JIGOKU SHOUJO - GIRL FROM HELL (Season 2)

Do you really want to be scared? Watch Jigoku Shoujo 2 premiering from 23 Oct Tue 8pm (PH) 24 Oct Wed 10.30pm (S.E.A.) if you dare... http://hellgirl.animax-asia.com/

ANIMAX WALLPAPERS

ANIMAX AND SEAGATE BOOTH AT WORLD CYBER GAMES ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Register now at http://Asian.worldcybergames.com/gtr2xtremedrive before 31 July!

THE WORLD'S LARGEST CYBER GAMING EVENT IS BACK!

The World Cyber Games is the world’s
first “Cyber Game Festival”,
designed to build a healthy cyber
culture. The best games around the
world gather into different cities to
share the excitement and fun of
the game tournaments.

For the second year running, Animax is
proud to be the Principal
Partner of WCG2007 Asian Championship.
This is a pan-Asia
regional WCG tournament and this is the
2nd time a pan-Aisa
regional WCG tournament is being held.
Singapore will play host to
the 2nd version of the competition.
A total of 12 countries are
invited to take part in this competition
where they strive to emerge
as champion of Asia.

Host City: Singapore
Date: 2-5 August 2007
Venue: Suntec Convention Hall 602
Log on to www.animax-asia.com for more
details.

Be Different. Be Yourself.

a d i d a s c r e w

fReE tOiLet... iPG's coRriDoR! =P

fRee tOilet. . .in rOyaL miNt !!(coin minting, not chocolate mint, haha) =P

it'S a birD, it'S a pLanE, it'S. . .it'S. . nOtHinG la dUH!! =P

rOofTop anNeXe C!!(iPG) har har~~! we'Re fLYinG!! =P

rOofTop anNeXe C!!(iPG) har har~~! we'Re fLYinG!! =P

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PUPIL

Alternative rock band Pupil has been a regular fixture in ANIMAX's events, starting with the highly successful "Fashion Ability" last year. This has led fans to wonder "What's up?" and "Has Pupil sold their soul to Animax?"

Well, you can wonder no more as tomorrow night June 8 before "Music Station", ANIMAX will unveil the video of its official theme song "Set Me Apart" written and performed by Pupil.

I got to chat with Pupil guitarist Yani Yuzon about the making of "Set Me Apart"…

1. How did this collaboration between Pupil and ANIMAX start?

ANIMAX actually commissioned us to do the song. They were looking for a band that best exemplifies ANIMAX and what it stands for. If you think about it Pupil is off the beaten track. We're not obscure, but we're not pop. The Animax folks liked the sound of our first album "Beautiful Minds." They got us for some events first to build the relationship and to see the crowd's response to our music. We got really awesome response.

2. What inspired you to write "Set Me Apart"?

Since the song was commissioned, the Animax execs did not have to pick from the material that we already have. It's custom made for the channel. Ely Buendia and band manager Diane Ventura, all of us, in the process of making the song, we watched the channel a lot and to discover underlying themes in the shows that they have. It all boils down to "Be different", which is the catch phrase of the network. Obviously we didn't want to come up with a song that's entitled "Be Different". We needed to find something that would sound more like us, describing the lifestyle that the channel portrays. We just emailed back and forth, rough drafts, the demo, the final song, until we came up with the video. Then we did recordings. Everything you see here is by and large the product of email.

3. Who came up with the concept for the video?

Animax and the production studio in

Malaysia

asked us for a concept. The whole band had a meeting. Then we suggested that it's typical in a video that a band plays together. Let that be in the end. Instead, we divide the time of the video into vignettes where we're situated in different worlds. "Different Worlds" is another song off our album. We needed to capture this idea. As you will see in the video tonight, Ely was in an elevator that turned into a spaceship that turns into a robot. I'm a post futuristic gunslinger. Dok is like King of the Waterworld. Bogs is the urbanite drummer. Initially, I was going to be the water guy because I surf. But I always wore the hat. So they figured "You're better off as the gunslinger". I like guns and stuff.

We filmed here on green screen. Then All the footage was brought to

Malaysia

where all the post production took place. The post-prod was a lengthy process as you can tell.

4. Are you happy with the results?

Yes, I think the video was really well made. Very stylish. But the guys in the band tease me a lot though. They would say "Thanks that you made us extras in your video." I would say, "Why? We're all equal." We always joke about it. You'll understand when you see the video.

5. This has been a monumental job for you, especially since Ely Buendia is still recovering from a heart attack.

Yes, it took half a year until today to make the song and the video for "Set Me Apart". I am grateful that we had a lot of continued network support. The Animax guys stuck through with us through Ely's heart attack. They had faith in the band and how the band can be the voice that represents their viewership. They trusted that in spite of everything else. And I thank them for their trust and their patience.

SET ME APART": THE AWESOME ANIMAX AND PUPIL COLLABORATION

Anime fans have long been curious and downright perplexed by the appearance of top Filipino alternative rock band Pupil in ANIMAX's recent events. Well, wonder no more!

Last May 22 at the Hard Rock Café, the ANIMAX and Pupil collaboration was revealed with the release of the 24/7 youth/lifestyle network's hard rocking theme song "Set Me Apart".

After treating VIPs, media representatives and winners of the Pupil Party contest to a sumptuous buffet, Pupil took to the stage to perform their greatest hits. Needless to say, they've got the crowd dancing and singing for more. But the BEST came at the end when Pupil performed live ANIMAX's official theme song Set Me Apart, which practically blew me away because of its hard rocking beat and meaningful lyrics.

According to guitarist Yan Yuzon, "Set Me Apart is custom made for the channel. Ely and band manager Diane Ventura, all of us, in the process of making the song, we watched ANIMAX a lot to discover underlying themes in the shows that they have. It all boils down to BE DIFFERENT, which is the catch phrase of the network. We needed to write a song that would sound more like us and aptly describes the lifestyle that the channel portrays. Set Me Apart is the result."

After the live performance, they showed the cutting edge music video for "Set Me Apart", not once but twice, because of the clamor from the audience, and with good reason.


Not to give too much away, you'll be seeing the members of the band transformed into animated characters. Lead vocalist and guitarist Ely Buendia is transformed into a mecha pilot. Yani Yuzon is a futuristic gunslinger battling ninja ghouls reminiscent of the anime Hellsing. Bassist Dok Sergio is the King of Waterworld while drummer Bogs Jugo is a moody urbanite playing his drums in the middle of a busy freeway. The stylish video was directed by ANIMAX and produced by one of Malaysia's leading broadcast design and animation studios.

Indeed, Set Me Apart is the very impressive product of the collaboration between Pupil and ANIMAX.

According to Judy Chow, Director of Animax Marketing, "We've always had a partnership with Pupil. They supported a number of our events before like Fashion Ability and Love Is In the Air. I think they're a perfect fit for our channel, because they have a lot of inside values, which we would like to get across as well. The song is all about being different, having your own style, being an individual. And I think the band is very much like that. They constantly reinvent themselves, and yet they still stay true to their music. So we think they appeal to the youth, which is who our viewers are. I believe that's the true collaboration."

Where's the Continuation?

Are you one of those who have been left in a serious state of strangulation by certain anime that are so engrossing that you followed it religiously, only to discover that the very last episode left you hankering for more? I'm sure some of you have been requesting ANIMAX to please make/air second seasons of these anime, as Animax has been producing all these anime to begin with.

For now, there are NO reports from my sources that there will be a Second Season for "Alice Academy". Neither is there any news of continuations for "Detective School Q" and "Ouran High School Host Club".

There are rumors that there MIGHT be a sequel to "Fruits Basket", especially with the sell-out success of the final version of the manga. But this has yet to be confirmed.

What is definite is that you'll be seeing Season Two of "Emma: Victorian Romance" and "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" this year.

If you're asking me what series I want to watch new episodes of, here's my list…

1) Zipang (My Dad's dying to find out what happens to the poor crew of the Mirai)

2) Fruits Basket (I want to see Hatori and Haru again.)

3) Detective School Q (Because I want to see Ryu wearing a dress.)

4) Alice Academy (Mikan is a delight to watch!)

5) Slam Dunk (Why didn't they animate the Inter High Championships? Grrr.)

6) Tactics (I want to see more of the story of Kantarou and Haruka. Groan.)

7) Emma: Victorian Romance – Second Act (Because I want to see gorgeous Max the Butler!)

8) Ouran High School Host Club (26 episodes is not enough!)

9) FAKE (Why just one OVA? Why not make it into a series?)

10) Hellsing (Because I could never get enough of Alucard.)

The Monster Hit that is "Monster"

Before "Death Note" became a huge hit, there was another manga and Madhouse anime that fans (including yours truly!) followed greedily, despite its daunting length. I'm talking about Naoki Urasawa's brilliant medical suspense thriller, "Monster".

To those of you who haven't heard of it, "Monster" is about a brilliant surgeon named Dr. Kenzo Tenma who is faced with the moral dilemma of choosing which critical patient he should operate: a politician who will be funding the hospital he works for or a little boy who had been shot in the head. Unfortunately, his choice will lead him into a life of a fugitive, being pursued by both the police and a mysterious organization, whose members wish to rule the world.

"Monster" recently garnered two nominations for Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Japan and Best Continuing Series at the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. For the former category, "Monster" will be facing stiff competition from "Walking Man" by Jiro Taniguchi, "Antique Bakery" by Fumi Yoshinaga, "After School Nightmare" by Setona Mizushiro and "Old Boy" by Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi.

MUSIC IN ANIME

Music has long played an important role in anime. Writing and performing the opening (OP) and ending (ED) themes of popular anime has served as a springboard to a lucrative recording career for many J-artists. To further increase the fervor of fans for certain anime titles, the seiyuu or voice talents have sung in character albums, launching singing careers for them as well.

In recent years, music by western composers and artists has become prominently audible in anime soundtracks, ranging from classical to pop to alternative music.

If you've been mesmerized by Kimiko Itoh's haunting "Follow Me" from Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence, is actually set to Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo's second movement from Concerto de Aranjuez. Jazz versions of this tune were made popular by jazz legend Miles Davis and the James Last Orchestra.

Listen very closely to the whimsical ending theme "DuDiDuWa ~ LaLaLa" by Kotoko from The Adventures of Tweeny Witches. It is just a modern remake of the classic waltz "Beautiful Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss.

