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Vol. 10Vol. 10March 2005March 2005Free IssueFree Issue
WHAT’S MICHAEL?
GANTZ
METAL GEAR SOLID
Anime goes Anime goes hard-boiledhard-boiled
Meet the cat that has Meet the cat that has less energy and guts less energy and guts than Garfi eldthan Garfi eld
NEON GENESIS EVANGELIONTiffany Grant speaks about her voice Tiffany Grant speaks about her voice
dubbing duties for Asuka and elaborates dubbing duties for Asuka and elaborates on the new NGE Live-Action adaptationon the new NGE Live-Action adaptation
NICOLAS RIXLocal Neo-Manga Local Neo-Manga ArtistArtist
Kris Oprisko has one of the Kris Oprisko has one of the best jobs in the worldbest jobs in the world
EnterManga
Voodoo DollDrawing
Competition!
LO LO Magazineanime & manga for South Africaanime & manga for South Africa
Adobe Indesign cs
The perfect tool. Express yourself!
Image © 2005 Adobe Inc.
© LO Magazine 20053
Welcome to LO Magazine’s tenth issue.
First we like to apologise for the errors appearing in the 9th issue. A corrected issue was sent to NAG, but it was to late for inclusion. You can download a corrected version from our website. The fan survey (P.13) has also been cancelled for now.
We would like to welcome Rei (writer) to LO. You’ll get to know her better from next month onwards, as she will tackle Shoujo.
Expect loads of changes coming about from the next issue onwards - just in time for our one year anniversary! We nally decided to give you what you asked for, so enjoy the drawing competition. It will run for two months.
Enjoy. Ed.
© LO Magazine 2005
CONTENTLOEditorialEditor - AJ [email protected]
Website:www.lomagazine.co.za
For contact specifi cs please look at page 41.
LO Magazine is a product of © 2005 Manga SA Anime
Cover: © Daryl Mandryk
ContributorsJericho - Sydney Butler Rei - Cristy Ferreira
Page 3 Image: Gantz Manga © Young Jump Comics Wide
LO recognises all copyrights 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.
06 ANIME FEATURE Gantz - Let the games begin.
08 INDUSTRY NEWS Find out who is doing what, where and when.
10 MANGA FEATURE What’s Michael?
12 DRAWING COMPETITION Can you draw? Then enter our “Manga Voodoo Doll Competition.
13 FAN SURVEY The Fan Survey has been cancelled.
14 EDITOR’S PAGE Cristy interviews Tiffany Grant (Eng. voice of Asuka in Neon Genesis Evangelion).
16 SPECIAL INCLUDE Tiffany Grant tells us a bit more about the fi rst sketches of Neon Genesis Evangelion live-action.
18 KIDS / TEENS The fantastic Last Exile
20 DIGITAL CREATIONS Digital Illustrator Daryl Mandryk
4
© LO Magazine 20055
24 LETTERS Ed. vs the Readers
26 THE LOCAL SCENE Local Neo-Manga artist Nicolas Rix
28 NEO-MANGA Metal Gear Solid comic writer, Kris Opriska.
32 MANGA INCLUDE Have a taste of What’s Michael?
38 LO RECOMMENDS This month’s anime and manga recommendations if you don’t know what to watch.
40 SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY Funny moments
41 SUBMISSIONS Do you want to submit your artwork or articles to us?
Software used in the making of LO Magazine:Artwork: Adobe Photoshop Layout & Design: Adobe Indesign PDF Creation: Adobe PDF Writer
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Note: To make life easier we indicate anime with blue and manga with green. Words in Bold, Italic means that it includes a term defi nition.
ANIME FEATURE
GANTZ LET THE GAMES BEGIN
7
What would you do if you died and woke up inside a room, which was still on Earth? Will you be classifi ed dead or alive? Are you real or just a copy? Based on the ultra-violent manga by Oku Hiroya, Gantz is a mind bender that questions the human perception of life and death.
Standing at the train station and admiring the centrefold babe’s assets, Kei wonders how he will ever get a babe like that in real life. Kei is a typical High School kid with teen angst. He hates himself and everyone around him. His life takes a dramatic change, when a drunken bum falls onto the tracks of an incoming train and he is asked for help by Masaru Kato, a friend from his early childhood. The last thing Kei remembers is the train running over his body.
Kei and Masaru fi nd themselves in a room fi lled with strangers, each with their own version of what might have happened. Unable to leave the room, because of an invisble force fi eld stopping anyone from touching the doors and walls, they could only stand around and start to work on each other’s nerves. The in-fi ghting is broken up when elevator-type music begins to be played by the strange black sphere in the middle of the room.
And so the madness of Gantz begins as the group are sent out to kill alien after alien. If you are lucky enough to survive the fi rst time, you get to go again and again.
Produced by animation powerhouse Gonzo (Full Metal Panic, Chrono Crusade, Peacemaker), Gantz proved to be far too intense and graphic for Japanese broadcast, with massive edits and digital re-cropping required in order to be aired. Now you can experience Gantz in its full uncut, no-holds-barred glory with ADV Films’ DVD release.
USA Distributer: ADV FilmsWebsite: www.advfi lms.comImages © 2005 ADV Films
Japanese Manga Publisher: Young Jump Comics Wide
Artist Other Works: Hen [Strange] , HEN (Strange Love] and Zero One
NOTE: Gantz contains extremely graphic violence, language, nudity and frank sexual situations that may offend some viewers. Gantz is for mature viewers only.
Recommend: If you like this type of anime, then you should try Media Blasters’ Blame.
© LO Magazine 2005
8© LO Magazine 2004
BLAME LICENSEDMedia Blasters has closed the
deal on the 6 part OVA Blame. The series is based on Tsutomu Nihei’s long running Blame! manga.
3000 years have passed since the future was buried. Countless armies of machines, without orders they build and build, swallowing up the Earth and the entire solar system.
