October 1990 Pt.7 AnimeUK Newsletter

AnimeUK Newsletter.

AnimeUK Newsletter, Consisting of 16 pages, #2 October 1990. Editor: Helen McCarthy.  And was available by subscription only, photocopied and mailed to subscribers on a bi-monthly basis (6 per 12 months). Subscription rates were to be: UK £6, Europe £8, USA £10, Australasia £12, Asia £12. This is the start of print run October Volume 1 Issue 2 of 1990, and over a year later the issue published was Volume 2 Issue 6 October 1992 (the last issue I have).

What next arrived in October by post was “AnimeUK” the Newsletter of the UK's fledgling Anime Fandom, with its welcoming greeting of “Konnichiwa!” 

This newsletter was in response to the Questionnaire that went out with the proto “AnimeUK” Newsletter\Post Easter Con anime report, that was sent to 27 recipients, it was Helen's thought to ensure a wider circulation of Anime and easier contact between fans, would be to do a newsletter and fanzine which would at least provide a point of contact to start with.

There maybe surviving questionnaires in someone's attic?

Looking for News, Views and Reviews.

Contributors to this issue;

AnimeUK Logo and Footer by Graham Bleathman

[NOTE: “I did the logo for both the b/w newsletter and the colour magazine that followed.” says Graham.]

Art contributions by;

Peter Evans (page 4, & page 9)

Dean Heathcote (page 1, 12, & page 15)

Steve Kyte (page 6, & page 16)

News, Views and Reviews by;

Helen McCarthy (page 2, page 3 & half of page 4)

David Row (page 5)

Helen McCarthy (pages 6 & 7)

Richard Poffley (page 8 & 9)

Carlo Bernhardi (page 10 & 11)

Dean Heathcote (page 12)

Jim Swallow (page 13)

Jay Felton (page 14 & 15)

Peter Milligan (page 16)

ConFiction – THE WORLDCON REPORT. By Helen McCarthy (pages 2-4)

Helen's convention report covered the location and costs, and information on the number of attendees, including how her short Anime programme was received, and the Anime panel that Steve Kyte, and the honored guest Mr. Osaku attended, as well as the now obligatory account of the 'Dealer's room'.

“ ConFiction, The 48^th World Science Fiction Convention, was held in the Nederlandse Congresgebouw, Den Haag, The Netherlands from 23^rd -27^th August 1990.” “With less then 3,000 attending members it was one of the most thinly attended Worldcons of recent years and, in Particular, many of the registered American attending members didn't show.”

[NOTE: That the exchange rate for domestic currency (the American dollar, and the English pound) for many convention goers may have played a high contributing factor for them not being able to attend a convention in the Netherlands. Cost for attending members was about £65 for the 5 days, as well accommodation cost of £16 per night upwards.  Adding to this, the US's concerns about the War in the Middle East!!]

The short anime programme that Helen ran, was only about fifty yards away from the main building, located in one of the smaller meeting rooms in the 'Bel Air' Hotel, and ran for 4 hours per day, it was well attended, and with a noticeable “hard core”of 20 regulars per session. Some of the Anime that was showcased was as follows; Cyber City Oedo 808, Back Magic marionette M-66, Project A-KO, Megazone 23 Part II, Patlabor, Bubblegum Crisis.

There was an Anime panel, and apparently “Fred Patten” was due to be on that panel, but was a no-show, leaving Steve Kyte to became its moderator and, Mr. Osaku and his translator as the attendees. The room that the panel was in, was attended by about 200 people. Later Mr. Osaku was able to show “DORAEMON THE ATOMIC CAT” (translated for American TV).

[NOTE: in regards to the Dealer's Room, out of all of the SF dealers that were present, only two examples could be found that had any Anime merchandise at all.]

  

BITS & PIECES

Page 5. Was split-up into a few sections of different announcements; 

David Row's plans for a “Tapelist database”; 

Anime screenings (at Helen's home in London, 1 in November and 1 in December); 

Peter Evans tells us about JSTV – the satellite channel for expats, is soon to show an Anime series (a cookery show); 

DEPARTMENT OF ABSOLUTE ENVY (Patrick Collins is in Tokyo and in 1991 so will Peter Evans); 

ITALIAN ANIME CLUB (Japanime Fans Club, Pietro Da Lissone M 13, 20035); 

KITS – Available from Sheffield Space Centre (Bandai GUNDAM kits in stock, and Rick Cowling writes article that's in “Model and Accessories Mart”, and plugs Paul Davison's anime Group); 

BSB showed “Power of the Lens” (again).

