Fall Releases

(Here's our winter roundup!)

Genji Monogatari

Central Park Media has released an abbreviated adaptation of this courtly epic, with characters drawn by Yoshiyuki "Wings of Honneamise" Sadamoto and music by Yellow Magic Orchestra member Haruomi Hosono.
Recommended for mature audiences, $29.99

The Tale of Genji, a classic of Japanese literature and the first novel ever produced was written by a woman who was a courtier to the empress Joto Mon'in in the early years of the eleventh century. Here's her story.

New Cutey Honey

That fabulous female shape-changing indestructible android super-heroine is back, and she's got a whole new batch of lovely-yet-lethal bodies to handle and all-new set of ruthless villains -- including mad bombers, acid-spewing terrorists and time-tripping samurai. Cutey Honey gives a new spin on the catchword "shredder"! This 60-minute, subtitled volume goes for $29.95.

Tsui Hark's Wicked City

A live action version of the anime and manga success Wicked City, produced by Tsui Hark, producer of The Killer and director of Chinese Ghost Story, is priced for the rental market, letterboxed, and in dubbed format or in Cantonese with English subtitles.

New on Laser:

Gigantor Vol. 2

(1964) Another four episodes from the original series. Here the evil Von Qball and Dr. Diamond threaten mankind: Spider's Revenge, Secret Valley, The Diamond Smugglers and Dangerous Dr. Diamond. Suitable for children.
120 min., CLV, B/W, $39.95

Toward the Terra

(1980) The MU are psychics, persecuted by their government and hunted down by computer assassins. Their underground railroad has saved many, but now they must leave the planet for the safety of their people.
112 min., in Japanese with English subtitles, CLV, Color, Stereo, $39.95

Lumivision currently has a collection of Japanimation titles on disc.

Recent Releases:

Barefoot Gen

After living through the bombing of Hiroshima, Keiji Nakazawa, a celebrated artist, tells his story through this powerful film so the world will never forget! Six-year-old Gen and his mother are the only survivors of the blast, but cling to hope as they come to realize that peace is the highest form of happiness.
80 min., Color, Unrated, Closed Captioned, $29.98

Cyber City Oedo

It's 2808, and three criminals have a choice: a maximum security sentence, or time as Cyber Policemen on Earth. These bounty hunters are rewarded with a reduction in their sentence for each traitor, terrorist and... vampire? Volumes are called Data One (48 min.), Data Two (52 min.) and Data Three (49 min.), in color and with a stereo hard rock soundtrack. Contains violence.
Subtitled: $29.95 each; Dubbed: $19.95 each.

Dragon Knight II

He was looking for a cold beer, a warm bed and a hot babe... instead he got stuck with another darned adventure! "Another Knight on the Town" is the subtitle for this sequel. Knight Takeru's new pickpocket sidekick is really a princess in disguise. Demons and wizards are dogging him. The most lecherous knight to ever become a legend in his own mind is back in the saddle again! Contains nudity, sexual situations and violence.
50 min., Japanese with English subtitles, digital VHS, Hi-Fi Stereo, $34.95

Ninja Scroll

Killer ninja action from Yoshiaki Kawajiri, as seen on MTV's Anime Weekend back in April of '95. The Eight Devils of Kimon have poisoned the wells of the village Shimoda. Tokugawa era intrigue centers on a cache of gold washed away in a storm... but where did it go? Contains violence, explicit language, and nudity.
90 min., Color, Stereo, $19.95 dubbed or $24.95 subtitled

Wings of Honneamise

Oscar winner Ryuichi Sakamoto provides an original soundtrack to this single most popular anime title ever. 3,000 animators were marshalled to depict this uniquely intelligent story of personal integrity and social obligations. Technology, politics, love, and a wry sense of humor are balanced against a search for meaning in an imaginary world, ravaged by war. Adult situations and nudity.
124 min., Color, Stereo, $19.95 dubbed or $24.95 subtitled

Zenki

Tons of monster-slicing action are promised by this six-volume series. Zenki, the demon lord once controlled by a monk named Enno Ozuno, sealed the forces of darkness 1200 years ago. Now he is needed again! The monk's last descendant is a high school girl named Chiaki, who must protect her family shrine from desecration by the evil god Karma. But when she summons the great Zenki, who shows up but a bratty kid with unreliable powers! Now she's surrogate mom to a demon? What'll happen whe n he grows up, and how much time will it take?
2-3 half-hour episodes per tape, color and stereo sound, Japanese with English subtitles, $24.95 each