December 1990 Pt6. AnimeUK Newsletter

The ANIME UK newsletter Issue 3. December 1990

AnimeUK Newsletter,Consisting of 23 pages, #3 December 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. 

A review, and look back on what was in minds of Anime Fans in the United Kingdom approaching the end of the year, that first saw a few like-minded individuals join together and create a nexus that would expand to small groups, and plant the seeds of an Anime Fandom, and would encourage retail companies that Animation was not Kids stuff, of Saturday morning cartoons. Contributors and readers alike did their part, in what today (post 2022) is pitifully slow in gaining momentum and numbers, compared to the rise of social media. 

Devilman artwork by Steve Kyte.

This is the start of print run from October's Volume 1 Issue 2 of 1990, and over a year later the issue published would be Volume 2 Issue 6 October 1992 (the last issue I have), and the.

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

[NOTE: That in the days of scissors, paper, and glue (the real CUT & PASTE of Desk-Top-Publishing), and typewriters and their like (even before Word processors), all to be photocopied and stapled by hand, you can see the dedication in individually drawing the page numbers freehand.  Such was the love and motivation for cartoon for a mature audience.]

EDITORIAL;

“KONNICHIWA!" 

“First of all thanks to DEAN HEATHCOTE who has provided our first-ever FREE GIFT -  the issue of his comic HEITAI enclosed with this issue of ANIME UK.  All comments and feedback will be appreciated and should be sent to Dean at the address inside the back cover  -  with your subscription, of course. “

“Thanks to everyone who's commented on A.UK so far -  all favourably, which is nice for the ego but doesn't make for a riviting, kicking-and-screaming, controversial letter-column!   This, by the way, has a new name (ANIME PLUS, the “plus” being you, gentle reader) and logo, courtesy of MARK JOHNSON -  thanks, Mark”

“Two bits of good news: Dean H.  tells me that AKIRA (English dub) goes on sell-thru in the US in January 91, so get your orders in to American penpals now;  and a friend in Japan writes that after financial holdups and undercetainty CTBER CITY OEDO 808 #2 goes on sale in Jaan on 28th Dec. I hope to have a copy sometime in January.”

“Here's wishing you all a very merry Christmas with lots of animegoodies in your stockings (I'll settle for another Char in mine, this time in 3D, but that's another story..)  and a great New Year.   See you at the end of February 1991 with A. UK 4!”

“All views and opinions expressed herein are the personal views and opinions of the writer.   Accuracy of information contained herein is always striven for but cannot be absolutely guaranteed!”

ANIME UK is a non-profit fan publication and recognises and upholds the copyrights of the creators of the various works of which it mentions for review, discussion and information purposes.  

With this proviso, all artwork and writing herein is copyright to the artist or writer and may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without their prior permission.   The Editor will forward requests for permission to republish articles appearing here in other fanzines,”

“BITS AND PIECES”

AKIRA finally premieres in London in the English-speaking version at the ICA from 25th. January.   Book now!!”

“Many thanks to DAVE ROW whose generosity in printing the first run of A-UK 2 for free has enabled me to run a higher page count than expected this time.”

“Some of you will have found an extra freebie apart from HEITAI in your envelope – a poster, cutting [Carlo's NOTE magazine cutting\scrap page] or one of those inimitable magazine giveaways so beloved of the Japanese.   Thanks to STEVE RYTE who has gone through our anime bits & pieces for doubles and unwanted items, these small anime goodies go to subscribers whose names have come up in this issue's lucky dip.   I'll continue to do this as long as the goodies last.   )I may also slip something the way of the author/s of my favourite contritions in each issue too, editorial bias being what it is!)

CONTENCE PAGE

Contributors to this issue; 

Writers;

Page  2-4 Editorial, credits, bits & pieces

Page 5 ART OF THE DIRTY PAIR reviewed by DENZIL J. BROWN

Page 6 AKIRA reviewed by ANTONY JACKSON

Page 7 THE MIYAZAKI PROJECT – report from HARRY PATNE

Page 8 FORGOTTERN FLEETS OF YAMATO: PAUL DAVISON – imagines the Space Cruiser's sister ships.

Page 9 CONCERT II  - CON  review by HARRY PAYNE.

Page 9 – 10 CONVENTION NEWS by HM

Page 11 BRIAN FLANAGAN reports on the latest VCR tech [note that's Analogue Video cassette Recorder]

Page13 – 15 STEVE KYTE looks at the kits recently available in 'Forbidden Planet'.

