Next summer the third feature installment of the POKEMON trilogy will make
its way to Japanese theatres. POCKET MONSTER: THE LORD OF THE UNKNOWN TOWER
will introduce yet another of those little "pocket things" to kids and
merchandising execs around the world. Kunihiko Yuyama is set to direct the
film, which will feature a short tentatively titled POKEMON 2000. If in the
U.S. or Europe one may ask, whatever happened to POKEMON 2? Well, fear not
Charmander chums, the second POKEMON feature, which was released in Japan

The Monte-Carlo Television Festival has announced the members of their
international jury for the 2nd European Television Producer Award. Guy
Fournier, the Canadian writer/producer, will preside over the seven member
jury. Guy Fournier has written some 2000 hours of television drama for
French and Canadian productions, over 150 hours of films and series for
television, plays for the theater, feature length films (FANTASTICA, UNE
AMIE D'ENFANCE) and has also published a number of books. Other jury

A year ago, French and other European animation professionals gathered at
the third "Crossroads of the Image of the Indian Ocean" to discuss European
cartoons. At this event, financing is always a hot topic of discussion.
France is the third largest producer of animation worldwide, after the U.S.
and Japan. Production itself has greatly developed in recent years with the
proliferation of television channels. In 1988 there weren't any 26
half-hour episode series being done in Europe, now there are dozens every

As part of the International Children's Film Festival in Hyderabad, India
on November 17 - 18, 1999, 45 children ages 5 - 15 years old came together
to create a wildly imaginative, 5 minute animated short titled TOONED IN 2
DAYS. The feat was done at a 2 day workshop on animation conducted by Dr.
Neeraj's Animation Studios, the digital animation production facility of
Sriven Multi-Tech Limited. Twenty of the studio's top animators, led by
Dhimant Vyas and Rajsekhar took on the responsibility of guiding the

This month Animation World Magazine is taking a special focus on Asian
Animation, especially Japan. Kosei Ono profiles Japanese artist, Tadahito
Mochinaga, and Gigi Hu introduces us to two of Japan's leading independent
filmmakers. A group of key creative talent from Blue Sky Studios recently
toured Japan and have provided us with a scrapbook of photos and stories.
Andrew Osmond takes an indepth look at the impact Japanese animation is
having on animation made outside of Japan and we begin the first in a

Test your skills and challenge your brain with
AWN's Animation Trivia Quiz:
In which other Pixar short did the old character who repairs Woody in "Toy
Story 2," first appear? The recent release of "Pokemon: The First Movie" is
a slightly revamped version of which feature that opened in Japan in 1998?
Warner Bros.' recent release "The Iron Giant" followed on the heels of a
previous box office failure. The name of this earlier medieval fable?

Those toon titans of TOY STORY 2 crushed box office records over the
Thanksgiving weekend. The Buzz and Woody vehicle beat the 5-day non-summer
opening record set by POKEMON: THE FIRST MOVIE two weeks ago and beat A
BUG'S LIFE's record for the largest Thanksgiving weekend gross with a take
home of US$80.5 million. The sequel to the $192 million blockbuster had the
fourth biggest five-day total in history. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, with
primary visual effects by Digital Film, Cinesite London, and Magic Camera,

In the last few years, animation has played a thrilling role in bringing
many theme park attraction 'visions' to life. Take for example the popular
Terminator 2 3D ride at Universal Studios, or the new Spiderman attraction
completed by Kleiser-Walczak Construction Company. One player in the game
of theme park animation is Iwerks Entertainment, a huge ridefilm company
whose clients include Universal Studios, Disney, and the IMAX Corporation.
Exactly 2 years ago they announced they would team up with visual effects

November is another packed, globe trotting issue as Animation World takes a
look at the exciting arena of animated feature films. Heikki Jokinen
reveals the health of the European feature market and its high hopes for
the future. Ilene Gannaway takes us inside the production of Sony
Imageworks' next wower, "Stuart Little." From story to technical
innovations, Ilene gives us the inside scoop on how Imageworks is turning a
CGI mouse, into one of the family. Andrew Osmond debates whether or not

Venice, CA-based, Blur Studio, a leader in 3D animation, effects and
design, has spawned a new theme park and special venue division. The new venture will be
helmed by veteran ride film director Yas Takata. The new studio comes off the
heels of Blur's success with the creation of last year's METEOR ATTACK, a
custom film attraction for the Tobu Zoo Park in Tokyo, Japan co-directed by Takata and
Blur co-founder Tim Miller. The film has since been licensed by Iwerks
Entertainment to play at venues around the globe. Takata has directed