WEBmikey: Otaku Unite : 1 of 5

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Otaku Unite : 1 of 5
3.20.2006 5:57 PM \| Link	I heard about this new documentary on Toon Zone, and since it was already available on Netflix, I thought I would have a look (especially since I'm starting to think about A-Kon again in a few months!). Unfortunately, the film was only mildly entertaining, but it does contain some interesting history. I guess it had never occurred to me before, but it was fascinating to realize that anime is such a new genre in America, at least to the point of there being a huge anime DVD market in the US. As recently as 1985 you really couldn't buy US-releases of anime (even though shows like Speed Racer were all over TV)! The film talks with the folks who brought Macross to the US, completely "re-created" as the Robotech series (and how angry the fans became when they realized what had been done!). Aside from the history, there's plenty of convention footage, of course, but nothing that really makes it look like a fun experience. In fact, the whole documentary misses the point of fandom - the camaraderie of folks with a shared interest and subculture. Instead, it wastes time talking about a crazy stage show called Kaiju Big Battel (spelling correct!), which pits Japanese-ish rubber monsters against each other in the wrestling ring. Oh well, at least the movie is pretty short! Labels: dvds


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