Forum Buzz
By da Original S Man & asagiri2040

10/1/03 Edition

Important News

System Update: Pfft..
Nothing new this week. SOS. If anything breaks, Sean probably did it. ;-)

A special reminder to all who wish to join the forums, be sure to check out:

And now, onto the forums...

Anime Weekend Atlanta News & Views
Hot'lanta met anime for yet another year this weekend as AWA came and went. News is slow but I think most of it has been found. Kaze no Yojimbo has been licensed by Bandai. Viz will be releasing the manga for Angel Sanctuary & Hana Zakari no Kimitachi E. AN Entertainment has picked Phoenix Sound (aka Coastal Carolina who dubbed Oh My Goddess! and You're Under Arrest) to dub their recent licence of Miami Guns. On that note, Robert Woodhead (AnimEigo) seems intrested in hooking back up with Phoenix Sound for future dubbings. And finally, ADV has all three Nadia soundtracks.

From Pioneer to Geneon
As a result of the sale of Pioneer Entertainment to Dentsu Inc., a name change was necessary in order to differentiate the division from the still-existing parent in Japan. And thusly, we wave goodbye to the era of Pioneer and cautiously greet the era of Geneon. Derived from the words “generate” and “eon,” the new name isn’t exactly the greatest hit with the fans, but it’s here to stay. After the initial shock, one of the biggest issues seemed to be when and where the new logo would start appearing, with the general consensus being that the Pioneer logo should be used for all currently running series for consistency’s sake. At any rate, information will most certainly be forthcoming from Geneon regarding the results of the ownership change, so for now, let’s get used to the name!

Sailor Moon R box set audio issue
As copies of the box set for the second season of Sailor Moon began to filter their way out into the fan community, an oddity was discovered. On disc 5, in episode 68, there is a scene wherein audio from the dub, both voices and music, was spliced in for a short period. Possible reasons for this remain unknown, but displeasure is certainly evident. While some fans have just become more hesitant about purchasing the set, it was the final straw, in addition to several other minor issues, that made this a “no buy” for others. No statement has yet been made by ADV regarding the dub audio issue.

Buena Vista Announces UK Kiki & Laputa details
Two more of Studio Ghibli's famous works are heading to the UK according to DVDTimes.co.uk. The classic Miyazaki films are going to be one DVD each (the recent US releases are two dvds) and some extras have been changed/removed from the existing versions of the titles. Many will be pleased that the US cover art has been dumped in favor of emulating the original Japanese dvds.

Ai Yori Aoshi ~Enishi~ Promo DVD
Aoi, Kaoru, and the rest of the Ai Yori Aoshi cast are coming back for a second season but before they even start to air, a special episode is being released on DVD. A single 15 minute episode along with music clips, character songs, and other goodies was released on September 26th. The episode centers around Kaoru's early college days and being alone. Of course, finding a special snowflake pendant is going to solve this little problem. How, you ask? Because the pendant's owner is Santa Claus (and just happens to look like Aoi in a cute Christmas outfit). Just about everyone makes a cameo in this one.

Animation Runner Kuromi thoughts
And what do people make of Akitaroh Daichi’s glimpse into the wonderful world of animation? Good stuff, all around. For being only one (longer) episode, it’s still a rather endearing OAV that may hit a little too close to home for some people working a similar sort of daily grind. CPM’s gone the extra mile to deliver extras, and so the disc comes with an alternate angle storyboard feature and a commentary by Daichi himself. Check it out today!

The Angelic (Web) Layer
The dynamic web duo is at it again and this time they've taken on CLAMP's title Angelic Layer. All the usual goodies, omake, and presentation style can get you ready for the upcoming DVDs. If you want to learn about Misaki Suzuhara and her adventures, read the website. If you want to find some omake, keep refreshing the opening to the website and each of the four will eventually be revealed to those curious enough.

Onegai Twins, please!
So, will Bandai get the rights to Onegai Twins? Probably. But will people buy it? Considered to be somewhat weaker than Onegai Teacher in general, there are still some points that fans of the show consider to be done better than by its forebearer. But face it, who wouldn’t want to see a disc entitled “Hot for Twins”?

Believing a sign of Zeta…
Rumors from AWA hinted at a potential release date and price for the Zeta Gundam box set, along with Gundam F-91. Cautious celebration and speculation ensued, and then Jerry Chu from Bandai popped in to confirm that a date had not yet been set, but that Zeta Gundam, Gundam F-91, and Gundam Seed would all be released sometime next year. Still, there was no word on the rumored price tag of between $150 and $200…

Mahoromatic ~Something More Beautiful~ soundtrack is recalled
Pioneer Music is recalling the ~SMB~ soundtrack due to a production error. The soundtrack was about to release so most orders will now just be delayed until the new discs are pressed. No official statements have been given to what the error is.

AnimeJungle expands to include bishoujo game CDs
Hard to find online, AnimeJungle has added yet another nitch category to their website. I've, Kanon, and Green Green all make it to the new listing of "Pretty Girl" game soundtracks & singles. All cds are new and may require a little extra time for Jungle to aquire the disc for you.

F4T45T1C C0V3RZ 4 da W33K!
Yes, the Dual! box is of the study type. No, we have no clue if Pioneer will ever offer it seperately and we're gonna cry alot if they don't.

