diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 6501975eb..7f7b28a4e 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ Bugs fixed
 * Inline math in parsed-literal is not rendered well by LaTeX (ref #3340)
 * #3308: Parsed-literals don't wrap very long lines with pdf builder (ref #3340)
 * #3295: Could not import extension sphinx.builders.linkcheck
+* #3285: autosummary: asterisks are escaped twice
+* LaTeX, pass dvipdfm option to geometry package for Japanese documents (ref #3363)
 
 
 Release 1.5.1 (released Dec 13, 2016)
diff --git a/doc/config.rst b/doc/config.rst
index c8a99a5ab..5613d0bd6 100644
--- a/doc/config.rst
+++ b/doc/config.rst
@@ -1523,8 +1523,8 @@ These options influence LaTeX output. See further :doc:`latex`.
      backslash or ampersand must be represented by the proper LaTeX commands if
      they are to be inserted literally.
    * *author*: Author for the LaTeX document.  The same LaTeX markup caveat as
-     for *title* applies.  Use ``\and`` to separate multiple authors, as in:
-     ``'John \and Sarah'``.
+     for *title* applies.  Use ``\\and`` to separate multiple authors, as in:
+     ``'John \\and Sarah'`` (backslashes must be Python-escaped to reach LaTeX).
    * *documentclass*: Normally, one of ``'manual'`` or ``'howto'`` (provided
      by Sphinx and based on ``'report'``, resp. ``'article'``; Japanese
      documents use ``'jsbook'``, resp. ``'jreport'``.) "howto" (non-Japanese)
@@ -1656,6 +1656,11 @@ These options influence LaTeX output. See further :doc:`latex`.
           ``'\\usepackage[margin=1in,marginparwidth=0.5in]{geometry}'``.
 
         .. versionadded:: 1.5
+
+        .. versionchanged:: 1.5.2
+           For Japanese documents also ``dvipdfm`` option is passed to
+           ``geometry``.
+
      ``'babel'``
         "babel" package inclusion, default ``'\\usepackage{babel}'`` (the
         suitable document language string is passed as class option, and
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/__init__.py b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/__init__.py
index 4f3ce4c65..4995c0261 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/__init__.py
@@ -319,7 +319,6 @@ class Autosummary(Directive):
             else:
                 max_chars = max(10, max_item_chars - len(display_name))
                 sig = mangle_signature(sig, max_chars=max_chars)
-                sig = sig.replace('*', r'\*')
 
             # -- Grab the summary
 
diff --git a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
index 199ec86e9..3eea2ffe7 100644
--- a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
+++ b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@
 % some font styling.
 \DeclareStringOption[\sffamily\bfseries]{HeaderFamily}
 % colours
-% same problems as for dimensions: we want the key handler to use \definecolor
+% same problems as for dimensions: we want the key handler to use \definecolor.
 % first, some colours with no prefix, for backwards compatibility
 \newcommand*{\sphinxDeclareColorOption}[2]{%
    \definecolor{#1}#2%
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@
 % user interface: options can be changed midway in a document!
 \newcommand\sphinxsetup[1]{\setkeys{sphinx}{#1}}
 
-% this is the \ltx@ifundefined of ltxcmds.sty, which is loaded by
-% hyperref.sty, but we need it before, and the first release of
+% this is the \ltx@ifundefined of ltxcmds.sty, which was loaded by
+% kvoptions already, (and later by hyperref), but the first release of
 % ltxcmds.sty as in TL2009/Debian has wrong definition.
 \newcommand{\spx@ifundefined}[1]{%
     \ifcsname #1\endcsname
@@ -211,7 +211,8 @@
 
 \pagestyle{empty}               % start this way
 
-% Use this to set the font family for headers and other decor:
+% Since Sphinx 1.5, users should use HeaderFamily key to 'sphinxsetup' rather
+% than defining their own \py@HeaderFamily command (which is still possible).
 \newcommand{\py@HeaderFamily}{\spx@opt@HeaderFamily}
 
 % Redefine the 'normal' header/footer style when using "fancyhdr" package:
@@ -287,9 +288,9 @@
 % - with possibly of a top caption, non-separable by pagebreak.
 % - and usable inside tables or footnotes ("footnotehyper-sphinx").
 
