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An Interview With Anime Director Kenji Kamiyama

Date: 2013 June 03 15:20 | Posted By: Joe

April 2013, it's spring time in London, it should be warm and sunny, but instead it's snowing sideways. We're off to meet renowned anime direction Kenji Kamiyama, writer and director of hit titles like Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Eden of the East and Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

An interview with Production I.G.

Date: 2013 January 12 15:28 | Posted By: Priss

Category > Anime

Returning for the second time in 2012, the fourth Hyper Japan festival in November welcomed thousands of visitors to Earls Court for a three day extravaganza of entertainment. The event flourishes every time with an array of Japanese cultural experiences, encompassing fashion, film, games, cuisine and of course anime and manga for people to see.

For anime fans, this Hyper Japan was host to an astounding public event - a panel chaired by Helen McCarthy in which Production I.G. President & CEO Ishikawa Mitsuhisa was joined by esteemed anime critic Hikawa Ryusuke. It was an exciting opportunity to gain unique insight into the Japanese animation industry from one of today's greatest studios and a major modern figure in Japanese cultural criticism.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Amecon Interview with Brad Swaile

Date: 2013 January 06 11:49 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime

Back at Amecon last August thanks to the convention committee we got to spend lunch with voice actor Brad Swaile. It's taken me a bit of time to get the interview written up as Brad made a lot of interesting points and I didn't want to miss anything.

Tentacular! An interview with Toshio Maeda

Date: 2012 December 09 12:17 | Posted By: Priss

Category > Features

October 2012's London MCM expo was the most successful ever. It included a stall by influential and controversial manga artists Toshio Maeda. Creator of the the renowned Urotsukidoji and La Blue Girl. We caught with the manga artist and were lucky enough to interview him at the Expo.

NSFW Content Warning. This article contains content that is not safe for work. This article contains an interview with the creator of a certain tentacle based genre of manga.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

An interview with director Kazuya Murata and producer Masahiko Minami of Fullmetal Alchemist - The Sacred Star of Milos

Date: 2012 June 26 16:08 | Posted By: Priss

Category > Anime

Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi or Hagaren for short) is a series that has made a significant mark on anime fans across the world. With the conclusion of the manga and the anime adaptation Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood over the past year, it is with great excitement that we are once again given the chance to join the Elric brothers on their second cinematic adventure - Hagaren the Movie 2011 - The Sacred Star of Milos.

For fans of the series they will enjoy return to the world of their favourite characters. Mystery, intrigue and all converge in this epic that calls into question the bonds of blood and national loyalty. The film was made to slot into the timeline of the Brotherhood series narrative. This new adventure, however, has a very different look and feel to the Hagaren previously produced by Studio Bones (株式会社ボンズ Kabushiki Kaisha Bonzu).

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Interview with MyM publisher Tarik Alozdi

Date: 2012 March 25 12:40 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Culture

Publisher for new UK/Ireland magazine MyM gives an interview to Otaku News and discusses the magazine, it's upcoming launch and it's content and direction.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Diverse Japan interview actress and idol Nao Nagasawa

Date: 2012 February 19 10:03 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Production

The good folks from Diverse Japan have dropped us a line telling us about an interesting interview they've just done with actress and idol Nao Nagasawa (best known for her various roles in Super Sentai and Kamen Rider TV shows).

The interview gives insights to her past roles including Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger and also covers her more recent roles such as Hotel Chelsea.

Souce: Diverse Japan

An Interview with Vic Mignogna

Date: 2012 January 18 14:00 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Features

We got a chance to chat to well known voice actor Vic Mignogna at the last MCM London Expo. We discuss a range of topics from getting into voice acting, dubbing anime songs, voice acting inspirations, and of course Full Metal Alchemist.

Interview with Kaz

Date: 2012 January 10 22:57 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Anime

Audio interview with Kazé UK representative Andrew Partridge where we talk about Kazé UK's origins, their plans for blu ray anime releases, Anime On Demand and more.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

An Interview with Helen McCarthy

Date: 2011 November 27 16:11 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Nostalgia

We're going all nostalgic here at Otaku News and have decided to dig up some old articles from our archive that are not published on-line, either because they were originally for print or from websites that are now off-line.

Just because they're old doesn't mean they're not relevant to today's otaku.

Before Otaku News, we used to run Anime Digital, a website hosted by the London Anime Club. In October 1999, we were lucky enough to interview Helen McCarthy, who is an anime expert, author, speaker and so much more. Although the interview is over 10 years old, it's interesting to see how many things are still the same in the industry and fandom. We've reprinted this article with Helen's permission. Readers familiar with Helen's work will note that she did write an award winning book about Tezuka in the end!