Mangatude
Kinda slow this week for something new to read. Viz confirm two titles. We remind people that "Hanaukyo Maid Team" is not a myth, though Osaka's reviews are somewhat legendary. ;-)

I.C. Entertainment

TOKYOPOP

Viz

Recommendations Rundown
And we’re off and running right from the get-go this week! User “rogueone”’s interest has been piqued by the upcoming Kenshin boxes, but the first couple of episodes weren’t quite enough. User “Air of Benevolence” is looking to build up an anime collection while broadening his interests. User “aquapermanence” is in need of a show with some variety, having tired of the numerous “formula” shows out there. User “SmoothTex” is out to find a good new swords and sorcery sort of show, which is a little tough considering how much he’s already seen. User “Belisarius” has been debating getting The Devil Lady due to TRSI’s wonderful sale, but isn’t sure about the show itself. And finally, user “dekar8” is wondering just what everyone thinks are the series to avoid out there, but with some good reasons to back things up. What? Over already? Well, the fun never stops when there’s recommendations to be made, since there are always new shows to see! Take some time to offer your thoughts to your fellow AoD’ers! Big O!, Big O, Big O, Big O!!

Tenamonya Voyagers was funny
It was released in 2000. It's only four episodes long. It's listed on Overstock.com for only $7.99. So what is the deal with even mentioning this old title? The dub & series itself was funny. S-Man, in some rare moment, takes on Ocean Studios' bout with insanity and types up what seems like a review for the English Track. Be afraid.. or curious. ;-)

AnimeNext: Oct. 3rd - 5th
Chris Beveridge is hitting AnimeNext this coming weekend so expect some intresting details to be popping up. There is an AoD panel with fabulous prizes to be given away so make sure to stop by and bug Chris. No gathering looks to be formed but we're sure something at the last minute is always welcomed. The con itself is playing host to Takehiko Ito (Outlaw Star, Angel Links creator) and a slew of voice actors including Moneca Stori (Kagome in InuYasha), James Arnold Taylor (Tidus of Final Fantasy X/X2), and Mike Sinterniklaas (NYAV Post founder & Leonard in the new TMNT cartoon). Rye Brook, New York is going to have some fun this weekend.

Interstella 555 Review
Daft Punk's anime music video project with ledgendary Leiji Matsumoto has finished. Titles "Interstella 555" and using the "Discovery" album as its complete soundtrack, we explore the mysterious adventure which started showing on MTV and Cartoon Network as music videos a year plus ago. Although not confirmed by retailers, the press release states that the DVD will come out on November 28th. This is odd considering DVDs generally come out on a Tuesday and the 28th is on a Friday this year.

Big O 22, the countdown begins
With the 22nd episode now under the belts of many fans, people are crying for more & the recent commercial bumpers suggest making it known that fans would like to see a third season of The Big O made. Cartoon Network does hold the option, after all. Meanwhile, back in the city of lost memories and ever destroyed city blocks, Roger Smith has a more unusual moment this week with someone he doesn't care for. Dorothy & Angel have another round. And the Big O just impresses all once again. Don't ya just hate these write-ups which skip around all the spoilers?

Fantasy Football Pick'em for College and Pro on ESPN AOD Team
New month, new thread. It's all about picking your favorite teams and then throwing popcorn at the TV when they don't do something right. The armchair quarter back with a PC. Join, discuss, cry, repeat next week. ;-)

Video Games from US to Japan yet again
Its been a video game happy week so let's get in a few plugs for what you missed. Chris can't pick which Soul Calibur 2 game to go after. "wanfu2k1" wants to learn about Disagaea. FF7 has a DVD movie coming up. Another Gundam is hitting the GameCube and GameBoy Advance. Xenosaga II video is on IGN for free download. You can now see those "newer" character designs in action. And most importantly, two new Sakura Taisen games are "in the works".

Newtype USA October 2003 Edition
Witch Hunter Robin graces the cover of this month's issue. The general "yea" and "nea" votes pop up as they always do. Poster is for Last Exile. The DVD contains the first episode of FF:U (that's Final Fantasy: Unlimited, not.. err.. nevermind). FF:U is getting the fairly negative view for the moment but there are a few people who will be happy with this title.

Last minute questions
Faster than a race in California (less confusing, too), we present the best of the best of the questions this week. Be proactive, answer!

Hokkaido Earthquake
Everyone was talking earlier this week about the 8.3 magnitude earthquake which was in the Hokkaido region of Japan on the 25th. Many worried that a tsunami may hit the coastline but the shore was spared. The earthquake was in the middle of the night so many have been survived with no more than some bumps and bruises to themselves and the surrounding buildings.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King trailer online
With some many LotR fans on the forums, a plug for the trailer which is now online is a must! December 17th sees the release to the final piece of the trilogy. Middle-earth has survived wars, hardship, and some important jewelery. But can it survive fandom just one more time?

Quote of the Week

"But the problem was I wasn't planning on buying anything except for the megami. I blame you S man for getting me addicted to Megami magazine *points accusing finger and S man*" - wanfu2k1

When not stopping trouble (or starting it) on the AoD Forums, S-Man can be found working on the database project at Crystal Acids and asagiri2040 can be found not updating his Rising Sun Alternative website. October is gonna break my wallet. Ai Yori Aoshi, Mahoromatic ~Something More Beautiful~, Argentosoma, InuYasha, Kikaider, Witch Hunter Robin, Heat Guy J, DNA2, Lupin TV, Master Keaton, Utena, Sugar, Banner of the Stars II, Infinite Ryvius, Mao-chan.