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The films of the legendary Japanese filmmaker will be screened in Switzerland over the next couple months.

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The films of the legendary Japanese filmmaker will be screened in Switzerland over the next couple months.

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In October, Sunrise will spin off the storied mecha anime franchise when "Iron-Blood Orphans" touches down in Japan.

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"There’s nothing inherently wrong or right about a method, whether it be pencil drawings or 3-D CG," Miyazaki says.

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This has been alluded to over the last few days on social media, but the Houston Press sums up charges against Anime Matsuri head John Leigh, who, from multiple accounts, seems to be a serial sexual harasser. Anime Matsuri is held in Houston and is considered one of the top anime events in the US, focusing on the “Lolita” subculture which features cosplay in elaborate—but modest—Victorian costumes. About 20,000 people were expected to attend this year’s event which took place in March. Leigh’s ongoing bad behavior includes all kinds of harassing talk—asking one prominent cosplayer to send a naked picture of herself, asking anther about her history of orgasms—as well as inappropriate touching and more.

Another presumed joke that made a female associate of Leigh’s deeply uncomfortable was that of a local cosplay model who posted about her experiences on the LACE – Lolita’s Against Cyberbullying and Exploitation — Facebook page under the name “N”. According to N she was asked by Leigh to come perform for a photoshoot, but given virtually no details on the nature of what she would be doing. Upon arriving she was informed it was actually a video shoot and Leigh requested that she simulate oral sex on a male subject for it, which N refused.

“I noticed he had a nervous way of telling me,” N when told the Press. “It was odd how he was acting. He’s like, ‘I want you to act like you’re going to perform a sexual oral act on the male subject in the car. I told him I was very uncomfortable with the idea…. I kept telling him ‘No. No I don’t want to’ He tried to guilt trip me into it… He’s a powerful speaker. He’s good at how to word things to manipulate or make you rethink what your statements were.”

These events have been posted over the last few weeks by members of the Lolita community and paint a distressing picture, but the Press spoke with several people associated with Anime Matsuri and found more accusations, including a tacky tea party that has become infamous

“I cannot even describe the feeling and the look he gave me when he saw me in Lolita,” said R. “He did this full body scan of me and started buttering me up. Now he cared to know me. I made sure to stay as far away from as possible after that.”

She also describes a tea party event at the convention where she says Leigh decided to do away with the planned activity of letting each fashion designer in attendance show off a new design, and instead grabbed the microphone for 30-minute Q&A about himself while making jokes about the waist-sizes of the women in attendance. According to R, he only ceded the microphone once he realized that his jokes were falling flat on a largely silent audience.

“It’s sad that someone that has brought so many people from all over the world would destroy it by being harassing,” says R.

On his FB page, Leigh, who is married, posted an apology about a week ago:

Earlier today, I posted a blog entry that detailed my side of the story. I did not know I was hurting these people and I did not mean to do so. I have been getting attacked for the past few days. The attacks spread to my family, friends, and supporters of Anime Matsuri. I was upset and I wanted to defend everyone who I cared about.

It has been a few long hours since I posted that blog. I thought I would feel better, but I feel nothing but sadness. I had an abundance of messages of support over this time. I took a step back and realized: while I was trying to defend those I love, I was hurting others, and this is not ok, regardless if some of them are trying to hurt me. I was angry, and nothing good comes out of anger. Some people are very hurt, on both sides, and I have to assume responsibility for that. I also realize many people look up to me and I have let them down.

I want to apologize specifically to the people in question and to everyone who has been affected by this. I understand I have hurt you and I’m sorry. Regardless of what is happening now, I considered you my friends at some point. I also understand an apology means little without positive action, so I have decided to take a course on Sexual Harassment to be more aware of this serious problem and to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I have deleted the blog post and will work on myself to become better. I’m very sorry.

Leigh also issued a statement to the Press stating much the same as the above, although the Press says that the course he’s taking is actually a two-hour online course. Meanwhile with controversy swirling, some in the community have cut their ties with the show and Leigh—however and my guess is that this will go on for some time.

