Animejin News - 6th December 1999

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Manga Entertainment Plans for 2000
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I had a chat with Manga Entertainment about their future plans on Friday.
The big news from them is their move to DVD. They are intending to have
all their major release come out on VHS and DVD simultaneously, with as
little time as possible between UK and US release. The aim is for one DVD
releasea month starting in February.

So what are we geting then? Well we already know about the Ghost in the
Shell DVD in February, the Perfect Blue DVD is scheduled for March. April's
release will hopefully be X, which failed to generate enough interest for a
proper theatrical release, and is now looking to come out simultaneously on
VHS and DVD a month ahead of the US release. This is to try and stop all
you naughty people importing the US DVD before it comes out here.

A special 10th anniversary edition DVD of Akira is planned, in which they
are hoping to include some unused footage from the movie that Konansha have
unearthed.

A quick list of other possible DVD releases for you to drool over: Ninja
Scroll, Evangelion Movies (simultaneous UK and US DVDs and tapes), Patlabor
Movies, Wings of Honneamise, Blackjack, Macross Plus (OAVs), Rayearth,
Virus, Angel Cop (whole thing on one DVD), The Guyver (two DVDs), Ghost
Sweeper, Legend of the Overfiend, Fist of the North Star and Street Fighter
II.

For those of you paying attention, yes that's Ghost Sweeper Mikami The
Movie. Apparently Manga have had the rights for ages but have never got
around to releasing it. Watch out for it later in the year.

So what about Astroboy, I hear you cry. Well, The Sci-fi Channel have
expressed an interest in showing the series on TV so a video release has
been put off for now.

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Manga Max 13 out now
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The December issue of Manga Max has hit shelves later than usual, with all
the usual news, reviews and featues. This issue we get articles on Orange
Road, Todd McFarlane and Spawn, Vision of Escaflowne, Panzer Dragoon,
apocalypse anime, Cowboy Beebop, and Sammo Hung in America.

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Current UK anime release schedule
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Original Dirty Pair and Bubblegum Crisis 2040 have been given provisional
release dates by ADV Films.

All of the following dates are subject to change.

Out Now       : Panzer Dragoon (A), Street Fighter II V Vol. 3 (A)
December      : Fist of the North Star TV vol. 9 (M)
January 2000  : Fist of the North Star TV vol. 10 (M),
                Metal Angel Marie (A)
February      : Fist of the North Star TV vol. 10 (M),
                Original Dirty Pair Vol. 1 (A)
21st February : Ghost in the Shell (M - DVD)
March         : Fist of the North Star TV vol. 10 (M),
                Perfect Blue (M - DVD)
April         : X (M)
May           : Bubblegum Crisis 2040 Vol. 1 (A)

(A)=ADV Films, (M)=Manga Entertainment, (P)=Pioneer Anime, (V)=MVM

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