January's Newtype USA arrived on my doormat late and amid reports that the
magazine will be ceasing publication with the February issue. But there's
still this month's DVD to look at...

First up was

"Project Blue Earth SOS"
This is a sci-fi series. vehicles powered by a new power source known as the
G-Reaction engine are vanishing without trace. Having witnessed the
disappearance of a new bullet train in a shower of rainbow coloured lights, two
boy geniuses set out to find out exactly what is going on. What they find is
that an alien invasion of Earth is in progress.

The style of the voice-over narration at the end of the episode exhorting you
to watch the next episode, very much reminded me of the series that used to be
on Saturday morning children's TV many years ago. The episode certainly had a
sort of 'Saturday morning adventure series' feel to it, not that that's
entirely a bad thing.

What did puzzle me was the setting, and origin, of the series. The series was
made in 2006 and is set in the year 2000, but it's a year 2000 that's nothing
like the year 2000 that we knew. The style of architecture is the sort of
thing sci-fi writers in the 50's and 60's thought the year 2000 would be like.

Then there was...

"Angel Sanctuary"
Another foray into the supernatural horror movie genre. It's all here, the boy
with some sort of past life other self that a couple of others are trying to
awaken, ordinary looking thugs who transform into tentacle waving monsters,
guys with feathered wings, oh and the obligatory scenes of blood and violence.
If you like series like Tokyo Majin you'll probably like this, but to me it
came across as pretentious nonsense and left me wondering why I wasted 25
minutes watching it.

Finally there was...

"Kanon"
This is the story of a guy who comes to live with his aunt and her daughter
while he attends high school. He's been there before, but many years ago and
he can't remember much about it. This is a good introductory episode as it
neatly sets the scene, introduces the three main characters and has walk-on
scenes for some of the others. If you're looking for an all action story then
you're going to be disappointed with this one as it's quiet slice-of-life style
series, but why not try it anyway? It has some interesting characters and a
good storyline. If you like series like Air and To Heart you're going to like
Kanon. Of the three this is the best of the bunch and one I'm buying.




== Peter ==
-----------------------------------------------------
"There's no such thing as a
weapon that doesn't kill"
(Chise: Saikano)

On 21 Jan, 06:58, starhun...@cix.co.uk (Peter Boulter) wrote:
> January's Newtype USA arrived on my doormat late and amid reports that the
> magazine will be ceasing publication with the February issue. But there's
> still this month's DVD to look at...

You got me scared for a second. Is Newtype Japan still going to be in
publication? That was the first anime magazine I bought at Minami Con
2 and it had Mizuno Ami on the cover. THAT magazine is an old skool
classic.

Mappy wrote:
> On 21 Jan, 06:58, starhun...@cix.co.uk (Peter Boulter) wrote:
>> January's Newtype USA arrived on my doormat late and amid reports that the
>> magazine will be ceasing publication with the February issue. But there's
>> still this month's DVD to look at...
>
> You got me scared for a second. Is Newtype Japan still going to be in
> publication? That was the first anime magazine I bought at Minami Con
> 2 and it had Mizuno Ami on the cover. THAT magazine is an old skool
> classic.

Only heard that the US version is going, although I believe its going
to be relaunched in a new format later.

Japanese NewType is like the Queen Mother - its an institution... ^_^

Mappy(martin.hopley) added

> > January's Newtype USA arrived on my doormat late and amid
> > reports that the magazine will be ceasing publication with the
> > February issue. But there's still this month's DVD to look at...
>
> You got me scared for a second. Is Newtype Japan still going to be
> in publication? That was the first anime magazine I bought at Minami
> Con 2 and it had Mizuno Ami on the cover. THAT magazine is an old skool
> classic.

It's only Newtype USA that's closing, something to do with the publisher not
wanting to pay Newtype Japan for using the name etc. so they're going to
produce their own magazine.
First reports suggest that it won't be 100% anime/manga related and it won't
have a DVD.


== Peter ==
-----------------------------------------------------
"There's no such thing as a
weapon that doesn't kill"
(Chise: Saikano)

Quoting Peter Boulter <starhunter>:
>It's only Newtype USA that's closing, something to do with the publisher not
>wanting to pay Newtype Japan for using the name etc. so they're going to
>produce their own magazine.

http://comics212.net/2008/01/18/firs...diavendor-kit/

One assumes with the bubble so thoroughly burst, this is an attempt to
attach the magazine to more general yoof culture and the last gasp of the
anime spinoff stuff like EGL. I have a nasty suspicion it's going to
stagger on for a year or so and expire.

Note that NTUSA subs carry over, and I presume many of the staff.

David Damerell(damerell) added

> >It's only Newtype USA that's closing, something to do with the
> >publisher not wanting to pay Newtype Japan for using the name etc.
> >so they're going to produce their own magazine.
>
> [..]
> diavendor-kit/
>
> One assumes with the bubble so thoroughly burst, this is an
> attempt to attach the magazine to more general yoof culture and the
> last gasp of the anime spinoff stuff like EGL. I have a nasty
> suspicion it's going to stagger on for a year or so and expire.

I suspect that you may be right about that.

> Note that NTUSA subs carry over, and I presume many of the staff.

Yes, I'd read that NTUSA subs will be carried over, but I've yet to be told
that officially by NTUSA.


== Peter ==
-----------------------------------------------------
"There's no such thing as a
weapon that doesn't kill"
(Chise: Saikano)