Monthly Archives: December 2012

The Rose of Versailles Debuts On Viki Today!

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So normally I don’t talk about anime much, but am making an exception for this. Everyone should watch it. Yes, even you. Here’s the initial press release that came out before NYCC.

Viki Signs Exclusive Deal to Stream Revolutionary Anime Series The Rose of Versailles for the First Time in North America

Ground-Breaking Title by TMS Entertainment LTD to Premiere at New York Comic Con 2012, Streamed on Viki.com Starting December

Viki, Inc., the global TV site powered by avid fans, today announced an exclusive deal with Right Stuf, Inc. to stream The Rose of Versailles, a legendary anime title produced over 30 years ago by TMS Entertainment LTD, based on the manga comic created by Riyoko Ikeda, one of the most well-known manga artists in the world, partly for her progressive characters. A sneak peek of the first episode, subtitled in English, will premiere at the New York Comic Con on October 13 with Anime News Network and anime expert and Tufts University Professor Susan Napier.

This is the first time TMS Entertainment LTD has allowed the series to be released outside of Japan, Asia and Europe and made available for English-speaking audiences in the U.S. and Canada. The 40-episode series will begin streaming on Viki in December with English subtitles. Viki launched its anime channel in March and now has over 100 anime titles from Japan’s largest licensors.

“Many companies have tried unsuccessfully for years to bring The Rose of Versailles to North America,” said Razmig Hovaghimian, Viki CEO and Co-Founder. “We’re honored TMS has entrusted Right Stuf and Viki to bring a true Japanese treasure to our fans.”

The screening will be hosted by Professor Napier, a specialist in modern anime literature and Professor of the Japanese Program at Tufts University. She is author of the groundbreaking book “Anime from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle,” which analyzes sexuality, transgender protagonists, and femininity and masculinity in manga and anime characters.

“When Rose of Versailles burst on the scene in 1972, it was a revolutionary work in many ways,” said Professor Napier. “First of all, it really WAS a work about revolution — the French Revolution of 1789, to be exact — and its historical setting, psychological complexity and adult themes all signaled a new direction in the genre of manga for young girls, known as ‘shojo manga.’”

Even more “revolutionary,” however, was the introduction of a major cross-dressing character, the young woman named Oscar, who befriends and guides the hapless Marie Antoinette as the world churns around her. While much of “Versailles” is historically accurate, Oscar is Ikeda’s own invention, a passionate young woman who dresses and often behaves like a man. Oscar quickly became the series’ most popular protagonist and her gender-bending role not only gave young female readers a new approach to gender and sexuality but also paved the way for the many other gender-ambiguous characters who continue to populate the world of anime today.

“I’m excited that we can work with an innovator like Viki for the online premiere of our production of The Rose of Versailles,” said Shawne Kleckner, President and CEO, Right Stuf, Inc. “Viki’s audience is a great fit for this property, and we look forward to the upcoming broadcast.”

About Viki
Viki is a global TV site with over 12 million monthly viewers who come to watch their favorite TV shows, movies and other premium content, translated into more than 150 languages by a community of avid fans. With over 1 billion videos viewed and nearly 250 million words translated, Viki uniquely brings global prime-time entertainment to new audiences and unlocks new markets and revenue opportunities for content owners. In 2011, Viki announced $20M in Series B funding from strategic investors include BBC Worldwide and SK Planet, a subsidiary of SK Telecom; as well as from existing investors Greylock Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Charles River Ventures and Neoteny Labs, among others.

ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC.
Currently celebrating its 25th year in business, Right Stuf, Inc. was one of the first players in the U.S. Japanese Animation (“anime”) industry, as both an anime producer/distributor and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at RightStuf.com and a variety of media including podcasts and special publications. Its video and print publishing division includes the Nozomi Entertainment, Lucky Penny, and 5 Points Pictures studio-labels. Right Stuf plans to begin releasing The Rose of Versailles on DVD in Spring 2013.

ABOUT TMS ENTERTAINMENT, LTD.
TMS Entertainment, Ltd. (better known as TMS), one of the world’s largest and most distinguished animation studios, has rapidly won recognition from the international filmmaking community for its highly acclaimed animation, pioneering techniques and proud commitment to quality. With its headquarters situated in Tokyo under the supervision of the world’s dedicated team of top development, production and design executives, TMS’s growing reputation is reflected by the versatility, artistry and originality of the remarkable volume of programs the company has produced for the international markets worldwide. Established in the year 1964, TMS has produced more than 100 features, and over 100 TV programming series, in total of 8,000 half hours, for global distribution. TMS also proceeds restoration projects of the titles to keep its highest quality for next generation. TMS is proud to uphold our tradition of presenting to you unforgettable images from the finest animation produced anywhere in the world. TMS’s programs have attained the worldwide recognition and we continue to strive for excellence and lead the animation world throughout the century.

The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Vol. 13

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By Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki. Released in Japan as “Kurosagi Shitai Takuhaibin” by Kadokawa Shoten, serialization ongoing in the magazine Young Ace. Released in North America by Dark Horse.

I am pleased to report that this volume of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service has exactly what its readers look for each time around. There’s lots of grotesque set pieces which allow the artist to display a flair for horrible imagery. There’s wry and witty commentary between smart people. There’s genuine mystery, with our heroes being clever, and a nice use of synaesthesia as a plot point. And there’s copious endnotes from editor Carl Horn, explaining things like Karatsu’s Space Battleship Yamato reference and who Terry and Dory Funk are.

That said, there is one other development that not only surprised me but irritated me a bit. Not because of what the revelation was – yes, it sinks one of my ships, but given that this isn’t a harem manga I can deal – but because of its offhand nature. I am reminded of an earlier volume, when we saw a storyline end with Karatsu set on fire and an intense cliffhanger. Come the next chapter… and we’ve moved on, with nothing ever getting resolved. Here we see Sasaki and Karatsu get back from the Okinawa trip mentioned in the last volume, and for the most part it’s the same thing, except for that revelation. Which is laid out more to explain the deus ex machina of the story rather than for any dramatic tension. I do hope we eventually come back to it.

With all that said, it is an intriguing revelation, and also leads to some misdirection and amusement when we see Sasaki being sick and think it may be due to other reasons. Sadly, nothing quite so pleasant – it’s just the joys of being a woman. (KCDS is as blunt and matter-of-fact when dealing with periods as it is when dealing with corpses.) Sasaki also gets more to do than usual here, as she’s the focus of the 2nd case in the book, involving a jury trail where a man has already admitted his guilt. The jury system is still fairly new in Japan, and Carl’s notes help to lay out how it’s different from the U.S. The use of auras and synaesthesia manage to give it both a fantasy and realistic feeling, and the murder victims are both quite sympathetic.

Lastly, there were clearly not enough shots of nude women in peril in the series recently, so the final story more than makes up for that, combining a look at land redevelopment and harvest rituals with a good old fashioned psycho who likes to chop up young women. Luckily, the ‘karmic justice’ aspect of this series also makes a reappearance to give the reader someone to root for. Overall, this is a good but not great volume of our favorite cynical horror manga, offering some solid imagery and a few interesting revelations, even if the authors may not have figured out what to do with these revelations as yet. The series is still ongoing in Japan, so we may have a ways to go. Especially as I’m not sure when Vol. 14 is scheduled here. Fight on, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service!