Conference noted::sf

	I rather like Robotech, it's done by pretty much the same people
	as Star Blazers, right?  I also liked the Star Trek animateds.
	On a less serious vein, I've got to admit that I also like the
	Jetsons.  (Rerro, Rorge! :^)

	Thanks,

	 /~~'\
	W o o k
	(  ^  )
	 \`-'/
	  \_/

    	How about good ol' JONNY QUEST?!  It actually had some intelligence
    for a Saturday morning show, and it also introduced some great SF
    characters, like the robot "spider" and the Cyclops energy being.
    
    	Larry
    

    The Star Trek cartoon has several things going for it.  First off,
    they could do something about the embarassing excess of humanoids.
    It is, if anything, easier to draw non-humanoids than to draw humans,
    since it is harder to claim the drawing is inaccurate.
    
    Also, they often got "real" SF writers to do the scripts.  E.g., 
    Larry Niven did or allowed an adaptation of his short story 
    "The Soft Weapon," in which Spock, Uhura, and Sulu meet the kzinti.
    This addition sort of "stuck" and the Enterprise continued to encounter
    kzinti from time to time.  Also, the Star Trek role playing game
    has the kzinti along with the Romulans and Klingons as standard
    unfriendly neighbors of the Federation.
    
    Earl Wajenberg

    	The Kzinti figure prominently in the STAR TREK MAPS, showing
    the range of their empire - much decreased after the four Earth-Kzinti
    Wars (musta had to fit 'em in between the Eugenics and Romulan Wars),
    as well as a Kzinti space marker buoy.
    
    	The STAR TREK STAR FLEET SPACEFLIGHT CHRONOLOGY, while very
    inaccurate in many areas, does emphasize some ST animated shows'
    contributions to the ST universe - like detailing the S.S. BONAVENTURE,
    except that they made it look like a flat submarine; in reality,
    it was shaped like a small, fat ENTERPRISE (it was the first warp-drive
    starship, lost on its third mission in the Delta Triangle - which
    is also located in the ST MAPS).
    
    	Larry
    

    re:.1
    
    ROBOTECH and STAR BLAZERS are both Japanese, but I don't know if
    they are actually by the same outfit (the American companies are
    different, though).
    
    re:.2
    
    Actually, when JONNY QUEST first appeared, it was a prime-time
    cartoon show, on Friday nights at 7:30. It's still considered to
    be the best American adventure cartoon series ever made. Great
    stuff!
    
    re:.3
    
    Niven *did* do the adaptation himself. It was amusing to see Spock
    as a Nessus surrogate. On the other hand, David Gerrold was the
    only other "real sf writer" to do a script for the animated series.
    The original series, though, had scripts by Richard Matheson, Ted
    Sturgeon, Robert Bloch, and Norman Spinrad (as well as Gerrold).
    
    Another good (Japanese) sf cartoon is THUNDERBIRDS: 2086, loosely
    based on the Gerry Anderson supermarionation (TM) show. Some of
    the scripts are very well written. And each one contained a hidden
    reference to an sf tv show or movie.
    
    And, of course, there are always the animated feature films...
    
    --- jerry

    
    	re:.5
    
    	yes yes!  i love the new Thunderbirds cartoon.  I assume it
    is a take off of the old Thunderbirds, but I don't remember the
    character names.  i also don't remember when the old Thunderbirds
    took place.  Does anyone know?
    
    	Mike

    
    
    	Also, there used to be another 'toon out about the same time
    Star Trek (the 'toon) came out (I think).  It was a trio of beings,
    I think it was Hermes, heracles and a woman, teamed up with a super
    sentient computer called Sentinel One.  there were a bunch of Sentinel
    computers all over the galaxy.  I think they defended the galaxy
    from nasty evil doers...  
    
    	That was quite a good cartoon.
    
    	Mike

    I read somewhere that the original JQ cartoons are going to be
    released on videotape --- two episodes per tape --- starting
    this month.
    
    --- jerry

    	I know you, Jerry, may not consider D. C. Fontana an SF writer,
    but she did do one of the best animated STAR TREK episodes of them
    all - "Yesteryear", the one where, due to some meddling with the
    time lines while Kirk and Spock used the Guardian of Forever to
    explore Orion's past, Spock in another time reality actually died
    in a Vulcan manhood ritual, and the ENTERPRISE instead had an Andorian
    as Science Officer.  Spock had to go back to Vulcan to meet himself
    as a boy, in order to save his life and restore his time reality.
     
