Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is a 2001 Japanese-American computer animated science fiction film directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy series of role-playing video games. It was the first photorealistic computer animated feature film and also holds the record for the most expensive video game-inspired film ever made. It features the voices of Ming-Na, Alec Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Peri Gilpin and Steve Buscemi. The Spirits Within follows scientists Aki Ross and Doctor Sid in their efforts to free a post-apocalyptic Earth from a mysterious and deadly alien race known as the Phantoms, which has driven the remnants of humanity into "barrier cities". They must compete against General Hein, who wishes to use more violent means to end the conflict.

Square Pictures rendered the film using some of the most advanced processing capabilities available for film animating at the time. A render farm consisting of 960 workstations was tasked with rendering each of the film's 141,964 frames. It took a staff of 200 and some four years to complete the film. Square intended to make the character of Aki Ross into the world's first photorealistic computer-animated actress, with plans for appearances in multiple films in different roles.

The Spirits Within debuted to mixed critical reception, but was widely praised for the realism of the computer-animated characters. Due to rising costs, the film greatly exceeded its original budget towards the end of production, reaching a final cost of US$137 million, of which it made back only $85 million at the box office. The film has been called a box office bomb, and is blamed for the demise of Square Pictures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy:_The_Spirits_Within

Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Rush Hour 2

Directed by	Brett Ratner
Produced by	Roger Birnbaum, Jonathan Glickman, Arthur Sarkissian, Jay Stern
Written by	Screenplay: Jeff Nathanson Characters created by: Ross LaManna
Starring	Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, John Lone, Alan King, Roselyn Sánchez, Harris Yulin, Zhang Ziyi
Music by	Lalo Schifrin
Cinematography	Matthew F. Leonetti
Editing by	Mark Helfrich, Robert K. Lambert
Distributed by	New Line Cinema
Release date(s)	August 3, 2001
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States, Hong Kong
Language	English, Cantonese, Mandarin
Budget	$90 million
Gross revenue	$347,425,832
Preceded by	Rush Hour (1998)
Followed by	Rush Hour 3 (2007)

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Rush Hour 2 is a 2001 martial arts/action comedy film. This is the second installment in the Rush Hour film series. A sequel to the 1998 film Rush Hour, the film stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker who respectively reprise their roles as Inspector Lee and Los Angeles police detective James Carter. The film finds Lee and Carter embroiled in a counterfeit scam involving the Triads.

Rush Hour 2 was released August 3, 2001 and grossed $347,325,802 at the worldwide box-office, becoming the 11th top grossing film of 2001 worldwide, the highest grossing live action martial arts film of all time, and the second-highest-grossing martial arts film of all time, behind Kung Fu Panda.

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Plot

L.A.P.D. Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) is on vacation in Hong Kong, visiting his good friend Hong Kong Police Force Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan). Carter is interested in having a good time; however, soon after he arrives, a bomb explodes at the American Consulate. Inspector Lee is assigned to the case, which becomes personal when it is discovered that it somehow involves Ricky Tan (John Lone), his late police officer father's former partner. Tan, who was suspected, but never proven, of having a role in Lee's father's death, is now a leader of the Triads.

The United States Secret Service, led by Agent Sterling (Harris Yulin), and the Hong Kong Police Force soon get into a fight over the jurisdiction of the case. Lee, believing Tan is the head of the operation, learns that Tan will be attending a dinner party on his yacht. Tan scolds his underling, Hu Li (Zhang Ziyi), who then leaves as Lee and Carter confront Tan. Tan claims that someone is trying to frame him. Hu Li suddenly appears and shoots Ricky Tan, making her escape in the chaos, and an angry Sterling holds Lee responsible for Tan's death, and orders him off the case. Carter is ordered to be flown back to Los Angeles for involving himself. However, Lee and Carter return to Los Angeles together.

On the plane, Carter tells Lee about a man named Steven Reign (Alan King), a Los Angeles hotel billionaire. Carter says that he saw Reign on Tan's boat and that his calm demeanor during the shooting was suspicious. They set up camp outside the Reign Towers, spotting a sexy Secret Service agent named Isabella Molina (Roselyn Sánchez), whom Carter met on Ricky Tan's yacht. After they watch Molina undress, and a few misunderstandings, Molina tells the two men that she is undercover, looking into Reign's money laundering of US$ 100 million dollars in superdollars (high grade counterfeit US$ 100 bills).

