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THE GREAT BRITISH ANIME FAN
Written by: Akibajack
Anime fandom in the United Kingdom started with showings of Harmony Gold's "Robotech" and its original "Macross" anime at Science Fiction conventions. Before then the genre was almost unknown in the UK. However with the availability of originally sourced VHS tapes of actual TV and movie anime in the late '80's , mainly from America, an organised scene appeared in this country, and the first anime conventions - very small
affairs such as Anime Day and ContAnimeted - were held in the early '90's.
In June 1990 "Anime UK Newsletter" was launched to provide some sort of focus for anime fandom, and by winter '91-'92 this has changed to the glossy "Anime UK" - which for a while was a big success. This coincided with the general release of "Akira" in the UK (the UK's
differing video standard to the US and Japan would long be a problem for VCR owning fans...). From here the scene grew slowly but steadily, thanks largely to the growing interest in Japanese designed console and PC games and the expansion of the Internet, where fans could find an
increasing amount of information about this fascinating new genre. Japanese bookshops and mail order from sometimes balky US suppliers were the main source of actual material however.
Now, the scene is almost the equivalent of US fandom, complete with fans calling themselves "Otaku" and a distinct polarisation between the interests of male and female!
The differences are largely of scale however. UK anime clubs are nowhere near as large and highly organised as US ones, and while US anime conventions may have 10,000 or more attendees, UK ones may consider 500 to be remarkable - although venue size and a somewhat smaller population
obviously has a lot to do with it. Likewise there are relatively few fan artists, although some are very talented, and the fan publishing scene is still limited to mainly photocopied products and some web publishing.
However it could be said that UK fandom is less influenced by commercial factors - ADV UK and other labels are present at anime conventions but do not attempt to sponsor events or offer other support, leaving it largely to fans to organise their own activities. You could call it part
of the great British amateur tradition. This is good in many ways but it means the power of Money is not helping to motivate the scene.
In this
time Anime UK magazine had gone through various publishers and changes of name - it became integrated with Manga Entertainment's own magazine "Manga Mania" at one time - much to the annoyance of purist fans - but after a long absence was reincarnated as "NEO", which carries on the
same coverage of Asian live action shows as "Manga Mania" did (see links below).
US import VHS, translated manga and later DVD were a fan staple from the start, and in many ways still are - early releases were notoriously overpriced but an expanding market forced down prices.
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© Anime UK Magazine |
Now
UK companies like the above mentioned are furiously releasing PAL versions of US DVD anime, although so far the market only supports one major label and many US releases are still imported. The difference in
video formats has of course become less significant, most DVD players bought in the UK are dual standard!
In recent years unofficial fansubs of anime - until very recently on VHS tape - were the main attraction of
UK convention video programmes, some conventions having five or more video rooms running all weekend - and often all night - but since 2001 this factor has declined with the spread of broadband internet and easily available online fansubs of even the most recent anime. In the
past few years UK anime conventions have been more like anime-themed party weekends, with one focus being cosplay - not as professional as US or Japanese cosplay but fun, and sometimes hilarious as fans stage improvised masquerade acts to make up for any shortcomings in couture.
However a look at some of the cosplay web sites listed below will show some very well made costumes!
To sum up the scene, it tends to follow US trends closely but maintains an informal, home made tradition which often centres round the bar!
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© www.cosplay.me.uk
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Anime.org.uk - home page of the London Anime Club, as venerated and
respected as Buckingham Palace itself! The site contains many links to
stores, information and fan web sites. Generally this is all you need to
get friendly with the UK's fan scene.
http://www.anime.org.uk
Sweatdrop Studios - a well designed fan manga web page, featuring the
work of such artists as Dock, Laura Watton and Selina Dean - you can
order actual printed items (!) or just browse the online pages.
Sweatdrop have a considerable presence in fan and illustration circles.
http://www.sweatdrop.com/
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© Sweatdrop Studios
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Anime Europe Cosplay Photo Gallery - many photos of cosplay devotees
from the UK and other countries such as France. Plus collectables and
weird goings-on.
http://www.anime.me.uk/gallery/
A related site to the above giving practical information and news;
http://www.cosplay.co.uk
NEO Magazine - this is the lineal descendant of Anime UK Magazine and
covers all commercially available (and some not) anime and manga, plus
Japanese and Chinese live action, in the United Kingdom. See it for a
distinctly different viewpoint!
http://www.neomag.co.uk
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© NEO Magazine
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