ANIME WATCH # 12

written: 1-27-1997

Obligatory Blurb:

Anime Watch is a column about Anime (Japanese Animation) written by Jay Scott Raymond (A.K.A. Jay The Obscure). The puerile sensibilities of those who have not yet dedicated their lives to Anime are beneath my notice and will be trampled here with alacrity.

Anime Buzz

The latest catalog from The Right Stuf just came out recently and it had some interesting info in it:

• Coming soon from Right Stuf is Leda: The Fantastic Adventures of Yohko.
• There is a two part X-rated spoof of Sailor Moon coming out in the US in April 1997 under the title of Venus 5.
• There is a new, two volume, Demon Beast Invasion series coming to the US in 1997.
• Angel Of Darkness 4 is rumored to be in production for a US release.

Viz Video has licensed Key The Metal Idol, which is sort of a modern take on the Pinocchio story. It is due out in April, subbed or dubbed.

AD Vision has announced the licensing of Dirty Pair Flash! And Kimera. Blue Seed: Sea Devils is due out in April both subbed and dubbed.

US Manga Corps will make Battle Arena Toshinden available around April 15. There will be uncut and edited versions, both dubbed. The uncut version will also be available on CD-ROM. They haven't announced it, but this being US Manga Corps, there will probably soon be subtitled and LD versions.

Here are some other listings from the shipping in April edition of Previews:

• CHISA & HEAVEN & EARTH BAND LIVE IN LA VHS or LASERDISC
• ELLCIA 2 GHOST SHIP VIDEO SUBTITLED or DUBBED
• MACROSS PLUS FEATURE FILM VIDEO SUB
• RANMA 1/2 ANYTHING GOES MARTIAL ARTS COLD COMPETITION VIDEO DUBBED
• STREET FIGHTER II TV SERIES VOL 3 VIDEO SUBTITLED or DUBBED
• TWIN ANGELS VOL 1 CD-ROM (Adult)
• TWIN ANGELS VOL 2 CD-ROM (Adult)
• VENUS 5 THE INMA BALL VIDEO (Adult) note: this is supposed to be an X-rated spoof of Sailor Moon. See above.
• VENUS 5 THE INMA BALL CD-ROM (Adult)

ANIME CDs

• BEST OF EL HAZARD CD
• BEST OF MOLDIVER CD
• BEST OF PHANTOM CORP CD
• CHISA AND HEAVEN & EARTH BAND LIVE IN LA CD
• PIONEER ANIMATION BEST OF THE BEST CD
• TENCHI MUYO! OVA BEST VOL 1 CD

VIZ COMMUNICATIONS VIDEOS

• MAISON IKKOKU CALL ME CONFUSED DUBBED
• RANMA 1/2 ANYTHING GOES MARTIAL ARTS: GOODBYE GIRL TYPE VIDEO SUBBED

I have still yet to get a reply from Streamline, but its pretty much verified that they are out of the Anime game. Also continuing dead silence from Disney about their deal with Studio Ghibli (see Anime Watch # 10).

Recommendations

For all you Tenchi Muyo! Lovers out there:

• Tenchi The Movie A.K.A. Tenchi Muyo! In Love
• Tenchi Universe Vol. 1 (TV episodes)

In Closing

Well, that's all for this edition of Anime Watch. Hope you found it useful and I welcome comments.

Anime and Giant Battle Robots Forever!

-Jay The Obscure