Page 16 -18  CITY HUNTER: PETER R. EVANS reviews.

Page 20 – 23 ANIME PLUS: letters

Contributors to this issue; 

ARTISTS;

Page 2 & 5 STEVE KYTE (from A- CLUB (who probably ripped 'em off from NEWTYPE!)

Page 4 PETER EVENS

Page 8 PAUL DAVISON

Page 10, 11  VAUNDA K. PERRY

Page 12 TREVOR BROWN

Page 15 top DEAN HEATHCOTE

Page 15 bottom PETER MILLIGAN

Page 18 PETER R. EVENS

Page 19 DIEGO PARONI

Page 21  VAUNDA K. PERRY

Page 23 STEVE KYTE

LOGO & FOOTERS by GRAHAM BLEATHMAN

LETTER COLUMN LOGO by MARK JOHNSON

Thanks to everyone who's contributed!

JAPAN CENTRE PART TWO  is just a few yards further down Brewer Street [Carlo adds, LONDON, ENGLAND] than the original shop and is devoted entirely to anime and video hire. [Carlo adds, renting VHS video cassettes, see example 'Blockbuster Video']   Prices convert roughly yen to penny but there are a few bargains.   Club membership costs £5 with a £50 deposit (returnable on leaving) and hire charges £1.50 - £2.00.   Anime on shelves included ZGUNDAM, LUPIN III, LAPUTA, CITY HUNTER.  Open 10 – 6 Mon-Sat, 11-7 Sun.

LATE ADDRESS INSERT: ROBERT J CLIFFORD III  JAPAN. US Navy professional involved in Anglo-Japanese manga etc translation group, would like to hear from anyone interested in working on translations.  Costume fan/photographer, another nice American fan I met at ConFiction.

Page 5 ART OF THE DIRTY PAIR – STANDARD EDITION: SEXY TWO reviewed by DENZIL J. BROWN 

[A colour ART book of about 90 pages (with only 2 pages with any text), that may cost you £20 - “Well, does the book live up to its Title?  The answer is yes, if you're an anime fan”.]

Page 6 AKIRA reviewed by ANTONY JACKSON

Akira – 124 mins – Sereo – Digi/Auto CX

Cat. No. SF070-1550 – Letterbox – Gatefold Sleave – 7000 Yen

“A superbly animated film that is NOT for kids. A mixture of Blade Runner, Scanners and A Clock work Orange, it is a very violent film.”

Antony Jackson scores the film a 9 for Picture, 8 for sound, and an overall score of 10

Page 7 THE MIYAZAKI PROJECT – report from HARRY PATNE

The Nausicaa Filmbook, “Roman Graohic Album extra 61”. A4 size, perfect bound, 180 pages (40 pages of production notes).  Published by Tokuma Shoten: cover price 920 Yen.

A copy could be procured from 'Books Nippon' (Japanese book shop behind Saint Paul's Cathedral London) for maybe £8.44 to £10.00, sending a £5.00 deposit for Mail-Order is best.

Other 'Roman Graphic Albums' are also available from 'Books Nippon'; Laputa the flying Island, “Mt neighbour Totoro, Kiki's delivery service.

Page 8 FORGOTTERN FLEETS OF YAMATO: PAUL DAVISON – imagines the Space Cruiser's sister ships.

No. 1 The Space Battleship Yamashiro, and engagements with Gamilas Space dreadnaughts, based upon eyewitness accounts of the time.

Page 9 CONCERT II  - CON  review by HARRY PAYNE.

Page 9 – 10 CONVENTION NEWS by HM

OTHER CONVENTION NEWS 

SPECULATION, the 1991 Eastercon in Glasgow, has approached me to contribute to the video programme.  (they actually asked me to run it but I didn't fancy working 24 hours a day for the whole Easter weekend – you only do that if you're mad, or a techie, or both.)  This means there will be anime at SPECULATION, about 4 hours a day.  I will of course bring as much hot new-release stuff as I can get sent from Tokyo in the week before the Con, but if anyone has any special requests I'm open to suggestions.  Registration is currently £25 and I don't yet know the room rates.

MASQUE

is to be held early in 1992 and will be the UK's first-ever costume convention.  All types of dress – historical, roleplaying, TV or film reproduction or just plain silly will be worn and welcomed.

There will be an art show, dealers' room and film/video programme all revolving round costume, and a full workshop programme to increase your costuming skills.

