Right Stuf's Anime Today Interviews Otaku Encyclopedia Author Patrick W. Galbraith
Big Windup! Oofuri, reviews, contests & more in episode 110!
GRIMES, IA, February 18, 2010 – Anime producer and mega-online anime retailer Right Stuf, Inc. is pleased to welcome Patrick W. Galbraith – the author of the Otaku Encyclopedia – to episode 110 of ANIME TODAY.
In this new, three-segment interview, Galbraith discusses how he got into anime and manga and came to study in Japan, the ever-changing definition of the word “otaku,” Japan's shifting perceptions of hardcore anime and manga fans, his interview with anime director Yutaka Yamamoto (Kannagi, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), how the Otaku Encyclopedia came into being, and what fans can expect to find in its pages.
(Two additional segments – focusing on his interview with Gainax co-founder and otaku authority Toshio Okada, the emergence of moé, and a comparison of fan mania for 2-D characters versus that for live-action idols – will be included in an upcoming bonus podcast.)
Galbraith is a Tokyo-based journalist and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Tokyo, where his research focuses on Japanese otaku and their culture. His work has appeared in Akiba Today and Akibanana, as well as Metropolis, Otaku USA and Otaku2.com. A frequent guest lecturer and panelist, he also gives weekly guided tours of Akihabara and will soon serve as a member of the faculty for “Studies in Japanese Popular Culture,” an academic program of the Temple University Japan Summer Institute.
Also in episode 110 of ANIME TODAY:
* Chad shares “What's Hot” in the world of anime and manga.
* Shawne tells fans how they can discover “grand savings” on manga and other books from Viz Media.
* Rich and Nick announce the latest Year of the Otaku winners and the winner of the contest for a copy of the ARIA “Those Nightshine Chimes” limited-edition lithograph. Then Nick kicks off a new contest celebrating Viz Pictures' release of the live-action film 20th Century Boys: The Last Hope.
* As spring training kicks off, Christy offers recommendations to fans of the baseball-themed Big Windup! Oofuri anime series in a new “If… /Then…” segment.
* Listen to clips from Hanaukyo Maid Team: La Verite from Geneon Music. Also hear tracks from JapanFiles.com artists Strawberry Machine (“Twinkle of the Stars, Little Stars, Shining Stars” from the CD crazy kilt) and Venus Peter (“Nothing Changes” from the CD Crystalized).
* And finally, ANIME TODAY highlights some of the newest fan reviews from Right Stuf.com visitors.
Have a question about anime and manga? Want to comment on one of the podcast's segments? Call our Anime Today Hotline at 1-800-338-6827, ext. 7424. You may hear yourself on a future episode of Anime Today!
Visit www.rightstuf.com and www.animetoday.com for this episode, as well as an archive of all ANIME TODAY episodes and extended liner notes. Listeners can also download and subscribe to ANIME TODAY via the Apple iTunes Music Store.
Meet other anime fans, talk with ANIME TODAY listeners, submit your suggestions for future episodes and more at the new ANIME TODAY forums: http://www.rightstuf.com/ubbthreads/.
Follow ANIME TODAY on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/animetoday.
Find Right Stuf on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/rightstuf.
ABOUT ANIME TODAY
Released once a month, ANIME TODAY is the first commercially-produced podcast aimed at enthusiasts of Japanese animation and comics (“anime” and “manga”). Each episode features fresh content and gives listeners a glimpse into what's new and what's hot in the world of anime and manga. Segments include reviews of titles from all major anime studios, insights into the industry from anime producers, tips on traveling to and around Japan, interaction with listeners, contests, prizes and more.
“If you're into anime and what's happening in the anime market then this is the podcast for you!”
- User review on iTunes
ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC.
Currently celebrating its 22nd year in business, Right Stuf, Inc. was one of the first players in the U.S. Japanese Animation ("anime") industry, as both an anime producer/distributor and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at Right Stuf.com and a variety of media including podcasts and special publications.
Nozomi Entertainment, Right Stuf's production division, is dedicated to the highest quality releases. True to the Japanese word that inspired its name, Nozomi's focus is on “what fans want.” By focusing on a limited number of anime properties each year, the Nozomi production team ensures each release receives the care and attention to detail it deserves.
From anime classics like Astro Boy, Kimba and Gigantor to modern comedies, dramas and favorites such as The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, His and Her Circumstances, Gravitation, Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, Ninja Nonsense, To Heart, The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye, Emma: A Victorian Romance, Maria Watches Over Us, ARIA, Gakuen Alice, Rental Magica and Junjō Romantica, Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment produce quality programming for fans of all ages and interests. For more information, visit www.rightstuf.com and www.nozomient.com.
