Theme for the ads of issues 6? DIRTY! Tentacles!
First Appearance Ad: Anime 18
Urotsukidoji – Legend of the Overfiend is the inside cover ad – Anime 18 was the adult hentai label for Central Park Media.
Basically this is one of the shows that gave anime a bad reputation to those who are simple minded and uneducated about anime.
This was America’s first introduction (correct me if I’m wrong) to lolicon (edit -not technically, see comment below) and tentacle porn. If you want a review of the title, here’s Colony Drop’s take on it. I like that the cover of this title states “Warning: Absolutely Not for Children”
What’s odd to me about the ad for the VHS release are the quotes from The Village Voice, The New York Daily News and Variety. These publications use to review hentai. Wow.
Next ad is for Dark Image Entertainment – Devilman Volume 1: Genesis – “All contain profanity, violence and nudity. Recommended for mature audiences only”
What I love about this time in 1993 – is that’s before any internet ordering – that’s several years down the road. The ad has the order form on it. The form is meant to be cut out, you have to figure out the tax and shipping according to the ordering instructions, and place the form in an envelope and physically mail it. No COD orders, only money order or check. The wait time was 4 to 6 weeks -no email with a tracking number – you had to be patient. This experience is now lost in the annals of time.
For the magazine content – It has a great interview with Masamune Shirow.
A couple quick notes on UrotsukiDoji… I DID work for this company, after all. 😀
The reason mainstream media reviewed UrotsukiDoji is because CPM gave it a theatrical release!! The movie cut (which was actually less explicit than the OAVs they were cut from) was made into 3 subbed and 3 dubbed 35mm prints and played in downtown NYC and a few other venues around the country. A lot of people hated it, but it got a cult following this way, and they actually did publicity, the whole nine yards. Hence the MPAA rating.
Also, that film has no lolicon. All of the characters were clearly in high school — er, “A two year takkekagakku, or finishing school, as opposed to a full four year program” according to the heavily lawyered featurette that we attached to all hentai releases. (“Absolutely Not For Children” was printed on every hentai video box for Anime 18’s entire history.)
I’ve collected anime on and off since 1987. 1993 was a good year for anime collectors here in the USA !! This was the year that I remember from my own experience that anime started to go on sale at larger stores(like Media play, Best Buy,etc..) ( before you had to mail order, or buy anime at comic book shops if they carried them) !! Also anime started to show up at blockbusters for rent !! It was probably a different experience for others in other parts of the USA !! I live in the Atlanta,GA area !! YOur site brings back a lot of great times and memories. I collect a few issues of Animag, Animerica, and Protoculture addicts too !!
Wonderful! Thanks!