Simpsons seventh!

By: BRIAN THOMAS
Date: Saturday, December 10, 2005

Looking to "shake up" the 80-year old Winnie the Pooh franchise, Disney is preparing a new CGanime TV series to air in 2007 that will replace Christopher Robin with a more contemporary character, a 6-year old tomboy redhead who enjoys "extreme sports" like skateboarding, even as court battles over merchandising rights continues. Now, I may be an old curmudgeon (and if you don't know what that means, look it up in a dictionary, you young whippersnapper!), but this development doesn't perturb me as much as you might think. For one thing, my love for Pooh Bear predates the Disney version, which I fully embraced as a child since I saw the first film at a drive-in, so I'm sort of used to Disney messing with the books a bit. In addition, I probably won't exactly have this new series on my Must TiVo List anyway. But the main reason I don't mind seeing Christopher Robin (Milne's son, for whom the books were written) replaced is that Chris must have grown up by now, and we can think of this new girl as his daughter (or great granddaughter!) carrying on the tradition by hanging out in the 100 Acre Woods with his old pals. If you read the books and watch the cartoons carefully, it appears that CR is always in the process of outgrowing his beloved stuffed animals, and perhaps the true spirit of Pooh is to help children through the process of getting through their first 7-8 years.

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Central Park Media tells us that they'll be releasing the 52-episode mecha classic series ARMORED TROOPER VOTOMS in four collections throughout Spring & Summer of 2006, leading to the release of all four volumes bundled together in August. However, fans can save 50 dollars off the retail price by subscribing to the series, and the first 50 people that sign up will receive an out-of-print VOTOMS graphic novel. You can preorder now at www.CentralParkMedia.com/Votoms/.

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

TV's longest running animated series and still great!

(O) THE SIMPSONS Complete Seventh Season (Fox) Wow, do Fox execs actually read this column? When season 6 was released, I complained about the "special packaging" shaped like Homer's head and how impractical it is. Apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way, as you can now purchase season 7 in both the standard packaging that more closely matches seasons 1-5 and special packaging shaped like Marge's head! How's that for serving the consumer? Both include all 26 episodes with commentraks, illustrated commentraks on 2 episodes, storyboards, featurettes, deleted footage, and more. Woohoo!

NEW DVD RELEASES

Here's a rundown of the constant stream of anime comin' at ya on DVD from around the world:

(O) ANIME HOT SHOTS: TRIANGLE 2 (Central Park) An A18 tale of a nurse and patient.
(O) ANIME HOT SHOTS: MASQUERADE 4 (Central Park) An A18 tale of a beast man whose bodily fluids hold the key to eternal life.