Lee and Carter pay a visit to Kenny (Don Cheadle), an ex-con known to Carter who owns a Chinese restaurant. He tells them that a usually broke customer recently came in to his establishment with a suspicious amount of hundred-dollar bills. Carter speculates them and confirms that they are Reign's counterfeits. They trace the money back to a bank friendly to the Triads, who are waiting for them and knock the two cops unconscious, with Molina looking on. After arriving in Las Vegas, Lee and Carter wake up inside one of the Triads' trucks and escape. After finding out where they are, they realize that Reign is laundering the $100 million through the new Red Dragon Casino in Vegas.

At the Red Dragon, Lee and Carter split up. Lee attempts to infiltrate the back area to find the engraving plates (which were used to make the counterfeit money). However, Hu Li captures Lee and places a small bomb in his mouth, then takes him up to the penthouse, where it is revealed that Ricky Tan faked his death and, as Lee suspected, is in charge of the operation. Tan soon departs the room, and Molina attempts to arrest Hu Li. In the enusing chaos, Carter is able to free Lee from the bomb in his mouth before Hu Li has the chance to detonate it. Carter then fights Hu Li, while Lee heads to the penthouse to prevent Tan from escaping with the plates.

In the penthouse, Reign opens the safe and takes the plates, running into Tan as he leaves. After Reign announces he is cutting their deal short and keeping the plates, Tan stabs him with a knife, killing him. Lee arrives and confronts Tan, along with Carter who shortly appears after (accidentally) knocking out Hu Li. After a tense standoff, where Tan admits he killed Lee's father, Tan tries to break free, but Lee kicks Tan out of the window and he falls on a parked car. Hu Li then enters, holding a time bomb. Lee and Carter leap out of the window just as the bomb goes off, sliding on decoration wires with their jackets and barely escaping the traffic on the street in the process.

Later, at the airport, Sterling thanks Lee for his work on the case. Molina says she would like to tell Lee something, and proceeds to kiss him for a short time, an event witnessed from afar by Carter. Lee and Carter plan to go their separate ways, but Lee reveals that he has always wanted to go to Madison Square Garden and watch a New York Knicks basketball game. Carter tells Lee he could go for one more vacation, and the two of them decide to go to the Big Apple.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_Hour_2

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2001 films | American films | Sequel films | English-language films | Cantonese-language films | Mandarin-language films | Films shot anamorphically | 2000s action films | Films set in Los Angeles, California | Films set in Hong Kong | Films set in Las Vegas | New Line Cinema films | Action comedy films | Martial arts films | Buddy films | Police detective films | Films directed by Brett Ratner | American action comedy films

Hanaukyo Maid Tai (2001~)

Hanaukyo Maid Tai



Genre: Harem, Romantic comedy



Manga
Author: Morishige
Publisher: Akita Shoten
English publisher: Studio Ironcat
Demographic: Shōnen
Magazine: Shōnen Champion
Original run: 2000 – 2006
Volumes: 13

TV anime
Director: Yasunori Ide
Studio: m.o.e.
Licensor: Geneon
Network: WOWOW
Original run: 8 April 2001 – 29 June 2001
Episodes: 12

Original video animation
Director: Yasunori Ide
Studio: m.o.e.
Released: 2001
Episodes: 3

TV anime: Hanaukyo Maid Team: La Verite
Director: Takuya Nonaka
Studio: m.o.e.
Licensor: Geneon
Original run: 4 April 2004 – 20 June 2004
Episodes: 12

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Hanaukyo Maid Team (花右京メイド隊 Hanaukyō Meido Tai, lit. Hanaukyō Maid Corps) is an anime and manga bishōjo series created by Morishige.

Hanaukyo Maid Team is about a young boy, Taro Hanaukyo, who has inherited a vast family fortune and, more importantly, the hundreds of employees working at the family mansion. While dressed and referred to nominally as 'maids', there are discrete albeit sometimes unusual departments for most of the employees (including Defence, Science, Catering, etc.). Presumably the various extensive projects in the house pay for most of its expenses.
The original anime, which aired as part of the omnibus program Anime Complex, was cut short when the series ran into production issues. Continuity was later rebooted for the new series Hanaukyo Maid Team - La Verite (Hanaukyō Maid Tai - La Verite in Japan). Many of the early episodes mirror each other closely, with some variations. Both anime versions use the same voice actors.

