COMMENTS

As we mentioned in the introduction, we welcome any comments that you might have on the Anime Guide. All comments that we receive will be posted in this section of the web page. If you have any comments, please don't hesitate to send them to us at: editor@protoculture.ca. Thanks!

Error? [99-07-30]

(...) There is an error in your Anime Trivia! Part 1: Answers on page 58 [in PA#56]. On 2, Toei's 1958 Hakuja den was not the first Japanese animated feature. That was Momotaro - Umi no Shinpei, a 74-minute fully-animated feature directed by Mitsuyo Seo and released by Shochiku on 12 April 1945. It was made at the instigation of the Imperial Navy to instill the patriotic spirit into children. The Imperial Navy, portrayed mostly as cute bunnies, monkeys and bear cubs in naval uniforms, build a South Pacific island airbase (presumably on Borneo or Sumatra, judging by the Proboscus monkeys and orangutans in Indonesian native costumes) under the guidance of Admiral Momotaro and defeat the grotesque British foreign devil occupiers. It had only a brief release before the deteriorating war situation forced the interruption of popular entertainment in general, but Shochiku has released it on video at least twice since 1984. Some Japanese cinema histories list two wartime animated features, with this as the second, but Seo's first, Momotaro no Umiwashi (released 25 March 1943), was only 37 minutes, which is much too short for a feature by today's standards. But the 74-minute 1945 movie is feature-length by anybody's standards; that is longer than some of Disney's classic animated features. So it definitely qualifies as Japan's first animated feature.

Unusually, this does not make the answer to your question 1 incorrect, "When did anime really started in Japan?", because of that "really". The 1945 Momotaro - Umi no Shinpei was an isolated anomaly. It was never followed up, while the 1958 Hakuja den led directly to all the anime that followed it. So 1958 is the correct answer as to when anime really got started. But the 1945 Momotaro - Umi no Shinpei (Momotaro's Divinely-Blessed Sea Warriors is probably as good a translation as any) is still Japan's first animated feature. (...)

Fred Patten
fredpatten@earthlink.net

Well the Anime Guide mentions several animation before 1958 and even before 1945 (like Chikara to Onna no Yononaka (The World Of Power and of Women) which was the first talking anime in 1932). Although, Hakujaden is the first anime listed because it is considered to be the first "great" anime (i.e. more professional) and it is the start of a constant production of animation. The first "commercial" series (and the first Robot show) was, of course, Astroboy in 1963... Thanks a lot for your information and comments. [CJP]

Comments on Gilles Poitras' Review [01-01-07]

One small problem with this book for SOME people. If you really hate spoilers I suggest staying away from this book.

Doesn't bother me though. I really like my copy.

[Comment made by Mick Hamblen (griffon@ccrtc.com) on rec.arts.anime.misc]

Congratulations! [01-01-09]

I just wanted to congratulate you on the fine job you did on the book; keep up the good work on Protoculture Addicts!

EBelcher@aol.com