    	Fontana is one of the best at depicting characterizations in
    ST, and this animated was almost flawless; they even had Mark Lenard
    do the voice for Sarek.
    
    	Larry
    

    
    	RE:.9
    
    	This may not be a sensible question, but why did Spock have
    to change the other time reality?  He was still able to get back
    to his wasn't he?  And different realities shouldn't be able to
    affect one another.  Valid question?
    
    	Mike

    	This is certainly without any "serious" knowledge, but I am
    assuming he would be 'trapped" in the time reality where the Andorian
    was Science Officer, because in that reality he did not exist,
    therefore his actions did not exist.
    
    	This could then be shown that since he did not exist, how could
    he go back to change his past, and this is where any sane mind trying
    to solve this paradox calls it quits.
    
    	Any "insane" minds want to tackle this?
    
    	Larry
    

    re:.9
    
    Yes, you're right. I don't consider D.C. Fontana to be a "real"
    sf writer, simply because she hasn't published any sf, except a
    tv novelization or two. She's a tv writer who happens to have
    written some sf in that medium. This doesn't mean she's a bad
    writer. On the contrary, I've generally thought her ST work was
    among the best on the show. But it doesn't put her in the same
    "class" as Ellison, Sturgeon, etc.
    
    --- jerry

    
    
    	Also, who did the meddling while Spock and Kirk were in the
    Guardian?  Hmmm.  If this was done while they were still in the
    guardian, then they could still effect the change back without any
    problems.  It would be just as always, as long as they didn't leave
    the Guardian, right?  Or am I just messing myself up here?
    
    	Mike

    
    	Back to other 'toons though, yes, I like Robotech very much
    (Iforget who entered that one).  The robots are pretty incredible,
    and yet I can actually picture us eventually developing devices
    like that.  Although, I can't picture something like the Mother
    ship.  I would think that something with that much mass wouldn't
    be able to withstand the stresses of gravity.  Sort of like I couldn't
    picture Godzilla (who weighs 440 million tons!) walking onthe Earth.
    I would think that he'd go right therough the ground!
    
    	Mike

    Some other pretty good SF toons (fantasy also):
    "Thundar the Barbarian"
    "Space Ghost"  One of my old personal favorites next to JQ (already
    mentioned).
    "Transformers"  I took my son to see that movie (excellent effects
    they do with cartoons now).
    .....And who can't forget "The Jetsons" (already back on television).
    
    Mike_L

    Yes!  I had forgotton about Thundarr!  That WAS a good 'toon.  I
    like the theme of civilization starting over again after the war.
    I still catch Space Ghost on cable every once in a while, along
    with the teen heroes and all of his other buddies...
    
    	Mike

    	Don't forget DANGERMOUSE!
    
    	And you know what else isn't too bad (really), check out THE
    NEW GHOSTBUSTERS - the animation is excellent (there are shadows!),
    the characters have some depth to them, the plots are (so far)
    interesting, and there are some clever, imaginative concepts and
    twists to it.  
    
    	Larry
    

    I caught an episode of the NEW GHOSTBUSTERS, and it was very
    interesting with great animation.  Boy!  I tell you, cartoons have
    come a long way from when I was a kid.
                               
    Mike_L

    
    
    	RE:.17
    
    	Oh 'eck! I almost forgot Chief!
    
    	I noticed that there are TWO Ghostbuster cartoons.  One on Saturday
    mornings (I think that is the better one) and a series on weekdays,
    with different characters.  Are they done by the same company?
    
    	Mike

    Oh ho!  What about MASK?  That's a decent Cartoon.  I like the
    characters, and the powers of the different masks are neat.  Not
    to mention their quick change battle/cars.
    
