2001 - A Year in Review: Anime Magazines

Long time regulars Animerica and Protoculture Addicts found themselves facing some new competition this year. 2001 saw the introduction of several Anime periodicals to the American Market, as well as the announcement that Japan's most important Anime Magazine would make its English language debut shortly.

Wizard, a long time leader in the comic book industry, launched Wizard Anime Invasion. After the initial special edition of Wizard Anime Invasion sold well in July. Wizard decided to continue releasing the Magazine quarterly starting in November 2001. The special edition included a list of Wizard's staff felt Top 50 Anime released in America, while their first regular issue included a list of the Top 25 Manga paperbacks of all time. And all things being Wizard, Anime Invasion also keeps track of the value of individual Mangas with the Manga Price Guide.

Gamer's Republic, which had long included Anime content in their magazine also decided to start an Anime spin-off. In the summer of 2001 they released the one and only issue of Anime Republic. Fan's weren't very impressed with the offering, and when Gamer's Republic shut its door, Anime Republic disappeared as well.

On a lighter note, 2001 saw the introduction of Service Service Magazine. Featuring all things that are Echi, Service Service bills itself as the "only American publication that focuses exclusively on cute anime and game girls." Japan already has several similar magazines and its very interesting to see one in North America.

The potential for the biggest Magazine related news item of the year goes to Digital Manga's announcement that they would be producing an English Language version of Newtype. But potential doesn't always deliver, since first making the announcement at AX in July, we haven't heard a peep out of the people producing the Magazine. Right now Digital Manga is experiencing a corporate restructuring that might preclude Newtype from being published. Until Digital Manga has an announcement to make about Newtype we just have to sit, wait and hope for the best.