Somehow, in this environment, the Silicon Creatures have come to exist. All that has been known about them until now is their goal: Invade the Netsphere; eradicate all organics.
Source: AnimeNewsNetworkImage © 2004 Next Edu. LLC
TOKYOPOP’S FIRST RELEASES FOR 2005
Tokyopop has released their list of their fi rst manga & manwha releases of 2005.
First of we have Peach Fuzz (Comedy) by Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges, a Grand Prize entry from the company’s Rising Stars of Manga competition.
Also on the list is DearS (Comedy/Romance), where beautiful aliens are part of society, Hyper Police (Comedy), Lagoon Engine (Fantasy), Master School Olympus (Fantasy/Action) and Soul to Seoul (Drama).
Source: w3.tokyopop.comImage © Tokyopop.
A TREE OF PALMEADV Films announced the
American theatrical premiere of A Tree of Palme.
A Tree of Palme is a modern retelling of the classic Pinocchio story with a sci-fi /fantasy twist.
The animated feature was written and directed by animator Takashi Nakamura (Akira).
Palme, a wooden puppet, has been created to care for the dying wife of his master. After her death, Palme looses his sense of purpose and ceases to function. He remains inactive until a mysterious woman arrives.
Source: w3.awn.comImage © ADV Films
STEAMBOY VOICESAnna Paquin (X-Men),
Alfred Molina (Spiderman 2), and Patrick Stewart (X-Men, Star Trek: Next Generation) will provide the voices for the North American dubbed version of director Katsuhiro Ôtomo’s Steamboy.
Set in Victorian England, the retro science-fi ction epic follows Ray Steam who discovers a new form of energy capable of powering an entire nation. This young investing prodigy must use it to fi ght evil, redeem his family and save London from obliteration.
Source: SonyPicturesImage © 2005 Screen Gems
SHOPRO & VIZ MERGERShoPro Entertainment Inc. and
VIZ, LLC (“VIZ”), two prominent North American based companies specializing in Japanese content, are merging this spring to create a groundbreaking new entertainment company. The still unnamed venture (“NEWCO”), to be based in San Francisco, will leverage the unique collaboration, vision and ownership of three global powerhouses in Japanese manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc. and Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd. (“ShoPro Japan”).
Source: w3.viz.comImage © Viz Ent.
CARTOON NETWORK’S DICED.I.C.E. debuted on Cartoon
Network (U.S. television) on Jan. 22,2005. The anime series was created by Bandai Ent. and animated by studio, Xebec (subsidiary of Production I.G.), and showcases cutting-edge CG/cel animation for TV animation from Japan.
D.I.C.E (DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises) is a large organization established to deal with emergencies occurring throughout the Sarbylion galaxy. D.I.C.E. F-99 is the only unit comprised entirely of highly trained kids.
Source: w3.awn.comImage © Geneon Ent. USA
INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWS
© LO Magazine 2005 10
MANGA FEATURE
11
WHAT’S MICHAEL? THE JAPANESE GARFIELD
© LO Magazine 2005
Described as “Japan’s version of Garfi eld, Heathcliff, and Krazy Kat all rolled into one”, is enough to make you interested.
What’s Michael? is created by one of graphic fi ction’s true comedic originals, Makoto Kobayashi (Club 9). The short stories inside What’s Michael? is a collection of day-to-day cat scenarios every cat lover (and hater!) will recognize. They will make you roll around in fi ts of laughter.
Michael will fi nd himself in a WWF scenario, where he wrestles another cat and when he wants to do an elbow drop on the his opponent from the ropes, he keeps missing because he always lands on his feet.
Michael’s owner would look at other people playing fetch with their dogs in the park and he would try to convince Michael to do the same, but like any cat, Michael does not show any interest at all.
If you think comics are only about superheroes, it’s time to switch gears and have a few -- or more than a few! -- laughs with What’s Michael?!
What’s Michael? was produced by Studio Proteus and fi rst serialised in Super Manga Blast for the US market. Dark Horse is now also publishing the What’s Michael? graphic novels.
In 2002 What’s Michael? was nominated for the Best Writer/Artist Humor category at the Eisner Awards.
USA Publisher: Dark HorseWebsite: www.darkhorse.com
LO Magazine PRESENTS
“Manga Voodoo Doll” Drawing Competition
We are happy to present the wonderful Cruising the Anime City guide as this issue’s “Manga Voodoo Doll” competition prize. We are very grateful for Stone Bridge Press for their interest in providing our readers with some sought-after Japanese related material. How do you win? Simply send us an email ([email protected]) with the subject: “Manga Voodoo Doll” and with your original drawing.
1. Give us your version of a manga voodoo doll.
Rules: Your art work (200dpi) can be in colour or without. If the Judges feel that the quality of the entries are not of high quality, LO Magazine reserve the right to extend the competition for a longer
period. The winner’s artwork becomes the property of LO Magazine.Closing Date: 30 April 2005. This competition is only open to South African residents.
Stone Bridge Press | www.stonebridge.comNote: You may enter more than one drawing, seperately via email.
RELEASERELEASETHE THE
ARTISTARTISTIN YOUIN YOU
SENDSENDUS YOURUS YOUR
ARTART
COMPETITION
© LO Magazine 2005
CANCELLED FAN SURVEYCANCELLED FAN SURVEY
WEBSITE
We appogise for the cancellation of the FAN SURVEY, but the way in which the survey was structured, let to some serious issues and it would have rendered the whole process useless.
We will have a survey in a future issue of LO Magazine, but until then we hope you will enjoy our drawing competition in this month’s issue. It was a highly requested feature from our readers.