I’m a total outsider to the anime/Lolita community, so I have no idea what the repercussions of all this are. All of the behavior reported by Leigh falls into what’s known as a “sex pest” — a creepy guy who uses his position and proximity to women to engage in inappropriate behavior which is often “forgiven” as “just joking.” This is just clueless self-justification. In a now deleted blog post (still available on the Internet Archive) Leigh defends his behavior, saying of the woman who he questioned about her orgasms that “At no time did she tell me she was uncomfortable with my jokes, or to stop” when the very IM that’s quoted above it has her saying “you don’t need to know” and “I’m running away from this question!” which under any reasonable standard qualifies as telling him she’s uncomfortable with his jokes.

As the accounts of the women quoted by the post makes clear, to the people on the receiving end, it’s no joking matter.

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Studio 4°C and Ankama's kinetic adaptation of the French comics hit arrives 2017 in France.

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The Japan News announced this morning that the long running manga series One Piece is the Guinness World Record winner for having “the most copies published for the same comic book series by one author.” Yoshihisa Heishi, Editor-in-Chief of Shonen Jump (the monthly magazine where new chapters of the popular Manga series are first published) accepted the award on One Piece author/illustrator Eiichiro Oda’s behalf. Oda drew the above illustration to celebrate the announcement.

CBR brought the story to our attention and ran the following series of quotes from Oda himself via the Anime News Network: “Thank you for this certification for the Guinness World Record. Manga is an amusing way to pass time, but when I receive reports that say ‘through One Piece I made friends,’ or ‘through One Piece I found my sweetheart,’ I am really happy.”

Shonen Jump announced that a future issue of the magazine will have a “super news flash” regarding the future of One Piece. Will the series be announced to conclude? One Piece’s debut installment was first published in July, 1997 — meaning that the 20th anniversary of the title will soon be here.

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'Dragon Ball Super' will premiere in Japan this July.

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Cartoons bring the world together!

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Mamoru Hosoda's new film will debut in Japan on July 11.

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U.S. audiences get to enjoy a new Studio Ghibli film in theaters for potentially the last time.

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Early manga adapter Dallas Middaugh, who has been involved in most of the major moves that changed manga from an obscure niche in US fandom to a permanent part of the pop culture landscape, has left his position as Senior Director of Penguin Random House Publisher Services to join Crunchyroll as Head of Brand and Community. He’ll work with the streaming anime service to expand the brand globally.

“With his experience and understanding of our audience and the Manga category, Dallas will be able to contribute invaluably to expanding the Crunchyroll brand and further deepening the relationship to our audience,” said Crunchyroll CEO Kun Gao in a statement .

“Crunchyroll currently brings Anime and Manga to millions of passionate fans,” said Dallas Middaugh. “We have opportunities to reach an even larger audience and bring that audience not just more content, but more fun and exciting ways to interact with it. I’m looking forward to engaging with the community that I’ve been fortunate to be a part of for many years, and providing more ways for them to connect with and experience the best that Anime and Manga — and Crunchyroll — have to offer.”

At Random House, Middaugh oversaw their partnership with Kodansha that saw such blockbusters as Attack on Titan. Prior to that he worked in RH’s own in-house Del Rey manga division; co-founded publisher Seven Seas; and served as marketing director for Viz during the crucial 2000-2003 period. In short, he’s da man.

Crunchyroll offers streaming anime such as Naruto Shippuden, Attack on Titan, and One Piece, and also allows subscribers to read manga and purchase related merchandise. It gained prominence by offering close-to-simultaneous access to hit Japanese shows soon after they aired.

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The classic anime space saga may actually get the blockbuster franchise it deserves.

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"Everything about my life is utterly horrible," says an American animator working in Japan, and that's how he likes it.

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Here's how one fan re-imagined Cartoon Network's "Gumball" as an anime series.

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After months of speculation, Scarlett Johansson has been confirmed as the star of DreamWorks's live-action adaptation of Masamune Shirow's manga "Ghost in the Shell."

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Yesterday at the Tokyo International Film Festival, animation director Hideaki Anno unveiled a new streaming called "Animator Expo" that intends to give exposure to up-and-coming filmmakers in the Japanese animation industry.

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Neon Alley’s Viz’z free streaming media platform, is adding a bunch of choice Sailor Moon,  Sailor Moon Crystal, Bleach, Naruto Shippuden, and Ranma 1/2 episodes, which you can see in the release below. You can stream these via the Neon Alley site and on mobile and gaming platforms via Hulu and Hulu Plus.

