Title: Record of Lodoss War

Dubbed by National Sound

Distributed by Central Park Media (rescued by Media Blasters)

Written by: Jon Turner

Published: 7/29/2010

Nowadays it seems as though people are so accustomed to top quality dubbing; this is more of the standard these days rather than the exception, which wasn’t necessarily how things were in the ’90s. Around this period, the consensus was that dubbing just wasn’t very good at all, and “efforts” such as most of the output from Streamline and Manga UK often fell into truly dreary territory. However, there were some notable exceptions to the rule, and Record of Lodoss War OVA, dubbed by National Sound for Central Park Media in 1996, was one of them. That said, reactions to this dub have been wildly divided; as with another famous fantasy Anime series, Slayers, Lodoss‘s dub has gone on many fans’ best or worst dub lists. In spite of the naysayers, though, it has had its share of loyal fans over the years (Mike Toole on AnimeJump.com, for instance).

To fully appreciate Lodoss OVA as an overall dub, one must evaluate it as a product of its era, because, as much as I love this dub, I will admit that it does have its share of drawbacks, one of which is the uneven lip-sync. Most of this can be attributed to the technology of the time (reel-to-reel in contrast to the ProTools software we know today), but the animation sometimes results with some stilted mouth flaps which sometimes makes the flow of the dialogue sound choppy (not by much, however). And speaking of the script, while the late Mike Alben can be applauded for staying as faithful as possible to the original Japanese, there are occasional moments when his lines come across as awkwardly written or delivered. Then there are the performances by the incidental characters (soldiers, courtiers, villagers, etc.), which come across as cheesy sounding (although in all fairness, they’re nowhere nearly as embarrassing as the minor bit players in the follow-up Lodoss TV dub).

In spite of its weaknesses, though, Lodoss OVA has its share of memorable vocal performances which really carry the dub as a whole. It’s interesting to note that at the time, most of these actors were unknowns, but most would go on to have fairly successful careers in dubbing. The man responsible for bringing them in is none other than Bill Timoney, who not only voices the young hero, Parn (more on that later), but happened to help scout out the talent for the dub and even directed the first eight episodes. The previous ADR director had been called off to do another project, hence why Timoney had to fill-in. That said, the dub starts out somewhat stiffly in the opening three episodes, but by episode 4, the actors all settle into their roles and turn in fine work. Of the performances, here are the ones that really captivate me the most:

THE NARRATOR (Alexander J. Rose) – is the first to speak in the dub. He has a deep, authoritative voice which aptly sets the tone for the epic tale; hearing him utter “Lodoss, the accursed island” left me breathless. His role is sparse, but it is always a pleasure to hear his vocal whenever he is brought in.

PARN (Billy Regan) — No, it wasn’t Bill’s first role in Anime, but the actor claims that it was his breakthrough and one of his favorite characters. Billy has a very good “young leading man”‘s voice which works well for heroic roles of this type. Unlike his television counterpart in Lodoss TV, Regan provides range and enthusiasm; his scenes with Deedlit (particularly the dance scene in episode 5 as well as everything from episodes 11 to the end) and his action bits are among the highlights of his performance. Some might argue that his voice is a bit “rough” sounding, but this works in favor of the character as a reckless, impulsively heroic knight wanna-be. There are a couple of places in the beginning which sound somewhat tentative, but otherwise it’s a solid performance overall, and, as mentioned, it is superior to that of the TV series.

DEEDLIT (Lisa Ortiz) — Without a doubt, the voice that everyone remembers best from the Lodoss OVA dub. This was her first voice acting role, and while there are a few places where it’s obvious, note that I stress the word few. It’s a lively performance, with just the right amount of emotion and sassiness. Her voice is distinctively different from that of Yumi Tohma, and yet it suits this mystical high elf very well. Her acting, too, is quite effective, whether she is flirting with Parn, casting spells, or becoming gradually weaker in the final episodes as her life force is nearly drained to resurrect the Dark Goddess. (When she breathlessly utters, “Stay back, save yourself, Parn” one feels a tingle up their spine.) While Lisa has gone on to be better known as Lina Inverse from Slayers, to me, she will always be Deedlit.

