 3: Parting of the Ways (DVD)
12/4 - Basilisk Vol. 4: Tokaido Road (DVD)
12/4 - Cat's Eye Season 1 Collection (DVD)
12/4 - Cat's Eye Vol. 7 (DVD)
12/4 - Cat's Eye Vol. 8 (DVD)
12/4 - Curious George lays in the Snow & Other Awesome Activities (DVD)
12/4 - Desert Punk Vol. 5: Under the Desert (DVD)
12/4 - Desert Punk Vol. 6: Death of the Desert (DVD)
12/4 - Dragon Half/Puni Pui Poemy 2-Pack (DVD)
12/4 - Flag Vol. 2 (DVD)
12/4 - Galaxy Angel AA Vol. 4 (DVD)
12/4 - Hell Girl Vol. 2 (DVD)
12/4 - Highlander: The Complete Animated Series (DVD)
12/4 - Lost Universe Collection (DVD)
12/4 - Magikano Vol. 1: A New Witch in Town (DVD)
12/4 - Midori Days: The Handheld Collection (DVD)
12/4 - Ninja Nonsense Collection Limited Edition (DVD)
12/4 - Nobody's Boy Remi Collection (DVD)
12/4 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 7 (DVD)
12/4 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 8 (DVD)
12/4 - Phoenix Vol. 2: Eternal Recurrance (DVD)
12/4 - Ragnarok Vol. 1 (DVD)
12/4 - Samurai 7 Vol. 7: Guardians of the Rice (DVD)
12/4 - Street Fighter Alpha 2-Pack (DVD)
12/4 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Collection (DVD)
12/4 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 7 (DVD)
12/4 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 8 (DVD)
12/4 - Tom and Jerry Tales Vol. 3 (DVD)
12/4 - Wallace & Gromit: Three Amazing Adventures (DVD)
12/4 - Welcome to the NHK Vol. 2 (DVD)
12/4 - Welcome to the NHK Vol. 2 + series box (DVD)
12/4 - Zegapain Vol. 2 (DVD)
12/11 - Air: The Movie (DVD)
12/11 - Flower and Snake: The Animation (Adult) (DVD)
12/11 - Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 5: The Cost of Living (DVD)
12/11 - Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 6: Captured Souls (DVD)
12/11 - Kurau: Phantom Memory Vol. 5: Twin Destinies (DVD)
12/11 - Maya 2008 Character Modeling and Animation: Principles and Practice (paperback) (Book)
12/11 - Megazone 23 Complete Collection (DVD)
12/11 - My Santa Special (DVD)
12/11 - Pumpkin Scissors Vol. 2: The Enemy Within (DVD)
12/11 - Pumpkin Scissors Vol. 2: The Enemy Within + series box (DVD)
12/11 - Tenchi Muyo GXP Box Set (DVD)
12/11 - Tokyo Majin Vol. 1: Dark Arts: Dragon Stream (DVD)
12/11 - Voltron: Defender of the Universe Vol. 5 (DVD)
12/11 - Walt Disney Treasures: Chronological Donald Vol. 3 (DVD)
12/11 - Walt Disney Treasures: Disneyland: Secrets, Stories and Magic (DVD)
12/11 - Walt Disney Treasures: The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (DVD)
12/18 - Cinderella II: Dreams Come True Special Edition (widescreen) (DVD)
12/18 - Ghost In The Shell 2nd Gig: Individual Eleven (DVD)
12/18 - Innocent Venus Vol. 3: End of the New Beginning (DVD)
12/18 - Le Chevalier D'Eon Vol. 6: Bête Noire (DVD)
12/18 - Princess Princess Collection (DVD)
12/18 - School Rumble Vol. 4 (DVD)
12/18 - Simpsons: The Movie (widescreen) (DVD)
12/18 - Sonic Underground (DVD)
12/18 - Sorcerer Hunters Perfect Collection (DVD)
12/18 - Trinity Blood Vol. 3 (DVD)
12/18 - Trinity Blood Vol. 4 (DVD)
12/18 - Underdog Ultimate Collection (DVD)
12/18 - Wallflower, The Vol. 1: My Fair Bishonen (DVD)
12/18 - Yu Yu Hakusho Eight (episodes 99-112) (DVD)
12/21 - On Animation: The Director's Perspective: Official AWN Masters (Paperback) (Book)
12/26 - From Impressionism to Anime: Japan as Fantasy and Fan Culture in the Mind of the West (hardcover) (Book)
12/26 - Veggie Tales: Larry Boy and the Fib/The Rumor Weed (DVD)
12/26 - Veggie Tales: Madame Blueberry/Esther Girl Who Would Be Queen (DVD)
12/26 - Veggie Tales: Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler/Ballad of Little (DVD)

January 2008:
1/1 - The Idea of Nature in Disney Animation (Hardcover) (Book)
1/3 - Introducing 3ds Max 2008 (paperback) (Book)
1/8 - All-New Superfriends Hour: Season One Vol. 1 (DVD)
1/8 - Naruto Vol. 19 (DVD)
1/15 - Bleach Vol. 7 (DVD)
1/15 - Hikaru no Go Vol. 12 (DVD)
1/15 - Medabots: The Complete First Season (DVD)
1/15 - Prince of Tennis Box Set 4 (DVD)
1/29 - Death Note Vol. 3 (DVD)
1/29 - Death Note Vol. 3 Deluxe Edition + figure (DVD)
1/29 - Naruto Vol. 20 (DVD)
1/29 - Ranma 1/2: Season 5 Box Set: Martial Mayhem (DVD)

February 2008:
2/1 - Stepping into the Picture: Cartoon Designer Maurice Noble (hardcover) (Book)
2/5 - Noddy Vol. 4: Taxi Service (DVD)
2/12 - Mar Vol. 5 (DVD)
2/12 - Naruto Box Set 6 (uncut) (DVD)
2/12 - Naruto Box Set 6 Special Edition (DVD)
2/12 - Pokemon Season 1 Box Set 3 (DVD)
2/25 - Fundamentals of Character Animation (paperback) (Book)

May 2008:
5/1 - The Animation Bible: A Practical Guide to the Art of Animating from Flipbooks to Flash (paperback) (Book)

September 2008:
9/23 - 3D Animation for Teens (paperback) (Book)

Date changes:

October:
10/9 - When They Cry Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/16 - Veggie Tales: Wonderful Wizard of Ha's (DVD)
10/23 - Galaxy Angel AA Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/23 - Inu Yasha Season 4 Box Set Deluxe Edition (DVD)

November:
11/1 - To Infinity and Beyond!: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios (hardcover) (Book)
11/13 - Naruto the Movie Deluxe Edition (DVD)
11/20 - Fullmetal Alchemist Box Set 2 (DVD)
11/20 - Hanna-Barbera Treasury, The (hardcover) (Book)
11/27 - Anime Studio: The eFrontier Official Guide (paperback) (Book)
11/27 - Gunslinger Girl Box Set (DVD)
11/27 - Mobile Suit Gundam IGLOO: Hidden One Year War Vol. 1 (DVD)
11/27 - Spiral Box Set (DVD)
11/30 - After Effects CS3 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide (paperback) (Book)

December:
12/4 - Character Animation with Poser 7 (paperback) (Book)
12/5 - Yoshitaka Amano: The Collected Art of Vampire Hunter D (Book)
12/25 - Mar Vol. 4 (DVD)

March 2008:
3/18 - Maya Feature Creature Creations, Second Edition (paperback) (Book)

October 2008:
10/1 - Disney's Animation Magic (paperback) (Book)

Labels: anime, Pixar, releases, upcoming releases

October is a busy month for DVD releases, as the industry completely shakes off its summer slump and starts its big push for the holiday season. That means an uptick in Christmas titles (like a deluxe edition of The Year Without a Santa Claus, A Flintstones Christmas Carol and... Elf Bowling: The Movie?!?) and a few box sets (The Adventures of Aquaman, the complete 1950s Felix the Cat TV series, and the fifth edition of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection), but there are a few gems hidden here and there. Most notable is the DVD release of the ill-fated American version of Creature Comforts (so you can finally see all seven episodes—oh, and if you were a fan of the show you should listen to this Studio 360 story on the interview process) and the delicious, freaky 1973 French-Czech feature Fantastic Planet.

New titles:

August:
8/21 - Rescue Me Mave-Chan (DVD)
8/28 - Hentaipalooza Collection 1 (Adult) (DVD)

September:
9/4 - She-Ra Season 2 Box Set (DVD)
9/7 - Exploring Digital Cinematography (paperback) (Book)
9/10 - Ray Tracing from the Ground Up (hardcover) (Book)
9/11 - Hare+Guu Box Set (DVD)
9/15 - The Essential Blender: The Official Guide to 3D Creation with the Blender Open Source Suite (paperback) (Book)
9/18 - Barbie as The Island Princess (DVD)
9/18 - Being Ian: The Curse (DVD)
9/18 - Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper Vol. 1 (DVD)
9/18 - Superman: Doomsday (DVD)
9/25 - Freedom Vol. 2 (HD DVD/DVD Twin)
9/25 - Maggie and the Ferocious Beast: Somewhere in Nowhere Land (DVD)
9/25 - Max & Ruby: Max's Feast (DVD)
9/25 - Peppa Pig: Muddy Puddles and Other Stories (DVD)
9/25 - Princess and the Goblin (DVD)
9/30 - Cartoons & Animation (Art Off the Wall) (paperback) (Book)