The site has been around since 2012, initially available via gaming platforms only.

VIZ Media opens October and the Fall 2014 anime season on its FREE Neon Alley media-streaming platform with the announcement of a new monthly update that will add more than 80 exciting episodes for a host of best-loved series to the programming roster throughout the month. Among these are several special simulcast premieres that will stream brand new first-run episodes domestically on the same days as their Japanese counterparts’ broadcast airdates.

Anime fans will not want to miss the subtitled simulcast premiere of two brand new SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL episodes (subtitled) on October 4^th and 18^th, as well as a brand new NARUTO SHIPPUDEN episode (subtitled) simulcast happening every Thursday. Also don’t miss the premiere of 8 classic uncut and remastered SAILOR MOON episodes (subtitled). Two exciting episodes launch each Monday (“Moonday”) throughout October.

Viewers can also look forward to enjoying newly added English dubbed episodes of NARUTO (original series) Season 1, BLEACH Season 16, and MORE Season 5 episodes of RANMA ½, in English dub,

All of the special simulcast premieres will be available in the U.S. via Neon Alley, Hulu and Hulu Plus. Please visit NeonAlley.com for details.

The latest Neon Alley monthly update features English dubbed as well subtitled episodes and anime feature film premieres from top-rated anime series, including:

BLEACH

• English dubbed Episodes 230 – 242 of the 16^th Season of BLEACH will be added on October 1^st to the current cache of 217 episodes of the popular supernatural action series.
• Fans also may catch the entire BLEACH anime series subtitled on Neon Alley (366 episodes total)!

NARUTO

• Neon Alley welcomes the addition on October 1^st of new English dubbed Episodes 39 – 52 of the original NARUTO Season 1 anime series.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN

• Don’t miss special simulcasts of the latest subtitled episodes of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN every Thursday in October, which continue to expand the massive library of 380 subtitled episodes. New simulcast episodes will be available to stream for a limited time only!
• Neon Alley also will launch NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Season 1, Episodes 1 – 12, English dubbed, on October 10^th.

RANMA ½

• Catch 2 newly added English RANMA ½ English dubbed episodes each Friday throughout October, beginning on October 3^rd with Episodes 101 – 102 and available for a limited time only!
• A total of 10 new English-dubbed episodes will debut throughout October.
• Enjoy the entire re-mastered series (161 episodes) subtitled on Neon Alley now!

SAILOR MOON

• Don’t miss the premiere this month of 8 new classic SAILOR MOON episodes. Two exciting episodes launch every Monday throughout the entire month, beginning with Episodes 43 & 44 on October 6^th.

SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL

• Be sure to catch very special simulcast premiere of the newest SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL adventures with Episode 7’s debut on October 4^th followed by Episode 8 on October 18^th.

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The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) is putting a special emphasis on animation this year, and has announced that Disney's "Big Hero 6" will be the opening night film of their 27th edition.

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In his four features and one TV series, the late anime director Satoshi Kon developed a unique style of cutting and editing, says Tony Zhou in a new video essay.

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I’ve kind of been in a funk the last few days, and  I’m not sure why.  I’m having a hard time finding a book that holds my interest for more than a few chapters, so I set my Kindle down this morning and spent some time playing with Crunchyroll.  If you haven’t heard of the site before, Crunchyroll bills itself as “the leading global video service for Japanese Anime and Asian media.”  They offer free streaming of anime and manga, as well as paid memberships for access to a larger library of titles with no advertising.  Everything I’m going to talk about today I viewed under their free offerings.

 

The Heroic Legend of Arslan Chapter 1 by   Yoshiki Tanaka and  Hiromu Arakawa (author of Fullmetal Alchemist)

About the series:

Someday, a boy will become a man, then in time, the man will become a king. Who is the true hero?! An unprecedented story of the struggle to succeed the throne has begun. Hiromu Arakawa, the creator of “Fullmetal Alchemist” illustrates the great historical fantasy novel in a never before seen style!

My thoughts:

Many years ago, I watched the anime of Arslan.  I loved it.  When I discovered that the anime was based on a series of Japanese novels (13 volumes and still on-going, I believe), and that there was a manga series, too, I kept hoping it would get licensed.  It didn’t, but Hiromu Arakawa reimagined Yoshiki Tanaka’s novels for Bessatsu Shonen magazine, and it did.   As FMA is one of my favorite series, I was excited to see Arslan on Crunchyroll. 

