Favorite Male Character: 1998
| 1. | Shinji Ikari (End Of Eva) |
| 2. | Slayers TRY (Xerros) |
| 3. | Ashitaka (Mononoke Hime) |
| 4. | Himura Kenshin (Ruroni Kenshin) |
| 5. | ? (Let's & Go) |
| 6 | Kaworu Nagisa (End Of EVA) |
| 7. | Gourry (Slayers TRY) |
| 8. | Guy (Gaogaiger) |
| 9. | Akito (Nadesico) |
| 10. | Conan (Detective Conan) |
Favorite Female Character: 1998
| 1. | Lina Inverse (Slayers) |
| 2. | Ruri Hashino (Nadesico) |
| 3. | Utena Tenjoh (Shojo Kakumei Utena) |
| 4. | Akari (Battle Athletes) |
| 5. | Rei Ayanami (End Of EVA) |
| 6 | Asuka Langly (End Of EVA) |
| 7. | San (Mononoke Hime) |
| 8. | Yurika Misumaru (Nadesico) |
| 9. | ? (Yat main character) |
| 10. | Miyuki (You're Under Arrest) |
Press Release 07/03/98
Bandai Entertainment, Inc. ("BEI") announces the creation of AnimeVillage.com, a virtual community on the World Wide Web for the exclusive distribution of anime (Japanese animation) directly to fans and consumers in North America. Fans and visitors can now log on, learn more about the village, register and be immediately entered into a sweepstakes for valuable prizes. The full launch of the community is scheduled for September 1, 1998.
AnimeVillage.com will bring to North America some of the most intensely sought-after and famous titles in anime. Celebrating twenty years of continuing storyline and art, the entire historic saga of Gundam (Sunrise, Inc.) will finally be translated and brought to eagerly waiting fans. To be released at launch (all sub-titled in English) will be the first three Gundam movies as well as the series Gundam 0080 and Gundam 0083. Also of significant importance are the long-awaited translations and releases of the complete episodes of Escaflowne, The Clamp School and Saber Marionette J, all featuring stunning art and stories. The titles are amongst the most requested anime titles on the internet and in the marketplace.
These and other titles to be announced in the future will be available only through AnimeVillage.com; there is no scheduled traditional retail distribution planned. AnimeVillage.com officials believe that by going straight to the consumers and fans, they can offer benefits and features not economically feasible or otherwise possible.
"AnimeVillage.com is intended and will be more than just another commercial, advertising site," says Marlon Schulman, BEI vice president - Home Video. "AnimeVillage.com is a community designed for and by fans; it will be a place which will constantly evolve and grow - through the contributions and attention paid to it by fans and visitors. Like any other village, it will be a place to share, to chat, to learn, to play; in general, to interact. Fans and causal visitors will be able to get information directly from source(s) in Japan previously unavailable in any form or language in North America. And, because of its pedigree, AnimeVillage.com will have the distinction of being the only place that one can go to browse and buy exclusive titles and merchandise such as the historic and continuing saga of Gundam."
AnimeVillage.com will feature live chats and appearances by anime directors, writers and artists. The community will house and host bulletin boards and facilitate the trading of anime merchandise and original art by and between fans. Auctions of long sought-after memorabilia such as original cells, scripts and storyboards from exclusive anime titles will be featured.
"AnimeVillage.com offers possibilities you couldn't find anywhere else," continues Mr. Schulman. "Fans will be encouraged to contribute to the community themselves. Featured will be specially selected fan sites and art. We hope to soon offer the Fan Art Gallery - a place where artists can register, display (and sell!) their original art."
Direct relationships with colleges, universities and anime clubs throughout North America, will enable AnimeVillage.com to offer special discounts and features directly to the fans of this highly stylized art.
Contests, sweepstakes and games - created by fans for fans will be featured as will magazines brought and translated by AnimeVillage.com from Japan with all the latest anime news being presented. Features and columns from other magazines (not only anime-related) will also be published.
The economic benefits of pure, direct sales will flow to the quality of purchases from AnimeVillage.com.
More episodes will be included on the tapes (at no extra charge) than from any other company and, after release, there will be continuing availability of all episodes due to "virtually unlimited shelfspace". Specially selected art will be displayed on all special "collector clamshells" and sleeves.
"All of us at AnimeVillage.com, as well as Bandai Entertainment, Inc., Sunrise, Inc., Bandai Visual Co., Ltd., Bandai Digital Engine (a division of Bandai Co., Ltd.) and others, recognize the significant importance of the release of these titles as well as those to be released in the coming months. We have created AnimeVillage.com as the significantly different, superior virtual company not only for the distribution of the titles but towards the recognition and acceptance of the art form as well."
Favorite All Time Anime: 1998
| 1. | Evangelion (TV) |
| 2. | Nausicaa (Movie) |
| 3. | Nadia (TV) |
| 4. | Yu Yu Hakusho (TV) |
| 5. | Slayers NEXT (TV) |
| 6 | Gundam W (TV) |
| 7. | Ah! Megami-sama (OAV) |
| 8. | Magic Knights Rayearth (TV) |
| 9. | Laputa (Movie) |
| 10. | Zeta Gundam (TV) |
Favorite Anime For 1998
| 1. | Lina Inverse (Slayers) |
| 2. | Slayers TRY (TV) |
| 3. | Nadesico (TV) |
| 4. | Shojo Kakumei Utena (TV) |
| 5. | Mononoke Hime (Movie) |
| 6 | Battle Atheletes(TV) |
| 7. | Lets & Go WGP (TV) |
| 8. | King Of Braves Gaogaiger (TV) |
| 9. | You're Under Arrest (TV) |
| 10. | Ruroni Kenshin (TV) |
All Stories, Graphics And Material © Anime News Service Unless Otherwise Cited
Questions,Comments,News Submissions