Anime News Network

Anime News Network
Name	Anime News Network
Url	animenewsnetwork.com
Type	News, database
Language	English
Owner	Justin Sevakis (founder)
Author	Justin Sevakis
Launch date	1998
Current status	Active

Anime News Network is an English-language news website and encyclopedia focused on anime, manga, Japanese video games, and related Japanese pop culture industries. Founded in 1998, it provides timely reporting, reviews, and a comprehensive database of personnel, companies, and releases that serve readers across North America, Western Europe, and Southeast Asia. The site is frequently cited by mainstream outlets and industry publications for breaking news about licensing, staff changes, and release schedules.

History

Anime News Network was established in 1998 by Justin Sevakis amid rising international interest in titles like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, and Pokémon. In its early years the site aggregated press releases and fan translations during the era of companies such as ADV Films, Funimation, and Viz Media. During the 2000s it expanded coverage alongside industry shifts involving Aniplex, Kadokawa Shoten, and the growth of streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Hulu. The 2010s saw ANN broaden its database to document staff credits for creators associated with studios such as Studio Ghibli, Madhouse, Bones, Production I.G, and Toei Animation. ANN's timeline intersects with major events including the rise of digital distribution, licensing disputes involving Sentai Filmworks and legacy releases from Bandai Visual, and licensing announcements tied to conventions like Anime Expo and Comiket.

Content and Coverage

ANN publishes news, feature articles, editorials, and an extensive credits database covering works like One Piece, Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Sailor Moon. Reviewers and columnists analyze releases from creators such as Hayao Miyazaki, Makoto Shinkai, Satoshi Kon, and Rumiko Takahashi, while also reporting on game adaptations from companies including Nintendo, Square Enix, and Sega. Coverage encompasses industry stakeholders such as Sony Corporation, Amazon, Netflix, and licensors like Manga Entertainment and Kodansha USA. ANN maintains news on events and festivals—Japan Expo, Otakon, and Anime Boston—and tracks award announcements from bodies like the Tokyo Anime Award Festival and the Mainichi Film Awards.

Staff and Contributors

The site’s founding editor implemented an editorial team that has included journalists, reviewers, and database editors with backgrounds tied to outlets such as Newtype, Animerica, and Otaku USA. Contributors have covered premieres and panels featuring creators like Mamoru Hosoda, Hirohiko Araki, Gen Urobuchi, and Kazuo Koike. Database curators cross-reference credits with sources including publishers like Shueisha, Shogakukan, and Kodansha, as well as production committees involving companies such as TMS Entertainment and Sunrise. Regular columnists and reviewers often discuss adaptations tied to franchises like Dragon Ball, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Audience and Impact

ANN serves a global audience of fans, industry professionals, and academics researching creators and companies such as CLAMP, Kentaro Miura, Eiichiro Oda, and Hajime Isayama. Its reporting influences licensing decisions and fan expectations during announcements involving distributors like Funimation and Crunchyroll. The database is used as a reference by librarians, festival programmers, and secondary outlets alongside databases like MyAnimeList and AniDB. ANN’s interviews and exclusives have spotlighted filmmakers whose works appear at festivals including Cannes Film Festival and Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

Business Model and Partnerships

ANN operates through advertising, sponsored content, and partnerships with conventions and advertisers including retailers and streaming services such as Right Stuf Inc., Hidive, and Amazon Prime Video. The site has commercial relationships with distributors and publishers including Sentai Filmworks, Crunchyroll, and Viz Media, and it lists product information that intersects with retailers like Barnes & Noble and Kinokuniya. ANN has collaborated with event organizers for coverage of panels at Anime Expo and New York Comic Con, and its database licensing and syndication have extended content reach to international media partners and academic projects.

Controversies and Criticism

ANN has faced criticism over editorial decisions, comment moderation, and relationships with advertisers and licensors similar to disputes seen at outlets covering comic book and video game industries. Past controversies have involved reporting on staff allegations connected to studios and creators such as A-1 Pictures and transactions involving companies like Nippon Ichi Software, prompting debate about source attribution and site policy. Critics have compared ANN’s practices to those of other outlets during coverage of disputes involving companies like Crunchyroll and Funimation; community discussions often occur on forums and social platforms where users reference rival databases like AniDB and social hubs including Reddit and Twitter.

Awards and Recognition

ANN has been recognized within fan and industry circles for comprehensive reporting and database work, earning mentions in publications covering festivals like the Tokyo International Film Festival and acknowledgments by scholars studying Japanese popular culture. Its journalists and contributors have been cited by mainstream media outlets covering entertainment industry developments and by academic conferences focusing on animation studies such as sessions tied to Society for Animation Studies and university symposia.

Category:Anime websites Category:Entertainment news websites