October:
10/2 - .hack//Roots Vol. 4 (DVD)
10/2 - Air Gear Vol. 5: A Battle of Kings (DVD)
10/2 - Blue Gender Movie: The Warrior (DVD)
10/2 - Christmas Television Favorites (DVD)
10/2 - Craziest Christmas Collection (DVD)
10/2 - Elf Bowling: The Movie (DVD)
10/2 - Felix the Cat: The Complete 1958-1959 Series (DVD)
10/2 - Flintstones Christmas Carol (DVD)
10/2 - Fruits Basket Vol. 3: Puddles of Memories (DVD)
10/2 - Fruits Basket Vol. 4: Clearing Sky (DVD)
10/2 - Galaxy Angel AA Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/2 - Golden Boy Vol. 2 (DVD)
10/2 - Peach Girl Vol. 5 (DVD)
10/2 - Peach Girl Vol. 6 (DVD)
10/2 - School Rumble Vol. 2 (DVD)
10/2 - Strawberry Shortcake: Let's Dance + dance mat (DVD)
10/2 - Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale (DVD)
10/2 - Welcome to the NHK Vol. 1: First Conspiracy (DVD)
10/2 - When They Cry Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/2 - Year Without a Santa Claus Deluxe Edition (DVD)
10/2 - Yugo the Negotiator Box Set (DVD)
10/2 - Zegapain Vol. 1 (DVD)
10/2 - Zegapain Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)
10/9 - Creature Comforts America: The Complete Season One (DVD)
10/9 - Kurau: Phantom Memory Vol. 4: Mirror Image (DVD)
10/9 - Samurai 7 Vol. 3: From Farm to Fortress (DVD)
10/9 - Samurai 7 Vol. 4: Battle for Kanna (DVD)
10/9 - Surf's Up (Blu-ray)
10/9 - Surf's Up (UMD)
10/9 - Surf's Up (fullscreen) (DVD)
10/9 - Surf's Up (widescreen) (DVD)
10/9 - Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles: Seeds of Revolution Vol. 4 (DVD)
10/9 - Veggie Tales: Wonderful Wizard of Ha's (DVD)
10/16 - 009-1 Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/16 - Blue Seed Mitama Collection (DVD)
10/16 - Charlie and Lola Vol. 6: How Many Minutes Until Christmas (DVD)
10/16 - Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 1: The Alchemist's Curse (DVD)
10/16 - Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 2: The Scarred Man of the East (DVD)
10/16 - Glass Fleet Vol. 1 (DVD)
10/16 - Glass Fleet Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)
10/16 - Innocent Venus Vol. 2: Blood of Betrayal (DVD)
10/16 - Innocent Venus Vol. 2: Blood of Betrayal + artbox (DVD)
10/16 - Maya Feature Creature Creations, Second Edition (paperback) (Book)
10/16 - Shrek: The Art of the Quest (hardcover) (Book)
10/16 - Suzuka Vol. 4 (DVD)
10/23 - Adventures of Aquaman: The Complete Collection (DVD)
10/23 - Angelina Ballerina: Silver Locket + book (DVD)
10/23 - Angelina Ballerina: Star Collection (DVD)
10/23 - Basilisk Box Set (DVD)
10/23 - Burst Angel Vol. 5: Line in the Sand (DVD)
10/23 - Burst Angel Vol. 6: Guardian Angel (DVD)
10/23 - Care Bears: Carousel of Dreams 3 (DVD)
10/23 - Care Bears: Magical Moments (DVD)
10/23 - Care Bears: Oopsy Does It + toy (DVD)
10/23 - Character Animation with Poser 7 (paperback) (Book)
10/23 - Fantastic Planet (DVD)
10/23 - Hell Girl Vol. 1 (DVD)
10/23 - Hell Girl Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)
10/23 - Le Chevalier D'Eon Vol. 5 (DVD)
10/23 - Mushishi Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/23 - My Classmate's Mother (Adult) (DVD)
10/23 - Paniponi Dash! Vol. 6: Chaos Cum Laude (DVD)
10/23 - Pumpkin Scissors Vol. 1: Honor & Blood (DVD)
10/23 - Sea Tales Vol. 3: The Ugly Duckling & The Selfish Giant (DVD)
10/23 - Slayers OVA Collection (DVD)
10/23 - Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (DVD)
10/23 - Super Robot Wars: The Original Generation (DVD)
10/25 - Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3: Fire Vol. 1 (DVD)
10/30 - Air Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/30 - Angel's Feather (DVD)
10/30 - Basilisk Vol. 1: Scrolls of Blood (DVD)
10/30 - Basilisk Vol. 2: Spoils of War (DVD)
10/30 - Family Guy: Freakin' Party Pack (DVD)
10/30 - Fighting Spirit (Hajime No Ippo) Collection 1 (DVD)
10/30 - Fighting Spirit (Hajime No Ippo) Collection 2 (DVD)
10/30 - Imma Youjo: The Erotic Temptress Vol. 3: Venomous Beauty (Adult) (DVD)
10/30 - Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Vol. 5 (DVD)
10/30 - Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Vols. 1-5 (DVD)
10/30 - Looney Tunes: Spotlight Collection Vol. 5 (DVD)
10/30 - Looney Tunes: Spotlight Collection Vols. 1-5 (DVD)
10/30 - Lupin the 3rd: Fuma Conspiracy (DVD)
10/30 - No Money Vol. 1 (Adult) (DVD)
10/30 - Phoenix Vol. 1: Persistence of Time (DVD)
10/30 - Shaggy & Scooby Doo Vol. 1: Get a Clue (DVD)

November:
11/1 - After Effects CS3 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide (paperback) (Book)
11/6 - Beck Vol. 4 (DVD)
11/6 - Desert Punk Vol. 3: Vixen of the Desert (DVD)
11/6 - Desert Punk Vol. 4: Desert Dung (DVD)
11/6 - Golden Boy (DVD)
11/6 - Legend of Bravestarr Season 1 Box Set (DVD)
11/6 - Witchblade Vol. 2 (DVD)
11/13 - Dragon Ball GT Box Set 4: Lost Episodes (DVD)
11/13 - Dragon Ball Z: Broly Double Feature (Blu-ray)
11/13 - Fullmetal Alchemist Box Set 2 (DVD)
11/13 - Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 3: Equivalent Exchange (DVD)
11/13 - Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 4: Fall of Ishbal (DVD)
11/13 - Gunslinger Girl Box Set (DVD)
11/13 - Littles, The (DVD)
11/13 - Samurai 7 Vol. 5: Empire in Flux (DVD)
11/13 - Samurai 7 Vol. 6: Broken Alliance (DVD)
11/13 - School Rumble Vol. 3 (DVD)
11/13 - Shrek the Third (fullscreen) (DVD)
11/13 - Shrek the Third (widescreen) (DVD)
11/13 - Shura No Toki Box Set (DVD)
11/13 - Simoun Vol. 1: Choir of Pairs (DVD)
11/13 - Trinity Blood Box Set (DVD)
11/13 - Yu-Gi-Oh Season 5: Dawn of the Duel Part 2 (edited) (DVD)
11/20 - Batman, The: Complete Season 4 (DVD)
11/20 - Batman, The: Complete Seasons 1-4 (DVD)
11/20 - Case Closed Movie: 14th Target (DVD)
11/20 - Consenting Adultery (Adult) (DVD)
11/20 - Ramen Fighter Miki Vol. 2: Tonkatsu Tactics (DVD)
11/20 - Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles Special Edition (DVD)
11/20 - Teen Titans: The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
11/20 - Trinity Blood Vol. 1 (DVD)
11/20 - Trinity Blood Vol. 2 (DVD)
11/20 - Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles: Seeds of Revolution Vol. 5 (DVD)
11/25 - The Disney Version: The Life, Times, Art and Commerce of Walt Disney, Third Edition (paperback) (Book)
11/27 - Ah My Goddess Season 1 Box Set (DVD)
11/27 - Glass Fleet Vol. 2 (DVD)
11/27 - Step Up Love Story (DVD)
11/27 - Suzuka Vol. 5 (DVD)
11/30 - Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces (paperback) (Book)

December:
12/1 - A Modern Approach to Intelligent Animation: Theory and Practice (Advanced Topics in Science and Technology in China) (hardcover) (Book)
12/4 - Mushishi Vol. 4 (DVD)
12/4 - Story of Saiunkoku Vol. 3 (DVD)
12/4 - When They Cry Vol. 4 (DVD)
12/4 - Witchblade Vol. 3 (DVD)
12/7 - Dream Worlds: Production Design for Animation (hardcover) (Book)
12/11 - Mystery of the Necronomicon Vol. 2 (Anime Hotshots) (Adult) (DVD)
12/11 - Ogenki Clinic Vol. 2 (Anime Hotshots) (Adult) (DVD)
12/11 - Slayers Season 2 (uncut) (DVD)
12/18 - Beck Vol. 5 (DVD)

January 2008:
1/15 - Japanese Visual Culture: Explorations in the World of Manga and Anime (hardcover) (Book)
1/22 - Story of Saiunkoku Vol. 4 (DVD)
1/28 - Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage Vol. 2 (DVD)

February 2008:
2/1 - Disney's Animation Magic (paperback) (Book)
2/5 - Teaching Motion Design: Course Offerings and Class Projects from the Leading Undergraduate and Graduate Programs (paperback) (Book)
2/5 - When They Cry Vol. 5 (DVD)

August 2008:
8/22 - Adobe After Effects CS3 Professional (paperback) (Book)

Date changes:

August:
8/25 - Essential LightWave v9: The Fastest and Easiest Way to Master LightWave 3D (paperback) (Book)
8/28 - School Rumble Vol. 1 (DVD)
8/28 - School Rumble Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)

September:
9/4 - Cat's Eye Vol. 1 + series box (DVD)
9/4 - Cat's Eye Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/4 - Character Emotion in 2D and 3D Animation (paperback) (Book)
9/4 - Night Shift Nurses: Experiment Vol. 2 (Adult) (DVD)
9/4 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 1 + series box (DVD)
9/4 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/4 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 1 + series box (DVD)
9/4 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/18 - GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka Semester 1 (DVD)
9/18 - Naruto Anime Profiles: Hiden Shippu Emaki (paperback) (Book)
9/25 - Eureka Seven Vol. 9 (DVD)
9/25 - Eureka Seven Vol. 9 Special Edition + shirt + CD + manga (DVD)
9/25 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 1: Haruhi Suzumiya (CD)
9/25 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 4: Tsuruya-San (CD)
9/25 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 6: Kyon's Sister (CD)
9/25 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 9: Kyon (CD)
9/25 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 3 (DVD)
9/25 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 3 Special Limited Edition (DVD)
9/25 - Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Vol. 10 (DVD)
9/25 - Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Vol. 10 Limited Edition + t-shirt (DVD)
9/26 - Adobe Flash CS3 Professional Studio Techniques (hardcover) (Book)

October:
10/1 - Data-Driven 3D Facial Animation (paperback) (Book)
10/2 - Clockwork Fighters: Hiwou's War Vol. 2 (DVD)
10/9 - Yu Yu Hakusho Seven Sins (episodes 85-98) (DVD)
10/12 - Becoming a Digital Designer: A Guide to Careers in Web, Video, Broadcast, Game and Animation Design (paperback) (Book)
10/16 - Initial D Season 2 Box Set (DVD)
10/18 - Anime Studio: The eFrontier Official Guide (paperback) (Book)
10/25 - To Infinity and Beyond!: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios (hardcover) (Book)
10/30 - GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka Semester 2 (DVD)

November:
11/13 - Spiral Box Set (DVD)

December:
12/28 - Break Time Vol. 1 (Adult) (DVD)

February 2008:
2/19 - Body Language: Advanced 3D Character Rigging +CD (paperback) (Book)

March 2008:
3/1 - Understanding Animation, Second Edition (paperback) (Book)

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Azur and Asmar (DVD)
Renaissance (DVD)
While in the US, computer animation means reaching for more and more realism or doing cartoons in 3D, the Europeans are looking for other ways to be creative with it, as demonstrated by these two features.

Renaissance, with its high-contrast, black and white look, does to computer animation what Blade Runner did to the SF flick: infuse it with style while telling a tighly woven intrigue heavily influenced by film noir. Everything is there, from the cop who will get to the truth no matter what the cost, the corrupt corporation of the future, dealings with seedy criminals, and of course, a femme fatale or two.

Beautifully designed and animated, Azur and Asmar proves that Michel Ocelot is indeed one of the modern masters of animation. He shows his roots as a cutout animator in his choice of framing and movement style, yet somehow the realistic 3D characters manage to move in a stylized, almost 2D environment while not looking out of place. Every frame is a pleasure to behold, but it's not just eye candy, it's there to tell a story: a beautiful tale tackling issues of racism and brotherhood without teaching lessons of tolerance with a sledgehammer. —René Walling

Suzuka Vol. 2 (DVD)
Suzuka is a fun and entertaining sports anime that tracks a boy named Yamato whose high school crush is inexplicably talented in track & field. Featuring some pretty amicable characters and genuine story about meeting and surpassing expectations, the Suzuka television animation is charming and easy to like. —Aaron H. Bynum

Woody Woodpecker & Friends Classic Collection (DVD)
The first generally available sampling from the Walter Lantz studio on DVD. This collection contains most of the cream of the studio's output including cartoons featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Andy Panda, Woody Woodpecker and Chilly Willy. Directors include Shamus Culhane, Dick Lundy and Tex Avery and animators include Fred Moore, Ed Love, Grim Natwick, Pat Matthews and LaVerne Harding. While the cartoons don't have the same high batting average as Warner Bros. cartoons, there are genuine gems here. If you're a fan of golden age cartoons, prepare to be entertained. —Mark Mayerson

Labels: anime, CGI, releases, shorts, upcoming releases

It's back to school in September, and to help you cope with the transition there's a ton of anime titles coming out. Hmmm, textbooks or animation? It's a tough call.

