Cel Shaded Jason Yadao

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List of top 25 anime reveals some trends

Whenever some group releases a list ranking anime and manga, it's always fun to look at those lists and explore the trends present in those lists.

Such was the case last week when pop culture news/analysis Web site ICv2.com released lists of the top 25 anime properties and top 50 manga properties based on interviews with retailers, distributors and manufacturers.

On the anime front, as if there needed to be any more proof of Funimation's dominance after its acquisition of former Geneon and ADV properties, the company had more titles on ICv2's list (14) than the other six companies represented on the list combined.

Viz had four anime on the list, while Bandai and Warner Bros. had two each and Sony (No. 15, "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children"), Buena Vista (No. 18, "Howl's Moving Castle") and Media Blasters (No. 21, "Voltron") had one each. By contrast, former anime powerhouse ADV had none. (It would have had one had the rights to seventh-ranked "Devil May Cry" not slipped to Funimation.)

Mainstream exposure also helped rankings. Consider the top five series in order: Top-rated Warner Bros.' "Batman: Gotham Knight" has, well, Batman; Funimation's "Dragon Ball Z" has had a TV and DVD presence for more than a decade and a live-action film coming next year; Viz's "Naruto" has been a "Dragon Ball Z"-size hit for a new generation; Viz's "Death Note" has drawn mature audiences in Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup; and Viz's "Pokemon" has, well, Pokemon.

Contrast that with three series popular among hard-core anime fans, Bandai's "Gurren Lagann," "Lucky Star" and "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya." "Gurren Lagann" ranked 25th on the list, "Lucky Star," 23rd. And "Haruhi" wasn't even on the list.

I'll take a closer look at the manga list next week. For the complete anime list, visit tinyurl.com/3p323t ...

Del Rey hosts contest

The New York Anime Festival is coming up Sept. 26-28, and Del Rey Manga is offering to give four lucky people ages 13 and older the opportunity to get in for free. All it takes is an anime-style portrait or rendering of yourself and an unaltered photograph for comparison's sake, e-mailed to info@suvudu.com by 6 p.m. Hawaii time on Thursday.

Getting there, mind you, is another matter entirely. A close look at the official rules reveals that only the convention passes (and some free manga) are included, and you'll have to pay for your own airfare, room and board, and ground transportation. If you're going to be in the area anyway, though, it might be worth a shot.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/4eea9e ...

Meeting roll call

» Aiea Library Anime Club: 3 p.m. Saturday at the library, 99-143 Moanalua Road. This month, librarian Diane Masaki will screen the first DVD from the first season of "Ranma 1/2." Refreshments will be served. For more information or to RSVP, e-mail Masaki at dmasaki@librarieshawaii.org ...

» Oahu Anime Explorer: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at HMC Academy, 555 N. King St. Visit www.oahuanimeexplorer.com.