This is the third list of some of the more interesting anime items that I
have found at both BOOKS NIPPAN and WYVERN WEB GRAPHICS. This listing
also contains some of my thoughts and information about the items. This
will be helpful for those of you who are thinking about getting some of
these items, but have no idea of what they are like.
There are no prices listed here since this is not a catalog (due to
CompuServe advertising policy). Also, even though I have found these
items at Books Nippan and Wyvern Web Graphics, there are also several good
Japanese book and record stores in most major cities that may also stock
some of these items listed here.
By the way, here are the addresses of two of the best sources for
Japanamation (Anime) stuff in the US:
WYVERN WEB GRAPHICS
P.O. BOX 560805
ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32856
BOOKS NIPPAN ANIMATION FAN CLUB
1123 DOMINGUEZ STREET, UNIT K,
CARSON, CALIFORNIA 90746
Please send any questions or comments to my E-mail address 75156,1067 or
post me, Tom Mitchell, a message here in the forum.
This month I would like to thank all the folks who wrote me in response to
the first two issues of ANIME STUFF. It was nice to hear from you, and I
will continue these things as long as I know there are folks interested in
reading this STUFF.
First off, here is a letter I received from Mikel Hess. It is crammed full
of useful information on some anime BGM soundtracks...
EasyPlex
Date: 22-Feb-87 13:56 EST
From: Mikel Hess [71470,1016]
Subj: Stuff2
Tom----
I have some information you may wish to share. First
about Japanese movie soundtracks, I have yet to find one that
contains vocal music. For an example, Urusei Yatsura (Lum)-
"Only You" contains the songs "Darling" and "Honey", but both
songs are instrumental on the sound tracks.
For those who collect Urusei Yatsura (Lum) stuff, I
recommend the record "Urusei Yatsura - Hit Parade". I don't
know if it is available on CD or not. I will let you know
later. This album contains vocal songs from the series
(for those of us who have seen them) and the first movie.
For the Sennen Jo (Queen Millennia) fan, I highly
recommend the "Symphonic Suite Queen Millennia". It has the
best recording of "Angel Queen" that I have ever heard.
Fans of Galaxy Express 999 will be interested to know
that a copy of the song "Siyonara" from the 3rd movie can be
found on the album "Animation". This album also contains the
Yamato theme song, Angel Queen (by a different artist), the
Captain Harlock TV series theme song, and "I Remember" from
Crusher Joe.
I mostly collect the artwork, so I can recommend
some translated material. "Little Women" from Harmony Gold
and Toei Enterprises is good with few discrepancies. Family
Home Entertainment is marketing several Anime translations.
Well, that is all for now.
---Mikel
===============
COMPACT DISCS:
SOUTHERN CROSS BEST COLLECTION (ANIMAGE RECORDS 27ATC-120-1)
Well after a long time searching, I have finely found the music from
the Southern Cross TV show...my personal favorite TV BGM...on Compact
Disc. This would not have happened if it were not for the great folks at
Wyvern Web Graphics, and their search service (all Books Nippan would say
was "We must have an item number" or "We have no idea"...Geez).
As for my feelings about this excellent collection of Rock/Pop/Jazz
BGM, please refer back to the review of it in ANIME STUFF 1.
And yes, the plagiarized Peter Gabriel tunes are still here. The Best
Collection comes on a two CD set, and features all the music contained in
Southern Cross BGM Volumes 1 & 2 that appear on LP.
ARION BGM
This CD is the original soundtrack to the film ARION. The music is
written by Jo Hisaishi, the BGM master who has done the soundtrack music
for many other excellent films such as LAPUTA, and NAUSICAA. As always,
his music here features a fantastic high-tech blend of synthesizers, drum
machines, full orchestra, and solo string instruments.
His use of exotic percussion percussion instruments and moody harp
solos really ad to the ancient feel of the film. The percussion heavy
action-segment music will set your woofers a-pounding...all in all, this
gets my vote for best original soundtrack album for 1986. If there had been
Rock or New Age music in Ancient Greece...it would have sounded like this.
VAMPIRE HUNTER D - Original Soundtrack Music
Music by the popular Japanese rock group TM-Network. Very moody, dark
and brooding high-tech synthesizer and full orchestra music...sort of in
the tradition of Tangerine Dream. A perfect blend of aural moods for a
horror/adventure movie about a Vampire Hunter in the far future. Highly
recommended. Great piano solo on the last track, by the way.
BOOKS:
THE ART OF ARION
Another incredibly lavish and detailed large format soft-cover
edition in the continuing ART OF series of books from the Editorial Staff
of Animage Magazine. Large and glossy and printed on the finest paper, THE
ART OF series is THE best on-going set of books issued on anime films.
My only complaint is that I wish these things would be issued in
hardcover...oh, well...
Anyway, like all the other books in the series, THE ART OF ARION
features tons of color stills from the film, tons of character design
sketches and full color scene paintings...