Kicking things off right after Labour Day weekend is the debut of Essence of Anime, Manga Entertainment's equivalent to Bandai and ADV's Anime Legends and Essential Anime brands. They'll start by re-releasing Appleseed (the so-so 1994 OAV, not the recent CGI feature), Blood: The Last Vampire, Ghost in the Shell, the first volume of Karas, Ninja Scroll, Perfect Blue, the Read or Die OAV and Street Fighter Alpha. The week after comes the high-definition releases of Wings of Honneamise, in both HD DVD and Blu-ray. Two weeks after that is the DVD/UMD/Blu-ray release of Tekkon Kinkreet, which only just opened in limited release across North America.

And there's plenty more where that came from.

New titles:

July:
7/31 - Night Shift Nurses: Kranke Vol. 2 (Adult) (DVD)

August:
8/7 - TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) (Blu-ray)
8/7 - TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) (DVD)
8/7 - TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) (includes DVD edition) (HD DVD)
8/14 - Secret World of Benjamin Bear: Teddy Lessons (DVD)
8/15 - Night Shift Nurses: Experiment Vol. 2 (Adult) (DVD)
8/18 - Backyardigans: Super Secret Secret Spy (DVD)

September:
9/3 - Gumby Essentials Vol. 1 (DVD)
9/4 - Appleseed (Essence of Anime) (DVD)
9/4 - Blood: The Last Vampire (Essence of Anime) (DVD)
9/4 - Ghost in the Shell (Essence of Anime) (DVD)
9/4 - Karas Vol. 1 (Essence of Anime) (DVD)
9/4 - Ninja Scroll (Essence of Anime) (DVD)
9/4 - Perfect Blue (Essence of Anime) (DVD)
9/4 - Read or Die (Essence of Anime) (DVD)
9/4 - SpongeBob SquarePants Season 5 Vol. 1 (DVD)
9/4 - Street Fighter Alpha (Essence of Anime) (DVD)
9/11 - Ah My Goddess Season 2 Vol. 3 (DVD)
9/11 - Best Student Council Vol. 6: Don't Go! Hello (DVD)
9/11 - Guyver Vol. 6 (DVD)
9/11 - Wings of Honneamise (includes DVD edition) (Blu-ray)
9/11 - Wings of Honneamise (includes DVD edition) (HD DVD)
9/11 - Xenosaga Vol. 1: Enter the Gnosis (DVD)
9/18 - Barbie as The Island Princess (DVD)
9/18 - Kappa Mikey: Lost in Transportation (DVD)
9/18 - Red Garden Vol. 1: Live to Kill (DVD)
9/18 - This Ugly Yet Beautiful World Collection (DVD)
9/18 - Toys That Rescued Christmas (DVD)
9/25 - Air Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/25 - Air Vol. 2 + artbox (DVD)
9/25 - Tekkon Kinkreet (Blu-ray)
9/25 - Tekkon Kinkreet (DVD)
9/25 - Tekkon Kinkreet (UMD)
9/25 - Utawarerumono Vol. 6: A Song for Posterity (DVD)

October:
10/2 - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: The Laughing Man (DVD)
10/2 - Max & Ruby: A Merry Bunny Christmas (DVD)
10/2 - Tenjho Tenge Complete Collection (DVD)
10/9 - Kyo Kara Maoh! Season 1 Set (DVD)
10/16 - Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo Box Set (DVD)
10/16 - Hellsing Ultimate Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/16 - Hellsing Ultimate Vol. 3 Special Edition (DVD)

November:
11/6 - Naruto the Movie Deluxe Edition (DVD)
11/6 - Naruto Vol. 17 (DVD)
11/13 - Pokeom Season 1 Box Set 2 (DVD)
11/20 - Death Note Vol. 1 (DVD)
11/20 - Death Note Vol. 1 Deluxe Edition + figure (DVD)
11/27 - Bleach Vol. 7 (DVD)
11/27 - Hikaru no Go Vol. 11 (DVD)
11/27 - Naruto Vol. 18 (DVD)
11/27 - Ranma 1/2: Season 4 Box Set: Outta Control (DVD)

December:
12/4 - Mar Vol. 4 (DVD)
12/4 - Naruto Box Set 5 (uncut) (DVD)
12/4 - Naruto Box Set 5 Special Edition (uncut) (DVD)
12/4 - Zatch Bell Vol. 13 (DVD)
12/18 - Death Note Vol. 2 (DVD)
12/18 - Full Moon Vol. 7 (DVD)
12/25 - One Piece Vol. 12 (DVD)

January 2008:
1/8 - Shonen Onmyoji Vol. 4 (DVD)
1/15 - Karin Vol. 5: Ascendance (DVD)
1/15 - Kyo Kara Maoh! Season 2 Vol. 8 (DVD)
1/15 - Law of Ueki Vol. 11 (DVD)

Date changes:

September:
9/18 - Noein Vol. 5 (DVD)

October:
10/16 - Zipang Vol. 7: Return to the Future (DVD)
10/23 - Karas Vol. 2: The Revelation (DVD)

March 2008:
3/31 - Highlander: The Search for Vengeance Special Edition (DVD)

Labels: anime, releases, Tekkon Kinkreet, upcoming releases

You can now watch the trailer for GAINAX's latest offering, Rebuild of Evangelion, reportedly due in Japan this September. According the Carl Gustav Horn's column in Volume 10 of Yoshiyuka Sadamoto's Evangelion manga, Rebuild of Evangelion is the first of four films that will summarize the events of the series (and possibly the final film) while re-shuffling events and emphasizing different aspects like characterization. Fans are already asking if these four films will be more faithful to Sadamoto's vision than creator Hideaki Anno's. The trailer was recorded this week at a movie theatre in Japan. Note the new arrangement of "Fly Me to the Moon" playing over the footage.


Click here to view it.

Labels: anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion, upcoming releases

The first five seasons of Pee-wee's Playhouse drop on two DVDs this September; technically it's not animated, but there's a reason it's making its debut on Adult Swim this week—it contains the work of such notables as Prudence Fenton, Aardman Animations co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton, Phil Trumbo, Mitch Greenblatt, and... you know, I don't think there's any way to count them all. I wonder if the discs will include all the old black and white cartoons they used to show?

Also, while we usually use our section of unknown release dates for titles that have slipped into limbo until their distributors sort things out, our two new additions (the Victorian Romance Emma collections) in that area bear mention. The release dates haven't been fixed yet, but Right Stuf is offering an interesting incentive to the first 1,000 people who order the set: their names in the DVD's credits.

New titles:

July:
7/10 - Natural Obsessions 2 Vol. 4 (Adult) (DVD)

August:
8/28 - Dave Mckean's Keanoshow + book (DVD)
8/28 - Open Wide: Tooth School Inside (DVD)
8/28 - Ugly Duckling & Me: School Days (DVD)

September:
9/4 - Di Gi Charat Nyo! Vol. 3 (DVD)
9/4 - Eureka Seven Vol. 9 (DVD)
9/4 - Eureka Seven Vol. 9 Special Edition (DVD)
9/4 - Kaleido Star: New Wings: True Star Collection (DVD)
9/4 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 1: Haruhi Suzumiya (CD)
9/4 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 4: Tsuruya-San (CD)
9/4 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 6: Kyon's Sister (CD)
9/4 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Character Song Vol. 9: Kyon (CD)
9/4 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 3 (DVD)
9/4 - Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 3 Special Limited Edition (DVD)
9/4 - Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Vol. 10 (DVD)
9/4 - Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Vol. 10 Limited Edition (DVD)
9/4 - My-Otome Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/4 - Tide-Line Blue Vol. 3 (DVD)
9/4 - UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie 4: Banquet of Time, Dreams & Galaxies (DVD)
9/11 - Pee-wee's Playhouse: #1 (seasons 1 & 2) (DVD)
9/11 - Pee-wee's Playhouse: #2 (seasons 3-5) (DVD)
9/18 - Best of Rocky & Bullwinkle Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/25 - Maggie and the Ferocious Beast: Trick or Treat (DVD)

October:
10/2 - Mar Vol. 3 (DVD)
10/2 - Zatch Bell Vol. 12 (DVD)
10/23 - Prince of Tennis Box Set 3 (DVD)
10/30 - Bleach Box Set 1 (episodes 1-20) (DVD)
10/30 - One Piece Vol. 11 (DVD)

Unknown release dates:
12/12 - Victorian Romance Emma DVD Collection 1 (DVD)
12/12 - Victorian Romance Emma DVD Collection 2 (DVD)

Labels: Aardman Animations, anime, releases, upcoming releases

Looks like there are a whole lot of books coming down the pike in the next few months, starting with a wave of computer animation titles in July. One, the second Digital Art Masters volume, is the only one to focus specifically on finished art, while the remainder are how-to guides to Houdini, 3ds Max, Flash, Lightwave and After Effects. A few reissues and new editions are also in the mix from September onward, including a new edition of Animated Films and the paperback version of Japanamerica, in September and November respectively. October's got a nice surprise, though, with a book called The Colored Cartoon: Black Representation in American Short Films—which I hope will tackle its subject matter with a bit more verve than That's Enough Folks, the only other book I'm aware of that exclusively focuses on the subject. Later in the month there's also Jerry Beck's Hanna-Barbera Treasury, 108 pages of finished and pre-production art, which should be just enough to tide us over until February's biography of legendary designer Maurice Noble.

New titles:

July:
7/13 - Houdini on the Spot (paperback) (Book)
7/15 - 3ds Max 9.0: Accelerated (paperback) (Book)
7/15 - Learning Flash CS3 (paperback) (Book)
7/16 - Digital Art Masters: Vol. 2 (paperback) (Book)
7/24 - Adobe Flash CS3 Professional Video Studio Techniques (paperback) (Book)
7/24 - Flash CS3 Professional for Windows and Macintosh (Visual QuickStart Guide) (paperback) (Book)
7/25 - Essential LightWave v9: The Fastest and Easiest Way to Master LightWave 3D (paperback) (Book)
7/30 - Adobe After Effects CS3 Professional Classroom in a Book (hardcover) (Book)

August:
8/12 - Animation Now! (Taschen 25th Anniversary) (hardcover) (Book)
8/21 - Berenstain Bears: Get Organized (DVD)
8/21 - Crazy Cartoons (DVD)
8/27 - Machinima For Dummies (paperback) (Book)
8/28 - Bolek & Lolek Are Camping (DVD)
8/28 - Bolek & Lolek Combo Pack (DVD)
8/28 - Bolek & Lolek on Vacation (DVD)
8/28 - Van-Pires Transform: Swarm Storm (DVD)
8/28 - Van-Pires Transform: Uncool Fuel (DVD)

September:
9/3 - Adobe Flash CS3 Professional Studio Techniques (hardcover) (Book)
9/4 - Robot Chicken: Season Two (DVD)
9/4 - Robot Chicken: Seasons One & Two (DVD)
9/10 - Adobe Flash CS3 Professional How-Tos: 100 Essential Techniques (paperback) (Book)
9/11 - Fantastic Four Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/17 - Adobe Flash CS3 Revealed (paperback) (Book)
9/18 - Animated Films (Virgin Film Series) (paperback) (Book)
9/18 - Black Lagoon Vol. 3 Limited Collector's Edition (DVD)
9/18 - Body Language: Advanced 3D Character Rigging +CD (paperback) (Book)
9/18 - Do You Know the Milfing Man (Adult) (DVD)
9/18 - Family Guy Vol. 5 (DVD)
9/18 - Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Complete Season 1 (DVD)
9/18 - Josie and the Pussycats: The Complete Series (DVD)
9/18 - Ramen Fighter Miki Vol. 1: Miso Mayhem (DVD)
9/19 - Adobe Flash CS3 Professional: Video Training Book (hardcover) (Book)
9/25 - Anime Studio: The eFrontier Official Guide (paperback) (Book)
9/25 - Cool Devices: The Collection (Adult) (DVD)
9/25 - Imma Youjo: The Erotic Temptress Vol. 2: Perfect Love Doll (Adult) (DVD)
9/25 - The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye Vol. 2: Tending Wounds (DVD)

October:
10/1 - Colored Cartoon, The: Black Representation in American Animated Short Films (hardcover) (Book)
10/9 - Ben 10 Complete Season 2 (DVD)
10/9 - Ben 10 Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD)
10/9 - Metalocalypse Season One (DVD)
10/15 - Flash CS3 Expert Answers (paperback) (Book)
10/16 - Squidbillies: Season One (DVD)
10/23 - Hanna-Barbera Treasury, The (hardcover) (Book)
10/23 - Meet the Robinsons (Blu-ray)
10/23 - Meet the Robinsons (DVD)
10/23 - Rozen Maiden Traumend Vol. 1: Puppet Show (DVD)

November:
11/13 - Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S. (paperback) (Book)
11/30 - Adobe After Effects Master Class (paperback) (Book)

December:
12/18 - Rozen Maiden Traumend Vol. 2: Revival (DVD)

February 2008:
2/1 - Stepping into the Picture: Cartoon Designer Maurice Noble (paperback) (Book)
2/6 - Digital Video Essentials: Adobe After Effects 8.0 (paperback) (Book)

Date changes:

November:
11/13 - Basics Animation: Digital Animation (Book)

December:
12/24 - Maya Character Creation (Book)

Labels: books, releases, upcoming releases

Azur and Asmar, Michel Ocelot's latest fable, probably didn't come around to your local cineplex—but Warner is releasing the DVD in July through their Canadian arm, which means you can preorder it through Amazon.ca. In September, another fable of sorts comes to DVD when the last part of Avatar: The Last Airbender's Book 2 (Earth) drops.

