Catch an Early Glimpse of 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars'...in Japan

Though the rest of us will get to see Star Wars: The Clone Wars on August 15th, attendees of Star Wars Celebration Japan will be privileged enough to sneak a peek of the TV series that the film leads into over a month ahead of time. Variety reports that director Dave Filoni will do a Q & A with Ghost in the Shell animator Atsushi Takeuchi and as part of the event, which hits Tokyo for three days beginning July 19th, those in attendance will get a glimpse of the series, which launches this fall on The Cartoon Network and TNT. And, because no convention like this would be complete without special guests, Anthony Daniels and Mark Hamill will travel to Star Wars Celebration Japan, which leads me to wonder who's looking out for little Kenny Baker while they're gone. That scamp is destined to get himself in trouble. Daniels, of course, has been the voice of C3PO for every incarnation of Star Wars, which, when you think about it, has probably paid pretty well with residuals and everything. This event is a real treat for the Japanese, because they won't get the film until after it debuts here in the states. The release in the Land of the Rising Sun is scheduled for August 23rd, and I have no idea if they get Cartoon Network or TNT in Japan. Somehow I doubt The Closer is a bit hit there. There's very little difference whatsoever between the film and the TV show. In fact, the film is just a few episodes edited together into feature form. Collectively, they develop the storylines of the three pivotal years between Episodes II and III of the George Lucas saga. Let's hope they don't spend much time at all on the wretched love story angle that ruined the second trilogy.