Anime Insider

 

 

^_^ Ah… I love the smell of anime in the morning. *chuckles * Hey, Aikou-chan is back again, but not for the usual politics and things about myself. This is about a magazine that I got ages ago than hasn’t been able to get it until just now. Anime Insider was my only source of anime info about the latest anime, manga, games, anime conventions, and much more. Come on, I’ll show ya, but first a history lesson. No groaning!

 

History Lesson

 

It originally wasn’t named Anime Insider, but as Anime Invasion. That was only released quarterly from Fall of 2001 till Fall of 2002. It was then transformed into a bi-monthly in November of 2002. Another transformation happened to its name in 2003 to Anime Insider and then another one happened in July of 2005. Hurrayz for monthly issues! *grins * That wasn’t so bad, now was it?

 

Insides of the ‘Zine

 

Yes, this is where I will tell you the guts of the Insider. Inner workings…so to speak.

 

*opens magazine and smiles * Inside the first page you’ll see is the Contents. This helpful to find the exact page to the thing you saw on the cover or something that just now catches your attention. The features of that month’s issue will be at the top while the bottom is devoted to the Departments which is the regular things that appear within it.

 

After that is a letter from the editor and a full page ad for some anime or manga series or a video game. I have never really read that section. Now I will be going through the Departments.

 

Animail

 

^_^ I love this section. I get to see what other people are wanting to know and what those answers are. Yayz! During this I learn quite a bit. It also is amusing because they have pictures of anime or figures of anime with little thought bubbles above it with something funny in it. Like this:

 

 

My personal favorite is a picture of the Odaiba Ferris Wheel with a little thought bubble. To quote: “I can see my incredibly overpriced and stiflingly cramped apartment from here!” Anyway back on subject…. within Animail there is a small section for fan art. Hurrayz for fan art! Let me tell you I’ve seen some really good fan art in my time with this magazine. Some I’ve seen I mistaken as a professional’s work.

 

A.I. News

 

News! I have to tell you this is the only time I’m excited about it. All the other news is boring and depressing. >_> Thank you morbid news people. Anyway… This section is well news in the Anime world. Like J-pop comic crossovers…things only on television…etc. I never thought I would ever hear of a J-pop comic crossover, but hey most of this is relatively foreign to me. A few months ago I didn’t even know what Ramune soda was. o_o The best soda in the world and it is a game. Thank you Japan for making pretty much everything a game. Yayz! Now I will say only the Japanese would come up with a soda that is a game. That is fine with me. *goes to play with Ramune soda * Why won’t you open! >_> Stupid bottle…just kidding.

 

A.I Five

 

This section takes a popular series that is debuting domestically that month and giving you five reasons why you would enjoy the anime series, OVA, or movie. In this month’s issue (July) the new anime is called Maria Watches Over Us. I have yet to read the article along with the episode I have gotten with another magazine. I might like it and if I do I might write something on it. Woot! New anime! ^_^

 

Flash in Japan

This is a section is on an anime series that is airing in Japan that is profiled for an American audience prior to licensing in the U.S with quotes from the show’s director.

 

Last Man Standing

 

“Last Man Standing” is one of my favorite sections of Anime Insider. It is a fictional story involving two characters that are similar in nature but come from two different shows. It is sort of like those fantasy showdowns people have with sports except it is anime which is so much better. In the fictional story it describes the battle then who won. Great, huh?

 

Manga Preview

 

You ever wanted to try a new manga, but you didn’t want to pay the money? Well, in Anime Insider you get a fourteen page long excerpt that is scheduled to be released in America. Some of the previous manga previews were Trigun Maximum, Kashimashi, Girl meets Girl, and Disgaea 2. A future release of manga to come is Kurogane. That info came to me from the July issue of this year.

 

Releases Info

 

Actually “Releases Info” is not the title of the following sections. These sections is the news of that month’s future releases of DVDs, Theatrical, Manga, Television, Music, and Video Games. “Music” is a new section while “DVDs” used to be named “Video & DVDs”. Times change, huh? But this gives me a chance to see what is available. Woot! ^_^

 

“This is the Neighborhood Watch Committee reminding you that all it does is taunt you.”

 

Curse you Neighborhood Watch Committee! >_> Stupid lack of job…stupid lack of everything…

 

Stuff

 

Oooo…stuff. Pretty things for me to buy from anime. Which I’ll admit it does taunt me. In the latest issue (#58) they have this adorable shoulder bag and shirt with a strawberry dressed up as a ninja going by the name of Berry Ninja. Then there was the figure doll of Xecty Ein from the action-RPG Shining Wind. I recognized it because of Tony Taka’s work. Anyway, “Stuff” is on anime merchandise. They give a small description along with the price and where you can get it. Someday I will get Berry Ninja. ^^;

Also the only column in “Stuff” is Thanks Japan. Formally there use to be a column for a hot pick. Change in management? Or just changing the magazine’s contents. Either way I like it.

 

J-life

 

Inside on the Japanese life and youth culture. Yes! *dances * This gives people (like me) that have never been to Japan or have been but haven’t been in ages an insight of what is going on. In the J-life section (which is new, by the way), they have a column named “Eat it, Drink it, Crank it” and this tells you some Japanese treats along with something to get for your game system over there. Treats like Hello Kitty Hinaarare and Miss Parlor Strawberry Milk. Japan is so much cooler. They have everything. Vending machines with anything you can think of. Sony Buildings with a 6^th floor that I could play with all the cool Playstation stuff. Anyway, two other columns is “JPN 101” and “Tokyo Travelogue”. In “JPN 101” it gives you Japanese lessons… nice to know the words and the pronunciation break down, but… we Americans butcher the language unless we have had classes like Alexiel. Take for instance the word Tenimotsu-uketorijo (baggage claim). I have the pronunciation break down, but… like Alexiel often says I would butcher it. I just now get the pronunciation of Kuro’s name. o_o

 

Parting Shot

 

Remember that image I told you about with Odaiba Ferris Wheel well… that image was actually in this section. This is a new thing. I like it. It is a nice thing. Seeing various images of Japan with funny little thought bubbles. ^_^ Woot!

 

Also they give a peek to what the next issue is about. August’s issue is on J-music. It will be released on July 16^th in bookstores.

 

Anime Insider and Me

 

Well, I gave comments as I passed through each section. I have to say this… if there was any magazine I could ever work for it would be Anime Insider. If there was anyway I could I would be awesomely satisfied with my life, but I would still strive for everything else I want to do. Overall I have to say Anime Insider is the one magazine I will ever go to for anime info in America! ^_^