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Here's an English translation of part of this article [thanks to Eiji Ikeda]:
Videos of the one-time TV series Monkey by Masaaki Sakai(53), the late Masako Natsume, are now in sold in England and several other countries appeared in top sales. The videos appeared in top sales list on the spots.
The video is not sold in Japan, the persons concerned are surprised at the revival (of Monkey) in English spoken area.
Really Monkey Magic!
"Monkey" video big hit in English spoken area
Gone further west than their destination
Songoku
Note that in addition to everything listed below, keep an eye out for other magazines, newspapers, radio and TV shows (particular children's tv shows) - the list below only lists the confirmed PR - there's still potentional LOTS of other Monkey PR going to happen that's not on the confirmed Monkey PR list. If you spot any Monkey features / reviews, please let me know using the Monkey Feedback page.
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MAGAZINES
FRONT
When: Out now (August 2000 issue - issue 22).
Details: Excellent Monkey review on page 146 of the August 2000 issue.
Rating: 5/5 - all other videos get lower ratings..
DREAMWATCH
When: Out now (August 2000 issue - issue 71).
Details: Great Monkey review on page 82 of the August 2000 issue, written by Martin Day, webmaster of the excellent Marty's Web Pages: Monkey web site.
Rating: 4/5 - all other videos get lower ratings..
MAXIM
When: June 2000 issue (No longer available in the shops).
Details: Short Monkey review on page 197 of the June 2000 issue.
Rating: 5/5 - two other videos also get 5/5 ("Boys From The Blackstuff" and "Unforgiven").
SFX
When: May 2000 (SFX 64) issue and June 2000 (SFX 65) issue (No longer available in the shops).
Details: Brilliant review of Monkey on page 102 of the May 2000 #64 issue of SFX (includes a cool picture of Monkey saving a pretty girl from a demon).
Rating: 5/5 - only one other video gets 5/5 (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Season Two Box-Set, Part Two 1998).
KERRANG!
When: 22 April 2000 issue (No longer available in the shops).
Details: Positive review & competition on page 49 of the April 22 2000 issue.
Rating: 4/5 (KKKK = Blinding) - no videos reviewed get 5/5, but "Bride of Chucky" gets 4/5 too.
LOADED
When: May 2000 issue (No longer available in the shops).
Details: Incredible review on page 177 of the May 2000 issue (including a cool photo of Monkey fighting).
Rating: 9/10 (the maximum rating achieved by the other reviewed videos is 8/10).
UNCUT
When: May 2000 issue (No longer available in the shops).
Details: Impressive review on page 136 of the May 2000 issue.
Rating: 4/5 - the only "video to buy" which beats it with a full 5/5 is the movie "The Conversation" (Francis Ford Coppola).
MANGA MAX
When: In a future issue (no details yet).
Details: Monkey feature.
SELECT
When: May 2000 issue (No longer available in the shops).
Details: Review on page 120 of the May 2000 issue.
Rating: 4/5 (none of the reviewed videos get 5/5, but some of the others get 4/5 too).
IMPACT
When: April 2000 issue (issue 100) (No longer available in the shops).
Details: 3 page feature with loads of pictures.
LATER
When: May 2000 issue (no longer available in the shops).
Details: GLOWING review on page 157 of May 2000 issue.
Rating: 5/5, whereas the other videos (which include
"Taxi", "South Park Series 2" and "The Blair Witch Project") get 3s and 4s...
INSIDE SOAP
When: Sometime during week beginning Monday 10 April 2000.
Details: Review & competition. Dropped from the issue out week of release but will go ahead in conjunction with the next releases.
TV TIMES
When: Tuesday 4 April 2000
Details: The planned small listing in video section didn't appear!
NME
When: To be confirmed.
Details: Possible competition. tbc
SCIENCE FICTION WORLD
When: Soon!
Details: New magazine launching soon. Will review.
ROCK SOUND
When: Next issue.
Details: Possible review in next issue. Depends on space.
