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Home , Angel Links, Bandai Visual, Banpresto, Business Jump, Chiho Saito, Gasaraki

Sample file Sample file Sample file CONTENTS 5 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ PROTOCULTURE ✾ PRESENTATION ...... 6 STAFF WHAT'S GOING ON? & NEWS ...... 7 Claude J. Pelletier [CJP] — Publisher / Manager VIDEO & MANGA RELEASES ...... 8 Martin Ouellette [MO] — Editor-in-Chief PRODUCTS RELEASES ...... 10 Miyako Matsuda [MM] — Editor / Translator NEW RELEASES ...... 12

Contributors Kevin Lillard, James S. Taylor, Kent Wong REVIEWS LIVE-ACTION ...... 16 Layout MODELS ...... 38 The Safe House MANGA ...... 40 PA PICKS ...... 52 Cover ANIME ...... 53 Cover art courtesy of Entertainment, Inc. ANIME CAPSULES ...... 55 Escaflowne © • TX Proofreading & Editing The Safe House, Dominique Durocher SPOTLIGHTS Aaron & Keith Dawe MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL Overview ...... 19 Color Separation & Linotronic Colourful ...... 20 Typo Express, Inc. Anecdotes from Director Shun Nakahara and Pop Star Kouki Tanaka ...... 21 Gohatto ...... 22 Printing ANIME MOVIES OF THE SUMMER Payette & Simms, Inc. Blood: The Last Vampire (Overview, Character Designs) ...... 23 Special Thanks to : Adolescence Revelations (Overview, Character Designs) ...... 25 (Overview, Character Designs) ...... 27 Jerry Chu (BEI), Pierre Corbeil (Fantasia), Julien Fonfrède (Fantasia), Jean-François Fortier (DP9), Chad Kime Escaflowne: A Girl In Gaia (Overview, Review, & Character Designs) ...... 29 (Pioneer), Mi-Jeong Lee (Fantasia), Michael Liu, Nikaku Animart, Danielle Opyt (Manga), Pierre Ouellette (DP9), Mee-Lise Robinson (CPM), Nene Tamaki, Maki Terashima ANIMESample WORLD file (I.G.-USA), Ken Wiatrik (ADV), Vince Wilson, Patrick Wong Fantasia 2000 (Part 2: More Japanese and Asian Movies!) ...... 17 (Bandai America), Nobu Yamamoto (BEI), Yui Yuasa Convention Reports: Project A-kon, , , , Anime Iowa, CnAnime ...... 41 Anime North: Anecdotes from Mr. Kotobuki & his assistant Chihiro Hattori ...... 43 CnAnime: Anecdotes from Director & Cartoonist ...... 48 SUBSCRIPTION CnAnime: Anecdotes from Ryo Mizuno ...... 49 year (6 issues): $30 US/Can (in Canada: add GST), or The Modern Japanese Music Database (Part 7) ...... 50 $45 US overseas. Send check/money-order to: Protoculture, P.O. Box 1433, Station B, Montreal, Qc., Canada, H3B 3L2. ANIME STORIES DISTRIBUTORS KAKYÛSEI ...... 57 ...... 58 In Canada: Anime Universe ((905) 212-9719), Snap! ((416) ...... 59 588-4006). In U.S.A.: Anime Nation ((727) 796-7561), VIRGIN FLEET ...... 60 Berkley Dist. (North: (510) 845-9851 or South: (310) 632- 8448), Complete Strategist ((212) 685-3880), Diamond MASTER KEATON ...... 61 ((410) 560-7100), FM International ((608) 271-7922), HKT ((914) 296-1236), Kinokuniya (NY: (212) 765-7766, SF: PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS #63. October / November 2000. The Anime & Manga magazine. Published bimonthly (415) 567-7625, Seattle: (206) by PROTOCULTURE Enr., P.O. Box 1433, Station B, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3B 3L2. FAX: (514) 527-0347. E-mail: [email protected]. Web: http://www.protoculture.qc.ca/PA. 587-2477), Mangamania ((800) 626-4277), Nikaku PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS is ©2000 by Protoculture Enr. The copyrights and trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their Animart ((408) 971-2822), respective owners. PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS acknowledges the creators and copyrights holders of the materials mentioned or pictured herein, and does not seek to infringe on their rights. All rights to articles/artwork revert to their respective writers/artists upon Planet Anime ((713) 523- publication. Contributors are responsible for their views which are not necessarily those of PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS. No part of this 7122), RPV ((714) 671- magazine can be reproduced without permission from the publisher — except for review