Anime Update for Winter of 95/6

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New and in the works...

801 TTS Airbats

Rei Rei creator Toshimitsu Shimizu takes more liberties with this action yarn, involving an overworked flight mechanic and his harem of tactical training squadron members. While Miyuki and Arisa battle for top gun status, will Takuya manage to stay out of their flight paths? And how will he keep Youko's pet bat out of his hair? A recent release...
85 min., with English subtitles, digitally mastered and transferred, Hi-fi stereo, contains violence and brief nudity, $34.99

Alakazam The Great!

...in Magiscope, no less! This 1961 children's classic was another of those anime titles that filtered over to the US almost by mistake. Wonderful vocal talents like Jonathan Winters, Arnold Stang and Sterling Holloway support "stars" Frankie Avalon and Dodie Stevens. If you loved it as a kid, you won't be disappointed. If you're a purist, well... (Packed in a clamshell box.) Set to be released just before Valentine's Day.
84 min., color, dubbed in English, closed captioned, Hi-fi, digitally remastered, unrated, special collector's widescreen edition, $24.99

Cybernetics Guardian

When John Stalker is sent to test a prototype robotic guard suit, he is momentarily unaware that a romantic rival is about to unleash another prototype -- of a killing machine! Dystopic near-futurism, with noir undertones. Due in February, '96.
45 min., color, stereo, with English subtitles, unrated with graphic violence, $29.99

Gunsmith Cats 1

From the golden pen of Kenichi Sonoda (Gall Force, Bubblegum Crisis) comes the wildest action heroine since Pam Grier in Coffy! Rally Vincent the bounty hunter is a pistol packin' momma who'll do old Chicago proud... by late February, '96.
30 min., color, stereo, dubbed or subbed in English (both in promised laser version), $19.99 dubbed or $24.99 subbed on tape

Magical Twilight 3

Another adults-only fairytale from those "pink pineapple" folks, with Tsukasa and his witchy friend Chipple on vacation in a haunted hot springs resort. Ranma it ain't! Out by the third week of January.
30/5 min., color, subtitled in English, stereo, containing depictions of graphic sex, $29.95 cut or uncut

Night on the Galactic Railroad

Literary style rears its rarely-seen head in this feature-length adaptation, promised for Spring of '96. Based on a 1927 story, considered a classic tale in Japan, this fable of poor Giovanni on the road to the Milky Way represents the voyage of inner discovery with magic realism.
115 min., color, stereo, subtitled in English, $29.99

Current Anime

Curse of the Undead: Yoma

Ghosts and ghouls and things that go splat in the night! (That's ghouls, not goulash...) Anything with giant snakes is on my top ten list! First released in May of '95.
90 min., color, digitally mastered and transferred, with English subtitles, Hi-fi stereo, $29.99

The Living End

begins "North Star"

Fist of the North Star

Now that "The New York Times" has finally gotten wind of the anime phenom, 1986 looks like ancient history; but a visitor to the site reminded us that this "post-apocalyptic splatterfest in an Akira vein" (as the "Daily News" put it) is still alive and kicking -- a hefty full-length feature!
110 min., color, dubbed in English, $19.99

Laser: Ranma 1/2 - Desperately Seeking Shampoo

and mad as
a wet panda!

Two episodes of the breakthrough comic series: The Curse of the Contrary Jewel and Tendo Family Christmas Scramble. That panda and his crazy family are at it and at it again!
60 min., CAV, color, $39.95

Rei Rei

Beyond crossdressing! Move over Snipes, Swayze and Leguizamo... Strange days indeed are afoot in this sexy comedy of errors, with the expected doses of magical dwarves and glowing balls of floating whatnot, but some unexpected panache into the bargain. Around for awhile but still worth a spin.
$29.99 for the unrated tape; $34.99 for the "general release" cut (?) - be warned!

Rumik World Pack

Those elusive titles from Rumiko Takahashi, that gave us such trouble last year, are slated for a multi-pack rerelease in March '96. Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, Firetripper, and Mermaid Forest -- together at last!
subtitled in English, color, stereo, $79.99