ASHRAM (John Knox) — This is yet another role that really stands out. I don’t think Knox has done much Anime other than Lodoss, which is a shame, because his role of this ruthless yet honorable knight is amazing. He has an appropriately deep voice which is more than appropriate for the character, and while he comes across as rather stoic sounding, this is how Ashram should be. Only in several moments do a few lines come across as cold reading, but somehow this works in favor of the character instead of against him.

ETOH (Ted Lewis) — Like Ortiz, this was Ed Paul’s first Anime voice-acting role, and is often signaled out as the weak link of the show. He raises his voice to a surprisingly high pitch to sound somewhat boyish. This tone works in favor of the character being a bookish priest, although I did detect a couple of missed lines at the start (mostly the first half of the opening episode). As the show progresses, he gets more into character and becomes more confident with his subsequent appearances. He’s mostly soft-spoken, save for the penultimate episode where he gets to fight a ghoulish wraith. (It should also be noted that I do have a soft spot for his performance in spite of its shortcomings.)

GHIM (Greg Wolfe) — Of course, how could I forget this guy? Gruff, tough, and stony, Greg’s burly-sounding voice lends itself well to the grizzled old dwarf with an axe to grind (pun intended). He has an infectiously hearty laugh and a wry sense of humor (“Pathetic! You can hardly even handle a sword.”), but also a deep, emotional side which he often displays when reminded about the missing priestess he is searching for. There are several places where he comes across as a bit stiff, but not enough to detract from his overall performance. The last we hear of him is in Episode 8, and the actor really hits the marks there. (I won’t get into that, however, because doing so would provide spoilers.)

SLAYN (Al Muscari) — Mike Toole has mentioned that this was one of his favorite performances from the Lodoss dub. Muscari has a calm, yet dramatic sounding voice that is easy to visualize belonging to a benevolent magician. He delivers his lines in an understated tone without sounding monotonous (his spell recitations, in particular, are both fantastic and priceless), raising his voice only at the appropriate moments. It’s a shame that we haven’t heard much more from this actor.

KARLA/LEYLIA (Simone Grant) — A sorely missed actress, fans probably remember her best for her role as Boogiepop Phantom. Her performance as Karla, the unstable witch who threatens Lodoss, is something of a precursor to that role. She intones her lines in a cold, icy monotone, which emits both a devilish aura and commanding presence that sends chills up one’s spine. Her sinister cackling is spot-on, too. This lasts until episode 9, where she becomes the kind, gentle priestess under the witch’s control. There are also several instances where she can be heard as several different female characters: the Zaxon mayor’s daughter Liara, Princess Fianna of Valis, etc., and while this does cause for some disconcertation, there’s no denying that it’s unfortunate that Grant is no longer with us. Lodoss is a fine example of her talent.

WOODCHUCK (Jacques LeCan) — Another unknown with not much of a career, LeCan gives this surly thief a smarmy, “gangster”-like voice which is distinctively different from his Japanese counterpart, but fitting nonetheless. For the most part, he seems to be enjoying himself… although I did notice several places where he misses some of his lines. One such case is in episode 4, when Woodchuck is trying to escape from a dark void, his “help me!” isn’t as strong or emotional as the scene demands. In all fairness, it doesn’t spoil the performance and there are plenty of other moments where he gets to have fun (episodes 1 and 3, as well as the dice scene in episode 5). When his character becomes possessed by Karla, though, he really shines. There he sounds spooky and deeper-voiced, with a hair-tinglingly frightening sinister laugh. Note that a trace of his “gangster”-like persona remains at times in lines like “I gamble. My purpose is to preserve Lodoss.”

KASHUE (Chris Yates) — Although essentially a key figure, Kashue has a somewhat small part, but Chris plays it pretty much as you’d expect: commanding, with dignity, warmth, discipline, and occasional humor. It’s a very nice performance overall, particularly in his action scenes. Only in a couple of places does his dialogue come across as somewhat unsynched, but not jarring enough to detract.