REVIEWS:

Pages 6 & 7 had Anime reviews of NEW Devilman OVA, and CYBER CITY OEDO 808 OVA by Helen McCarthy.

Pages 8 & 9 consisted of the article, 'Anime Clubs in the USA' by Richard Poffley

(EDC Animation Society – Dallas, Texas, AND Anime Hasshin – Warren, Rhode Island, and The C/FO – Culver city California, as well as a BBS run by Animag)

Pages 10 & 11 also had a Review; The story of GUNHED - the live action movie explained by Carlo Bernhardi, Anime Kyo UK

[NOTE: a short review of the video game GUNHED for the PC Engine, and the EDITOR'S NOTE : “Carlo kindly sent me 2 pieces of artwork copied from a GUNHED article, but they were too dark to reprint”.]

On Page 12 we can see an article entitled FIRST SIGHT – Video reviews by Dean Heathcote

reviews covered UK VHS releases; 'Warriors of the wind' and 'The World of the Talisman'.

Page 13 had OVERVIEW - a look at some recent publications by JIM SWALLOW

The overviews covered were; Mangajin Volume 1 No 1. (magazine), AND GUNDAM MOBILE SUIT VOLUME 1 : Awakening (novel by Yoshiyuki Tomino \ Translated by F. L. SCHODT).

Pages 14, 15 & 16 were given over to the Letters sent to the Editor.Jay Felton and Peter Milligan Wrote in to gives their views.

[NOTE: from the Editor “OK, OK, it's not a great title for a letter column – if you have a better suggestion let's hear it.]

Jay Felton Writes:

Jay Felton wrote on such topics as APAs (Amateur Press Association – Fan fiction self publishing); plans to create a guide for new fans to be able to find local groups in UK. Jay was also toying with the idea of a fun topic to have in the Newsletter themed around 'Desert Island Disks' just this time it would be what Anime film or OVA would you take with you?! The subject of dealing with those that Bootleg VHS anime tapes also came up.

Peter Milligan Writes:

"Mark (one of the owners) at “Fantasy Inn” has a Anime Fanzine in the works, and was due to be out in September" Peter lets the readers know that most video dealers (retail) you could order videos of the following;

WARRIORS OF THE WIND, Vestron, £7.99

CRUSHERS, MY-TV, £5.99   [Running Time Approx 89 minutes/Colour] 

ONCE UPON A TIME , MY-TV, £5.99  [92 minutes of Cartoon Fun] 

ROBOTECH episodes, £5.99  [Running Time Approx. 48 mins.]

ROBOTECH: THE SENTINELS, £7.99

Helen McCarthy in reply to Peter Milligan mentioned that the cost of converting 1 two hour NTSC VHS Tape to a Pal VHS tape - was £20 plus VAT!  

[NOTE: I have not found any other news on this front of a Fanzine! 'Fantasy Inn' was at 17 Charing Cross Road (under 'The Book Inn') London, England, the only other scrap of news on the Web I can find is that "This shop burnt down in 1991", but I have no other confirmation on this at this time.]

[NOTE: these retail VHS tapes were sold as kids cartoons, in English, as they have been Americanized, and edited for the children's market – the cover Art was just awful!]

I would like to say that the momentum of this London based nexus spread out across the country, not just a Pen-Pals contact list, but an inviting community that you could if you so wished, contribute to with your news, views and reviews in regards to all things Anime and Manga and letters to the Editor about this new Fandom in the UK.  All were welcome.

In the days of scissors, paper, and glue (the real CUT & PASTE), and typewriters and their like, all to be photocopied and stapled by hand, you can see the dedication in individually drawing the page numbers freehand.

AnimeUK Newsletter.

AnimeUK Newsletter.

AnimeUK Newsletter.

[NOTE: Helen McCarthy was kind enough to let me know, that “Anything not credited in the newsletter is usually by me”. (July 2020)]

[NOTE: 2020 was to see a 30^th anniversary celebration of the 1990 World Convention Confiction, but sadly it was cancelled due to COVID19. (For more details click the link)]  

Just a reminder that this was the face of poor marketing... aimed at children and their parents who has the cash to buy cartoons! 

[Side NOTE: using an Inflation calculator to look at those costs from the year 1990 (VAT was at 15%) to today's money in 2020. £5.99 = £15.04 & £7.99 = £20.06 & (£20.00 + 15% VAT) £23.00 = £57.74. and this was for animation from the early to mid 80's]

I have done my best in finding a balance between the holders of the intellectual property, and those in scholarly pursuit of Anime Fandom history in the UK (the 90's) for educational purposes No copyright infringement is intended.