(O) ATTACK OF THE '30s CHARACTERS (Mackinac) Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop, Porky Pig and more star in a collection of surreal 1930s cartoon shorts, plus a promo for the feature GULLIVER'S TRAVELS and more.
(O) COWBOY BEBOP REMIX Volume 3 (Bandai) The crew fights an ugly invader on the ship, and have to deal with Spike's old enemy Vicious. Includes commentrak and interview.
(O) DICE Complete Season 1 (Bandai) Episodes 1-26 on six discs. Action and adventure with the crew of Fortress F-99.
(O) DICE Complete Season 2 (Bandai) Includes unaired episodes.
(O) EVERYTHING ELSE Volume 1 (Microcinema) A collection of webtoons from the HomestarRunner.com website, including all the Teen Girl Squad toons, plus commentraks, music videos, behind-the-scenes, unreleased shorts and more.
(O) GENSHIKEN Volume 3: Cosplay Confessions (Media Blasters) Does a gal have to dress up as an anime character to win the heart of an otaku?
(O) GIANT ROBO Premium DVD Collection (Media Blasters) A plastic eyeball big enough to hold every volume of ROBO? You betcha! Plus commentraks, featurettes and more. Now, how are you going to keep it from rolling off the shelf?
(O) KRONK'S NEW GROOVE (Buena Vista) The entire voice cast returns for this DTV sequel to EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE. Includes Making-Of and games.
(O) LEGEND OF CONDOR HERO Complete Saga (Tai Seng) All 26 episodes in a box set.
(O) MADLAX Volume 5: Convergence (ADV) Episodes 17-20. Are mere words responsible for a string of tragedies? Madlax and Margaret investigate. Includes interview, music video and more.
(O) MYTHICAL DETECTIVE LOKI RAGNAROK Volume 2: Love & War (ADV) Episodes 5-8. Loki continues to pass his time on Earth solving mysteries in the body of a child. With interviews and more.
(O) OVERMAN KING GAINER Exodus 6 (Bandai) The Overdevil awakens!
(O) PLANETES Volume 4 (Bandai) After getting caught in a solar flare, Hachi is diagnosed with a medical disorder that threatens his career. Includes commentrak, audio dramas, featurette and more.
(O) POPEYE: Original Classics (Mackinac) Remastered Fleisher Studios shorts compilation includes the three featurette "specials", plus voice actor and animator interviews, a tour of Segar's home town and more.
(O) RAMBO Volume 5: Snow Raid (Lions Gate)
(O) RAMBO Volume 6: Face of Freedom (Lions Gate) Rambo miraculously continues to not shoot anybody.
(O) SAIYUKI Double Barrel Collection 6 (ADV) Final eight episodes. The War God nears completion of his plan to destroy and recreate the universe.
(O) SAMURAI 7 Volume 3: From Farm to Fortress (Funimation) Episodes 9-12. The samurai are flushed out of the cavern to rescue the captured Kikuchiyo. Also available in a limited edition box thjat includes four 160-page storyboard books.
(O) SCOOBY-DOO AND THE CYBER CHASE (Warner Bros.) A crossover?
(O) SCOOBY-DOO IN WHERE'S MY MUMMY? (Warner Bros.) The gang goes with Velma to Egypt to unveil a Sphynx and an army of the undead attacks in this movie adventure. With featurettes, games and a music video.
(O) SCRAPPED PRINCESS Volume 5: Prophecies and Parents (Bandai) Raquel and Shannon search for the amnesiac Princess Pacifica, unaware that she's been captured by Royal Forces.
(O) STELLVIA Foundation 8 (Geneon) Episodes 23-26. The Genesis Mission! The Cosmic Fracture! Is this the most exciting school in the universe?!
(O) SUPER GALS! Iron-Clad Collection (ADV) Five volumes of cute teenage Barbie-types.
(O) TENJHO TENGE Round Four (Geneon) It's well animated, but I'm not too taken with this high school fighting comedy drama.
(O) TETSUJIN 28 Volume 2: Tetsujin vs. the Mafia (Geneon) Episodes 6-10. American gangsters try to steal robot No. 28.
(O) VALIANT (Buena Vista) From Disney's relatively new CGanime division comes this tale of a brave pigeon's adventures during World War I. Watch out for that asshole Dick Dastardly! Includes bloopers, games and more.
(O) YUKIKAZE Part 2 (Bandai) Sequel to the space invader dogfight hit.

UMD CORNER

(O) GUNDAM WING: THE MOVIE: Endless Waltz (Bandai)

Takes up the narrative a year after the GUNDAM TV series.
(O) MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM SEED: Movie 1 (Bandai)
(O) R.O.D. TV Series Volume 1 (Geneon) The first two episodes. A different take on the READ OR DIE concept.
(O) S-CRY-ED Volume 1: The Lost Ground (Bandai) Episodes 1-5. Psychic mutants emerge in a no man's land created by a massive earthquake.
(O) TRIGUN Volume 1 (Geneon) Episodes 1-2. Bounty hunters comb a desert planet for honorable outlaw Vash.

And be sure to check back next weekand every weekfor CINESCAPE's Anime Avalanche! And check in every Tuesday for the latest DVD Shopping List!

Anime Avalanche (© 2005 Brian Thomas) is our weekly animation column. Brian Thomas is the author of the massive book VideoHound's DRAGON: ASIAN ACTION & CULT FLICKS, available now!

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at DVDShoppingList@cinescape.com.