Evidence #24: A-ni-me: The Berkeley Journal of Japanese Animation (Vol.1, Issue.1, 1990)

Download File HERE!!

(Total Size: 158 mb)

Well, now that Animazement has come and gone, I do have a gem that I got from the convention, what was from over a year ago that I haven't gotten around to scanning until just now. I also mention this story and the book in my con report from last year, so give that episode a listen if you care too.

So here is my story on that: I remember walking around the dealers room floor before they closed that Sunday of Animazement 2014, and I came across a dealer who usually sells model kits and unique die-cast Japanese toys that are at the usual prices in Japan. This same dealer also happens to sell hobby magazines and the like, which these kinda cons is where I get one issue a year from Hobby Link Japan. I remember looking at the bottom of the magazine shelf and seeing this book, which is something I had never laid eyes upon and started flipping through it. It was then that I realized it had translated transcripts and synopsis from anime series like Ranma 1/2 and Nadia, to OVA's like Bubblegum Crisis, Dragon's Heaven, MegaZone 23, Gunbuster and Outlanders.

I went over to the dealer and asked him about this book, which he told me that this was something he had and sold long ago, but had it been sold back to him sometime after. When I got home from my usual long drive back from the con to my home South Carolina, I was able to look at the book further. What I found most interesting on the back was advertisements for AnimeCon '91, including a print out of guests that would be coming, and an application to attend. So I decided to do what I normally do in this situation when I get something this cool, and that's to put it on the shelf to not be seen or hardly remembered for a certain period of time. 

It wasn't until I talked to Trish Ledoux over on her Twitch.tv channel one night months later that I mentioned this book to her, which I also found that her husband Toshifumi Yoshida was credited as a "special thanks" in the book. So to my curiosity, I wondered how much involvement he had with this book? I was able to get my answer at this years Animazement when I showed him and Trish this book, which they both seemed to be pleased with this relic of the past. Toshi was cool enough to sign it for me and Trish seemed interested in wanting this to archived on the blog.

So now that the tl;dr story is outta the way, I can let you guys see this for yourselves. I went ahead and scanned everything into a .pdf file so anyone who is interested can see this for themselves. I'm not sure when my next post will be after this one, which is really to say in the coming months. Hope you guys enjoy this anime relic, and see you next time!

Pre - Animazement 2015 Post: This Site Credibility is Totally Legit...

I know that just about every single post on this blog is dedicated to scanning and uploading my personal collection, followed by my lack of interesting opinions for certain columns, but I thought I would share this with you today. With a week away from Animazement 2015 to again make its mark on Raleigh NC (and my roughly 6 hour drive to get there), I occurred to me that on a random youtube search for "trish ledoux animazement," I came across a video someone did of one of her and Toshifumi Yoshida Saturday panel from last year's Animazement that my magazines were featured in this video.

To sum up the story, I usually bring a handful of Animag or Animerica stuff for Toshi and Trish to autograph every year if there at the convention, and last year I was willing enough to have them use some of the issues I had as a prop for one of their panels. I'm just happy that it was featured in someones video that was literally a few feet from me on the first row with out me ever knowing about it till today. Even though this isn't a full panel video, it does briefly explain Toshi and Trish back story on how they got into the anime industry.If you want more on my convention report from last year, here is my podcast episode about it. See you guys in a while, because I'll have plenty to scan...

Evidence #22: (You can still) Rock in Animerica Segment (Vol.4 No 1, 1995)

It's been almost 2 years too long, but were back again...

Well it is time for the holiday season once more, and I won't end the year off without posting something up for you readers who still keep up with this site. This was an issue that I've been wanting to post for a while now, especially since I got all of Space Adventure Cobra earlier this year from Nozomi Entertainment on DVD (which you can watch the show on their youtube channel for free if you care). Space Adventure Cobra is a show that after every episode, I kept saying to myself "This is the GREATEST ANIME EVER MADE!!!" I kid you not, I ended every episode saying just that sentence to myself over and over again. If you think I might be crazy, then see the show for yourself.

As for this particular issue, I believe I've had this issue for a couple of years by this point, and did buy it from the usual comic book shop in Raleigh NC as I do every year. This is another issue that was kindly autographed by Trish Ledoux and her husband Toshifumi Yoshida at either Animazement 2013 or 2014, since they were both present both years. So lets get things started by posting up a bunch of images of articles, interviews, reviews, fan art and advertisements that make up what Animerica truly is:

This time "From the Editor," Trish Ledoux writes about how it was to work with female booty aficionado Buichi Terasawa when she was employed for the marketing firm A-Girl. Interesting enough (or probably not), Trish defends Terasawa's art style of pure REAR-sploitation by stating that he can at least draw women a heck of a lot better than most contemporary anime/comic artist out there (here's looking at you Masami Obari / Rob Leifeld). To sum up, Terasawa has class, which speaking of...

... here is such an article with the classy manga author. I am not sure if Terasawa still comes to Comic Con in San Diego, or if he still dresses in black as his manga secret agent persona out in the public. Regardless. this is still a good interview, which Terasawa talks about his beginnings as a manga artist, and even covering his other works. There is even a small write up about how the Cobra: The Psychogun project was shelved at this time, only to be revived a decade later to an OVA. There is also a write up by a Betsy Sherman, who seems to state that the movie is way to anti-feminist for her taste. Well it wouldn't be for her taste, because Cobra is for real men... and women who who like the idea of having leather outfits with guns attached to them.

