All things considered, living in Japan is pretty cool: there’s great food, the public transportation is efficient and on time, it’s safe, and that’s not to mention all the anime and manga stuff. If I’ve got one complaint, it’s that movies take forever to come …Read more »
Hiroya Oku, writer and illustrator of sci-fi manga Gantz , took to Twitter yesterday to vent his frustrations about recent live-action adaptations of manga and anime. Here's what Oku had to say: Why do these live-action manga movies continue to get made? Even if you …Read more »
Anyone who’s spent time reading up on the behind-the-scenes of the anime industry knows that the talent folks behind our favorite pastime face a lot of difficulties, from low wages to overwork to burnout and even serious medical issues. The latest report about the sometimes …Read more »
Pixiv Zingaro, the Tokyo gallery co-run by art-sharing site Pixiv and pop artist Takashi Murakami, has been the sight of many anime and manga-based exhibitions since it opened up in otaku paradise Nakano Broadway a few years back. The latest, which runs from May 12 …Read more »
There’s an interesting new piece up at Variety for anyone interested in why, in the minds of many critics, Japan’s theatrical output in recent years has lacked a certain spark. Variety writer Brett Bull tackles the quandary of the “production committee” system, in which many …Read more »
Anime Busience, a Japanese magazine that covers the business and science behind the anime industry, has published a fascinating graph showing the difference in taste among Japanese and American anime viewers. The graph, created with viewership stats from Japan’s Niconico and America’s Crunchyroll, shows series …Read more »
In recent years, we’ve seen in an increase (or an increase in the visibility, at least) of non-Japanese folks working in the anime industry. But most of the individuals we’ve seen profiled work behind the scenes as animators, designers or background artists. That’s not the …Read more »
Gainax is a familiar name, perhaps even a hallowed one. In the otaku realm, it’s a household name, in fact. It’s the studio that spawned such greats as Neon Genesis Evangelion and FLCL ; its name became synonymous with over-the-top animation, cerebral giant robot sagas, …Read more »
The Japanese government is taking up a bill that would make it easier for non-citizens to work in the animation industry, reports Nikkei Asian Review. For those dreaming of becoming an animator in Japan, this is potentially huge news. The bill, which will be taken …Read more »
Nikkei Entertainment, a pop culture magazine published by the Japanese media giant of the same name, has an anime-centric issue out this month, and it’s highlighted five anime directors fans might want to keep their eyes on. Let’s check out the list. In no specific …Read more »
One of the greatest tragedies in anime history is the untimely death of director Satoshi Kon. In his relatively short career, spanning just four feature films and one TV series, Kon produced a remarkable body of work, showcasing an intelligence and consistency of vision that …Read more »
Madhouse is one of the most venerable anime studios out there. From the minds and hard work of former Mushi Pro ( Astro Boy , Dororo , Kimba the White Lion ) animators like Masao Maruyama (see our MAPPA feature), Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Rintaro, Osamu Dezaki, …Read more »
To understand why production studios like TRIGGER, which featured in the previous all-anime issue, and MAPPA, which I have the distinct honor and pleasure to write about right now, matter in the grand scheme of anime production, it is imperative to understand the circumstances behind …Read more »
Fans of Shirobako , hold onto your hats. The team behind the 2014-15 series, which detailed the lives of anime creators, are at work on an anime made for theatrical distribution, according to a tweet from the official Shirobako Twitter account. “This has nothing to …Read more »
There’s an old maxim in screenwriting that goes “write what you know.” The idea is that if you write about situations in which you have some personal experience, your stories will carry a certain sense of reality. And what do anime creators know more than …Read more »
Matt Schley
Brittany Vincent
Evan Minto
Otaku USA Contributors
Ink