purposes. Spoiler Warning: This magazine 1270). In England: Esdevium contains important plot details about several Japanese animation. Reader discretion is advised. (011 44 125226116). Legal deposit at the National Library of Quebec & National Library of Canada Printed in Canada ISSN 0835-9563 6 PRESENTATION ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Escaflowne The Movie: The New Encounter. In this issue, we are introducing you to the world of Escaflowne The Movie (for a complete coverage of the TV series, please check Protoculture Addicts #43, page 19 to 34). Are you CREDITS anime fans enjoying the North American TV release on Fox TV and YTV? Then the brand new feature film Vision Angel Cop © 1994 Ichiro Itano/ Soeishinsha. English Version © 2000 , Inc. Blood: The Last Vampire © Pro- Of Escaflowne: The Movie is a MUST for you! It has been 4 years since the original TV series ended, and this duction I.G./SVW/ SCE/ IG Plus/ IPA. Blue Submarine #6 © 1998 movie version is a co-production of , Korea and the US (http://www.nifty.com/escaflowne/). Unfortunately, Satoru Ozawa/ / Toshiba EMI/ . English Version © 2000 AnimeVillage.com. Brain Powered © 1998 Sunrise, Inc. the North American version of the TV series is, of course, heavily edited (however, anime fans can enjoy the English Version © 1999 AnimeVillage.com. 2040 © JVC/ AIC. English Version © 1999 A.D. Vision, Inc. Burn Up W complete series, in its original, unedited form, in English, for it has been released on video by Bandai Entertain- OVA © 1996 AIC/ MRC. English Version © A.D. Vision, Inc. Cowboy ment) and I am not quite sure if the viewers can follow the love relationships among those characters, because Bebop © 1998 Sunrise. English Version © 1999 AnimeVillage.com. Escaflowne TV series © 1996 Sunrise/ TX. English Version © 1999, they are, I must admit, quite complicated. 2000 Bandai Entertainment, Inc. Figures by Bandai Entertainment, Inc. Escaflowne: The Movie © 2000 Sunrise/ Bandai Visual. Flint: Hitomi, the main female character, is in love with Amano, her older school mate, and she wants to be noticed The Time Detective © 1998 Nijihan. English Version © 2000 The Right Stuf International, Inc. © Sunrise. English Ver- by him. So she takes the initiative “Please give me my first kiss!”. But before this could happen, Hitomi is sion © 2000 A.D. Vision, Inc. Generator Gawl © Tatsunoko Produc- taken away to the alien world of Gaia! Normally, when someone is in a chaotic situation, she/he has no time for tion/ Nippon Victor. English Version © 2000 A.D. Vision, Inc. Goku II: Midnight Eye © 1985 Terasawa Production Co., Ltd./ Scholar love, right? But, on Gaia, Hitomi meets Allen, a good-looking Knight who looks just like Amano and Hitomi Publishing, Inc./ TOEI Video Co., Ltd. English Version © 2000 Ur- becomes infatuated with him. And Allen seems to like her a lot! However, Princess Millerna is also in love with ban Vision Entertainment. Imma Youjo © 1996 PInk Pineapple. Eng- lish Version © 2000 Critical Mass Video. Inu- © Rumiko Allen and she wants to show her feelings to him, but Allen cannot forget that he was in love with Millerna’s Takahashi/ . English Version © Viz Communications, Inc. Irresponsible Tylor OVA © 2000 Taira Yoshioka/ Kadokawa older sister, who passed away some time before. But, this is not the end! Allen’s father fell in love with a Shoten/ Tylor Project. English Version © 2000 The Right Stuf Inter- woman, a long time ago, and went to look for her, abandoning Allen and his mother. Now Allen hates his national, Inc. Jubei-Chan © 1999 Akitaro Daichi/ / Bandai Visual. English Version © 2000 Bandai Entertainment, Inc. Black father, but who was the woman for whom his dad abandoned his family? It was Hitomi’s grandmother, who Heaven © AIC/ Pioneer/ LDC. English Version © 2000 Pioneer. was also brought to Gaia! How complicated! But who is the main male character of the TV show? It is Van! As Kakyusei © 1999 ELF/ Pink Pineapple. Key: The Metal Idol © 1994 Hiroaki Sato/ / Fuji TV/ FCC/ Studio . English