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From: From: Vincent Fusca
(vfuscwin@pop.k12.vt.us )
I enjoyed MACROSS, the alternate MACROSS
II, and MACROSS PLUS. I am interested in
MACROSS 7 but my only info has come in the form of websites.
Do you know where I could get Japanese, dubbed, or subtitled versions of
MACROSS 7. I have also heard several other people just trash
the MACROSS 7 TV series. Why?
Vincent,
Your first question is the easier of the two you pose. MACROSS 7
has not been licensed in the United States, so you will either have to make do with Japanese
dialog, which can be purchased from any of the anime stores that do mail order (if you're not lucky
enough to have one locally).
As for why people trash MACROSS 7,
there are a number of reasons.
Some were disappointed in the story and the animation and the show's somewhat unusual
premise of large-scale mecha being piloted by musicians. Some didn't like the way the future
turned out for Max and Miria. And I'm sure that a lot of people made comparisons between
MACROSS 7 and MACROSS PLUS,
and MACROSS 7 came out as the loser. Still other
people were probably just driven insane by hearing Basara sing the same song over and
over for the first ten or so episodes
The general consensus of American Fans is that
MACROSS 7 was
inferior to MACROSS PLUS, although the comparison really isn't fair.
In Japan, MACROSS 7
enjoyed moderate success and certainly sold its share of merchandise (posters, CD's, etc.)
And never let someone else convince you that a show you happen to
think is worthwhile is junk. Your opinions are just as valid as anyone else's. And sometimes it's
fun to be in the minority, championing an underdog. Sure, people can argue and discuss things,
but I don't see how anyone else's opinion effects my enjoyment of a certain show...
From: Calixto Suave (csuave@geocities.com)
Gentlemen*,
Having downloaded and read the Volume 2, Issue 2 ZIP file
(the only time I've found a
use for the MacOS ZipIt shareware utility), I would like to commend you on an excellent job.
Everything--layout, graphics, quality of scans, writing, and especially editing--was superb.
I'm certain that readers of EX all appreciate the scores of hours
that must go into each issue, and I eagerly await the next installment.
Now that I've gotten the kudos out of the way, one complaint: where's
the date? I know that web content ages twice as quickly as any other media, but I feel that it's
important to know when a publication was distributed or when an article was written. Anyway,
a minor complaint and not one that would prevent anyone from enjoying EX
(when's that next issue?).
(*...and I mean, Gentlemen, as in, "Where are the ladies?" Maybe I missed
something on the Contributors Page, but there must be some female
anime/manga fans out there with something to contribute.)
Calixto,
First, let me say that we do indeed have women on our staff, but I think
they would be a bit embarrassed if I pointed them out by name. Just check the credits again.
Thanks for your kind words. Everyone on the staff works very hard at
their respective jobs. (The Copy Editors will be thrilled that someone noticed the editing!)
And let me say that I agree with you about the release date. Our situation,
however, makes sticking a release date on an issue somewhat difficult.
EX is published every six
weeks, so we can't just call the issue the "April" issue, especially when it comes out halfway
through the month, as this one does. And it doesn't come out quarterly, so we can use "Spring 97"
either. I think what we will start doing is putting the actual release date of the issue on the cover
so that people will be able to keep track of the issues. (I myself often have to think hard about
which issue was 2.1, etc.)
And for keeping informed about EX,
I suggest joining the EX Mailing List.
This list notifies subscribers when a new issue is released, or a new contest is started, or anything
else of interest comes along. You can join the mailing list by following the instructions on the
EX Front Page. It is a
painless procedure and takes approximately one minute.
Once again, thanks for writing.
From: Ghosthacker (s.stallone@worldnet.att.net)
I want to thank you for your contribution to the Anime world in
particular, and the World-Wide-Web in general... your site is one of the
best Anime sites on the Net! But I have two 'future of Anime' questions
to pose to you if you don't mind... First, exactly how well is Anime
doing in the US now? Most of the people in my school know of 'those
Japanese cartoons (I hate it when they refer to AKIRA
as a cartoon!) on
the Sci-Fi channel', but most don't actually care to go and buy titles from
stores... so how popular is it all?
Second, and this is the tough question... my friends
and I have been debating about whether or not Anime has any future in
America, what with the Christian Coalitian and other, as I call them,
'Militant religious groups' attacking anything that shows anything with
maturity and taste, but also a little cleavage... not all Anime is this way,
but these Parent groups have a
tendancy to like to amputate a genre to get at what they view as an
infection of that genre... what do you think? If Anime becomes total
mainstream someday, can it survive under such pressure? (let's not think
of the possible notion of editing either... the thought makes me want to
hurl...). Please give me your observations on these ideas... and thank
you once again!
Dear Ghost,
(You don't mind if I call you that, do you?) You certainly don't waste any
time getting to the tough questions. How well is anime doing in America?
Well, that depends on how you gage it. The fact that you can go to
Blockbuster and rent anime now certainly says something (especially since
when the first anime tapes appeared in the US market, Blockbuster wouldn't
carry them since they decided it would not sell.) However, when you
consider the lackluster performance of SAILOR MOON,
which was a runaway hit
just about everywhere else in the world, one does indeed have to wonder.
It will probably be some time before anime gains a
"mainstream" foothold in the United States, for a couple of reasons. First,
many people new to anime find it a curiosity and may think it's interesting
for a while, but they don't become "fans." And a large portion of fandom
certainly doesn't want anime to go mainstream — just look at the outcry
against dubbing anime if you don't believe this. Anime fandom may soon come
to a dreaded crossroads where it has to decide if it wants to keep anime a
well-guarded secret or put up with the mass-produced versions they now
(usually) loathe so that anime grows in popularity. Many companies have
already started moving towards the mass market in order to generate
increased revenue, and this has resulted in some of the fans being unhappy
with their release strategies.
As for the impact of special interest groups on
anime, while I certainly think that they will have something to say (and are
entitled to say so), I don't think that it will really affect anime as a
whole in America. I mean, the television I watch on prime time is often
much worse than many anime series. And that comes under attack from time to
time, but in the end, such programming is always readily available on
network television for free.
The problem, however, comes with changing a society's
mindset--altering the perception that animation is just for children.
American popular culture is slowly growing up — more adults are reading comic
books, watching animation (not necessarily just anime), and enjoying other
hobbies that were previously thought of as "for kids." So I guess you could
say that I have a positive outlook as far as anime will always have a home
in the United States. Maybe not the home that all of us would like, but a
home nonetheless.
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