Manga UK confirmations & Barefoot Gen

Paul

Paul

Ghost of Animes
Administrator
Tidying up the loose ends of a <a href="http://forums.animeuknews.net/viewtopic.php?t=1245">productive</a> weekend, Manga Ent. UK have sent out an official "A Legend Reborn" press release confirming all the UK anime acquisitions they announced over the weekend including Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, the 84-episode long Robotech and Satoshi Kon's acclaimed Millenium Actress.<ul><span class="menu">"Manga has always aimed to excite and enthral the UK anime fanbase it created in the 90s. Now as the appeal of anime extends into the mainstream, Manga is determined to stay at the forefront of ground breaking animation, giving true classics the best possible DVD releases and forever celebrating great storytelling. This series of acquisitions is the just the beginning for a revived and dynamic Manga to which anime fans can look to for extraordinary entertainment."</span> [<a href="http://www.animeuknews.net/viewpress.php?showarticle=44">Read full press release</a>]</ul>Animetion.co.uk are also reporting that Ghibli maestro's Optimum (who have already released the tragic WWII anime Grave of the Fireflies) have snapped up the vintage WWII anime "Barefoot Gen" for UK DVD release.
 
Oooohh... Barefoot Gen? Aka. The only Manga in my school library? (it's educational, see!). Can't speak for the anime, but the Manga is quite good. Perhaps an antithesis to Grave of the Fireflies: whereas Fireflies is a subtle look at the effect of war on two orphans, Barefoot Gen is a quite graphic look at the effects surrounding Hiroshima (though from an orphan's perspective and with the same "selfish japanese" dilmenas). You could argue that it's a matter of Ghibli's masterful approach, but I see it as a vast difference in perspectives. Another brilliant story of the Japanese perspective on WW2, and I find it interesting that Optimum are having the guts to branch out from Ghibli, and try an equally intriguing market that is found surrounding Japanese WW2 films...

I can't imagine the Barefoot Gen Anime will be the masterpiece that Fireflies is, but I'm certainly getting it.
 
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=57396

Interesting information about the forthcoming Barefoot Gen release:

- It will be a double feature release (at a normal RRP), containing both Barefoot Gen and Barefoot Gen 2 (a follow up as to what happens to the characters)
- The print has been restored, so hopefully there'll be good picture quality.
- Released on August 1st, it will roughly coincide with the 60th Anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing (August the 6th)
- The DVD comes with a booklet containing an interview with the Author (Keiji Nakazawa) and an essay by UK Anime icon Jon Clements.
- Interestingly, a donation will be made to the War Child charity for every Barefoot Gen DVD that is sold.
 
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