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Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanaukyo_Maid_Tai
http://browse.minitokyo.net/215/hanaukyo-maid-tai/

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Manga series | Anime series | Anime OVAs | Anime of 2001 | Anime of 2004 | Geneon | Manga of 2000 | Shōnen manga | Harem anime and manga

Hand Maid May (HAND MAID メイ)

Hand Maid May (HAND MAID メイ)



Genre: Harem, Science fiction, Romantic comedy



Hand Maid May (HAND MAID メイ Hando Meido Mei) is an anime series directed by Shinichiro Kimura, produced by Pioneer Animation (now Geneon Entertainment) and animated by TNK. The anime aired ten episodes on WOWOW between July 6 and September 22, 2000, and an OVA was bundled with a DVD box set released on February 21, 2001. It centers on the adventures of the main character, Kazuya Saotome, and a robotic Cyberdoll named May. Formerly available from Pioneer/Geneon in the United States, it is now out of print.

Chobits (2001~2002)

Chobits (2001~2002)

Alternative names: ちょびっツ, Chobittsu
Genre: Romantic comedy, Science Fiction, SF

Manga
Author: Clamp
Publisher: Kodansha
English publisher: Madman Entertainment, Tokyopop, Dark Horse Manga
Demographic: Seinen
Magazine: Young Magazine
Original run: 14 February 2001 – 29 November 2002
Volumes: 8

TV anime
Director: Morio Asaka
Studio: Madhouse
Licensor: Madman Entertainment, Geneon (2003-2007), Funimation Entertainment (2011), MVM Films, ADV Films, MC Entertainment
Network: Animax, TBS, BS-I
English network: Animax Asia, Anime Network
Original run: 2 April 2002 – 24 September 2002
Episodes: 26

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Chobits (ちょびっツ, Chobittsu) is a Japanese manga created by the Japanese manga collective Clamp. It was published by Kodansha in Young Magazine from February 2001 to November 2002 and collected in eight bound volumes. Unlike most stories by Clamp, Chobits is a seinen series commonly mistaken for shōjo because of its strong romantic themes and flowery art style.[citation needed] Chobits was adapted as a 26-episode-long anime television series broadcast on TBS and Animax from April to September 2002. In addition, it has spawned a video game as well as various merchandise such as figurines, collectable cards, calendars, and artbooks.

The series tells the story of Hideki Motosuwa, who finds an abandoned persocom (パソコン, PasoKon), or personal computer (パーソナルコンピュータ pāsonaru konpyūta) with human form, that he names "Chi" after the only word it initially can speak. As the series progresses, they explore the mysteries of Chi's origin together and questions about the relationship between human beings and persocoms. The manga is set in the same universe as Angelic Layer, taking place a few years after the events of that story, and like Angelic Layer, it explores the relationship between human beings and electronic devices shaped like human beings. Chobits branches off as a crossover into many other stories in different ways, such as Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, xxxHolic and Kobato.

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Plot

Story

The series centers on the life of Hideki Motosuwa, a held-back student attempting to qualify for university by studying at Seki prep school in Tokyo. Besides a girlfriend, he dreams of having a persocom (パソコン): an android used as a personal computer, which is expensive. On his way home one evening, he stumbles across a persocom in the form of a beautiful girl with long hair lying against a pile of trash bags, and he carries her home. Upon turning her on, she instantly regards Hideki with adoration. The only word the persocom seems capable of saying is "chi" (ちぃ, Chii), thus he names her that. Hideki assumes that there must be something wrong with her, and so the following morning he has his neighbor Hiromu Shinbo analyze her with his mobile persocom Sumomo. After Sumomo crashes during the attempt they conclude that she must be custom-built.

Shinbo introduces Hideki to Minoru Kokubunji, a twelve-year-old prodigy who specializes in the field of custom-built persocoms. Minoru's persocoms, including Yuzuki, a fairly exceptional custom-built persocom, are not able to analyze Chi either, and thus they conclude that she may be one of the Chobits, a legendary series of persocoms rumoured to have free will and emotions. Although this is a possibility, Minoru is confident that it is only rumour. Yuzuki also adds that she does not resemble any persocom model in any available database and so she must be custom made after all.