Update: Helen has also blogged about this article.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Interview with manga translator William Flanagan

Date: 2011 August 25 10:05 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Features

Otaku News is happy to present our interview with manga translator William Flanagan in conjunction with the Fumi Yoshinaga month at the Moveable Manga Feast.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

An Interview with Voice Actors Ben Diskin and Brian Beacock

Date: 2011 July 25 16:37 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Production

Every now and again at Otaku News, we like to interview voice actors, the very people who provide the voices for anime. At the May 2011 MCM London Expo we were lucky to catch up with Ben Diskin and Brian Beacock.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

After school tea time with Beckii Cruel

Date: 2011 June 08 16:35 | Posted By: Priss

Category > Culture

As an avid follower of Japanese popular culture and a regular anime viewer, I am more than familiar with the style of dance routines that have become inseparable from so many titles and credits sequences. From classics such as Urusei Yatsura and more recently popularised by Kyoto Animation's iconic series Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, shows have taken to inserting dances at any available opportunity to arrest a fan following with catchy tunes and infectious dance moves. The indigenous para para dance style steps are synonymous with series such as Super Gals! where character Kotobuki Ran regularly regales audiences through her hyper rhythmic routines.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

An Interview with Figure Sculptor Momiji

Date: 2011 February 27 14:00 | Posted By: Priss

Category > Production

Last year, the second annual MCM London Expo returned to bring together a myriad of media and popular culture exhibitors and merchants. It is an exciting occasion for anime fans who attend to meet, mingle and fight their way through the melee of merchandisers and organisers.

Expo is an event that I attend on the front line behind the dealers' tables as an assistant for sales. I am predominantly positioned ready and waiting to serve customers who are on the hunt for anime, manga and figures from the store United Publications. It is an intense and demanding event and catering for the volume of visitors is often a challenge that affords little time to explore the wonders of the wider event. This time, however, I had to make the exception for a remarkable appearance amongst October's exhibitors.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Reni Mimura NYAF interview

Date: 2010 October 15 16:51 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Anime

Reni Mimura, a cosplayer and singer living in New York, was performing at this years New York Anime Festival. Despite her busy schedule, she found the time to sit down and chat with us for a brief time about her reasons for taking her work to New York, what she thinks of her fans and which she prefers: cosplay or singing!

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Interview with Daisuke Ishiwatari and Toshimichi Mori the creators of the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series

Date: 2010 June 13 13:46 | Posted By: Dallas Marshall

Category > Gaming

On the memorial day weekend at Fanimecon, a bay area anime convention in San Jose California, I had the privilege of sitting down with both Daisuke Ishiwatari and Toshimichi Mori of ARC System Works. The studio that brought you the Guilty Gear series and BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger and the soon to be released BlazBlue:Continuum Shift.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Metropolis Interviews Helen McCarthy

Date: 2010 May 14 14:34 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Manga

Tokyo based English Language Magazine Metropolis have just published an interview with Helen McCarthy. She talks about her Book The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga and it's recent Eisner Award Nomination.

Souce: Metropolis

Interview with Helen McCarthy

Date: 2009 April 05 16:42 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Anime

Audio interview with Japanese culture expert Helen McCarthy in conjunction with Irish Film Institute.

An interview with Andrew Driver

Date: 2009 February 13 17:19 | Posted By: Eeeper

Category > Anime

In April 2009, Alma Books will publish an English translation of Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel Paprika. The basis of Satoshi Kon's award-winning animated film of the same name, the English translation was handled for Alma by Andrew Driver. Otaku News can now present an interview with Mr. Driver which he graciously agreed to do with Eeeper on behalf of Otaku News in which he talks about his work on the novel.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

An interview with Kari Wahlgren

Date: 2008 September 07 11:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

Thanks to go the great folk at AmeCon 2008, we were able to interview their main guest, voice actress Kari Wahlgren. You may have heard her in the American dub of FLCL as Haruko, or Robin in Witch Hunter Robin or Scarlett in Steamboy to name a few of her roles. As well as many video games you've probably played.

