CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Part 1

If you're like me, you're probably stuck trying to select a gift for that person who has everything. Here are some suggestions of the many hot items CDJapan is offering that would make great holiday gifts (and something they're not likely to pick up at Best Buy).

The release of any Hayao Miyazaki film is always something to celebrate. His work has a consistent quality that crosses nationalities as equally as it does age groups. In Japan, the release "Howl's Moving Castle" once again propelled Miyazaki to the top of the opening weekend box office kings. In the U.S., Disney was motivated to distribute the film in both Japanese and the English dub!

Miyazaki adapted this film from a popular English novel about a young girl named Sophie, who has been cursed by a witch to live in the body of a 90-year-old woman. Ashamed of her current state, Sophie grabs her bags and sets out for the wastelands, where she finds the amazing walking castle of the wizard Howl.

Here in America, Disney won't be releasing their DVD edition until next summer! Sure to be a bestseller, Studio Ghibli is releasing the movie in multiple versions, none as spectacular as the four-disc Special Edition. This set includes a disc with audio and subtitles for every language in which the film was released! Mastered in Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, the audio tracks are in Japanese, English, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The primary DVD includes the original Japanese audio mixed in stunning Dolby Digital 6.1 surround sound. Disc 3 features production stills, theatrical trailers, a digest version of the making-of footage (including comments from the English voice actors and staff), and an interview with Miyazaki. Disc 4 includes the full version of the making-of documentary, staff interviews, and commentary on the CG used in the film.

Pre-order now for a chance to win an actual frame from the film, bound in a clear cubic case. Quantities of these are extremely limited!

Also available is the Standard two-disc version with the feature and the special features on bonus disc 3. There's also a Limited Edition set which includes the Ghibli Short Animation Collection (available separately). For the first time ever, all 23 of the treasured animated shorts from Studio Ghibli have been gathered together, from their first short film (1992's "Sora Iro no Tane") to their latest animated music videos and commercials. This set also includes the single "Dore Dore no Uta" by Meiko Haigo.

Hinokio (English Subtitles) Japanese Movie
Fantastic film about a young, shy boy named Satoru who attends school through a remote controlled robot. Entertaining for both children and adults, "Hinokio" presents a realistic yet sci-fi descripti . . . Sold Out DVD | 2005/11/26 | 3800yen Extra Points Offered
samurai champloo music record "impression" Animation Soundtrack
Compiles soudtracks by Nujabes and Force of Nature to the anime "Samurai Champloo" by Shinichiro Watanabe. . . . Sold Out CD | 2004/09/22 | 2900yen Extra Points Offered

COP ROCK

Not since "Hill Street Blues" has there been a police series with such a large ensemble cast. And what a cast of characters they are! Actor and singer Yuji Oda leads as a novice detective assigned to the Wangan Police Station on picturesque Odaiba. He quickly shows a unique ability to empathize with victims. A former computer salesman, he often bucks the system to do what he feels is right and necessary. Eri Fukatsu plays Oda's partner (and perhaps love interest), who spends much of her time (in the feature films at least) trying to get a decent meal. There's also the seemingly hard nosed Toshiro Yanagiba and the late Chosuke Ikariya as Oda's mentor, an old school investigator on the verge of retirement. The precinct itself is a microcosm of Tokyo life, with constant battles between snobbish Tokyo University graduates and the self-made cops. The stories are fast moving, often intercut with "smaller crimes" that keep the entire cast busy. These dedicated men and women are the center of the character driven plots, tales often heartwarming and funny.

Two special Limited Edition box sets have been released that will satisfy even the most obsessive fan.