If You've ever wanted to strut your stuff as Minmei or Harlock, make a Knight of Gold from cornflake boxes or hammer out a perfect Dunbine armour from sheet metal, this conis for you.   It's also for you if you want to model, as costume-makers always need them, take pictures or just admire.  For more details contact MELUSINE... Borehamwood, Herts, enclosing an SSAE please.

AnimeCon 91, the American manga/anime convention in San Jose, has confirmed 9 Japanese guests including Matsumoto (Harlock), Mikinoto (Macross, Megazone 23), Sadamoto (Oneamis) and Otomo (AKIRA), plus 4 US manga pros.   The Con runs from 30th. August – 2nd. September and you can get details from 3145 Geary Blvd, Suite 524, San Francisco, CA 94118.   Membership are currently $35 and room rates $62 single to $81 quad.   If anyone's thinking of going please let me know.

ANIME SHOWINGS IN LONDON

SAT 19TH JANUARY 1991

Host: Jay Felton

SUN 17TH FEBRUARY 1991

Host: Helen McCarthy/Steve Kyte

SUN 17TH MARCH 1991

*Host: Helen McCarthy/Steve Kyte

SAT 27TH APRIL 1991

Host: Jay Felton

SUN 26TH MAY 1991

Host: Helen McCarthy/Steve Kyte

INFO & NEWS from ROGER DUARTE

ADVENTURE!  ICZER-THREE will be a six part OVA; part One was released 25th. Oct 1990.

the GATCHAMAN series has been released on LD [Laser Disk, an analogue optical disk the size of a vinyl LP record] at a whopping 150,000 Yen!

Page 11 BRIAN FLANAGAN reports on the latest VCR tech  [note that's Analogue Video cassette Recorder]

THE NTSC/PAL BARRIER – SOON TO BE BROKEN?

[note that's Analogue Video cassette Recorder, and that Anime from Japan has been recorded using the Television format of NTSC, that has a different picture frequency, and ]

Also from the Letters page, was the added information, from Brian Flanagan, of a company that converts VHS tapes from NTSC to PAL;

"REAL VIDEO, 17 Cavedish Raod, London NW6 7XT - Rob Prince, charges apx £12 an hour plus VAT to convert NTSC to PAL."

Page13 – 15 STEVE KYTE looks at the kits recently available in 'Forbidden Planet'.

Page 16 -18  CITY HUNTER: PETER R. EVANS reviews.

   

Page 20 – 23 ANIME PLUS: letters

Tom Edge from Western Australasia writes about how he and his Anime fan group got to read the AnimeUK Newsletter via a “Finnish” contact, and how Anime groups are forming everywhere.  And they sympathise regarding our video format problems, and in their case solved the issue by getting tapes from Hong Kong.

New subscriber Robert L. Davies, mentions that 'CARDIFF FANTASY CENTRE' (that are only Open on Saturdays), will find and order Manga comic-books for you.

And hoped to start a LIST of people's 'TOP 5' Anime\Manga, he starts off;

Manga; AKIRA, DOMINION, OUTLANDERS, APPLESEED, BLACK MAGIC.

[NOTE: at the time there were NO dedicated retail Anime labels\companies in the UK. For Anime]

[NOTE: Helen writes that “interesting letters, the first 2 of which come from people who haven't even seen ANIMEUK! (not sure if that makes us famous or notorious...)

Philip Reeder, wrote; “I have for many years been collecting robot model kits”, and he had seen a poster in the 'Sheffield Space Centre', [Helen notes that the poster didn't mention kits at all, just AUK..]

Eric O. Hunting from New Jersey USA, wrote to ask for help in sharing sources for videos, and  tape trading.  As  “New Jersey being the cultural no-mans-land it is, I've had difficulty acquiring Japanimation videos”.

[NOTE: Regarding modern copyright and publishing online;  Helen McCarthey wrote “I don't have a problem with any of it, it seems reasonable. As far as I am concerned you can reproduce anything I wrote in full, But that would put pressure on other contributors.”] 

[NOTE: As a publication which was circulated, my understanding is that anyone may legally quote up to 10% of any article or chapter within such a publication for research or scholarly purposes, with appropriate credit to the author/rights holder.   All AUK articles gave us first periodical rights so all rights now belong to the authors.   Image rights are different, they belong to the rights holders and may not be reproduced without their prior permission for any purpose.] 

