Anime Impact - My New Book

Since I started my channel in 2009, I've been trying to bring more attention to anime. In fact, my first review on my old channel was for Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo. Japanese animation has influenced our culture since Astro Boy flew across television screens or Speed Racer aired in the afternoons on Cartoon Network. While this medium is a staple of Japanese entertainment, it took much longer to gain recognition and acceptance overseas. But after Cartoon Network's Toonami Block introduced an excited generation of kids to shows like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Outlaw Star, Gundam Wing, and Rurouni Kenshin, what was once a niche medium began to blossom into something bigger. The story of anime's impact is a compelling one, and it's a tale I've always been interested in, largely because I'm part of the generation that adopted it. I perused the anime aisles at comic shops or at Blockbuster Video, picking up dusty VHS cases that hadn't been rented in years. I suffered through early, horrendous English dubs and had the privilege of observing this beloved art form eventually take a well-deserved place in our popular culture. So I approached the fine folks at Mango Media, who helped publish my first book, The Film Buff's Bucket List, with an idea. Originally, I planned on writing a book about anime. I'd research its history, its appeal across a broad spectrum of fans, and eventually present a well-rounded view of its impact on our culture. But one of anime's most beautiful aspects is that it speaks to each of us differently. My personal relationship with anime will naturally differ from the introvert who found her voice by discussing her favorite show with a fellow fan, or the man who met his future wife through their shared love of this beautiful art. So with the publisher's blessing, I set out to find a group of authors to share their writing duties with me, to reflect the many distinct stories that come from discovering a love of anime. In the pages of Anime Impact, I've written many articles myself, on various shows and movies that mean a great deal to me, as well as an introduction and a closing. I've also edited the book. But what I'm most excited about is the many voices included. You'll hear from Doug Walker, Robert Walker, and Malcolm Ray. All from Channel Awesome. Tristan Gallant, aka Glass Reflection. Mother's Basement. Alicia Malone. Emma Fyfe. Eye of Sol. Adele Drover. Derek Padula, a well-known author of many Dragon Ball books about the fandom and culture. Comic Book Girl 19. Yao Chung Yang, one of the creators of Pause and Select, an anime essay series on YouTube. Brian Ruh, author of Stray Dog of Anime, the films of Mamoru Oshi. The Bedantic Romantic. Melissa C. Bennett White. Mark Crilley, artist and writer of the mangas Brody's Ghost and Miki Falls, as well as host of a very well-known How to Draw channel. And even Ernest Cline, author of Ready Player One, submitted an entry to the book. And there are even more writers in those pages to discover. Also included are some authors who aren't necessarily known, per se. There are many talented writers who've never been given the opportunity to showcase their voices, and I'm so thrilled to be able to show those voices in Anime Impact as well. Some of the writers are nurses, personal trainers, English as a second language teachers, data entry specialists, and even software engineers. People who aren't known for writing are included in this book. As with the Film Buffs bucket list, the goal here is not to simply pen another best of list. You don't need me for that. One quick internet search will cover you there. Rather, my goal is to highlight the works that have moved us most. The titles included are almost all hand-picked by the various writers as ones they wanted to discuss. You'll hear filmmakers describe how anime has influenced their movies, or how a certain show helped someone get through a day during one of life's rough patches. You'll read stories of personal discovery. Many writers have detailed their experiences that led to unearthing a life-changing anime. Others have taken a more analytical approach. Each writer was encouraged to express themselves authentically, and I believe their intimate expressions have created something special. This isn't just a list of essential titles. It's a discussion of the true impact of anime on multiple generations. I am so thankful for this opportunity, and I hope you enjoy reading Anime Impact as much as myself and the other writers enjoyed creating it. The book releases on April 15th, and you can pre-order it at Amazon in the description below. It will also be available in bookstores and online at these retailers. Thank you so much for your support over these years. I am so grateful for everything. More updates will come very soon, including information about a live book signing I want to do to be able to meet some of you guys and give you the book and talk to you in person to let you know how thankful I am for all these years of support. Thank you very much, guys, and as always, if you like this, you can click right here and get Stuckmanized.