-% For maintaining compatibility with Sphinx < 1.5, we define and use these
-% when (unmodified) Verbatim will be needed. But Sphinx >= 1.5 does not modify
-% original Verbatim anyhow.
+% For extensions which use \OriginalVerbatim and compatibility with Sphinx <
+% 1.5, we define and use these when (unmodified) Verbatim will be needed. But
+% Sphinx >= 1.5 does not modify the \Verbatim macro anymore.
 \let\OriginalVerbatim   \Verbatim
 \let\endOriginalVerbatim\endVerbatim
 
@@ -376,7 +377,7 @@
 %        {, <, #, %, $, ' and ": go to next line.
 %        _, }, ^, &, >, - and ~: stay at end of broken line.
 % Use of \textquotesingle for straight quote.
-% FIXME: convert this to package options
+% FIXME: convert this to package options ?
 \newcommand*\sphinxbreaksbeforelist {%
     \do\PYGZob\{\do\PYGZlt\<\do\PYGZsh\#\do\PYGZpc\%% {, <, #, %,
     \do\PYGZdl\$\do\PYGZdq\"% $, "
@@ -398,8 +399,8 @@
 
 \def\sphinx@verbatim@nolig@list {\do \`}%
 % Some characters . , ; ? ! / are not pygmentized.
-% This macro makes them "active" and they will insert potential linebreaks
-% In math mode, the characters are de-activated.
+% This macro makes them "active" and they will insert potential linebreaks.
+% Not compatible with math mode (cf \sphinxunactivateextras).
 \newcommand*\sphinxbreaksbeforeactivelist {}% none
 \newcommand*\sphinxbreaksafteractivelist  {\do\.\do\,\do\;\do\?\do\!\do\/}
 \newcommand*\sphinxbreaksviaactive {%
@@ -554,18 +555,19 @@
 }
 \newcommand*\sphinxbreaksviaactiveinparsedliteral{%
   \sphinxbreaksviaactive % by default handles . , ; ? ! /
-  \do\-% we need also the hyphen character
+  \do\-% we need also the hyphen character (ends up "as is" in parsed-literal)
   \lccode`\~`\~ %
   % update \dospecials as it is used by \url
-  % but deactivation will already have been done hence commented out
+  % but deactivation will already have been done hence this is unneeded:
   %  \expandafter\def\expandafter\dospecials\expandafter{\dospecials
   %   \sphinxbreaksbeforeactivelist\sphinxbreaksafteractivelist\do\-}%
 }
 \newcommand*\sphinxbreaksatspaceinparsedliteral{%
   \lccode`~32 \lowercase{\let~}\spx@verbatim@space\lccode`\~`\~
 }
-% now the hack for \url to work (hyperref is required dependency):
-% the aim it to deactivate - . , ; ? ! / in \url's argument
+% now the hack for \url to work (hyperref is assumed in use):
+% the aim it to deactivate - . , ; ? ! / in \url's argument.
+% also the space token, but not end of lines which we assume don't arise there.
 \def\spx@hack@hyper@normalise {%
   \expandafter\spx@hack@hyper@normalise@aux\hyper@normalise
               \spx@hack@hyper@normalise@aux\hyper@n@rmalise\relax\spx@undefined
@@ -581,6 +583,7 @@
 }%
 \newcommand*{\sphinxunactivateextras}{\let\do\@makeother
       \sphinxbreaksbeforeactivelist\sphinxbreaksafteractivelist\do\-}%
+% the \catcode13=5\relax (deactivate end of input lines) is left to callers
 \newcommand*{\sphinxunactivateextrasandspace}{\catcode32=10\relax
       \sphinxunactivateextras}%
 % now for the modified alltt environment
@@ -597,7 +600,9 @@
 % alltt takes care of the ' as derivative ("prime") in math mode
    \everymath\expandafter{\the\everymath\sphinxunactivateextrasandspace
              \catcode`\<=12\catcode`\>=12\catcode`\^=7\catcode`\_=8 }%
-   \everydisplay\expandafter{\the\everydisplay\sphinxunactivateextrasandspace
+% not sure if displayed math (align,...) can end up in parsed-literal, anyway
+   \everydisplay\expandafter{\the\everydisplay
+             \catcode13=5\sphinxunactivateextrasandspace
              \catcode`\<=12\catcode`\>=12\catcode`\^=7\catcode`\_=8 }%
  \fi }
 {\end{alltt}}
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index 56182755b..336fe0ac2 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ ADDITIONAL_SETTINGS = {
     },
     'platex': {
         'latex_engine': 'platex',
+        'geometry': ('\\usepackage[margin=1in,marginparwidth=0.5in,dvipdfm]'
+                     '{geometry}'),
     },
 }  # type: Dict[unicode, Dict[unicode, unicode]]
 
