SciFi Japan

    Cover art for SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Home Video. © 2007 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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    Can the Man of Steel come back from the dead? Author: Aaron Cooper Prepare yourself for a look at some recent animated delving into the DC Universe. As the resident SciFi Japan comic book geek, I’ve been promising the staff to do these reviews for a while. It took me a while to sit and watch SUPERMAN: DOOMSDAY. I’ll be the first to admit that the entire “Death and Return of Superman” storyline that permeated comics in the early 1990’s was far too excessive in hype, multiple covers, and bagged editions mixed with mediocre and melodramatic storytelling. Sure, it was exciting at the time…for about a month. It wasn’t necessarily something I wanted to revisit. Add to that, of all the DC Superheroes animation that Bruce Timm and Paul Dini had been producing for Warner Bros. for over a decade, the Superman series was the least interesting

    KILL BILL`s Chiaki Kuriyama stars in the J-Horror film HAIR EXTENSIONS. The movie opens today for a week long run at the ImaginAsian Theater in NYC. Photo courtesy of ImaginAsian Entertainment. © 2007 Toei Co.,Ltd

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    US Theatrical Release and DVD News Source: ImaginAsian Entertainment, Media Blasters, Inc. Official Movie Site: EXTE-Movie Special Thanks to Adriana da Rosa As if the start of the New York Asian FIlm Festival was not enough fun for the Big Apple, Media Blasters Releasing and Tokyo Shock have announced the exclusive New York City theatrical release of HAIR EXTENSIONS. The theatrical engagement begins today, Friday, June 20th and runs through Thursday, June 26th at The ImaginAsian Theater, 239 E. 59th Street in Manhattan. HAIR EXTENSIONS (Ekusute a.k.a. EXTE: HAIR EXTENSIONS, 2007) 35mm/108 min./Color/1:85.1 Flat/Japanese language, English subtitles/Unrated Japanese customs agents discover a huge amount of human hair along with the bald corpse of a young girl. The dead girl`s hair begins to grow, which arouses the curiosity of Yamazaki (Ren Osugi of AUDITION, CURE, and ZEBRAMAN), a mortuary employee with a hair fetish. Now a mad hair-peddler

    The Green Gargantua is back! 42 years after WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS, Gaira returns in New Production: GO! GODMAN. Fuyuki Shinada and the suit staff put the finishing touches on the monster and prepare him for action. Photos by Ed Godziszewski. ©2008 Toho Co., Ltd

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    The Green Gargantua is back! 42 years after WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS, Gaira returns in New Production: GO! GODMAN. Fuyuki Shinada and the suit staff put the finishing touches on the monster and prepare him for action. Photos by Ed Godziszewski. ©2008 Toho Co., Ltd SciFi Japan Presents an Exclusive Look at the New GODMAN DVD Special; Plus a Guide for the Original TV Series Authors: Ed Godziszewski and John Paul Cassidy Official Site: GODMAN & GREENMAN Additional Information and Translations by Oki Miyano and Tetsu Shiota, Anime Jungle Contents: ON THE SET OF NEW PRODUCTION: GO! GODMAN A BRIEF HISTORY OF GO! GODMAN GO! GODMAN EPISODE LIST RETURN OF THE GOOD MORNING HEROES: GO! GO! GODMAN & GREENMAN Box Set Specs In the early 1970s, the Nippon Television Network’s GOOD MORNING! KIDS SHOW

    ALL MONSTERS ATTACK and TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA are now available separately from retailers. © 2007 Classic Media, Inc./© 1969, 1975 Toho Co., Ltd.

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    Source: Classic Media, Inc. Official site: Godzilla on DVD A quick reminder that Classic Media’s last two Godzilla DVDs— ALL MONSTERS ATTACK (aka GODZILLA’S REVENGE) and TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA— went on sale today. The discs were originally released last November as part of THE GODZILLA COLLECTION DVD box set but are now available separately for the first time from stores and online retailers. The ALL MONSTERS ATTACK DVD includes the 1969 Japanese version and the 1971 American release GODZILLA’S REVENGE, both in the original anamorphic widescreen theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The Japanese version was remastered from a 35mm low-contrast positive print from Toho Studios and comes with a 2 track mono mix plus newly translated removable English subtitles. Extra features include a feature length audio commentary by Cult Movies and SciFi Japan contributor Richard Pusateri, the “Ishiro Honda: The Soul of Godzilla” featurette, a poster gallery,

    Front and back packaging art for the ONE MISSED CALL DVD. Photos courtesy of Warner Home Video. © 2007 Warner Bros.

