In the last column I promised a look at a few anime series currently airing that are well worth checking out, and so we start with what is by far the best show airing right now, Monster. Based on the manga by Naoki Urasawa, the series just does not let up, and keeps putting out interesting episodes week after week. And contrary to most finite series that last 13 or 26 episodes, this one is set for 70 - we're currently in the early 30s. But don't let this scare you, as it's fairly easy to jump in anytime, even though the show's arc builds up with constant care, sometimes taking the time to focus on side characters (like the recent 5-6 episodes without the lead character), who later connect to the main storyline in an interesting manner.

The story follows Kenzou Tenma, a young and ambitious Japanese brain surgeon based in Germany. In the first episodes, he makes the choice of saving a young boy instead of a well-known figure, which promptly destroys his career. And then the killings start. We'll find out later that this boy will turn into something that will cause the kind doctor to see the true evils of this world, and to then take the steps to somehow rectify this. Things really start picking up around episode 11 or 12, and then it never looks back.

Urasawa's other massive manga series, 20th Century Boys, is another favorite, and it just goes to show how much the author is not limited to one genre or style, and how he's able to excel in whatever format he tries playing around with - he recently started a new series, Pluto, based in the world of Osamu Tezuka's classic Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy). You can catch Monster weekly on NTV Tuesday nights at 24:56. North American DVD releases with English subtitles are sure to follow, and Viz is about to start releasing the English translation of the manga.

Otogizoushi, airing Tuesdays on NTV at 25:35 (it follows Monster), has also been a series to follow. Telling the story of a young samurai (or rather his youngest sister impersonating him) during the Heian period questing to find some magical artifacts to save the world, it features touches of mysticism grounded in Japanese feudalism. But then, during the second arc of the series (set to 26 episodes), the setting moves to a modern Tokyo with reincarnations of the original characters. Beautifuly animated by Production IG, it's a gorgeous show to watch, and the veering storyline keeps you engrossed.

Although currently on hiatus, one of the big series to make its mark this year was Samurai Champloo, directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, creator of the already classic Cowboy Bebop series. The twist to this samurai adventure series is that it mixes the stylings of hip-hop in a very clever way, making for a very entertaining show. Remixing hip-hop in an Edo period setting doesn't seem obvious at first, but Watanabe makes it work beautifully. And this is done in the editing of the show - "scratching" scenes together - as much as with the soundtrack.

The music itself was spinoff in a label, appropriately called Samurai-C Records, and the launch of the label saw a nice showcase at the Logos Gallery in Shibuya's Parco. It was airing on Fuji TV until September, and is set to resume (with episode 18) on BS Fuji from January 22, and every Saturday after that, at 10:30. DVD releases in the US will also start in January.

Lastly, and yet again another samurai adventure, is Samurai 7, loosely based on Akira Kurosawa's classic Seven Samurai film. The biggest change is the futuristic backdrop - the opening of the first episode with giant robots is a bit jarring - but it ends up working, and the themes and archetypes of the original film slowly become apparant. I haven't enjoyed this one as much as the other series I've just mentioned, but have still found it to be worth following. It airs Fridays at 19:30 on NHK BS-hi, as well as on the SkyPerfectTV PPV channels.

Last month saw the 9th Kobe Animation Awards, and in the main categories the winners were: Kenji Kamiyama (Jin Roh, Blood: The Last Vampire, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) for the individual award, Shigeru Watanabe (producer for, among others, Akira, The Wings of Honneamise, Memories, and Stand Alone Complex) for the special award, and the best theatrical and TV awards went to Ghost in the Shell: Innocence and Full Metal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkin Jutsushi) respectively.

The must-get anime DVD of the month has to be the Region 1 (US) release of Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell: Innocence on December 28. This is truly a beautiful and deep film, and deserves to be seen more than once.

There was no doubt that Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle would be a huge hit, it was just a matter of what box office records it would break. Its opening weekend brought in a 2-day gross of 1.48 billion yen, which beat the record opening of his previous film, Spirited Away, by 40%. Could this be the film that finally brings him the following he deserves in North America?

And while on the subject of Miyazaki and Ghibli, it seems that the North American DVD releases of Porco Rosso, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and My Neighbor Totoro have been delayed yet again. Set for August of this year, they are now scheduled for February of 2005. There is still no word on the set featuring the movies of Isao Takahata (Pom Poko, My Neighbors the Yamadas, and Only Yesterday), which were to be released last month.

Tetsujin 28-go (also known as Gigantor), an anime classic from the sixties, will see its live-action adaptation come out in the Spring of next year. With an intriguing teaser poster, and mysterious trailer - very atmospheric with its use of black and white, and never really showing the robot in question - this one could end up being something well worth watching.