ORSON (Chris Yates) – Chris also voices Orson, a “Berserker” warrior possessed by the Spirit of Rage, making him prone to burst out in vicious attacks. His voice is considerably deeper and tone and he doesn’t use much emotion, but considering the nature of his character (where he must keep all his emotions under control), it is more than appropriate.

PIROTESS (Meg Frances) — The opposite of Deedlit, character-wise, Pirotess is a dark elf who serves as Ashram’s love interest. Frances has a husky, sultry voice which brings a quality that is alternatingly alluring and dark. There are a few moments that come across as cold reading, but otherwise she acquits herself fairly well, and her final scene in episode 10 is appropriately effective.

SHIRIS (Karen Smith) — Rough and ready, with an aggressive quality and understated sassiness. That sums up Karen’s Shiris, in a nutshell. There are several places where she overacts, but since her character screams quite a bit in her first appearance (and with occasionally mellodramatic dialogue), it’s unavoidable. Her exasperation provides a nice contrast to her more stoic partner’s deadpan responses.

WAGNARD (Bruce Winant) — This is another one of my favorite performances from the dub. Bruce has a voice which fits this meglomaniacal sorcerer to a tee, but what really sells his performance is the laugh: it’s terrifying, overflowing with pure evil and malice that never gets boring. (Some of my friends/family members were quite scared by this laugh, effectively so.) As far as his acting goes, there isn’t much depth to the performance, but there doesn’t have to be. All Bruce has to do is be despicable and chew the scenery with glee as his character gets gradually crazier, and he does that wonderfully… particularly in the final episode where he gets to do a lot of maniacal laughing, shouting, and screaming. (The actor admits he couldn’t talk for weeks after recording that very episode!)

I neglected to mention the performances of Bob Barry as the raspy-sounding Emperor Beld, J.W. Gunther as King Fahn (who at times sounds a bit like Patrick Stewart), and Alexander J. Rose as the great sage Wort (who is really just a more weary-sounding version of his narrator voice, albeit effective overall); all three are decent, but they don’t really strike me as memorable as the guys I mentioned above.

One thing I neglected to mention is that the opening and ending theme songs for Lodoss OVA are translated and sung into English. Mike Alben and Peter Fish somehow manage to transform the Japanese-written lyrics into something palatable (if at times a tad cheesy), but it is the beautiful voice of Lisa DeSimone that really make these new reinditions soar. She sings with a lot of emotion and passion, giving these tunes the sort of “timeless” quality they deserve. Like the dub, these songs are grossly underrated and always a pleasure to listen to for each episode.

No one will argue that Lodoss OVA‘s dub is on par with today’s standards, but even having said that, it has aged fairly well for a 1996 production. In today’s light it probably doesn’t compare, but as an older dub, it’s above many other English tracks from its era. And it is superior to the more uneven (and inconsistent) Lodoss TV dub, Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, which followed approximately four years later.

Written by: Esosa Osamwonyi

Published: 07.05.10
Disclaimer: This article is copyrighted. Please do not reproduce this article in whole or part, in any form, without obtaining my written permission.

The dubbing of foreign media has always been something that has interested me. It’s really something I have not thought about for a while. I remember those old kung-fu films and how they were dubbed over in English as well as other foreign films too. It was a good way to introduce the product to a new audience. Nowadays though, you don’t see too many films being dubbed. Many are now subtitled to hold the original authenticity, themes and message. Another thing to consider is that it may be that the culture is more accepting than it was in 1980’s towards showcasing the original content.

Dubbing is used in a variety of ways in the media. Two of the biggest things to consider are anime and video games. For this article I will focus on the process of anime dubbing simply because video games is an entirely different matter to consider. Anime is defined as animation originating from Japan, and just as certain countries have cartoons, Japan has anime. Its origins go back as early as 1900′s, and for quite some time, it remained an isolated form of animation. It wasn’t till the 1960’s that it began to spread overseas and wasn’t until the 1980’s and 1990’s that it grew as a major cultural export. The way it would work is that would anime distribution companies would handle licensing and distribution outside of Japan. Licensed anime is modified by distributors through dubbing into the language of the country and adding language subtitles to the Japanese language track. For many of us, this is how we were introduced to such works as Akira, Gatachman, and many other titles. People were now aware of this thing called “Anime” outside of Japan, but I personally believe it wasn’t until anime started appearing on mainstream television channels such as Cartoon Network, Colours, Sci-Fi Network, Adult Swim, etc. that it really took off. It was also an excellent way to advertise their product(s) and sell more merchandise to a worldwide market outside Japan.

