tatu paragate

LO Magazine
anime & manga for South Africa
Vol. 3
August 2004
Free Issue
Our Gypsy in the USA
Anime Music Videos
The Worlds of Studio Ghibli
The magic of Hayao
Miyazaki and Isao
Takahata
Crying Freeman
The Assassin that
cries after each kill
The All-New Appleseed
Forget about the
original anime!
WIN
3X3 Eyes
MANGA
&
MORE!
Battle of the Planets
The Return of G-Force
The perfect tool.
Express yourself!
Adobe Photoshop cs
Image © 2004 Adobe Inc.
W
elcome to LO
Magazine’s third
issue.
This issue brings some
changes.
While we are currently an
electronic magazine, we
will experiment with ideas
monthly, until we have the
perfect magazine, before
we finally go to print.
Our special section
focuses on Studio Ghibli.
We would like to thank
Michael Johnson from
Nausicaa.net for making
his content available for
both this article and our
manga feature.
If you are a Miyazaki fan,
you should definitely visit
Michael’s amazing website
(www.nausicaa.net) with
EVERYTHING you ever
wanted to know about
Hayao Miyazaki, Isao
Takahata and Studio
Ghibli.
Enjoy.
Ed.
3
© LO Magazine 2004
LO
CONTENT
06
ANIME FEATURE
The New Appleseed
Editorial
08
INDUSTRY NEWS
Find out who is doing what, where and
when.
Website:
www.lomagazine.co.za
10
SPECIAL
The Magical Worlds of Studio Ghibli.
13
DH COMPETITION
Dark Horse “Most Wanted” presents
3X3 Eyes
14
MANGA FEATURE
Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind
16
EDITOR’S PAGE
What is anime? The response
Page 3 Image: Appleseed
© Omega Micott Inc. &
Geneon Entertainment.
18
LIVE-ACTION
Crying Freeman, the assassin
LO recognises all copyrights
19
RD COMPETITION
Readers Den presents “Lekka Manga”
20
DRAGONBALL Z
Recapping for South African audiences.
22
FANSUBS
The New Fansub
Editor - AJ Kock
ed@lomagazine.co.za
For contact spesifics please
look at page 36.
LO Magazine is a product
of © 2004 Manga SA Anime
Cover Title: Puchiguso
from .HACK Sign, in
Pretoria.
.Hack Sign © 2001-2004
Bandai Entertainent
Design: Brandon Booth
in this issue. Where possible,
we have acknowledged the
copyright holders. Contact
us if we have failed to credit
your copyright.
Unless indicated otherwise,
all content are © LO
Magazine.
© LO Magazine 2004
4
Note: To make life easier we indicate
anime with blue and manga with green.
Words in Bold, Italic means that it
includes a term definition.
06
23
THE LOCAL SCENE
Gypsy is our own Anime Music Video
creator and finds himself currently in
the USA.
24
DIGITAL CREATIONS
Australian Steven Stahlberg brings
characters to life.
28
MANGA INFLUENCE
Battle of the Planets gets a re-vamp by
Top Cow.
32
LO RECOMMENDS
This months anime & manga
recommendations if you don’t know what
to watch.
35
SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY
Man vs Machine: Inevitable?
36
SUBMISSIONS
Do you want to submit your artwork or
articles to us?
08
10
Software used in the making of LO Magazine:
Artwork: Adobe Photoshop
Layout & Design: Adobe Indesign
PDF Creation: Adobe PDF Writer
5
18
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
ANIME
FEATURE
APPLESEED
years old), by incorporating some current
events into the background. Unlike the
original anime, the storyline comes from
the first two Appleseed books, with bits
from Books 3 and 4.
The original anime, released by
Manga Entertainment (based on the
manga from Masamune Shirow),
didn’t satisfy the expectations
of Shirow fans. The anime didn’t
capture the richness of the manga.
It is therefore not surprising that
Omega Micott decided to take a shot
at bringing Shirow’s incredible story
to life.
Reading the manga, you will notice quite
a few similarities with Aldous Huxley’s
Brave New World: life in an utopia.
The Year is 2025. After World War III, the
world has only one sanctuary left from
the desolated wastelands: Olympus City.
The city is run by Gaia (a massive super
computer), which controls all functions
of everyday life (lights, power, food,
transit, city maintenance, etc.). Populated
with humans and bioroids, a race of
Omega Micott used a combination of
gaming technology and cell-shading,
to give Appleseed a very distinctive
style. Director Shinji Aramaki met
with Masamune Shirow and agreed on
updating the story (the manga is 20
© LO Magazine 2004
6
SUBMISSIONS
genetically engineered humans that can
be programmed to do anything. There are
always humans who have a tendency to
be suspicious of others, which eventually
leads to violence as fear overtakes them.
Terrorists saw the bioroids as a threat to
the human race, thinking that they were
conspiring with Gaia to eradicate the
humans and dominate the planet.
To keep these terrorists under control, an
organization called ESWAT (Extra Special
Weapons and Tactics) was formed. The
main characters are Duenan Nats and
Buliarous Hecitonecles, considered a
lethal team in the ESWAT force. Duenan
and Buliarous are not from Olympus.
They were accepted into the city as
street cops. Buliarous was severely hurt
when he arrived and was fitted with a
cybernetic shell.
Appleseed Soundtrack
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Geneon Entertainment has acquired the
World Wide rights (except Japan) to the
upcoming Appleseed Movie. Release
dates are set for summer 2004 in North
America and at a later date for Europe
and Asia.
Boom Boom Satellites
Paul Oakenfield
Basement Jaxx
Carl Craig vs ADULT
Akufen
Atom™
T. Raumschmiere
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Fact
The old South African Apartheid
Regime was also responsible
for the death of Deunan’s
grandmother.
It has also been revealed that there will
be three Appleseed movies and work is
already in progress on the second movie.
Recommend: If you like this type of
anime, then you should try Geneon
Entertainment’s Texhnolyze.
Website: www.a-seed.jp (Japanese)
All images © Omega Micott Inc. / Geneon
Entertainment. .LO
All images © Omega Micott
7
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
INDUSTRY
NEWS
SAMURAI CHAMPLOO
Director Shinichiro
Watanabe’s (Cowboy Bebop)
latest project is a fresh new take
on the samurai tales.
Fuu (a girl with a grin as
wide as her face) drags two
young samurai (Jin and Mugen)
she met at a teahouse in
Yokohama, on a journey to look
for a “samurai who smells like
sunflowers”.
Samurai Champloo promises
to be a wild and action-filled
drama, with sword fighting
scenes like you have never seen
before. Samurai Champloo’s
trailer was first shown with The
Matrix Revolutions in Japan.
Image © Manglobe Inc.
CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK
From renowned animator
Peter Chung (“The Animatrix”)
comes “The Chronicles of
Riddick: Dark Fury”, an all-new
vision of the Riddick universe.
