Ask John: Please Provide a Chronology of the Anime Invasion

Question:
Can you make a condensed chronology of anime history in North America?

Answer:
As per request, my chronology is brief. And it concentrates almost exclusively on the growth and positive events in the history of anime reaching America.

1961:
Magic Boy (Shonen Sarutobi Sasuke) is the first anime movie released in America

1963:
Astro Boy premiers on American television

1967:
Speed Racer premiers on American television

1972:
Cleopatra is the first “adults only” Japanese animation released in America

1977:
Cartoon/Fantasy Organization established as America’s first major anime fan club

1978:
Toei Animation opens an American distribution office (closed in 1982)

Battle of the Planets premiers on American television

1983:
Harmony Gold established

1984:
Voltron premiers on American television

1985:
Robotech premiers on American television and becomes the first commercially distributed anime in America promoted as Japanese animation

1986:
The first known English language “fansub” appears

Japanese publisher Lead Publishing releases the Golgo 13: Into the Wolf’s Lair graphic novel, America’s first major English translated manga release

Viz, LLC established

Excalibur Films releases the first English dubbed, uncensored erotic anime on commercial American home video as “Brothers Grime X-Rated Cartoons”

1987:
US Renditions & Right Stuf established

Viz releases its first English translated manga titles in America

First Comics releases its English translation of the Lone Wolf & Cub manga

1988:
Streamline Pictures established

Epic Comics begins publishing Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga

Eclipse Comics publishes Adam Warren & Toren Smith’s Dirty Pair comic, the first commercial American comic based on an original Japanese anime property (as opposed to American comic adaptations of “Americanized” anime including Gold Key’s 1979 Battle of the Planets comic series and Comico’s 1984 Robotech comics)

1989:
Akira movie premiers in America

AnimEigo releases the first subtitled commercial anime videotape in America, Metalskin Panic Madox-01

Gainax opens its American specialty store “General Products USA” in San Francisco. The store closes in 1991

1990:
Project A-kon, held in Dallas, Texas, is America’s first significant anime fan convention

Central Park Media founded

1991:
AnimeCon ’91 held in San Jose, California. The following year AnimeCon evolved into Anime Expo

1992:
A.D. Vision founded

1993:
Pioneer LDCA established

Urotsukidoji officially premiers in America

The Sci-Fi Channel broadcasts Robot Carnival, Lensman, and Vampire Hunter D

1994:
Manga Entertainment USA, FUNimation Productions (later “FUNimation Entertainment”), and Star Anime Enterprises established

1995:
Eros Comics begins publishing uncensored erotic manga in English

Sailor Moon & Dragon Ball premier on American television

The Sci-Fi Channel launches its “Anime Saturday” broadcasts

1996:
Disney acquires distribution rights to 11 Studio Ghibli films

Urban Vision & Digital Manga, Inc. established

1997:
Media Blasters & Mixx Entertainment (later known as TOKYOPOP) established

The Cartoon Network begins broadcasting Dragon Ball Z & Sailor Moon

CPM releases America’s first anime DVD, Battle Arena Toshinden

Urban Vision releases the Shihaisha no Tasogare ~ Twilight of the Dark Master OVA on American home video on November 11, two months ahead of the January 21, 1998 Japanese release

1998:
Bandai Entertainment launches “Anime Village” as its first forray into direct American anime distribution

Pokemon premiers on American television

1999:
Sputnik7.com begins to offer anime from Manga Entertainment for online viewing

The International Channel begins broadcasting the Dragon Ball Z television series uncut and untranslated

ComicsOne established

The first Pokemon movie earns $85.7 million in US theatrical release, making it the highest grossing Japanese film ever released theatrically in America

2000:
The first English language digital fansubs appear online

Hirameki International Group, Inc. established

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing becomes the first anime series broadcast “uncut” on nationwide American television while the US network broadcast of Escaflowne is canceled due to poor ratings

The Burger King resturant chain offers its first Dragon Ball Z Big Kids’ Meal promotion

2001:
Synch-Point & Super Techno Arts established

First Yaoi-con held in San Francisco, California

NuTech Digital begins distribution of its own adult anime licenses

Yu-Gi-Oh! premiers on American television

2002:
AN Entertainment established

Icarus Publishing established

AD Vision launches The Anime Network

Newtype USA Magazine premiers

Raijin Comics debuts as America’s first weekly manga magazine. Publication ends in 2004

2003:
Shonen Jump USA magazine launches

Del Rey establishes its manga publishing division

The Animatrix & Kill Bill vol. 1 (which includes animation from Production IG) premier

Spirited Away wins the MPAA Academy Award for Best Animated Film. Koji Yamamura’s short film Atama Yama is nominated for a Best Animated Short Film Oscar

Annual American anime sales reach an all time high of $550 million (estimated)

2004:
RJP-Pro & Adult Source Media established

DC Comics launches its CMX brand of translated manga

CPM launches its “Be Beautiful” line of yaoi manga

Seven Seas Entertainment & Infinity Studios established

The ImaginAsian TV cable network launches and begins to broadcast subtitled anime

The Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi cartoon series starring J-pop duo PUFFY premiers on the Cartoon Network

2005:
The FUNimation Channel launches as America’s second anime exclusive television network

JapanAnime established

Bandai Visual USA established. Absorbed by Bandai Entertainment in 2008

Go! Comi, Blu, & DramaQueen established

Harlequin begins to release English translated manga adaptations of its romance novels

Toei begins direct distribution of American DVDs. Distribution ends in 2006

Howl’s Moving Castle nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Animated Film category

The Cowboy Bebop TV series passes one million home video copies sold in America since its American debut in 1999

Bandai Entertainment USA co-produces XEBEC’s “D.I.C.E.” anime television series which premiers on American TV on January 22, 2005 and on Japan’s Animax network as “Dinobreaker” nearly 12 months later on December 6, 2005

2006:
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children sells over one million copies in North America within its first year of release

Japanese publisher Ohzora Publishing launches American subsidiary Aurora Publishing, Inc.

Digital Manga launches its 801 Media & Juné yaoi publishing labels

2007:
BostTV and Vuze premier English translated anime in America exclusively through digital distribution

Manganovel.com launched

Yen Press established

ImaginAsian releases America’s first “made on demand” commercial anime DVDs

The National Football League promotes the Eyeshield 21 anime series

Geneon USA ceases American anime distribution

2008:
Crunchyroll, YouTube, BostTV offer near simultaneous worldwide online distribution of Tower of Druaga & Blassreiter TV series

Kodansha USA established

MangaGamer.com launched

Article revised on October 22, 2008 with assistance from John C. Watson