the story goes on, Van and Hitomi become involved in a relationship. So, you may think the movie version is Version © VIZ Communications, Inc. © 1989, 1998 Gakken/ Nihon Keizaisha/ / TV . Eng- a soap opera with giant robots, right? Wrong! lish Version © 1998 Tezuka Productions/ Pioneer Entertainment (USA) L.P. Lost Universe © TV Tokyo/ Softx. English Version © Although it has the same cast of characters, Escaflowne: The Movie offers you a totally different story. There are 2000 A.D. Vision, Inc. Magic Knight Rayearth OVA © / Kodansha/ Polygram/ TMS-K. English Version © 2000 Manga En- a lot of Asian overtones, such as Japanese Katana-styled swords and many costumes look like the native cloth- tertainment, Inc. Magic Woman M © 1996 Nekoshita Pong/ ing of Central Asia, such as Tibet and Mongolia. As for the story, it is much simpler than the TV series’: Hitomi PASOKAN. English Version © 2000 A18, Co. © / Shogakukan/ Kitty/ Fuji TV. English Version © does not know how to open her heart, but learns when she meets Van. She did not know who she really was or Viz Video. Martian Successor Nadesico © TV TOKYO/ YOMIKO/ what was her reason for living. After fierce battles and lots of dangerous adventures, the last scene, with its . English Version © 1999 A.D. Vision, Inc. Master Keaton © Naoki Urasawa/ Hokusei KatsushiKa/ Shogakukan/ VAP Video/ NTV/ beautiful sunset, will move you to tears. Is it a happy ending? You’ll be the ! But I guarantee you will Madhouse. Mobile Suit Wing © 1999 Sunrise/ Agency/ ANB. English Version © 1999 Bandai Entertainment, Inc. definitely enjoy this renewed encounter with the world of Escaflowne ! This movie tells you “Open your heart! © Sunrise. English Version © Then you will find your reason to live!” Aside from the fantastic character designs of Nobuteru Yuki, the great AnimeVillage.com. Models by Bandai Co., Ltd. Oh My Goddess! © 1996, 1997, 1999 Kosuke Fujishima/ Kodansha, Ltd. English Ver- mecha designs and the wonderful music (by ), the basic message is clear, especially for young sion © 1996, 1997, 1999 Studio Proteus/ Dark Horse Comics, Inc. viewers. And please, go see this movie in a theater (and on a big screen) so you can see and Gaia in all its Original Vampire Hunter D © 1985 EPIC•, Inc./ , Inc./ CBS•SONY Group, Inc. English Version © 1999 Urban Vision Enter- splendor! I am sure you will profoundly enjoy this movie! tainment. 2 © 1993 Headgear/ Emotion/ TFC. English Ver- sion © 2000 Manga Entertainment, Inc. Pokemon © 1995, 1996 & Miyako Matsuda 1998 / CREATURES/ GAME FREAK. English Version © Viz Sample file Communications, Inc. Ranma 1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi/ Shogakukan/ • • • Kitty/ Fuji TV. English Version © Viz Video. ReBoot © 1997 ReBoot III Productions, Ltd. A Mainframe/ Alliance Production. Packaging Incredible! The summer is already over and the year 2000 is also almost over! At least, this issue will be the last Design © 2000 A.D. Vision, Inc. Revolutionary Girl Utena: Adoles- cence Revelations © 1999 BEPAPAS/ Saito Chiho/ Shogakukan/ of the year since PA#64 won’t come out before January. It has been a busy year (that’s an understatement!) and Utena Committee. Rurouni Kenshin OVA Series © 1999 N. Watsuki/ when I look back to the issues we have published this year, I am quite satisfied with our coverage: Gundam Wing, / Fuji TV/ SPE Visual Works, Inc. English Version © 2000 A.D. Vision, Inc. SS Movie © 1995 TOEI Co., Ltd. © Dunbine, Rurouni Kenshin, , Escaflowne The Movie and about thirty other anime shows. That’s 2000 / Kodansha/ . English Version without mentionning the countless reviews of live-action, manga and anime. Of course, there were some delays ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ © 2000 Pioneer (U.S.A) L.P. Sakura Diaries © U-jin/ Shogakukan/ Kitty Film/ Victor Entertainment. English Version © 1999 A.D. Vi- again this year and we have released only five issues, but we also had to work on the book Anime: A Guide To sion, Inc. Seraphim Call © 1999 Nanase Aoi/ Mediaworks/ Sunrise/ / Mitsubishi Trading, Co. Silent Möbius: The TV Series © Japanese Animation… Studio Tron/ / Bandai Visual/ Sotsu Agency/ TV Tokyo. English Version © Bandai Entertainment, Inc. SIN : The Mo- This issue is covering several of the feature movies that premiered this summer in Japan and in North American tion Picture © 2000 A.D. Vision, Inc. Sol Bianca OVA Series 2 © 1999 AIC/ Pioneer LCD Inc. English Version © 2000 Pioneer Enter- anime conventions: Vision Of Escaflowne: A Girl In Gaia, Vampire Hunter D, Revolutionary Girl Utena: Adoles- tainment (U.S.A) L.P. © SA•RO•MW/ BA•TX•SE. cence Revelations, and Blood: The Last Vampire. All those movies have one thing in common: their incredible English Version © 1998 A.D. Vision, Inc. On Earth © AIC/ Pioneer LDC. English Version © 2000 Pioneer Entertainment craftmanship! This issue also offers reports on the Summer Conventions & Festivals (Project A-kon, Anime (U.S.A) L.P. To Heart © Aquaplus/ KSS. Vampire Hunter D © 2000 Kikuchi Hideyuki/ Asahi Sonorama/ Vampire Hunter D Committee. North, Anime Expo, Otakon, Anime Iowa, CNanime, more on the Fantasia Festival, and our coverage the Montreal Virgin Fleet © 1998 RED/ Ohji Hiroi/ AIC/ Imagawa/ Beam Enter- World Film Festival), overviews of recent anime shows (“Anime Stories” on Kakyusei, Master Keaton, To Heart, tainment. English Version © 1999 , Co. Wild Cardz © 1997 Studio OX/ MOVIC/ BMG Japan, Inc. English Version © Cen- Virgin Fleet, Seraphim Call), the usual “Anime World” articles (The Modern Japanese Music Database Part 7 and tral Park Media, Co. more Anecdotes from people of the anime industry), Reviews (of the latest Anime videos, Manga, live-action ILLUSTRATIONS movies and Model Kits), and the latest news! Enjoy and take care! “Costumes Paradise” insert (06-00, 20 pg., Color): 11. AX Magazine (Sony): #017 (08-99): 172-173; #018 (09-99): 22- 23; #019 (10-99): 44; #020 (11-99): 34-35, 181, #022 (01-00): Next issue (PA#64 coming in January) will cover a couple of the new titles that Bandai is bringing to North 43-45, 149; #027 (06-00): 14-17; #028 (07-00): 18-21, 161. America in 2001 (, ) as well as Salaryman Kintaro (manga & live-action TV show). Gundam Wing Action Figure photo: Toys”R”Us publicity sheet. Newtype Magazine (Kadokawa Shoten): 03-99: 65; 08-99: 159- We will also finish our coverage of the Fantasia and Montreal’s World Film Festivals, and have Anime Stories on 165; 09-99: 44-45, 163-166; 07-00: 30-33. Utena: The Movie pub- A.D. Police, GateKeepers, , Ordian and War Flag Of The Star (the sequel of Crest Of The Star). Don’t licity pamphlet: cover. All other illustrations come from promotional artwork, cover art miss this issue! or directly from the animation. They remain the property of their respective owners. Claude J. Pelletier ANIME & MANGA NEWS 7

— JAPAN — JAPAN — JAPAN — JAPAN — JAPAN — JAPAN — Argent Soma is the newest project by Sunrise (same crew that created Gundam Wing), directed by Kazuyoshi Katayama ○○○○○○○○ Animate! & Mandrake in the US! The second-hand (). The story, about love & hate, takes place in the middle of the 21st century, when Earth is attacked by manga Japanese retailer Mandrake has given up its mysterious metal creatures from space. Human population, if not decimated, suffers serious casualties. The creatures Manga-no-Dendo (Sanctuary Of Manga) project and will seem to hit randomly, without any tactics, as if they were natural disasters. The main character, Takuto Kaneshiro, was instead opens several smaller stores in the USA and Ja- hoping to become an astronaut, but studied instead the alien metal, following the suggestion of his girlfriend, Maki. pan in 2001. Its main competitor, Animate!, will follow However, she is killed by an alien named Frank. Takuto begins to hate Frank, who was actually created by humans from their lead and open its first US location in December. alien parts. Only one girl, Harriet, can talk to Frank. How all those characters, who saw their life shattered by the alien ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Mandrake: 