It've been quite awhile since "Ranma 1/2" and "Urusai Yatsura", and starting today, fans of Takahashi Rumiko will be able to enjoy one of her best series on the TV once again. Starting today (October 16th night 7:00pm ~ 7:30pm), "Inu Yasha" will be aired across the Yomiuri TV / Nihon TV network in Japan. Three episodes were currently scheduled for TV release, including: "The Girl who Traveled through Time and the Boy who was Sealed Away" (Episode 01) and "Those who Search for the Jade of Four Souls" (Episode 02, October 23rd). "Inu Yasha" is a story about the school girl who released the half demon "Inu Yasha" who was sealed up in a well in the temple by the power of the Jade of the Four Souls hundreds of years ago.

For the latest information on the release schedule, character designs and staff information, visit Sunrise's official page for "Inu Yasha" at:
http://www.nifty.ne.jp/rstation/sunrise/yasya/yasya.htm

Finally! One of the most anticipated (without a doubt) anime movie had it's very first premier in Japan today. Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo and Yokohama were four out of the eight cities lucky enough to be choosen for the premier screenings. And as the final stages of the promotional campaign for the OMG movie, Sega Enterprise and Wow Entertainment had announced that a special movie edition poster will be included with the up-coming OMG game (limited edition) for the Sega Dreamcast game console, which is scheduled to be released on November 30th next month (quiz / amusement game).

To see a screen shot of the game, see the official page inside the Wow Entertainment site:
http://www.wow-ent.co.jp/product/consumer.html

ComicsOne Corporation, a privately held company, today announced the launch of its internet web site ComicsOne.com (www.comicsone.com). ComicsOne is one of the first sites to provide Japanese comics in ebook (electronic) form with comics to suit every reader's taste.

For lovers of drama, the historical fiction Joan (a full-color manga!) by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu (creator of Venus Wars and Rebel Sword) will capture your imagination with its unique take on Joan of Arc.

The light-hearted shojo romance of Memi Hoshino's Dream Hotel will make you laugh and cry and laugh some more, while the evocative shojo horror in Akiko Hatsu's Devil in the Water will strike a chord with everyone's inner Goth.

And for high-powered action, check out the desert world fantasy of Kazan by Gaku Miyao, or the sexy cyberpunk future of Maico 2010 by Toshimitsu Shimizu.

For the complete press release, visit http://www.comicsone.com/aboutUs/pressRelease.html

Starting October 6th, fans of Anno Hideaki (director of Neon Genesis Evangelion) will be able to see graphics and read about infos on his latest project online under GAINAX's website. The site will contain informations about his educational backgrounds, work history and the on-going projects that he's involved in, including his most recent work "Shiki-Jitsu" which is scheduled to be shown during the Tokyo International Film Festival on November 2nd.

Anno Hideaki's Official Website is located at:
http://www.gainax.co.jp/hills/anno/index.html

Sponsored by the 13th annual Japan Interantional Movie Festival committee, over twenty different movies from outside Japan will be shown in the seven days festival in Tokyo; movies such as the "Legend of the Sacred Stone" from Taiwan (a 100% computer generated CG movie) and "Midnight Chaser" from Hong Kong (a movie inspired by the anime "Initial D"). Several movies from Japan are also scheduled to be shown in the festival such as "Bio Hazard 4D Executer". US movies "Bedazzled" (entitled in Japanese as: "Warui Koto Shimasho!") and "Final Destination" are also on the list.

For more information on the Japan International Fantastic Movie Festival, visit their official site at:
http://www.nifty.ne.jp/fanta/tokyo/index.htm

One of the biggest companies in the anime business, Sunrise, announces the opening date for their very own ISP company - "Hinobori dotto Net!". A wide range of additional services will be provided to the future users of this new ISP service, including over one hundred domain / sub-domain names from the Gundam series for mailboxes and homepages.

The "Hinobori dotto Net!" ISP system is scheduled to make it's debut on November 1st. For more information visit the official website at:
http://www.hi-nobori.net/

Wicked City: Special Edition DVD
Pre-Book: 10/6/00. Street Date: 11/7/00

There is Earth, our familiar world, and then there is the Black World, a parallel dimension that very few people are aware of. For centuries, a pact between the two worlds has been observed to maintain peace, and terms must be renegotiated soon to continue the relative harmony.

This time around, there is a militant faction that will stop at nothing to prevent the signing of a new treaty for interdimensional peace. Taki of the human world and Makie of the Black World, two agents of the elite organization known as the Black Guards defenders of the balance between the two worlds are charged with insuring the success of the treaty. It's non-stop action as these two race to consummate the peace treaty in time as wicked special effects and tremendous animation depict chaotic fight scenes bursting with energy. Everyone is waiting, either in anticipation or fear, for the final outcome!

· Airing on Cinemax!
· Interview with the world-renowned director, Yoshiaki Kawajiri!
· Remastered in 5.1! (SURROUND)
· Character biographies!
· Dual language options for English and Japanese!
· Original theatrical trailer!
· UV Weblink!