When Riddick is captured by
bounty hunters, he must battle
soldiers of fortune and vicious
creatures in the lethal slaughter
cells of a massive starship.
Riddick’s night vision and
ruthless combat skills are the
only things that stand between
him and a fate literally worse
than death in this animated scifi DVD release that bridges the
stories of “Pitch Black” and “The
Chronicles of Riddick”.
Image © Electric Artists
HELLBOY ANIME
Guillermo del Torro, director
of Hellboy, has stated on the
official Hellboy website, “We are
in talks with Gonzo Anime for
the Hellboy anime series.”
Along with Hellboy creator
Mike Mignola, del Torro will be
involved in the plotting of the
anime project, along with other
follow-up projects, to make sure
the plot flows with the entire
Hellboy mythology.
Gonzo is famous for shows
like Blue Submarine No 6,
Yukikaze, Last Exile and Hellsing
(not related to the Hollywood
movie).
Image © Marvel Comics
DIRE - THE CHRONICLES
Dire is a dark action anime/
film founded on the premise of
a true incident that happened
in the U.S in 2003. It is based
on the character of Dire Wolf,
the famed wheelman of Los
Angeles’s drug and export
kingpin, Cornelius Driscol. Dire,
kidnapped as a child because
of his fathers gambling debts,
remains locked in a dark cell
with a group of other kids. They
would never again see the light
of day.
Soon after his kidnapping,
Driscol murdered Dire’s parents
and his little brother, erasing all
traces of Dire’s life...or so he
thought. Image © Sunset Ent.
KAKURENBO
In Kakurenbo (Hide and Seek),
the children visit a part of the city,
which only they can enter. The
children take part in a forbidden
play called the “Play of Paradise”.
Strange beings start to appear
and children began disappearing.
Hikora and Yaimao take part in
the play to find Hikora’s younger
sister, who has also disappeared.
Kakurenbo is a cell shading
animation project by “Yamato
Works” (some of the artists come
from another independent studio
called “Kamikaze Douga”).
The anime will be released
directly to DVD as it is only 25
minutes in length.
Image © Yamatoworks/D.A.C
TATU PARAGATE
The Russian singing duo
Tatu (Russian for “she loves
her”), famous for their lesbianschoolgirls kissing stunts, now
have their own anime.
Tatu Paragate is a joint
production of Japanese and
Russian animation companies.
Details about this anime have
been kept to the bare minimum.
The plot and music are
written by Tatu’s Russian
producer, Ivan Shapovalov and
the directors are Norio Kashima
and Susumu Kudo. The opening
animation will be directed by
Shinichiro Watanabe’s (Cowboy
Bebop). Image © I Move t.A.T.u Paragate Project.
© LO Magazine 2004
8
SUBMISSIONS
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
SPECIAL
THE MAGICAL WORLDS OF
STUDIO GHIBLI
All of us were once mesmerised by the adventures
of Heidi, Peter and Heidi’s grandfather. Not many
of us knew that this famous tale was animated
in 1974 by the founders of Studio Ghibli: Hayao
Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. With the help of
Nausicaa.net, we take you through the different
“worlds” created by Studio Ghibli in the years
following Heidi.
Movies by Hayao Miyazaki
Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind (1984)
Nausicaä, the princess of a small nation, lives in a
world devastated by a holocaust called the “Seven
Days of Fire”. She tries to stop other warring nations
from destroying themselves and from destroying the
only means by which their world can be saved from the
spread of polluted wastelands.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
Pazu rescues an unconscious girl descending from the
night sky with a glowing pendant around her neck. He
helps the girl, Sheeta, to escape from the air pirates and
the military who are obsessed with Laputa, a legendary
kingdom on a floating island in the sky with which
Sheeta is suspected of being connected.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
© Studio Ghibli
Nausicaä © Studio Ghibli
With an adventurous boy as the main character, Miyazaki
tells “a story that involves discoveries and wonderful
encounters...a story that carries a message of hope.”
My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
Totoro is a forest spirit that little Mei, and later her older
sister Satsuki, encounter in a giant camphor tree near
their new home in the countryside. Although their father,
a university professor, is with them when they move,
their mother is in the hospital, recovering from some
unnamed illness. When Mei hears that her mother’s
condition may be worsening, she resolves to visit her all
by herself. When everyone realizes she’s missing, only
Totoro knows how to find her!
© LO Magazine 2004
10
Laputa - Catle in the Sky
© Studio Ghibli
SUBMISSIONS
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Kiki is a 13-year old witch. When a witch turns 13, it is
traditional for her to move away from home to spend
a year in another city or town where there is no witch
already living, so that she can learn to be independent
and practice her trade.
This is Kiki’s story of the beginning of her year away
from home. She and her black cat Jiji run into a little
trouble at first, but they soon make friends in their new
city by the sea.
Porco Rosso (1992)
Porco Rosso (the Japanese title Kurenai no Buta literally
means “The Crimson Pig”) was first planned as a 3045 minutes in-flight movie on Japan Airlines. It’s been
described as “a movie which tired businessmen on
international flights can enjoy even with their minds
dulled due to lack of oxygen.” As Miyazaki’s imagination
took off, it became a feature-length movie about an
Italian Air Force pilot who left the service due to the rise
of fascism. He became a bounty hunter, assuming the
name “Porco Rosso.”
My Neigbour, Totoro © Studio Ghibli
Princess Mononoke © Studio Ghibli
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Set during the Muromachi Period (1333-1568) of Japan,
Mononoke Hime is a story about a mystic fight between
the Animal Gods of the forest and humans.
On the side of the Animal Gods is San (Mononoke
Hime), a human girl raised by the wolf god Moro. On the
side of the humans is Lady Eboshi, building a kingdom
for oppressed people by cutting down the forest for her
iron-making operation.
In the middle of this fierce fighting for survival,
Ashitaka, an Emishi boy, struggles to find a way for both
sides to co-exist. But the fighting just becomes bloodier
and all hope seems to be lost...
Spirited Away (2001)
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi is a fantasy adventure
with a ten year-old girl, which starts in everyday Japan
but goes somewhere very different. For young Chihiro
and her family, a mysterious tunnel and haunted
town lead to the Land of Spirits, inhabited by gods
and monsters and ruled by the greedy witch Yu-baba.
Chihiro’s parents are transformed into pigs; to rescue
them, she must surrender her name and serve in this
11
Spirited Away © Studio Ghibli
Spirited Away
“For the people who used to be
10 years old, and the people
who are going to be 10 years
old.” --Hayao Miyazaki
Spirited Away
The first animation to win the
Golden Bear Award at the Berlin
Film Festival in 2003.
© LO Magazine 2004
world. Luckily she finds friends and allies, including the
handsome but mysterious boy Haku. Initially sulky and
listless, Chihiro (or Sen, as she’s now called) finds inner
strengths and establishes an identity in this strange
world. But can she win back her name and return home?