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-autosummary/dummy_module.py b/tests/roots/test-autosummary/dummy_module.py
index 1f4a47378..d24d7604f 100644
--- a/tests/roots/test-autosummary/dummy_module.py
+++ b/tests/roots/test-autosummary/dummy_module.py
@@ -71,5 +71,5 @@ class C:
         '''
 
 
-def func(arg_):
+def func(arg_, *args, **kwargs):
     """Test function take an argument ended with underscore."""
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py b/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
index 84c73d632..f53b7c2c5 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
@@ -95,3 +95,11 @@ def test_get_items_summary(app, status, warning):
     for key, expected in iteritems(expected_values):
         assert autosummary_items[key][2] == expected, 'Summary for %s was %r -'\
             ' expected %r' % (key, autosummary_items[key], expected)
+
+    # check an item in detail
+    assert 'func' in autosummary_items
+    func_attrs = ('func',
+                  '(arg_, *args, **kwargs)',
+                  'Test function take an argument ended with underscore.',
+                  'dummy_module.func')
+    assert autosummary_items['func'] == func_attrs
diff --git a/utils/CHANGES_template b/utils/CHANGES_template
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..344a49eae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/CHANGES_template
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+Release x.y.z (in development)
+==============================
+
+Incompatible changes
+--------------------
+
+Deprecated
+----------
+
+Features added
+--------------
+
+Bugs fixed
+----------
+
+Testing
+--------
diff --git a/utils/bump_version.py b/utils/bump_version.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..617c33c0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/bump_version.py
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+from __future__ import print_function
+
+import os
+import re
+import sys
+from datetime import datetime
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+
+script_dir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+package_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(script_dir, '..'))
+
+RELEASE_TYPE = {'a': 'alpha', 'b': 'beta'}
+
+
+def stringify_version(version_info):
+    if version_info[2] == 0:
+        return '.'.join(str(v) for v in version_info[:2])
+    else:
+        return '.'.join(str(v) for v in version_info[:3])
+
+
+def bump_version(path, version_info):
+    version = stringify_version(version_info)
+    release = version
+    if version_info[3] != 'final':
+        version += '+'
+
+    with open(path, 'r+') as f:
+        body = f.read()
+        body = re.sub("(?<=__version__ = ')[^']+", version, body)
+        body = re.sub("(?<=__released__ = ')[^']+", release, body)
+        body = re.sub("(?<=version_info = )\(.*\)", str(version_info), body)
+
+        f.seek(0)
+        f.truncate(0)
+        f.write(body)
+
+
+def parse_version(version):
+    matched = re.search('^(\d+)\.(\d+)$', version)
+    if matched:
+        major, minor = matched.groups()
+        return (int(major), int(minor), 0, 'final', 0)
+
+    matched = re.search('^(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+)$', version)
+    if matched:
+        major, minor, rev = matched.groups()
+        return (int(major), int(minor), int(rev), 'final', 0)
+
+    matched = re.search('^(\d+)\.(\d+)\s*(a|b|alpha|beta)(\d+)$', version)
+    if matched:
+        major, minor, typ, relver = matched.groups()
+        release = RELEASE_TYPE.get(typ, typ)
+        return (int(major), int(minor), 0, release, int(relver))
+
+    matched = re.search('^(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+)\s*(a|b|alpha|beta)(\d+)$', version)
+    if matched:
+        major, minor, rev, typ, relver = matched.groups()
+        release = RELEASE_TYPE.get(typ, typ)
+        return (int(major), int(minor), int(rev), release, int(relver))
+
+    raise RuntimeError('Unknown vesion: %s' % version)
+
+
+class Skip(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def processing(message):
+    try:
+        print(message + ' ... ', end='')