TRT: approximately 90 minutes
Not rated; contains violence, nudity, sexual situations. Suggested for mature audiences.

Based On the Novel Written By: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Directed By: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Screenplay: Kisei Choo
English Language Version Directed By: Carl Macek

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Copyright: 1992 Japan Home Video Co. LTD. All rights reserved.
Pre-book: 10/6/00 Street Date: 11/7/00
Suggested Retail Price: $29.95
Catalog Numbers: UV1065
ISBN: 1-890603-65-1
UPC: 638652-10650-6

Like most of the anime companies in Japan, GAINAX had been busy re-releasing past series on DVDs, and among them is the limited edition "Neon Genesis Evangelion Second Impact Box". With only 5000 sets in existance, the Second Impact Box set will definitly give the old series a boost to get back to the top of the poplarity chart once again. The first box set (out of a total of three) is scheduled to be on sale starting November 15th with a price tag of 21500Yen (19350Yen for membes of the GAINAX shopping network).

The entire series (including the movie editions) will be in DVD format with brand new, original package designs by Sadamoto Yoshiyuki, a special manual / illustration poster and the remake of the 97' Evangelion game "Girlfriend of Steel" on PC compatible DVD-ROMs.

Starting from October 16th, Newtype.com will be available for access through cellphones in part of the central Japan region, which will be two weeks after the official launching of TV Tokyo's Anime X-Press mobile channel on October 2nd.

Members who subscribe to the Anime X-Press mobile service (with a monthly fee of 300Yen) will be granted access to exclusive online mini games inspired by anime series such as the "Rokuman Tenkai Monkorenaito" and "Love Hina" through the mobile service network.

With official release date of the OMG movie less than one month away, all cell works and BGM productions are scheduled to be finished by the end of September with only a small delay from the original planning schedule. And as part of the pre-release celebration, the first edition of Greeting Cards and Windows system wallpapers set will be available for download starting September 21st at midnight. Official opening of the OMG movie had been finalized on October 21st (with premier showings on the 15th).

For more information on the first edition greeting card / wallpaper set, see the Japan download page at:
http://comeon.cplaza.ne.jp/megamisama/index.html

Exciting news for avid fans of the 'Project A-ko' anime series on the Web -- Today, Little Graviton webmaster Tim Hodge and Graviton City webmaster Neil Creek announced to the public their plans to form a site partnership. Both sites will be merging their respective content into a single massive A-ko fan site, making it a very hot ticket for any A-ko fan.

A portion of the official press release issued by Hodge and Creek follows:

"Today Graviton City announced a new and exciting partnership with one of the other Project A-ko fan sites online, Tim Hodge's "Little Graviton". In the continuing effort to provide the broadest range of highest quality A-ko information online, Graviton City approached Mr Hodge with the proposal to enter into a partnership. This arrangement suits both parties well. Mr Hodge will be able to display his unique content to a much larger audience within the existing framework of Graviton City. Graviton City will gain Mr Hodge's content and renewed enthusiasm for online A-ko fandom."

The merger will officially take place at around 12:00 PM EST, and is located at:
http://www.gravitoncity.com/

In recent years, DVDs had become the main stream media for amost anime series, replacing LDs and in many cases even VHS tapes. However, the DVD revolution affects both new and old anime series alike. Following the re-release of the "Macross Plus" and "Macross Dynamite 7" series last month on DVD; as part of the celebration for the up-coming "Ah! Megami-sama" (aka "Oh! My Goddess") movie this October, TBS and KSS had announced the re-release of the original "OMG" OVA series on DVD in two different editions. The first volume of both editions will contain the first two episodes of the OVA series (standard edition scheduled to be out on August 22nd, and special edition, bundled up with free tickets to the special screening of the OMG movie mid October is due out on September 22nd)

Also scheduled to be out in September (September 27th) is the DVD edition of the classic anime "Riding Bean" (1989), one of the old-time classics from the hands of famous artist Sonoda Kenichi, creator of well known series such as the "Gun Smith Cats", the original "Gall Force" and "Bubble Gum Crisis".

JOQR (Nippon Cultural Broadcasting Inc.) in cooperation with J-Stream (a Japan Online streaming / broadcasting company) recently announce their latest joint project, an online radio drama show based on one of the most famous relationship simulation software from the Sega Dreamcast game console Kita e - White Illumination following the smashing success of the radio-only drama show by the same title. With an original storyline written by Hiroi Ouji, who's most well known for his work in the Sakura Taisen game and anime series, the first broadcasting period of the experimental internet radio show (containing the first three episodes) will run from the 14th of August to the 3rd of September, available for online viewing / listening via the server on the JOQR network.

To read more about this online drama show and direct links to the Real Media formatted files of the show, visit JOQR's official site at:
http://www.joqr.co.jp/webdrama/