FAN SURVEY
13
FORUMHTTP://WWW.ACTIVEBOARD.COM/FORUM.SPARK?FORUMID=47038
WWW.LOMAGAZINE.CO.ZA
JOIN US:JOIN US:
© LO Magazine 2005 14
EDITOR’S PAGE
REI INTERVIEWS
TIFFANY GRANTEver wondered what the people behind the voices of some of the best loved anime have to say? Well we captured one, namely Tiffany Grant (TF). Tiffany, has voiced many well known anime characters such as Maki from Burn Up, Misaki Matsuya from Excel Saga, and many others including the ever popular Neon Genesis Evangelion where she voiced Asuka Langley Soryu.
C: Your husband directed the TV series of Evangelion. What was it like being Asuka by day and Wife by night, did you have to put Asuka away and bring out Tiffany wonder woman of the home?TG: Well, Evangelion was recorded at ADV from late 1996 to early 1998. Matt Greenfi eld and I were married in March 2003. We knew each other a little over nine years before we got married, and were not a couple at the time the series was recorded.
C: You’ve done about 540+ episodes and movies, is that a big number for you; do you ever stop and think about all those voices you’ve done? TG: Yeah, the number is actually so big now that I don’t know what it is! I created a little spreadsheet to try and keep up, and I go revise it every few months, but I really don’t know the precise number since I will sometimes work on an episode where I only do one or two lines. And as for number of characters, I have NO idea (it would be a smaller number than the title number)!
Sometimes, if I think about it TOO much, it is pretty mind boggling. However, I really do consider each character an individual. In other words, I don’t feel I have ten or twelve “stock voices” and I just approach a role and say, “Today, I will use voice ‘E’!” So not only do I think about the number and variety of voices I have done, I am always looking for the opportunity to create new ones!
C: With the characters you’ve voiced, does a little bit of every character go into new character voices? Or can you make new voices easily?TG: Oh, boy. I guess I should’ve read THIS question before I rambled on in my last answer. It’s funny, but it doesn’t feel like it’s diffi cult to create new voices. I know that many of them may have a similar sound, but I always take into consideration what that person’s (or creature!) circumstances are. Usually, I look at the character and watch his or her facial expressions and body language to get a feel for what he/she sounds like.
C: What was the absolute, most diffi cult voice you have ever done, and why was it so diffi cult?TG: Without a doubt, Gema in Panyo Panyo DigiCharat. That was a VERY vocally demanding role that physically hurt to perform. I could only do a 90-minute session for that role, and usually had to take a little break in there! Normally, I do
© LO Magazine 200515
three hour sessions with no diffi culty (and I have done much longer). The voice was quite high pitched and scratchy, and I drank LOTS of hot herbal tea in the booth!
C: How long have you being a voice actress? How did you start?TG: Almost eleven years now. I have been an actor as long as I can remember - doing plays in primary school all the way through college. I have also always had a fascination with voice acting and mimicking different voices and funny sounds. Well, back in early 1994, ADV was a very young company with about a half-dozen releases under its belt when they decided to move from releasing Japanese language anime with subtitles to dubbing these shows into English.
A friend of mine knew about the auditions and knew I was an actor. Putting the two together, he called me and told me about it. Excited, I called and made an appointment. On February 12, 1994, I became the very fi rst voice actor hired by ADV Films, and I haven’t looked back since.
C: Did you ever think that you could get so far with voice acting.....And how much further are you going to go?TG: Oh, my gosh! No. Never. Not in a million years did I imagine this is how things would turn out! I must confess that I think it’s all fabulous! I had always imagined a career as an actor and writer, and that is exactly what I do.
Anime has also given me lots of wonderful friends, the opportunity to travel to many places and, of course, becoming a voice actor is how I met my wonderful husband! I believe I will be a voice actor as long as I am able to speak, so it’s hard for me to imagine I would ever retire from the business. Although I am always up for the opportunity to do live-action work, that is a very grueling, time-consuming part of the business, so I am quite happy to keep voice acting and go where ever that takes me.
C: What is the most annoying question you have ever had to answer?TG: Honestly, being asked about my work on projects I was not/am not involved in. Sorry, but it’s the truth.
C: Do u love/like what you do? TG: The answer is an emphatic YES! I can’t imagine enjoying anything else as much as voice acting. It fulfi lls my need to act without placing restrictions on roles that I can perform by virtue of my age, height or appearance. Voice acting is incredibly freeing, and if I’d known how much I’d love it, I would’ve tried to start even sooner than
I did!
C: What are your top 10 favorite anime titles?TG: Hmmm... My top ten. Well, I will list them, but in no particular order - except Eva. That’s still my fave.
1 Neon Genesis Evangelion2 Blue Seed3 Golden Boy4 Martian Successor Nadesico5 Dragon Half6 Princess Nine7 RahXephon8 Spirited Away9 Legend of the Mystical Ninja10 NoirNOTE: This list changes frequently as I fi nd new shows I like.
C: Do you actually talk the way you do when you act, or is it like you have an acting voice and then your normal voice kind of thing?TG: Well, the character that is closest to my normal voice would probably be Becky Farra from Gun Smith Cats. Of my approximately 325+ credits - and God only know how many characters - I have played a pretty wide variety of roles. I have played authority fi gures, vixens, feisty teenagers, children (boys mostly), warriors (one had a French accent), an old lady and even a tree! So, my answer would be that I have done many, many voices and people DO usually recognize my voice at conventions ;-)
C: Do you ever hang out with other voice actors and, if so, who are your voice acting buddies?TG: Although we normally record our sessions indivually, I am good friends with many of the other voice actors.
In fact, I know several of them from outside of voice acting. Some of my friends are Monica Rial, Kira Vincent-Davis, Allison Keith, Spike Spencer, Andy McAvin, Jay Hickman, Hilary Haag, Jason Douglas, Brett Weaver, Randy Sparks, Amy Howard, Lisa Ortiz, Rachael Lillis, Juliet Cesario, Scott Simpson, Michael Brady, Kelly Manison, Chris Patton, Greg Ayres, Laura Chapman and several others. I am also accquainted with many more and I have had the pleasure of meeting one of my personal idols twice, Peter Fernandez (Speed Racer), as well as Corinne Orr (Trixie)..
