As promised in last month's column, here's a look at some of the new anime series debuting in April and May. Treat this as a preview guide to the ones that look to be the most promising, and expect more detailed reviews next month.

From the Gonzo studio (Samurai 7, Last Exile) comes one of the most exciting new shows of the season, Speed Grapher. The official site for the series hosts a tiny trailer that suggests some slick animation in a futuristic Tokyo setting. The story revolves around a photo journalist who begins an investigation into a Roppongi club that promises "ultimate pleasure." Following an encounter with a girl there, he finds himself suddenly equipped with special abilities. It airs Thursdays at 26:40 on TV Asahi (the debut episode aired April 7).

Also from Gonzo, Basilisk is an a Edo-era ninja actioner, reminiscent of the classic animated film Ninja Scroll. This one could go either way, and is not scheduled to air on any Tokyo channels as of yet, but check your local listings for a start in the middle of April.

This one is scheduled for release as an OVA (direct to video) series in May, with the first episode having aired on PPV last month, and then set to air again May 1 on the anime satellite channel AT-X. If the preview trailer is anything to go by, this will be one of the nicest looking animated shows out there, featuring some unique set and character designs. Let's hope the storyline, involving some sort of bizarre murder mystery and a mechanical ghost, can match those visuals.

Switching gears a bit, Glass Mask is a new animated take on the very popular shoujo (aimed at a female readership) manga series of the same name by Suzue Miuchi, and tells the story of Maya, an up and comer who tries to make it as a professional stage actress. It airs Tuesdays at 25:30 on TV Tokyo, and made its debut April 5.

The fact that it accompanies a PS2 game doesn't make it sound very appealing, but the trailer looks good, and the mechanized designs look quite nice. Here's hoping for something that is more like Evangelion - Hideaki Anno's angst-filled mecha classic - than last year's Xenosaga (also based on a PS2 game). It airs Mondays at 25:00 on TV Tokyo (the premiere was April 4).

Briefly mentioned last month, Eureka 7 has some buzz behind it, but it's difficult to get excited by the preview trailer. This is another one that could go either way, but the fact that it airs at 19:00 (Mondays on TBS, with the premiere April 17), meaning it's targeted at a younger audience, doesn't inspire much hope.

This is one to get excited about. Blood Night is a follow-up to Production I.G's digitally animated Blood: The Last Vampire OVA from 2001. Details are few, but the premiere is set for May 9 (no network is mentioned). Production I.G is best known for its work on the Ghost in the Shell movies and TV series, and it was also behind the animated segment in Kill Bill Vol. 1.

This is the animated adaptation of the Tsukasa Hojo manga of the same name, and should please all fans of City Hunter, of which Angel Heart is a spinoff. It tells the story of a Taiwanese assassin who, following a heart transplant after a botched suicide attempt, heads to Japan to find out more about the heart donor. There is still no launch date for the series, with the official site only mentioning the words "coming soon."

So there you go, a few series that will hopefully help us get over the recently concluded Samurai Champloo and Beck. Although some duds are to be expected, come back next month for a final round-up of the winners and losers.

It doesn't look like Hayao Miyazaki is getting any closer to calling it quits. Coming as no big surprise - every new project brings word that it'll be the last - Miyazaki has yet again put off his retirement, and following the success of last year's Howl's Moving Castle is already hard at work on a new project, which will probably come out in 2007 or 2008. As for Studio Ghibli, it is currently producing a planned double-bill of 30-minute shorts, with no word yet on whether Miyazaki is involved or not.

Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell, Innocence) will be experimenting with some new production techniques on his next project. Set to be an adaptation of the novel Tachiguishi Retsuden, it was announced that he will be animating it through the use of stick-and-paper puppets. The film (or short, which is more likely) will debut this Fall during the Tokyo Fantastic Film Festival.

Fans of the Ghost in the Shell manga will be happy to hear that a new cell-shaded CGI (think Appleseed) adaptation of Masamune Shirow's Dominion Tank Police is set to be produced as a TV series. A trailer for Tank S.W.A.T. 01 appears on the show's official website.

One of the things that made the Beck series so enjoyable was the music - it certainly contributed to the show's believability. As a result, a soundtrack album that included songs by real indies bands (Beat Crusaders, Husking Bee) was released, and it's turned into a modest hit. Last month even saw a special "Beck" concert, with the bands playing songs that were written just for the show. If you never got around to watching the series (it ended its 26-episode run last month), do try to catch it when it makes its debut on DVD.