A major part of the plot involves Hideki attempting to teach Chi words, concepts, and appropriate behaviours, in between his crammed schedule of school and work. At the same time, Chi seems to be developing feelings for Hideki, at an emotional depth she is not supposed to possess, and Hideki struggles with his feelings for her. The need to figure out more about Chi and her mysterious functions and past becomes a pull for the characters in the series.

Hideki's feelings intensify for Chi whether she is a persocom or not, despite horrible experiences of his friends involving persocoms. Chi becomes aware of her purpose through a picture book series called A City with No People which she finds in a bookstore. The books speak about many different things involving human and persocom relationships: persocoms and their convenience as friends and lovers, how there are things that they cannot do and questioning whether a relationship between a persocom and a human is really one-sided. It also speaks about the Chobits series; that they are different from other persocoms, and what they are incapable doing unlike other persocoms. These picture books awaken Chi's other self, her sibling Freya who is aware of their past and helps Chi realize what she must do when she decides who her "person just for me" is. Together, Chi and Hideki explore the relationship between human beings and persocoms, as well as their friends' and their own.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chobits

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Manga series | Anime series | 2002 television series debuts | 2002 television series endings | ADV Films | Anime of 2002 | Clamp (manga artists) | Chobits | Drama anime and manga | Ecchi anime and manga | Geneon | Madhouse | Anime distributed by Madman Entertainment | Manga distributed by Madman Entertainment | Manga of 2001 | Romantic comedy anime and manga | Science fiction anime and manga | Seinen manga | Tokyopop titles | Funimation Entertainment

Air (visual novel, 2000-)

Air (visual novel, 2000-)

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: 18+ (Original PC)

Game
Developer: Key
Publisher: Visual Art's (PC), NEC Interchannel (DC/PS2)
Prototype (SoftBank 3G/PSP/FOMA)
Genre: Eroge, Visual novel
Rating: 18+ (Original PC), CERO: C (15+, PS2, PSP)
Released: September 8, 2000 (PC-limited)

Manga
Author: Key
Illustrator: Yukimaru Katsura
Original run: August 10, 2004 – February 10, 2006

TV anime
Director: Tatsuya Ishihara
Studio: Kyoto Animation
Original run: January 6, 2005 – March 31, 2005

TV anime: Air in Summer
Director: Tatsuya Ishihara
Studio: Kyoto Animation
Original run: August 28, 2005 – September 4, 2005

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Air is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key which was originally released as an adult game on September 8, 2000 playable on personal computers (PC) as a CD-ROM. Subsequent versions with the adult content removed were sold playable on the PC, Dreamcast, and PlayStation 2. The PC version with adult content was re-released with added support for Windows 2000/XP under the name Air Standard Edition on April 8, 2005. Air was made available to play on the PlayStation Portable, and SoftBank 3G and FOMA cell phones in 2007. Key re-released Air compatible with Windows Vista in July 2009 and an Air Memorial Edition compatible with Windows 7 will be released in May 2010; the Vista/7 editions were rated for all ages.

The gameplay in Air follows a plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the differing scenarios of the three female main characters. The game is divided into three segments—Dream, Summer, and Air—which serve as different phases in the overall story. One of the goals of the original version's gameplay is for the player to enable viewing of hentai scenes depicting the protagonist and one of the three heroines having sexual intercourse. The title of the game is meant to reflect the prominent themes of the air, skies, and use of wings throughout gameplay.

Air has made transitions into other media. A manga series based on the visual novel was first serialized in the Japanese magazine Comptiq and published by Kadokawa Shoten; the manga ran between August 2004 and February 2006 and was illustrated by Japanese artist Yukimaru Katsura. A thirteen-episode anime series created by Kyoto Animation aired in Japan between January and March 2005. A subsequent release of two episodes entitled Air in Summer aired in August and September 2005. While the anime was still airing, an Air film by the animation studio Toei Animation hit theaters in Japan in February 2005. The anime series, plus the two-episode Air in Summer and the film were initially licensed and released in North America by ADV Films, but the license for these titles was transferred to Funimation in July 2008. A set of nine drama CDs were also released, published by Lantis between August 2005 and January 2006.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_(visual_novel)#Anime
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_(film)

How to Draw Manga Vol. 20: Female Characters (1999)

How to Draw Manga Vol. 20: Female Characters (December 1999)

How to Draw Manga is a series of instructional books on drawing manga published by Graphic-sha, by a variety of authors. Originally in Japanese for the Japanese market, many volumes have been translated into English and published in the US. Of the wide range of manga-how-tos available for westerners, the series is seen as one of the more useful, both for its provenance and wide range of practical tips. The English-language volumes in the series were co-produced by Graphic-sha and two other Japanese companies, Japanime Co. Ltd. and Japan Publications Trading Co.

