{"id":13278,"date":"2008-08-15T11:26:19","date_gmt":"2008-08-15T15:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/?p=13278"},"modified":"2008-10-22T10:43:19","modified_gmt":"2008-10-22T14:43:19","slug":"ask-john-please-provide-a-chronology-of-the-anime-invasion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/ask-john-please-provide-a-chronology-of-the-anime-invasion\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask John: Please Provide a Chronology of the Anime Invasion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question:<\/strong>
\nCan you make a condensed chronology of anime history in North America?<\/p>\n


\nAnswer:<\/strong>
\nAs per request, my chronology is brief. And it concentrates almost exclusively on the growth and positive events in the history of anime reaching America.<\/p>\n

1961:<\/strong>
\nMagic Boy (Shonen Sarutobi Sasuke) is the first anime movie released in America<\/p>\n

1963:<\/strong>
\nAstro Boy premiers on American television<\/p>\n

1967:<\/strong>
\nSpeed Racer premiers on American television<\/p>\n

1972:<\/strong>
\nCleopatra is the first “adults only” Japanese animation released in America<\/p>\n

1977:<\/strong>
\nCartoon\/Fantasy Organization established as America’s first major anime fan club<\/p>\n

1978:<\/strong>
\nToei Animation opens an American distribution office (closed in 1982)<\/p>\n

Battle of the Planets premiers on American television<\/p>\n

1983:<\/strong>
\nHarmony Gold established<\/p>\n

1984:<\/strong>
\nVoltron premiers on American television<\/p>\n

1985:<\/strong>
\nRobotech premiers on American television and becomes the first commercially distributed anime in America promoted as Japanese animation<\/p>\n

1986:<\/strong>
\nThe first known English language “fansub” appears<\/p>\n

Japanese publisher Lead Publishing releases the Golgo 13: Into the Wolf’s Lair graphic novel, America’s first major English translated manga release<\/p>\n

Viz, LLC established<\/p>\n

Excalibur Films releases the first English dubbed, uncensored erotic anime on commercial American home video as “Brothers Grime X-Rated Cartoons”<\/p>\n

1987:<\/strong>
\nUS Renditions & Right Stuf established<\/p>\n

Viz releases its first English translated manga titles in America<\/p>\n

First Comics releases its English translation of the Lone Wolf & Cub manga<\/p>\n

1988:<\/strong>
\nStreamline Pictures established<\/p>\n

Epic Comics begins publishing Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga<\/p>\n

Eclipse Comics publishes Adam Warren & Toren Smith’s Dirty Pair comic, the first commercial American comic based on an original Japanese anime property (as opposed to American comic adaptations of “Americanized” anime including Gold Key’s 1979 Battle of the Planets comic series and Comico’s 1984 Robotech comics)<\/p>\n

1989:<\/strong>
\nAkira movie premiers in America<\/p>\n

AnimEigo releases the first subtitled commercial anime videotape in America, Metalskin Panic Madox-01<\/p>\n

Gainax opens its American specialty store “General Products USA” in San Francisco. The store closes in 1991<\/p>\n

1990:<\/strong>
\nProject A-kon, held in Dallas, Texas, is America’s first significant anime fan convention<\/p>\n

Central Park Media founded<\/p>\n

1991:<\/strong>
\nAnimeCon ’91 held in San Jose, California. The following year AnimeCon evolved into Anime Expo<\/p>\n

1992:<\/strong>
\nA.D. Vision founded<\/p>\n

1993:<\/strong>
\nPioneer LDCA established<\/p>\n

Urotsukidoji officially premiers in America<\/p>\n

The Sci-Fi Channel broadcasts Robot Carnival, Lensman, and Vampire Hunter D<\/p>\n

1994:<\/strong>
\nManga Entertainment USA, FUNimation Productions (later “FUNimation Entertainment”), and Star Anime Enterprises established<\/p>\n

1995:<\/strong>
\nEros Comics begins publishing uncensored erotic manga in English<\/p>\n

Sailor Moon & Dragon Ball premier on American television<\/p>\n

The Sci-Fi Channel launches its “Anime Saturday” broadcasts<\/p>\n

1996:<\/strong>
\nDisney acquires distribution rights to 11 Studio Ghibli films<\/p>\n

Urban Vision & Digital Manga, Inc. established<\/p>\n

1997:<\/strong>
\nMedia Blasters & Mixx Entertainment (later known as TOKYOPOP) established<\/p>\n

The Cartoon Network begins broadcasting Dragon Ball Z & Sailor Moon<\/p>\n

CPM releases America’s first anime DVD, Battle Arena Toshinden<\/p>\n

Urban Vision releases the Shihaisha no Tasogare ~ Twilight of the Dark Master OVA on American home video on November 11, two months ahead of the January 21, 1998 Japanese release<\/p>\n

