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  Commentaries | Editdesk
 
  Contents
 
 

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Timothy Georgi

Features Editor
Jonathan Mays

Anime Editor
Timothy Georgi

Manga Editor
Ben Nunez

Staff Writers
James Alsup
Jonathan Cook
Michelle Villanueva
Jenny Williams
Dennis Carr
Hank Wong
Amber Tamosaitis
Dana Georgi
Melissa Louie
David Andrews
Emily Snodgras
Michael Moore
Sam Aquino
Timothy Georgi

Design/Programming
Timothy Georgi

Interior Artwork
All images are the copyright of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

All contents ©1999-2003 Animetro Studios. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form, without prior written permission, is prohibited.

@anime!, @a!, atanime, the atanime logo and "Where anime and manga are @" are trademarks of Animetro Studios, a SkyFall Communications Company. All rights reserved.

All articles are the property of the respective writers. Opinions expressed are solely those of the authors.

Greetings minna! Tim here.

It's time for the grand re-opening of the magazine and what better way to do it than this. As things are winding down here, it's time to get some typing done as I sit and wait for the festivities to come to a close. For the first issue of the NEW @anime!, I'm sitting here outside at the San Diego Comic-Con International doing what I normally do at a con, watch people walk around (cause I'm tired of doing it myself) and typing the new issue's editorial. But boy, is there a bunch of stuff to type about. I'll try to keep it short, sweet and to the point.

Things this year have been interesting so far. We here at Animetro Studios, the new publishing company for @anime!, have been hard at work restructuring things and getting plans set for the next few years. We're working on some good stuff and have lots of hard work to do to make them happen. Getting the web publication back up to speed, looking at other content possibilities, searching for investors and, most importantly, working toward getting @anime! into the hands of the readers by adding a print version.

If you saw our press release in June, you also know that we're restructuring the staff as well. We've cleaned house a bit and we have a group right now that is enthusiastic and ready to bring you information on the good stuff that's heading our way (and a bit of some that has passed us by). I welcome the "new blood" to the crew and look forward to great successes with them all. We also setill have a few positions to fill for the roster. If you're a hard core anime or manga fan or just love all things Japanese and would like to volunteer, check out our Staffing page.

Now that the State of the Magazine update stuff is out of the way, yes, I'm still sitting here outside the exhibit hall. San Diego has been amazing this year. The last time I had the opportunity to go to the San Diego Comic-Con was back in 1998. I had been working with Warp Graphics, the publishers of Elfquest, and had been fortunate enough to be at the convention as an Exhibitor. Now, through the ages (and it's only been 8 years, but it feels like forever) I've been an Exhibitor, a Staffer, a Department Head, a member of the Press and, on occasion, I actually get to go to a con as a normal attendee. Each has its perks. It's a different perspective to attend a con as different things. Exhibitor is an interesting perspective on an event. I got to see the inner workings of the convention a lot easier than most people do. Being in the Exhibit Hall before the rest of the world lets you see the insanity of the "real" part of the show and how much it takes to put on a good presentation for the public.

That was quite the contrast to my experience this year. I was at SDCC this year as a Press member. No really specific perks there beyond the lack of a registration fee, but it gave me an opportunity to see something that I haven't seen in years. Back in 1998, anime companies had a small presence at SDCC, little tables scattered throughout the hall. It wasn't really their venue then with anime and manga still considered underground. Contrast that to today and the world has changed a lot in five years. You look at the exhibitor map in 2003 and the Top 10 largest spaces on the exhibitor floor are occupied by the anime and manga companies. Groups like ADV and Pioneer, Bandai and Tokyopop putting on major faces to the congoers shows you how much the anime and manga community has grown. Japanese toys and comics practically everywhere you turn. The influience of the Japanese on the large myriad of artists presenting thier skills and hard work. It's the ultimate dream of any anime fan.

We're no longer that uber-hushhush underground movement of geeky guys in a basement watching 10th Generation video tapes of a series on Japanese TV from two years ago. Anime has hit the big time and it's showing no sign of stopping any time soon. There's so much good stuff coming in the next year, it seems there will be less and less space to hold it as it hits your local retailers. Anime and manga are appearing in some of the most unlikely places, like Cartoon Network, Fox TV, Del Rey Books, DC Comics and Disney. Yes, the noise of the anime fanatic has been heard the world over. Now it's time to sit back and enjoy the ride. So here, have some popcorn and we'll try to help you enjoy the ride a bit more.

I should get back inside. The con closes soon. Ja ne! ;)

 
 
   
 
 

 

 
   
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      @anime! and the @anime! logo are trademarks of Animetro Studios. All rights reserved.