+        yield
+    except Skip as exc:
+        print('skip: %s' % exc)
+    except:
+        print('error')
+        raise
+    else:
+        print('done')
+
+
+class Changes(object):
+    def __init__(self, path):
+        self.path = path
+        self.fetch_version()
+
+    def fetch_version(self):
+        with open(self.path) as f:
+            version = f.readline().strip()
+            matched = re.search('^Release (.*) \((.*)\)$', version)
+            if matched is None:
+                raise RuntimeError('Unknown CHANGES format: %s' % version)
+
+            self.version, self.release_date = matched.groups()
+            self.version_info = parse_version(self.version)
+            if self.release_date == 'in development':
+                self.in_development = True
+            else:
+                self.in_development = False
+
+    def finalize_release_date(self):
+        release_date = datetime.now().strftime('%b %d, %Y')
+        heading = 'Release %s (released %s)' % (self.version, release_date)
+
+        with open(self.path, 'r+') as f:
+            f.readline()  # skip first two lines
+            f.readline()
+            body = f.read()
+
+            f.seek(0)
+            f.truncate(0)
+            f.write(heading + '\n')
+            f.write('=' * len(heading) + '\n')
+            f.write(body)
+
+    def add_release(self, version_info):
+        if version_info[-2:] in (('beta', 0), ('final', 0)):
+            version = stringify_version(version_info)
+        else:
+            reltype = version_info[3]
+            version = '%s %s%s' % (stringify_version(version_info),
+                                   RELEASE_TYPE.get(reltype, reltype),
+                                   version_info[4] or '')
+        heading = 'Release %s (in development)' % version
+
+        with open(os.path.join(script_dir, 'CHANGES_template')) as f:
+            f.readline()  # skip first two lines
+            f.readline()
+            tmpl = f.read()
+
+        with open(self.path, 'r+') as f:
+            body = f.read()
+
+            f.seek(0)
+            f.truncate(0)
+            f.write(heading + '\n')
+            f.write('=' * len(heading) + '\n')
+            f.write(tmpl)
+            f.write('\n')
+            f.write(body)
+
+
+def main():
+    if len(sys.argv) != 2:
+        print("bump_version.py [version]")
+        return -1
+
+    version_info = parse_version(sys.argv[-1])
+
+    with processing("Rewriting sphinx/__init__.py"):
+        bump_version(os.path.join(package_dir, 'sphinx/__init__.py'), version_info)
+
+    with processing('Rewriting CHANGES'):
+        changes = Changes(os.path.join(package_dir, 'CHANGES'))
+        if changes.version_info == version_info:
+            if changes.in_development:
+                changes.finalize_release_date()
+            else:
+                raise Skip('version not changed')
+        else:
+            if changes.in_development:
+                print('WARNING: last version is not released yet: %s' % changes.version)
+            changes.add_release(version_info)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/utils/release-checklist b/utils/release-checklist
index c4c9f48bf..610ab9d19 100644
--- a/utils/release-checklist
+++ b/utils/release-checklist
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ Release checklist
   * Run `(cd sphinx/locale; tx pull -a -f)`
   * Run `python setup.py compile_catalog`
 
-* Update version info in sphinx/__init__.py
-* Update release date in CHANGES
+* `python utils/bump_version.py x.y.z`
+* Check diff by `git diff`
 * `git commit -am 'Bump to x.y.z final'`
 * `make clean`
 * `python setup.py compile_grammar`
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ Release checklist
 * `git push origin stable --tags`
 * open https://readthedocs.org/dashboard/sphinx/versions/ and enable the released version
 * Add new version/milestone to tracker categories
-* Update version info, add new CHANGES entry for next version
+* `python utils/bump_version.py a.b.cb0` (ex. 1.5.3b0)
+* Check diff by `git diff`
 * `git commit -am 'Bump version'`
 * `git push origin stable`
 * `git checkout master`