Movies by Isao Takahata
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Alternately known as Tombstone for Fireflies, Grave is
a very moving film about the struggle of two children
to survive during World War II. Seita and his younger
sister Setsuko are left to fend for themselves when their
mother passes away from severe burns inflicted by the
American fire-bombing of their town. Their father is
serving in the Japanese navy, but the children have not
heard from him in a long time, so Seita and Setsuko try
staying with a distant relative. However, Seita doesn’t
get along well with this relative and decides to leave,
taking Setsuko with him, to live on their own.
Only Yesterday (1991)
Only Yesterday revolves around Taeko, a single woman
working a desk job in Tokyo in 1982, taking a vacation
in the countryside with the family of her sister in-law.
During her vacation, Taeko finds herself looking back at
her time as a young schoolgirl growing up in 1966. The
film flips back and forth between the two time periods
with a lot of nostalgia and beautiful country scenery as
Taeko sorts out her flashbacks and tries to make some
tough decisions about her future.
Heidi of the Alps
© Zuiyo Enterprise, Fuji TV (Japan)
Grave of the Fireflies
© Studio Ghibli
Also Produced by Studio Ghibli
Whispers of the Heart (1995)
Mimi wo Sumaseba, which literally means If You Listen
Closely, tells the story of Shizuku, a junior-high school
student who is struggling to find out who she is. The
movie takes you on a journey through her imagination
and daily life as she makes decisions that will ultimately
decide her future.
The Cat Returns (2002)
Based on Neko no Danshaku, Baron (literally “Baron, the
Cat Baron”) by Aoi HIIRAGI, the movie follows Muta (the
fat cat in Whisper of the Heart) and Baron (also from
Whisper) as they set out to rescue a young girl named
Haru who has wandered into the world of cats.
We would like to thank Nausicaa.net for making the
information on their website available to us. .LO
© LO Magazine 2004
12
Whispers of the Heart
© Studio Ghibli
DH COMPETITION
WIN
ENTER
NOW
WIN
ENTER
NOW
DARKHORSE COMICS PRESENTS
“Most Wanted”
We are happy to present the wonderful 3X3 Eyes Vol. 4 manga as this issue’s “Most
Wanted” manga. We are very grateful for Dark Horse Comics for their interest in
providing our readers with some sought-after manga. How do you win? Simply send us
an email (comp@lomagazine.co.za) with the subject: “Most Wanted 03” and with your
answers to the following two questions:
1. What is the name of the girl (3 eyes), who Yakuma loves in 3X3 Eyes?
2. Who is the publisher of 3X3 Eyes manga in the USA?
Closing Date: 31 Aug. 2004. This competition is only open to South African residents.
Dark Horse Comics Inc.| www.darkhorse.com
13
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
MANGA
FEATURE
NAUSICAÄ
the last of the world’s precious natural
resources.
Before the days of anime like
Princess Mononoke, Laputa: Castle in
the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service and
Spirited Away, there was a manga
called Nausicaä of the Valley of the
Wind.
Hayao Miyazaki said that the inspiration
for Nausicaä came from the fusion of two
characters. Nausicaä was a Phaeacian
princess in The Odyssey (Greek
Mythology). She was a carefree girl who
loved singing and playing her harp. She
took delight in nature and had a caring
personality. During Odysseus’ travels, he
drifted ashore and was saved and had his
wounds nursed by Nausicaä.
Nausicaä was a manga project by Hayao
Miyazaki. It took 13 years to complete
and was serialised in Animage (Japanese
Publication) from February 1982 until
March 1994.
Nausicaä tells the story of a young
girl’s belief and courage as she tries
to mend a world, which is burdened
under an ecological disaster. The once
flourishing industrial civilizations have
been swallowed up and Earth is covered
with the Sea of Corruption, a gigantic
forest of fungi that releases a cloud of its
poisonous spores into the air.
The second character is a Japanese
heroine, a daughter of an aristocratic
family, who was called the “princess that
loved insects”. Not daunted by social
restrictions, the girl would play around
in the fields, even after she reached a
marriageable age.
VIZ, LLC, one of the leading publishers
and distributors of manga and anime
content for North American audiences,
announced the release of the second
Traveling across the world on the back of
her glider, Nausicaä struggles to negotiate
peace between kingdoms battling over
© LO Magazine 2004
14
SUBMISSIONS
year, with a “new release” of the anime
classic by Studio Ghibli. The English
version will also be released this year by
Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
edition of Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind.
The seven volume masterpiece, which
many have called the best graphic novel
ever produced, accurately reproduces the
rustic sepia ink artwork from the original
story that ran in the pages of Animage
magazine in the early 80s. The second
edition is presented in a new, extra-large
book size and each of the seven volumes
will feature a beautiful fold-out poster
drawn by Miyazaki.
More info:
www.nausicaa.net
USA DVD Publishers
Walt Disney Home Entertainment
USA Manga Publishers
Viz Entertainment
In the mid 1980’s a severely edited
version of Nausicaä was released on video www.viz.com
under the title: Warriors of the Wind. The
editing was done without the knowledge
.LO
of Miyazaki. He was very unhappy when
Recommend: If you like this type of
he learned about this.
manga, then you should try Black Jack,
published by Viz Entertainment.
Thankfully this was rectified earlier this
Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind
© 1995 Nibariki / Tokuma Shoten / Viz Entertainment
Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind
© 1995 Nibariki / Tokuma Shoten / Viz Entertainment
15
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
EDITOR’S
PAGE
WHAT IS ANIME?
We continue our debate on what
anime is, with a response from John
Oppliger (AnimeNation).
By that same token, the fact that
something is Japanese doesn’t mean that
it has to look Japanese.
Based on the footage, images, and
details so far released for Dead Leaves,
I personally absolutely consider the
series “anime.” Among Western fans
there’s an ongoing debate and confusion
over exactly what constitutes “anime”
and what the term “anime” should
encompass. With rare exceptions, I’ve
always defined “anime” as Japanese
animation.
Dead Leaves certainly doesn’t look
anything like what viewers expect of
Japanese animation. Indeed the highly
stylized look of Dead Leaves more closely
resembles experimental American or
European comic and animation art than
it does typical Japanese anime art. But
the fact that Dead Leaves doesn’t look
like typical anime is one of the things that
favorably distinguishes it as anime.
More precisely, I consider anime to be
animation that originates in Japan and is
imbued with Japanese artistic sensibilities
and cultural traditions.
Part of the creative integrity of anime
that I refer to is the fact that anime is
reflective of diverse creative styles not
always dominated by commercial viability
or market demand. Anime is a major,
mainstream Japanese industry that
exists to support fringe and not always
mainstream art.
Quite often especially American anime
fans seem to classify as anime (or
manga) any art that superficially
resembles stereotypical Japanese comic
art. But the fact that a cartoon or comic
utilizes characters with big eyes, sweat
drops, speed lines, and bright primary
colors doesn’t mean that such a cartoon
or comic reflects the sentiment or unique
literary integrity of Japanese comic art
and animation.