New titles:

July:
7/24 - Azur and Asmar (DVD)
7/24 - Ultimate Underdog Collection Vol. 1 (DVD)
7/24 - Ultimate Underdog Collection Vol. 2 (DVD)
7/24 - Ultimate Underdog Collection Vol. 3 (DVD)
7/24 - Yu Yu Hakusho Seventh Set (episodes 85-98) (DVD)
7/31 - Archie Show: The Complete Series (DVD)
7/31 - Bratz: Kidz Sleep-Over Adventure (DVD)
7/31 - The Backyardigans: Into the Deep (DVD)

August:
8/7 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Season 5 (DVD)
8/14 - Doctor Strange (DVD)
8/21 - South Park: The Complete Tenth Season (DVD)

September:
9/4 - Fruits Basket Vol. 1: A Great Transformation (DVD)
9/4 - Fruits Basket Vol. 2: What Becomes of Snow? (DVD)
9/4 - Gunslinger Girl Vol. 3 (DVD)
9/4 - Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (DVD)
9/11 - Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 2: Earth Volume 4 (DVD)
9/11 - Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 2 Collection (DVD)
9/11 - Burst Angel Vol. 3: East Meets West (DVD)
9/11 - Burst Angel Vol. 4: Hired Gun (DVD)
9/11 - Mushishi Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/18 - Dragon Ball Z Season 3 (uncut) (DVD)
9/18 - Fullmetal Alchemist Box Set 1 (DVD)
9/18 - GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka Semester 2 (DVD)
9/18 - Spiral Box Set (DVD)
9/18 - Superman: Doomsday (DVD)
9/18 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Season 1 Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/25 - Desert Punk Vol. 1: Enter the Desert (DVD)
9/25 - Desert Punk Vol. 2: Desert Duo (DVD)
9/25 - Drawn Together Season 2 (DVD)
9/25 - Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki Box Set (DVD)
9/25 - Witchblade Vol. 1 (DVD)
9/25 - Witchblade Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)

Date changes:

September:
9/11 - Shonen Onmyoji Vol. 2 (DVD)
9/18 - Winx Club Season 2 Vol. 2: Battle for the Codex (DVD)
9/18 - Yu-Gi-Oh GX Vol. 4 (DVD)
9/25 - Beck Vol. 3 (DVD)

October:
10/30 - Hare+Guu OVA Vol. 2 (DVD)

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

3x3 Eyes Vol. 1: Immortals (DVD)
3x3 Eyes is a fun, short-form anime that follows a guy whose encounter with an immortal demon poses to him quite a quandary. Although the storytelling is a bit difficult to follow, partially due to the fact that half of this anime was produced two years following the completed production of the first half, 3x3 Eyes has genuine characters, cool action and a pretty decent backstory. This is a very good anime for new otaku freshly galloping into the medium because it's fun and easy to engage. —Aaron H. Bynum

Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl Vol. 1: Role Reversal (DVD)
A cute play on both the love triangles and gender-bending common in anime. Hazumu is a sweet, slightly effeminate high school student who is goaded by Tomari (a tomboy who has been his friend since childhood) into confessing his crush to a shy girl named Yasuna. But Yasuna turns him down, so to lick his wounds Hazumu wanders off into the countryside where (as so often happens in anime) he is promptly killed when an alien spaceship crashes onto him. The aliens have the technology to reconstruct and revive him, but only in a female form. Once the silly set-up is out of the way in the first episode, the real story begins as everyone has to deal with Hazumu's sudden gender switch. Hazumu isn't bothered much by the change but now Yasuna is attracted to him since "he" is now a safe female, while Tomari finds herself increasingly jealous of Yasuna and upset over her own attraction to Hazumu. Add in parents who "always wanted a daughter," a (male) best friend who has trouble talking to Hazumu now, and a couple of space aliens tagging along "just to observe" and mix it all together for maximum comic effect. Despite its comic aspects, the characters grow on you and by the end of the series it turns into a sweet tear-jerker. The unique aspect of the marketing of this anime series is that Media Blasters is not bothering to make an English dub of this title, releasing it in a subtitled-only format in North America. Whether this trend of releasing sub-only anime will catch on now (ADV and others tried it in the late '90s) remains to be seen. (Note: The first two volumes of the manga have been released in English by Seven Seas Entertainment.) —Marc Hairston

Suzuka Vol. 1 (DVD)
Suzuka Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)
Sports-themed manga and anime are a staple in Japan, but for some reason they have never caught on in the West. Suzuka mixes sports drama with romantic comedy and Funimation hopes it will be popular with the fans here. Yamato Akitsuki is a high school freshman who has just moved to Tokyo from Hiroshima to attend a prestigious high school. He lives with his aunt who runs an all-female apartment and bathhouse. (Despite this setup the series never turns into a harem anime, though it does provide some opportunity for fan service.) Yamato's apartment is next door to another freshman who has also moved to Tokyo to attend the same high school. Suzuka Asahina is there on a sports scholarship and pegged to place in the national high jump competition. Yamato is smitten the first time he sees her practicing. But Suzuka has her own personal demons and goes through most of the series unable to admit her real feelings, thus spending much of her time either ignoring Yamato or angry at him. Of course this just makes Yamato want her even more... While the "will they ever get together" aspect of the story could get tiring, the sports competition backstory and the slow revealing of Suzuka's past does keep the interest up. (Note: The first four volumes of the manga have been released in English by Del Rey.) —Marc Hairston

Labels: anime, releases, reviews, upcoming releases

Well, that didn't take long. It's only been a few days since ImaginAsian launched their weekday morning anime programming block, and they've already announced the first six DVD releases for the three series (Cat's Eye, Super Dimension Century Orguss and Nobody's Boy Remi). On another front, it looks like there are a couple of good books coming over the next six months. Two in particular, Astro Boy Essays: Osamu Tezuka, Mighty Atom, and the Manga/Anime Revolution and To Infinity and Beyond!: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios sound like must-read material.

New titles:

July:
7/10 - Cat's Eye Vol. 1 + series box (DVD)
7/10 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 1 + series box (DVD)
7/10 - Princess Princess Vol. 2: Chorus of Cuties (DVD)
7/10 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 1 + series box (DVD)
7/24 - Naoyuki Tsuji Animation Collection (DVD)
7/24 - Todd McFarlane's Spawn: Animated Collection (DVD)
7/31 - Cartune Exprez (DVD)
7/31 - Emilys First 100 Days of School (DVD)
7/31 - Hand Maid May Box Set (DVD)
7/31 - Hare+Guu Box Set (DVD)

August:
8/7 - .hack//Roots Vol. 3 (DVD)
8/7 - .hack//Roots Vol. 3 + MP3 case (DVD)
8/7 - Cat's Eye Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/7 - Dick Tracy Show Vol. 1 (DVD)
8/7 - Dick Tracy Show Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/7 - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (Blu-ray)
8/7 - Godzilla: The Original Animated Series Vol. 3 (DVD)
8/7 - Happy Tree Friends Vol. 3 (DVD)
8/7 - King Kong: The Animated Series Vol. 3 (DVD)
8/7 - Nobody's Boy Remi Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/7 - Simpsons: Complete Tenth Season (DVD)
8/7 - Super Dimension Century Orguss Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/14 - Noein Vol. 5 (DVD)
8/14 - Tokko Vol. 3 (DVD)
8/14 - Trollz 2-Pack: Best Friends/Magic of the Five (DVD)
8/14 - Trollz: Best Friends for Life (DVD)
8/14 - Trollz: Magic of the Five (DVD)
8/16 - Character Emotion in 2D and 3D Animation (paperback) (Book)
8/21 - Big O II Complete Collection (Anime Legends) (DVD)
8/21 - Casper's Scare School (DVD)
8/21 - Galaxy Angel AA Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/21 - Kimba Mini Set Vol. 1 (DVD)
8/28 - ATOM Vol. 1: Touch of Paine (DVD)
8/28 - ATOM Vol. 2: Enter the Dragon (DVD)
8/28 - Curious George Takes a Job and More Monkey Business (DVD)
8/28 - Growning Up Creepie Vol. 1: Creepie Creatures (DVD)
8/28 - Land Before Time: Amazing Adventures (DVD)
8/28 - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Treat (DVD)
8/28 - Rozen Maiden Vol. 3: War of the Rose (DVD)
8/28 - Samurai Jack Season 4 (DVD)
8/28 - Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles: Seeds of Revolution Vol. 3 (DVD)
8/28 - Tutenstein Vol. 3: The Fearless Pharaoh (DVD)
8/30 - Anime Intersections: Tradition and Innovation in Theme and Technique (paperback) (Book)

September:
9/1 - Astro Boy Essays: Osamu Tezuka, Mighty Atom, and the Manga/Anime Revolution (paperback) (Book)
9/4 - Alvin and the Chipmunks: Scare-Riffic Double Feature (DVD)
9/4 - Chill Out Scooby-Doo! (DVD)
9/4 - Inu Yasha Complete Movies Box Set (DVD)
9/4 - Inu Yasha Season 4 Box Set (DVD)
9/4 - Inu Yasha Season 4 Box Set Deluxe Edition (DVD)
9/4 - Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow (DVD)
9/4 - Naruto Vol. 15 (DVD)
9/11 - Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: The Complete Season 2 (DVD)
9/11 - Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD)
9/11 - Tom & Jerry: Spotlight Collection Vol. 3 (DVD)
9/11 - Tom & Jerry: Spotlight Collection Vols. 1-3 (DVD)
9/18 - Full Moon Vol. 6 (DVD)
9/18 - Tweety's High-Flying Adventure (DVD)
9/25 - Bleach Vol. 6 (DVD)
9/25 - Hikaru no Go Vol. 10 (DVD)
9/25 - Naruto Vol. 16 (DVD)
9/25 - Ranma 1/2: Season 3 Box Set: Hard Battle (DVD)

October:
10/1 - Computer Animation, Second Edition: Algorithms and Techniques (hardcover) (Book)

November:
11/1 - To Infinity and Beyond!: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios (hardcover) (Book)
11/16 - Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams: Japanese Science Fiction from Origins to Anime (paperback) (Book)
11/19 - Foundation Flash Animation Techniques (paperback) (Book)

Date changes:

June:
6/21 - House of 100 Tongues (Adult) (DVD)

August:
8/7 - GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka Semester 1 (DVD)
8/14 - Initial D Season 2 Box Set (DVD)
8/14 - Slayers Season 1 (DVD)

September:
9/14 - Data-Driven 3D Facial Animation (paperback) (Book)
9/18 - Basics Animation: Scriptwriting (Book)
9/30 - Opportunities in Cartooning and Animation Careers (paperback) (Book)

October:
10/31 - Learning with Animation: Research and Implications for Design (paperback) (Book)

December:
12/26 - From Impressionism to Anime: Japan as Fantasy and Fan Culture in the Mind of the West (paperback) (Book)

Indefinitely delayed:
12/12 - Boobalicious Vol. 2 (Adult) (DVD)
12/12 - Break Time Vol. 1 (Adult) (DVD)
12/12 - Dark Chapel Vol. 2 (Adult) (DVD)
12/12 - Insatiable Vol. 2 (Adult) (DVD)
12/12 - Ringetsu Vol. 3 (Adult) (DVD)

Labels: anime, books, Osamu Tezuka, releases, upcoming releases

BCI mines our nostalgia for cheesy cheaply-made fare with DVD releases of Filmation's Bravestarr and Ghostbusters (no relation to the Bill Murray movie—this one has a gorilla) in July. But I'm jazzed for a different kind of nostalgia: August features the second volume in 009-1, which mixes Cold War angst, future histories, sexy spies, cyborgs, and a nod to the Osamu Tezuka aesthetic in which everyone's kinda cartoony and rounded. (Like the title character, to the left—hot stuff!) Here, have a look at the series trailer.

