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DC COMICS LAUNCHES CMX, A NEW MANGA IMPRINT IN OCTOBER

From DC Comics
Paul Levitz, President & Publisher of DC Comics announced today that DC Comics will launch CMX, a new imprint of manga graphic novels, with the publication of three titles in October, 2004. The first three to be released are the initial volumes of MADARA (art by Tajima Sho-u and written by Otsuka Eiji from Kadokawa), MEKAKUSHI NO KUNI (illustrated and written by Tsukuba Sakura from Hakusensha), and EROIKA YORI AI WO KOMETE (illustrated and written by Aoike Yasuko, from Akita Shoten.)

"There's tremendous enthusiasm for manga in the States," said Levitz. "New readers, particularly girls and women, have rushed to embrace new talent from abroad, which we're excited to bring to American audiences as part of DC Comics' commitment to publishing diverse and exciting works from around the world."

Each of the CMX titles are Japanese manga which are being released for the first time in the United States, and will be published in the traditional manga format - sized at 5 X 7 3/8", with black and white interiors. Subsequent volumes of each series will be released on a quarterly schedule.

Upcoming titles include Fujii Mihona's Gals (Gals has been adapted as the popular anime series SuperGals!) from Shueisha, Tenjo Tenge (by Oh! Great, from Shueisha), 9 Banme no Musashi (by Takahashi Miyuki, from Akita Shoten), Swan (by Ariyoshi Kyoko from Akita Shoten), Monster Collection (by Sei Ito from Kadokawa Shoten), Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne by Tanemura Arina (from Shueisha), and Akuma de Soro (by Takanashi Mitsuba from Shueisha).

"We believe that manga readership is going to continue its rapid growth and also evolve in the U.S.," said John Nee, Vice President - Business Development at DC Comics. "CMX is committed to publishing all genre of manga, including horror, fantasy, science fiction and adventure titles, and the line will be as diverse, and as author-friendly, as that of DC Comics, VERTIGO, and WildStorm."

Nee also announced today that DC Comics has hired Jake Tarbox as the Group Editor of the CMX imprint. Tarbox has spent the last 14 years living in Tokyo, Japan where he worked at Coamix, Inc. as the International Affairs Manager and Vice-Editor-Chief of Raijin Comics, administered the creation of the American subsidiary company Gutsoon! Entertainment, and edited the manga magazine, Raijin Comics. Tarbox will handle the editorial responsibilities for the CMX imprint including overseeing the translation and printing of manga titles into English.

New HERO coming from ComicsOne
Press Release from ComicsOne, San Jose, CA, November 20th, 2003
ComicsOne, America’s one and only publisher of English translated Hong Kong Kung Fu comics has just announced the acquisition of yet another movie property for comic adaptation! ComicsOne’s HERO graphic novel will lead the charge with a February 2004 release. Following in just a few short months, the movie HERO (starring Jet Li) will make its U.S. debut on the silver screen from Miramax Films.

HERO illustrated by Wing Shing Ma (Storm Riders, Heaven Sword & Dragon Sabre), is the graphic novel adaptation of Zhang Yimou’s breathtaking 2003 Oscar nominated martial arts movie. At the height of China’s Warring States period, the country was splintered into seven kingdoms: Qin, Zhao, Han, Wei, Yan, Chu, and Qi. For years the separate kingdoms fought ruthlessly for supremacy. This brought decades of death and suffering to the people of the battered landscape. The soon-to-be Emperor of China is on the cusp of conquering the war-torn, but three martial arts masters are determined to assassinate him first. However, one loyal subject stands in their way, ironically in the name of peace for all the land.

HERO is a gripping story with a twisting turning plot that will keep readers poised in anticipation. Mr. Ma has truly outdone himself with this outstanding artistic accomplishment. His life-like representations of the film’s all-star cast including Jet Li, Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi are nothing short of uncanny. And if that isn’t enough to wet your mental palate, then those few who have been privileged enough to see the Chinese release of the movie will be pleased to know HERO the graphic novel contains an alternate ending written by Mr. Ma and approved by the film’s creator – Zhang Yimou.