The dramatic background score of Gankutsuou/The Count of Monte Cristo comes from Pyotr Tchaikovsky's "Manfred Symphony" and Gaetano Donizetti's tragic opera "Lucia Di Lamermoor." Classical music lovers would readily recognize Robert Schumann's "Traumerei" as among the piano pieces that Eugenie Danglars performed in her first concert.

From classical to modern… Because of the success of anime in western countries, even popular composers and artists from the

U.S.

and

Europe

have contributed to the making of anime soundtracks and themes. A perfect example is award-winning composers Hans Zimmer and Mark Mancina, who wrote the brilliant score for Blood+.

Jean-Jacques Burnel, composer, vocalist and bass player of the British New Wave/Alternative Rock band The Stranglers, not only wrote the score for Gankutsuou/The Count of Monte Cristo, he also wrote and sang the OP and ED themes of this now classic anime, namely "We Were Lovers" and "You Won't See Me Coming", respectively.

British music icon David Sylvian wrote and sang the haunting ED theme "For The Love Of Life" for the anime suspense/thriller Monster. Popular Eighties New Wave band Duran Duran's debut hit "Girls On Film" was used as the OP theme for the Japanese release of Speed Grapher. Recently, the Red Hot Chili Peppers hit "Dani

California

" was used as the theme song for Death Note Movie 2: The Last Name.

Presently racing up the charts is "Inori ~ You Raise Me Up" by Korean American R&B singer

Lena

Park

. The song itself was written and composed by Rolf Lovland of the Irish band

Secret

Garden

, with lyrics by Irish novelist Brendan Graham. Even popular British soprano Sarah Brightman is all set to release "Be With You: Itsumo Soba ni", the theme song for the latest Pokemon movie.

Anime and music… It's a collaboration that is sure to enthrall anime fans and music lovers alike for years to come.

New Boy's Love Magazine in Japan

It cannot be denied that the Boy's Love genre is one of the most popular among female manga and anime fans.

Mediation, a publisher in Japan will be launching a new Boy's Love magazine called "Hug" this May 12. The fans of this genre are looking forward to "Hug"'s release since the maiden issue will contain "Border" by Kazuma Kodaka ("Kizuna") and the highly anticipated "FAKE Second Season" by Sanami Matoh, the sequel to her popular FAKE series which was originally published by the now defunct Biblos and translated into English by TokyoPop. As a preview of the new series, Matoh has recently been publishing new chapters of FAKE in the re-release of the original manga. Lead characters Detectives Dee Laytner and Ryo MacLane are both sporting stylish new looks for the upcoming sequel.

From Clovers to Lions

If you were one of those who got hooked to the bittersweet romance manga and anime "Honey And Clover", you'll be very happy to learn that artist Chika Umino will be starting a new manga that is tentatively titled, "Sangatsu no Raion" or "The Lion of March".

According to Umino, "'Honey And Clover' is a story about a world I already knew without having to extend myself, whereas 'Sangatsu no Raion' is a story based on researching and hearing various stories about worlds I don't know."

More "Kyou Kara Maou" OVA News!

f you're a "Kyou Kara Maou"/"God (?) Save Our King" fan, you might as well save up your mucho dinero this early. October 26 marks the release of the first volume in the five-part "Kyou Kara Maou OVA". A special live event is planned for February 24, 2008 in Nippon Seinen-Kan in Tokyo, which would feature a talk show style interview with the original Japanese seiyuus. Plus, the voice talents will even be performing a vocal drama onstage live.

Also in conjunction with the release of the first OVA, there will be a special DVD Box of the first 11 episodes of the series. Set to hit video shelves on September 28, the DVD box has a lot of freebies including original cover art and postcards by original character designer Matsumoto Temari and animation character designer Kudo Yuka and a special CD of the live vocal drama performance from the 2004 Maou Birthday Festival.

Death Note Triumphs Anew!

The two live action films of the hugely popular "Death Note" saga continue to reap accolades. The first "Death Note Movie" recently won The Pegasus ("Le Pégase") audience award at the 25th Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film in Belgium. "Death Note: The Last Name" was the runner-up. Ironically Director Shusuke Kaneko attended the festival as a juror. "I was surprised when my own name was called out." Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Hideo Nakata, director of the original "The Ring" Trilogy will be directing the "Death Note" spinoff, tentatively titled "L", which is scheduled for release in 2008. Ken'ichi Matsuyama will be reprising his role of genius detective L, together with Erika Toda as Misa Amane. Death Note Movies Trivia: If you've watched the movies, you would've seen Takeshi Kaga's passionate portrayal of Yagami Souichiro, Light's father. Kaga has tried his hand at being a voice talent ("seiyuu"). He dubbed the voice of Jirarudan in "Pokemon 2000 – The Movie" and took over the Dr. Kiriko role (in place of original seiyuu Hayami Shou) in "Black Jack: Two Doctors of Darkness."

VOICE ACTING WITH ANIMAX: A DREAM COME TRUE FOR AN ANIME FAN!

Next to creating a manga or an anime, anime fans dream of becoming a seiyuu or voice actor. One such fan is Louis (not his real name), who is living his dream as one of the Animax voice talents. He is a member of the core group chosen to dub the Animax shows following the network's decision to go English. Louis has voiced a wide range of characters, both young and old, starting with Ginji Amano in GetBackers, Ranma Saotome in Ranma ½ and Capt. Shwanhelt Bulge in The Galaxy Railways.