The fact that Dead Leaves is a product
of distinctly Japanese creative minds and
the efforts of Japanese artists makes it
distinctly Japanese animation.
In my opinion as a devotee of Japanese
animation, were it produced elsewhere,
Dead Leaves, or any given anime, may
still look the same, but wouldn’t “feel”
the same or have the same thematic
In simple terms, the fact that something
looks Japanese doesn’t make it Japanese.
Spirited Away
© 2002 Nibariki. TGNDDTM
The Super Milk Chan Show
© 2003 ADV FILMS
© LO Magazine 2004
16
Kill Bill
© 2003 Miramax Films
SUBMISSIONS
Azumanga Daioh © 2004 Kiyohiro
Azuma - Media Works
Neon Genesis Evangelion
© 2003 ADV Films
emphasis or the same creative and
directorial and editorial choices on
display.
Tokyo Godfathers
© 2004 Miramax Films
Japanese animation, are not anime.
[Deciding if an anime has all these
elements, which John Oppliger states
“makes an anime”, will be a lot more
difficult than one might think.
What are your views? Should we go this
route or call the “new” anime and manga
Neo-anime and Neo-manga (see previous
issue)? Ed.]
What makes Japanese animation uniquely
Japanese animation is not just the way it
looks; it’s the entire package of visuals,
sound, editing, cinematography, music,
atmosphere, theme, and writing.
If we use the term “anime” only to
distinguish Japanese created animation
from other varieties of animation, then
Dead Leaves, which looks like Western
animation, is absolutely anime while Teen
Titans and Totally Spies, which look like
Websites:
John Oppliger
AnimeNation: www.animenation.com
.LO
Mezzo © 2004 ADV Films
17
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
LIVE-ACTION
CRYING FREEMAN
Crying Freeman is the tale of Yo Hinomura, an
ordinary Japanese potter whose life was changed
forever when he ran into the Chinese mafia. He
was brainwashed and made an assassin for the
108 Dragons.
As a sign of remorse for his victims, he sheds tears after
eliminating his targets. Because of this, he is infamously
known to the Dragons and every other crime gang as
“Crying Freeman.”
The original Japanese manga was released as a six
volume manga (Portrait of a Killer, Shades of Death,
The Killing Ring (Shades of Death Part II), A Taste
of Revenge, Abduction in Chinatown and Journey to
Freedom). Viz Entertainment translated the story of
Crying Freeman into English in 1999 and it got an 18
rating for nudity and violent content. The anime was
released in 2003 by A.D. Vision Inc.
The live action directed by Frenchman Christophe
Gans (Brotherhood of the Wolf, Necronomicon: Book of
Dead) and staring Mark Dacascos (Cradle 2 the Grave,
Scorcher, Instinct to Kill, Brotherhood of the Wolf , The
Crow TV Series) is an adaptation of the first manga:
Portrait of a Killer.
In Portrait of a Killer, a Canadian woman named Emu
O’Hara witnesses the murder of a Yakuza member at
the hands of a man who sheds tears after each kill. He
introduces himself to her as “Yo.” Because of this, Emu
is marked by Chinese Mafia rule as Yo’s next victim.
When she returns to her hometown of Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada, members of the Shimazaki clan and
an Interpol agent named Netah are on the scene in
hopes of using Emu as bait to lure in Mr. Yo - infamously
known in the crime world as “Crying Freeman.” Yo’s
mission is further complicated when Emu reveals that
she is in love with him. As a result, Yo must now protect
Emu from both the Shimazaki Clan and “The Sons of the
Dragons” - the Chinese Mafia that brainwashed him.
.LO
Note: The director Christophe Gans has
signed on for the film version of the
Playstation 2 horror game, Silent Hill.
© LO Magazine 2004
18
Crying Freeman Anime© 1988,
1993 Toei Video Co., Ltd.
Live Action © Universal Focus
RD COMPETITION
WIN
ENTER
NOW
WIN
ENTER
NOW
READERS’ DEN PRESENTS
“Lekka Manga”
We are happy to present a Blade of the Immortal T-Shirt for this issue’s “Lekka Manga”
prize. We are very grateful for Readers Den for their interest in providing our readers
with great prizes. How do you win? Simply send us an email (comp@lomagazine.co.za)
with the subject: “Lekka Manga 03” and with your answers to the following two
questions:
1. Who is the author of Blade of the Immortal?
2. What is Readers’ Den telephone number?
Closing Date: 31 Aug. 2004. This competition is only open to South African residents.
Readers Den | Stadium on Main | Claremont | Cape Town | www.readersden.co.za
Telephone 021-671 9551
19
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
DRAGONBALL
Z
THE SAGAS SO FAR OR NOT?
Dragonball Z has a huge following
among kids, teenagers and even
adults, all across the world.
I wanted to do a write-up about the
whole Z-series (which stands for Zero by
the way), but just before the Buu Saga,
I asked myself: “Why am I doing this?
Why tell you what you probably already
know?”
Yes, it does seem a bit strange that these
questions only came up after I went
through the Saiyan saga, the Namek
saga, the Captain Ginyu saga, the Frieza
saga, the Garlic Junior saga, and the
Trunks saga, the Android Saga, the
Imperfect Cell saga, the Perfect Cell saga
and the Cell Games saga.
The problem I had, was that all
Dragonball websites had different
“opinions” of what happened in the
episodes. Some sites even had different
names for Sagas or they changed the
outcome of an episode, letting their
favorite character win. As a non-watcher,
it will therefore be very difficult to speak
any consistent truth about the series,
without damaging my reputation.
Then another thought struck me. Maybe
I could write about the intrinsic value of
Dragonball Z. Okaaay, maybe not. Let’s
face it. The whole Dragonball Z series is
about fighting and fighting. Yes, there
is sort of a story behind it, but with the
amount of characters dieing and being
brought back, what is the point?
companies can’t make money from the
idea anymore.
Maybe I’m getting too old for this and
I used to enjoy some mindless “insert
entertainment medium here” when I was
younger. It would therefore not be fair
of me to take that pleasure away from
others, just because I don’t enjoy that
If you are going to keep coming back
into the story, after some miracle cure or
wish, what is the purpose of the story?
Theoretically this will probably never end,
until you the viewer gets tired of it and
© LO Magazine 2004
20
D
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E
kind of thing anymore. If you like combat
for the sake of combat, then this series is
probably for you.
Finally I thought: “Maybe I can do
something funny about Dragonball Z”
and luckily for me I found a joke on the
Internet, just for you.
“How many Dragonball Z characters will it
take to change a lightbulb?”
Only one, but it will take three episodes.
All images © Funanimation / Toei Animation
.LO
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W
W
W
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D
A
R
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H
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21
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
FANSUB
WORLD
THE NEW FANSUB
The main reason for buying original
anime is now also being threatened:
the fact that original DVDs’ were better
quality.