LAYOUT of December 1990's issue of the AnimeUK Newsletter;

Pages One to Six,

Pages Seven to thirteen,

Pages Fourteen to Nineteen,

Pages Twenty to Twenty Three,

[NOTE: Page Twenty four added is the Contact list of those that have joined the subscription, and are playing a passive or active role in being part of the United Kingdom's First Anime Fandom! With a Total Number of 35 as of December 1990. Only 8 months after Easter Con '90]

[NOTE:Freebie - poster, cutting or magazine giveaways,

[NOTE: Dave Row - Paid for the printing for AUK issue 2,

[NOTE: ICA to be FIRST show Dub of AKIRA on 25th. January 1991 in LONDON,

[NOTE: Anime video rental from JAPAN CENTRE (Brewer Street, London) Membership £5 + £50 deposit Cost £1.50 - £2.00,

[NOTE: Philip Reeder saw a AUK poster in Sheffield Space Center!

July 1990 Pt. 12 Letters Page

With so many old friends found in the 'Letters Page' of a comic books or Fanzines; that Pen-Pal network, that started me off back in late 1989 and early 1990, is now a time capsule, and having kept many letters, I am now adding snippets of thoughts of yesteryear when I can.

Fan Club addresses, contacts and pen-pals.

  

Alan from Roehampton (Pen-pals list in Robotech II Sentinals #13 “Robotegami”) – wrote about “G-Force, and Ulysses, Voltron, and seeing Robotech on Cable TV (Superchannel), Techno Police Movies is on “Sky Movies” - “Have you seen the Japanese Season on Channel Four?”, “At least we can see some of the stuff!”

and buying a Panasonic (NV L28B) VCR (video Tape recorder) that had NTSC Playback, to watch Anime.

[NOTE: see link to cant-play-anime and the cost of VCRs with NTSC playback was as much as a month's wage, and in today's money £450 is equivalent in purchasing power to £1,003.49 in 2018.]

Martin from Portsmouth (Pen-pals list in Robotech II Sentinals #13 “Robotegami”) – wrote about

“I've just bought a Panasonic NV-J35B (even though the picture quality doesn't match my Akai VS-53EK, and it sounds like it runs on clock-work!)” - “I thought Laputa was a beautiful film, very emotional and exceeding well animated. It made a pleasant change from the run-of-the-mill kill the bad guys, with fancy Mecha we see.”

Richard from Swindon (EDC member - pen-pal), wrote about “Anime Hasshin, who I have just heard from after a seven week wait. I received 'The Rose' No. 21, and noticed [an Anime fan] at RAF Lakenheath over hear, have you contacted him yet?”, “I also had a letter from Lorraine Savage requesting a small piece on UK Anime activities”, and I am writing a short piece for Helen McCarthy's Anime Newsletter”. “I've given up on 'The lovely Angels Fanatic Cult', who I haven't heard from at all.” - “I would be interested in seeing some of the games console items related to Anime, I know there have been games based on 'Urusei Yatsura', 'SPT layzner (Blue comet)', and 'Macross', with the 'Sega Megadrive' being officially launched in September [the Grey import games will not work\fit with the UK Megadrive] “this means that most of the Anime titles will not work” - The official price is £190.00 inc 1 game, with other games costing £30 -£40. “At least those games don't cost the £220 per games of the Neo Geo!”

[NOTE:   In other words, £190 in 1990 is equivalent in purchasing power to £423.69 in 2018, and £30 to £40 in 1990 is equivalent in purchasing power to £66.90 to £89.20 in 2018. with a whopping £220 in 1990 is equivalent in purchasing power to £490.59 in 2018]

Jim From Edmonton (EDC member – pen-pal – UK's Star Trek fandom USS Endeavour, with its Special Interest Group Arcadia ) wrote - “Talking about 'Black Magic', I've just finished creating a fiendish scenario for R. Talsorian's CYBERPUNK role-playing game, based on the Anime... I think players are in for a hard time, heh, heh, heh. The comic version of 'Black magic M66' should be on sale soon too.” and “You lucky scumbag, you. It's not fair, all you guys with NTSC videos getting all the really nifty anime...”

Paul from South Shields (MekTek subscriber and EastCon '90 attendee) back in June wrote about “'Japanime North East' – we are now an official club (!) that's our proper name at the top of the page (club letterheads are very useful), I managed to secure us a quit TV viewing lounge at the local Community Centre, and they are soon going to buy us a Video to use (Multi format of course), we'll be having viewing sessions every Sunday evening. It costs £3.50 to become a member for a year, and nightly subs are 40p (standard community association). “

“I do hope that you can bring people in your area together and form a successful Anime Club, there are lot of people around Britain who have talked before about forming clubs, but as usual nothing happens.” - “We should be getting more good Anime soon and we will all 'chip in' to get it converted to Pal so that everyone can enjoy it, after all 10 members each give £2 to get a tape converted, we think its the best way. - (it cost £34 for 3 hours).”