Forum critics (who have no experience in dubbing) have the erroneous belief that voice acting is easy, that the dubbers just march into the studio and record. As Louis explains, this is not true. "People have to receive some special training before they can go into the dubbing career. The basic training is how to synchronize (speak/act) with the characters’ dialogue.

Firstly, you have to adjust your own speaking tempo and response quick enough in order to speak simultaneously as the characters do. Secondly, you must have the same mood as what the characters expressed in the stories and I think this is the hardest part. Thirdly, you have to adjust your own voice in order to match the characters’ age."

Before the voice actors record their parts, they undergo a "rehearsal", which entails watching the episode first. Says Louis, "This is very important. Without rehearsal, we cannot grasp what we need to perform. We do the rehearsal inside the studio together with the script."

Recording is done either individually or together with the team, depending upon the scene and could take from a few hours to a whole day. One difficult aspect of recording is timing their voices with the character's speaking on the screen. "This is the integration of reaction: your understanding the content of the dialogue, the coordination of your brain, eyes, and mouth. The rehearsal itself can make you better adapted to the dubbing situation."

Louis explains that voice acting is a challenging profession. "I have to dub different characters. Each character is new to me. Some of them are very demanding in skills and feeling."

Of course, Louis has his own favorites among the characters he had done. "I enjoyed doing the voice of Albert in The Count of Monte Cristo because it gave me the opportunity to do a serious character who portrayed a lot of emotions. He was innocent, and was forced to grow up quickly as a result of the situation he found himself in. Which of course is quite different from InuYasha, who’s a definite favorite of mine, because he’s more brash and sure of himself even in the face of mortal danger. Doing the voice of InuYasha really allowed me to let loose with my acting, and try to represent his personality through voice alone.

"The most challenging, the most difficult, character I’ve done so far has to be Yusuke Urameshi from Yu Yu Hakusho. Like InuYasha, I really had the ability to pour myself into the role, but on the other hand Yusuke had a lot more introspection. Sometimes, especially later in the series, there was a real human side to the character. Quiet and endearing. I found it challenging to portray so many sides of such a complex character."

Among the Animax projects he had been involved with, Louis enjoyed working on Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. "The most memorable project we’ve worked on so far is definitely Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and its sequel 2nd Gig. Unlike most of the anime I’ve worked on, this particular show is more like an animated television drama. This really gave the actors the ability to be a lot more serious about their characters in a dark, gritty show. The other great part about it is that the animation style and background that Shirow Masamune has created has both deep dramatic elements to it, as well as high-octane action. The double dose of drama and action really makes this project stand out in my mind."

The Animax dubbers have been receiving criticisms from certain fans who prefer the anime subtitled. However, for Louis and the Animax voice talents, they do not allow these criticisms to faze them and, instead, they learn from these constructive comments.

"A dubbing talent should be open and should not be afraid to face criticisms especially those constructive opinions," says Louis. "In fact this is good. It helps to improve your dubbing skills. We should be humble. If we think we are excellent and flawless, then we will make no progress. If this is the case, it would be a pity for ourselves."

(Rory would like to thank Animax Asia's Marlene Ee for her assistance in helping secure this interview with Louis. I do hope I'll get to interview the gentleman who dubs Black Jack and The Count of Monte Cristo as well.)

(For those who want to read the complete transcript of Rory's interview with Louis, you may visit her blog at http://animaxcafe.multiply.com)

Anime Spring Season 2007 - New Titles & Reviews

In

Japan

, spring is a season that is observed by both the Japanese and nature lovers from all over the world because of the lovely cherry blossoms. For the average otaku, however, spring means that a bumper crop of spanking new anime are sure to hit their TV screens.

Thanks to a relative living in

Okinawa

, I was able to preview some of these new anime. Believe me! If you're sick with pneumonia, what better way to recuperate than by watching these great new shows?

Anyway, the anime that you'll read here are my top picks. Hopefully, we'll get to see them on Animax very soon.

ROMEO X JULIET

Gonzo's Romeo X Juliet is certainly living up to all the hype surrounding it. Although it does not utilize the elaborate textures from Gankutsuou, the animation is still high quality as only the studio can deliver. The anime's main draw, however, is its refreshing plot, transforming Shakespeare's classic

Verona

into a breathtaking aerial city that combines Renaissance and hi-tech architecture. Another plus is the remaking of the characters, especially Juliet. If you are not a fan of the original dreamy-eyed rendition of the heroine, you will love the gutsy, martial arts assassin that she has been turned into. Little has been revealed about Romeo's character so far, but he seems to be a likeable young man who has developed a quick interest in Juliet with their first encounter. Fans (including yours truly) are eagerly awaiting the appearance of Romeo's nemesis Tybalt (said to be played with blood-chilling evil by talented Okiayu Ryoutarou). Romeo X Juliet is a definite must watch.

SEIREI NO MORIBITO

There are two anime with historical themes this spring. Production I.G's Seirei No Moribito is the first, using an Ancient Korea type setting. (The second is Koutetsu Sangokushi, which I really want to watch but, unfortunately, don't have a copy of.) The art closely resembles that of a previous offering Otogi Zoshi: The Legend Of Magatama, combining traditional animation with breathtaking CGI effects. But what leaves you hankering for more is the story.