    	Mike

    	Concerning the discussion as to WHY Spock died in another time
    reality in the ST animated episode "Yesteryear", the reason is -
    as full of holes as it is - that when Spock traveled back into the
    planet Orion's past, time could not handle the fact of there being
    two Spocks existing in different areas of space at the same time
    (The time of Orion's past they were exploring was when Spock was
    a young boy on Vulcan).  This paradox being the case, young Spock was
    effectively "eliminated" from the picture, thus creating the situation
    Spock encountered upon his return.
                                                               
    	Larry
    

    There is an excellent cartoon version of "Wind in the Willows" done
    as a series on either the Disney channel or the Nickelodeon channel,
    I forget which.  (But I think it's Disney.)  I saw it for the first
    time while visiting relatives last week.  It is done with stop-motion
    animation.  They have beautifully preserved the characters of these
    four late-Victorian animals and come up with half-hour adventures
    for them that could easily come from the book.  At least, these
    was true of the two instances I saw.
    
    On a more SF-ish note, a couple of years ago there was a cartoon
    about a young scientist and his faithful team of robot champions
    that he invented himself.  They were rather like Voltran -- the
    five robots could combine into one immense robot.  Together or
    separately, each had particular powers.  Now the hard part: can
    anyone identify and name the series from this description?  I can't
    recall the name.
    
    Earl Wajenberg

    
    	re.22
    
    	It was called The Mighty Orbots.  Did you ever notice how the
    robots got larger when they were getting ready to merge into one?
    
    	Mike
    
    	re.20
    Thanks for the explanation about the Orion incident...

    	At the risk of seeming egotistical, it was Larry at Note .21
    who explained the Orion incident.
    
    	Larry
    

    
    
    	Oops, sorry, but I was close!  Anyway, you know who you are
    out there...
    
    	Mike

    
        Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years is THE best...
    
    besides Robotech. Made by the same people.
    
                       Peter

    Oh yes!  That reminds me (re.26), a while back there was a movie
    called The Galaxy 999 Express, a cartoon movie and Captain Harlock
    was in it, along with a woman pirate who flew around in a starship
    that looked like a zeppelin.  Anyone else see that???  I think it
    was on HBO or The Movie Channel...
    
    	Mike

    	Does anyone remember a Christmas cartoon made about ten years
    ago, which dealt with three aliens (who just happen to look similar
    to the Three Wise Men) who come to Earth to discover why a brilliant
    star appeared in this sector of the Galaxy about 2,000 years ago?
    
    	I thought it was rather well done, story and animation-wise.
    I particularly liked the aliens' starship - a black sphere whose
    "hatch" seemed to fold open and produce a ramp like opening numerous
    curtains of material.  Their appearance was interestingly superficial
    to the Three Wise Men, and they even had a code of non-interference
    (but of course they DID "interfere" with humanfolk).
    
    	Larry
    

    
    	yes, i remember a bit of it (hey, that rhymed!).  At the end
    when the aliens left (after celebrating Christmas with the people)
    they made some fireworks for them...
    
    	Mike

    
    	Did they also help decorate the tree with telekinesis or something?
    Did you ever wonder just how close man is to having blatant Psi
    powers?  And how they work/what they are (or would be)??
    
    	Mike

    	Yes, they used their telekinetic powers.
    
    	Does anyone remember the name of the show?  They broadcast it
    in syndication for several years, then it just disappeared.  It
    was bit corny sometimes, and rather ETish (though it did come out
    before ET), but I was still intrigued by the concept of aliens noticing
    the appearance of The Star and wanting to find out what it was.
    	Perhaps they might have discovered something about The Star
    which made it different from other nova or supernova, and felt compelled
    enough to send an expedition out to study it.         
    
        Larry
    

    
    
    		that is a thought.  Why would a Nova lead beings from
    another star system to Earth??  Unless it WASN'T a star, and it
    hovered over Earth.  
    
    	Mike

    DOSE ANYONE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SHOW THAT USED TO BE ON AFTER
    STARBLASERS? IT WAS A DIFFERENT SHOW EVERY DAY BUT MADE BY THE SAME
    COMPANY.THE SHOWS WERE ON ONCE A WEEK EACH ON THE SAME DAY. THEY
    ALL HAD TO DO WITH ROBOTS LIKE THE TRANSFORMERS BUT THIS SHOW CAME
    OUT A FEW YEARS BEFORE THE TRANSFORMERS. ONE WAS NAMED GRANDIZER
    THE MAN WHO OPERATED THE ROBOT WAS NAMED ORION QUEST.THE OTHER 
    SHOWS ROBOT WAS NAMED DANGAURD ACE THER WAS A MAN NAMED CAPTIAN
    MASK. THE OTHER THREE SHOWS I CAN NOT REMEMBER. I DO REMEMBER
    THEY ALSO MADE TOYS OF THESE ROBOTS,THEY HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH
    THE SHOGUN WARRIORS.   THANKS  STEVE T.

