Wednesday, December 08, 2004

'We're kind of like the anti-Disney'



The Associated Press reports on the success of manga and anime in the United States -- "rapidly changing from a niche market to a mass phenomenon" -- focusing, in part, on inroads made by John Ledford and his ADV Films:

"We're kind of like the anti-Disney. Disney is very family type. We are appealing to the video-game, PlayStation, Generation X, Generation Y kind of crowd in America."

In related news, the Wisconsin State Journal spotlights UW-Madison's Anime Club, which holds screenings every Saturday night:

"Anime is becoming more mainstream for now, but I'm not sure how long it will last. When it first came out, it wasn't as easy to get ahold of. So you had these little reclusive groups who would pick up a fansub (a subtitled version of a Japanese original made by fans). Once it became more widely popular, more clubs started forming, bringing these groups together."