About the Film’s Director: Chinese film director Zhang Yimou is a world-renowned storyteller, but HERO is his martial arts film debut. He began his film career as a cinematographer, and his work for Chen Kaige's The Yellow Earth (1983) helped launch the "Fifth Generation," filmmakers who brought back sensuality and emotion to Chinese movies. Zhang made his directorial debut with Red Sorghum (1987), which starred Gong Li in the first of her acclaimed roles. Noted for his technical mastery, he also directed such films as Ju Dou (1990), Raise the Red Lantern (1991), The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), and Shanghai Triad (1995).

The stand-alone GN will be available in February 2004. The full color 128 page graphic novels will be priced at $16.95. Visit www.comicsone.com for more detailed series information.

Live Action Initial D Film To Start Shooting In October

August 21, 2003
It was reported on The Kung Fu Cinema website that legendary Hong Kong film director Tsui Hark will direct a live action film of Initial D, based on the Japanese street racing manga of the same name. The film will be shot on locations in China and Japan beginning in October and will feature Edison Chen as Takumi, the delivery boy who becomes a street racing legend.

Tsui Hark is best known for the films Once Upon A Time in China, A Better Tomorrow, Chinese Ghost Story and The Legend of Zu. This is the latest in a recent string of live action films based on either anime or manga and is further proof of the growing worldwide momentum of the Initial D property. The Initial D manga is currently published in the U.S. by Tokyopop, which is readying a major advertising campaign for the Initial D anime series. The anime series is set to debut in September. Meanwhile the Alderac Entertainment Group is getting ready to launch the Initial D Collectible Card Game in October.

Four New Manga Series Coming from Tokyo Pop

Tokyo Pop has made rapid growth in the manga field. Concentrating on the often neglected realm of shoujo manga has provided them with several bestsellers in the U.S. Now, Tokyopop will attempt to push the genre boundaries of U.S. manga publishing once again. It has announced four new manga series launching in April and May, each of which explores relationships in provocative ways.

Fake, a shounen-ai series by Sanami Matoh, tells the love story of two NYC cops, both men. The series went through seven tankoubon volumes between 1994 and 2000.

Happy Mania, by Moyoko Anno (Seishingja, Love Master), follows Shigeta, a 24-year old woman with extremely poor judgment when it comes to men.

The Erica Sakurazawa Series features fairy tales for adults in six stand-alone volumes. The first, Between the Sheets, tells the story of two best friends, Saki and Minako, and the blurring of the line between their friendship and romance.

Demon Diary, by author Jee-Hyung Lee and Kara Lim, is another shounen-ai story set in a fantasy world where gods and demons battle mortals in an unending war. The heir to the demon king is to be tutored by a mentor to find his proper demonic shape, and the relationship goes beyond a student-teacher one.

Cowboy Bebop Theatrical Release Delayed
Now Set for April
January 04, 2003
Yahoo! Movies is reporting that the theatrical release of the Cowboy Bebop movie, which was originally scheduled for January (see "Cowboy Bebop Movie To Get Theatrical Release"), has been postponed until April. As originally planned the film will open first in New York and Los Angeles and then gradually expanded to other cities. The film, which was released in Japan under the title, Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door, has been retitled Cowboy Bebop: The Movie for its U.S. release. The Cowboy Bebop TV series remains a key component of the "Adult Swim" block on the Cartoon Network

ADV To Launch 24 Hour Anime Channel
November 12th, 2002
ADV Films has announced the creation of The Anime Network, the first North American television channel dedicated exclusively to anime and related content. Sources indicate that the channel could be on the air as early as spring of 2003. Whether or not the channel will be part of a "Basic Package" or will be a fee based "Premium Channel" is also unknown. No details are yet available concerning which cable companies will carry the new channel or what areas that they will serve.

Apparently at least in the beginning, The Anime Network will feature only anime series from ADV Films. Given ADV's extensive catalog of titles, this is not much of a limitation, particularly considering that ADV is reportedly going to broadcasting new anime series such as RahXephon and Noir on The Anime Network before these latest entries from Japan have appeared in the U.S. on DVD. As for series currently available from ADV on video, a number of the best including Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gasaraki, Excel Saga, Daiguard, Getter Robo, and Gunsmith Cats are all possiblities.

ADV Films CEO John Ledford said about the new channel: "Until now, the market and the culture haven't been ready for it. But ever-increasing numbers of Americans are becoming familiar with anime and its distinctive aesthetic: they're curious about anime, they're hungry for it, and The Anime Network is going to deliver it right to their televisions."

Will this new channel lead to a new generation of American Otaku? Either way, for many fans of Japanese animation, this news is the most exciting to come along since the advent of the DVD.

Tokyopop Acquires Rights to Publish New Manga Properties
from Diamond Comics Retailer Website, October 21, 2002
Tokyopop has expanded its Fantasy/Action manga library with the acquisition of four new properties that will be published in 2003.
Considered favorites among teenage boys, all four properties are action-packed fantasy adventures chock full of swordplay, magic, and the supernatural. Each will be released as part of the publisher's growing line of Japanese and Korean manga. They include:
Rebirth: Created by Kang-Woo Lee - and first published in Korea in 1998 - the manga tells the story of Dark Magician Deshwitat Rudbich, a vampire who was sealed in limbo 300 years ago by the Light Magician Kalutika. Resurrected in the present day, Deshwitat now vows to destroy Kalutika. He has the help of a team of spiritual warriors, and is determined to unlock the Light Magic necessary to bring this mad magician down for good.
Chronicles of the Cursed Sword: Created by Beop-Ryong Yuy, this tale follows the life of Rayan, an orphan with no home, no skills, and no apparent purpose in life. However, when he happens upon the PaSa sword - a cursed blade made from the bones of a demon king - he suddenly realizes he has the power to be a great hero. The sword's creator is the evil Shiyan, a royal vizier who needs the weapon to help him usurp the kingdom from its rightful monarch.
Dragon Hunter: Created by Hong-Seock Seo, the epic manga takes place in Kaya, a world where dragons shape people's lives. Hunters make a living by slaying them, while shamans control them with incantations. Seur-Chong is a hunter with the Dragon's Curse, a condition that gives him incredible strength and stamina, but it is slowly killing him. While this mercenary's only initial concern is money, he is thrust in the middle of the power play among those who hire the hunters, and finds himself fighting for a cause more noble than anything he'd ever imagined.
King of Hell: In Na In-Soo's King of Hell, there's a rift between Hell and the mortal world, and lost souls have been escaping to torment the living. The King of Hell has released Ma-Je - the greatest swordsman in the underworld - to stop the wayward souls. Steeped in Eastern and Western mythology, King of Hell is a story with striking artwork that is currently one of the hottest series published in Korea.
"We are thrilled with the opportunity to release these best-selling titles on the heels of the success of Dragon Knights , Ragnarok , and Priest in the same genre," said Tokyopop Founder and Chief Executive Officer Stuart Levy. "These acquisitions could not be more timely as we continue the explosive expansion of our highly successful manga business."

ABC Family Adds More Anime To Schedule
The ABC Family Channel, which has already added the Beyblade anime series to its lineup has now announced another anime series. Shinzo premiered on the channel as part of its saturday lineup on July 6th. It was originally reported (not here) that the new series might be Slayers, but that rumor proved to be false.
None the less, this new series marks even more anime currently available to American TV audiences, along with the current shows on the Cartoon Network. Shinzo is produced by Toei Animation, which also produces Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, which are both hugely popular and growing even more ever present. Soon, anime will be so common in America that it will lose it's current luster of "hip" appeal and then we can only wait for the fad to revive as a wave of nostalgia. Until then, Anime fans can at least revel in watching anime grow from a cult phenomenon to mass awareness.

Akira Remake Planned

The Hollywood Reproter recently broke the news of a planned remake of Akira from Warner Brothers. Blade I director Steve Norrington is slated to both write and direct, with Jon Peters producing. After the announcements of a live action Dragonball Z movie and one of Ninja Scroll, this makes three planned hollywood remakes of popular anime. Norrington is also scheduled to direct the upcomming League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen film.
Of course, it is not uncommon for films to be announced and then stuck in the pipeline of Production Hell. Whether or not these films actually get made will be another story. In either case, it shows a new awareness of anime properties beyond the usual genre borders that it has previously occupied.

Disney Announces U.S. Release Date for Japanese Animated Hit