AnimeUK Magazines 1992 -

AnimeUK Magazines in 1992 

Number 2 SPRING (JUNE/JULY) 1992 

Click on the above TAB "AnimeUK Magazine 1992"

OR 

Click on this link, 'AnimeUK Magazines 1992'.

To save on scrolling, if there are multipule years when the magazines were published, then each year of Publication will have its own Page\TAB.

[NOTE: Once I have a good understanding of what issues were printed in Volumes 1, 2, and 3, and the rebooted in the NEW Series, it is my hope to upload them.]

Showing some of the 'Classics', 

and AUK Subscription.

Showing some of the 'Classics', 

and AFX Subscription.

AnimeUK Magazine DEC91

 AnimeUK Magazine December 1991

In the Winter of 1991\1992  'AnimeUK Magazine' was first published, costing about £3.50?

With 30 numbered pages, excluding the front and back 4 side pages.

Click on the above TAB "AnimeUK Magazine December 1991"

OR 

Click on this link, AnimeUK Magazine 1.

[NOTE: it would be June\July of 1992 for the Spring issue, number 2, and issue number 3 was to be on sale on the 8th. of August 1992, as it was hoped to be a quarterly publication.]

[NOTE: No Barcode, and No ISBN number, for this publication.]

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.

30th Anniversary for UK Anime Fans

Please join me in celebrating the 30th. Anniversary of the first organised meeting of the UK's Anime Fans. 

Held at the UK's Easter Science Fiction convention EastCon'90 in Liverpool, England. 

Friday 13th  to Sunday 15th  of April.

My thanks go to; Ashley from MEKTEK for sending me flyers for EastCon 90; Steve Kyte for telling us "So get ready for UK Anime Fandom - EASTCON 90 is just the beginning!"; And to Helen McCarthy for her herculean skills in organizing the Video Rooms screening of Anime, and encouragement to the group of Anime Pen-Pals.

My recollection of the UK's Anime Fandom.

Taken from the very first AnimeUK Newsletter, one statement rang out true!

"You're getting this because you were at EASTERCON 90 bar meeting or else have written to me to express an interest in anime fandom in the UK, and since it didn't really exist before EASTERCON you're part of the setup crew!"

"you're part of the setup crew!"

To this day it can still invoke memories of how it felt, like a time of wonderment to so many of us. More new friendships were made, and the Fandom grew.

It would be less than a year later, that the UK would have its very first Anime convention;

'Anime Day' 

held in Sheffield on Saturday 9th of March 1991, but that is another story.

NOTE: As of this posting the UK is in its 3rd week of 'Lockdown' due to the outbreak the Covid-19 Virus  (the Coronavirus World pandemic of 2020). Stay safe, and stay sane.

NOTE: Right, back to 1990 and the months that lay ahead.

NOTE: Con booklet, and paperwork provided by P. Davison (Feb 2021).

April 1990 Pt.1d UK Anime Fandom.

For the first time, new fans and Pen-Pals alike gathered, even the 'Zentraedi' spies (Ian, Keith & Paul Davison) where in attendance. People so infused with a passion for Japanese Animation to get the recognition that Anime was a new frontier worth exploring!

I can not after all this time (24 years have passed by) remember all those who where there at the meeting, only a few stick in my mind, luckily some of my letters from fellow UK Anime fans that have survived to this day to fill the gaps in my memory.

EASTCON '90 meeting attendees:-

Ashley (editor of Mektek), Carlo Bernhardi (Myself), Paul Davison, Ian (friend of Paul Davison), Keith (friend of Paul Davison), Helen McCarthy, Richard Poffley, and Jim Swallow (James Swallow).

Helen McCarthy would like to add; Peter J. Evans, Peter Evans, Harry Payne, Wil Overton, David Rowe, and Jonathan Weeks, to the list of attendees.

[NOTE: I will endeavour to contact as many attendees for their recollections of that day as I can.]

Jonathan Weeks Wrote "I never attended any Eastercons. My first contact with fandom was Animeday (1991)" (Posted on FB messenger march 2020).

DATE to be confirmed June\July 1990 (as Helen's first house meeting is Saturday 21st. July)

[ Post EasterCon'90 Contact news-sheet, the Proto-AnimeUK Newsletter. added in honor of the up and coming 30th Anniversary of the first Gathering of UK Anime Fans in April  of 1990 ]

What follows is passages from the Post EasterCon'90 Contact news-sheet (from Helen McCarthy & Steve Kyte), I hope these last few Blog pages have given you all an insight into what it was like and how it all started.

