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Vol 2 Issue 8
[REMOTE ACCESS]


—by Egan Loo

1998 and beyond

In quantity (if not quality), the industry is experiencing a surge in the final years of the twentieth century. (See below for movies coming in 1999 and 2000.) Here's a peek ahead to the television, movie, and musical works in production or tentative planning according to the studios and creators themselves. As always, everything and anything is subject to change on the whims of the sponsors, the falling yen, and El Niño.


Television Series

EXPLOSIVE-RACING BROTHERS RETTSU & GO!! MAX
(BAKUSOU KYOUDAI RETTSU & GO !! MAX)

[Note: The title of this minature-racing-car series is a wordplay on "Let's Go!"]

Debut:  5 January 1998 (Monday), 18:00, TV Tokyo
Created by:  Koshita Tetsuhiro
Production:  XEBEC
Replaces:  EXPLOSIVE-RACING BROTHERS RETTSU & GO!! WGP


SEXY COMMANDO SIDE STORY: AMAZING!! MASARU-SAN
(SEKUSHII KOMANDO GAIDEN: SUGOI YO!! MASARU-SAN)

[Within WONDERFUL program]

Debut:  5 January 1998. 23:55, TBS
Serialized in:  Shonen Jump (Shueisha)
Production:  Madhouse
Replaces:  LET'S GO! INANAKA TABLE-TENNIS CLUB


ALL-PURPOSE CULTURAL CATGIRL
(BANNOU BUNKA NEKOMUSUME)

Debut:  7 January 1998 (Wednesday), 18:00, TV Tokyo
Creator /
Original Character Design: 
Takada Yuuzou (serialized in Monthly Shounen Ace (Kadokawa) as NEW ALL-PURPOSE CULTURAL CATGIRL)
Character Design:  Kishimoto Seiji
Director:  Fujimoto Yoshitaka
Series Script Supervisor:  Yamaguchi Hiroshi
Production:  Ashi Production
Replaces:  LA FILLET REVOLUTIONNAIRE UTENA


El HAZARD THE ALTERNATIVE WORLD
(I-JIGEN NO SEKAI ERU HAZA-DO)

[Note: The title is a deliberate change from the previous title:
THE MAGNIFICENT WORLD (SHIMPI no SEKAI)]

Debut:  7 January 1998 (Wednesday), 25:15, TV Tokyo
[8 January 1998 (Thursday), 01:15, TV Tokyo]
Director:  Kikuchi Yasuhito
Production:  AIC
Replaces:  NEXT WAR CHRONICLE: EHRGEIZ


AWOL
Debut:  7 January 1998 (Wednesday) 25:45, TV Tokyo
[8 January 1998 (Thursday), 01:45, TV Tokyo]
Director:  Kawase Toshifumi
Character Design:  Imagake Isamu
Mechanical Design:  Yamada Takahiro
Animation:  Studio Deen
Replaces:  THOSE WHO HUNT ELVES II


STELLAR MILITARY MEN OUTLAW STAR
(SEIHOU BUKYOU AUTORO- SUTA-)

Debut:  8 January 1998 (Thursday), 25:15, TV Tokyo
[9 January 1998 (Friday), 01:15, TV Tokyo]
Created by:  Yadate Hajime/Morning Star (serialized in Ultra Jump (Shueisha))
Director:  Hongoh Mitsuru
Character Design:  Saito Takuya
Production:  Sunrise
Replaces:  VIRUS: VIRUS BUSTER SERGE


THE THIRD PERSON OF THE HARUBA HOUSE
(HARUBA-KE NO SANNINME)

[Five-minute animated shorts within the Super J Channel news program]

Debut:  19 January 1998 (Weekdays), 18:50, TV Asahi
Created by:  Matsui Yukiko
Series Director:  Yamada Tetsu
Character Design:  Ohnishi Kouichi
Production:  Toei Animation
Replaces:  I AM HANI-TAROU


ROUND-VERNIAN VIFAM 13
(GINGA HYOURYUU BAIFAMU SA-TI-N)

Debut:  21 March 1998 (Saturday), 26:05, MBS
[22 March 1998 (Sunday), 02:05, MBS]
Director:  Kawase Toshifumi
Character Design:  Ashida Tomio
Mechanical Design:  Ohkawara Kunio
Production:  Sunrise
Replaces:  ROUND-VERNIAN VIFAM (rebroadcast)


RECORD OF LODOSS WAR: LEGEND OF HEROIC KNIGHTS
(RO-DOSU-TOU SENKI: EIYUU KISHI DEN)

Debut:  April 1998
Created by:  Mizuno Ryou (serialized in Monthly Shounen Ace (Kadokawa))
Character Design:  Soeta Kazuhiro
Production:  AIC


BASARA
Debut:  Spring 1998
Created by:  Tamura Yumi (serialized in Shoujo Comic Special (Shogakukan))
Director:  Takamoto Noburu


DIMENSIONAL TENSHOU NASCA
(JIKUU TENSHOU NASUKA)

Debut:  Spring 1998
Director:  Tokita Hiroko
Character Design:  Sano Hirotoshi
Production:  Genco, Radix


BRAIN POWERD
(BURENPAWA-DO)

[Note: deliberately spelled with only one "E"]
Debut:  1998 (tentative)
Planning/Story Draft:  Yadate Hajime, Tomino Yoshiyuki (serialized in Monthly Shounen Ace (Kadokawa))
Director:  Tomino Yoshiyuki
Main Design:  Nagano Mamoru, Isonomata Mutsumi
Production:  Sunrise


BUBBLEGUM CRISIS
(BABURUGAMU KURAISHISU)

[Note: The planned release is dependent on sponsor support.]

