Putting the journalist back in Otaku Journalist

Writing

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I always promised myself I wouldn’t become the kind of blogger who puts up a post to say sorry for not blogging, but here we are. I haven’t been this off my game since I took an intentional hiatus in May 2011 in order to work on a site redesign. In retrospect, temporarily ditching the blog while working on a big project is a great idea.

The big project in question is, of course, the book you’ve been hearing so much about: Build Your Anime Blog. I’m thrilled to say that as of today, there’s nothing left to do but push it live, so it will meet that May 1 deadline I promised last month. The final product is more than 50,000 words, more than TWICE the length of Otaku Journalism, but it’ll retail for the same price my first book did.

If you can’t spare $5.99 for the book, read the next few paragraphs carefully to see how you can get it for free. I’ve been thinking a lot about the Big Picture, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve had as much fun blogging here as when I’m getting back to my roots and practicing actual reporting. I love investigating questions that I (and hopefully my readers) have, like where American anime wall scrolls came from and how blind fans watch anime. I love reporting on topics like how Anime Boston navigates religion and fandom on Easter so much that I think of my yearly visit as a vacation, not as volunteering.

I’d like to do more journalism here at Otaku Journalist, and I’d like your help. Leave a topic for me to report on in the comments—it can be as simple as a question that you’re interested in me researching—and if I decide to take it on, I’ll send you a free copy of Build Your Anime Blog. I’m not sure how many ideas I’ll want, so theoretically everyone who comments could be a winner.

So much of what I do here depends on your feedback—even my decision to write a 50k word book. I’m really excited to see what you’re interested in having me report on.

Illustration by Kevin Bolk

Why does anime wall art come on scrolls?

Fandom, Figures and Toys

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If you’ve been an anime fan for a long time, it might not even occur to you how strange it is. While other fandoms hang posters, we have our pick of oversized fabric hangings, which leave fewer marks on the wall and can be rolled into flexible tubes when not in use.

Like many parts of Western anime fandom, wall scrolls are an import from Japan. We owe their prevalence at American anime conventions to Kent Hsu, the CEO of Great Eastern Entertainment. GE is one of the oldest—and remains the leading—manufacturer of licensed anime merchandise in the United States.

A lifelong fan, Hsu began selling anime merchandise in 1995 after his hopes of becoming a manga publisher fell through. Wall scrolls came a little later, in ‘97 or ‘98. Hsu first became aware of wall scrolls on a trip to Japan, though he said the ones he saw there were mostly photos of celebrities and musicians. He purchased one, and acquired a license to start manufacturing his own, with one big difference.

“In Asia, people often have smaller houses compared with Americans. Their wall scrolls are much smaller,” he told me. “To bring them to America, I made them twice the size.”

The “golden age” of wall scrolls was probably the late ‘90s, Hsu thinks. Back then GE had wall scrolls in 6,000 to 8,000 stores, including Tower Records and Spencer’s. Today, however, big box stores have dominated the commercial landscape. It’s much easier to sell posters to them, and even then, GE’s Avengers and Spiderman products outsell anime imagery.

“Posters can be viewed on a compact display rack before you buy, and they’re cheaper,” he said. “Wall scrolls are harder to display in stores, and cost more.”

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For GE, wall scrolls are far less lucrative than posters—even when they have big-ticket licenses for shows like Naruto and Free!—because it’s aiming for sales in the millions to make manufacturing cheaper. Anime is a niche market, and wall scrolls are only a small part of GE’s business today. However, anime stores that buy GE’s products to sell online and at conventions see a better profit margin because they don’t have production costs.

Anime Corner is one such business. CEO and founder Bob Brown told in an email that he thinks wall scrolls sell well because they’re culturally relevant to anime, echoing the traditional kakejiku style of wall hangings in Japan. It’s a plus for him since wall scrolls are more expensive and better sellers than posters, so he can get his money’s worth.

“Scrolls carry a higher unit margin that posters and thus are more attractive to niche producers due to their higher profitability,” Brown said. “They work better in our market.”

In the market to buy a wall scroll yourself? Brown recommends visiting a convention or a retail shop in order to avoid additional fees.

“Scrolls are one of the few anime items that have higher unit volumes at cons and in retail shops than online because of the shipping problems and cost,” he said.

If you have a wall scroll lying around, check the lower righthand corner. Ten chances to one, you’ll see the letters GE and some numbers, followed by the inscription “Made in Taiwan.” (That’s the country where GE’s factories are located.) Even as wall scrolls have spread to hundreds of U.S. distributors, they all originate from one place: one man’s bet that people who prefer their media Asian would like their anime merchandise the same way.

Photos by nyotaku and Charles

Otaku Links: an excuse to talk about Ping Pong

Otaku Links

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  • I have a special place in my heart for Flash animation, both because I was a professional Flash developer before I became a journalist and because I was in high school during the height of Newgrounds. I had no idea Ping Pong: The Animation was done in Flash until I watched this video. If you haven’t seen Ping Pong yet, don’t make me cry. You can watch it here!
  • Put two anime titles into this tool, and receive a list of all the voice actors they share in common. I found this service on r/anime and I’m obsessed with it.
  • I always like checking out the Reverse Thieves’ Anime Awards after a season ends. Check out their favorite shows, characters, and more from Winter 2015.

