Anime on the way to a multiplex near you

You don't know how amazingly pleased I was to be able to see Sprited Away in the cinema. I felt like a floodgate was being opened by Disney and that it wouldn't be too long until Anime would become a staple of the multiplex, and it seems like the next step is shortly to be taken. With Katsuhiro Otomo's (W00!!!) Steamboy, Miyazaki's (Raaar!) Howl's Moving Castle and Mamoru Oshii's (w00t!) sequel to his Ghost In The Shell anime due for release in the states, it's only a matter of time before they get over here.

and now for some geeky exubrance.

I would have to say that Katsuhiro Otomo is pretty much single handedly responsible for my introduction to Manga and Anime. Akira was the first manga I ever read, followed shortly afterwards by Domu, and the film of Akira was the first Anime I ever saw, when it was broadcast at some obscene time on BBC 2 all those years ago, pretty much sealing my love of Anime and Manga forever more.

As for Oshii, well, I first saw his work when I watched the first Patlabor film, and was suitably impressed with it's slowly-paced but gripping narrative, the lush animation counterpointing the old being torn down for the new and drawing on christian mythology for its tower of babel hook. When I discovered he'd be directing the GITS film (the Manga of Masamune Shirow being another early introduction and love) I couldn't wait to see it and was not disappointed.

And, well, I've gone on about Miyazaki in the past. Read it and the rest of my Anime and Manga in the UK ramblings here.