From: gavigan@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Ryan P. Gavigan)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime
Subject: CNN anime piece
Date: 6 Oct 92 16:47:18 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network




Anime Newspiece on CNN Headline News


"Animated cartoons have not enjoyed a good reputation.  Critics claim
old shows such as Speed Racer were poorly produced.  

But Dennis Michael reports current projects are getting more recognition."

[toss to the story]

Dennis Michael : "To the uninitiated, this might look a little like Cabbage       Patch Kids saving the universe, [ed. showing scenes from Gall Force] but
   this is a typical 'anime' sequence.  Stylized characters, and highly
   techincal equipment and lots of of loud, violent action."
    
    "One of the keystones of Japanese popular culture, comic books, called
    'manga', the best of them are made into animated films, 'anime', 
    and there are lots of them.."

John O'Donnell: "Each year, some 30 to 40 feature films are released, over
    300 to 400 animations are relased each year directly to video, every week
    on prime time tv there are upwards of 20 continuing series.  So anime
    plays a much larger part of the Japanese entertainment universe than in
    America at this time."

Carl: "If you like science fiction, if you like action and you like cartoons,
      you get it all in one package.  You get high graphics, you get colorful
      action sequences, you get really strong science fiction storytelling, 
      and it's easy to watch, very very breezy kind of entertainment."

DM:   "But make no mistake, Japanese anime is not the Smurfs, it's not
      something that you toss on the vcr for the kids.  Anime specializes in         violence, sometimes quite brutal.  And surprisingly enough, there is
      even a generous helping of sex as well.  American audiences have begun
      getting a dose of anime.  Some films have been released theatrically,
      and many more have come out on home video.  Along with the heavy metal
      style science fiction, anime delves into a variety of genres, from high
      school comedy to the first animated adult horror film, 
      Vampire Hunter D.  Right now the american audience for anime can be
      described as a cult.  But it's a cult that's growing."
    

Carl: "Once people start to see it , and more and more people see it and more
     and more people talk about it, it can possibly become a mainstream item.
     The only way it can I think is if it gets on television in a prominent
     way."

DM: "and that's all ready beginning.  Rocker Mathhew Sweet, a fan of anime,        has made two rock videos with the help of Japanese manga cartoons."

Matthew Sweet: "While you're switching the channels and you see this weird
    animation from mars or something on the tv and it has music going behind
    it, you're going to stop and go 'what is that?' and watch it for a while.


DM: "and you may be surprised, and occasionally shocked at what you see...
     Dennis Michael, CNN entertainment news."   ^^^^^^^

{emphasis on 'shocked' when showing a scene as Doris fires at the creature
    from the beginning of Vampire Hunter D.  Actually I thought it would 
    have worked better with that line if a UY clip would've been used.} 



Quite a different treatment than nearly anything previously done in the
media about anime, and gee they actually called it 'anime' and actually 
did an informative piece rather than an exploitative 'Current Affair' type
tabloid story.


Ryan Gavigan
gavigan@gn.ecn.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime