あけましておめでとうございます! Happy New Year, everybody!

If you haven't seen them yet check out the review on AnimeOnDVD and pick up the latest issue of Newtype USA. Bonus! If you are still doubting the insanity, enjoy the first episode on the included free DVD!

Just to clarify, the street date for volume 1 and the super-deluxe LE version has been set for Feb. 14th. For those of you wondering about the delay..it was the wig. I mean, Guu is obviously less than cooperative sometimes and she took her sweet time plucking out enough chest hair from unwilling victims to make all those wigs.

Other than that we've got a few things we're working on to involve all you raving lunatics...er...I mean loving fans so keep on the lookout!

Today marks the fifth day in recording the English voices for volume five at Bang Zoom! Entertainment. This morning the talented Jennifer Sekiguchi will be in to record Guu. And later this afternoon Alex Simon will be here to record the voice of Haré.

Two of our AN Entertainment reps attended last weekend's Otakon convention in Baltimore, Maryland. The first two English dubbed episodes of Haré+Guu screened on Saturday morning. I'd estimate there were as many as three hundred fans in the audience. The reaction seemed very positive, and post-con discussion has been favorable. AN Entertainment also conducted a panel discussion on Saturday afternoon at Otakon. There were roughly 200 people in attendance and some very interesting questions about Guu discussed. Guu is coming soon to a jungle near you. Prepare yourself.

I've been a bad production monkey, I know.

Since this past weekend's Otakon viewing there's been some speculation about who's who in Bang Zoom! Entertainment's wonderful English cast. Without further ado, the citizens of the jungle include:

Main Cast:
• Haré : Alex Simon
• Guu : Jennifer Sekiguchi
• Weda : Wendee Lee
• Clive : Liam O'Brien

Jungle Tribe:
• Elder : Michael McConnohie
• Lazy : Ron Allen
• Rebecca : Tina Dixon
• Marie : Sandy Fox
• Ravenna : Mia Bradly
• Uighur : Anthony Robert
• Gupta : Ralph Gibson
• Toposte : Duncan McNeill
• Wadi : Yuri Lowenthal
• Chet : Kevin Hatcher
• Addy : Michelle Ruff
• Dama : Jessica Gee George

Guu Dwellers:
• Seiichi Tachibana : Steve Cannon
• Tomoyo Mamou : Shawna Smith
• Hiroko Yamada : Julie Ann Taylor

City Folk:
• Bell, Asio, Robert, Sharon : To be announced.

Oh, and note that these are the official character names provided to us by Bandai for the English translation, with one exception. With the help of Bang Zoom!'s insistance "Regy" became the far more appropriate "Lazy".

Is it just me or are there are a lot of characters in this show? There's some great talent here, we've been very pleased with the fantastic job that BZ! has been putting into this. We'll get the characters section updated soon with more specific voice talent info.

Peace,
Alden

Translation notes for the first 8 episodes of Haré+Guu are now complete. We've actually got two different versions of them, a plain and straightforward version, and a version that's a bit more fun. You'll have to wait and see which one we end up using, as we'll have to run them by our Japanese licensor. Hopefully our translation notes will help both first time and veteran fans figure out some of the more obscure gags and references in the show.

The manda are calling, so it's time for me to take a snack break.

John
Translation Editor

Welcome to the frantic abode of your friendly Haré+Guu production team! We want to keep all you rabid fans in the know as to how things are going over here at the command center and thought this journal would be a faboo way of doing so. And because, generally, we like you.

So prepare to marvel at our technical jargon! Be the envy of your friends as you revel in the ultra-spiffy commentary! Witness the excitement when we post mundane curiosities that only geeks like us are interested in! You know you want it.

Hopefully Guu doesn't eat too many more members of the staff before this is all over...

Peace,
Alden