New titles:

June:
6/5 - Max and Ruby: Ruby's Scavenger Hunt (DVD)

July:
7/3 - Best of Bravestarr (DVD)
7/3 - Dora The Explorer: Summer Explorer (DVD)
7/3 - Ghostbusters (Filmation) Vol. 2 (DVD)
7/3 - Go Diego Go!: Ready, Set, Go! (DVD)
7/24 - Eloise Goes To School (DVD)
7/24 - Eloise Goes To School + necklace (DVD)
7/31 - Prince and The Pauper: Double Trouble (DVD)

August:
8/7 - Air Gear Vol. 4: Wings Reborn (DVD)
8/7 - Rumbling Hearts Box Set (DVD)
8/7 - Weather Report Girl (Adult) (DVD)
8/14 - Air Vol. 1 (DVD)
8/14 - Beck Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/14 - Best Student Council Vol. 5: Special Talents - Crazy Times (DVD)
8/14 - Kurau: Phantom Memory Vol. 3: Binary Complex (DVD)
8/14 - Paniponi Dash! Vol. 5: Delinquent Genius (DVD)
8/21 - 009-1 Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/21 - 009-1 Vol. 2 + artbox (DVD)
8/21 - Burst Angel Vol. 1: Death's Angel (DVD)
8/21 - Burst Angel Vol. 2: A New Tokyo (DVD)
8/21 - Gunslinger Girl Vol. 1 (DVD)
8/21 - Gunslinger Girl Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/21 - Innocent Venus Vol. 1: Grave New World (DVD)
8/21 - Le Chevalier D'Eon Vol. 4: Ancien Regime (DVD)
8/21 - Peach Girl Vol. 4 (DVD)
8/21 - School Rumble Vol. 1 (DVD)
8/21 - School Rumble Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)
8/21 - Solty Rei Vol. 6 (DVD)
8/28 - Imma Youjo: The Erotic Temptress Vol. 1: The Tower of Lust (Adult) (DVD)
8/28 - Samurai 7 Vol. 1: Search for the Seven (DVD)
8/28 - Samurai 7 Vol. 2: Escape from the Merchants (DVD)
8/28 - To Heart Vol. 4: Love and Truth (DVD)
8/28 - To Heart Vol. 4: Love and Truth Limited Edition + artbox (DVD)
8/28 - Utawarerumono Vol. 5: The Beast Within (DVD)

November:
11/20 - Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage Vol. 1 (DVD)
11/20 - Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)
11/20 - Law of Ueki Vol. 10 (DVD)

Movie trailers:
Enchanted (Movie)

Labels: anime, Filmation, releases, upcoming releases

Afro Samurai (edited) (DVD)
Afro Samurai Director's Cut (DVD)
The last time I saw this kind of careful weaving of music, design and animation it was in a little series called Cowboy Bebop. It remains to be seen if Afro Samurai can get past its seeming ultraviolence-of-the-week structure and create something woven together as tightly as Bebop, but it's encouraging to note that all of the pieces are present right at the beginning. If you can take the gore, that's a good enough reason to keep watching. —Emru Townsend (excerpted from an earlier review)

Avatar: The Last Airbender: Earth Book 2 Vol. 3 (DVD)
An important chapter of the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, these episodes contain great series direction and fantastic writing. The episode "The City of Walls & Secrets" is as dark as it gets for Nickelodeon children's television animation, featuring an episode chock full of government conspiracies, kidnapping and even more teen angst. Avatar is a fun show to get into and possesses plenty of layers of intrigue for a variety of demographics. —Aaron H. Bynum

Doki Doki School Hours Box Set (DVD)
At less than five feet tall, 27-year-old high school teacher Mika Suzuki on many occasions finds it difficult to maintain the attention of her class. Fortunately, her ability to see her students eye-to-eye figuratively as much as she can literally grants Mika the opportunity to develop strong relationships in an academic setting. Doki Doki School Hours is a schoolyard comedy, but still manages to comfortably peek its way into serious discussions about the maturation of today's youth in between episodes about school festivals and the like. —Aaron H. Bynum

Gunbuster 2 Vol. 1 (DVD)
Nearly 20 years after the original Gunbuster introduced the world to the idea of female mecha pilots and the infamous "Gainax bounce," Gainax has gone back to their roots and done a sequel. This time around Kazuya Tsurumaki (FLCL) is the director instead of Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion), and you can definitely see this is closer to FLCL than the original Gunbuster. —Marc Hairston

Paprika (Japanese release) (Blu-ray)
Paprika (Movie)
I was lucky enough to see Satoshi Kon's new film at the Dallas Film Festival in March and it's Millennium Actress on steroids. It's the same idea and style as Millennium Actress and ratcheted up to 11. Millennium Actress combined reality and movies to blur the line of what is real. Here he's combining reality and dreams and movies to blur the line. Same styling, lots of running, lots of repeated scenes and images, and the resolution scene circles back to a throwaway scene at the beginning. Personally I think it's his best film yet, and as soon as the lights came up I wanted to go back and watch it again. Based on a story by the Japanese sci-fi writer Yasutaka Tsutsui, who also wrote the original story for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, which won the Japanese Academy Award for best animated feature last year.

Labels: anime, features, releases, reviews, upcoming releases

Bring on the anime box sets! Kannazuki no Miko and Popotan get the compilation treatment this August, while the Big O collection slips two weeks to June 19.

New titles:

May:
5/29 - Natural Obsessions Vol. 2 (Adult) (DVD)

August:
8/7 - Kannazuki No Miko Box Set (DVD)
8/7 - When They Cry Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/14 - 3x3 Eyes Vol. 2: Legend of the Divine Demon (DVD)
8/14 - Popotan Box Set (DVD)

October:
10/16 - Story of Saiunkoku Vol. 2 (DVD)

November:
11/13 - Karin Vol. 4: Human or Vampire (DVD)
11/13 - Kyo Kara Maoh! Season 2 Vol. 7 (DVD)
11/13 - Shonen Onmyoji Vol. 3 (DVD)

Date changes:

June:
6/19 - Big O Complete Collection (Anime Legends) (DVD)

Indefinitely delayed:
12/12 - Clockwork Fighters: Hiwou's War Vol. 2 (DVD)

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Blue Submarine No. 6 DVD Complete Collection (Anime Legends) (DVD)
Although this is probably the eight billionth time Blue Submarine No. 6 has been re-released or listed for re-release, it is still a title worth recommending. A four-part OVA from Gonzo Studios, about a crew of submariners inclusive of an apathetic scavenger who must confront his past as he embarks on new challenges in the deep blue sea, I think Blue Submarine No. 6 was Mahiro Maeda's first major directorial project. —Aaron H. Bynum

Moon Phase Vol. 6 (DVD)
Directed by Akiyuki Shinbou (director of the wonderfully aesthetic Portrait de Petite Cossette), the television anime Moon Phase cleverly manages to balance an abundance of physical comedy with outright suspense and tragedy. It's a fun and exciting anime that frequently capitalizes on opportunities to challenge its characters. —Aaron H. Bynum

Tex Avery's Droopy: The Complete Theatrical Collection (DVD)
Tex Avery was the master of outrageous animation and wild takes, yet one of his most popular characters is characterized by a calm and phlegmatism that is hard to beat. Droopy's cool and serene presence is even funnier when contrasted to the wild antics of his antagonists, and his deadpan delivery of comments to the audience just add to the fun. This DVD features some of the best of Avery's work, a must for any Golden Age cartoon fan. —René Walling

Zipang Vol. 5: Friend or Foe (DVD)
Not very enthralling for the average viewer of Japanese animation, Zipang is a historical-type program perhaps best enjoyed by non-traditional enthusiasts of the medium. Regardless, the program does well to bring its viewer through and into a war era, accurately... and given that the program seeks to recount actual events, it's quite interesting, on some levels, to watch the plotting technicalities unfold. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Looks like a whole lotta nostalgia going on. Compilations for Sonic the Hedgehog, Darkwing Duck, The Tick and more join the listings this week, as well as the complete run of Hal Seeger's Batfink series, which should make longtime fan Dave Mackey happy. (Dave wrote about Batfink back in 1992, for our second print issue. Check out his page on the Batman-spoofing rodent here.)

New titles:

May:
5/14 - Secrets of Oscar-winning Animation: Behind the Scenes of 13 Classic Short Animations (paperback) (Book)

June:
6/12 - Naruto OVA + Naruto Vol. 1 manga (DVD)
6/26 - Rataoing (DVD)
6/26 - Van-Pires Transform Vol. 1: Mission Demolition (DVD)
6/26 - Van-Pires Transform Vol. 2: Deep Freeze (DVD)

July:
7/3 - Batfink: The Complete Series (CD)
7/10 - Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Kids (DVD)
7/10 - Stellaluna (DVD)
7/17 - Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (DVD)
7/24 - Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection, Vol. 6: Inspector Cartoons (DVD)

August:
8/7 - Charlie & Lola Vol. 5: But I Am an Alligator (DVD)
8/7 - Darkwing Duck Vol. 2 (DVD)
8/7 - Tick vs. Season Two (DVD)
8/14 - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters for DVD (DVD)
8/14 - Baby Looney Tunes Vol. 4 (DVD)
8/14 - Baby Looney Tunes Vols. 1-4 (DVD)
8/14 - Loonatics Unleashed Complete Season 2 (DVD)
8/14 - Loonatics Unleashed Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD)
8/14 - Pup Named Scooby-Doo, A: Vol. 7 (DVD)
8/28 - The Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 1 (DVD)

September:
9/1 - Opportunities in Cartooning and Animation Careers (paperback) (Book)

October:
10/24 - Yoshitaka Amano: The Collected Art of Vampire Hunter D (Book)

Date changes:

January 2008:
1/1 - Understanding Animation (paperback) (Book)

Indefinitely delayed:
Winx Club Season 2 Vol. 2: Battle for the Codex (DVD)

Labels: anime, Batfink, Disney, releases, upcoming releases

Two of the hottest recent titles in anime come to Blu-ray... in Japan. Fortunately, Paprika and Tekkon Kinkreet are available by mail-order and viewable on North American Blu-ray players. You just kinda have to get past the lack of subtitles. Hey, there's a reason they say patience is a virtue.

