NEWS BRIEFS

Legend of Galactic Heroes continues with side stories

Tokuma Shoten officially announced three new GINGA EIYUU DENSETSU GAIDEN. (Legend of the Galactic Heroes Side Stories). (Tokuma's tentative plans were first reported in EX 2.2.) Tokuma plans to release these side stories beginning in spring of 1998, one year after Artland completed the four-part, 110-episode video series based on Tanaka Yoshiki's space epic novel series. Similar to 1992's GAIDEN: OUGON NO TSUBASA (Side Story: Golden Wings)], these chapters go beyond the scope of the main storyline. Due in part to the passing of Yang Wenli's character voice Tomiyama Kei, the stories chosen for the new animation will mainly feature the early years, the military academy days, and subsequent tours of duty of Rheinhard von Museal and his companion Siegfried Kircheis. The titles for the three stories are "Hakugin no Tani" (Silver Valley), "Asa no Yume, Yoru no Uta" (Morning Dreams, Night Songs), and "Omei" (Dishonor).

Galaxy Express 999 takes musical route

Following the example of MAJO NO TAKKYUUBIN (Kiki's Delivery Service) and KAITOU SAINT TAIL (Mysterious Thief Saint Tail), GINGA TETSUDOU SURII-NAIN (Galaxy Express 999) takes the live musical route this fall. Performances of this adaptation from Matsumoto Leiji's animated classic will continue from 5 November through 10 December at Tokyo's Art Sphere. Shun-Tokura (Azusa No. 2, Southpaw, Out of the Blue) scored the music, while Douglas A. Brayfield (Never-Never Land, EFX!) and Melanie Mintz (Just Once, A Hot Minute, Leader of the Pack) penned the song lyrics and script respectively. James Rocco (Jesus Christ Superstar, Annie, Wizard of the Oz) will direct a cast of Japanese musical veterans and Korean singer Suzy Kan (Claire) . (Matsuda Naoyuki translated the new English lyrics and script into Japanese.)

Macross Ventures into Computers on Two CD-ROMs

As part of the 15th anniversary of MACROSS, two separate companies are releasing CD-ROMs covering the MACROSS universe. Pioneer LDC released CHOU JIKUU YOUSAI MACROSS (Super Dimension Fortress Macross) 15th Anniversary CD-ROM last 7 August as part of its B.G.I. (Background Image) series. This ¥4800 disc contains four hundred images from the first television series up to MACROSS 7. It also includes a system extension that places a new daily background (with an optional superimposed calendar display) on the Macintosh or Windows desktop. The first release includes a TrueType Zentradi font. Big West and Movic plans to release in November the Macross Collection, a complement to its previous CD-ROMs for MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM, THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE, and NEW MOBILE WAR CHRONICLE GUNDAM W. This ¥6000 Macintosh/Windows CD-ROM will contain illustrations, cel images, voice samples, movies, transformation CG, and icons. The first release will also include a transforming VF-1 Valkyrie paper-craft.

Anno deals with a "Love & Pop" in Live Action

As previously reported in EX 2.5, director Anno Hideaki will be adapting one of Murakami Ryu's novels, LOVE & POP, into a live-action film. Trailers for this upcoming January 1998 release first appeared with Anno's most recent work, SHIN SEIKI EVANGELION GEKIJOUBAN: AIR/MAGOKORO O, KIMI NI (The End of Evangelion). Although Anno has included live-action footage in his previous works for Gainax, LOVE & POP will be his first all live-action film. Anno said he wanted to direct this adaptation when he first read the work featuring high school girls from the controversial novelist.