1998:<\/strong>
\nBandai Entertainment launches “Anime Village” as its first forray into direct American anime distribution<\/p>\n

Pokemon premiers on American television<\/p>\n

1999:<\/strong>
\nSputnik7.com begins to offer anime from Manga Entertainment for online viewing<\/p>\n

The International Channel begins broadcasting the Dragon Ball Z television series uncut and untranslated<\/p>\n

ComicsOne established<\/p>\n

The first Pokemon movie earns $85.7 million in US theatrical release, making it the highest grossing Japanese film ever released theatrically in America<\/p>\n

2000:<\/strong>
\nThe first English language digital fansubs appear online<\/p>\n

Hirameki International Group, Inc. established<\/p>\n

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing becomes the first anime series broadcast “uncut” on nationwide American television while the US network broadcast of Escaflowne is canceled due to poor ratings<\/p>\n

The Burger King resturant chain offers its first Dragon Ball Z Big Kids’ Meal promotion<\/p>\n

2001:<\/strong>
\nSynch-Point & Super Techno Arts established<\/p>\n

First Yaoi-con held in San Francisco, California<\/p>\n

NuTech Digital begins distribution of its own adult anime licenses<\/p>\n

Yu-Gi-Oh! premiers on American television<\/p>\n

2002:<\/strong>
\nAN Entertainment established<\/p>\n

Icarus Publishing established<\/p>\n

AD Vision launches The Anime Network<\/p>\n

Newtype USA Magazine premiers<\/p>\n

Raijin Comics debuts as America’s first weekly manga magazine. Publication ends in 2004<\/p>\n

2003:<\/strong>
\nShonen Jump USA magazine launches<\/p>\n

Del Rey establishes its manga publishing division<\/p>\n

The Animatrix & Kill Bill vol. 1 (which includes animation from Production IG) premier<\/p>\n

Spirited Away wins the MPAA Academy Award for Best Animated Film. Koji Yamamura’s short film Atama Yama is nominated for a Best Animated Short Film Oscar<\/p>\n

Annual American anime sales reach an all time high of $550 million (estimated)<\/p>\n

2004:<\/strong>
\nRJP-Pro & Adult Source Media established<\/p>\n

DC Comics launches its CMX brand of translated manga<\/p>\n

CPM launches its “Be Beautiful” line of yaoi manga<\/p>\n

Seven Seas Entertainment & Infinity Studios established<\/p>\n

The ImaginAsian TV cable network launches and begins to broadcast subtitled anime<\/p>\n

The Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi cartoon series starring J-pop duo PUFFY premiers on the Cartoon Network<\/p>\n

2005:<\/strong>
\nThe FUNimation Channel launches as America’s second anime exclusive television network<\/p>\n

JapanAnime established<\/p>\n

Bandai Visual USA established. Absorbed by Bandai Entertainment in 2008<\/p>\n

Go! Comi, Blu, & DramaQueen established<\/p>\n

Harlequin begins to release English translated manga adaptations of its romance novels<\/p>\n

Toei begins direct distribution of American DVDs. Distribution ends in 2006<\/p>\n

Howl’s Moving Castle nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Animated Film category<\/p>\n

The Cowboy Bebop TV series passes one million home video copies sold in America since its American debut in 1999<\/p>\n

Bandai Entertainment USA co-produces XEBEC’s “D.I.C.E.” anime television series which premiers on American TV on January 22, 2005 and on Japan’s Animax network as “Dinobreaker” nearly 12 months later on December 6, 2005<\/p>\n

2006:<\/strong>
\nFinal Fantasy VII: Advent Children sells over one million copies in North America within its first year of release<\/p>\n

Japanese publisher Ohzora Publishing launches American subsidiary Aurora Publishing, Inc.<\/p>\n

Digital Manga launches its 801 Media & Juné yaoi publishing labels<\/p>\n

2007:<\/strong>
\nBostTV and Vuze premier English translated anime in America exclusively through digital distribution<\/p>\n

Manganovel.com launched<\/p>\n

Yen Press established<\/p>\n

ImaginAsian releases America’s first “made on demand” commercial anime DVDs<\/p>\n

The National Football League promotes the Eyeshield 21 anime series<\/p>\n

Geneon USA ceases American anime distribution<\/p>\n

2008:<\/strong>
\nCrunchyroll, YouTube, BostTV offer near simultaneous worldwide online distribution of Tower of Druaga & Blassreiter TV series<\/p>\n

Kodansha USA established<\/p>\n

MangaGamer.com launched<\/p>\n

Article revised on October 22, 2008 with assistance from John C. Watson<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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