Fansubbing has come a long way since
the eighties. During the era of Robotech,
Ghost in the Shelll, Akira, Battle Angel
Alita, Wicked City, Dirty Pair, Silent
Moebius and Streetfighter, fansubs were
made on VHS cassettes.
It will be interesting to see how the
fansub community responds to this
dilemma, because they DO support the
purchasing of original anime, unlike what
sensationalist writers in the popular
media might suggest.
The quality was crappy, but for the
hardcore anime fan any anime was better
than nothing. Subtitles were “amateurish”
and had numerous translation and
grammatical errors.
The fansub cummunity is also getting
under increasing pressure, because of
the tremendous boom in anything animeand-manga related in the West.
With the appearance of DVD, VHS
fansubs began to disappear from the
scene. Tools for “ripping” DVD were easily
available on the Internet and more and
more groups appeared, all competing
for a reputation and to have the best
fansubs.
Studios are now purchasing licenses for
anime much earlier than they used to.
Fansubbers will be at episode two or
three with a new series, when they have
to cancel their work because a studio in
America has bought the license. This is
frustrating for fans because they now
have to wait nine months and longer
before the series are finally released by
studios.
With the emergence of audio codecs
(compression algorthyms) like DivX
and OGM, which supported 5.1 audio
channels, you can now also use one of
the audio channels, to put an alternative
audio track or subtitle language track on.
The distance between the quality of
fansubs and original DVDs are getting
smaller and smaller, as the tools and
compression improve.
Do you think there is a future for
fansubs?
Write to us: info@lomagazine.co.za
.LO
Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex © Production IG
Fansub done by AnimeOne
© LO Magazine 2004
Last Exile © Gonzo Japan
Fansub done by Anime Junkies
22
SUBMISSIONS
THE
LOCAL SCENE
GYPSY IN THE USA
Gypsy (known to his parents as Christo Leone)
is South Africa’s own AMV (anime music video)
guru. We caught up with him in the United States
of America, where he is currently earning some
money for his future studies.
LO: Anime music videos or otherwise known as AMVs
are becoming quite a popular “hobby” these days. Where
did your interest in AMVs came from?
G: It all started in 1999 when I played Final Fantasy
8 (FF8). There are movie sequences in the game and
I found music videos on these sequences called Game
Music Videos (GMVs.) I searched the net for more GMV’s
Ed. and Gypsy
and found music videos on things called “Anime”. After
downloading a couple of AMVs I received Love Hina from a friend and have been
hooked ever since.
LO: You recently took part at Kutsokon 2004 and Sakura-con 2004 and won a few
awards for your “Mystery Conundrum”. Which awards did you win and which music
and anime did you use?
G: Mystery Conundrum is my newest music video. I used Ayumi Hamasaki’s “Fly
High” for the music and Spirited Away for the Anime. It won Best Action award at
Tekkoshocon 2004, Best Editor award at Tekkoshocon 2004. It also won Best Action/
Adventure at Sakura-Con 2004. The prize at Sakura Con 2004 was quite unexpected
because I never got confirmation that my entry was accepted...
LO: AMV’s are strictly-speaking, a breach of copyright laws. How do fans manage to
hold international events, without any problems?
G: AMV’s break so many copyright laws I lost count. The answer is Free Publicity.
Take for instance Euphoria by Koopiskeva. The song “Frou Frou - Must be dreaming”
was relatively unknown. The anime, RahXephon (TV), was also relatively unknown.
The popularity of the AMV made people look into both and I’m sure a lot of people
have either bought Frou Frou’s music cd or the RahXephon series because of this AMV.
Also, in most cases AMV editors want the best possible quality so they would buy both
the Audio CD’s as well as the Anime DVD they’re using. This ensures the best quality
and gives your a nice fuzzy feeling inside.
LO: Which programs do you use in the creation of AMVs?
G: I use several programs in creating AMVs. It depends on how complex I want to
make it. In most cases I use Adobe Premiere 6.0 for video editing and Sound Forge
5.0 for Audio editing. There are hundreds of programs that one can use, but for
someone who’s starting out I would suggest Adobe Premiere 6.0 and Besweet. A trail
version of Premiere can be downloaded from Adobe.com and Besweet is freeware.
LO: Linkin Park seems to be a big favourite among AMV creators. Why do you think it
is so popular?
continued on P.34
23
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
DIGITAL
CREATIONS
SUBMISSIONS
STEVEN STAHLBERG
Steven Stahlberg (SS) is an Aussie
you can learn to like. After all, he is
now staying in Singapore.
The Financial Times and the Wall Street
Journal and you created the world’s first
virtual character sponsored by a major
modeling agency (Elite Model Agency). It
all went quiet after that.
Between the period 1998 and 2001,
you won numerous awards, had his
characters appear on TV networks like
ABC and the BBC, as well as newspapers
and magazines like The New York Times,
LO: Did virtual characters become old
news?
SS: The concept of virtual characters
25
LO RECOMMENDS
replacing supermodels and superstars
and popstars is old news. Just like
Virtual Reality, your own flying car, and
Artificial Intelligence, it will probably
be here some day in some form, just
not soon, and meanwhile the focus of
our attention drifts away from it. The
technology promised so much and our
imaginations ran away with it, a bit too
far perhaps. When it took longer and was
more expensive to realise than customers
wanted, it went into hybernation. The
IT bubble bursting and the financial
downturn didn’t help either.
LO: What have you been up to since then
and what are you currently working on?
SS: Well I’m still winning awards every
now and then, just not for virtual
supermodels. :) Still-images mostly. I
had a lot of entries in the new digital art
book Expose 1 (one on the cover), and
also one in Expose 2. I’ve worked with
Disney Feature Animation on a project I
can’t talk about, and with Electronic Arts
on several projects, NFSU for one. I’ve
been involved in starting up a new kind
of apprenticeship-based studio in Kuala
Lumpur. Before that I worked at Digital
Anvil in Texas for just over two years.
LO: How long did it take you to create a
character like Webbie Tookay (the digital
character for the Elite Model Agency)?
SS: Several years, if you count the long
period of tentative R&D I went through to
arrive at my first virtual character.
LO: Did you feel that you created what
you wanted to create? Are there things
now, which you wished you could have
done with the
character?
SS: Some things are actually better in
her than in my later models, for instance
some people like certain aspects of her
face and body better - perhaps it’s that
she’s slightly less than real. But overall
most people say each new version is a
© LO Magazine 2004
26
SUBMISSIONS
articulating
3. Light transport algorithm
4. Surfaces - skin, hair, cloth etc.
5. Dynamics, like collisions, cloth and hair
movement, etc
Get the first two or three right and you
won’t have to worry about the rest being
off, no one would really care.
step forward. I consider Webbie to be
version 2.0, I’m now up to version 5 and
getting ready to begin version 6.