[NOTE: £34 in 1990 is equivalent in purchasing power to £75.82 in 2018.]

[NOTE: With America and Japan running the NTSC television format, and the UK having its PAL system finding compatible VCR (video Tape recorder), and a television that was smart enough to show the signal was a big deal back in the 90's, very hard to find, and the cost was well over a month's wage!]

[NOTE: Mr G. Cowie explains the technicalities, back in the day...]

[NOTE: Anime showings were done in people's bedrooms, and front rooms, and community centres, as part of the grass roots of a fledgling Fandom.] 

June 1990 Pt.5 Anime Pen-Pals & Video Game Consoles & Cancer

By June of 1990 the UK Anime Pen-Pal network was growing, most people only knew of 3 to 5 people that they had contacted and this included local friends too, at this time I was corresponding with about 15 or more Anime\Manga fans, all very time consuming for a Dyslexic, even with the support of my Mother using a manual typewriter for typing-up my badly spelt and grammatically incorrect scribbling in English, as well as my health.

From late in 1989 the American Fan club the E.D.C had a list of members and correspondence, and inquiring persons of 8 UK fans and 3 overseas (outside of the USA & Canada), *

You could also find UK Fans via the American Anime & manga Fan Club Anime Hasshin.

The odd UK Pen-Pal that knew about Anime could be found in imported American Robotech comic-books, but when writing a letter to a comic-book publisher overseas it could take up to 2 months before your details appeared in the Pen-Pal section of its comic-book, and another month (if you were lucky) to receive any letters back!

Those Fans that either went to EastCon '90 (UK's Science fiction Convention) or had shown an interest would receive the “Anime contact list” (that was attached to the First News-sheet for Anime Fans in the UK (the proto Anime UK Newsletter) put together by Helen McCarthy, and Steve Kyte this had contact details of 31 UK fans & 7 overseas fans, and was a Hub and a Nexus to many finding the new World of Anime.

On Saturday 23^th. (June) I went to Nottingham, and found a shop that Imported Japanese video game consoles, called 'Supervision Electronics' run by a Mr. Wong, on Mansfield Road, and the two consoles that stood out where the Japanese new SEGA 'Megadrive' that cost £165 to £220, and the compacted Japanese 'PC Engine' that cost £160 (the equivalent of £365 in today's money). These imported Japanese electronics were known as Gray-imports. **

It was I believe that in this shop it was when I first pick up a copy of 'Console ma'zine', produced and edited by Onn Lee. Another NEW frontier running parallel to the underground fan base of Anime and Manga, was of 8-Bit and 16-bit gaming consoles from Japan, for 2 or more players, that's right you got yours friends to come to your house to play games, and in the days when you had NO saves, only Lives, and Credits! There were a few games that came from Manga\Anime that were not all text heavy RPG's one caught my eye it was a 'City Hunter' game for the PC Engine console.

City Hunter

Sometime before the end of June My weekly radiotherapy treatment for Cancer was stopped, as it was not effective enough, and so I was quickly booked in to Hospital from the 8th. to the 13th.of July, for surgery to remove the Cancer from my tongue, I was just 23 years old, and the dogma the the NHS Doctors & Surgeons for talking to their patients was very different in 1990 from today.

My new found interests kept me going at this time (and starting a Local Anime Club), as well as the support from my family and friends, and the Anime pen-pals letters of encouragement.

That was My June of 1990 I remember.....!

*[NOTE: 7 of the 8 UK fans listed in American Anime fan Clubs would find their way on to Helen McCarthy's list of UK Fans.]

**[NOTE:A grey import is equipment that has been supplied by a manufacturer in a different part of the world, that ends up being sold on to you in the UK. The key point is that the manufacturer has sold it into a different (not UK or EU) geographic market, and someone else is then importing it into the UK. Different power supplies and fittings\plugs, will be an issue, as well as No manufacturer warranty, but you do get the new technology months or years ahead of the normal UK market, and sometimes the equipment\technology was never exported outside of the original manufacturer's country (Japanese 'PC Engine' games console\s).]

[NOTE: After 27 years (1990 -2017) have gone bye, hoarding letters and Zines does help fill in the gaps in my memory.]