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    Source: Warner Home Video Official website: One Missed Call Movie It happens to one. Then another. And another. College students discover eerie voicemail messages on their cell phones. Each call comes from the near future. Each call has the chilling voice of the student during his or her last moments alive. And each call comes true. Terror is ONE MISSED CALL away in this got-your-number shocker based on the hit Japanese thriller CHAKUSHIN ARI. Does the viral spree of calls have a single source? Is there something that links the victims? Psych student Beth Raymond (Shannyn Sossamon) and detective Jack Andrews (Ed Burns) scramble for answers. And they’re working fast. Because Beth just discovered an ominous message. For those who missed the American remake of ONE MISSED CALL during it`s theatrical release— and we`re guessing that would be most of you— the film

    Original lobby card for The Shaw Brothers` HEROES TWO. © 2007 Shaw Brothers

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    HEROES TWO Details Source: Richard York, Media Blasters Media Blasters has provided some information about their upcoming release of the Shaw Brothers/Chang Cheh classic, HEROES TWO, due out April 8th. Fang Shih Yu and Hung Hsi Kuan escape after the burning of the Shaolin Temple; but a case of mistaken identity causes Hung to be captured and marked for death. It`s now a race against time to free him and seek revenge for the burning of the temple, before the Manchus can amass their warriors for one final assault on the survivors of Shaolin. *Remastered Anamorphic 2.35:1 Feature from HD master *Languages: *Mandarin Mono with English Subtitles *English Mono *English 5.1 *Audio Commentary by Asian Film Historian Linn Haynes (please see statement below) *Remastered "Three Styles of Hung Fist" available as an intro option for the first time on DVD (Mandarin with English titles only) *Original Mandarin

    Frankentein and Baragon ©1965 Toho Co., Ltd

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    Double Disc Dose of FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD Author: Bob Johnson Source: Media Blasters Special Thanks to Richard York, Clay Holden and Loren Portillo Mysteries Revealed! A Look Back at FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD How King Kong and Frankenstein Came to Japan Before his death, stop motion wizard Willis O’Brien penned a story called "King Kong vs. Frankenstein". The story ended up going through a number of hands, and a number of changes, before coming to rest at Toho in Japan, which was responsible for the final incarnation that became KING KONG VS. GODZILLA (King Kong tai Gojira – 1962). Kong would go on to star in another Toho film KING KONG ESCAPES in 1967. Toho did not let the Frankenstein legend rest for long however, and in 1965 produced the first of two films that

    Godman ©1972 Toho Co., Ltd

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    Godzilla director helms new GODMAN project Author: James M. Ballard Sources: HMV Details of an otherwise unassuming DVD compilation make a surprising revelation. The new 3-disc DVD box set RETURN OF THE GOOD MORNING HEROES: GO! GO! GODMAN & GREENMAN (Kaetekita Ohayou Hiiroo: Yuke! Yuke! Goddoman & Guriinman), due for release on May 23rd in Japan, will compile a carefully selected choice of popular episodes from the Toho TV series GO! GODMAN (Ike! Goddoman, 1972) and GO! GREENMAN (Yuke! Guriinman, 1973). But along with the set will come a special bonus disc featuring the tentatively-titled NEW GODMAN PRODUCTION (Shinsaku Godadoman). Attached to the new project is director Masaaki Tezuka, best known for his work on the recent Godzilla productions GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS (Gojira tai Megagirasu G Shoumetsu Sakusen, 2000), GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA (Gojira tai Mekagojira, 2002) and GODZILLA: TOKYO SOS (Gojira Mosura Mekagojira Tokyo SOS, 2003), as

    Packaging for the Korean Region 3 Limited Editon Special Pack DVD of D-WAR. © 2008 Younggu Art Entertainment Co., Ltd.