Now let’s fast-forward to the present day. Technology is advancing at a rapid rate—the Internet and computers play a major role in most of our lives today, and one has to consider there is so much anime available because of this expansion. Anime is not shown as much on television as before though but it’s definitely more popular due in part to the growth of people using the Internet for means of entertainment.  It seems to me that the really popular titles are the ones that receive dubbing. Which brings me to what to what I want to discuss further—the question of it being possible to dub every anime.

Of course, the immediate answer would be no, but should it be necessary to do so? Again, probably not, but that certainly doesn’t stop licensing companies from trying. A licensing company getting the rights to an anime title is similar to a sports draft of sorts. Imagine if you will a convention in which representatives of the company come out to announce their picks and then provide small details on when to expect said product to hit the stores. This is the first step of the dubbing process. From there they go on to finding voice actors to fit the available roles. Depending on the company, the product may see the hands of the consumer in several months up to a year (if all goes as plan). Which brings up another concern for me—I certainly begin wonder how patient can an anime fan be in a situation like this? I mean, in that time of waiting, one could seek out “other means” of viewing media if possible—and they certainly do.

Not to say that the idea of dubbing anime is a bad thing—in fact I think it’s a very noble cause—however, my point is that many licensing companies need to be able to adjust and alternate. Some companies are now streaming anime on the web through various measures (Hulu and Crunchyroll for example) and showing anime episodes around the same time as its initial release in Japan. DVD’s are also only being released in Japanese with subtitles–with the absence of an English dub entirely (amongst other languages as well). The problem is that it’s simply not done enough. In order to attract attention you have to give attention. No longer do we have to rely on conventions and magazines to get information on topics that serve our interests. In this day and age, information gets around much quicker and easier. Anime voice acting in the West is something that is still growing and will continue to grow, but it’s simply not at that size to have that “voice over everything-mentality”. A lot of major companies pick up too many anime titles and think they can voice over every one of them. The results are that some are never finished and go to the wayside, where fan-subs are the only way to finish a series or title. A “certain” anime company is known for this. But in the end, when does one know when too much is simply too much? This is one of the dilemmas facing dubbing industry today and only time will tell what the future will hold concerning its outcome.

A friend and I were talking one day and suddenly we started talking a bit about anime. He was telling me about some of the anime he had picked up and was thinking of picking up next. We then proceeded to talk about the upcoming Dragon Ball Kai and this is when I asked him: “Are you going to get the Blu-ray?” He then looked at me like I was crazy and said: “Now why would do that?” Just like a sales pitch I tried to sell him on the higher resolution, better audio, etc. He then responded to me in a way I liked: “As if Anime is not already expensive why would I want to pay more for what is essentially the same thing?”

Blu-ray has been proclaimed as the next media medium and successor to DVD. It promises high definition visual, surround audio and is able to hold more. It is the next evolution for movies, games, anime, and all types of media. At least that is what the guys up top would tell you. But I have more question: Why are we still buying DVD’s?

It is not to say Blu-ray is a failure per say; it just seems more like an alternate opinion to an already popular medium (DVD). One thing that has been on my mind for some time is what is the relationship between anime and Blu-ray and how is it working out? The anime world is a very interesting industry and one that has come a long way. A form of the media that has gone with the times. Nowadays we see more and more anime being produced in high definition and old regulars making the switch. So with all this changes and enhancements anime and Blu-ray should be a match made in heaven, right?

The truth of the matter is that it is not easy to be an anime collector. Anime has always been an expensive medium at times reaching high prices in the hundreds. Depending on the series, season box sets can be quite expensive. So this raises the question where would Blu-ray have an advantage? I mean, sure, thanks to its increased storage, you probably could store an entire season on one disc, but what to say that you are getting a bargain? What exactly is stopping a company from charging you the same price or slightly more for increased visuals? This seems to be the case today.

