Anime distributor AnimEigo, alongside its parent company MediaOCD, has announced the debut of The Anime Business, a groundbreaking documentary series that explores the history and growth of the Western anime industry. The series will feature interviews with key pioneers who helped shape anime’s popularity in North America.
The documentary takes viewers through the evolution of anime, from its humble beginnings to becoming a multi-billion-dollar global industry. Each episode highlights individuals who played pivotal roles at different stages of anime’s expansion into the West.
The first episode, now available on the official AnimEigo YouTube channel, features John O’Donnell, former Managing Director of Central Park Media. Episode 2, which will be released in March, includes an interview with Robert Napton, former Director of Marketing and Producer at Bandai Entertainment. Episode 3, debuting in April, features Tim Eldred, writer and founder of ourstarblazers.com.
All episodes of The Anime Business are available in English, with Japanese subtitles provided through a special grant from the Kleckner Foundation. Additional episodes are currently in production.
The series is hosted and produced by Justin Sevakis, founder of MediaOCD and CEO of AnimEigo. Sevakis is a veteran of the anime industry, having founded Anime News Network in 1998, contributed to popular columns, and co-hosted the ANNCast podcast from 2009 to 2015. He also played a crucial role as the video and subtitle editor at Central Park Media, working on significant titles such as Grave of the Fireflies and Project A-ko. Through MediaOCD, Sevakis has produced over 1,600 Blu-ray discs and led restoration efforts for classic anime series like Digimon Adventure and Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie.
Fans who wish to support the production of future episodes can donate at MediaOCD’s website.
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