    I believe the show got canned after the station changed owners (but
    I wouldn't swear to it).  Was this the same program that had the
    robot named Gyking and the segment called the Three Spaceketeers?
    
    Gyking was some kind of mechanized space dragon who's head became
    the torso of a super robot.  The other body parts were launched
    from the dragon's insides (sounds corny, doesn't it?).
    
    The Three Spaceketeers was too corny to merit a good description.
    
    By the way, I did see some of these cartoons on videotape at a local
    video rental store.  I believe they are being marketed by Family
    Home Entertainment (fhe) in VHS format.
    
    Hope that helps. :-)
    
    				Eric Lee

         I don't know if you consider full length animated feature films
    cartoons, but if you do here's one I vaguely remember.
    
         I remember seeing a French animated science fiction film several
    times.  I seem to recall that it was called "Fantastic Planet",
    and it was about the interaction of two species of humanoids.  The
    one species was our size, and the other was about 1 foot tall. The
    larger species kept the smaller species as pets even though they
    were intelligent beings.
    
         I used to see this film at a triple feature sandwiched between
    "Zardoz", and "A Boy And His Dog".  I always enjoyed it even though
    it wasn't great.  The music was wonderful, and I have a feeling
    that it was done by Jan Michael Jarre, but I could easily be wrong.

    If my memory serves me well, I believe the smaller race of humanoids
    were genuine Earthling humans.  They looked just like us, right?
    And the giant race was blue, with round, lidless eyes?  Apparently,
    they found humans living in barbarism, either back in the Stone
    Age or after the collapse of civilization.  The aliens then took
    us in as pets, never realizing we were intelligent.  The movie
    concerned the efforts of the humans to get organized enough to be
    a big enough nuissance to MAKE the giants realize they were sapient.
    
    Earl Wajenberg

    re: .36
    
    One of my favorite SF/Fantasy (depending on your point of view)
    movies was "Heavy Metal."  The animation was superb!!!!  The cartoon
    characters who were human were drawn with an amazing eye for detail.
    The segment with the two space junkies who flew around in a giant
    happy face has to be seen to be believed!
    
    The most interesting premise of the movie is the supposition that
    all of the events that take place (or viewed by the little girl
    through the green orb) are all happening simultaneously.  This was
    the only way I could make some sense of the movie's ending.  
    
    [I'd say more, but I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't
    seen the movie.]
    
    Anyone else share my enthusiam for "Heavy Metal?"
    
    Eric Lee

    re .38:
    
    I'm a HEAVY METAL fan too, since I recently got a VCR, I've been
    looking for this on tape. Haven't found it yet (but I haven't looked
    that extensively yet).
    
    I loved the opening sequence with the Corvette.
    
    re .39:
    
    The most likely thing that happened is that you lost your network
    link while your message was being written, thus leaving the file
    open, and producing the message "Note xxx.xx is being written".
    Do a SHOW MODERATOR, then send him a MAIL message asking him to
    delete that note. You should first try to DELETE it yourself though.
    For all practical purposes, what you entered is lost.
                                                   
                  /
                 (  ___
                  ) ///
                 /
    

    Re:40
    
    I have checked with several video stores in the Chicago area and
    none of them have ever seen the movie out on tape.  I would say
    the best way would be to find someplace that has a catalog to order
    from.  If you DO find it, I (and probably many others) would appreciate
    the info. (Manufacturer, cost, etc...)
    
    			Rob

    As far as I know, HEAVY METAL has not been released on video-
    cassette yet.
    
    --- jerry

    I was cruising through the file and came across this older topic.
    
    First of all, I should mention here that there is a new conference,
    QARRY::ANIMATION, devoted to cartoons of all types. At the NOTES>
    prompt, type ADD ENTRY QARRY::ANIMATION or hit "KP7" or "SELECT"
    to add to your notebook.
    
    Now a couple of specific 'toon comments:
    
    I've relatively recently been getting into Japanese animation, and
    there are three feature-length animated films from Japan that are
    outstanding as sf/fantasy.
    