The first chapter introduces 11 year-old Prince Arslan.  He’s a kind-hearted boy, in direct contrast to his cold parents.  His father, King Andragoras, is a fierce warrior and his armies have never been defeated in battle.  When the warriors return victorious from recent skirmishes, Arslan saves some boys from an escaped warrior and gets dragged along on his dash to freedom.  The enemy warrior is also 11, but he couldn’t be different from Arslan.  Tough and a seasoned warrior, he refuses to submit to slavery.  As Arslan is dragged around  his city, he is given a different perspective of his enemies’ beliefs than he’s been taught, which leaves him wondering why his kingdom is at war with their neighbors. 

I enjoyed the pacing of the manga, and I liked Arslan.  We don’t get to learn much about him, except that he isn’t skilled in arms and that he is a kind, caring kid.  I love Arakawa’s art, and I would read this just to get a chance to enjoy her illustrations. 

Rating: B+

 

Skip*Beat! Episode 1

Ahahaha!  I love Skip*Beat!  I am so far behind in the manga, but I figure if I watch the anime up to where I left off, I can start reading again without forgetting too much.  I hope.  This is a very funny series about a normally meek, kind girl who completely loses her shit when she discovers that the boy she has loved since childhood thinks that she’s boring and ugly.  Sho, an idol who is just starting to hit the big time, has only been using Kyoko to pay his bills and clean up after him after they move to Tokyo.  Kyoko thought that Sho asked her to go with him because he cared for her, but NO!  All he ever saw her as was an unpaid maid.

Kyoko’s never-ending grudge is released from the locked boxes in her heart, and after she declares her intention to get revenge on Sho’s crappy treatment of her, he mocks her and tells her the only way a little commoner like her could ever get back at a big star like him is to become famous, too, so Kyoko, all guns blazing, decides that she will make it big in show biz, and she will be a bigger star than Sho.

I love this series because it’s funny, Kyoko goes from being a doormat to a butt-kicker, and Ren, Sho’s biggest rival, is hot.  I’m looking forward to watching all 25 episodes of Skip*Beat!, but I think the manga is still ongoing, so I have to catch up on my reading, too!

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 1

Ah, there is just something comforting about Sailor Moon.  This reboot of the series is fun, fast-paced, and vividly colorful.  I loved revisiting with Usagi and Luna, and I can’t believe the series is 20 years old.  I never get tired of Sailor Moon, regardless of format, and have enjoyed the manga (both Tokyopop’s awful presentation, and Kodansha’s much better packaged release), anime series, and live-action show.  Usagi is so easy to relate to.  She doesn’t want to do anything that’s hard – homework, studying, exercising, chores – and would rather spent her time eating, napping, and playing video games.  Who wouldn’t!  She’s also clumsy and hardly an athletic girl, so, while I fear that the fate of the world is resting on her shoulders, I know that Luna and Tuxedo Mask won’t let her completely screw up.  If you haven’t watched the show before, give it a try.  There is a reason Sailor Moon is still popular after more than two decades, and that’s because the storytelling is fun, and the characters are so likeable.

The post Crunchyroll Morning: Skip Beat!, Sailor Moon Crystal, and Arslan appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

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{This is fantastic news!  I can hardly wait to start watching this again!}

VIZ MEDIA ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS FOR SAILOR MOON ANIME FRANCHISE

North America’s Leading Anime Distributor Gains Digital, Streaming And Home Media Rights For Legendary Anime

Free Streaming Episodes Debut Today Exclusively

On Neon Alley And Hulu!

San Francisco, CA, May 19, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, is proud to announce the acquisition of the SAILOR MOON anime franchise. VIZ Media’s North American rights cover digital streaming, EST (Electronic Sell Through) and all home media products in the U.S. and Canada. Tokyo-based Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is the producer and global licensor for the SAILOR MOON anime property.

As part of the new agreement, VIZ Media has licensed all 200 episodes of the original SAILOR MOON anime series (rated ‘TV-PG’), including the never before licensed for North America fifth and final climatic season, “Sailor Stars.” The three feature films and additional specials for the long-running show are also part of the acquisition. SAILOR MOON will be presented digitally for the first time, with subtitled EST sets available starting Summer 2014 and dubbed editions late 2014, and DVD and deluxe limited edition Blu-ray/DVD combo packs are planned for Fall 2014. The uncut and uncensored VIZ Media release of SAILOR MOON, featuring its original uncropped 4:3 aspect ratio, will also feature all original Japanese names, story elements and relationships, as well as an all-new, uncut English dub with a new voice cast. 