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    The Korean monster film on DVD in its native country Author: Kim Song-ho (Loomis) Source: KD Media Following the U.S DVD debut on January 8, DRAGON WARS (a.k.a. D-WAR) finally reaches its native country... again. On February 1(*), a South Korean company called KD Media will release DRAGON WARS in two separate Region 3 DVD versions – the Limited Editon Special Pack, limited to 5,000 sets, and a Standard Edition. The difference between the two versions are not that remarkable. The former will have two storyboard books and five postcards with never-before-seen poster artworks in the package. The latter will have only a booklet. Both versions are 2-disc sets with disc 1 includes the feature in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, original English Dolby Digital 5.1/2.0 and Korean Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks. Added are English and Korean subtitles. Supplements will be featured on disc 2. Among them are

    DVD cover art for the South Korean horror film RED EYE. Photo courtesy of Media Blasters. © 2005 Tae Chang Entertainment

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    New Info, Cover Art, and Release Dates for Asian DVDs on the `Tokyo Shock` and `Exploitation Digital` Labels Source: Media Blasters, Inc. Special Thanks to Richard York Media Blasters has provided new cover art and information on their upcoming Tokyo Shock and Exploitation Digital releases. Look for the following Region 1 DVDs in the first quarter of 2008. January 15, 2008: RED EYE (Redeu-ai, 2005) It`s Mi-sun`s first day as a railroad attendant. Her first assignment is an overnight trip through Korea and she`s understandably nervous. But it`s not the motley group of passengers that has her feeling uneasy. It`s the train itself. It turns out that some of the cars on the train were involved in a devastating crash 16 years earlier in which 100 people died. Rumor has it those cars are haunted and it`s not long before Mi-sun starts to experience eerie visions. The

    Cover art for the Sony DVD, Blu-ray, and UMD versions of DRAGON WARS. Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. © 2007 Younggu Art Entertainment Co., Ltd.

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    Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Official Site: DRAGON WARS.com Meet Buraki, the vicious, 200-meter long Imoogi serpent from ancient Korea. His army includes giant lizards with missile launchers, flying dragons, soldiers bred for evil and mega-intelligent dinosaurs. Together, they will destroy Los Angeles and possibly the world unless reincarnated warriors Ethan and Sarah can outrun them and resurrect the Good Imoogi, Buraki’s ancient nemesis. DRAGON WARS reveals every last detail of Earth’s greatest battle – a war you’ll only believe when you see it for yourself. On January 8, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release the action-adventure film DRAGON WARS on DVD, Blu-ray Hi-Def and PSP. Directed and written by popular Korean filmmaker Hyung Rae Shim, DRAGON WARS has taken in more $65 million combined at the US and Korean box office. The film has a run time of approximately 90 minutes and

    Sales sheet for the APPLESEED: EX MACHINA DVDs. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. © 2007 Shirow Masumune/Seishinsha- Ex Machina Film Partners. © 2007 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

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    Theatrical Premiere in December, Region 1 DVDs Scheduled for March Source: Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., Jules Verne Adventure Films Festival Official US Site: Appleseed Ex Machina DVD Official Japanese Site: APPLESEED SAGA: EX MACHINA In 2004, director Shinji Aramaki and the production company Digital Frontiers Inc. created APPLESEED (Appurushido), a CG animated feature film based on the popular manga of the same name by reknowned creator Masamune Shirow (Ghost in the Shell). APPLESEED was a box office success in Japan, and a top-selling DVD in the US the following year. Now Shinji Aramaki and Digital Frontiers have reunited with Micott & Basara, Lion Rock Production and Axis Entertainment for the sequel APPLESEED: EX MACHINA (Appurushido Ex Machina). The new film is produced by the legendary Hong Kong film director John Woo (HARD BOILED, THE KILLER), who also supervised the story and action sequences. APPLESEED: EX MACHINA is being distributed in

    Packaging art for Classic Media`s GODZILLA COLLECTION box and the ALL MONSTERS ATTACK and TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA DVDS. The two films are packaged in the same slim cases as the earlier Classic Media Godzilla DVDs. Photos courtesy of Classic Media. © 2007 Classic Media, Inc./© 1969, 1975 Toho Co., Ltd.

