Evidence #13: Protoculture Addicts Issue 7 (April 1990)

Happy New Years guys!!

Ok, I did say I would "try" and put out and issue by Christmas. Well, that didn't happen due to me wasting investing time into Skyrim and being gone for Texas to see relatives for a week and a half. I'm on break from school till that kicks back up in a couple of weeks, and we got or official first episode out on The Anime of Yesteryear Podcast. With that being said, its time for me to post more relics on this site for you guys to see.

This is the second issue coming from Protoculture Addicts, which has articles on Robotech, Toren Smith, editorials and reviews of whatever was popular for these writers back in the day. So without further "adieu," i'm going to shut up and start posting pictures.

I think these letters are fascinating to read, especially if you look at it in hindsight being today's anime fan from 22 years ago. The writer of the last segment pretty much states what has been happening to anime since Robotech, and that is "Americanizing it." The comment about Robotech fans not liking any other anime is really the same of today's anime fans who give Naurto (now back on Adult Swim/Toonami) and Bleach huge viewer ratings because that is all they know, and the fanbase is back to give the network bigger numbers. That same thinking is why today's fans give the "best Japan has to offer" title to Naruto, just like how they thought Robotech was big stuff. That guy is EH-OK in my book. Lets see what else we got...

This image above has some people that were heavily involved (and still are) into the anime communities these days. One of them has his own Lets Anime blog, and the other (used to be) in charge of starblazers.com. See if you guys can figure out who is who?

This also had stats for the Robotech RPG game, or for those who played it (which I gotta assume, a lot of people did back then).

Here you got some Megazone 23 Part 3 image transfers from probably Laserdisc or VHS, or whatever format the PA staff had at their disposal at the time.

Here we got an interview with Toren Smith, who is known back then for being a manga translator and living at the Gainax house at one point. This Wiki will tell you what you need to know.

Here we got a huge article on Akira, because this film was enormously famous for good reason back in the day (and today, still is). This is pretty much a written article about what happens in the film, because no one knew how to pirate movies for large illegal distribution back then, unlike today.

Here you got anime reviews, and how Right Stuf was able to save Astro Boy from extinction back in 1990. And they, we got ads of Gunbuster and Dangaio from US Renditions for great deals on VHS tapes.

And... that pretty much concludes our look back into the past for now. I always say I'll post more magazines and issues, but time has a way of slipping by when other things are going on. I'm at least sticking with this and getting something out than letting this site be extinct, so that has to count for something.

I will try and shoot (no promises), to have something out on the second anniversary of this site. And Ill post up episode updates from the new podcast also, so you guys check that out too. Well, here's to 2013, and Happy New Year!!!!

Evidence #2: The Bubblegum Crisis Protoculture Addicts Issue 14 (Aug - Sept 1991)

"So im back! And I've been here for years, Rockin the-"... hold up, that's not the right song. Let me try that again.

Welcome again boys and girls, as it is the main man of the hour, with more crap to shove in your face. Sorry about the first part, I wanted to try and be funny (to whoever would get that song lyric). Is it funny? Surly not. Should I edit it? Perhaps. Am I gonna forget to edit it and leave it in? ... yes... my answer would have to be yes.

But I am back for post number 2 (the first one doesn't count, its just a measly introduction) as I have yet more little pieces of anime past to show. For this post I have myself another little magazine (or I guess fanzine if you would call it, you people are more than welcome to correct me) of a certain issue of Protoculture Addicts from August to September of the year 1991 with none other than... MORE BUBBLEGUM CRISIS!!!!

 I came across this issue at my first Animazement (slash/ anime con) back in 2007 in the dealers room. At the time, still fresh into Bubblegum fandom, I was in the dealers room for probably a good hour (my second trip there that Saturday) and one of the dealers was selling comics (pretty sure its the same guy every year. Hey, dudes gotta make a living). The dealer had other issues of Protoculture Addicts in the bin (if memory serves me right) and I ran across this little baby in the wild. Of course when I saw this issue, I was rather shocked that I found another piece of BGC to add to my slowly growing collection ( I wanna say at this time I found the Animerica BGC issue before I came across this) and wondered how long this guy must have had this. So right then and there I used the cash I brought with me that day for the con and took it with me along with other merchandise I picked up as well.

This was a magazine that I would have to say was before anime magazines had colored pictures inside them than on the cover. And if I had to take a good guess, I'd probably say that Animerica was the first magazine to use color on the pictures inside than just on the cover. Of course if I'm wrong on this, leave a comment stating why, because it wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong on something and certainly not the last.

But this blog would not be complete without pictures, and I do have quite a "few" to share.

Yea, nice fan art. I guess for 1991, this was considered "good" by anime fans at the time. Sure it might look like Priss is has some "manly" features about her, with some proportions misplaced here and there, but for this time period you can't help but to let things like this slide, once in a while. Lets crack open this baby and see whats inside:

Wow! For 1991 this seemed to be a lot of information for the BGC fan at the time. Episode synopsis, fan art,  RPG info, Character faqs and bios and some talk on the two ova series (yes, including Crash). For what its worth (the picture is big enough for you guys to read the info too) you got some interesting reading material to go through. This just goes to show how passionate anime fans were to series like these and the subscribers they had. And granted, these guys were not some USA Today writers, they were just fans to make info available for other fans.

Of course, this wouldn't be complete without some good old advertising and more fan art.:

Gotta say not bad, probably in better quality than some of the fan art in magazines today (last time I checked, but I really think magazines take in some really good stuff now). Also if you notice on the last image, a little picture of Goku: Midnight Eye. How I love that OVA, and yet I have the complete manga sitting on my shelf... waiting to be read.

Well boys and girls, I think that about covers it for this post. I have more material coming up so its not like this is all. The material I have gotten is from another big BGC fan (or "fan-girl" to be exact) who has more of a collection than I do, which puts me in a somewhat envy state of mind. But I know hard work when I see it, which this girl has been a fan longer than I have. So I guess if I started the same time she did, I might be close behind her statistically speaking. But that aside, shes a cool gal from knowing her over the past year now and quite the nerd to boot. You will find out this mysterious person... next time. Take it easy.