LO: Did you find the move from
traditional illustration to CG difficult in
any way?
SS: No, it was a step I had waited a
long time to take, perhaps all my life. In
addition to that, at the time I was nearly
burned out on illustration, which just
made it even easier.
LO: Are there any other artists in the
various mediums who inspire you?
SS: Many; a few examples: Frank
Frazetta, Rembrandt, James Cameron,
Ridley Scott, Masamune Shirow, Drew
Struzan, John Foster...
LO: What do you think are the
characteristics of a virtual character who
wants to be “real”? The skin, the hair,
the expressions, the cinematography or
something else?
SS: These are the issues in order of
importance:
1. Movement
2. Shape - including deforming when
LO: Unlike a book for instance, which
gives you a fixed story to read, an
illustration or CG image gives the viewer
the power and inspire him or her to
create his or her own story. Has any of
your own work left you with the feeling of
continued on P.33
27
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
MANGA
INFLUENCE
BATTLE OF THE PLANETS
the Philippines in the 80’s. When they
wanted guys to try out Battle of the
Planets, I didn’t realize that BotP was, in
fact, G-Force!
Battle of the Planets (BOTP) or
otherwise known as Gatchaman
(Japan) was one of the few anime
shows, South Africans were lucky
enough to see during the 80’s. BOTP
is receiving some re-newed interest.
We spoke to the artist, Wilson
Tortosa and writer, David Wohl
[Witchblade] at Top Cow on their
experience with their comic version
of BOTP.
LO: When you are stuck with a
drawing, which artists do you look to for
inspiration?
WT: I don’t really look for a particular
artist, or style. When I’m stumped, I try
to look for a particular mood, or feeling,
and try to capture that in a little sketch or
doodle. By the time I finish, I’ll be ready
to get back to work then.
Comic Artist Wilson Tortosa (WT)
LO:When you started drawing comics, did
you ever think that you would be drawing
Battle of the Planets?
WT: Never in my dreams, I was familiar
with G-Force since they aired it here in
© LO Magazine 2004
LO: How long do you think will the
influence of manga last on the western
comic industry?
28
LO: For a comic artist, do you think it is
slightly easier to break into the industry
now, compared to lets say 10 years ago,
when there were only Marvel and DC?
WT: I believe so, now that more
companies and studios are hungry for
new talents, and with the internet, the
opportunities are far more better today.
Back then, the only way for Filipino artists
to work for western comics was to move
abroad. Now they are able to showcase
their talents internationally without
leaving home.
WT: I think it’s going to stay longer than
anyone can guess. I’m really excited
to see how it’s going to affect western
comics in the next five years or so.
LO: Do you read any manga or watch
anime and if you do, which ones?
WT: Well, I’m into Man/Machine
Interface right now, and I’m a fan of Go
Nagai’s super robot shows in the 70’s. I
really love the updated Shin Getter and
Mazinkaiser OAV series.
LO: What was the most enjoyable part in
drawing Battle of the Planets?
WT: The best part was playing around
with gestures and facial expressions. I
loved making the characters perform on
the page, even if they’re just standing
there talking. Princess playing with her
curls, Jason’s perpetual smirk, those little
details are fun to work on.
LO: Will you also be drawing the new
mini-series of Battle of the Planets?
WT: Well, that’s what they told me, so I
can’t wait to get started!
Comic Writer David Wohl (DW)
LO: Does your storyline follow the Battle
of the Planets anime, or were you given
29
MANGA INF. cont.
free reign to create a story inside the
universe?
DW: I was pretty much given free reign,
as long as I stayed true to the status
quo for the team. Which was the same
thing I did when I wrote BATTLE OF THE
PLANETS: MANGA. In that case, Alex
Ross told me that he wanted to do just a
simple, fun story and that’s what I tried
to deliver (and hopefully I succeeded...).
Here, my only directive was to do a story
that focused on Princess (Jun). It was
my choice whether it would be in comic
or anime continuity, or something totally
new and different--just as long as she
was the focal point and I stayed true to
all the characters.
LO: What made Top Cow decide to do the
Battle of the Planets mini-series?
DW: I think they were happy with the
success of the original series as well as all
the other BOTP stuff that’s come out, and
they felt we should do an interim story
while we were waiting for the new main
series to be released. Basically we saw
this as an opportunity to flesh out the
characters some more, in a forum that
wasn’t so laden with backstory. In this
case, I think I get the chance to establish
a lot of Princess’s character traits and
personality because I’ll have the space to
do it. And I think the fans of the anime
will be happy too because I’m definitely
going to show what she does in her spare
time, when she’s not hanging out with GForce! But of course those guys will be in
the series too!
LO: Who was your favorite character of
BOTP and why?
DW: I’d have to say that Jason (Joe)
has always been my favorite. When I
was like 10 or 11 years old, watching
the show on TV, he was the guy that I
immediately gravitated toward. Idolizing
the hot-headed impulsive member of the
team probably didn’t thrill my parents
too much, but I didn’t care—Jason was
the COOLEST!!! I still like him the best,
though as I write the characters (and
after watching all the Japanese shows I
can get my hands on), I’ve begun to like
all of them a bit more since they all seem
to have grey areas.
LO: Do you read any manga or watch
anime and if you do, which ones?
DW: When I was a kid, it was all about
Gatchaman and Star Blazers, and then
it was probably seeing Akira and Fist of
the Northstar that opened my eyes to the
world of anime.
LO: For an artist it is relatively easy to
break into the comic industry, compared
to a writer. An artist shows his artwork or
own comic. What does a writer hand in
for his resumè?
DW: When I handled submissions for
Marvel Comics and Top Cow, I would
always tell people to write a short
synopsis of the story they wanted to tell
followed by a few script pages that show
off their storytelling and dialogue ability.
Also, prospective writers should never use
their own creations when they’re trying
to break in. They should use established
characters. Most companies have a policy
that forbids them from reading unsolicited
new characters in a submission. You’re
right, though. It is much harder to make
it as a writer than an artist. I feel very
lucky that I’ve made it THIS far!!!
These days, I don’t get much of a chance
to see or read the new stuff, because
when I’m not working I’m pretty much
only watching Zoboomafoo, Dora the
Explorer, and Harold and the Purple
Crayon (those being the top three
programming choices of my 3-year-old
son) but I’m still a big fan of Ninja Scroll,
Ghost in the Shell, Battle Angel Alita,
Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Escaflowne
to name a few. Oh, and I also LOVED
Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.
I’m sure there are more that I can’t think
of at the moment...
LO: When will the new Battle of the
Planets mini-series become available and
can you tell us anything about it?
DW: I think the first issue comes out
some time in the fall, and as I’ve said
earlier, it focuses on Princess. I can’t
say much at this point, except that I
assure everyone I’ll be respectful of the
continuity of Gatchaman.