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    Images from the THE GODZILLA COLLECTION and the next two Godzilla DVDs Author: Keith Aiken Source: Classic Media, Inc. Official site: Godzilla on DVD Next Tuesday, November 20th, Classic Media will release THE GODZILLA COLLECTION— a DVD box set with 8 classic Godzilla movies. The collection features over 20 hours of content remastered direct from the Toho vaults, including the original Japanese version of GOJIRA (1954). The box set features all of the Godzilla DVDs in Classic Media’s “Toho Master Collection”, individually shrinkwrapped in their original cases: • GOJIRA (winner of “Best DVD Classic Film Release”, 2007 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films “Saturn Awards”) • GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS (the edited US version of GOJIRA starring Raymond Burr) • GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN (Japanese and US versions) • MOTHRA VS GODZILLA (Japanese version plus US version known as GODZILLA VS

    Covers for Mebius, Tiga, Dyna and Gaia Climax Stories ©2007 Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. / Bandai Visual

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    Direct-to-DVD digests of the Heisei Ultraman series Author: James Ballard Beginning next month in Japan, Tsuburaya Productions and Bandai Visual will be releasing re-edited, direct-to-DVD episodes of the Heisei Ultraman TV series; ULTRAMAN TIGA (Urutoraman Tiga, 1996), ULTRAMAN DYNA (Urutoraman Daina, 1997), ULTRAMAN GAIA (Urutoraman Gaia, 1998), ULTRAMAN COSMOS (Urutoraman Kosumosu, 2001), ULTRAMAN NEXUS (Urutoraman Nekusasu, 2004), ULTRAMAN MAX (Urutoraman Makkusu, 2005) and ULTRAMAN MEBIUS (Urutoraman Mebiusu, 2006). Being released under the banner of "Climax Stories", these one-hour specials re-tell the highlights of each series, each carefully guided by veteran Ultraman directors. While the Climax Stories will contain no new footage, the intent is to introduce new fans to each series, showing the first and last appearance of the Ultra heroes, and all their adventures along the way. As the initial description for the ULTRAMAN MEBIUS release reads, "even for beginners, if you see this you will

    Media Blasters has acquired rights to three films from Kadokawa Pictures. GAMERA THE BRAVE © 2006 Chiisaki Yusha-tachi Gamera/Kadokawa Pictures, Inc. ONE MISSED CALL: FINAL © 2006 Chakushin-Ari Film Partners. THE BLACK HOUSE © 2007 CJ Entertainment Inc.

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    Author: Keith Aiken Source: Media Blasters, Inc. Special Thanks to Richard York Media Blasters has announced that they have acquired North American rights to a trio of films from Kadokawa Pictures; ONE MISSED CALL: FINAL, THE BLACK HOUSE, and GAMERA THE BRAVE. Few details are available at this time, but the three movies are expected to be released on Region 1 DVD in 2008. GAMERA THE BRAVE (Chiisaki Yusha-tachi Gamera, 2006) is the latest Gamera film and the first in the long-running series to be produced by Kadokawa. The monstrous flying turtle was introduced in the Daiei Motion Picture Company’s 1965 hit GAMERA (Daikaiju Gamera, U.S. title GAMMERA THE INVINCIBLE) and starred in ten more films up to 1999’s GAMERA: REVENGE OF IRIS (Gamera 3: Irisu Kakusei). Daiei was later sold to the Kadokawa Publishing Company, and in November 2002 the studio was absorbed into the company’s

    The packaging for Toho`s GODZILLA DVD COLLECTION I box set features a beautiful GODZILLA (1954) painting by Noriyoshi Ohrai. © Toho Co., Ltd.

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    Author: Loomis (Kim Song-ho) Toho DVD will re-release their Godzilla DVDs in Japan beginning in January 2008. There will also be several collection box sets with exclusive bonus discs. While contents for the DVDs are identical to previous releases, the discs will now be packaged in the standard size keep cases instead of the smaller jewel cases. The box sets will feature illustrations by Noriyoshi Ohrai, artist for many of the Godzilla movie theatrical posters. GODZILLA DVD COLLECTION I Release Date: January 25, 2008 Includes: GODZILLA (1954) GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN KING KONG VS. GODZILLA MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA Bonus Disc: International version of MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA (presumably the US edit, which has been previously released on home video in Japan) Price: 16,800 yen (approximately $147.00 US) On the same day, the four films in this box set will also be released separately at 4,725 yen per disc

    Meet the heroic Autobot Bummblebee this week in Los Angeles! Photo courtesy of DreamWorks LLC/Paramount. © 2007 DreamWorks LLC and Paramount Pictures. TRANSFORMERS are © 2007 Hasbro.