Basra

(who looks like a gentler version of Saya from Blood: The Last Vampire) is a female warrior, who suddenly finds herself tasked with protecting a boy who has a spirit guardian slumbering inside his body. If the first episode is any indication, this anime promises a fantastic plot with a lot of action scenes. Needless to say, I am really dying to know what happens to

Basra

and her young ward as they go on their journey.

CLAYMORE

I must admit that I am not particularly fond of anime with women as lead characters (with the notable exception of Saya from Blood: The Last Vampire and Blood+), but I was truly impressed with Claymore. The plot is relatively simple: The world is being besieged by evil monsters, known as youma. These youma can only be defeated by a special breed of female warriors known as Claymores, who are half-human and half youma. I was practically blown away by the spectacular art and action scenes. Clare, the lead Claymore, is a formidable character whom you cannot help but admire for her bravery. It would be very interesting to see how this anime's story would progress.

DARKER THAN BLACK ~Kuro No Keiyakusha~

Out of the bumper crop of video games-turned-anime this season, I am thankful that there is a horror thriller among them. I must admit this anime reminds me of another series that I just finished watching recently called NightHead Genesis. Darker Than Black focuses on a psychic agent named Hei who, together with his blind partner Yin, is trying to unravel the secrets surrounding the enigmatic Hell's Gate that had given them their powers. I found myself getting glued to Darker Than Black because of the mysteries surrounding the characters and their relation to the Hell's Gate. Thankfully, unlike NightHead Genesis, it doesn't go into psychological mode, making the story still easy to follow.

LOVELY COMPLEX

I've always had a fondness for the animation style of One Piece. How appropriate that it is used for this hilarious anime that I am really enjoying immensely! Lovely Complex is a comedy about two friends Koizumi Risa and Atsushi Ootani. What makes them distinct is that Risa is a very tall girl (she's 170 cm in height) while Ootani is…well…short (at 156 cm). Because they also have a flair for comedy, they become known as the comedy duo in school. The appeal of the anime lies in that both Risa and Ootani are in a kind of duel to find a girlfriend/boyfriend, but always end up playing matchmaker to their blind dates. The question is: When will this statuesque beauty and her diminutive partner realize that they are meant for each other?

OTHER ANIME TO LOOK FORWARD TO

There are still a lot of brand new anime to look forward to, and which I'm harassing my nice relative to tape for me. Blue Dragon, the anime based on the XBox video game, looks pretty interesting, especially since one of its creators is Dragonball's Akira Toriyama. If you're one of those left hanging by the six episode Saint Beast OVAs, now you can look forward to more adventures (and shounen ai hints galore) in Saint Beast: Kouin Jojishi Tenshi Tan. Of course, expect more shenanigans from Haruhi Suzumiya and co. as the second season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya rolls in. Finally, if you're one of those disappointed by the tearful ending of Emma: A Victorian Romance, you can finally find out what happens to Emma and William's love affair as Emma: A Victorian Romance Second Act premieres this spring. I definitely know whom I'll be rooting for, and it's definitely not William. I'd really like to see Emma end up with dashing butler, Max. If you want to see what Max looks like, head on over to the official website at http://www.emma-victorian.com

Anime Encourages Creativity Among Fans

Fans are a unique breed of Homo sapiens. Once something in media catches their hearts – whether it be an anime, a manga, a video game, TV show, or a celebrity, they become living, breathing parts of its universe. When they meet individuals who share their interests, they create a thriving community known as a "fandom."

Fandoms can be seen in many different forms in the anime universe. A good example of these are the various cosplay communities, which exist in every corner of the glove. There are two specific communities that have received both high praises and criticisms, particularly from manga and anime producers and distributors. These are the fanfic and fanart communities.

Fanfic artists and fan artists are ordinary people who, inspired by their favorite anime, pay tribute to it by writing stories and drawing pictures based within the universe of said anime. While most fanfics and fanarts are fairly simple, you also stumble upon rare gems – fanfics that are exceptionally written and whose plots even surpass that of the original's and fanarts that are visually stunning that they could qualify as masterpieces. On the Internet, there are thousands of sites hosting fanfics and fanarts, and they are truly a joy to explore. A number of prominent authors – Stephen King and J.K. Rowling, just to name two – have visited such sites and even gave encouragement to these budding talents.

Sadly, many publishers and other media companies have sought to squash fanfic writers and fan artists with the full force of intellectual property laws. However, fanfics and fanarts continue to flourish, and whether the powers that be want to admit it or not, these writers and artists actually help promote an anime or manga by generating greater interest among the public. After all, if an anime could inspire these talented individuals to write these exceptional stories and draw these fantastic arts, then it really must be THAT good.

Fanfics and fanarts have become steppingstones for writers and artists to go original. In Japan, a number of artists who have done fan manga (known as "doujinshi") have gone on to become legitimate manga artists. Good examples are artists who belong to the shounen ai/Boy's Love genre. Mangakas (manga artists) like Kazuma Kodaka, Youka Nitta and Naono Bohra had done doujinshis of Slam Dunk, Naruto and Prince of Tennis, just to name a few. Even anime director Mahiro Maeda recognizes the talents of these artists. Former doujinshikas (doujinshi artists) banded together to come up with "Gankutsuou Comic Anthology" in tribute to Gankutsuou (Known in Asia and India as The Count of Monte Cristo). Mahiro Maeda himself wrote an introduction to the compilation.

This said, how could such a well-spring of talent remain unexplored?

Now, Animax is finally tapping into this pool of talent with the first ever "Animax Awards Pan-Asian Animation Competition". This time, they have expanded the area of competition to include entries from select countries in Asia.

If you are a writer or an artist, here is your opportunity to fulfill your dream of seeing your story come alive as an anime. For contest details, visit http://www.animaxawards.com. Don't let this once in a lifetime opportunity pass you by! Send your entry in now!

From Anime to Live Action

There is a growing trend of popular anime becoming live action features. Larry and Andy Wachowski have announced the casting of Emile Hirsch (from Lords Of Dogtown) as the lead in Speed Racer.

Presently filming in Shanghai and Taiwan is the live action version of Inoue Takehiko's smash manga/anime Slam Dunk. With a production budget of USD 10 million, the film stars Jay Chou, Charlene Choi and Chen Bo-lin.

Also in the works is the live action version of Blood: The Last Vampire starring pretty Korean actress Jeon Ji-hyun (of My Sassy Girl) in the lead role of Saya.

One particular film project that is strangely silent these days is the live action version of the hit suspense manga by Naoki Urasawa, Monster. Optioned by New Line Cinema, my source informed me that the studio is having difficulty casting the lead role of Dr. Tenma, and are even considering changing the character from a Japanese doctor to a Caucasian, a move that is likely to cause an uproar among fans (yours truly among them).

Major Anime Studios Announce Big Projects!

Three top anime studios in Japan recently announced big projects that they have planned for release this year.

Production I.G., which is celebrating its 20^th Anniversary this year, will be premiering its latest 26-episode anime series Seirei No Moribito ("Guardian of the Sacred Spirit") on April 7. Based on the original novel by Nahoko Umehashi, the anime will be helmed by Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex director Kenji Kamiyama. The anime already has its own website, which you can check out at http://www.moribito.com In line with the studio's 20^th Anniversary, they will be premiering the anime Ghost Hound, which is written by the creator of Ghost In The Shell himself Shirow Masamune.

Studio Ghibli's big announcement is that they will be co-producing (with Toho) Hayao Miyazaki's next full-length animation feature Gake No Ueno Ponyo ("Ponyo On A Cliff"), which is slated for release in July, 2008. This tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a 5-year old boy and a mermaid. The film is probably the most personal that Miyazaki will direct because the story draws upon his experiences with his eldest son Goro Miyazaki (who is himself an anime director) when he was five years old.

Following the huge success of Death Note, Madhouse has several big projects lined up. One major project is the anime version of the ultra-violent samurai manga Shigurui. They have also confirmed that there will be a sequel to the popular Cannes Festival nominated film, Nasu: Summer In Andalusia, with Studio Ghibli's Yoshida Kenichi serving as animation director. This time, the sequel will find champion biker Pepe Benengeli competing in the prestigious Utsunomiya Japan Cup. One Madhouse production that anime fans are looking forward to is the anime version of the hit PS2 game Devil May Cry. Seiyuu fans are especially anticipating the June 14 premiere of the anime because it boasts the voice talents of Morikawa Toshiyuki (Conrad Weller of Kyou Kara Maou) as Dante and Akio Ohtsuka (the award-winning seiyuu of Black Jack) as Morrison. Morimori-san (as Morikawa is lovingly called by his fans) is no stranger to game dubbing. He is credited as the voice actor for popular Final Fantasy VII villain, Sephiroth.

Black Jack Trivia

Are you a huge fan of Black Jack like I am? You're probably not aware of this but the Black Jack series that Animax is presently airing features cameo appearances of creator Osamu Tezuka's most popular characters. In Karte 20 "Tetsu of the Yamanote Line", AstroBoy and Inspector Tawashi make a brief "walk through" appearance in the scene where Tetsu (who is more popularly known as Daddy Walrus on AstroBoy) is running down the stairs of the train station as he tries to escape from a couple of angry pickpockets. Princess Sapphire is one of supercomputer U-18's patients in Black Jack: 4 Miracles of Life. One particularly memorable episode is Karte 23: "Love in the Pouring Rain", which was aired last week. Dr. Kiyomi Shimizu's brother Okuro is actually Hyakkimaru from Tezuka's popular samurai manga, Dororo. The design of Hyakkimaru served as the basis for the creation of Dr. Black Jack. Even the blanket that Black Jack used in that same episode had the "same anchors on violet background" design that Tezuka originally used for Hyakkimaru's kimono. Needless to say, Black Jack fans have remarked that seeing Hyakkimaru and Black Jack together in one anime episode is like seeing twins.

Kyou Kara Maou!/God(?) Save Our King!

If you're one of those fans who are hankering for more Kyou Kara Maou!/God(?) Save Our King!, you'll be delighted to know that a 5-episode OAV is currently in production in Japan.

