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Ms. Answerman
Revenge of the Anime Nerds

by Rebecca Bundy,



Though I've included links to various sites before now, I'm going to try and include more ‘further reading’ links for topics that will provide added information relating to, but not directly answering, the question at hand. I'll always summarize things so that a reader will never have to rely on a link to answer a question, but if you're interested in taking a dip into the wealth of anime-related knowledge available, the links will be there for you to swim through.
Enjoy!



In the news it said Funimation was going to release Kodocha. But is it going to be on T.V. or just DVD? I really want to know!

While this would probably be a good title for American TV, there hasn't been word about current plans to air it. The first volume comes out in June and there are 10 volumes of manga to sink your teeth into, so there's plenty of stuff for Kodocha fans to keep themselves busy with.



i have been following and watching anime for only 4 years now and this site has become a esential tool to help me decide what to look at next however i was thinking the other night where did it all begin american animation can be traced back to steam boat willie but could you help me discover wher and when anime first began as id like to see the first ever evn if its only in japanese with no subs i think watching it could be quite inersting and maybie the site could have a time line of important events in the history of anime as a section so people can see what the fist mecha anime was wen did they finally start subbing officialy in the united state etc etc. I thank you in advance for your time in reading this message and ask politly that if you do not know the answer could you piont me towards a source where i may find it.
Yours faithfully
Steven Barrance

Punctuation, spelling, and capitalization are our friends! They really do love us and wish we'd use them more when composing emails, writing those difficult essays for school, and otherwise using the written word to communicate with others.
The very first animated ‘movie’ (it was only five minutes long), Mukuzo Imokawa the Doorman, was released in 1917. Shortly after this, the ‘movie’ Momotaro was created by Seitaro Kitayama and focused on the classic Japanese fable about a young peach boy. Though there were a number of animated ‘movies’ produced after 1917, anime really didn't take off until WW2. The Japanese leaders, like most leaders do in a time of war, use multiple outlets to spread their propaganda. Anime was the perfect way to spread their message in an oftentimes humorous setting.
The first anime released theatrically in the US was Shōnen Sarutobi Sasuke (Magic Boy) in 1961. This site has a very nice timeline on anime up to the present. Another site I used to verify some names is here, if you're interested in a slightly longer read. Finally, if you've never read the story of Momotaro, go read it here.



Hi, Rebecca!
I'm curious as to why the anime series Detective Conan (Case Closed in the U.S.) is so popular in Japan. I watched some of the episodes that aired on Adult Swim, and I thought that it was just an average series with below-average animation and unispiring characters. Yet, this series has over 450 episodes and around 14 movies. Why is this series such a dominate dynasty in Japan?
Thanks,
biliano

Every culture and nation has their own preferences, whether it's food, political leaders, religion, or entertainment. Anime is no different. Shows like Escaflowne weren't very popular in Japan, yet they've become extremely popular among American fans. The opposite is also true, as it is with Detective Conan. It's simply a cultural taste that sometimes, even with the best translations and explanations, doesn't translate well into English.
This response might be vague, but it's sometimes hard to nail down exactly why something is popular (though I'm sure some people might have their own beliefs). A show like Escaflowne had wonderful music, good animation, interesting characters, and an interesting plot and overall story, yet these things did not make it a hit over there. Why? Perhaps the Japanese could not relate to the characters, or the cultural attitude at that time was interested in something else. Perhaps it simply wasn't “Japanese” enough. The same could be asked about Detective Conan and other shows like it.



Since they just ended Gundam Seed on Cartoon Network ( Which was my all time favorite show by the way) I was wondering if they're working on Seed's successor or if (God
forbid) Seed was the end of the Gundam franchise?

The only thing that'd end the Gundam franchise would be the total annihilation of the human race. Or the complete collapse of the Japanese economy. Or... well you get the point.
As for the immediate future of Gundam, Gundam Seed Destiny has been licensed and will be released to DVD. Games are being released every six months to a year (Gundam: True Odyssey, is due out in Japan this summer), though I'm not sure if any of them are worth buying since I've never played them. There are also a bunch of things being released around now to celebrate 25 years of Gundam, one of which is a Japanese theatrical release called Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation, which is just a re-mastered version of the original Zeta Gundam TV series.



Answerman!
Today the The Family Entertainment and Copyright Act was sign into law today. What does this mean for us Anime fans that download fan sub anime? Are we all going to jail? Can I get a "get out of jail free card?"
Ryan

This act has no bearing on the anime fans who limit their criminal activities to only downloading subtitled shows. The bill is meant to target two types of people: those who record a movie/show/etc that has been licensed and are not recording it for personal use at home, and those who distribute said stolen material on a large scale, either for sale or free downloads online. In Section 103.a.1.B, it mentions that the titles being distributed must have a retail value of over $1,000, so the bill is trying to target larger distributors. It's also trying to target people who either sneak a recording device into a theatre to get a CAM rip, or rip the property straight from a final copy/DVD/etc.
The bill was originally passed in regards to the overwhelming number of American movies being downloaded illegally, though it's worded so that charges could be brought up against someone distributing a large selection of licensed anime as well. Would it ever be used in this way? Perhaps, but it'd be on a much smaller scale and could only target larger sites.
For anyone who's interested in reading the entire Act (it's quite long and boring, though maybe someone would enjoy reading it), you can check it out here.


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