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One of the official logos for the Anime Expo 2005. Courtesy of www.anime-expo.org
July 7, 2005: News Bites
Double doses of anime, Howl whimpers at the box office, the L.A. Film festival ends, and much more in our latest edition of News Bites.
Anime Expo 2005
One of the largest anime events in the United States took place in Anaheim over the Independence Day weekend, during which over 25,000 people visited and left the venue feeling satisfied. There were numerous booths, panels, special screenings and gift giveaways. No matter how tired their legs may have become or how badly shot their voices were at the end of the weekend, attendees undoubtedly agreed that the expo was a wonderful experience for all. Anime has always tended to be considered a niche art form, so a wider spread of such events is crucial to extending the longevity of the anime industry and continuing to create more demand.
For more information and aftermath reports, visit: http://www.anime-expo.org/atcon/2005atc_main.shtml
APA coverage coming soon!
More Anime...
Though an expo contains more than just the selling and purchasing of anime-oriented items, the upcoming Comic Con in San Diego, CA should be a thrilling enterprise regardless. All the comic heroes, from both Japanese and American anime pop culture will be represented during the convention. Various video screenings will be held day and night (many screenings will be held in the early morning) and many attendants will be dressed in their favorite costumes. Other features include art shows, auctions and video game exhibits, to name a few. Furthermore, there will be special guest appearances. Comic hero fans, anime fans, and Japanese pop culture fans: the comic con is the place to be.
For more information and registration, visit: http://www.comic-con.org/index.php
Howl's Moving Castle finally gets released stateside...
...Unfortunately, the box office results have been rather disappointing. Such a low turnout clearly presents the common problems that all Japanese anime products share; the stories are too complex for children, yet too childish for adult audiences. Though there were high expectations previous to its nation-wide opening, Howl’s Moving Castle faced a hurdle too high to overcome; it could not please the mainstream audience. In other words, the general response was that only the movie critics and art house buffs would understand it. Meanwhile, Disney, Howl’s USA distributor, did in fact focus on a specific audience group: the females. The sales of Japanese animation films have been declining sporadically after the unforgettable craze over Pokemon. What are the possible modifications that Miyazaki and other Japanese anime producers can make? Or should they even attempt to change the contents and implied messages just to suit the needs of the U.S. audience? One thing is for sure: Howl’s artistic excellence and magical, uplifting messages are way too important to be ignored by general audiences.
Click here for APA's review of Howl's Moving Castle
So We May Need More Things Like This:
At the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), there will be an exhibition called Anime!!, observing the trends and transitions of anime during 1963 to 2005, starting on July 10. There will be our beloved Astro Boy, Evangelion that shaped one social phenomenon, and the one and only Doraemon. Anime as a whole is a long-developing art form. Without a doubt, an exhibit like Anime!! will help instill more intellectual understanding of this unique form of expression. To ensure its own survival, anime needs to extend its appeal beyond the niche audience group.
For more information, go to: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=6916
Los Angeles Film Festival comes to a close
The L.A. Film Festival is one of the largest film festivals, not only in California, but the entire West Coast. It was a dream come true for movie lovers; the festival was filled with international films featuring all kinds of A-list megastars in international, domestic and independent films alike. Various awards were distributed to the best films of all that participated in the festival. What awaits us next is the New York Asian Film Festival. This time of the year cannot be more eventful.
Furthermore, the latest news involving the L.A. Film Festival is that it's scheduled to be held in Westwood village beginning next year. Which means the UCLA community will be home to this festival of extraordinary artistic expressions and intellectual and active advocacies of social issues and more.
For the results, visit: http://www.lafilmfest.com/awards.php
Check here for APA's exclusive coverage of the L.A. Film Festival
Anime May Be Slipping Away, but this little Guy from Japan...
...is as unstoppable and breathtaking as any anime hero! Every year, there is a worldwide hotdog eating contest. Taking both contestants and audience members by surprise, a Japanese man -- with a relatively small build compared to other contestants -- has dominated the event the past several years. The only record that he did not break this year was his own world record. His name is Takeru Kobayashi, a member of the “United Food Fighter Organization.” This year, he demolished the competition by eating 49 hotdogs in 12 minutes. Though he could not eclipse his record-setting clip of 51 dogs, he still managed to celebrate July 4th with his 5th consecutive win. Due to his comely appearance and relative youth, he has amassed a devoted fan club, and has earned the title of "prince" from his many dedicated fans.
For more info, please go to: www.food-fighter.com/index_index.htm
Date Posted: 7/7/2005