One thing that I have noticed is that only a small amount of the anime industry seems to be supporting Blu-ray while most just stick to DVD’s. The companies that I really see releasing Blu-rays are like big companies like FUNimation, Sony and Bandai, and that’s pretty much it. In truth, DVD’s seem to aim for the consumer mindset and this companies know it. I mean which would you rather do? Pay $80-$125 upfront for an entire 26-episode series on one double-sided Blu-ray disk, OR pay $29.99 or [much] less for one DVD with 4-5 episodes for 3-4 individual DVD’s as they are periodically released? The latter is MUCH more appealing, since no one likes to part with money, regardless of how big of a fan they are. Also, it is more consumer-friendly, in that the consumer will not feel pressured or instantly turned off by the pricing; their inhibitions are unconsciously lowered, and their willingness to part with money has a chance to exceed the expectations of the DVD in question. By slowing easing the consumer in with volumes, he or she would not be as intimated when he sees them all packed together at a higher price, especially now when some companies are beginning to release sub-only releases (cuts down on price when compared to the more expensive dub releases.), it’s hard to not to see which is the huge money saver.

However the world is an ever changing place. Though people expected Blu-ray to over take DVD, I don’t see that happening for some time (if ever). The technology is still new and if i did a survey of 500 people and asked how many had DVD players, I’m sure most of those hands will be up. Some anime companies are reporting selling more Blu-rays than DVD’s, which is a good thing, but in a sense I think its not enough. The problem with Blu-ray in the anime world is that it has not done enough to really differentiate itself. It shares the same features as a DVD boxset and in a sense is an overpriced DVD. Regardless of whether “production volumes increase…and eventually be comparable to DVD’s”, the chances of the marketing standards of anime DVD’s changing to simply single Blu-ray disks is not likely. If anything, production values will gradually align themselves with the advantages of Blu-ray, allowing for even more extras to be added. The only possibilities I can see arising from turning to Blu-ray disk releases of anime is for those who highly want high-quality convenience, and again, for the anime otaku.

At this point in time, Blu-ray and anime seems more like a bother and their role in the future is uncertain. No doubt not every company will release a Blu-ray and DVD version of an anime series or film. It is an very interesting thing to think about but right now because the response is very lukewarm. This is probably something I will look into as more time has passed but for now, let me hear your thoughts on the subject.

Written By: M. Douglas

Published: 11/22/09
Disclaimer: This article is copyrighted. Please do not reproduce this article in whole or part, in any form, without obtaining my written permission.

Part One – Origins

Stemming from the earliest forms of editorial skirmishes into the subcultural realm of anime and manga, the focus of the print magazine has always been used as an essential tool to offer information covering an assortment of topics, nonetheless the areas of both anime and manga. Before the substantial increase in internet usage to gather information regarding one’s favorite anime shows, characters or films, the use of the magazine was an important asset in bringing together a collective group of likewise fans in order to communicate and exchange ideas and thoughts regarding their particular interests. Aside from small conventions, local clubs and chatting with friends, the rather stringent use of communication was very limited pertaining to how one could express their hobby in viewing anime during the late eighties to early nineties within America. To most, anime was a very obscure subculture enjoyed only by a relatively small group of people. Considering this demographic, there wasn’t really a push concerning the relevancy of pursuing any sort of print media production at the time to cater to such a crowd.

This all changed during the late eighties. With the extensive popularity of the 1985 anime series Robotech within North America and Canada, many viewers were introduced to what today is known as anime; animation that originates from Japan. Many small groups and clubs began to crop up surrounding the discussion and viewing of anime, including such things as fan-based fanzines; essentially fan created magazines. One such fanzine entitled Protoculture Addicts (a phrase lifted from the Robotech series itself) was spawned in 1987 by a group of Canadian university students:Claude J. Pelletier Michel Gareau, Alain Dubreuil, Jean Carrière, Yvon Maillé, Paul Berthiaume. The group eventually started an anime club within their university, and unofficially released issue #0 of their fanzine in November of 1987 and issue #1 in Spring of 1988. This fanzine was dedicated towards delivering loyal Robotech fans information and insight regarding the series. One of the founders of Protoculture Addicts, Claude J. Pelletier, was working on his PhD during this time and eventually dropped it (due to the end of his loans and grants, but primarily because of the rather successful nature of the fanzine) to pursue working on the fanzine full time. While at first based within their university, the fanzine eventually grew, and with this abundant growth came problems.