Odoru Daisosasen Original Soundtrack [Limited Edition] Original Soundtrack
A set of 6 CDs and a bonus CD including three soundtrack albums to "Odoru Daisosase," "Odoru Daisosase The Move 2 Rainbow Bridge wo fuusa seyo! Original Soundtrack," "Odoru Daisosasen The Moive 2 Rhyt . . . Sold Out CD | 2004/03/24 | 13000yen Extra Points Offered
Odoru daisosasen Complete DVD Box [Limited Release] TV Drama, Japanese Movie
Impressive 16-disc set of the series that kicked off "Koshonin" and "Bayside Shakedown!" Includes all six discs of the original television series (avaiable for the first time in tall-case edition), "S . . . Sold Out DVD | 2005/11/25 | 47500yen Extra Points Offered
Koshonin Mashoshi Mashita (English Subtitles) [Limited Release] [Premium Edition] Japanese Movie
"Koshonin Masayoshi Mashita" is the chart-topping hit movie from the makers of "The Bayside Shakedown 2." The action takes place just one hour after the Odaiba serial-killer story of "Bayside Shakedo . . . Sold Out DVD | 2005/12/17 | 11500yen Extra Points Offered

GOOD SPORTS

Ganbare! Kickers DVD Box Animation
23-episode box set for Japan's favorite soccer animation, "Ganbare! Kickers." . . . Sold Out DVD | 2005/08/31 | 26600yen Extra Points Offered

SUPER HERO STUFF

Believe it or not, there really was an Ultraman series shot in America in 1993! It never aired here, but the 13-episode follow-up to the Australian version starred Kane Kosugi ("Godzilla Final Wars"), son of action star Sho Kosugi (who provided Ultraman's voice!).
Much of the series paid homage to the original Japanese show by bringing back popular monsters and remaking older stories. Though the cost of shooting in Los Angeles ate up most of the budget, the series managed to boast some terrific monster suits by Kevin Hudson ("Stuart Little"). Toshihiko Sahashi ("The Big O") scored the series and Columbia's Animex 1200 series has reissued the 2 soundtrack CDs.

Ultraman Powered Music Collection [Limited Release] (limited to 5,000 copies) Sci-Fi Live Action
Digitally remastered. . . . Sold Out CD | 2005/07/06 | 1200yen Extra Points Offered
Ultraman Powered Sound Daihyakka [Limited Release] (limited to 5,000 copies) Sci-Fi Live Action
Digitally remastered. . . . Sold Out CD | 2005/07/06 | 1200yen Extra Points Offered
Ultraman Max - Original Soundtrack 1 Sci-Fi Live Action
Contians a TV-sized version of the main theme and BGM soundtracks. . . . Sold Out CD | 2005/08/31 | 2800yen Extra Points Offered
TV Size! Saishin Ultraman Shudaika Shu Sci-Fi Live Action
[Machine Translation] The long-awaited renewal of the hit "TV Size! Ultraman Theme Song Collection" has been renewed! The theme songs of "Ultraman Max", "Tiga", "Dyna", "Cosmos" and other Ultraman se . . . Sold Out CD | 2005/09/21 | 2500yen Extra Points Offered
Giant ROBO 6 Animation
Sold Out CD | 1995/07/21 | 2718yen Extra Points Offered

ALSO STILL IN STOCK!

Classic Monster DVD Limited BOX I (limited release of 5,000 copies) Movies
The boxed set contains 2 highly acclaimed, classic monster films; "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms," and "Them!" "The Beast..." features creature animation effects by Ray Harryhausen. "Them" is perhaps . . . Sold Out DVD | 2003/12/24 | 8800yen Extra Points Offered
Classic Monster DVD Limited BOX II (limited release of 5,000 copies) Movies
The boxed set contains 2 highly acclaimed, classic monster films; "The Valley of Gwangi," and "The Black Scorpion." "Gwangi" features creature animation effects by Ray Harryhausen, and the special eff . . . Sold Out DVD | 2003/12/24 | 8800yen Extra Points Offered
Thunderbirds Special Box [Limited Edition] Movie
This limited edition comes housed in a Thunderbird II figure-typed box. A 20-page all-color booklet included. The disc is picture-labeled. . . . Sold Out DVD | 2004/11/26 | 14267yen Extra Points Offered

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