Here we have the other articles about anime that is current in Japan as of 1995, as well as reviews and articles about the recently releases that came stateside during this time. You can find a really good article from Carl Horn about his view on the Manga Ent. release of the Patlabor 2 movie, the opinions about Evangelion from the staff (who complain that the robots look too thin, and need to be bigger. Ah, Anime Journalism circa. 1995...), the kind words from everyone's "semi-hated-or-loved-but-is-now-dead" Carl Macek, the letters to the editor and good ol' fanart. Also, I am guessing this is the last part of that Fatal Fury "Make My Video" Challenge back in our last Animerica post, which just seems to be a fanfic story of sorts. I am sure I have issues before this one that when posted can complete this story, but well see about that.

And lastly, all the advertisements of what was hot then, but now long forgotten about now. Hey, at least you can get Hentai tapes for a couple of bucks off regular MSRP, and get excited for what is coming to the ADV library in 1996 with those hot new titles!!!

Well, I think that is all we have time for in this last segment of 2014. I cannot guarantee if I will post more or less in 2015, but chances are the next post will be for the 4th anniversary of this blog. What's that going to be... I don't know yet. If you want a life update, I am still enrolled at my university, changed my major to Communication, still going to anime conventions, still run our sister site podcast, and currently in a relationship. 2014 was a pretty good year, and an interesting one at that. I hope for the best for 2015, and hope you guys are there to follow along with what will be coming out next time. So until then, I plan on giving the new year peace and love...

Evidence #15: The ANIMAG Saga (Issue #8)

Sorry for the delay guys, but I do have a new piece of the past to show.

So I know its been a while (about 4 months, which is double than what I wanted to go for), and my only excuse this time is school, work and life (it’s the typical fallback excuse everyone gives these days, but it’s a solid one). I am finishing up this summer at my community college to get ready to enroll and get in student loan debt (hopefully not) at Anderson University in South Carolina. As for work I am doing a graphic design internship at my local newspaper for the summer, which is sweet sub-contracted work. Also, I have failed to mention that I put my spare efforts into the newest podcast my co-host and I have started, The Anime of Yesteryear Podcast, which has been going nicely since the beginning of the year. But, its high time I show you more publications of the past, so here we go.

I originally wanted to put this out about the middle or end of May, but held off because I was going to Animazement, which had someone who I have mentioned countless times when I post these issues. It was cool seeing Trish Ledoux and her husband Toshifumi Yoshida at this years con, which was another reason for me to harass them for autographs and catching up (since its been like 3 years since I last saw her.) I had her sign one of her old Animag publications back in the day, which you may know off hand who these damsels of destruction are… because THEY’RE THE LOVELY ANGELS DAMMIT!!!

Trish gives her thoughts on translation work back in the late 1980’s. Its funny how she makes a mention on “those” people who do translation work regarding to them as purist. I say its funny, because you got people likethese that are still out there. I guess something will never change. I had both Toshi and Trish sign this issue at the most recent Animazement.

Here is the synopsis for Holy Machine Beast SaiGuard (which we all knew later was Cybernetics Guardian from CPM). If you ever wanted to watch a dumb, forgetful and semi boring Koichi Ohata anime, this is it. And below that is animation news, which is whatever TV series were coming out in the later part of 1989 (I believe) and what US Renditions was going to put out, namely Gunbuster and Dangaio. If you have seen the past post on this website, about a good chunk of those magazine ads are for these two series from US Renditions. I still wanna get the rest of Dangaio on VHS to go with my USR vol. 1 copy.

Above are the write-ups for Dirty Pair and The Five Star Stories. I do own Project Eden and the OVA’s on VHS, but I have not seen Affair on Nolandia (which I have heard was the weakest of the animations, but could be wrong), which ill get around to watching one day. I have seen the first 2 of the OVA’s, which its just an enjoyable, incoherent roller coaster to watch (come to think of it, I think there was a call back to the mine cart chase from Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom in the first OVA. That and surfing on lava to get to the prison). They also do a very good write up on the world of Five Star Stories, since it is a rather unique and diverse universe to begin with. 

Here we got write ups on the Yotoden (aka Wrath of the Ninja), Hades Project Zeorymer and episode synopsis for Zeta Gundam. 

Here we got the Product watch, which I kinda want my hands on that SD Gundam Famicom game (not like I don’t have any to begin with). I know I have said this before, but it does need saying again, you kids need to stop complaining over anime being too high. I hate giving these “back in my day” speeches, but its true. They listed that Gunbuster and Dangaio are 35 bucks a tape, and that is for ONE FRIGGEN EPISODE!! Back then, that was as good as its gonna get. There is also an article on making a resin kit, which I am guessing back then, everyone needed help with that. 

This is a pretty interesting article by Fredrick Schodt on Go Nagai. It’s kinda sad that he didn’t get to ride a bike for long, but were not all perfect. I really wanna see these wedding invitations he made, especially about sexy flower women taking his bride away. Does anyone out there have a scan of this?

And of course, I end everything with product placement of 1989 for otakus. I don't think your ever going to see Kaneda's bike from Akira that low in todays ebay market. I would love to have that with the McFarlane Akira figures I own. 

And that concludes this segment of the blog. I know my intended goal is to do these once every other month, but with school (mostly) that put that on hold, and I was kinda lazy and preoccupied with other things. I guess you can't blame me for that too badly. I will shoot to try and get one out before I start university, but until then, I gotta work on holding onto that vision...