A company by the name of Harmony Gold, who were the creators and distributors of the Robotech series, threatened to sue the group for copyright infringement on the account of them using the tagline The Official Robotech Fanzine. The group and Harmony Gold were able to reach an agreement in which they were able to retain the tagline as The Official Robotech Fanzine for a couple of thousand dollars paid out each year to Harmony Gold. In a sense, the group was forced into becoming more professional during this unexpected course of events. The deal also led to a reprint of the issues #1 and #2, a larger distribution and the eventual switch from being a fanzine to an official magazine. Eventually the group decided that they there was all that could be said regarding Robotech and decided change the course of the magazine’s direction, this time heading towards tackling the subculture of anime as a whole.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS

With the group slowly moving away from being dedicated towards solely Robotech fandom, the departure meant the end of Robotech licensing problems and the debacle that surrounded their previous fanzine. Another agreement was made that allowed the group to retain the main titling of the magazine, Protoculture Addicts, without having to pay any substantial fees. This departure also led to more creative freedom and by the time issue #11 was released, the magazine had become a fan magazine, which was ran by fans for fans and was published professionally. The readership of the magazine quickly grew and by the release of issue #30, the readership was an estimated 10,000. The magazine was now being distributed by every major comic distributor within the US, and had an impressive list of distributors in such countries as France, Italy, Mexico, Germany and England.

Wanting to expand even further, Protoculture Addicts simply did not have the capacity to do so. They had no means to actually promote and expand advertising, and a variety of obstacles came into play concerning the course of the magazine and its future. With a slow post-9/11 economy, lack of promotion and steady competition from the likes of NewType USA, sales of Protoculture Addicts began to slowly decline and a decision had to be made. The eventual course of action was to partner with that of the aggregated news website Anime News Network and produce an improved version of the magazine with an increase in staff and production. This has led Protoculture Addicts to remain relevant up to this very day and with support from Anime News Network it has remained the longest running published anime magazine to date. The magazine has recently had some hiccups though; as of December 2008, the magazine took a roughly 8 month absence due to production faults and their editor being ill. It returned as a bi-annual magazine replacing the previous bi-monthly release. While never the most popular, their mere presence has led many other companies to take the plunge into producing an anime-related magazine, including that of Viz Media.

Part Two – A new era

ANIMERICA

Following in the footsteps of its predecessor Protoculture Addicts, Viz Media took the plunge into the anime publication market with a release of issue #0 of what was entitled Animerica in November of 1992, with a release shortly after of issue #1 in March of 1993. The magazine included an assortment of anime and manga reviews as well as related media. It also included manga chapter previews, which was a first for its kind and cross-promoted the release of manga within America. Since Viz Media is owned and operated by Japanese publishing giant Shogakukan, the magazine quickly became the first professional quality magazine to deal with both anime and manga released within North America.

This incredible involvement has led to Animerica being one of the most prominent and popular magazine during 1990’s. In 2001, the magazine decided to move away from its standard design it had held for nearly nine years with a redesign of the entire magazine. This new focus would concentrate on primarily reviews, news, fold-out posters and trends witnessed within Japanese pop culture. This decision eventually led to the doubling of its initial page count in 2003. In 2004, Animerica had nearly 45,000 readers, but trouble began to loom over its future. Increasing market competition from that of NewType USA and low sales meant Viz Media had to do something in order to recoup from their losses. To no avail, June of 2005 brought about Animerica officially releasing its last issue. Viz Media quickly reorganized to salvage and find alternate ways in which to continue the magazine.

With the original magazine canceled, Viz Media decided to reformat into three different free versions. The first version was very similar to the original, but contained some substantial differences: it was sponsored through the use of advertisements, had a lower page count and was made specifically for conventions. The second version was mostly different from the original: it was released quarterly and focused more on content. The third version was made solely for Best Buy stores and featured a minimal variety of content. As of this article, the magazine has become somewhat stagnant in its release schedule; June of 2008 has appeared to be the final curtain call for all three versions, in effect leaving Animerica canceled altogether after roughly 15 years of serving the anime community.