Debut:  Spring/Fall 1998 (tentative)
Director:  Hiyashi Hiroki
Character Designer:  Matsubara Hidenori
Mechanical/Production Designer:  Aramaki Shinji
Production:  AIC


CARD CAPTOR SAKURA
(KA-DO KYAPUTA- SAKURA)

Debut:  1998 (tentative)
Created by:  CLAMP (serialized in Nakayosi (Kodansha))
Series Script Supervisor:  Okawa Nanase
Production:  Madhouse


COWBOY BEBOP
(KAUBO-I BIBAPPU)

Debut:  1998 (tentative)
Created by:  Yadate Hajime (serialized in Monthly Asuka Fantasy DX (Kadokawa) as SHOOTING STAR BEBOP)
Director:  Watanabe Shinichiroh
Production:  Sunrise


GASARAKI
Debut:  1998 (tentative)
Created by:  Yadate Hajime (novelized in Newtype (Kadokawa))
Director:  Takahashi Ryousuke
Character Design/Visual Director:  Murase Shukou
Mechanical Design:  Izubuchi Yutaka
Production:  Sunrise


SILENT MÖBIUS
(SAIRENTO MEBIUSU)

Debut:  1998 (tentative)
Created by:  Asamiya Kia (serialized in Monthly Comic Dragon (Fujimi))
Series Script Supervisor/Script:  Kawasaki Hiroyuki
SF Research:  Takayama Katsuhiko
Production:  Sunrise


Film Releases

LOVE & POP
(RABU & POPPU)

[Note: Anno's first full-length live-action film]

Debut:  10 January 1998, Toei
Created by:  Murakami Ryu (novelized in Love & Pop: Toppers II (Gento))
Director:  Anno Hideaki
Production:  Sunrise


GALAXY EXPRESS 999
(GINGA TETSUDOU TSURI- NAIN)

Debut:  Spring 1998, Toei
Story Concept/Setting:  Matsumoto Leiji (serialized in Monthly Big Gold (Shogakukan))
Production:  Toei Animation


MARTIAN SUCCESSOR [MOBILE BATTLESHIP] NADESICO
(KIDOU SENKAN NADESHIKO)

Debut:  Summer 1998
Serialized:  in Monthly Shounen Ace (Kadokawa) as METEOR SCHLATCHTSCHIFF NADESICO
Production:  XEBEC


POCKET MONSTERS: MYUU 2'S COUNTERATTACK & PIKACHUU'S SUMMER VACATION
(POKETTO MONSUTA-: MYUU TSU- NO GYAKUSHUU & PIKACHUU NO NATSU YASUMI)

Debut:  Summer 1998, Toho
Production:  Shogakukan Production


AH! MY GODDESS/OH MY GODDESS!
(AA-- MEGAMISAMA--)

[Note: According to AIC, this perennial on-again-off-again project is—as of this month—on again.]

Debut:  1998 (tentative)
Created by:  Fujishima Kousuke (serialized in Comic Afternoon (Kodansha))
Production:  AIC


XIII PATLABOR
(SA-TI-N PATOREIBA-)

Debut:  1998 (tentative)
Created by:  Headgear
Original Draft:  Yuuki Masami
Director:  Takayama Fumihiko
Script:  Tori Miki
Supervisor:  Izubuchi Yutaka
Character Design/Animation Director:  Takagi Hiroki
Production:  Triangle Staff


THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE
(TENKUU NO ESUKAFURO-NE)

[Note: Sunrise will only acknowledge such an Escaflowne project is in tentative planning.]

Debut:  1998 (tentative)
Created by:  Yadate Hajime and Kawamori Shouji (serialized in Monthly Shounen Ace (Kadokawa) and Monthly Asuka Fantasy DX (Kadokawa))
Director:  Akane Kazuki
Character Designer:  Yuuki Nobuteru
Production:  Sunrise


STEAM BOY
[Note: First Japanese full-digital full-length animation film. The story is an adventure drama centering on a 13-year-old boy named Ray in 19th century England.]

Debut:  1999 (tentative)
Creator/Script/Director:  Otomo Katsuhiro
Production:  Bandai Visual


G.R.M. (tentative)
(GARUMU SENKI)

[Note: Full-length animation/live-action/special-effects/CG film. The story is an nonconventional fantasy centering on armageddon on an alternate world.]

Debut:  2000 (tentative)
Created by:  Itoh Kazuyoshi
Executive Director:  Oshii Mamoru
Special Effects Director:  Higuchi Masashi
Special Effects Director:  Higuchi Masashi
Digital Director:  Mori Hiroyuki
Production:  Bandai Visual


Live Musicals

KEROKERO CHIME
(KEROKERO CHAIMU)

Debut:  1 January 1998 (Monday), 12:00, Ginza Museum Theater
Cast:  Higuchi Chieko, Kein Kosugi, Kasahara Hiroko, Matsumoto Rika


PRETTY SOLDIER SAILOR MOON: ETERNAL LEGEND, REVISED EDITION
(BISHOUJO SENSHI SE-RA- MU-N: EIEN DENSETSU KAITEI-HAN)

Debut:  5 February 1998 (Thursday), 18:00, Ikebukuro Sunshine Theater
Preview Event:  11 January 1998 (Saturday), 18:00, Ikebukuro Sunshine Theater
Cast:  Ohyama Anza, Morino Ayako, Kotani Misako, Kimura Sanae, Saito Rei



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