Meanwhile, check out the upcoming art books, including two for Ghibli faves The Cat Returns and Nausicaä, and scope the new nine-minute teaser for Ratatouille.

New titles:

May:
5/23 - Paprika (Japanese release) (Blu-ray)

June:
6/27 - Tekkon Kinkreet (Japanese release; includes DVD edition) (Blu-ray)

July:
7/10 - Initial D Season 2 Box Set (DVD)
7/17 - Hare+Guu OVA Vol. 2 (DVD)
7/24 - Yu Yu Hakusho Sixth Sense (episodes 71-84) (DVD)

August:
8/21 - Horny Ladies and the News (Adult) (DVD)
8/28 - Project Boobs (Adult) (DVD)
8/28 - Story of Saiunkoku Vol. 1 (DVD)
8/28 - Story of Saiunkoku Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)

September:
9/11 - Beet the Vandal Buster Vol. 3 (DVD)
9/25 - BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo Vol. 5 (DVD)
9/25 - Voltron: Defender of the Universe Vol. 4 (DVD)

October:
10/2 - Art of Naruto: Uzumaki Art Book (hardcover) (Book)
10/2 - Cat Returns Picture Book (hardcover) (Book)
10/16 - Art of Angel Sanctuary Book 2 (hardcover) (Book)
10/16 - Art of Fullmetal Alchemist Book 2 (hardcover) (Book)
10/23 - Beet the Vandal Buster Vol. 4 (DVD)
10/30 - Beat B'tX Vol. 5 (DVD)
10/31 - Megami DX Artbook Vol. 1 (paperback) (Book)

November:
11/6 - BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo Vol. 6 (DVD)
11/6 - Nausicaa Watercolor Impressions Art Book (paperback) (Book)

December:
12/4 - Beet the Vandal Buster Vol. 5 (DVD)
12/18 - BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo Vol. 7 (DVD)
12/25 - AM Driver Vol. 3 (DVD)

January:
1/29 - BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo Vol. 8 (DVD)

Date changes:

June:
6/26 - Beat B'tX Vol. 2 (DVD)

July:
7/3 - BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo Vol. 3 (DVD)
7/10 - Desert Punk Box Set (DVD)
7/10 - GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka Semester 1 (DVD)
7/31 - Beet the Vandal Buster Vol. 2 (DVD)

August:
8/7 - Beat B'tX Vol. 3 (DVD)
8/14 - BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo Vol. 4 (DVD)

September:
9/18 - Beat B'tX Vol. 4 (DVD)

October:
10/2 - AM Driver Vol. 1 (DVD)

November:
11/13 - AM Driver Vol. 2 (DVD)

New movie previews:
Ratatouille (Movie)

Labels: anime, Pixar, releases, Studio Ghibli, upcoming releases

Japanese Classic Anime Collection (DVD)
Digital Meme's region-free set of 55 short anime films from 1928 to 1936 presents the shorts as close to their original formats as possible, down to the sound of the needle drop on the "record talkies," which used gramophones for synchronized sound. It's a four-disc slice of history. —Emru Townsend

Gun Sword Vol. 7: Last Rites (DVD)
The conclusion to a pretty good and relatively exciting action anime, the last DVD volume release of Gun Sword may be the last opportunity for the everyday otaku to catch a program that so willingly and wonderfully succeeds at catering to various elements of select genres—elements that difficult to ignore and are often a great pleasure to watch. —Aaron H. Bynum

Shana Vol. 5 (DVD)
Still highlighted by wonderful character personalities, Shakugan no Shana is a television anime that is comfortable with being good at what it does, without needing to shoot for the spectacular. Here, reluctantly adventurous youth hunt demons and save souls in a somewhat average but ultimately dangerous animated world. —Aaron H. Bynum

Stop-Motion Filmography: A Critical Guide to 297 Features Using Puppet Animation: Volume One, A-K (Book)
Stop-Motion Filmography: A Critical Guide to 297 Features Using Puppet Animation: Volume Two, L-Z (Book)
Two volumes, 838 pages, 189 photographs (51 in color), 47 filmographies, 4 appendices. If 297 features can't please you, you have something against puppets. The book comes with a foreword by Ray Harryhausen. —Jason Vanderhill

Labels: anime, releases, reviews, upcoming releases

Ergo Proxy Vol. 3: Cytotropism (DVD)
Increasingly complicated and predominantly a series of interrelated events about intelligence war unlike any other, Ergo Proxy is a thoroughly dark anime that should be a good find for enthusiasts looking for a gritty, bare-bones title that presents the influences and effects of raw human emotion. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, releases, reviews, upcoming releases

TMNT (Movie)
A man in a funny costume can fly and fights crime. A young boy befriends a giant robot from outer space. A bunch of turtles mutate after being exposed to radioactive slime and become ninjas battling 3,000-year-old stone warriors. All of these ideas may seem ludicrous at first, but both comic books and animation allow for an amazing amount of suspension of disbelief if done well.

Eastman and Laird's comic book combined humour and grit, pulp magazine fantasy and strong character interaction in a way that caught people's imagination. And now, we finally have a movie adaptation that lives up to the original.

The art, animation and voice acting are a big part of that, but in the end, it all boils down to a good, fun story. The people who worked on this realized that it's not enough to have the rights to a popular franchise, you have to do something with it that the fans will like, and they did. —René Walling

Labels: releases, reviews, upcoming releases

Batman Beyond Season 3 (DVD)
Batman Beyond Seasons 1-3 (DVD)
Arguably the weakest of Batman Beyond's three seasons, these final thirteen episodes still feature some of the series' better ideas, along with great character interplay and dialogue. Old and new nemeses return, including favourites Inque and the Royal Flush Gang, but the best are those from Bruce Wayne's past: Ra's Al Ghul (as always, given sinister voice by David Warner), Kobra and a silent, but no less dangerous, Starro. This season also marks the first animated appearance of the Justice League in the Timm universe, a two-episode thrill ride that set fanboy hearts racing. —Emru Townsend

Justice League Unlimited: Complete Season 2 (DVD)
Justice League Unlimited: Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD)
The Second Season of JLU is fantastic to say the least, and truly offers a drama and an adventure for animation fans keen on more mature themes. Settling fierce internal conflicts, re-aggravating in-group rivalries and trying to figure out just what in the heck should be done about the Cadmus project; some of JLU's most interesting animation direction and much of the series' development of secondary characters occurs here. —Aaron H. Bynum

Shana Vol. 4 (DVD)
In the middle of this anime about a kid whose run-in with a flame-haired, crimson-eyed female demon slayer, things are starting to slow down a bit and the characters are beginning to find some comfort with one another. Though the action seems to be rather sparse at this point in time, the addition of strange villains and much fuller background artwork are a plus. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, Batman, releases, reviews, upcoming releases

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: Complete Season One (DVD)
Clever and original, this animated television series is chock full of curious and unique character designs and is bustling with just as many eccentric personalities to match said designs. The program really takes off in later seasons, but this is where it began; the story of a kid unwilling to outgrow his imagination, and the friends he makes who also believe that creativity and innovation, on any level, are timeless. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: releases, reviews, upcoming releases

Origin: The Movie (DVD)
At its core, Origin is an adolescent power fantasy. In fact, there are two power fantasies here. Toola has the technological power to save the world by bringing back civilization more or less as we know it; Agito has the mystical power to save the world by preventing Toola from doing so. This tension is what adds an extra layer to the story. For most of the film you can ask which position you'd rather be in, which is another way of asking which is better: A world with clean air where getting water is a daily struggle, or a world that's comfortable but in many ways unnatural? —Emru Townsend
Read the review

Labels: anime, releases, reviews, upcoming releases

BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo Vol. 1 (DVD)
It's a rare thing for me to recommend something sight unseen, but it stars a man with a golden Afro. Who has mastered nose hair karate. Rebelling against an evil emperor who shaves heads to display his ruthless power. Honestly, how can you not just drop everything to watch this? —Emru Townsend

Delta State Season 1 (DVD)
Based on a graphic novel that has yet to actually see the light of day, Delta State almost seems like the stuff of bad dreams: Four self-absorbed, super-powered twentysomethings, guided by a cryptic older mentor, are crucial elements in a plan to save the world from the extradimensional Rifters. Actually, it kind of is the stuff of bad dreams as much of the series takes place in the Delta State, an alternate reality that follows dream logic.

The heavily rotoscoped Flash animation is off-putting at first, but it doesn't take long before you realize it suits the tone perfectly: It's both real and unreal at the same time. The first season isn't quite perfect—some episode endings are too pat—but it still makes for good late-night viewing. —Emru Townsend

Grenadier Economy Pack (DVD)
Grenadier, the story of gun-toting gal Rushuna Tendo and samurai Yajori Kojima , both experts with their respective weapons and on a quest to end strife and fighting, mixes action, some serious drama and unusual characters to create a fun series. —René Walling

Labels: anime, releases, reviews, upcoming releases

The Amazing Screw-On Head (DVD)
Where the animated version of Hellboy benefited by not using the original aesthetic of comic creator Mike Mignola, with a well thought-out, equally compelling design, the pilot episode for The Amazing Screw-On Head keeps Mignola's angular, shadowed look to good effect. While the animation is fairly good—not great, the smaller budget is apparent—the timing and story will keep you watching. Fans of the original comic will enjoy it, but some of the concessions to a new medium will be apparent. The voice acting keeps the entire show together, and it's pleasing that while the famous typically live-action actors get the billing, their work stands up with the trained voice actors and cannot be written off as an attempt at stunt casting. —Tamu Townsend

Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (DVD)
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time is the latest direct-to-DVD sequel from the Walt Disney studio. It follows 2002's Cinderella II: Dreams Come True and the original Disney film, 1950's Cinderella. While I have not been a fan of Disney's sequels to its classic film roster, I will admit that this particular film was a pleasant surprise. —Noell Wolfgram Evans
Read the review

Escaflowne: The Movie (Anime Movie Classics) (DVD)
One of the nice things about the better anime productions is that they're not afraid to take chances, even at the risk of displeasing fans. This is exactly what Escaflowne: The Movie did. Most of the familiar characters are there, but with a twist. The overall tone is grimmer than the TV series: Upbeat Hitomi is now a depressed schoolgirl with no psychic abilities, Van is more aggressive and violent, the redesigned Escaflowne itself now gets its energy from the blood of its pilot (much like a semi-mechanical vampire). The production values are still top-notch, and some will prefer the new character designs by Nobuteru Yuki. The soundtrack by Yoko Kanno is also another high point of the film. —René Walling

Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (Anime Movie Classics) (DVD)
This three-episode OVA is a great watch for a Gundam fan, because it provides viewers with the one thing that is irresistible to any good-natured otaku: backstory. There are many things to like about Endless Waltz—new villains, new mecha, old rivalries—but the opportunity to learn of the backstory of the five lead Gundam pilots is probably the sweetest of them all. —Aaron H. Bynum
Read the review

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (Anime Movie Classics) (DVD)
Jin-Roh, haunted equally by Japanese post-WWII social history largely unfamiliar to most Westerners and by the fairy-tale images of wolves twisted into a grisly variation of the story of Little Red Riding Hood, may be the most dazzlingly noir anime ever made, if such melancholia can be considered dazzling. The film, by taking its dual themes of loss and despair very seriously, achieves a gut-wrenching emotional depth. —Amy Harlib
Read the review

The Last Unicorn, The: 25th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
The Last Unicorn has been a cult favorite among fantasy lovers since the publication of Peter S. Beagle's novel in 1968. The animated version released in 1982 spawned new generations of fans. Although it is an American film, Rankin-Bass contracted all their animation to Japanese companies (going all the way back to Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which was done in a warehouse on the outskirts of Tokyo). The Last Unicorn was done by a Japanese contract studio called Topcraft whose other claim to fame was that right after The Last Unicorn, they were hired by Tokuma Publishing to animate the film Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind under Hayao Miyazaki. (Topcraft disbanded afterward and most of the staff joined the newly formed Studio Ghibli to work on Miyazaki's next film, Castle in the Sky: Laputa, so I have always considered The Last Unicorn to be a "proto-Ghibli" film.)