Although very little is known about these OAVs, I've heard from a reliable source that joining Shibuya Yuuri, Wolfram von Bielefelt, Conrad Weller and co. in this limited series is King Saralegui of Small Shimaron, who was first introduced in the very popular KKM Playstation 2 Game and who has acquired quite a number of loyal female fans. Not surprising, since he is quite a cute bespectacled young blond who could give Wolfram a run for his money. If you want to see how he looks like, I highly recommend you proceed to Portrait of A Demon King at

http://pdk.broken-sunshine.net/index.php

Check out the link labeled "PS 2 Game Images". He's the long-haired blond guy wearing lavender shades. I must admit that what has made me curious is how Saralegui became quite a hunk from the old fart that he was in the series. Just check out the re-air of the episode where Yuuri was able to get the first Forbidden Box. Saralegui was the old guy being shown around by "Cropped Pony" Bad Guy Maxine.

ANIMAGE'S TOP ANIME CHARACTERS IN JAPAN

Last February, Animage, one of the leading anime publications in Japan, conducted a poll among their readers to determine who are the 100 Most Popular Anime Characters in Japan today. Here are the Top 20 Most Popular Anime Characters…

1. Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass)

2. Kira Yamato (Gundam Seed)

3. Arthrun Zala (Gundam Seed)

4. Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

5. Allen Walker (D. Gray-man)

6. Suou Tamaki (Ouran High School Host Club)

7. Hitsugaya Toushirou (Bleach)

8. Lacus Clyne (Gundam Seed)

9. Edward Elric (Full Metal Alchemist)

10. Kallen Stadtfeld (Code Geass)

11. Cagalli Yula Athha (Gundam Seed)

12. Kinomoto Sakura (Card Captor Sakura)

13. Sakura (Tsubasa Chronicles/Chronicles of the Wings)

14. Kanda Yu (D. Gray-man)

15. Fujioka Haruhi (Ouran High School Host Club)

16. C.C. (Code Geass)

17. Miyazaki Nodoka (Mahou Sensei Negima!)

18. Abe No Yasuaki (Harukanaru Toki No Naka De)

19. Okita Sougou (Gintama)

20. L (Death Note) Tied w/ Kotarou Katsura (Gintama)

If you want to know how your other favorite anime characters fared, here are the rankings of the more popular ones….

25. Bell Dandy (Oh My Goddess!)

27. Edogawa Conan (Detective Conan) Tied W/ Hagi (Blood+)

34. Sakata Gintoki (Gintama)

36. Shibuya Yuuri (Kyou Kara Maou)

39. Enma Ai (Jigoku Shoujo)

40. Solomon Goldsmith (Blood+)

41. Saya (Blood+)

43. Kuchiki Byakuya (Bleach)

46. Ootori Kyouya (Ouran High School Host Club)

47. Kaoru Futachiin (Ouran High School Host Club)

50. Li Shaoran (Tsubasa Chronicles) Tied w/ Hijikata Toushiro (Gintama)

54. Ichimaru Gin (Bleach)

64. Gunter von Christ/Wolfram von Bielefelt (Kyou Kara Maou)

70. Kurosaki Ichigo (Bleach) Tied w/ Futachiin Hikaru (Ouran High School Host Club)

77. Keroro (Keroro Gunso) Tied w/ Fye Flowright (Tsubasa Chronicles)

84. Kurogane (Tsubasa Chronicles) Tied W/ Black Jack (Black Jack)

90. Uzumaki Naruto (Naruto)

TechnoMax "Design A Game Console" Contest

If you haven't submitted your entry yet to the "Design A Game Console" contest over in Oli Pettigrew's turf TechnoMax, I suggest you do so now.

Tomy Corporation and D3Publisher of America have confirmed the upcoming release of Naruto: Clash of Ninja (Tentative title) for the Nintendo Wii system this Fall 2007.

If you're a frustrated a ninja, the game will give you the opportunity to step into Naruto and co.'s shoes and duke it out with evil assassins and warlords. This is the perfect chance for you to practice that Kagebunshin technique and go forth and multiply like tiny blond haired, orange clad gremlins.

Of course, you can't play the game without a Nintendo Wii. So JOIN THE TECHNOMAX CONTEST NOW!!!

More details @ www.animax-asia.com/technomax

First American Anime Awards, New York

Hello, hello! Welcome to the maiden edition of Animax's very own blog, the only place where you can get the latest and hottest anime news on the planet!! I won't keep you waiting any more, so…LET'S GET ON WITH THE NEWS!!!

The months of February and March were chock full of awards, as the U.S. and Japan FINALLY gave recognition to the much criticized and under appreciated talents of the seiyuu or voice actor. Last February 24, the First American Anime Awards were held in the New Yorker Hotel in New York City. As expected, Full Metal Alchemist garnered most of the awards, including Best Long Anime Series, Best Cast, Best Actor (Vic Mignogna who voiced Edward Elric), Best Package Design, and Best Theme Song (the hard rockin' Rewrite by Asian Kung Fu Generation). Best Anime Comedy and Best Anime Short Series went to FLCL (or Fooly Cooly). However, winning Best Actor and Actress in a Comedy are Dave Wittenberg and Debi Derryberry for Zatch Bell. The Best Actress plum went to Mary Elizabeth for her role of Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig. It certainly came as no surprise that Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children won Best Anime Feature. Fruits Basket won Best Manga. Finally, Peter Fernandez was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for his numerous contributions as a voice director and writer for several foreign language films.