Sorry Otaku Links has become more erratic lately while I’m finishing up the book. Just 15 more days until it comes out!

What I’m Watching: Spring 2015

Anime

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The rumors are false: actually, there’s plenty of good anime to watch this season. We just had to wait for the anime oysters to sift through the crap.

I’m going to start the season out watching six shows, and possibly pick up more as I go. Here’s what i’m reviewing for Anime News Network, and what I’m watching just for fun (though keep in mind, I self-selected my ANN reviews).

What I’m reviewing

Kuroko’s Basketball

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We’re at the third freaking season of Kuroko’s Basketball but, dare I say it, things are just getting good. Currently, Kuroko is narrating an extended middle school flashback to his Seirin teammates, a section of the manga known as the Teiko Arc. We all know it’s going to end in Shakespearean tragedy in order to set up the events of Kuroko’s Basketball in present day, but it’s impressive to watch the storytelling get increasingly fragmented, erratic, and dark.

Where I’m watching it: Daisuki

Gunslinger Stratos

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I can already tell this futuristic story is going to be hit or miss. The anime has been adapted from a video game by Gen Urobuchi, the creative mind behind Psycho Pass and Madoka Magica… but also Psycho Pass 2 and Aldnoah Zero. A mediocre first episode gave way to some fascinating questions about alternate universes and doppelgangers, which I hope will become the nugget of originality that this science fiction story needs most.

Where I’m watching it: Crunchyroll

RIN-NE

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I’m exactly in the age group to have discovered Rumiko Takahashi back when Ranma ½ and Inuyasha were still fairly new, so I felt a twinge of nostalgia when I watched this first episode. It doesn’t hurt that I’m a huge fan of “person inexplicably can see the supernatural” plots as in Natsume’s Book of Friends. Sakura Mamiya is the perfect straight man to Rinne, her shinigami-ish transfer student classmate, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Where I’m watching it: Crunchyroll

What I’m watching for fun

MY love STORY!!

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One of the things I liked about Yowamushi Pedal was the variety of body types. I love how Takeo looks nothing like the typical shoujo hero, and yet this is his story. The entire synopsis that I’ve heard takes place in episode one, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the story develops from a typical love story into something more.

Where I’m watching it: Crunchyroll

Baby Steps 2

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As big a sports anime fan as I am, I have no excuse for not watching this show sooner. Ei-chan is an unusual sports protagonist because he 1) is not part of a school sports team and 2) he actually loses—a lot! I’m not saying it’s a realistic story by any means, but it’s certainly a different take on the sports anime narrative.

Where I’m watching it: Crunchyroll

Blood Blockade Battlefront

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When this many people tell you to watch a show, you listen. I tried out BBB because pretty much every anime fan I know was watching it. It’s a fast paced science fiction story with characters I’m already starting to love. I don’t think there’s anything brand new here, but as my friend Grant says, there’s something to be said for executing the basics well.

Where I’m watching it: Funimation

The Heroic Legend of Arslan

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This is shaping up to be your typical high fantasy, with the added bonus that it’s being adapted by artist Hiromu Arakawa of Fullmetal Alchemist fame—and you can see that clearly reflected in the character designs. Given that this is the fourth time the Arslan novels have inspired an anime, I’m expecting a powerful storyline.

Where I’m watching it: Funimation

What are you watching this season?

Build Your Anime Blog: The complete interview list

Writing

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It’s now just a few weeks until I launch my new book, Build Your Anime Blog, into the world. I’m scrambling to edit, make corrections, and adjust the formatting, which is all essential work with nothing to show for now.

So while you’re waiting, I thought now was a good time to release the complete list of the 12 interviews I conducted with anime bloggers to make the book happen.

Ever since I dreamed up this book idea, I knew I wanted to use my journalism experience to make interviews a huge part of it. However, it’s also been the part I’ve been worried about the most since I thought it might lead to hurt feelings. This is by no means an exhaustive list of my favorite anime bloggers. I picked them because their names came up in a poll where I asked readers who their favorite anime bloggers were. They’re certainly not the only ones, but they were the ones who were responsive and with whom I was able to schedule interviews in my limited amount of time.

Notice also that all the bloggers on the list are independent. There are lots of talented bloggers at larger outlets like Anime News Network, but I chose people who started and continue to maintain their own blogs because that’s blogging success that doesn’t depend on you getting selected for a gig. Anyone can do the work to make that happen.

I could probably make excuses and caveats all day about this, but that’s not why you’re here. Without further ado, here’s the list, in the order that they will appear:

Thank you to everyone who participated in my reader poll to vote for their favorite bloggers. There are so many amazing ones out there, I never could have decided on my own!