An interview with Makoto Shinkai

Date: 2008 June 22 18:17 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

Otaku News went to a BFI screening of Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimeters Per Second and was lucky enough to get an exclusive chance to have a private chat with Mr Shinkai, the writer and anime director.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

An Interview with Stuart Claw

Date: 2007 June 04 17:50 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime > TV

From this Sunday anime fans with Sky in the UK will be be able to tune into Anime Network on Propeller TV (Channel 195). The slot runs from 8pm to 10pm, and currently consists of Coyote Ragtime Show, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Guyver and Elfen Lied. We sat down with one half of Anime Network UK's dynamic presenting duo Stuart Claw at the official launch, gazed rather too hard at the candles (and indeed Joe's camera flash) and took a look at the past, present and future of anime both in Stuart's life as a fan and the general future for wider anime community.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

Interview with Monica Rial and Chris Patton

Date: 2006 September 21 04:18 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime

Thanks to those lovely people at Amecon as well as the voice actors themselves donating their time, I was able to interview voice actors Chris Patton and Monica Rial.

Chris Patton has played roles such as Sousuke Sagara in Full Metal Panic and Sasame in Pretear; Monica has played many characters including Towa in DNAngel and Hyatt in Excel saga she also writes ADR scripts for anime such as DNAngel and Madlax.

New interview with Cindy and Don Hewitt at Naussicaa.net

Date: 2005 May 31 04:30 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Production > Studio Ghibli

Naussicaa.net have posted a new interview with Cindy and Don Hewitt discussing their part in the studio Ghibli dubs. It’s an interesting read and explains decissions the couple have made such as adding extra lines to the end of Spirited Away. It also contains news of previously unreleased films such as Pompoko. The article is insightful and infuriating in equal measure.

Souce: Nausicaa.net

An Interview With Frederik L. Schodt

Date: 2005 February 17 18:19 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Manga

Animation Insider have published their interview with Frederik L. Schodt and experienced Japanese language interpreter, manga translator, and author, Schodt has written some very excellent books on manga, translated both volumes of the Ghost In The Shell manga as well as many other projects. Schodt is highly respected in the anime and manga community and has even worked the late Osamu Tezuka (who is often regarded as the founder of modern anime and manga). The interview has lots of great bits of information and we really recommend reading it.

Souce: Animation Insider

Jonathan Clements Interview By AnimeOnDVD.com

Date: 2005 February 06 16:10 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Production

Incredibly nice guy Paul Jacques over at AnimeOnDVD.com went out to a pub with Jonathan Clements (writer, translator, anime expert etc...), so as well as drinking many beers (as the photo's show ^_-) Paul decided to interview Mr Clements about anime and it's good to see that as always Jonathan is refreshingly honest with his opinions.

The interview is devided into three parts:

Part 1 - in which they try to determine who buys anime, and why there were only 500 people at 1990s conventions when Overfiend sells in the tens of thousands. Jonathan also mentions a new show "Magical Princess Fluffy Tosspot", we belive this is like Schoolgirl Milky Crisis! ^_-

Part 2 - in which they discuss the values of television and ask whether the quality of anime is not strained.

Part 3 - in which they talk of critics and the media’s strange habit of redefining "anime" to mean whatever they need it to mean on any given day.

Souce: AnimeOnDVD.com

An Interview With The Reading Agency

Date: 2004 December 07 18:15 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Manga

Following our previous news items about the educational value of manga in the UK, that appear in both the Times Education Supplement and the Daily Mail, we've managed to get an interview with the organisation that created the campaign designed to get kids reading using manga - The Reading Agency.

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

The Laughing Man - Ghost In The Shell: Standalone Complex's Hacker Logo

Date: 2004 November 29 11:08 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Production

The hit series Ghost In The Shell: Standalone Complex, features a logo for hacker and cyberterrorist "The Laughing Man", in the show he is only identified by his logo which forms a distinct part of the Standalone Complex imagery. I discovered that Paul Nicholson of Terratag designed the logo for Production I.G.

Join us as Otaku News interview Paul about creating an icon in anime!

Read More... | Souce: Otaku News

An Interview With Monica Rial

Date: 2004 September 08 15:39 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime

Monica Rial is an energetic American voice actress who unusually works with two studios: ADV and FUNimation. This means that she gets the opportunity to play a diverse range of characters across the anime spectrum. Fan favourites include the demure death defying Hyatt in Excel saga as well as the world famous, perky and cute Hello Kitty in Hello Kitty Mystical Theatre.

I was able to interview Monica at the UK convention Amecon (a big thanks to you all for letting us interview her ^_^) where she was invited as a special guest. This is the first time that a British convention has invited a US voice actor over, and it was interesting to note the con goer's reactions. Monica was a clear hit with the fans and I was impressed at the time she took to talk to people, whether they wanted advice or to make comments or get certain limited edition items signed. The actual interview went on for over an hour and a half. Join me as we explore the wacky world of Monica Rial!

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