WHAT'S ON IN LONDON
When: Sometime in May 2000.
Details: Competition will run for all volumes when the next titles are released.
PLUS REVIEWS, FEATURES & COMPS IN ALL REGIONAL ENTERTAINMENT GUIDES, LOCAL PAPERS.
NATIONAL PRESS
THE GUARDIAN (G2 Guide - not The Guardian Guide, as previously stated here)
When: Friday 31 March 2000 (previous information here saying Saturday 1 April 2000 was incorrect).
Details: Feature concentrating on the Japanese angle ie. what the appeal was to Japanese viewers as a family show.
Feature appeared in the Guardian just before the
television listings - big whole page feature!! You'll find the article, entitled "Irrepressible", archived on the Guardian's web site here.
NEWS OF THE WORLD
When: Sunday 2 April 2000? Didn't appear!
Details: Really like Monkey but as they usually concentrate on big rental releases a review is not definite. It's first on the reserve list if they suddenly get more space. We're at the mercy of sub-editors on this one.
TV
THE BIG BREAKFAST (C4)
When: Not likely to happen for a while, if ever.
Details: Possibility of doing something with 'obsessed Monkey fans' one day during week beginning Monday 3 April 2000. It won't necessarily plug the videos as we get into problems with the ITC however it will build awareness.
VIDS (C4)
When: Autumn 2000?
Details: They really wanted to do it but it didn't fit in with the theme of the programme for the last episode of the series. Vids is now off air until the autumn. They may be able to do something in the next series probably a competition for all the tapes released to date.
SCI-FOCUS (Sci-Fi Channel)
When: Week beginning Monday 3 April 2000. Don't know if it appeared - did anyone see it? If you do, please let me know using the Monkey Feedback page.
Details: Feature daily throughout week of release.
RADIO
INDEPENDENT RADIO NEWS
When: Monday 3 April 2000 (probably - or soon after). Didn't happen!
Details: The news team is crazy about Monkey and they want to run a story which is fed out to all independent radio stations - national and local. Cool!!
RADIO 1
When: 0900-1200, Friday 31 March 2000.
Details: Review in Movie Update on Simon Mayo Show.
When: : 1000-1300, Saturday 1 April 2000.
Details: Competition for T-shirts on Chris Moyles programme.
RADIO 5 LIVE
When: Saturday 1 April 2000.
Details: Comp on 'Wheels of Steel' show.
ATLANTIC 252
When: Monday 3 April 2000.
Details: Competition on breakfast show.
XFM (London)
When: Took place on Sunday 16 April 2000.
Details: Feature on Iain Lee's show (he's the guy from the 11 O'Clock Show).
Here's a description of the show from a Monkey fan who heard it:
"Just to let you know that Ian Lee (also of '11 O'Clock Show' notoriety) did indeed give the Monkey videos a huge plug last Sunday evening on his XFM (London only) Radio show. I won't transcribe the naughtiness that went on (there was a phone-in competition, where Ian asked questions about Monkey
which was quite funny).
He gave away three sets of the first two videos in all and it was an amusing way to pass 15 minutes or so!! "
GLR (London)
When: 1500-1700, Friday 31 March 2000.
Details: Competition on Phil Jupitus programme.
RADIO 2
When: Friday 31 March 2000.
Details: Review on Sheridan Morley's arts round-up.
When: ?
Details: Review on Quentin Cooper's review slot (he also does a slot on Radio 5 Live and loves 'Monkey')
PLUS REVIEWS AND COMPS ON LOTS OF REGIONAL RADIO STATIONS
Regional radio confirmed to date:
Fresh AM (Yorkshire)
Dream 100 FM (Essex/Suffolk)
BBC GMR (Manchester)
BBC Radio Nottingham
Imagine FM (Stockport)
Kingdom FM (Central Scotland)
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
Q102.9 FM (Londonderry)
BBC Radio Devon
TLR (Margate)
Orchard FM (Somerset)
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Famous Monkey fans in the UK include: