Viz has announced that Monster, the anime based on the mangy by Naoki Urasawa, will air on Mondays beginning Oct. 12 on the Syfy channel.

The show, rated TV-MA, will be rebroadcast the following week on the sister channel, Chiller.

“Naoki Urasawa’s ‘Monster’ weaves an engrossing story of politics, psychological intrigue and murder,” said William Germain, VIZ Media’s Director of Programming Sales, in a release. “The multi-layered plot and mysterious characters that make Naoki Urasawa’s manga a smash hit are adapted wonderfully for the animated series, which remains true to the original story.”

In “Monster,” Dr. Kenzo Tenma saves the life of a young boy named Johan.  Years later, Johan appears to be a serial murderer.  Suspected of being the murderer himself, Dr. Tenma must go on the run, as he attempts to track down a monster.

For more about the “Monster” manga, see http://www.vizsignature.com/monster/.

Click past the cut for the full release.

San Francisco, CA, August 21 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the debut of the animated Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER featured by Starz Media’s Manga Entertainment on Syfy beginning on October 12th as part of the latest season of the network’s Ani-Monday programming block. MONSTER is based on the critically acclaimed manga series by Naoki Urasawa that is published in North America by VIZ Media.

New episodes of Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER, rated TV-MA will air each Monday night on the Syfy Ani-Monday block and will be re-broadcast on SyFy’s sister channel, Chiller the week thereafter. Chiller airs a variety of horror and suspense-themed programs. Check local listings for specific airtimes.

What would you do if a child you saved grew up to be a monster? An ice-cold killer is on the loose, and Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the only one who can stop him! Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy named Johan. When the boy, now a coldhearted and charismatic young man, reappears nine years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders, Tenma must go on the run from the police, who suspect him to be the killer, to find Johan and stop the monster he set loose upon the world. Conspiracies, serial murders, and secret government experiments set against the grim backdrop of the formerly communist Eastern Europe are masterfully woven together in this compelling work of suspense.

“Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER weaves an engrossing story of politics, psychological intrigue and murder,” says William Germain, VIZ Media’s Director of Programming Sales. “The multi-layered plot and mysterious characters that make Naoki Urasawa’s manga a smash hit are adapted wonderfully for the animated series, which remains true to the original story. We invite anime and manga as well as mystery and suspense fans to tune in each Monday this fall for an exciting chase as Dr. Tenma tries to catch the Monster!”

“We are very pleased to add MONSTER to the robust anime lineup found on the Ani-Mondays blocks on Syfy and Chiller,” says Marc DeBevoise, Starz Media senior vice president, digital media, business development and strategy. “We believe that this addition will give anime fans a lot to look forward to during the season.”

For more information on Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER manga series (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) please visit www.vizsignature.com/monster.

Husband and wife voice actors Yuri Lowenthal (Superman in “Legion of Superheroes”) and Tara Platt (Wonder Woman in “DC Vs Mortal Kombat”) took a few minutes to talk to me at Comic-Con International about their upcoming book, Voice-Over Voice Actor, available for pre-order at BugBotPress.com.

- Matt Price

Actress Tara Platt. (c)2008 John Phillips. Used with permission.

Oklahoma-raised Tara Platt has voiced superheroes, starred in movies and written a book.

Platt is maybe best known as the voice of Temari on the anime hit “Naruto,” but she has also portrayed superheroes Dream Girl (on “Legion of Superheroes”) and Wonder Woman (on the “DC vs. Mortal Kombat” game). She’s also appeared on “Charmed” and “Gilmore Girls.” But it all got started in Oklahoma, where Platt lived from age 7 to 11.

Dream Girl from Legion of Superheroes.

“I remember we went to see ‘Annie Get Your Gun,’ and there were a bunch of kids my age in the chorus,” Platt said. “They were dressed up in fun costumes and singing and seemed to be having a blast. After the show, I turned to my mom and said, ‘I wanna do that.’”

Platt’s mother told her that it takes lots of skill, time and energy to become an actress, but didn’t discourage her.

“She said that if I read the paper and came across an audition listing, that she would take me,” Platt said. “A few months later I saw an ad for the Jewel Box Theatre’s production of ‘Wait Until Dark’ with a role for a 9-year-old girl. I auditioned and got Gloria, and I haven’t looked back since!”

Wonder Woman from DC Vs. Mortal Kombat

Platt lived in Oklahoma while her father attended the University of Oklahoma’s medical school. She said her overall memories of the state are wonderful.

“I ended up going to elementary school there at Wiley Post Elementary,” Platt said. “We did the Sooners’ Run where we pretended we were pioneers and got to run across the school yard and stake out land with our red wagons and toy guns.”

That imagination is still in play today.

“A definite draw to (voice-over acting) is the ability to not be constrained by looks or age or gender,” Platt said. “Anywhere your imagination can take you, you have the possibility of working as a voice actor.”

Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal. Photo (c) Boris Kievsky, used with permission

In the English dub of Naruto, Platt voices Temari, the eldest of the Sand Siblings, who bears an iron fan. Naruto is a Japanese show based on the manga of the same name. The show, about a young ninja who seeks to become the greatest ninja of all, has a large fan base in Japan and the United States.

