The Biz - don't wheel out the life support equipment yet
Aje RavenStar
started publication. A wash.
This summer has seen two new magazines devoted to the industry (manga,
gaming, anime, culture) distributed, which is pretty good for a 'dying' one.
The first, Future Anime, is a one-shot issue for now, Summer 2008 edition.
It lists at 9.99 (US) retail, is about half the size of Otaku USA for the
same price. No sample DVD or manga exerpt included in the first issue, but
the manga, anime, and gaming articles are all on current releases - and it
has a dozen (two-sided) pull out posters as a bonus feature. The publisher
is Future US, based in California, will be available until mid-October, at
which time if and when future editions are released will be decided. The
company's website ( http://www.futureus.com/index.php ) doesn't even mention
it anywhere that I can find, so
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-07-10/future-us-publishes-one-off-future-anime-mag-in-u.s
is the best info I have other than the issue itself. (Note - Gilles
mentioned in a response to an earlier posting I did on this issue that the
editor, Gary Steinman, was someone he knew, so he might be hear and share
future plans at some point if permitted). I bought my copy at Kroger in
Houston, which has since run out. I don't know of any got into the Borders
or B&N chains, or if it's still around anywhere.
The second is a magazine called Yen + Plus, first edition dated August 2008,
a publication of manga publisher Yen Press ( http://yenpress.us/ ). I
learned about it on Gilles' Slog, found it at Borders (which had quite a few
copies a few weeks ago), and have also seen it at Krogers (a week after I
bought my copy, only one on the shelf at that time, gone later that week).
There was a sticker over the printed bar code on mine which put the price at
8.99 (US, 9.99 Can$), and it doesn't want to peel off politely so I'm stuck
with it (sorry<g>), can't tell you the suggested retail. This is going to
be a regular publication, looks like, and is 90 percent comics. Half US /
Manhwa / other graphic stories printed left to right and Manga printed right
to left, it's basically a Yen house preview publication. They indicate as
much in the editor's letter on 17A (B is used to number the right to left
pages). The left side cover is Maxium Ride, the right is Soul Eater. First
chapters from both are included, as well as Nightschool, pig bride, Sarasah,
one fine day, Jack Frost (left to right), Higurash (When They Cry), Bamboo
Blade, Sumomomo Momomo, and Nabari No Ou (right to left). Some ads (mostly
at the front of the left side), a few 'articles' on upcoming releases from
Yen (such as S.S. Astro mentioned by Hand-of-Omega today), omakes in the way
of bonus sketches by the artists of the various stories, but mainly comics.
I don't think they intend us to be able to follow an entire series in this
magazine (and it'd be darn expensive way to go about it!) like you can with
Japanese magazines, but just want to give us a taste to promote the tankobon
volumes. I like this, though, and with luck I'll be able to afford
subscription once they reach that point. (one year for $49.99 US/59.99
Canadian).
Antonio E. Gonzalez
<whine...@comcast.net> wrote:
>In the last year, Newtype magazine folded, but about the same time Otaku USA
>started publication. A wash.
>
>This summer has seen two new magazines devoted to the industry (manga,
>gaming, anime, culture) distributed, which is pretty good for a 'dying' one.
>
<snip two new mags: nothin' personal, just space>
Along with that, Anime Insider's still going strong . . .
darkst...@gmail.com
> In the last year, Newtype magazine folded, but about the same time Otaku USA
> started publication. A wash.
>
> This summer has seen two new magazines devoted to the industry (manga,
> gaming, anime, culture) distributed, which is pretty good for a 'dying' one.
No, it's good money after bad, really -- once you get to the anime
stuff.
I mean, the life-support equipment has been out in the field for the
anime industry for the better part of a year now. We may get a better
idea tomorrow as to what the future holds, but, really, the whole
concept of purchasing anime has been pretty much burnt to the ground.
A year ago, we had six pertinent licensors. Now, if you don't count
CrunchyShit, we have two. And I'm not so sure Bandai isn't playing
out the whole Haruhi/Lucky Star/TTGL thing and then they go away too.
Eventually, I do think it's CrunchyShit who'll be the last one
standing.
Mike
Rob Kelk
So is Protoculture Addicts.
As for the overall industry... As I recall:
* A couple of decades ago there were three large companies licencing
anime in North America (CPM, US Renditions, and AnimEigo), with a
handful of smaller companies (ADV, Pioneer, Viz, etc.) picking up the
occasional title. There were no North American anime magazines.