21515 South Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501 ((310) 212-0777, www.mandrakela.com). Ani- invasion, can find some peace again? (Source: Newtype 09-00). mate!, 7314 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046-7513 Godzilla VS Mega Giras is the title of the 24th Godzilla movie to be released in December 2000 by , starring Misato ((323) 934-0500). (Source: ANN). Tanaka and Yuriko Hoshi. The Anti-Godzilla Corps “G-Grasper” is plotting to destroy Godzilla and, with Captain Kiriko Anno Hideaki (Nadia, Evangelion) latest live-action movie, Mori and his scientific team, they created the Black Hall. However, things get twisted and it brings back the ancient Shiki Jitsu (Ceremonial Day), co-produced by Studio monster Mega Nuron instead, who breaks Tokyo’s undergrounds waterlines in order to make a large lake for its breed- Ghibli and Tokuma Shoten, will premiere on December ing. The insect monster then transforms into a 60-meter Mega Giras! How can humans save themselves? (Source: 7th at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. It Newtype 09-00). is about the trials and tribulations of a young woman Gunmu (), the manga series by Yukito Kishiro, will have a new sequel titled Gunmu: Last Order which (Fujitani ) who had her life ruined by her lover will start serialization in the December issue of Ultra monthly magazine. Gunmu was previously serialized in (Murakami Jun) and mother (Ootake Shinobu). It recently Business Jump, but was interrupted in March ’95 because of a personal crisis of the author, which used the unpublished received the “Best Artistic Contribution” Award at the part of the story for the Playstation game Kasei no Kioku (The Memory of Mars). He published other Gunmu-related Tokyo International Film Festival. (Source: ANN). stories (like Ashen Victor), but only Last Order is a true sequel since it features the character Gally (Alita) and continues Inu-Yasha, Rumiko Takahashi’s popular manga, was the story from the episode where she’s revived at Zallem and NOT from the final episode. In order to do this sequel, adapted to anime by Sunrise. Since October, it is on the Yukito Kishiro is interrupting his current manga, Suichu Kishi (Aqua Knight, also published in English by Viz), but air every Monday night on Yomiuri TV. The story takes pledges to re-start it later. (Sources: Anime Colony, ANN). place during Japan’s civil war (in 15th-16th century). (Source: AX #30 (09-00)). , Dr. ’s legendary manga (released in 1949!), as been adapted into an animated version! Dr. Tezuka created three science-fiction manga between 1948 and 1951: (1948), Metropolis (1949) and Japanese Ministry Of Education recently recognized Kurubeki Sekai (The World Which Would Suppose To Arrive, in 1951). Those manga had a great influence on many as one of the most important forms artists who are working in the entertainment industry today. They are classics which teach readers, especially children, of artistic expression in the modern Japanese cultural about the future, racial problems and the dark sides of the society. Metropolis, the animated feature, will be released in environment, because they display detailed work, great craftmanship and… get recognition overseas. (Sources: summer 2001 and its production crew is composed of many talented members: screenplay by (), Anime Nation, ANN). directed by Taro Rin (), character design by Yoshihiro Nakura (The Night On The Galactic Railroad), art direction by Hidekazu Hirata (Patlabor), etc. The story takes place in the city of Metropolis, a future city where humans and robots New anime series that started in October: Argent Soma, live together. At the opening ceremony of the skyscraper “Zigurat,” the most powerful man of the city, Duke Red, is Digital Tokoro-san, Gakkou no Kaidan, Gambler Densetsu making a speech. Someone tries to disturb the ceremony, but is shot by a youngSample man with a black shirt,file named . It Tetsuya, Gear Fighter Dendo, Gravitation, Hajime no Ippo, happens that the