ANIME INSIDER

With the rather successful endeavor of Animerica, Wizard Entertainment, the New York-based publisher of such magazines as ToyFare and Wizard, decided to enter the anime magazine market. In 2001 the company released Anime Invasion, a quarterly released magazine that focused on news and articles based around the subculture of anime and manga. In November of 2002, that magazine was changed from a quarterly release to a bi-monthly release and was eventually renamed to that of Anime Insider in April of 2003. The magazine expanded to include such editorial items as features, exclusive reporting, articles and interviews. Two prominent features of the magazine were that of Animail, which included user-submitted questions that were then answered and Casting Call, which suggested real-world actors who could portray anime characters. The magazine was also very satirical in its approach to writing content, something which was seen as original and inventive.

With the canceling of NewType USA, Anime Insider became the premiere English-based anime magazine within America. It had the highest volume of distribution as well as sales, and in 2007 dropped its cover price to roughly $4.99. Rather abrupt news came in March of 2009 when former editor of Anime Insider, Robert Bricken, reported that the staff of Anime Insider had been laid off and the magazine would henceforth be canceled. Not much has been let out into the open regarding why this rather abrupt ending of Anime Insider came to fruition, and most likely we might never know. They were considered to be the most popular anime-related magazine at the time, and it was puzzling to many of its readers for the sudden cancelation.

Part Three – Only a few remain

NEWTYPE USA

In March 8, 1985 Japan released NewType magazine, an anime-centric magazine that was published by publishing giant Kadokawa Shoten. It has since become the most popular anime-related magazine still being released within Japan. The actual titling of the magazine stems from the word “Newtypes”, a term used within the Universal Century timeline in the Mobile Suit Gundam anime series. Quite similar to the trend established by many of its predecessors, A.D. Vision released issue #0 of NewType USA at Anime Expo 2002 and in November of 2002, an issue #1 of the magazine was officially published, consisting of both original U.S. content as well as translations of Japanese content. The magazine was especially well-known for its DVD insert and articles dedicated to entire anime series and films. The magazine increasingly became more popular over time, even rivaling that of Anime Insider with a circulation of 50,000 to 75,000 copies per month.

In 2008, representatives from A.D. Vision notified retail partners that February would be the last month for NewType USA to be released and that they were planning on releasing a magazine in its place. The replacement magazine was entitled PiQ and was to broaden its coverage on items beside anime and manga.

OTAKU USA

Beginning publication in June of 2007, Otaku USA is a bimonthly magazine that focuses primarily on the various facets of Otaku culture from an American point-of-view. Its current editor-in-chief is Japanese pop culture expert Patrick Macias. Macias has been quoted to say that “My aim is to make Otaku USA the best, most comprehensive Japanese pop culture magazine in the marketplace.” Otaku USA is the latest in the line of anime-related magazines to have survived and as of the writing of this article has yet to show any signs of being canceled.

PIQ

Replacing that of NewType USA, PiQ was released in March of 2008 and included a wide selection of coverage on the likes of anime, manga, video games, American comics, films and television series. The original staff from NewType USA was retained for the likes of PiQ. In all, PiQ was considered a massive failure from the beginning. The release of its very first issue received poor reviews, deriving mostly from disapproval of coverage and even opposition to derogatory terms used by the editorial staff to refer to its reader base. In July of 2008, after only four issues, PiQ came to an end. Citing a combination of low advertising revenue, poor business management, and a lack of proper marketing and promotion for the closure, PiQ eventually ended its chapter prematurely and was the quickest anime-related magazine to meet its demise.

Final Words

From the collapse of Animerica, to the longevity of Protoculture Addicts, the use of print media within the realm of anime and manga has been a tumultuous journey to say the least. The significant decline in its usage as a vehicle to spread information and build communities is a testament in and of itself that the rising of web-based editorials is steadily becoming the focal point for a majority of anime-related discussions. The primary use of internet usage as a replacement for the print magazine has been a longstanding issue not just within the anime community, but print media as a whole.

