Forum - View topicHey, Answerman! [2006-01-19]
|
Goto page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Next Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tsuzu
Posts: 1 Location: Arizona |
|
|||
|
Just to throw in my two cents about anime recommendations, I finished watching Kino's Journey the other day and while it's not an epic, per se, it's a very different series that makes you go "hmmm". Or something like that.
|
||||
|
||||
|
hitokirizac
Posts: 3 Location: Notre Dame, IN |
|
|||
|
Personally I think the suggestion of publishing a webcomic on Comic Genesis (formerly keenspot?) is probably the best for an amatuer, for a variety of reasons. Firstly, you see firsthand just how much work goes into making a comic; when you've spent eight hours on your first one-page comic from initial concept to finished product, you'll have an idea of the kind of time you need to invest if you're serious about this. Second, webcomics tend to run continuously, and as you do more and more, you have plenty of time to tweak your artwork and storytelling, or really hit your stride. (See Megatokyo or Machall; open up the first comic, and then look at the most recent ones. You'll see what I mean.) Third, you get honest feedback. If you get a cult following, chances are you're doing something -- probably a lot of things -- right, including writing, artwork, meeting (your own) deadlines, networking, etc. A caveat on this point is that publishers have noticed webcomics with such followings in the past. It's rare, but not unheard of (again, megatokyo comes to mind). If a smaller publisher sees that you have a relatively large built-in fanbase that will buy books, merch, etc., (and by 'sees that you have,' I mean 'you approach them with'), chances are they'll at least think about it.
Also, someone mentioned learning Japanese if you want to get into the 'biz.' Advice: Don't bother, unless you intend to move to japan, and even then, spend the next five years with a couple of day jobs while you become entirely fluent. I'm a Japanese major at Notre Dame and speak passably four languages altogether, and I can honestly say this: stick with your native for writing like this. Unless you've really been immersed in a language, you just won't be able to express yourself fully, and thumbing through a dictionary for the words you want is no substitute (especially in a language as grammatically different from our own as Japanese). Ever been to engrish.com? There's a reason for stuff like that, in the form of how different the two languages are. Now imagine an entire manga written in engrish; now think of it put the other way, and then put into an overseas market already pretty stuffed with manga. I've tried my hand at webcomicking, and found out that I just didn't have the time for it. Take that as you will, but I've seen myself how much time and effort this stuff takes. Everything else is an observation on the part of an anime/manga enthusiast and japanese student of five years (two years formally). No, I'm not a 'mechanic,' but i've looked around inside the proverbial hood enough to at least be able to talk about the parts a little. One last thing (i know i've written a book already) -- it is quite satisfying when you do have something published and you know a lot of people see it. I translate unlicensed anime on the side, and have seen the download numbers climb into the 4 digit range for individually fansubbed episodes. It really is satisfying in a way that not too much else is. So, good luck and 頑張ります！ |
||||
|
||||
sunflower
 Posts: 1080 |
|
|||
|
Actually, a lot of people are angry about this because it's so obviously a last-minute decision that was decided way after the anime series aired. It doesn't seem premeditated at all, and people have spent the last, what, 19 volumes or so working under the obvious assumption that Akito was a man.
Sorry kids. Anyone who reads this mangaka closely knows that she includes nothing without a reason, and that it's all planned from the beginning. Anything you see in her drawings, even as an aside that makes no sense, will be used later. And chances are it will be important. This has been demonstrated time and again. I suggest the yahoo group FruityGroup for discussions of various examples. Shigure has been in love with Akito from the beginning. It's only the fans that misinterpreted it as BL. Some are angry for being fooled (and having their stories 'ruined'). Most are embracing the change though. I personally think it's a brilliant twist in a manga series already known for exploring gender issues. |
||||
|
||||
Azumangaman
 Posts: 256 Location: Canada |
|
|||
|
About the cutiepie petition that was discussed earlier, I signed it! It's so funny! I'm number 6162!
Great column as always,Zac. Because it's called Sudden Death, does this mean that the first funny thing you read wins? Is the column done earlier? Thanks, Azumangaman |
||||
|
||||
|
Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
|
|||
Actually, I forgot to mention what exactly Sudden Death means in terms of the column. What it means is that if nobody wins this time then the prize goes back on the shelf and we move on to something else. |
||||
|
||||
|
Azumangaman
Posts: 256 Location: Canada |
|
|||
Thank you very much Zac. |
||||
|
||||
|
Ceru
Posts: 44 |
|
|||
|
The advice you gave on "making your own anime" was great, Answerman, and frankly I get a kick out of seeing such ignorance shot down. If I had a nickel for every time I read a fan's declaration that their idea would be made into a manga/anime, I'd make Bill Gates look like a pauper. Speaking of money, I'm going to add my two cents to what you wrote.