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    Source: Paramount Home Entertainment Paramount Home Entertainment celebrates the DVD debut of the worldwide smash hit TRANSFORMERS with a special guest appearance by one of the film’s biggest stars—Bumblebee,the brave Autobot who turns into a Camaro! A full-size, 18-foot tall, 8,200 pound traffic-stopping robot will greet passers-by in the courtyard of the West Hollywood Gateway shopping center on the corner of La Brea and Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles. This actual prop from the blockbuster film requires a forklift and 10 ton crane to assemble and set up and he will make for an extraordinary visual. Bumblebee will be on display from Tuesday, October 16th starting at 7:00 a.m., through Sunday, October 21st. Don`t miss an incredible photo opportunity with a life-size star of TRANSFORMERS.

    DVD cover art for GUYVER: THE BIOBOOSTED ARMOR Vol 7- ARMOR OF THE GODS. Photo courtesy of ADV Films. © 2005 Guyver The Bioboosted Armor Film Partners

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    Source: ADV Films The hit series GUYVER: THE BIOBOOSTED ARMOR concludes November 6 with volume seven, ARMOR OF THE GODS. The Guyver has been a cult-classic for over 20 years, spawning over 150 manga chapters, two live-action movies, an OVA, and a short series. Now, Director Katsuhito Akiyama (BUBBLEGUM CRISIS) breathes new life into the dark masterpiece, treating us to the most complete and captivating story to date. Synopsis: The Relic has been destroyed and Sho is presumed dead. Apparently, the world now belongs to Chronos. A year has passed, and with both Guyvers missing in action, Chronos’ grip on society grows tighter. Fugitives Tetsuro and Mizuki are forced into hiding, scrounging desperately for any news that Sho is still alive. When Chronos agents close in, they’re forced to rely on Aptom to protect them from their Zoanoid adversaries. But what is his motive? Now, Makishima

    Front and back cover art for DreamWorks` CASSHERN DVD. Photo courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment. © 2005 CASSHERN PARTNERS

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    Region 1 Disc Features Never-Before-Seen Director’s Cut Source: Paramount Home Entertainment Official Site: Casshern.Com The 2004 Japanese science fiction film CASSHERN makes its long-awaited North American DVD debut on October 16, 2007 from Paramount/DreamWorks Home Entertainment. Based on the 1973 Tatsunoko Productions anime series, CASSHERN was written and directed by Kazuaki Kiriya and produced by Shochiku Co., Ltd. The live-action film was shot entirely on a digital backlot, using green screens much like the box office hits SIN CITY and 300 to achieve eye-popping, other-worldly images. CASSHERN is set in a dystopian future in which the planet has been ravaged by a catastrophic Third World War. With the future of the human race in jeopardy, geneticist Dr. Azuma (Akira Terao of AKIRA KUROSAWA’S DREAMS and AEGIS) develops a new technology called “neo-cells” that can repair damaged or diseased tissue, but a lab accident

    DVD cover art for the latest volume of GODZILLA: THE ORIGINAL ANIMATED SERIES, now on sale. Photo courtesy of Classic Media. © 1978 Toho Co., Ltd./2006 Classic Media, Inc.

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    Classic Media Completes Season 1 of the Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Show Author: Keith Aiken Source: Classic Media In 1978, Hanna-Barbera Productions created the first cartoon series based on Toho Co., Ltd.’s character Godzilla. The GODZILLA show followed the adventures of the research vessel Calico; Captain Carl Majors (voiced by Jeff David), scientist Dr. Quinn Darian (Brenda Thompson), her young nephew Pete (Al Eisenmann), first mate Brock (Hilly Hicks), and Godzooky, the “comical, cowardly cousin” of Godzilla. Each week the crew of the Calico would find themselves in one predicament after another, only to be rescued in the nick of time by Godzilla, King of the Monsters. GODZILLA premiered on the NBC television network on September 9, 1978. It ran for two seasons of 13 episodes each and a third season of reruns with the final NBC broadcast on September 5, 1981. Rights to the series reverted

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