VIZ Media will premiere SAILOR MOON Episodes 1-4 (subbed) today on its free NeonAlley.com anime streaming destination and also via the subscription-based Hulu Plus in High Definition. Two new SAILOR MOON episodes will premiere every Monday.  Visit www.NeonAlley.com and Hulu.com/sailormoon for more information; the trailer may also be viewed at http://www.hulu.com/watch/635233 and http://youtu.be/RWPyM9afQ-w.

VIZ Media has also acquired the new SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL, and more details are forthcoming.

“We’re pleased to partner with VIZ Media to bring the beloved SAILOR MOON anime series back to North America,” says Masayuki Endo, General Manager, Toei Animation, Inc. “This fresh uncut and uncensored release of SAILOR MOON featuring the most accurate adaptation available will be just as creator Naoko Takeuchi intended. We look forward to fans current and new discovering and falling in love with this classic series all over again!”

“SAILOR MOON is one of the extremely rare breed of anime series truly deserving of the title of ‘Legendary’,” says Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “Since its initial debut in the mid-1990’s, SAILOR MOON has been unavailable to English-speaking fans for nearly a decade. It has also never seen a complete and proper unedited release in North America…until now!”

“SAILOR MOON was groundbreaking in the way its storyline and main characters resonated with both a male and female audience, and these aspects continue to attract a new generation of fans eager to see this iconic series,” says Brian Ige, VIZ Media Vice President of Animation. “We’re thrilled to be able to release this empowering action title uncut and in its entirety. We invite fans to catch the official premieres on Neon Alley and to enjoy the series on DVD and Blu-ray later this year!”

VIZ Media will be celebrating SAILOR MOON at the 2014 Anime Expo, taking place July 3rd–6th at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. Now celebrating its 23nd consecutive year, Anime Expo is sponsored by the SPJA and is the nation’s largest anime convention. VIZ Media will host a variety of special activities and panels throughout “Sailor Moon Day,” on Saturday July 5th. More details forthcoming.

The smash hit SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga (graphic novel) series created by Naoko Takeuchi (published in North America by Kodansha). In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation!  

Naoko Takeuchi was born on March 14. She is a Pisces and A blood type. In 1986 Takeuchi made her debut with the manga LOVE CALL. Her hits include Sailor Moon, Codename: Sailor V, and The Cherry Project.

For more information on SAILOR MOON, or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About Toei Animation Co., Ltd.

With headquarters in Tokyo and sales offices in Paris, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Toei Animation (Jasdaq: 4816) ranks amongst the world’s most prolific animation production studios. Toei Animation’s operations include animation development and production, and worldwide marketing and program licensing. Since its founding in 1956, Toei Animation has produced more than 10,000 episodes of TV series (more than 200 titles) and more than 200 long feature films as of January, 2014.

About Toei Animation Inc.

Toei Animation Inc. (TAI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toei Animation Co., Ltd. established in Los Angeles in 2004, looks forward to spreading the world-renowned Japanese animation studio’s extensive library and pursuing co-production projects in North and Latin America and other English-speaking territories worldwide. The main business operations of TAI include film licensing in all media and digital platforms, merchandise licensing and co-productions with local establishments.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

The post [PR] Viz Media Acquires North American Rights for Sailor Moon! appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

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Hell hath no fury like a fanboy spurned, but that usually doesn’t occur until after the film in question has been released to theaters. Tired of having their expectations dashed by disappointing news of the long anticipated live-action "Akira" adaptation, fans completed their own live version of a trailer for the popular manga-turned-anime, one that attempts to “do 'Akira' justice” by following the source material as closely as possible.

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Sailor Moon & Scouts, Comic con work!

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I can remember looking at anime titles in British video catalogues back in the nineties; as the pastoral fantasies of Hayao Miyazaki would not reach prominence in this country until the new millennium, UK distributors placed a strong emphasis on futuristic thrillers. The films of Mamoru Oshii certainly fit that bill.

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