“There are such strong characters, and really so many that there is a character for everyone,” Platt said. “They deal with real issues; it isn’t just a ‘kids show.’ There are major conflicts that Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and the various other characters … are all dealing with that parallel many things we all must deal with: disappointment, rejection, family conflict, life and death, love, loss and many other important things. I think that is one of the reasons that Naruto is a fan favorite. That and the ninjas, of course!”

Platt’s sharing her knowledge of the voice-over world in an upcoming book. With husband Yuri Lowenthal, also a voice actor, Platt has written “Voice-Over Voice Actor: What It’s Like Behind the Mic,” which comes out this fall and is available to pre-order at BugBotPress.com.

Voice-Over Voice Actor, from Bug Bot Press

“There are tips, exercises and practice copy in addition to the nuts and bolts about the business,” Platt said.

In addition to frequent voice work, Platt takes on other roles in front of and behind the camera. Platt’s film production company with Lowenthal, Monkey Kingdom Productions, recently finished the psychological thriller “Tumbling After.” They’re also working on a documentary about the world of voice-over with director and documentarian Boris Kievsky.

Platt will be in front of the camera in some upcoming commercials and in a live-action sci-fi romantic comedy feature starting next month.

By Matthew Price
From Tuesday’s The Oklahoman

You can check out my report on the anime portion of the Marvel animation panel at NewsOK.

- Matt Price

TOKYO (AFP) –  A Japanese man has enlisted hundreds of people in a campaign to allow marriages between humans and cartoon characters, saying he feels more at ease in the “two-dimensional world.”

Seems to me to be taking fandom to a new extreme.   Check out the whole story in the link.

- Matt Price

The series comes in an oversized “Mach 5” tin case that may not fit on your DVD shelf. Inside, the discs are in a cardboard fold-out sleeve that’s about the height of a CD case. So, packaging wise, the “Complete Classic Series” is kind of an odd fit.

“Speed Racer” is the English adaptation of the Japanese anime “Mach GoGoGo.” Speed Racer is a young hotshot driver who competes in races around the world, and often gets entangled in action-packed adventures. Racer X, Speed’s closest competitor, is secretly Speed’s brother Rex, thought dead. “Speed Racer” was one of the first cartoon series to bring anime to the United States, and while it’s certainly kid-focused and a bit dated, it’s a powerful nostalgic thrill for those of the right age.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

“Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes” mixes the characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with modern animation and anime-influenced design.

The Fantastic Four is a super-team. The team’s adventures are based on the Marvel Comic book.

Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) is the genius leader who can stretch his body like elastic. Sue Storm (Invisible Woman) can turn invisible and project force fields. Ben Grimm (The Thing) is an orange, rocky monster, and Johnny Storm (Human Torch) can turn himself into a flame and fly.

The melding of 2-D and 3-D animation could be jarring for some, and the designs aren’t directly lifted from the comic book. French animation house Moonscoop tried to modernize the look, with the “4” logo seemingly spray-painted on The Thing’s rocky hide and the Torch sporting a Japanese anime-style haircut.

Several guest-stars from Marvel Comics appear, including Hulk and Iron Man.

The featurette “From Origin to Animation” is a treat for fans, as Lee talks about the Fantastic Four’s creation. The “Rise of the Rogues” featurette showcases the Fantastic Four’s villains, including Doctor Doom. Also included is a partial reprint of the “Ultimate Fantastic Four” No. 1 comic book.

— Matthew Price

From Friday’s The Oklahoman:  

The futuristic world of “Appleseed” is further explored in “Appleseed: Ex Machina,” a computer-animated sequel to the 2004 film. The films are based on characters created by Masumune Shirow (“Ghost in the Shell”).

After a non-nuclear war wipes out half the world’s population, humans turn to the artificial intelligence of Gaia to guide them. Led by bioroids, humans genetically engineered to avoid warlike emotions, the city of Olympus is a beacon of hope to the world. Still, unrest remains, and both the human and cyborg officers of the special weapons and tactics force on
Olympus are needed to quell disturbances.

Deunan, a human, and Briareos, a cyborg, are partners and lovers. Briareos, like other cyborgs, is a human who received severe injuries in the war and required robotic parts to repair him. Briareos is perhaps the top officer of the squad. When he’s injured, he’s replaced, essentially, by himself —  a bioroid named Tereus, engineered from Briareos’ DNA. When Tereus is selected to be Deunan’s new partner, it causes confusion among the three heroes.

When recent attacks appear to be cyborgs with malfunctioning parts, the cyborg members of the unit are sidelined. Briareos, Deunan and Tereus have to find a way to work together and solve the mystery of the technological mishaps to save
Olympus.

The film is directed by Shinji Aramaki, who directed the 2004 “Appleseed” and is known for his design work in “Bubblegum Crisis” and “Robotech.”
“Ex Machina” is produced by John Woo (“The Killer”) and features Woo-like flourishes such as two-handed gunbattles and shell casings clanking on the floor. But one of the most Woo-influenced scenes, a battle in a cathedral, was created before Woo joined the project.

 — Matthew Price

(Link via Blog @ Newsarama.)

– Matt Price

#1. Wanted - Based on the Mark Millar comic-book miniseries for Top Cow.

#2. The Dark Knight - Introducing Heath Ledger as the Joker.

#3. Hellboy: The Golden Army – Guillermo del Toro directs this sequel starring Mike Mignola’s blue-collar supernatural hero.

(And at #5, the Wachowski Brothers’ Speed Racer, based on the classic anime.  And this trailer is seriously growing on me.)