The only two lasting magazines are Protoculture Addicts and Otaku USA; who, in a rather odd setup has one magazine being the oldest and the other being the latest addition to the market. Even then, we have to consider that Protoculture Addicts is now released bi-annually. I personally have purchased at least one, if not numerous issues of the magazines explored within this article, and it’s amazing to have watched such important and often essential components to my understanding and appreciation of anime slowly become phased out of existence. These magazines were critical in allowing me to understand that there is a community out there that supported the same hobby I had, and allowed for interaction with that community in a professional manner. The print magazine has and will remain a crucial part in my understanding of anime and I hope you found this historical journey on the course of anime magazines within America as informative as it was for me in creating it.

Written By: M. Douglas

Published: 07/09/09
Disclaimer: This article is copyrighted. Please do not reproduce this article in whole or part, in any form, without obtaining my written permission.

I went to see the July 8th showing of Evangelion in Seattle (I actually saw it twice, once at 7:00 and again at 9:00!). Here is my personal opinion on the English dub.

Shinji: A significant improvement over the TV series. Spike Spencer really took control of the character and he didn’t seem to force the “whininess” that was necessary for Shinji at times. In the TV series he unnecessarily fluctuated his range a lot, which led me (and I’m sure a lot of other people) to laugh at his delivery of lines that weren’t supposed to be laughed at. Spike addressed this in the film, and really took control. His “screaming” is also better!

Misato: Another fantastic improvement. When I first heard the English dubbed trailer, I couldn’t tell that was Allison-Keith, her voice was drastically different. After watching the film, I must say that the “perkiness” of the voice in the series is almost completely gone, but it does manage to slip through at the “necessary” moments, rather than a majority of the time in the TV series (similar to Spike’s TV series delivery). She definitely sounds more mature, which is more appropriate for her character and the film overall.

Rei: I wasn’t too worried about this one due to the character being…well, Rei. A soft spoken girl who doesn’t show much emotion, Brina Palencia actually does a better job than Amanda Winn-Lee in my opinion. While Amanda was almost “robotic” in her delivery (which I could see was necessary given her character), Brina Palencia does the same, but also adds a sense of personality to the character that makes Rei more “distinguishable” as a character.

Gendo: I’m a bit torn between on this one. I will say that I enjoyed Tristan McAvery’s performance, but John Swasey does a fantastic job as well. Still rather “determined” in his delivery, he overall retains the bastard quality showcased in his voice.

Ritsuko: More stringent than before, I actually preferred the original VA. This is not to say that Colleen Clinkenbeard did a bad job, it’s just that this change of VA’s was definitely the most noticeable in the bunch. Still, Colleen did a great job for the role that was given to her.

Kensuke: Greg Ayres as Kensuke? I couldn’t believe it at first, but he is a significant improvement over the original. One problem I have with Ayres is that he doesn’t have that much of a vocal range in the film, and he basically speaks his normal talking voice throughout.

Touji: 110% improvement over the original. Justin Cook actually gave the character better delivery than the original VA. Still, the line “I had to hit you…” still made me chuckle, and I discovered it’s the actual line rather than the VA that’s bad.

Hikari: MUCH better than the original. The country-hick accent is total absent, and Leah Clark actually makes Hikari sound like your average school girl. Again, not enough dialogue to justify if it was great or not.

Kaworu: Similar to the Kyle Sturdivant’s voice, Jerry Jewell did pretty good. Remind you that this is based off a couple of lines of dialogue though, so it would be stretching it to say it was a “fantastic” job, but it was good.

Yui: A couple of lines of dialogue, so I can’t really judge yet.

Fuyutsuki: Another one I’m torn between. Kent Williams did do an adequate job though.

Kiel: Only has 2-3 lines of dialogue in the film, so can’t really say yet.

Ibuki, Aoba, Hyuuga: Another roster of voice talent that were much better than the original. That’s saying a lot!

Overall, I thought it was a significant improvement over the original TV version and subsequent director’s cut versions of the TV series. Fans of the original dub will probably find the changes/improvements for the better.