The latest word from Pioneer about the release of the newly remastered Akira on DVD and VHS concerns the collector's edition of the DVD, which will come in a super cool collector's tin. Only 75,000 tins will be produced. After they are gone, Pioneer will go back to conventional jewel box packaging.

ICv2 has learned from sources in Japan that Broccoli has plans to open four to six anime character goods stores on the West coast within three years. I f Broccoli does succeed in opening a chain that size, they will have important economies of scale based on both the parent chain's buying power in Japan and the sharing of expensive freight and customs costs.

Wizard Entertainment is preparing its first totally anime publication, Anime Invasion , which is being solicited in the current (April) edition of Diamond Previews . Retailers will be able to select from two different covers, one featuring an Akira design by Pat Lee ( Warlands ), and one with a DBZ and Sailor Moon 'Toonami' cover. The magazine will carry a $4.99 cover price.

Broccoli Co. Ltd, the second largest distributor of anime and game merchandise in Japan has invested in California-based Digital Manga. Established in 1994, Broccoli opened its first character goods store 'Gamers' in 1996. Currently Broccoli operates 13 retail stores in Japan, and is the second largest retail chain specializing in anime.

Manga Entertainment has confirmed to ICv2 that the versions of the two Evangelion movies that it will release in November will not be edited specially for the U.S. market. AD Vision had cut out some scenes from its Evangelion releases, but Manga maintains that they will be able to present the Japanese versions in their entirety and still keep a '13+' rating.

The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that manufacturers intend to ship a total of 17 million players to retail establishments in the U.S. this year, which means that the number of DVD players in the U.S could double by the start of 2002.

Here's a distant early warning from ICv2's Japanese correspondent-- Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of the classic Akira manga, is publishing his first comic work in five years. The first installment of the new Otomo story, Orbital Era , will appear in Kodansha's weekly Young magazine.

Variety reports that four state legislatures are considering criminal penalties for allowing anyone under the age of 17 access to 'R-rated' films. In Massachusetts, a bill introduced by Rep. Brad Hill includes stores that offer video products (both rental and sell-through) as well as theaters.

Magazine publisher H& S Media has cancelled its monthly 'unofficial' Pokemon magazine, Pojo's Pokemon , which was selling 500,000 copies per month, primarily via newsstand distribution, at the height of the Pocket Monsters craze.

We're compiling here for your benefit a list of all of the anime titles currently on network television (cable or broadcast). These are obviously the anime with the broadest appeal, and the ones most likely to bring new customers to your store.