protester is a robot and that Rock is a member of “Marduk,” an organization that wants to wipe out all Hiou Senki, Jinzo Ningen Kikaidar, Muteki-oh Trizenon, robots! Metropolis is divided in two parts: Upper City and the Underground. Some humans want to welcome the robots, Psy-Fi Harry, Shin Megami-Tensei-Devilchil, Vandred, Yami no Matsuei. (Sources: Anihabara, ANN) others want to eliminate them. Meanwhile, Dr. Lauton, a criminal wanted by the International Police, is hiding in the city. Private Detective Shunsaku and his assistant Ken-Ichi are looking for him. Dr. Lauton is secretly developping a cyborg: Shin VS Neo Getter Robo is a new OVA from Tima – she’s the main character of the story. You’ve probably guessed that it is strongly inspired by the 1926’s movie by Bandai Visual scheduled for December 2000. Character Fritz Lang. With traditional techniques and the latest digital anime, the production team is trying to create the best and mecha designs are by . The story takes picture possible, and they are planning a simultaneous release world-wide. ©Tezuka Production / Metropolis Production place in New York City, greatly damaged by the battle Committee. (Source: Newtype 09-00). between Emperor Gol, the Dinosaur Corps and Getter Robo. Doctor Saotome and Hayato Jin believe that the Psy-Fi Harry (or Sci-Fi Harry?) is the latest A.P.P.P. studio (which stands “Another Push-Pin Production” !) animation Dinausor Corps will come back and they are preparing which started in October on TV-Asahi. It’s an anime show that is just like an Hollywood panic movie. Created by Joji Iida Neo Getter Robo. However the enemy arrives much ear- (creator of the hit TV series Another Heaven), and directed by Hasuhito Kikuchi, the story takes place in the USA and the lier than they thought! (Source: Newtype 09-00). main character, Harry McQueen, is a highschool student who looks weak and shy, doesn’t like sports and is often bullied. ’s Website: the fans of can One day, Harry is approached by Catherine Chapman, who has realized that he has ESP powers. She wanted him to learn about his latest movie, Sen To Chihiro no Kami improve his powers, but instead strange incidents began to happen. Catherine’s , John Mayfield, is quite Kakushi (One Thousand and Chihiro Are ), jealous of the attention she gives Harry and tries to stop him. Whenever Harry tries to use his powers, dead bodies are and about the Ghibli Art Museum, scheduled to open to found: first in the high school, then a mass-murder at a TV station and even a whole town is destroyed! The story’s the public in 2001. (Source: Newtype 09-00). theme is about good and evil and how humans react when things get out of control, just like Harry’s power which kills Yasuyoshi Tokuma, president of the Japanese publish- people without his will! (Source: Newtype 09-00). ing house Tokuma Shoten, died September 20th, at the Samurai Figures! These days, Japanese movie fans enjoy collecting figures of their favorite movie characters. age of 78, in a Tokyo Hospital, from a cause that was Alfrex is a Japanese company producing such high-quality figures. Their first release, Zatoichi (the Zatoichi series has not disclosed at the request of his family. Not only been released in English by AnimEigo’s Samurai Cinema), became such a big hit that their production was totally sold Tokuma Shoten publishes the magazine and out within six months! In 2000, Alfrex is releasing a set of Seven Samurai figures for ¥120,000 (about $1,200 US)! They many anime-related books, but Yasuyoshi Tokuma him- look quite acurate and, beside being articulated, their shoes are made of real reeds by professional craftsmen! Samurai self played a fundamental role in the success of Studio series figures are extremely popular in Japan, as well as manga character figures such as Akuma-kan (Mr. Devil, by Ghibli as producer and financial sponsor. (Sources: cartoonist ). Alfrex website: http://www.alfrex.co.jp. (Source: Kinema Jumpo #1306 (04-00): 91). Kyodo News and ANN).

ANN = www.animenewsnetwork.com