Evidence #34 - Early 2000's American Gunpla Brochures

So it's the start of the Christmas season of 2017, and what better way to make a post about Gundam model kits that were sold in the early 2000's to us Gundam hungry anime nerds at the time.

To give a brief lowdown on what and how Gundam was like and marketed in America roughly two decades ago, it was a slow trinkling affect that took a couple of years to gain momentum. Before Gundam Wing got Gundam noticed and marketed in early 2000 at major retail chains, it's only existence before was Kazuhisa Kondo Mobile Suit Gundam manga published by VIZ in 1999, and before that any publication of Gundam was mentioned in either ANIMAG or Animerica off and on. The first step to officially publishing Gundam came in 1990 from translator Fredrick Schoot. Schoot translated the original Gundam novel that Tomino wrote after the television series, which to him was going to be the ultimate Gundam story that never got made. Through all of these hard efforts, Gundam finally got some recognition from the popularity of Gundam Wing, and what lead to that would be a large amount of Gundam models to be sold at major retailers.

Bandai best idea to help promote these model kits would be to make it competitive where the more kits you buy and build, the greater chance to get recognized by becoming the ultimate Gundam Master or something. In this case, you earn ranks by going to the Gundam Official Website in order to register yourself and get your desired rank based on the model kits you've built. For its time, it was probably the best thing that Bandai could come up with in order to make Gunpla appealing in America. From what I can gather, you just submit your work towards your skill level for Bandai to send you a pin to reward your accomplishments in Gunpla building. These of course were promoted by the most lamest BADASS COMMERCIALS to get kids to buy these model kits, because you wanted to be cool in getting one!

What I have to show today is some of these little promos in model kits they put out. I've kept most of my booklets from my older kits as far as I know, but I think a lot of kids just threw them away and thought nothing of them. This one in particular comes from my Gelgoog Marine High Grade I got from Target (chances are it came from there) that 15 or so years later, I still have in my model kit box. 

It's funny how two (and soon to be three) of these retailers are out of business since this promotion event came out. My how the times have changed.

I have a few of these toys and model kits scattered around in boxes in my storage closet, which based on how much the figures go for new its best to hold onto them while you can. I also don't remember the Wing Zero Custom wings looking kinda reddish when I watched Endless Watlz so many years ago, but I guess when I do a rewatch of it, it should come back to me. Yes, you had the MS War card set, which I've got a few sets of those in a box with no one to play them with. My biggest regret is not getting that Zeon battleship set, which I saw that sucker complete at AWA 2017 for a whopping $100+!! Makes me wish I could've got all these figures from the discount bin of the already fading KB Toys at the time. Well, you live and learn I guess.

 Although this is a small post it's at least something. To sum up life events since my last post, I'm going to be done with college in a couple of weeks in getting my BS in Communication, I ended my engagement to my fiancee for reasons, and I've become more involved in a local Gundam club in South Carolina (which helped in the break up). I plan on doing a magazine scan by the new year while on Christmas break and figuring out job opportunities. So have a Merry Christmas to all the viewers of this site!!

Evidence #33 - You Can Still Rock in Animerica (Vol.3 No.8, 1995)

Download Here! (Size: 84.4 mb)

It's been like what, March since I uploaded something on this site? Yea that sounds about right. Things have been going on and I had a little time to upload another issue from my collection, something i've had for a number of years now.

This issue of Animerica includes information about Yamato/Star Blazers from Rob Fenelon, who is still around and is still a huge Yamato fan to date last I heard. This is another issue signed by Trish at some year at Animazement in the past couple of years, so I can't really remember when. This includes an interview with Noboru Ishiguro and talking about Yamato in great length (including info on Yamato that didn't make it to television, like naked Nova). Also included are some reviews of Gundam Wing when it was first airing on television in Japan, an official ballot to enter what you think the best anime is for 1995 for the Tezuka Awards, some fan art, the winner of the Fatal Fury "Make my Video" contest story, cool ads and much more. I'll try and get another issue out before the end of the year, as long as school and work don't get in the way too much. So that's all for now so enjoy, im off to enjoy the rest of the Toonami block on Saturday nights, later.

Evidence #25: (You can still) Rock in Animerica Segment (Vol. 4, No. 2, 1996?)

It's been almost a year since the last Animerica, but better late than never...

Download Here! (size: 74.3mb)

I've been meaning to get this out for months at this point, but better now than later. I say that because November 18th will mark the 20th anniversary of Mamoru Oshii Ghost in the Shell. And what a better way to celebrate an occasion on this site by having a scan of the Animerica issue it's based upon.

I first saw Ghost in the Shell in high school when I was able to rent anime from Blockbuster, and I wasn't too sure about the film other than looking at it as another "right of passage" to becoming an anime fan at that time. I have seen the movie a couple of times here and there in the past 13 or so years since my first showing, but it wasn't until last semester when I saw the film again for my Contemporary Art class, where I discussed essential films by Mamoru Oshii. Thanks to the help of the film and Brian Run book Stray Dog of Anime, really helped me understand the film in a much different light than I had before. There is also an article on studio Gainax, Street Fighter II, and much more.

This is also a good time to point out that I am putting out this issue as a .pdf file instead of filling up my blog post with tons and tons of pages. I have been wanting to do that for a long time now, and with it being almost 5 years too late, better start now than later. This was also an issue that was autographed by Trish Ledoux at some past Animazement, and I am not even sure where I found this issue to begin with. It might have been at a local con for all I know years ago. Also, the corner of the book has some wear on it, and you can thank my cat Bubbles for wanting to chew on it because she is a dumb cat. The interview with Oshii by Carl Horn at the time this issue came out is really interesting to read, which I have lifted quotes from Oshii in the interview for my school project, which was most helpful.

The next release might either be during Christmas, or on our 5th anniversary, who knows at this point. But I will go ahead and let you guys enjoy your post-Halloween blues.

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...