This edition features some special surprises...pictures of scenes cut
from the film...and a complete copy of the fifth draft of the movie script
in Japanese.
If you are a big fan of the movie, this book is a must have!
THE ART OF LAPUTA
Another incredibly lavish and detailed large format soft-cover
edition in the continuing ART OF series of books from the Editorial Staff
of Animage Magazine. Large and glossy and printed on the finest paper, THE
ART OF series is THE best on-going set of books issued on anime films.
My only complaint is that I wish these things would be issued in
hardcover...oh, well...
Anyway, like all the other books in the series, THE ART OF LAPUTA
features tons of color stills from the film, tons of character design
sketches and full color scene paintings...
If you are a big fan of the movie, this book is a must have!
(...OK, so I got lazy...give me a break!)
ROMAN ALBUM DELUXE #66 - ARION
The ROMAN ALBUM series of anime art books has also been a great
publication for anime collectors. No. 66 features art from the movie
ARION. Even though this publication does not feature the lavish treatment
that THE ART OF series devotes to the anime films and TV shows that it
features in terms of print quality and graphic design, the ROMAN ALBUM
series is still a fantastic publication by American standards. And if you
are on a budget, the ROMAN ALBUMS are a lot less expensive then the ART OF
books, and offer much of the same coverage in terms of film scenes, and
character design examples.
This ARION volume provides excellent coverage of best scenes from
the movie, and a very good collection of character design sketches.
As a bonus, it also features a nice fold-out poster of Lesfeena by YAS.
Another good reason for owning this volume is the interesting manga
section at the end which is a week by week chronicle of the problems of
making a movie like ARION. It provides an interesting perspective from the
anime artist's and director's point of view.
MANGA! MANGA! THE WORLD OF JAPANESE COMICS by Frederik L. Schodt.
Published by Kodansha International
This book is probably the only book published in English that deals
with the social phenomenon of comics (called manga) in Japan. So, it's
also good that it happens to be a great book!
Mr. Schodt's book takes us on a tour of Japanese comic art from
ancient times, through WW2 and up to the present. For the anime fan, this
is an important work since most anime starts as manga. This book will shed
some light as to why anime is so popular in Japan, as opposed to other
parts of the world.
AREA 88 DELUXE
This book is probably the best book that I have seen available on
the AREA 88 original video's. This beautiful 8.5" X 11" book contains tons
of fantastic full page pictures of the characters and mecha of AREA
88...it's also a great way to learn about the planes.
The book also features articles and interviews about both the
creation of the original video's and the manga on which the show is based.
A large part of the book focuses on Kaoru Shintani, the creator of
AREA 88, and his artwork. Several pages of the book are dedicated to
showing examples of his fantastic mecha watercolor designs. Stunning
and beautiful in their draftsmanship.
As and added bonus, the book comes with a poster showing all the many
types of fighter planes flown in AREA 88, and a book mark made out of a
strip of 35mm film with pictures of some of the characters and mecha.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for fans of the show.
GOLGO 13 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
Duke Togo now speaks English...when he speaks at all. Yes, English
translations of GOLGO-13, the popular Japanese manga series about a
professional assassin who is as cold as ice and has nerves of steal...and
penetrating emotionless eyes, are now available through Books Nippan. 3
volumes are out at the moment.
What I want to know is if Duke Togo and James Bond were out to kill
each other, who would win?
WHERE TO GET GOOD TEXT BOOKS ON JAPANESE
Many folks who get into anime invariably become interested in the
Japanese language. After all, learning Japanese would be a big help in
this hobby, wouldn't it? But most people I have talked to who say they
want to learn the language, don't have the time or classes available to
learn. So, they must resort to self study...and of course the next
question is "Where can I find good text books on Japanese?"
Well, I have been taking Japanese at school for about 3 months now,
and I have found some great sources for text books. Most of them are even
better than the ones provided by the University I go to. Here is a list of
recommended titles...you should be able to get most of these through any
good book store but I will list the publishers names just in case you have
to order them on your own...
From the Yale University Press:
READING JAPANESE: This is an EXCELLENT work book for the study of
KATAKANA, HIRAGANA, and KANZI...the three systems of Japanese text.
From Kodansha International (10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022):
JAPANESE FOR BUSY PEOPLE : THE best beginning Japanese book that I
have ever seen! This book is highly regarded as a first book on the
language. No baby talk...this gets right into the learning of
conversational Japanese the way Japanese speak it, not the way most
students learn it.
JAPANESE FOR BUSY PEOPLE : Language cassettes for the book of the
same title...not necessary to have for the book, but these tapes with the
book will provide a very effective self-study course.
LETS LEARN KATAKANA : The title says it all. Very well done.
LETS LEARN HIRAGANA : Again, the title says it all.
Even if you don't plan to really learn the language, at least think
about learning to read some Japanese...I recommend starting with Katakana
then Hiragana...it is MUCH easier than you might think. Now Kanzi is
another matter...