“KONNICHIWA!

Japanese for "hello, how are you," it seems a good way to start.

You're getting this because you were at the EASTCON 90 bar meeting or else have written to me to express an interest in Anime Fandom in the UK, and since it didn't really exist before EASTCON you're part of the setup crew!

It was nice to meet so many Anime enthusiasts at the con and I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to talk more to everyone running most of a programme stream plus the Art Show is a silly thing to do and doesn't leave you time for much else but hope to remedy this in the next few months. As I said at the con.

I think the 'best way we can ensure the wider circulation of Anime tapes and easier contact between fans is to do a newsletter and fanzine which will at least provide a point of contact to start with, and to try and set up viewing sessions in as many areas as possible.

Please get in touch with. others on the attached list and please set up local showings if you can.

Let us have any Information for future issues of the news-sheet - addresses~. contacts, anything you think would be of interest to other fans.

And now for the news from ANIME UK.....

“Don't forget to ask the organisers of any convention you are Interested in if they would run an Anime showing, and put them :n touch with me if they're interested."

[NOTE: Helen & Steve included an open house for viewings, as many of us did in those days. People all huddled around a small TV in a front-room or Bed-room.]

SATURDAY 21ST JULY - 2 p.m. NIGHT ON THE GALACTIC RAILROAD; PATLABOR; other items. Mostly in Japanese.

SUNDAY 5TH AUGUST - 2 p.m. BUBBLEGUM CRISIS: THE FIVE STAR STORIES, other items. Mostly in Japanese.

SATURDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER - 2 p.m. Programme TBA depending what we get in the interim.

We have only a certain amount of oxygen in the living-room so we CAN'T take more than ten people per showing. If you want to come please phone or write right away and book your airspace!

ANYONE ELSE WHO CAN HOLD SHOWINGS PLEASE LET ME KNOW SO I CAN PUBLISH DETAILS.

PLEASE WRITE on anything anime related - this newsletter needs your input!!!!!!!

[There was a contact List including 27 UK individuals...]

These 27 individuals are by no means the only Anime Fans known in the UK as of June 1990, just those that were in contact with Helen McCarthy, nor is it a complete list of  Anime Fan attendees at Easter Con '90, as far as I know.
[NOTE: I will endeavour to contact as many attendees for their recollections of that day as I can.]

To be continued..........Post Con thoughts...

April 1990 Pt.1a UK Anime Fandom.

April 1990 was to be an important time as the word had spread from 'MekTek' Issue #3 telling us about one up and coming Science fiction Convention over the Easter weekend (April 14th & 15th 1990) EastCon '90 showing Japanese Animation (well that's how I got to know!  Thank you Ashley.), and as I've later found out another Convention held over the Easter weekend in April of 1990 was Elydore, a media Convention held at Shepperton, that also had a showing of Japanese Animation in one of its Video rooms, run by Miss J. Felton (No futher details of this as yet).

[Note: This will be ground Zero for the UK Anime Fandom as I would know it.]

After over 20 years its not all that easy to remember the details, or that easy not to start embellishing with hindsight those events luckily for me I had written a Con-Report that was published in American Anime club's magazine Anime Hasshin's “The Rose” Issue #22 July 1990.

So here I am quoting myself word for word.

UK FANS MEET AT EASTERCON '90 IN LIVERPOOL.

By Carlo Bernhardi

Friday the 13^th! It certainly wasn't unlucky for me! It was my first chance to see Anime shown at EastCon '90 (the National British SF Convention) in Liverpool – the first time ever for Anime in the United Kingdom.

As the Con was SF in general, the Anime seemed to be in the nature of a filler with time slots from midnight to 4:30am and then from 8:00am to mid-day.

Helen McCarthy organised the Anime and it was very good indeed, mostly action and adventure.

AKIRA drew the greatest audience and 'Wandering Kids' and 'Cream Lemon' filled the room to capacity. My first taste of original Anime was 'Galactic Patrol Lensman'.

I was please to meet three 'Robotech' fans, you could hardly miss them wearing their home-made Zentraedi badges, posing as the three spies to find out as much as they could about Anime. We've kept in touch ever since.

So it was a very small percentage of the whole Con that constituted Anime fans. But the programme was a great success and it brought us all together. Eveyone I met declared that they loved every minute of it! Even when they couldn't understand a word of it!