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List of books in the series

This is a list of books in the main HTDM set and other sets that relate to the main series.

How to Draw Manga

Originally there were no volume numbers on the English versions, because the original Japanese version did not have them. Then only volumes 1 - 8 were given numbers. With continued reprints and more books being released, all volumes gained a number. The dates given are the first printing.
How to Draw Manga Vol. 1: Compiling Characters (October 1999)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 2: Compiling Techniques (July 2000)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 3: Compiling Application and Practice (August 2000)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 4: Dressing Your Characters in Casual Wear (May 2001)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 5: Developing Shoujo Manga Techniques (July 2002)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 6: Martial Arts & Combat Sports (June 2002)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 7: Amazing Effects (June 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 8: Super Basics (June 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 9: Special: Colored Original Drawing (May 2001)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 10: Getting Started (October 2000)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 11: Maids & Miko (November 2002)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 12: Giant Robots (February 2002)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 13: Super Tone Techniques (August 2002)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 14: Colorful Costumes (January 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 15: Girls' Life Illustration File (May 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 16: Guns & Military Vol. 1 (September 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 17: Guns & Military Vol. 2 (October 2004)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 18: Super-Deformed Characters Vol. 1 Humans (August 2004)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 19: Super-Deformed Characters Vol. 2 Animals (June 2005)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 20: Female Characters (December 1999)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 21: Bishoujo Pretty Gals (November 2000)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 22: Bishoujo Around the World (March 2001)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 23: Illustrating Battles (October 2000)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 24: Occult & Horror (June 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 25: Bodies & Anatomy (December 2001)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 26: Making Anime (January 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 27: Male Characters (July 2002)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 28: Couples (January 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 29: Putting Things in Perspective (October 2002)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 30: Pen & Tone Techniques (April 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 31: More about Pretty Gals (August 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 32: Mech. Drawing (December 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 33: Costume Encyclopedia Vol. 1 Everyday Fashion (December 2003)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 34: Costume Encyclopedia Vol. 2 Intimate Apparel (January 2005)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 35: Costume Encyclopedia Vol. 3: Sexy Sports Wear (May 2005)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 36: Animals (February 2005)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 37: Macromedia Flash Techniques (February 2004)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 38: Ninja & Samurai Portrayal (September 2005)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 39: Creating Manga: Stories (April 2007)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 40: Dressing Your Characters In Suits & Sailor Suits (August 2006)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 41: Costume Encyclopedia Vol. 4 Kimono & Gowns (April 2007)
How to Draw Manga Vol. 42: Drawing Yaoi (June 2007) Note: this is a bishōnen how-to guide, not yaoi
How to Draw Manga Vol. 43: Drawing Bishōnen (December 2008)

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How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons

This set was printed in a smaller format of 15 cm x 21 cm.

How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Vol. 1: Drawing Made Easy (April 2005)
How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Vol. 2: The Basics of Characters and Materials (August 2005)
How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Vol. 3: Drawing Sensational Characters (November 2005)
How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Vol. 4: Making the Characters Come Alive (March 2006)
How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Vol. 5: A Touch of Dynamism (2006)
How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Vol. 6: Striking the Right Note (August 2006)

How to Draw Manga: Computones

Each volume in this set includes a CD-ROM for use with Windows only.