During high school I did a co-op (and later was employed) at an animation company. The studio director was great; I learned so much from him and my colleagues during my time there, and not just the technical aspect of cartoons. One of the first things I learned was to get out of my habit of anime drawing. My sketchbook was filled with a variety of styles, but it was anime that came up the most. "I'm not saying these aren't good drawings, they really are," my boss would say, "And I am actually an anime fan myself. But there is absolutely NO market for it here in Canada, even in the US." That advice was given to me back in 2003, and while so much has changed in the past 3 years, that still pretty much stands true. There is a market for a certain type of anime: The kind that actually comes from Japan and that American companies can tweak in order to make it a merchandise-friendly show. Animated shows, even movies, are aimed for an age group of 12 years old and under (that way they can get their eager viewers to buy the toys and lunchboxes). However, most of the fans who are interested in getting their "omg so great!!11! anime idea produced believe that their concept will attract people who are more around the ages of 14 and up. In that respect, there is indeed, NO MARKET for anime in North America. There are a lot fewer fans around than many otakus believe, and I'd say more than 50% will guiltily admit to the internet being their number one (and illegal, non profit) source for their anime needs. There is also the fact that anime fans are fairly divided on the idea of OEL manga. I imagine this is well noted by companies that produce it, as Tokyopop is the only one to have published any (and frankly, they don't make the best decisions about what they put out there). There is one other thing required that you missed out on, Answerman, and that's the funding required to pitch an idea in the first place, not to mention finding sources to fund the project if you manage to get past the pitch. A pitch is a hell of a lot of work. You must produce character model sheets, animation, bgs, sets, scripts, pretty much a sample of everything that would go into the final product as well as rough stuff. Pitches can cost as much as 10 000$ (CAD). And to give you an idea of episodes themselves, your basic Thursday afternoon cartoon like RoboRoach (http://www.pipanimation.com/raw%20html.data/Components/Rch.gif) costs over 300 000$ (CAD) to produce. That was pretty disorganized but it doesn;t matter. If you're set on an idea, I suggest animation school, not just film school. Film does NOT make you a good animator, it just makes you a good director/writer. And that's all this animation major has to say. 
|
||||
|
||||
|
jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
 Posts: 1684 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
|
|||
|
That is true, you make a good point.
Generally, however, people do seem to gravitate (eventually) towards what they have at least some level of talent for. (i.e. I suck at video games, so I get frustrated playing them. I have no interest in being a critic for IGN.) |
||||
|
||||
|
Hideyuki
Posts: 50 Location: Wisconsin |
|
|||
|
I so wanna win that T
 T
Watch, it'll just go on the shelf because he wants it all to himself 
|
||||
|
||||
Dividedbyzero
 Posts: 6 |
|
|||
I was confused about that too, but kept forgetting to ask... |
||||
|
||||
|
Azumangaman
Posts: 256 Location: Canada |
|
|||
|
I entered three signatures on that end anime now petition! HAHAHA!
|
||||
|
||||
Mohawk52
 Posts: 8202 Location: England, UK |
|
|||
|
That person who argued the point about the meaning of anime should be grateful he doesn't live here in the UK where it's called "manga" in mostly all of the shops that have it on their shelves. This happened because in the early years of anime in the UK mostly all titles were distributed by Manga Entertainment UK. but even though Manga Ent became less and less a dominant distributor the label stuck in the shops. I've had a few discussions with staff at shops that would have this label on their shelf but always got the same response. "We've only known it that way."
|
||||
|
||||
|
Osaka-neechan
Posts: 8 Location: Here, there, everywhere... |
|
|||
|
A hardcore truth: traditionally obssessed anime fans wouldn't want American Anime-Anime anyway. It's always "You will give Japanese with English subtitles or die! ...or at least have less of product sold than normal amount
 " for us.
...Though Avatar: The Last Airbender is scoring some and is pretty much a hauntingly better imitation of anime than any other English anime-imitating show that's tried... |
||||
|
||||
|
CloakBass
Posts: 61 |
|
|||
|
````````
Last edited by CloakBass on Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:32 am; edited 1 time in total |
||||
|
||||
Joe Mello
 Posts: 2260 Location: Online Terminal |
|
|||
|
I thought it was stated that it was the 19th volume (I'm going on what I remember)
|
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group