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Manga have probably done more than anyone else to bring new fans to anime in 2006. Cheap releases, budget boxsets, the crossover appeal of Naruto and cross promotion with the likes of Terratag and The Cable Street Collective are prime examples. They have worked hard to engage new audiences and it seems to be paying dividends. Once again Manga are the company people talk about, and fans are genuinely excited about the titles they have released and what they may release in future. Their fan-friendly policies look set to continue into 2007, and we are very excited by their commitment to raising anime's profile. There are big things to come from them in 2007, mark our words...
They Say: 'Noein, Tokko and Tokyo Zombie.' We Say: 'We are extremely intrigued by Noein, it looks like a superb sci-fi series that should be another deserved hit for Manga'
It's all well and good telling you the names of all these new
titles, but what are they about? Read on and find out... |
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Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society
Ok, so it's not been officially announced, but this feature-length
spin-off from the excellent Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone
Complex is a likely 2007 title for Manga. The first
film based around the TV series storyline is set 2 years on from the
end of the second series, and the focus shifts more to human agent
Togusa. Section 9 are investigating a series of strange
events, ranging from assassinations to kidnappings, and have
identified a shadowy adversary in the form of a hacker known as the
Puppet Master. As you would expect the plot soon thickens and
before long all the usual cyborg agents are embroiled in a deadly
plot involving the mysterious Solid State Society. News is
that the Puppet Master is not the one that faced Motoko and co in
the original Ghost in the Shell film, but he'll no doubt
prove just as tricky an opponent. The Ghost in the Shell
franchise has become the cornerstone of Manga's catalogue and
if this film is indeed one of their forthcoming releases, it looks
to be a great addition to their catalogue. |
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Manga's biggest current announcement is this mindbending new
anime from the man behind Heat Guy J. The story is more
than slightly reminiscent of The Terminator. The action
starts fifteen years from now, where a two technologically advanced
forces fight for the fate of the world. Shangri-La is bent on
the destruction of all space-time, whereas La'cryma is trying to
protect humanity. In order to carry out their grand scheme,
Shangri-La need something called The Dragon Torque, so La'cryma send
agents throughout space and time to try and find it first.
Back in the present day a young girl called Haruka and her friend
Yuu meet a strange man from the future called Karasu. He is
one of the agents sent by La'cryma and he believes that Haruka is
the Dragon Torque, and vows to save her from Shangri-La.
However, there is more to it than that, Karasu claims to be Yuu from
the future and wants to atone for being unable to save Haruka in a
war that has yet to occur. Noein looks pretty
interesting, if mind-meltingly confusing... |
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Anyone who saw the spectacular climax of She, The Ultimate Weapon
will probably be surprised that a follow up was made, but it was and
it will hit our shores in January! The story is actually a
retelling of Chise's tragic growth told from the outside, and
provides an interesting subtext to the series. Before Chise
was turned into the ultimate weapon a prototype of the technology
was used on a soldier called Lt. Mizuki. Unfortunately the
technology used on her is imperfect and as she reaches her limits as
a weapon she is forced to watch from the sidelines as Chise become
what she could not, and reflect on the terrible toll it takes on
her. She, The Ultimate Weapon may have had an unusual
premise but it was also one of the best series of 2006. This
two episode follow-up recounts the events of the series from the
outside, providing a refreshing new perspective on what was a very
focused and personal story. Hopefully the focus on the
military will go some way to explaining why Chise was chosen to
become the weapon. |
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Fans of Yu Yu Hakusho, Bleach and
Tokyo Underground will find a lot to like in this enjoyable 'Shonen
Jump' style action series. The story follows Kantarou, a
teen with the ability to see and talk with spirits and demons.
He uses these powers to seek out demons, either to make friends with
them or exorcise them if they are a threat, and his strong interest
in them has made him something of an expert. On one of his
journeys he unseals a powerful demon and gives him a name, Haruka,
which contracts the demon to his will. Now partnered with
Haruka, Kantarou steps up his demon hunting, but there are some dark
secrets in Haruka's past that could have dire consequences for the
both of them. Tactics is the kind of series that you
would expect to find on ADV or MVM's roster. A
fun action comedy with a strong plot bubbling away beneath the
surface, it may seem a little bit of an anomaly on a schedule that
includes so many hard edged dramas. However, don't write it
off, Tactics looks to be another great series. |
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Billed as a return to Manga's roots,
Tokko is the latest in a mini-revival for gory action horror
titles following the UK releases of Elfen Lied and Gantz.
The story of Tokko follows Ranmaru, a young police officer
who has vowed revenge for his parent's death during the mysterious
Machida Massacre. He is one of the only survivors of the
massacre and wants to uncover the truth behind it, hence his career
in the police force. However, everything soon becomes more
complicated than he could ever imagine when he meets Sakura, a woman
he had seen before in his strange persistent nightmares.
Sakura is a member of Tokko, a secretive section of the
police force who fight an unseen battle with demonic foes that
threaten humanity's survival. As you can guess demons were
behind the massacre and they don't like survivors knowing about it,
so Ranmaru is a prime target. The sword-wielding Sakura could
have the key to his survival, but is he prepared for the world that
awaits him? Swords + demons = YES! |
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Yes, we know it's not anime, but it certainly deserves a mention! A bizarrely left-field horror comedy has shades of Shaun of the Dead and Japanese zombie flick Versus, as a pair of wannabe martial artists accidentally kill their boss and bury him on 'Black Fuji'. As you could probably expect Black Fuji has some odd powers which mean their boss doesn't stay dead for long, and neither do the myriad other people buried on the mountain! With hordes of the unquiet dead terrorising the city, the duo have found the perfect opportunity to practise their ju-jitsu skills and save the day. Gloriously over the top action and some sick (but very funny) comedy scenes punctuate a great horror comedy which features a pair of nobodies with delusions of grandeur. We saw a short clip of this at the October MCM London Expo and it certainly raised a laugh, with the intrepid pair tried to escape from a zombie horde and losing their car keys! Expect flying limbs and some of the strangest moments in any film ever! |
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