The Anime shown at the Con:

'Southern Cross', 'Gundam', 'Five Star Stories', 'Crusher Joe' (English), 'Iczer-1', 'Hokuto no Ken', 'Space Cobra', ' Dunbine', 'Black magic', 'City Hunter', 'Robot Carnival', 'Akira', 'Megazone 23 Part 2', 'Lupin III', 'Orguss', 'Windaria' (English), 'Macross', 'Wandering Kids', 'Cream Lemon', 'Digital Target Grey', 'Project A-KO', 'Dirty Pair', and 'Dr. Slump'.

With the explosion of Anime now being heard across this country, the nucleus of which was created at the end of the Con by a few people, a national fanzine is being formed and small local clubs have appeared whose founding members keep in touch by mail with small amounts of info on Manga and Anime flying around.

Carlo Bernhardi 1990 ©

[Note: With hindsight I can up-date and elaborate on some of the Anime titles that were shown: the 2 English dubs shown as 'Crusher Joe' & 'Windaria' were in fact from a kids cartoon Video label called “My TV” respectively renamed 'Crushers' and 'Once upon a Time'. 'Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross', 'Fight – Iczer-1', 'Fist of The North Star', 'Space adventure Cobra', 'Aura Battler Dunbine', 'Black Magic marionette M-66 ', 'Super Dimension Century Orguss', 'Macross: Do You Remember Love?', and 'Wandering Kid' a 3 part OVA that was edited and cut in Japan into a film, this film was then futher cut for BBFC 18 ratting in the UK and is better known as “Urotsukidōji”.]

[Note: You can compare the Video room showings from the 'San Diego ComicCon' 1989 &1990 at 

video-room.]

[Note: The kids cartoon Video label called “My TV” was at the Convention at Helen McCarthy's request.]

[Note: To quote Steve Kyte "So get ready for UK Anime Fandom - EASTCON 90 is just the beginning!" (Source - Heavy Metal Heaven (the robot in Japanese Animation) by Steve Kyte 1990.© ] 

More on Comic Book stores

Our Local Heroes were people who ran comic book stores.

Manager Lance Fielder from 'Another World' comic book store (specialists importers of Science fiction) in Leicester.

FanZines.

I first picked up an Issue of 'Protoculture Addicts' which at that time was the official Fanzine for Robotech, (produced and printed in Canada) sometime in the late 80's. With such features as “The voice of the Freedom Fighters” (Fan letters page), “Japanimation & manga” (Reviews), “The shaping of Protoculture” (feed-back to readers including :- addresses for Pen Pals, retail stores that do mail-order, and other Fan clubs), the “News & Reviews” page focussed on available translated Manga, Anime magazines, Fanzines, and fan clubs too).

['Protoculture Addicts' started with only 6 fanzines by the end of 1989, this would only grow and grow, more on this later..!]

[With some very well known Fan Clubs from America; C/FO (Cartoon/Fantasy Organisation), Anime Hasshin (run by Lorraine Savage), and Earth Defence Command (EDC) – just a few of the clubs in all, and I must say that many individuals and organisers help support the UK Anime fandom, and are in touch to this day!]

 [Note: started to find more details here EDC & Anime Hasshin.]

Mektek

After picking up the two fanzines together MekTek 2 (Summer 1988) & MekTek 3 (Summer 1989) from 'Another World' comic book store in Leicester in the winter1989, these yearly British FanZines centred on Battle Suit Warfare games mainly BattleTech with new rules and scenarios for players, and surprisingly a follow-up on the Japanese roots of these Giant robots used in the games, edited by Ashley Watkins, with contributions such as the Stunning black & white Artwork by Steve Kyte

(Patlabor, Macross), and the many reviews from Helen McCarthy on Manga and Anime in the UK.

[I think 'MekTek 3' told us about an up and coming Science fiction Convention over the Easter weekend April 14th & 15th 1990 (note: this will be ground Zero for the UK Anime Fandom as I would know it).]

[I wrote to Ashley Watkins in November of 1989, and got a reply in January 1990 with flyers for EastCon 90 and the contact details for a very busy lady, by the name of Helen McCarthy (we have been Anime friends ever since).]

[Not forgetting the early form of Etiquette the Stamped Self Addressed Envelope (SSAE), this also enabled the recipient to reply a lot sooner.]

[just think of it.....the time it took to gather this information and then publish it once a year, if Wiki or Google was down for just a day the shock would reverberate across the internet and smart-phones, how like sheep have we become trusting on the reliance of technology?!]

[More on these pioneering fanzines will come later..!!]