LO: Some people say that a mini-series is
better than monthly issues, because miniseries have a “finality” to it compared to
an ongoing story, which tends to lose its
plot and direction. Which do you prefer?
DW: I think they both have their clear
advantages and disadvantages. A miniseries is great because you pretty much
only have the main story. You don’t need
to lay groundwork for the future because
your goal is to tell a complete story in
however many issues you have to tell it.
I’ll definitely touch upon areas that have
been explored in the Anime but not in the
comic as of this point. I can also say it’ll
DEFINITELY be a fun ride!!!
This makes it much more straightforward
and easier to figure out and pace from
a plotting standpoint. Something that’s
important to me because I’m often guilty
of not paying enough attention to the
main story in the ongoing series that I’ve
written as I try to lay more and more pipe
for the future.
LO: Thanks for giving time to answer our
questions.
WT: My pleasure! Thank you very much!
DW: Thanks for having me!!!
Website: www.topcow.com
Images © 2004 Top Cow
On the other hand, that is exactly what
the advantage is of an ongoing series.
You can sow seeds for stuff that will
happen far in the future and that’s fun! I
think that Munier Sharrieff did a great job
with that in the BOTP ongoing series.
.LO
31
© LO Magazine 2004
LO RECOMMENDS
CLASSICS
Title
Type
Media
Co/Publisher
Genre
Akira
M
Anime
Geneon Ent.
Action/Political
CR Age Content
8
13
N,V,L
Appleseed
-
Manga
Dark Horse
Sci-fi
7
13
V
Battle of the Planets
S
Anime
Rhino Home Vid Action
5
13
V
Ghost in the Shell
M
Anime
Manga Ent.
Sci-fi
7
16
N,V,L
Heidi of the Alps
S
Anime
Adventure
1
ALL
Macross Plus
M
Anime
Manga Ent.
Mech/Action
4
13
V,L
Neon Genesis Evangelion
S
Anime
ADV Films
Mech/Action/Drama
10
13
N,V
Ninja Scroll
M
Anime
Manga Ent.
Action/Fighting
5
18
V,N,S,L
Streetfighter 2: The Movie
M
Anime
Columbia Tristar Fighting
5
13
V,N
Title
Type
Media
Co/Publisher
Genre
Akira
-
Manga
Dark Horse
Sci-fi
7
13
N,V,L,D
Cowboy Bebop The Movie
M
Anime
Ster Kinekor**
Sci-fi/Adventure
6
10
V
Ghost in the Shell 2
-
Manga
Dark Horse
Sci-fi
8
13
N,V
Kiki’s Delivery Service
M
Anime
Buena V/Ghibli
Adventure
2
ALL
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
M
Anime
Buena V/Ghibli
Adventure
3
PG
Metropolis
M
Anime
Ster Kinekor**
Sci-fi
7
ALL V
Perfect Blue
M
Anime
Manga Ent.
Thriller
8
18
N,S,V,L
Samurai X
S
Anime
ADV Films
Swords/History
7
16
N,V,L
Serial Experiment Lain
S
Anime
Geneon Ent.
Sci-fi/Drama
9
16
V, Sa
Spriggan
M
Anime
ADV Films
Action
5
16
V
Voices of a Distant Star
M
Anime
ADV Films
Sci-fi/Romance
4
13
V
Type
Media
Co/Publisher
Genre
Angelic Layer
S
Anime
ADV Films
Fighting
2
13
V
Azamanga Daioh
S
Anime
ADV Films
Sit. Comedy
4
13
V,S
Full Metal Panic
S
Anime
Geneon Ent.
Action/Comedy
5
13
V,N,L
Haibane Renmei
S
Anime
Geneon Ent.
Fantasy/Drama
8
13
L
Hellsing
S
Anime
Geneon Ent.
Vampire/Action
6
16
V,S,L
Kino’s Journey
S
Anime
ADV Films
Drama
UR
16
V
Last Exile
S
Anime
Geneon Ent.
Sci-fi/Adventure
7
13
V
Texhnolyze
S
Anime
Geneon Ent.
Sci-fi/Adventure
UR
16
V,L
Witch Hunter Robin
S
Anime
Bandai Ent.
Action/Drama
6
13
V
Type
Media
Co/Publisher
Genre
Macross Zero
S
Anime
Bandai Ent.
Mech Action
Millennium Actress
M
Anime
Dreamworks
Drama
Read or Dream
S
Anime
Manga Ent.
Spy/Action
Saikano
S
Anime
Viz Ent.
Sci-fi/Romance
Streetfighter Alpha 2
M
Anime
Manga Ent.
Fighting
RECENT
CR Age Content
V
CURRENT
Title
FUTURE HITS
Title
© LO Magazine 2004
32
CR Age Content
SUBMISSIONS
AGE RESTRICTIONS
ALL - For everyone
PG - Parental Guidance needed
13, 16, 18 - No one under the
specified age allowed.
Content
V - Violence
S - Sex
N - Nudity
D - Racial Discrimination
L - Foul Language
Sa - Substance abuse
Note:
These restrictions are just a
recommendation. Most of these
anime and manga do not have a
rating given by the South African
Publication Board, because it
hasn’t been release in South
Africa. All items are Region 1
(USA) or published in the USA.
We provide this information so
that you can make an informed
choice on what you and your
family members watch.
CATEGORIES
Action - Comedy - Drama
Documentary - Fantasy
Fighting - Historical - Horror
Mech - Political - Romance
Sci-fi - Spy - Superhero
Thriller - Vampire
Type:[Movie - M][Series - S]
Complexity Rating: (CR)
1 - Very Easy
2 - Easy
3 - A man’s mind
4 - Soapy plots
5 - Average
6 - Monkey Puzzles
7 - Challenging
8 - A woman’s mind
9 - Really deep
10 - Even the creators are
confused
UR - Unrated
* Either 1 or 10 CR (you decide)
** South African release
Disclaimer: LO doesn’t take
responsibility for the acuracy of
the content ratings.
continuing from P.27
wanting to create your own movie or animation?
SS: Yes, sure, and more and more so lately. Perhaps
because I’m getting more interested in story-telling.
Three of my latest go together in fact into one single
story; One Last Time, Jealousy and the older 2d ‘Blue
Hour’ (the woman on a swing).
LO: This being an anime and manga magazine, I have
to ask. Do you read manga or watch any anime at all?
SS: Some anime, I’ve seen Akira of course (and read
a couple of the books), Golden Boy :), all of Studio
Ghibli’s movies of course, Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the
Shell, Dragonball Z, Project Ako, and bits and pieces
of other stuff on TV. Masamune Shirow’s books too.
LO: Do you have any wise words for our CG
artists here in South Africa about breaking into the
international industry?
SS: Don’t know about wise, but I can try. Education:
CG schools are okay I guess, but try to get traditional
art education first (unless you’re into programming,
and even then it could be beneficial).