There were no North American specialty anime stores. Fansubs were
everywhere in the fan community.
* A decade ago there were three large companies licencing anime in North
America (Pioneer, ADV, and Media Blasters), with a handful of smaller
companies (AnimEigo, Bandai, Viz, etc.) picking up the occasional
title. There was one North American anime magazine (PA). There were
a few North American specialty anime stores. Fansubs were everywhere
in the fan community.
* Now there's three large companies licencing anime in North America
(Bandai, FUNimation, and ADV), with a handful of smaller companies
(AnimEigo, Viz, Media Blasters, Right Stuf, etc.) picking up the
occasional title. There are at least four North American anime
magazines. There are many North American specialty anime stores.
Fansubs were everywhere in the fan community.
So... The "importation and translation" sector of the industry as a
whole is the same as it ever was; only the names of the top players have
shifted. And the industry's "customer front-end" has grown
substantially over the last two decades.
What's this about the anime industry dying, again?
--
Rob Kelk <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/> e-mail: s/deadspam/gmail/
"But Occam's Razor is never sufficient for conspiracy theorists, who
simply create a new, and more elaborate narrative."
- Andrew Orlowski, 20 March 2007
darkst...@gmail.com
> * Now there's three large companies licencing anime in North America
> (Bandai, FUNimation, and ADV), with a handful of smaller companies
> (AnimEigo, Viz, Media Blasters, Right Stuf, etc.) picking up the
> occasional title. There are at least four North American anime
> magazines. There are many North American specialty anime stores.
> Fansubs were everywhere in the fan community.
Misnomer on ADV. They aren't even of the level of Media Blasters at
this point.
If Gurren Lagann is any indication, I expect Bandai off the playing
field once they finish out all the Haruhi/Lucky Star mania.
And how long can Funimation keep Navarre afloat??
Mike (Alternately, how long can Dragonball Z keep Funimation afloat?)
Invid Fan
<rob...@deadspam.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:12:43 -0700, Antonio E. Gonzalez
> <AntE...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> >On Sat, 9 Aug 2008 11:18:18 -0500, "Aje RavenStar"
> ><whine...@comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> >>In the last year, Newtype magazine folded, but about the same time Otaku
> >>USA
> >>started publication. A wash.
> >>
> >>This summer has seen two new magazines devoted to the industry (manga,
> >>gaming, anime, culture) distributed, which is pretty good for a 'dying' one.
> >>
> >
> ><snip two new mags: nothin' personal, just space>
> >
> >
> > Along with that, Anime Insider's still going strong . . .
>
> So is Protoculture Addicts.
>
> As for the overall industry... As I recall:
>
> * A couple of decades ago there were three large companies licencing
> anime in North America (CPM, US Renditions, and AnimEigo), with a
> handful of smaller companies (ADV, Pioneer, Viz, etc.) picking up the
> occasional title. There were no North American anime magazines.
Not quite true. There were a number of anime magazines pre-licenced
imports. Along with Protoculture Addicts (which stole an article from
our club newsletter, but that's an old grudge ^_^) there was Animag
(with Trish Ledoux as editor late in the run), Animenomous (sp?), and
others that lasted an issue or four. Mostly they provided story details
so you could watch the shows untranslated.
--
Chris Mack *quote under construction*
'Invid Fan'
Rob Kelk
wrote:
>In article <489e33e1...@news.individual.net>, Rob Kelk
><rob...@deadspam.com> wrote:
<snip>
>> As for the overall industry... As I recall:
>>
>> * A couple of decades ago there were three large companies licencing
>> anime in North America (CPM, US Renditions, and AnimEigo), with a
>> handful of smaller companies (ADV, Pioneer, Viz, etc.) picking up the
>> occasional title. There were no North American anime magazines.
>
>Not quite true. There were a number of anime magazines pre-licenced
>imports. Along with Protoculture Addicts (which stole an article from
>our club newsletter, but that's an old grudge ^_^) there was Animag
>(with Trish Ledoux as editor late in the run), Animenomous (sp?), and
>others that lasted an issue or four. Mostly they provided story details
>so you could watch the shows untranslated.
Ah. I sit corrected...
--
Rob Kelk <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/> e-mail: s/deadspam/gmail/
"I'm *not* a kid! Nyyyeaaah!" - Skuld (in "Oh My Goddess!" OAV #3)
"When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear
of childishness and the desire to be very grown-up." - C.S. Lewis