Good For A Chuckle

Good for a chuckle… Speaking of games, if you're a Samurai 7 fan, you probably know that there is a PlayStation 2 game, which has Shimada Kanbei and co. battling the evil Nobuseri in another village, with the help of a handsome young farmer who is poor Katsushiro's rival for Kirara's affections.

If you recall, one episode in the anime had Gorobei, Heihachi and Rikichi dressing in drag in order to escape detection by the Nobuseri as they were heading to Kanna Village. In the video game, Gorobei imagined what it would be like if his other comrades wore dresses. Believe me! It's not a pretty sight!! But if you're in need of a good laugh, you can check it out at my Photobucket site at:

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s12/saiyukihana/S7Game.jpg

Are You a Fan of Highlander?

Are you a fan of the Highlander movies and series? Don't look now but those sword-wielding, head-slashing Immortals will be coming to your TV screens in ANIME format this June.

Entitled Highlander: The Search for Vengeance, the anime is directed by noted Japanese director, Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust), based on a story by Highlander series writer David Abramowitz. The animation is by award-winning studio, Madhouse.

The anime is set in the futuristic underwater city of New York. Young Immortal Colin MacLeod is in search of Marcus Octavius, an evil man who killed his lover centuries back and now rules over New York City. Joining him in his quest for vengeance is the ghost of another Immortal, Amergan.

Colin MacLeod is going to be voiced by newcomer Alistair Abell. The Ghost Amergan is played by actor Peter Wingfield, whom Highlander fans would fondly remember from the series as the world's oldest Immortal, Methos.

Gonzo Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary

Leading anime studio Gonzo is celebrating its 15th Anniversary this year. This momentous occasion will be marked by the premiere of two cutting edge anime, one of which was previously aired on African-American channel Spike TV in the U.S., and never on Japanese TV.

The first anime is Afro Samurai, which tells the story of a Black samurai who embarks on a journey to find the man who murdered his father. Based on the manga by Takashi Okazaki, Afro Samurai was originally aired on Spike TV and it featured the voices of Samuel L. Jackson (who also served as co-producer) as Afro, Ron Perlman (of Hellboy fame) as Justice, and X-Men 2 star Kelly Hu. For its Japanese airing, this five-episode anime will be shown in English with Japanese subtitles. For more information, you can go over to http://www.afrosamurai.com

The second anime is Romeo x Juliet, and it is already being touted as the next Count of Monte Cristo. It is a futuristic retelling of William Shakespeare's classic play. The setting is Neo Verona, an aerial city that is being held under the tyrannical rule of the Montague family. The Montagues are the bitter enemies of another ruling family, the Capulets. Romeo is the son of the present despot while Juliet is the last descendant of the Capulets, who disguises herself as a man named Odin to get revenge upon the Montagues.

Romeo is going to be voiced by Takahiro Mizushima, who is noted for his role of Wataru Ozawa from the popular anime Gakuen Heaven. Fumie Mizusawa, known for her role of Minamoto Hikaru from Otogi Zoshi, plays Juliet. Also, in the cast is Okiayu Ryoutarou, more popularly known as Kuchiki Byakuya in Bleach (and who was himself nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the Seiyuu Awards for the said role), who will be playing the villain Tybalt.

The official Romeo x Juliet site at http://www.romejuli.jp/ has exclusive trailers, which you might want to check out.

Seiyuu Awards

Although Seiyuu have a huge loyal fan base in Japan, it is only this year that their talents have been recognized by an official awards-giving body. The First Seiyuu Awards were given out last March 3 at the 3D Theater of Akihabara's Tokyo Anime Center.

Winning for Best Male Seiyuu in a Lead Role is Fukuyama Jun for his role of Lelouch in Code Geass. Fans would remember Fukuyama for his role of Albert in Gankutsuou/The Count of Monte Cristo. Romi Paku won Best Female Seiyuu in a Lead Role for her role of Nana Osaki in the anime, Nana. Romi is particularly known for voicing boy characters, with notable roles including Edward Elric in the original Japanese version of Full Metal Alchemist and Okamoto Katsushiro in Samurai 7.

Best Male Seiyuu in a Supporting Role went to two actors – Ishida Akira (Arthrun in Gundam Seed Destiny) and Kouki Miyata (Kazumi Yoshinaga in Yoshinaga-san'chi no Gargoyle). Fans would know these two seiyuu from their previous roles of Cho Hakkai from the Saiyuki series and Murata Ken from Kyou Kara Maou!/God(?) Save Our King, respectively.

Best Female Seiyuu in a Supporting Role went to Koshimizu Ami (Kallen Stadtfeld from Code Geass) and Gotou Yuuko (Mikuru Asahina from The Melacholy of Haruhi Suzumiya).

Named Best Rookie Actors are Tetsuya Kakihara (Yutaka Mikoto from Princess Princess) and Masakazu Morita (Kurosaki Ichigo in Bleach). The winners for Best Rookie Actresses are Yui Kano as Momoko Kuzuryu from Sumomomo Momomo and Aya Hirano as Haruhi Suzumiya from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Hirano is presently garnering rave reviews for her role of Misa Amane in Death Note.

Best Musical Performance went to Nana Mizuki for Justice To Believe. Finally, the Pokemon Cast won the Synergy Award.