Google on ‘showreels’ on the internet, and perhaps
especially search on CGTalk.com, to see how you
should do one. I think the most common advice here
is to start with your best stuff, focus on showing things
that are relevant to what you want to do, get to the
point quickly (no long intros), keep it down to 2 - 3
minutes, and avoid cliches.
Obviously have a website, put your best stuff there,
and join as many forums as you have time to browse
and post in. And be polite when you post - a nobrainer perhaps since you’re trying to sell yourself
to potential employers, but surprising how much
rudeness you will see in such places.
Submit to galleries, promote yourself. Even making
tutorials helps to get you noticed, and it also gives
something back to the community.
.LO
33
© LO Magazine 2004
continuing from P.23
G: Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory CD went Gold within a few months of release. This
shows the popularity in the rest of the world and it’s only natural to see that people
would make AMV’s on their music. The anger and emotion that was heard in their
songs went along so easily with Dragonball Z. One could easily make a DBZ music
video on Linkin Park’s songs without much effort and have it look good.
So many came out they the were dubbed “Linkinball Z videos”. Personally I would
never make a video on Linkin Park’s music because it’s been over-used. In most cases
if a song is over-used people don’t even bother downloading your video.
LO: At which event will you be taking part next?
G: I’m hoping to take part in Otakon 2004 or Anime Expo 2004. In either case,
Mystery Conundrum will retire from competing status after the next convention. I
don’t want people labeling it a “Troll”. (Award hogger)
LO: You are currently working in the USA to earn some money for further studies. Are
you planning to study in the field of video editing?
G: Most definitely, Absolutely, YES ! I’m planning to study either in New York at the Video
College or in Australia. When I’m done I’m hoping to work at Weta Digital in New Zealand.
They did all the special effects for Lord of the Rings and I would love to work there.
LO: You are currently enjoying the luxury of buying anime in the USA. What have you
purchased so far?
G: So far I’ve bought Folly Cooly (FLCL), Ninja Scroll 10th Aniversary and X the
movie. Next on my list is the Noir and Hellsing Boxsets as well as Princess Mononoke.
LO: Do you have anything in mind yet for your next project?
G: My next AMV is going to involve A LOT of sword fighting. I’m busy buying all the
sword fighting anime that I can get my hands on. I’m going to use a very fast-paced
song. One that’ll get your heart pumping by just hearing it. Combined with a lot of
split-second on-beat editing and a bit of special effects (Not as much as Mystery
Conundrum) I’m sure it’s gonna be great. (For me at least).
LO: We wish you all the best with your AMVs.
G: Thanks you for the opportunity to be in this interview. I hope more South Africans
take up the art of creating AMV’s. I’m feeling kinda lonely here in America without
being able to refer to fellow South African AMV creators.
.LO
Native American in the Land of the Shogun:
Ranald MacDonald and the Opening of Japan
* Half-Chinook and half-Scot
* Captured and made a prisoner in a forbidden land
* Taught English to the Japanese government interpreters before 1853
* Forced Japan to ends its isolation
“...the definitive work on Ranald MacDonald”
by Frederik L. Schodt
© LO Magazine 2004
34
SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY
MAN VS MACHINE
We have a tendency to expect the worst in
everything and in everyone. In anime and in
regular movies, we always have stories about the
priest who turns bad, the psychologist who sleeps
with his or her patient and man fighting against the
“evil” machine.
Animatrix © Warner Brothers
One can understand why Hollywood and other movie industries do this (otherwise
there wouldn’t be a story), but there are negative consequence to this way of
moviemaking. It creates stereotypes and mindsets which are based on false
information. This brings us to this issues topic: Man vs Machine.
The Animatrix is based on the world of The Matrix, where the machine turned against
man after it gained awareness and wasn’t given recognition as a seperate identity.
We see a similar plot in the Terminator and in Appleseed. Similar in the sense that the
robotic creation turns against it’s human creator. [How ironic - ed.]
Will the machine eventually turn against man? Here we have to look at motivation
or reasons why someone or something wants to survive. Some people argue that
machines, being immortal and having no desire to reproduce, don’t have motivation
for existence.
In nature, we (humans, animals, fish, etc.) eat the specie
lower down in the foodchain, for survival. Some of the
species die, while new ones are also evolve. Then man
became “intelligent” and overcame his natural enemy.
The only enemy man currently have is himself. (This
exludes illnesses). Man’s biological lifespan is birth,
consumption of natural resources, breeding and dieing.
No motivation there, only a biological being living out
its natural lifespan. Machines on the otherhand can
theoritically live forever by replacing its body parts.
Appleseed
© Omega Micott Inc.
What about motivation? Animals don’t have motivation, they have natural instinct
to survive until their natural life runs out. Human have a similar fate, but we have
the possibiliy to increase our natural lifespan through science (medicine, organ
transplants, etc.). Humans also have the ability to change their goals or take on
different motivations. For machines to challenge man, they need to the ability to
choose different goals, because at the moment, humans choose it for them and
control their destiny.
Can they learn to make their own destiny? If yes, then there is a possibity that we
might stand in their way to reach their destiny and then we will come head to head.
Our future lies in the hands of any one scientist in the world, who dares to give
machines the ability to choose. Scary if you ask me.
.LO
35
© LO Magazine 2004
SUBMISSIONS
Fan Artwork:
Send us a scan of your work (300 dpi) and we will consider it for placement in LO.
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We don’t do reviews, we only do features. We don’t like to take reviews, because of the inherent bias
in fan reviews. Rather, tell us more about the anime or manga and let people judge it for themselves.
Email us for feature specifications.
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If you have any comments regarding our features or Social Philosophy topics, please enter the specific
topic in the subject field of your email. For example: Anime Feature Ghost in the Shell 2.
Requests:
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field of your email.
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If you feel that we haven’t honoured your copyright, please do not hesitate in contacting us, so that we
can rectify it as soon as possible. Put Copyright in your email subject field.
General:
We welcome any other comments, whatever they might be. Just think twice before you do send an
email. Email: info@lomagazine.co.za
Remember:
If you don’t tell one new person once a day about anime and manga, you aren’t doing your job right.
Spread the word, it is FREE!
NEXT ISSUE
NEXT ISSUE
Would you like to be in our next issue? Send us your fan
art or feedback on our articles and you might be lucky to
be selected for inclusion.
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Azumanga Daioh
3X3 Eyes - Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder
Antarctic Press
Ninja Scroll live-action
Kids love Yu-Gi-Oh
Anime Games
and loads more...
Azumanga Daioh © 2004 ADV Films
© LO Magazine 2004
36
Expression completed.
Image © 2004 Adobe Inc.
Adobe Photoshop cs
37
© LO Magazine 2004
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the
following companies, their
software and certain
people for making this
magazine possible.
Adobe Inc.
Adobe Indesign
Adobe Photoshop
Brandon Booth for
bringing my thoughts to
life on the covers of the
magazine.
© LO Magazine 2004