Tiffany Grant Photo © 2005 Tiffany GrantNGE Image © 2005 ADV Films
.LO
© LO Magazine 2005
SPECIAL INCLUDE
As you can imagine, I have received a large number of questions inquiring about various aspects of the announced live-action Evangelion movie. As I answered each question, I would add on to my earlier response, which is how I came up with this “article” on the subject. I hope this will address your concerns.
First off, there are 26 TV episodes and two movies in the Eva library (not to mention the as yet unfi nished manga series by co-creator Sadamoto). The fi rst goal is to produce a movie that encapsulates the most important elements of the early part of the series so that the viewer will not have to have seen the aforementioned 15 or so hours of video, and still leave room for one or two (maybe more?) follow up fi lms that can fi nish off the story.
The movie is being produced jointly by Gainax (of course), ADV and WETA. If you are somehow NOT familiar with the WETA Workshop, this is the incredible studio founded by Peter Jackson in New Zealand that created the Lord of the Rings fi lms - for which they just won an unprecedented number of Academy awards in a clean sweep of all categories in which they were nominated. By watching the fantastic documentaries on the LOTR DVDs, you can get an excellent idea of the kind of attention to detail that this group gives to everything they do.
Also, if you have read the LOTR, I think you will see that the characters in that iconic tome have been very faithfully brought to life. In fact, in a fi lm adaptation of the second most read book in the English language (the Bible is the fi rst), it is pretty well unanimously agreed that WETA got it exactly right. Bearing that in mind, I have every reason to have confi dence that the same folks who hand glued every hair on each hobbit foot, will do a spectacular job with our NGE heroes.
Keep in mind that WETA will not be doing this in a vacuum either, as they will be supervised by people at both Gainax and ADV (such as my husband, of course).
As for the “slug” names used in the preliminary script (NOT the fi nal version!!!) which appear on
the production drawings, they are only used so as not to refer to them as “Pilot A” and “Captain B” etc. As has been widely discussed, the cast will be international, and mostly of European descent.Meaning, for example, if Daniel Radcliffe (Anime Insider’s suggestion - NOT mine!) were to play the lead male role, it would be pretty stupid to call an ENGLISH boy “Shinji.” Therefore, “Kate Rose” for example is the name they are using for the designs is in place of “Pilot of 02” or whatever.
As no actors have yet been cast, the pre-production drawings are simply pictures that are drawn of imaginary people in place of having a headless body in a plug suit. The artists are trying to design what a real-life plug suit will look like, and it would seem easier to do (and better to look at!) if the person also has a head. Remember - we don’t know what the suits are even made of! Rubber? Plastic? Leather? The sketches are part of the early costuming process, and I am quite certain that when a director is found, he or she will seek out the best people for the roles.It seems quite doubtful that they would try to fi nd a person to match a drawing.
It may also be of interest to note that there is a genuine desire to cast kids of the right age to play the main roles - NOT 22 year-olds to “play younger.” Therefore, it is diffi cult to speculate at this early stage on who will play these roles since it is not possible to tell right now when principal fi lming will begin.
The show is in VERY early stages of pre-production, so nothing is fi nal yet. ADV was just trying to share a little Eva goodness with everyone by showing off some of the thousands of production drawings that have been produced. I think they are fabulous, personally, and I eagerly await each new development in the project.
I believe you can all rest easy knowing that the fi lms will be everything and more that we ever thought they could be.
Printed with permission by Tiffany Grant
.LO
NOTES ABOUT THE LIVE-ACTION EVANGELION MOVIE BY TIFFANY GRANT
16
18
KIDS/TEENS
LAST EXILE WRITTEN BY JERICHO
© LO Magazine 2005
Somewhere, in a country called Prestel, mankind is at war. In this confl ict there are three main factions: Anatorel, Dysis and The Guild.
Anatorel’s culture can be best described as distinctly European while Dysis has Siberian overtures and the Guild a high technology society.
The Dysis and Anatorel are separated by a huge stream of 120 knot wind, called the Grand Stream, with the mysterious Guild appearing to have a more than casual involvement with the barrier.
Battles between Anatorel and the Guild are waged like clockwork, limited in time even though the Guild could easily defeat the (relatively) primitive kinetic weapons with their energy based equivalents. In fact, the Dysis and Anatorel ships run off independently manned energy units which seem to operate on a type of anti-gravity principal and can be recalled by the guild at any time.
It is within this setting that we fi nd Klaus and Lavie, a Vanship pilot and navigator respectively, who make a living performing freelance missions in the ship their fathers had died in while attempting to deliver a peace message to Dysis on the other side of the Grand Stream.
While participating in a local Vanship race Klaus and Lavie spot a crash of an Anatorel Vanship
being pursued by a Guild ship. The dying pilot gives his high ranked mission to Claus entrusting him with the safe transport of a small girl called Albis, whom the Guild want badly for some reason.
In the process of this mission the two fi nd themselves onboard the Sylvana: a ship that has complete control of its Guild-built engine and therefore capable of seriously attacking them. A ship with a captain personally opposed to the Maestro Delphine, the leader of the Guild and a quite insane woman.
Why is Albis so important? Will they ever break free from the Guild?
The best way to describe this series would be “Pearl Harbor meets Sci-Fi”
Lots of visual candy is put forward in the air battles, truly exciting as old-styled wingless WWII craft take on the weird Guild star shaped fi ghters.
Directed and written by Chiaki Koichi (Magic Knight Rayearth) the studio responsible for Last Exile is Gonzo Digimation and the US distribution is done by Geneon entertainment.
Website: www.geneon-ent.com
.LO
19
Recommend: If you like this type of anime, then you should try Macross Zero or Porco Rosso.