How to Draw Manga: Computones Vol. 1: Basic Tone Techniques (May 2005)
How to Draw Manga: Computones Vol. 2: Depicting Characters (September 2005)
How to Draw Manga: Computones Vol. 3: Mecha (October 2005)
How to Draw Manga: Computones Vol. 4: Portraying Couples (June 2006)
How to Draw Manga: Computones Vol. 5: Aiming For Action (June 2006)

How to Draw Manga: Sketching Manga-Style

How to Draw Manga: Sketching Manga-Style Vol. 1: Sketching to Plan (February 2007)
How to Draw Manga: Sketching Manga-Style Vol. 2: Logical Proportions (April 2007)
How to Draw Manga: Sketching Manga-Style Vol. 3: Unforgettable Characters (October 2007)
How to Draw Manga: Sketching Manga-Style Vol. 4: All About Perspective (Nov 12, 2008)
How to Draw Manga: Sketching Manga-Style Vol. 5: Sketching Sports Basics (Dec 10, 2008)
How to Draw Manga: Sketching Manga-Style Vol. 6: Sketching Props (August 11, 2009)

Manga Pose Resource Book

This set was printed in an over-sized format of 21 cm x 29.6 cm.

Manga Pose Resource Book Vol. 1: Basic Poses (2002)
Manga Pose Resource Book Vol. 2: Animals (2002)
Manga Pose Resource Book Vol. 3: Actions Scenes (2002)

How to Draw Anime and Game Characters

This set is another Graphic-Sha publication that is shown alongside the main HTDM series on the dustjacks and in ads.

How to Draw Anime and Game Characters Vol. 1: Basics for Beginners and Beyond (August 2000)
How to Draw Anime and Game Characters Vol. 2: Expressing Emotions (March 2001)
How to Draw Anime and Game Characters Vol. 3: Bringing Daily Actions to Life (August 2001)
How to Draw Anime and Game Characters Vol. 4: Mastering Battle and Action Moves (April 2002)
How to Draw Anime and Game Characters Vol. 5: Bishoujo Game Characters (September 2003)

More How to Draw Manga

Another set of manga-know-how with only four volumes, based in character creation. Note: Only three of the first printings for this series are below.

More How to Draw Manga Vol. 1: The Basics of Character Drawing (March 2004)
More How to Draw Manga Vol. 2: Penning Characters (March 2004)
More How to Draw Manga Vol. 3: Enhancing a Character's Sense of Presence (2004)
More How to Draw Manga Vol. 4: Mastering Bishoujo Characters (September 2004)

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Draw_Manga

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Books about visual art | Manga distributed by Madman Entertainment

Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure (デュアル!ぱられルンルン物語)

Genre: Comedy, Mecha

Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure (デュアル!ぱられルンルン物語, Dyuaru! Parare Runrun Monogatari) is a fourteen episode series created in 1999 by Masaki Kajishima and produced by AIC, both well-known for the Tenchi Muyo! franchise. It is licensed in the US by Pioneer LDC, later known as Geneon. In addition to the original run, an OVA special was added to conclude the series as a de facto "14th episode".

Excel Saga (エクセル・サーガ)

Genre: Action, Parody, Science Fiction

Excel Saga (エクセル・サーガ, Ekuseru Sāga) is a manga series written and illustrated by Rikdo Koshi. It has been serialized in Young King OURs since 1996, with individual chapters collected and published in tankōbon volumes by Shōnen Gahosha. The series follows the attempts of Across, a "secret ideological organization", to conquer the city of Fukuoka as a first step towards world domination. The titular character of the series, Excel, is a key member of the group working towards this goal, while the city is defended by a shadowy government agency led by Dr. Kabapu.

The manga was adapted into an anime television series by Victor Entertainment. Directed by Shinichi Watanabe and featuring animation from J.C.Staff, the series premiered on TV Tokyo in 1999. TV Tokyo only aired twenty-five of the series' twenty-six episodes, with the finale having been intentionally made too violent and obscene for public broadcast. As such, it was only included in the DVD release of the series, although it has since been broadcast in other markets.

The series has enjoyed some critical success coupled with respectable sales.

Elf-ban Kakyūsei (エルフ版 下級生)

Genre: Drama, Harem, Romance

Elf-ban Kakyūsei (エルフ版　下級生, Erufuban Kakyūsei) is an anime. It is unrelated to a different series of the same title, Kakyūsei, also produced by Pink Pineapple in 1995. It was based on a game originally created by Masato Hiruta more popularly known as Elf, and had a TV series produced after success of the OVA. The 14th episode of the TV series was never aired on television. The TV series produced further sequels and spin offs that were considerably more explicit than their earlier versions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elf-ban_Kakyūsei