Although a cult success in the US, The Last Unicorn became a mainstream hit in Germany where its annual showings on TV became a tradition much like the annual broadcast of The Wizard of Oz used to be in the US. Sadly, all the video releases in the US (both videotape and DVD) have been cropped and based an inferior print. Only the German Region 2 PAL DVD release was in the original widescreen format using a restored print. Now the 25th anniversary release of the film on DVD in America finally allows us to see the movie in its full glory for the first time since it played in theaters. In addition to the restored film the DVD also has a "making of" documentary including interviews with Peter S. Beagle, who wrote the screenplay based on his own novel.

But that brings up the one lingering controversy about the film. Despite the million copies of the film sold on home video since the mid-80s, Beagle has never been paid any of the royalties he was contractually owed. Read more here about the controversy and find out how buying the DVD through the link above helps Beagle. —Marc Hairston

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles (DVD)
There are many things that can be said about Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles: here are three. First, Louie Nichols' character still has some of the best lines whenever he is in a scene. Second, the battle scenes were compelling in the earlier incarnations of the Robotech series, but now they are entirely lacklustre. The poor 2D/3D integration makes these scenes disjointed and cold. It is a great example of things not being better simply because they are CG.

And the most frustrating, final point: Blame it on my old age, but I simply do not remember that many characters with double-D cups and scenes with gratuitous crotch shots in the earlier series. We know young men like stories in space, and they like pretty women, too, but there are plenty of female viewers who will be turned off. If this is the way the producers aim to rope in a new generation of viewers, I seriously hope it fails, so that fewer creators use the same model, pointing to this series as a precedent. If they improve the story, encouraging viewers to look in the Robotech back catalogue, I sincerely hope they meet their goals. —Tamu Townsend

Labels: anime, Disney, Hayao Miyazaki, releases, Robotech, Studio Ghibli, upcoming releases

Afro Samurai: The Soundtrack (clean) (CD)
Afro Samurai: The Soundtrack (explicit lyrics) (CD)
What does the Forest Whittaker movie Ghost Dog have in common with Afro Samurai? There's the laconic black samurai as protagonist, of course, but also a remarkable soundtrack by Wu-Tang Clan co-founder The RZA. The music alone is reason enough to watch the Spike TV show, but if you're not into hyper-kinetic mayhem, this CD should set you right. —Emru Townsend

Akihabara Geeks (DVD)
For any otaku visiting Japan, the Akihabara district in Tokyo is a must-see destination. The latest computers and electronics abound, but so do enough manga and anime to enjoy for the rest of your life. This documentary allows you to enjoy the sights, while saving your wallet from the cost of an airplane ticket (not to mention all the stuff you'd want to buy). Of course, there's always the risk that this DVD may motivate you to go to Akihabara. —René Walling

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 2: Earth Vol. 1 (DVD)
Nickelodeon's epic animation about a group of kids and their journey to save a war-torn civilization in a fantasy universe. The second season places a great deal of emphasis on character development and consistently layers its fun characters, intense martial arts action and dramatic storytelling. The most ambitious animated television series currently on-air continues its release. —Aaron H. Bynum

Ergo Proxy Vol. 2 (DVD)

Solty Rei Vol. 1 (DVD)
Solty Rei Vol. 1 + artbox (DVD)
This title should be of interest to otaku familiar with (or curious about) the "little girl as a weapon" motif, or the "jaded and aged man searching for relics of his past" motif, or the "innocuous cyborg who also serves as a dangerous weapon" motif. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Back in October of 2005, I posted about The Last Unicorn creator Peter S. Beagle's ongoing battle with Saul Zaentz to be compensated for the animated adaptation of his book, as well for receiving more than the token "consulting fee" he'd been paid for writing Ralph Bakshi's animated adaptation of Lord of the Rings.

Beagle's tribulations are still ongoing, but in the meantime the 25th anniversary edition of The Last Unicorn is coming to DVD in just a few weeks. The remastered Unicorn is in 5.1 with an anamorphic widescreen image, for a mere $14.98. However, because of these legal issues, Beagle will not be receiving royalties from any DVDs bought through Amazon or other retailers. However, buying the DVD from Conlan Press will ensure that more than half the money received ends up in Beagle's hands—some of which he intends to use to pursue his legal battles. (As an extra incentive, Conlan is also offering DVDs personally autographed by Beagle for $24.98.) As you know from our auctions, we're pretty keen on the idea of doing good with our animation purchases, so pass this bit of info on to all the Unicorn fans you know. There's still time to cancel that Amazon preorder.

Labels: releases, upcoming releases

Animation Show Box Set (DVD)
"Attention all shoppers: shorts on sale in aisle 1!" Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt have put together the Animation Show for three years running, and this two-disc set gives you a nice look at 2004 and 2005. From my count, there are 29 shorts in the collection; many of them are absolute must-see. With a list price under $30 US ($33 in Canada) and Amazon offering 30% off in both Canada and the US, do you really need more incentive? The Animation Show #3 is currently on tour, and take note: they're accepting submissions on their website. —Jason Vanderhill

Area 88 TV Complete Collection (DVD)
One of the first manga translated into English, Area 88's lasting power is strengthened by a twelve-episode series from 2004 now released on DVD in its entirety. Area 88 focuses on pilot Shin Kazama as circumstances force him to go from working in civil aviation to being a mercenary fighter pilot, and his life and self are eroded as he rises to become a top pilot in a bid to leave the air force base where he is stationed. —René Walling

Fate/Stay Night Soundtrack: A (CD)
The soundtrack for this series, composed by Kenji Kawai, is remarkably diverse and helps establish a much more decisive and believable sense of emotion. The series itself seems to lack a little bit of conviction when it attempts to overlay a complex plot on its character drama, but the soundtrack greatly helps supplement this loss. —Aaron H. Bynum

Gun Sword Vol. 5: Tainted Innocence (DVD)
The story of one man's revenge against the psycho who killed his wife, this particular release of Gun Sword should really pick up the pace. The anime has delivered so far, and as such I'm pretty confident that it will only get better now that our hero Van has found the confidence he needs to move forward with his vengeance. —Aaron H. Bynum

Shana Vol. 3 (DVD)
Interesting in terms of its confident character personalities and clever action, Shana remains a solid release from Geneon Entertainment into the new year. With so many newer and more popular titles already scheduled for release this year, it can be rather easy to look over some just as good if not better anime releases that began only a few months ago. —Aaron H. Bynum

Speed Grapher Vol. 5 (DVD)
Speed Grapher Vol. 5 Limited Edition (DVD)
Funimation's best anime release of 2006 begins to wind down here in the fifth volume. More action and more drama, the way it should be. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Moon Phase Vol. 3 (DVD)
I've recommended it before and I'll recommend it again; Moon Phase is an amusing anime that spins, with great charm, the drama and adventure of an average guy being mixed up in a battle with the supernatural. The charisma of villains and protagonists alike are colourful and alluring in almost every way. —Aaron H. Bynum

Negima Vol. 5: Magic 501: Magic Outside the Classroom (DVD)
Negima Vol. 5: Magic 501: Magic Outside the Classroom Limited Edition (DVD)
I've slowly grown to like this Japanese animated comedy. One would think that with some two dozen primary/secondary characters it would be difficult for the anime's director to make this series' characters consistently relevant and humorous for audiences. Fortunately, after fifteen episodes, the program has smoothly focused on only two or three key relationships—managing to do in animation what Ken Akamatsu has occasionally done quite well in the manga on which Negima is based. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Labels: anime, Disney, Macross, releases, Robotech, upcoming releases

Animaniacs Vol. 2 (DVD)
Animaniacs Vols. 1 & 2 (DVD)
Pinky and the Brain Vol. 2 (DVD)
Pinky and the Brain Vols. 1 & 2 (DVD)
Starting with Tiny Toon Adventures, Steven Spielberg was desperate to produce an animated ensemble that would mirror the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies of his youth; it's with Animaniacs, a sort of spin-off from a Tiny Toons episode, that he finally got his wish, if only partly. Owing to the realities of 1990s television production, Animaniacs was rarely as sharp as its spiritual forefathers, but its wit was usually dead on, and its musical set pieces could at times be deliriously inspired. Pinky and the Brain, the genetically altered lab mice who repeatedly attempted world domination, were the only Animaniacs characters to get their own show—a wise decision, which would later end badly when they decided to add Tiny Toons' Elmyra. Fortunately, those episodes are nowhere near these DVD collections. —Emru Townsend

Complete Uncensored Private Snafu (DVD)
Take the gang from Termite Terrace, stir in some Ted Geisel (the future Dr. Seuss), and then let them make cartoons for the boys overseas during World War II—oh, and remove any restrictions on raciness because they aren't for the general public. Educational? Certainly. A riot? Absolutely. Patriotic duty should always be this much fun. —Emru Townsend

Dungeons & Dragons: The Complete Series (DVD)
Dungeons & Dragons: The Complete Series Limited Collector's Edition (DVD)
A minor miracle: A tie-in animated TV series from the 1980s that didn't completely suck. Six kids get whisked away to a fantasy world where they have to use their talents and magic accouterments to kick evil-overlord ass and try to find a way home. I still wince just thinking about the cutesy Frank Welker-voiced unicorn, but with scribes like Paul Dini, Buzz Dixon and Mark Evanier on the case, you know it was some of the best material you could get for the time. Besides, Diana was hot. —Emru Townsend

Romeo and Juliet (DVD)
It's new, and it's notable—notably awful. Much like watching a train collision in slow motion, one can't help but be mesmerized at this mangling of the Bard's work. And much like that hypothetical train wreck, you spend a lot of time looking on in horror and thinking of all the ways it could have been avoided. Basic premise: Most of the cast, rather than being hot-blooded Italians, are seals. And things go downhill from there. A travesty to any student of Shakespeare (the line "Wherefore art thou, Romeo?" is used three times, incorrectly, and never where it's actually supposed to be), it's still structured just enough that very young children would happily watch it. But it wouldn't be doing them any favours. —Emru Townsend

Labels: releases, upcoming releases

Pre-auction teaser - Software: Before the auction got underway, Emru announced the donation of some of the software tools of the trade, and DVD tutorials designed for users looking for a challenge. He mentioned that 2 copies of each software were donated on the blog, but neglected to include this in the individual listings. So he'll be offering a second chance to the runner-up bidders of these items. All of the opening bids began at 50% of the retail value, just one of the many deals in the auction.

• Day 1 - Artwork: For the first time, we had original artwork donated by the artists Dave Alvarez, Steve Rude and Joel Trussell, and each with their own distinct signature styles. It's no secret—we really like their work, so we got kind of goofy when they agreed to participate.
  

• Day 2 - Books: Great animation books and manga were donated. Two of the books, Cartoon Modern and Bone, are both autographed hardcovers donated by the authors.
  

• Day 3 - Polygon Pictures: This year was also the first time an animation studio donated to the auction as well. When people think of CGI penguins in Japan, I'm sure Polygon Pictures' commercials for Shiseido come to mind before Happy Feet or Madagascar. (Polygon president and CEO Shuzo Shiota is also an fps contributor; contributor Jason Vanderhill donated the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman commemorative stamp sets).
  

• Day 4 - Animated Music Videos: Ninja Tune dropped 10 copies each of Mr. Scruff's DVD single Sweetsmoke, featuring animation by Mr. Scruff, and 10 copies of ZenTV, the Ninja Tune video retrospective, featuring notable videos such as Basin Street Blues and the Sesame Street Pinball Number Count remix by DJ Food.
  