    First is MACROSS: DO YOU REMEMBER LOVE?  MACROSS started out as
    a tv serial, and that serial was translated into the first third
    of the American series ROBOTECH. In 1984, the producers of MACROSS
    condensed the script for the original serial into a two-hour film
    and re-animated it (rather than just cutting up the original and
    pasting it together). The film version has spectacular animation
    -- each frame seems to have as many things going on it it as there
    are during the space battle scenes in the Star Wars movies. Like
    the Star Wars films, MACROSS is pure space opera, but *great* space
    opera. The basic story is of a city-sized spaceship, Macross, which
    contains the survivors of a devastated Earth. They come across
    two sets of warring aliens and manage to get caught in the middle.
    
    NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND is considered by many fans of
    Japanese animation to be one of the best animated films ever. It
    takes place on a post-holocaust Earth. Nausicaa is the princess
    of one pocket of survivors, and is in the process of finding the
    key to begin restoration of Earth's damaged biosphere. Unfortunately,
    some other groups, trying to reunite mankind via conquest, threaten
    to destroy everything. This was translated into English and released
    here as WARRIORS OF THE WIND. Most fans of the original loathe what
    they refer to as the emasculated version (it's only about 75% of
    the original), though a couple of friends of mine who've seen it
    (but not the original) thought it was quite good. I'd like to see
    it myself sometime, if only for comparison's sake (it was on HBO
    the other month, but I don't get HBO).
    
    LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY is by the same writer/director/artist
    as NAUSICAA. It's set in what must be (but is never said to be)
    an alternate Earth. Technology in general is not as advanced as
    ours, but aeronautical technology is very advanced, helped out by
    the existence of stones that induce levitation. Laputa was a giant
    castle in the sky that had been abandoned at some point in the
    past and has passed into legend. The movie focuses upon the efforts
    of three groups to find Laputa. One is led by a government agent
    (your typical CIA-type slug) backed by the military. The second
    is a group of air_pirates who are out for booty. The third is a
    young boy, Pazu, who's helping out a girl, Shita, who is apparently
    a descendent of the original inhabitants of Laputa.
    
    The strength of these films is such that it's possible to get the
    gist of what's happening even if you don't understand Japanese
    (some of the finer points do get lost, though). Oddly enough,
    though, there is a version of MACROSS in English (aside from the
    version that's part of ROBOTECH) -- it was produced in Japan for
    the video market, using Australian voice actors, apparently as an
    educational for students to learn English. Unfortunately, this
    version is marketed only in Japan. Supposedly, another translation
    has been/will be released for the American video market under the
    absolutely god-awful title of CLASH OF THE BIONOIDS. as I under-
    stand it, this is, like WARRIORS OF THE WIND, cut-down from the
    original by about 25%.
    
    --- jerry

>    LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY is by the same writer/director/artist
>    as NAUSICAA. It's set in what must be (but is never said to be)
>    an alternate Earth. Technology in general is not as advanced as
>    ours, but aeronautical technology is very advanced, helped out by
>    the existence of stones that induce levitation. Laputa was a giant
>    castle in the sky that had been abandoned at some point in the
>    past and has passed into legend. The movie focuses upon the efforts

Wasn't Laputa the "floating land" in Jonathan Swift's _Gulliver's Travels_?
It sounds like this story was loosely based on Swift's conception...

Jim

    re:.44
    
    Yes! I'd forgotten all about Swift (it's been soooooooooo long).
    Thanks for the reminder.
    
    The film isn't really "based on" Swift's Laputa, but it's almost
    sure to be an intentional allusion.
    
    --- jerry

    If anyone finds the english version of the MACROSS movie, Please
    post how I could buy a copy. I love the paperback adaptations of
    the series and thirst for as much of the animated ROBOTECH as I
    can get my hands on. This stuff is great.

    re:.48
    
    There's a place (relatively) near you that sells Japanese
    animation stuff. It's called Wyvern Web Graphics, and it's
    in Florida (don't offhand remember where). I've never dealt
    with them myself, but I know a few people that have. You can
    special order all sorts of things from them. One caveat though,
    is that the Japanese stuff is *expensive* -- depending on what
    and how long it is, it can run from $50-150 (or more). They
    also carry, I believe, pre-recorded videocassettes of the
    ROBOTECH series.
    
    If you're interested, I'll try to dig up an address.
    
    --- jerry

    i don't know if this counts as sf 'toon', but has anyone seen "galaxy
    high"? I thought it was entertaining each show would alway deal
    in a moral theme, drugs, how money effects people,how to treat friends,
    etc. the one on money impressed me the most because sometimes even
    adult fall into manipulative relationships because of it. of course
    all the character are stereotypes but that to be expected in a toon.
    EARTH STINKS!
    pete
    
    

    .26 Acutally, Macross/Southern Cross/Mospeada (aka Robotech) and
    Captain Harlock and the Queen of 1000 yrs. were produced by different
    people/studios...the former by Tatsunoko, and the latter I'm not
    sure of off hand. Harlock and Queen of 1000 yrs. started out as
    seperate shows, albeit by the same grand master, Reiji Matsumoto.
    
    .27 GE999 is another Matsumoto work - started as a series some years
    back (topped out over 100 episodes!) and there have been two feature
    films...the first of which was 'translated' into English. "Joey
    HannakannabobakammandaSmith" (sheesh) started out as Tetsuro Hoshino,
    Maetel was Maetel, Harlock as "Captain Warlock" with a John Wayne
    voice ("How bout a glass of milk, pilgrim?") and a couple of other
    characters from the general Matsumoto universe...Adieu GE999 is
    an even better film, although that was never translated. BTW, the
    old GE999 series used to show up north around New York somewhere
    with subtitles...
    
    .33 re:Grandizer/Danguard Ace: the series (over here) was called
    Force Five...several old giant-robot shows were brought over and
    shown under this heading...Getta Robo G, Gaiking, Voltes V, Starzinger
    (aka Spacekeeters) and others beyond my memory...
    
    There were several other older Japanese shows brought to the US...
    Battle of the Planets (Science Ninja Team GATCHAMAN), Speed Racer
    (aka MACH GO GO GO...I have an old Japanese episode of
    this...strange!), Tranzor Z (Mazinger Z), Voltron (Golion & Dairugger
    XV), Thundersub (Blue Noah), Ulysses 31 (as itself), Astro Boy (Tetsuan
    Atom), Marine Boy (original name unknown to me), 8th Man (8th Man)...
    I can't recall what it was called here, but a show called Iron Man
    No. 28...
    
    Scott
    

        The STAR TREK Animated series, which was broadcast on NBC 
    television on Saturday mornings from 1973 to 1974, is being shown 
    again on the Nickelodeon cable network on Saturday and Sunday at 
    noon (12 p.m. EDT).

        To read more about the Animated ST, check out Allan Asherman's
    STAR TREK COMPENDIUM, available in most mass-market bookstores.

        Larry 

    RE .43
    
    Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind and Laputa were both written by Hayao
    Miyazaki. He also created some movies for a younger audience as well
    (My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service). I have Nausicaa and
    Laputa on video tape. I also have translated scripts (floating around
    on the networks) of both. There is a club in Boston that meets once a
    month to watch films. Members can trade videotapes and there are some
    vendors who show up to sell tapes at very reasonable prices. They are
    called the Boston Japanimation Society (BJS).
    
    -Eric
    

    re:.53
    
    Yes, I've learned a fair amount in the almost 2 years since that
    note was written. At this point, I have NAUSICAA, LAPUTA, TOTORO,
    and KIKI on laserdisc, as well as another Miyazaki film, CASTLE
    CAGLIOSTRO, and one volume of his FAMOUS DETECTIVE HOLMES series.
    
    Miyazaki is a wonderful writer/director/animator.
    
    --- jerry

RE .48

I know there is an English dubbed version of the Japanese movie Super Space
Fortress Macross available in Japan. It was made to help Japanese kids learn
English. It has Japanese subtitles. You can get it on tape from many of the
people who sell tapes at conventions and such. I know of a couple people, but
they are all up here in Boston. It is also available as an import laserdisc.

Though it won't be of much help for you, it might for others reading this note:
Sight and Sound in Waltham has a very large collection of Japanese anime
imports on laserdisc (including Akira, which will probably be the first thing
I get after I finally get a player). Also, there is a comic book store in
Nashua NH which carries some anime laserdiscs, tapes and models. I think they
might be called The Comics Store or something like that.

-Eric