October 1990 Pt. 4 PC Engine Fan Magazine

PC Engine Fan - First Published in 1988 by Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co. Consisting of 108 pages (including the front & back covers), Published Monthly #10 October 1990 (Volume 3),490 Yen.

[NOTE: The 'PC Engine Fan' magazine was part of a few Japanese magazines that concentrated exclusively the home market of the NEC's video game consoles, and was devoted to the PC Engine. A compact and superior 8bit video game console, that evolved in a modular fashion, known for its slim credit-card sized games, and what is more it would have the first console games on CD-ROM, with high quality CD audio.]  

Wow! I'd almost forgotten I had any Japanese PC Engine magazines from 1990, and this was the only other 'PC Engine Fan' magazine I have from 1990. I must find where I have put it..?!

More to come, when I find what I have done with the Magazine....

[it is in the late 80's and early 90's that the Japanese Gaming Consoles would create a following in the UK. A historical parallel with the Animation that was made in Japan and its newly import and interest.]

July 1990 Pt.4 'PC Engine Fan' Magazine

PC Engine Fan - First Published in 1988 by Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co. Consisting of 108 pages (including the front & back covers), Published Monthly #7 July 1990 (Volume 3),390 Yen.

[NOTE: The 'PC Engine Fan' magazine was part of a few Japanese magazines that concentrated exclusively the home market of the NEC's video game consoles, and was devoted to the PC Engine. A compact and superior 8bit video game console, that evolved in a modular fashion, known for its slim credit-card sized games, and what is more it would have the first console games on CD-ROM, with high quality CD audio.]  

Wow! I'd almost forgotten I had any Japanese PC Engine magazines from 1990. Not only was it that it had Cel-like artwork on the front cover, much like Anime industry, but featured many video games that were Anime tie-ins much to my delight. 

Again not being able myself to translate the Japanese details of the contents of this magazine, what you get is solely from the few English words and the identifiable artworks and illustrations of tie-ins and popular games, but looking back this was full colour, and was just as powerful as static linked web-pages showing me a wider World, as even a 1990's video gamer the NEC's PC Engine was even more niche and underground than your average Anime and Manga fan in the UK.

Cover Cel-like art from  'The Legend of A Fantasm Soldier III'.

 The Grey PC-Engine, with the Supper CD-ROM System, and Stereo add-on. 

 The Contents page (for you to translate if you like.)

'Urusei Yatsura - Stay with You',  better known as LUM

(game title to be added..!)

 Urusei Yatsura,  better known as LUM

(game title to be added..!)

 From the OVA 'Far East of Eden'.

Is this from an Anime ?

Advert for  'The Legend of A Fantasm Soldier III'

(not an Anime, but with animation Cel like artwork).

Adverts for.............??  

Adverts for  'Sol Bianca' & 'Cyber City OEDO 808'

 Adverts for  

New games Coming soon. 

 Ranma 1/2

The Back cover with an advert for ' Ghosts and Ghouls'.  

Probably the best Arcade conversion for the PC Engine next to 'Street Fighter II'.

Truly the NEC's PC Engine was even more niche and underground than your average Anime and Manga fan in the UK in the late 1980's and early 1990's, but it too had its Fandom, and those interests did overlap for many Fans.

[NOTE: I still have the first 'The Legend of A Fantasm Soldier' on CD-ROM.]

February 1990 Pt1.

Now moving into February bringing 'EastCon 90' that little bit closer, and with it putting faces to names.

In my quest to find more information I did write to the Embassy of Japan in London (I thought that this was quit brave of me at the time, as I was only a young Gaijin), and the reply was very quick, I found the three company addresses they did find for me was a start, but for the error of my gender in the letter, it was most satisfactory.

[Note: Getting a reply in six days from an Embassy was good going, of course now a days Internet search-engines get you more detailed information in six seconds! you lucky sods!!]

Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co.

Was one of the biggest entertainment publishers in the late 80's, with magazines such like 'Animage' & 'PC Engine Fan' which were known to me.

[Note: It has come to my attention that they were the parent company of an animation studio 'Studio Ghibli' quite well known in the West now.]

Kodansha

Is consider to be the largest publisher in Japan. In its repertoire of magazines, books, and Manga, many of the novels and manga published by Kodansha have gone on to be adapted to Animé.

Bandai

Now considered to be the third largest toy maker in the World, with toys, model kits, and Video games, as well as a producer (capital funding) and sponsor of Anime.

[Note: I remember it being said “that every household in Japan has at least one 'Gundam' model kit”, way to go Bandai.]

[Note: The power of such a large toy manufacture when sponsoring the production of an Anime series, point in case “Aura Battler Dunbine”.  Mecha (Giant robots) were added in to a fantasy setting, so toys and model kits could be sold as merchandise.]

I have yet to find any old letters to these companies, or their replies, but you never know what you might find in the bottom of a box.