© LO Magazine 2005
DIGITAL CREATIONS
20© LO Magazine 2004
21 © LO Magazine 2004
DARYL MANDRYKImages portraying a hard world, where creatures and robots have a verocious quality to them. Humans are armed to the teeth and wearing tank-like armour. The DnD infl uence is obvious.
LO: Why can’t parents just accept that drawing can be a job too?DM: I think most parents tend to think of drawing as something that kids do, especially when it comes to comics and videogames. It’s not an “adult” profession. They also don’t really realize the amount of knowledge and learning it takes to become a good artist – it’s probably just as hard to become a good artist as it is to become a doctor or a lawyer!
LO: I understand that you used to enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons. Describe your favorite DnD character.DM: Actually way back when I used to play I was usually the Dungeon Master. I enjoyed making up new worlds and creatures and that type of thing. It was a good way to work out your imagination.
LO: You moved from a business degree to computer animation. What need did you feel
that you had to express, which you couldn’t through business school?DM: I think it was just a need to explore my artistic interest, and provide an outlet for my imagination. I felt I had the potential to be a strong artist, and I didn’t want to go through life wondering “what if?”
LO: Do you have any favorite artists from the present or the past, who inspires your work?DM: Tons…There are so many artists out there whose work I love. Of course Frazetta is a big infl uence on me in terms of his bold strokes and compositions; I love the simpicity and ferocity of his work. I love the work of the older illustrators too, such as NC Wyeth, Howard Pyle and the Brandywine artists, they produced some amazing art.
When I was growing up, it was guys like Larry Elmore, Jeff Easley, and the old TSR artist who had the biggest infl uence on me – in fact my dream job for many years was to be a TSR staff artist. Nowadays I am very much into the work of people like Phil Hale, Brom, Simon Bisley, Jon Foster, El Coro, Feng Zhu…there is just so much talent out there, it’s hard not to be inspired.
DIGITAL PAINTER - GAMES
22© LO Magazine 2005
LO: Is realism or science important in the creation of your characters’ outfi ts, weapons, armor, etc. or is it more fantasy?DM: I try to think along the lines of functional fantasy. Meaning outfi ts and costumes should look like they have some sort of purpose, but not be so grounded in reality as to limit your creativity. It’s nice to provide visual cues for the viewer to get involved with your designs – so an indicator light on a weapon might get the viewers imagination going – why is that there? – and they’ll fi ll in the blanks themselves.
LO: Would you classify your monster designs as aliens (living monsters) or robots (created monsters)?DM: They are a real mix of everything. I like to mix organic and man-made shapes to produce interesting results. I think a lot of my monster designs have a Frankenstein feel, that is to say they were once something else, and have been molded into their current form by other forces.
LO: What do you think are the biggest stumbling block in the road for a successful artist?DM: There’s no set path to success for being an artist, but perseverance in learning your craft is really key. You have to be willing to put in the time and effort to improve, and it really does
take a strong work ethic. The best artists, in my experience are also the hardest working ones.
LO: What projects are you currently working on?DM: I am currently working on a secret project. Unfortunately I can’t say what it is right now, but it’s very exciting and should be announced to the public sometime in 2005. Other than that I continue to work on several personal projects on the side.
LO: This being an anime and manga magazine, I have to ask. Do you read or watch any anime or manga?DM: Occasionally I buy manga comics, but it’s more for the art rather than the story or the characters. As far as anime goes, my experience is pretty much limited to a handful of popular anime movies such as Akira and Ghost in the Shell.
LO: What do you think is the most important thing for a new artist in the industry to remember?DM: Practice, practice, practice. Learn to give and receive criticism. Treat every opportunity as a learning experience. Also – learning to network is crucial – you never know where your next job might come from.
.LO
23 © LO Magazine 2005
© LO Magazine 2005 24
LETTERS
All I want to say is that your magazine rocks. I think it is very cool to get South Africa involved in ANIME/MANGA.
I am one of the biggest fans out there and I really want to become a ANIME/MANGA Artist. That will be sooooo cool!!!!!
Jan
[Thanks. Good luck with your drawings. Ed.]
Dear Mr Ed.in your issue three feature on “Man vs Machine”, you mentioned the “Matrix” and “Terminator” universes. Man against machine. Great. But what about comparing the two possibilities in robotics?
One ‘reality’ is the “BiCentennial Man”, where a robot evolves and strives to become human, where said robot is ‘attracted’ to the ‘human’ side of life. He creates, with the help of a human scientist, human organs to promote longer life in the humans, something like an srtifi cial hearttransplant or liver, lungs, eyes, kidneys, etc.
The other ‘reality’ is found in “I, Robot” where a “Positronic Brain” called V.I.K.I. controls the new series of robots, and thus is willing to destroy some humans to obtain her ultimate goal: Keeping Humans safe and out of harm’s way. The problem here is that she is ruled by three laws. The same three laws that are found in the previous fi lm that I named.
The problem comes in when
there are various possibilities in one single option. I do not like to speculate, but if robots are massmanufactured, what are the chances that we might have a “Matrix” or “Terminator” situation? (Incedentally the stories for both “I, Robot” and BiCentennial Man” were written by Isaac Asimov. The “father” of modern robotics. he who penned the three laws of robotics.) Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on like that. what I wanted to say was, that in life, there are many possibilities, and that it is possible that eventually today’s Science Fiction, will become tomorrow’s Science Fact. The problem is: Will it be BiCentennial Man, Ghost in the Machine or Terminator?
You did say that “Our Future lies in the hands of any one scientist in the world, who dares to give machines the ability to choose.” Be that as it may, maybe it would be optimal to create a board of control for this specifi c option not to happen.
Maybe God has other plans, we’ll never know, but better be safe than sorry.
Jacques
[I have a very interesting article in my possession which someone wrote about all these possibilities and I will try and get permission to print it. A human board of control? You mean like the UN? Bwahahaha. Maybe we can get a computer to look after a computer like in
Appleseed. Ed.]
