 |
 Today,
anime is alive and well, but also continuing to evolve
and grow. In Japan, new series are shown on TV networks
every day, with seemingly no end in sight, and well-established
studios such as Toei still stand among newer animation
studios to create new and exciting anime series. Though
in 2001, an economical recession seems to have hit Japan,
the anime medium is chugging along nicely, at least
from an international point of view. The continued release
of anime in Japan ensures its life even in the face
of economic hardship.
Internationally,
and especially in the West, the anime movement has grown
to new heights at the start of the 21st century. Companies
such as Bandai Entertainment,
Viz Video, ADV
Films, and Pioneer
have become larger and more profitable than in previous
years, able to release many popular series from Japan
in both VHS and the new DVD format. An increasing fan
base and plenty of future appealing releases has legitimized
the existence of these tireless individuals who work
to bring Japanese animation to other shores, in original
Japanese and dubbed formats. The internet boom has also
served to fuel awareness of anime, with sites like our
own AnimeInfo.org and others helping to inform and cultivate
interest in the medium, and others like Rightstuf.com
and Animenation.com serving as vendors for anime-related
merchandise. Anime conventions in the USA, such as the
West Coast's Anime
Expo, Midwest's Anime
Central, and East Coast's Otakon
have also been a factor in brining together anime fans
of all ages in appreciation of the near 50 year old
medium.
In
the general public eye, anime is still making progress
as a properly recognized medium. Though stereotypes
and misrepresentations (as well as fair and objective
stories) are still present in the mainstream media,
the recognition of anime has still made progress from
its roots in the 70's and even from the boom of the
80's and 90's. Akira, the 1988 cult hit, is being remastered
for release worldwide and should be out very soon. Recent
animated feature films "Perfect Blue" and
"Princess Mononoke" have piqued the curiosity
of many people not very familiar with anime (and in
the case of "Princess Mononoke", mainstream
actors were even cast as English dub voices). And Cartoon
Network's Toonami,
while criticized by some anime fans for broadcasting
heavily edited and watered down anime series, has nevertheless
served as a huge influence in the past year or so to
bring in new anime fans, with its broadcasts of the
"Tenchi Muyo" series, "Dragonball Z",
"Gundam Wing", and "The Big O",
among others.
With
these and many more factors in place, the outlook looks
very good for anime as it works to stay a fresh and
exciting medium for many fans both nationally and internationally.
The history of anime is a very progressive one, showing
a medium that has changed and evolved so much over the
years. The future, perhaps, may bring us to even more
changes to benefit Japanese animation and its many fans.
>>Go
back to Anime University
|
by
