Sunday Spotlight: Kunihsa Sugishima, Al Khan, Nobuteru Yuuki

Another Sunday, another Sunday Spotlight. This time around, we've got two brand new interviews with folks who have carved their initials in the tree of anime history. First up is Kunihisa Sugishima, director of the current sensation, Speed Grapher. Next on the stage is Al Kahn, chairman and CEO of 4Kids Entertainment. Learn what he has to say about the anime market and the future of uncut 4Kids titles on DVD. And, for your moment of zen, a quick dip into the past for an interview with Nobuteru Yuuki, character designer and animation director who helped define shows like Escaflowne and X.

With these ferociously awesome people taking centerstage this week, we hope you can make it out in One Piece (uncut!)! Okay, okay, we'll spare you our arsenal of stupid jokes for now... just enjoy this week's Sunday Spotlight.

Kunihisa Sugishima Who he is: Director What he's done: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Speed Grapher. Quotable: "I wanted to create something like what was being made in Hollywood. Unfortunately at the time it wasn't possible to create that level of film making in Japan. But when I saw Gundam, I felt that anime would be the means to make that kind of film."

Al Kahn Who he is: C.E.O. and Chairman of 4Kids Entertainment What he's done: Cabbage Patch Kids, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! Quotable: "I think they have to understand that because the price of these acquisitions is so high, that if they want this programming to come to the United States then they're going to have to accept the fact that it's going to be available in two styles."

Nobuteru Yuuki Who he is: Animator, Character Designer What he's done: Escaflowne, Space Pirate Captain Herlock The Endless Odyssey, X Quotable: "You might lose a bit of the market share in Japan, and it might not be as popular right away, but the worldwide acceptance will make up for it. In the end, it evens out."