Greetings Lo.....I’m reading Issue 6 at the moment...good work as always!On to my request, well, its isn’t specifi cally about the magazine but rather about your website. I think it would be an absolutly fantastic idea to have a forum on your website where readers of LO can go and discussanything on their minds relating to anime/manga. You could have different topics and even a place where artists can submit theirown artwork. Just an idea ;)
Ugan
[A forum is now up and running. Spread the word. Ed.]
Hi Well I have to say congratulations... to be doing such a great job with LO Magazine and mostly all by yourself!!!
So when do you think you will be making a proper magazine or is it too soon to be talking about that because I would expect that to be quite expensive especialy for one person. Also if I may ask what got you started with LO Magazine?
It must be lovely working on a magazine as grand as this, it would seem like you are doing what I could only dream about; and what a lovely dream it is... settleing down to an anime industry!
THOU SHALL DRAW MANGA.
...continued on P.39
IT IS YOUR DESTINY!
Image above © Jan van RooyImage right © Nayalan MoodleyImage below © Capechino Animation
26© LO Magazine 2004
THE LOCAL SCENE
Many a young artist means to draw manga, but never come around to actually doing it. Nicolas Rix (NR) is not one of them. He is one of South Africa’s budding neo-manga artists.
LO: When did you decide that you wanted to become a comic artist?NR: I was in High School when I did my fi rst 3 page comic. I still have it. And it’s pretty good-well I think it’s cool. After that well I guess I’m still trying to become a comic artist.
LO: Your “The Way of Death” has a very manga look to it. Was this done on purpose?NR: Yip. I love manga and anime; well more anime. I don’t really read a lot of comic books. I watch as much anima as I can and when I can get it. I’m very infl uenced by movies in general, not just anime, so I wanted to recreate that for “The Way of Death”.
I think anime directors and animators have got
it down so beautifully and there’s so much I can learn from them. I generally try to create things that are appealing to me, not really for whoever reads it. If I like it, that’s good enough for me.
LO: Tell us a bit more about “The Way of Death.”NR: Well it’s a 6 page short story, part of a comic collective called Clockworks by Insurrection. Set in a fi ctional ancient Japan where a young samurai daimyo named Riugi Hinamoto is battling the demon Onimaru, who possesses his General - Yamamoto, who in turn has killed Hinamoto’s entire army and resurrected it as servants of hell. Riugi is the only one left to defend his country against this demon and the opening of the gates of hell.
There’s a princess in the story, which is very important to Onimaru. All in all it’s a showdown with some plot around the fi ght scenes, action with a near death experience, dragons and a big explosion.
NICOLAS RIXLOCAL NEO-MANGA ARTIST LOCAL NEO-MANGA ARTIST
27 © LO Magazine 2004
LO: Do you use any software in the creation of your comics?NR: Yes. I use Adobe Photoshop 7 completely.
LO: Do you think that it is important for local artist to have local content in their work?NR: Nope. I think you should do whatever fascinates you and go where your imagination takes you.
LO: Are there any other artists on the various mediums who inspire your work?NR: I recently got an art book of Norman Rockwell, an awesome American artist who died in 1978. If you don’t know of him, just go check it out. Other than that I’m not really that knowledgeable of fi ne art. My girlfriends an architect so I’m really learning how amazing all that stuff is. It’s not all walls and windows.
LO: How do you see the future of South African comics?NR: Well for me as an aspiring artist in South Africa, in the future - I’d like to be releasing stuff internationally so that the people of South Africa realise there’s talent right here, but I wouldn’t want people to buy my work just because I’m South African. I’m very proud of the current upheaval of all the comic stuff that’s coming out at the moment. There’s gonna be a lot of sweat and tears ahead. Nothing in South Africa happens without a fi ght.
LO: What are you currently working on?NR: I’m working on my new website, www.nicolasrix.com and a 12 page short for the next Clockworks due out later this year. I haven’t given it a title yet. I’m still working on character designs and location design. It will be a fantasy story set in a magical world with knights and magic, a catastrophic event and monsters.
LO: This being an anime and manga magazine, I have to ask. Do you read manga or watch any anime at all?NR: Well I guess I already answered that. I’m watching the Naruto series at the moment, just got the Spirited Away DVD, amazing! Miyazaki rules. After that the rest of InuYasha.
LO: Do you have any advice for aspiring South African artists?NR: Draw what you want, how you want, as often as you can. And get a website, trust me on this one, you want the world to know you’re alive - plug into the net. And another thing...let your imagination fl y.
.LO
28© LO Magazine 2004
NEO-MANGA
METAL GEAR SOLID
29
KRIS OPRISKO - WRITERTaking on one of Japan’s biggest Playstation title’s comic adaptation, is a huge responsibilty and opportunity. We spoke to the man with the big shoulders, Kris Oprisko (KO).
LO: How much did you know about the Metal Gear Solid “legend” before you started writing the comics?KO: I was a big fan of the games, which is why I was overjoyed when we got the license to do the comics. Of course, some story details had faded from my mind a bit with the passage of time, so this gig gave me a great excuse to play the games all over again!
LO: Does the story in any way fi t into the Playstation games’ storylines or do you have creative freedom?KO: A bit of both, actually. I follow the story of the original Metal Gear Solid game in the comics, being sure to hit all the major plot points. However, I’ve been given the freedom to depart from the storyline when desired, in order to fl esh out the world more fully or explore interesting subplots. It’s the best of both worlds!
LO: If you could be a character in Metal Gear Solid, which one would you be?KO: I’d have to choose Vulcan Raven. I identify with his spiritual side, his deep connection to
nature. Even though he’s in league with Liquid Snake, he’s got a sense of honor that is lacking in most other characters. Plus, his tattoos are cool!
LO: If people like Boris, Manara and Bisley inspire artists, who inspires writers?KO: My main reading material falls outside of comics, and I’m particularly inspired by Australian authors like Peter Carey, Tim Winton, and Robert Drewe. “Illywacker” by Peter Carey is my favorite novel of all time. Music is also a huge inspiration for me–I can’t even conceive of writing in silence. My fi rst love is reggae music, but I also love Bjork, Aterciopelados, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Foo Fighters, etc… anything but Heavy Metal or Country!
LO: What makes a good comic writer?KO: T he ability to immerse oneself in the world of the comic is most important, I think. If you’re not really inhabiting that world, really seeing and feeling what your characters do, the end result will feel forced-or, even worse, fake.
Another important factor is to be able to adapt your scripts to best suit the artist you’re working with. For instance, some artists desire in-depth panel descriptions, as this sparks their creativity the most. Others, including Ashley Wood, the AMAZING artist on Metal Gear Solid, are best served with a more open-ended script that allows
© LO Magazine 2005 30
for a greater degree of creative freedom.
LO: Describe your typical day as a comic writer.KO: I wear many hats at IDW Publishing, so usually the fi rst half of the day is devoted to taking care of business. At lunch, I’ll try to detach myself from those day-to-day tasks and get myself “in the zone” for writing scripts. Then, after lunch I’ll dive in to script writing.
If it’s fl owing, I’ll throw my day’s progress on a jump drive and continue writing at home. If it’s not, I’ll call it a day and go back to the day-to-day stuff. Since creativity is not a faucet that can be turned on and off at will, you’ve got to be willing to NOT work on days when the muse is just not communicating. Of course, I strongly believe deadlines need to be respected, so if I skip a day of writing it means I have to do double the next day!
LO: Do you have any other projects planned for the near future?KO: We’re currently publishing a 3-part adaptation I did of Clive Barker’s The Thief of Always, which I’m very proud of. Gabriel Hernandez’s art really makes the book come alive, and Clive’s story is just unbelievable. I’m also working with a Hollywood producer to develop his idea into a comic, but I can’t say any more about that at the moment.
LO: This being an anime and manga magazine, I have to ask. Do you read or watch any anime or manga?KO: Not a huge amount, but I do love Adam Warren’s work on The Dirty Pair.
LO: What kind of advice can you give someone that wants to get into comic writing?KO: As in any creative endeavor, perseverance is probably the number one trait that will lead to eventual success… that, and an open mind that is receptive to constructive criticism. It’s a hard thing to labor on something and then put it out there to potentially be picked apart, so it’s essential that you write for yourself fi rst. If you please yourself, it’s likely that others will also be pleased. But it’s also essential to recognize when you do make mistakes and to identify areas where you can improve-otherwise, your writing will get stale fast.
Metal Gear Solid Comic Book PublisherIdea + Design Works PublishingWebsite: www.idwpublishing.comImages © 2005 IDW Publishing
.LO
MANGA INCLUDE
38© LO Magazine 2004
CLASSICSTitle Type Media Co/Publisher Genre CR Age Content
Akira M Anime Geneon Ent. Action/Political 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
Streetfi ghter 2: The Movie M Anime Columbia Tristar Fighting 5 13 V,N
RECENTTitle Type Media Co/Publisher Genre CR Age Content
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
Witch Hunter Robin S Anime Bandai Ent. Action/Drama 6 13 V
Laputa: Castle in the Sky M Anime Buena V/Ghibli Adventure 3 PG V
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
CURRENTTitle Type Media Co/Publisher Genre CR Age Content
Dead Leaves M Anime Manga Ent. Fighting/Comedy * 13 V,L,N,S
Azamanga Daioh S Anime ADV Films Sit. Comedy 4 13 V,S
Mezzo TV S Anime ADV Films Action/Comedy 6 16 V,N,L,S
Saikano S Anime Viz Ent. Action/Romance 5 16 V,S
Millennium Actress S Anime Dreamworks Drama 8 PG V,L
Ghost in the Shell SAC S Anime Bandai Ent. Sci-fi /Action/Drama 8 13 V,L,N
Last Exile S Anime Geneon Ent. Sci-fi /Adventure 7 13 V
Texhnolyze S Anime Geneon Ent. Sci-fi /Adventure UR 16 V,L
Read or Die: TV S Anime Manga Ent. Spy/Action 6 13 V,L
FUTURE HITSTitle Type Media Co/Publisher Genre
Paranoia Agent S Anime Geneon Ent. Thriller
Appleseed M Anime Geneon Ent. Sci-fi
Samurai Champloo S Anime Geneon Ent. Samurai Action
Ikki Tousen S Anime Geneon Ent. Fighting
Ghost in the Shell 2nd Ed. - Manga Dark Horse Sci-fi /Action/Drama
LO RECOMMENDS
39 © LO Magazine 2004
AGE RESTRICTIONS
ALL - For everyonePG - Parental Guidance needed13, 16, 18 - No one under thespecifi ed age allowed.
ContentV - ViolenceS - SexN - NudityD - Racial DiscriminationL - Foul LanguageSa - Substance abuse
Note:These restrictions are just arecommendation. Most of theseanime and manga do not have arating given by the South AfricanPublication Board, because ithasn’t been release in SouthAfrica. All items are Region 1(USA) or published in the USA.We provide this information sothat you can make an informedchoice on what you and yourfamily members watch.
CATEGORIES
Action - Comedy - DramaDocumentary - Fantasy
Fighting - Historical - HorrorMech - Political - RomanceSci-fi - Spy - Superhero
Thriller - Vampire
Type:[Movie - M][Series - S]Manhwa - Korean mangaComplexity Rating: (CR)1 - Very Easy2 - Easy3 - A man’s mind4 - Soapy plots5 - Average6 - Monkey Puzzles7 - Challenging8 - A woman’s mind9 - Really deep10 - Even the creators areconfusedUR - Unrated
* Either 1 or 10 CR (you decide)** South African releaseDisclaimer: LO doesn’t take responsibility for the acuracy of the content ratings.
Well goodbye and goodluck.Slade.
Thank you for the compliments. Printing is in our future. Ed.]
Hey dudes... now unlike the previous gripe this is something that only myself and one or two of my friends have (I think in general it is something that only otaku would deem a problem).
In a word. LO magazine feels arrogant. I know this wasn’t the intention of the publication and like I said very few if any other people would even notice it. To me I get the same feeling from LO as I did in the days when Blackblade was in its prime (We are the only ones who know about anime). Its almost as if you exist to educate us illiterate masses about anime, assuming we dont know anything at all...
[Your letter has been cut short, because I only wanted specifi cally to answer your one querry in here. I think that you might have misunderstood why we came into existence and so I assume also Blackblade.
Our goal was not to create a magazine or information hub for the Otaku. They already know most things and even things the normal fan don’t want to know about. We wanted to spread the word under the average fan and those who are not fans yet. We want anime and manga to grow in this country. The only way you will get more anime and manga into this country is if more people buy it.
In the same breath, we do try and cater for the Otaku, by providing little extra details in the features, which they might not know about. Our covering of the local drawing and animation industry is also unique. Then there is also the interviews with international CG artists, who provide some insight for local artists future careers. Thank you for the feedback. Your letter is really appreciated. Ed.]
I’m a pretty avid anime fan and look forward to getting your magazine each month.Unfortunately I’m having a hard time fi nding a good website with reviews and information (number of episodes, dates, etc) on different anime series. It would really be useful for planning what to get next.Do you (or anyone out there) know of any? It would really help if you could tell me about any.
Zac
[I personally think that the best site for anime reviews and information, will be www.animeondvd.com Ed.]
.LO
...continued from P.24
© LO Magazine 2005 40
THE FUNNY STUFF
SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY
Not everyone fi nds the same situations funny. Some of us prefer American slapstick, others prefer dry British humour and some prefer toilet humour. Anime caters for all of the above and more.
The things you fi nd funny, tells people something about you. You might laugh at a situation which you might previously have found yourself in (which weren’t funny at the time) or wish that you would never fi nd yourself in, because it might be embarrassing.
When we were younger (well for some of us), we used to laugh at shows and movies like The Three Stooges, Bugs Bunny and Beavis and Butthead. Do you still fi nd them funny? Probably not. Why is that? Did you mature or did you just grew tired of it? Do you laugh at certain things when you are a child and laugh at different things when you become an adult? Society does sometimes think it to be the case, because you are frowned upon if you still laugh at sexual humour, which is seen as something you mostly laugh at when you are a teenager. But what societies think aren’t always the truth.
Take for example: American adults would laugh at slapstick comedy, which is something you would expect from kids. The British comedy scene is completely different in presentation compared to the Americans. Obviously they see their “dry humour” as a more mature and intelligent humour (but that is probably just a typical British attitude about everything they do), but I can name a few British shows that will prove otherwise.
Stating that all British people have a dry sense of humour and that all Americans like slapstick, would be stereotyping. Different culture might have a preference towards a certain type of humour.
Psychologists have a found correlation between personality characteristics and humour. So what do you fi nd funny?
Do you like toilet humour? Shows like South Park or Golden Boy. I have not met a serious anime fan, who doesn’t have Golden Boy on their top 10 list of funniest anime. Golden boy is full of toilet humour (pun intended). But even with its overwhelming sexual fetish humour, the story has a heart of gold. This is what makes Golden Boy stand out above the rest.
Do you like situational comedy like Friends or Azumanga Daioh? Where the lighter side of everyday situations are shown and we realise how funny we actually are, when we try to be serious.
So what does your laugh say about you? Nobody can tell you what to laugh at or what not to laugh at or what is immature. The maturity of the show lies in the presentation of the humour, not in the type of humour. Your personality type will more than likely determine what you see as funny.
Except for the fact that laughing does feel good, there are also other benefi ts to laughing. According to w3.coolquiz.com, “physical fi tness stemming from laughter is a benefi t known to few. Scientists estimate that laughing 100 times is equivalent to a 10-minute workout on a rowing machine, or to 15 minutes on a stationary exercise bike. The mere act of laughing exercises the diaphragm, as well as the abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg, and back muscles.”
So if anyone complains again about you becoming a couch potato in front of your anime shows, say that you are busy with your 30 minute workouts.
.LO
Three Stooges © C3 Ent. Inc. Azumanga Daioh © 2004 ADV Films Golden Boy © ADV Films
© LO Magazine 200541
DARKHORSE
TITLES
WWW.DARKHORSE.COM
Malinky © 2005 Sonny Liew
NEXT ISSUEWould 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.
Defi nitely:• A New Look• Sonny Liew - Malaysian Artist• Shoujo - The Girly stuffMaybe:• Your Manga Star Sign• and loads more...
SUBMISSIONS
NEXT ISSUE
Fan Artwork:Send us a scan of your work (300 dpi) and we will consider it for placement in LO.
Manga or Anime Reviews: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 specifi cations.
Feature Comments:If you have any comments regarding our features or Social Philosophy topics, please enter the specifi c topic in the subject fi eld of your email. For example: Anime Feature Ghost in the Shell 2.
Requests:If you have any requests for topics, features, new sections, etc., please write “request” in the subject fi eld of your email.
Copyright: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 fi eld.
General:We welcome any other comments, whatever they might be. Just think twice before you do send an email. Email: [email protected]
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!
Acknowledgements
© LO Magazine 2004
I would like to thank the following companies, their software and certain people for making this magazine possible.
Adobe Inc.Adobe IndesignAdobe Photoshop Stay informed and subscribe to our newsletteron our website. www.lomagazine.co.za