• Day 5 - Posters: Full-size posters and mini-posters abound, including posters for Cars, Finding Nemo, Robots and the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
  

• Day 6 - Anime & Manga: There are DVDs, including limited edition boxsets, soundtracks, t-shirts, wall hangings, and manga adaptations. I mean, really: We're mangalicious. Anime-tastic.

Labels: auctions, releases, upcoming releases

Moon Phase Vol. 2 (DVD)
A quirky Japanese animated series with a little bit of comedy and a little bit of drama, Moon Phase is "cute" yet seems genuinely interested in offering the audience something a little bit different regarding its directorial style. Akiyuki Shinbou becomes more experimental as the series goes on, and increasingly plays with light, dark, shadow and point of view with great success. —Aaron H. Bynum

Robin Hood: Most Wanted Edition (DVD)
Disney's Robin Hood is the last film that Woolie Reitherman directed alone, and his solo efforts (from Sword in the Stone to Robin Hood) are all lacking narrative drive and strong drama. However, if you are a fan of great character animation, Reitherman's films give the animators ample opportunities to strut their stuff. A highlight is Ollie Johnston's work on Prince John and Sir Hiss. —Mark Mayerson

Speed Grapher Vol. 4 (DVD)
One of Funimations's best releases of 2006 continues its tale about the purpose of freedom in a culture that has lost all regard for independence. This DVD volume begins the second half of the anime series, which is important because this is where most programs begin to edge beyond predictability and work toward establishing something solid and memorable, whether in the story or the characters. —Aaron H. Bynum

Also new this week:

Asterix and the Vikings (DVD)
From Armen Boudjikanian's review: The basic premise of Astérix et les Vikings (Astérix and the Vikings) is supposedly the discovery of the meaning of fear; or to be more precise, what it feels like to be scared. A novel and promising concept that was also at the centre of Astérix et les Normans, the 1966 Goscinny and Uderzo comic book on which this new French/Danish animation is based on.

Labels: anime, Disney, releases, upcoming releases

Ergo Proxy Vol. 1: Awakening (DVD)
Ergo Proxy Vol. 1: Awakening Special Edition (DVD)
Directed by Shukou Murase, I'm looking forward to the dark, government controlled, futuristic culture of Ergo Proxy. The creative staff is known for their talent of weaving meaningful, if not philosophical threads of intrigue for the anime's characters to gnaw upon. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix Vol. 6 (DVD)
Another DVD volume of the Toonami-sponsored animated television program. IGPX branches out a bit at this point with a few character-specific episodes, sure to touch on all of the not-so-simple-to-define sentiments each possesses. —Aaron H. Bynum

Looney Tunes Golden Collection 4 (DVD)
Christmas again comes early with another four-DVD Golden Collection set of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. The themes are a bit more varied this year, with the discs devoted to Bugs Bunny, director Frank Tashlin, Speedy Gonzales, and Cats. As usual, the discs come jam-packed with commentaries, interviews, pre-production work, and featurettes. No wonder there's a year between each release—that's how long it'll take to get through it all. —Emru Townsend

Shana Vol. 2 (DVD)
I really like the artwork in this anime about one kid's run-in with a demon slayer of sorts. The story itself appears to be quite simplistic, but the program's visual presence is something to take notice of. Shakugan no Shana's characters are just itching to break out and become more dynamic and complex, which I am hoping comes in this second DVD release. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Blood Tea & Red String (DVD)
Thirteen years in the making, Christiane Cegavske's wordless stop-motion fever dream of a movie is at times disturbing, mesmerizing, and strangely sweet—sometimes all at the same time. —Emru Townsend

Cars (fullscreen) (DVD)
Cars (widescreen) (DVD)
The bad news is that it's Pixar's worst feature to date. The good news is that Pixar's worst is still funny and enjoyable while bearing the stamp of its director. If only every feature could be so "bad." —Emru Townsend

Labels: Pixar, releases, upcoming releases

Anime Encyclopedia, Revised & Expanded Edition: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917 (paperback) (Book)

Boogiepop Thinpak Collection (Phantom TV Series + Boogiepop and Others live-action movie) (DVD)
The Boogiepop Phantom TV series is just about as much of a psychological thriller as an anime can be in series form. While the non-linear storyline and complex storyboarding either make or break the viewing experience for most animation enthusiasts, Boogiepop Phantom leaves quite an impression. —Aaron H. Bynum

The Brothers Quay: The Short Films, 1979-2003 (DVD)
Masters of surrealist aimation, the brothers Quay have brought stop motion animation to new heights of weirdness with films like Streets of Crocodiles and The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer, not to mention rock videos like Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer and two features. A compilation of their shorts is just the thing to make sure we make it through the coming winter with some weirdness around us. —René Walling

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Season 1 Box Set (DVD)
If you managed to resist purchasing the individual DVDs of this great cyberpunk series, now's the time to succumb to temptation. —René Walling

Previously covered on fpsmagazine.com:
Review: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Vol. 1

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Batman Beyond Season 2 (DVD)
Batman Beyond Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD)
Faced with a mandate to create a teen-centric animated Batman to appeal to the WB's core audience in the late 1990s, Bruce Timm and the rest of the Superman and Batman crew took what could have been a terrible concept—a troubled teen inherits the Bat-mask and a souped-up costume in a cyberpunk future under the tutelage of an elderly Bruce Wayne—and made it must-see television. The first season spent most of its time introducing new villains and showing the young Terry McGinnis trying to master the delicate (and often indelicate) art of being the Bat, but the crew pulled out all the stops in the second season, with both Bruce and Terry growing and facing each other's pasts and futures together. —Emru Townsend

Creature Comforts Season 2 (DVD)
Creature Comforts Seasons 1 & 2 (DVD)
Creature Comforts: Merry Christmas Everybody (DVD)
I'm sure there are many people who equate the "Aardman style" (not that there's just one) with Nick Park's design and animation tics, but I'm not sure that's an altogether bad thing—they're ridiculously expressive, and just as ridiculously funny. Park started A Grand Day Out, the first Wallace and Gromit short, first, but the original Creature Comforts short was more polished when it came out, beating A Grand Day Out in the race for an Oscar. The TV series has proven to be just as much fun. —Emru Townsend

The Dream Team: The Rise and Fall of DreamWorks: Lessons from the New Hollywood (Book)
In the introduction to Tex Avery, King of Cartoons, Joe Adamson bemoans the way animation is often dismissed by film historians. Not so in this case. With plenty of enthusiasm for his subject matter, Daniel M. Kimmel covers the history of Dreamworks and doesn't neglect the animation released by the studio that was going to change Hollywood. —René Walling

Eureka Seven Vol. 4 (DVD)

Justice League Unlimited Season 1 (DVD)
JLU is without a doubt one of the most complexly written and sharply directed animated television programs in recent years. The program has wonderful characters and a plethora of internal conflicts so honest it's really quite frightening. —Aaron H. Bynum

Macross Vol. 6: Eve of Destruction (DVD)
Like the rest of the Macross series, this disc is wildly uneven. The best two episodes are the first and the last. The first is, literally, Earth-shattering—one of the most epic last-ditch-effort-for-humanity battles ever, if you can tolerate the singing; the last is where the pieces finally fall into place to lead to the final volume, the series' best five-episode run. —Emru Townsend

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse (DVD)
I haven't looked at superhero duos the same way since. —Aaron H. Bynum

The Snowman (DVD)
A wonderful film based on a book by Raymond Briggs (better known for When the Wind Blows). One of those Christmas specials you wish you'd get to see more of, this beautiful, quiet tale could not contrast more with the hustle and bustle usually associated with the holidays. A definite must for the whole family this coming winter. —René Walling

Witch Hunter Robin Complete Collection (Anime Legends) (DVD)
The methodical tracking and presumed execution of beings that are fundamentally different, flawed or unluckily defective by birth—witch hunts—are pieced together with a science-fiction mindset. The program has its pacing issues, but is worth the wait for viewers patient and eager for that one moment where everything clicks. —Aaron H. Bynum

Previously covered on fpsmagazine.com:
Review: Creature Comforts: The Complete First Season
Commentary: Justice League Unlimited
Review: Witch Hunter Robin Vol. 1

Labels: anime, Batman, releases, upcoming releases

Betterman Complete Collection (Anime Legends) (DVD)
Re-released at a discounted price here; Betterman is a somewhat obscure science fiction tale, but it has genuine characters who ultimately make the show much more interesting and enjoyable than it probably ought to be. —Aaron H. Bynum

Gatchaman Collection 9: Vols. 17 & 18 (DVD)
Gatchaman Vol. 17: Future Kill (DVD)
Gatchaman Vol. 18: Final Justice (DVD)
The final volumes in the classic anime series. Adventure, drama and excitement brought together in a such a way that Science Ninja Team Gatchaman became a signature series in Japan as well as in North America (as Battle of the Planets). They really don't make them like this anymore. —Emru Townsend

Kamichu Vol. 3: Discovery (DVD)
It's a sweet and funny, slice-of-life drama that Western anime fans need more of. —Aaron H. Bynum

Norman McLaren: Masters Edition Box Set (DVD)
Watching Norman McLaren's films in the cinema, you'd be inclined to think his genius emerged fully formed. Watching them in this comprehensive collection, complete with outtakes, alternate endings, test footage, and audio interview excerpts, you'd realize you were right. —Emru Townsend

Labels: anime, Norman McLaren, releases, upcoming releases

Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy Complete First Season (DVD)
In a summer without parental supervision and an endless hunger for jawbreakers, three best friends embark on an everlasting entrepreneurial adventure. The series has been a favourite of mine for years with its surreal production design and distinct characters. —Aaron H. Bynum

IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix Vol. 5 (DVD)
Conceptualized by the creative/production team behind Toonami programming, Immortal Grand Prix has good, passionate characters and mecha that race at over some 350 mph. The first season was anything but typical and the second season only capitalizes on the program's originality. I don't know how large the fanbase for this series is, given that Cartoon Network gave it a dead-of-the-night time slot toward the end of its run; nevertheless, it's a very good series. —Aaron H. Bynum

Speed Grapher Vol. 3 (DVD)
Speed Grapher Vol. 3 Limited Edition (DVD)
One of the best titles released by Funimation in 2006. —Aaron H. Bynum

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases

Corpse Bride (Blu-Ray)
Tim Burton's most recent animated feature is flawed, but it's also a macabre delight. If you've got an HDTV setup and a Blu-ray player, the lusciously crafted visuals make this disc a must-have. —Emru Townsend

Rabbit Hood/Robin Hood Daffy/Katnip College (as extras on The Adventures of Robin Hood; HD DVD)
Or, if you went toward HD DVD and can't wait until the eventual Looney Tunes collection in high definition, you can temporarily quench your thirst with these three shorts. —Emru Townsend

Melody of Oblivion Complete Box Set (DVD)
Underrated. Obscure. Undervalued. Little known and unheard of... there's a dictionary of terms I could use to explain how this fantasy adventure has most likely been passed over by casual anime fans. Its storytelling is a bit simple but remarkably effective. —Aaron H. Bynum

Corneil and Bernie Vol. 1 (DVD)
A fun little series about a boy and his dog. Nothing more and nothing less. —Aaron H. Bynum

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Vol. 7 (DVD)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Vol. 7 Special Edition (DVD)
Until the Ghost in the Shell movie and it sequel, anime adaptations of Shirow Masamune's manga were pretty much hit and miss. But for all the visual and cerebral splendour of the movies, the Stand Alone Complex series deserves greater praise for not only setting high standards for televised science fiction action-adventure, but consistently exceeding them. —Emru Townsend

Don't forget to check out our comprehensive listings of upcoming animation DVDs, CDs, books and movies.

Newly released products reviewed on fps:
Corpse Bride
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Labels: anime, releases, upcoming releases