Third spaces may be harder to find these days, but as Coop and Chris discuss, they’re more important than ever in the anime fandom.

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The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.

Chris


Well, Coop, in their ongoing demonstration that they’ve got the finger on the pulse of the fandom, Crunchyroll has moved to make their store (the uncanny pod person once known as Right Stuf) into a members-only affair. Because who watches anime on physical media like discs that you could share with people anymore?

Beyond the immediate annoyances, it’s yet another example of walling up access to anime stuff for all but the most premium customers. It begs a question: where are people left to even go to check out anime, pick out some cool stuff, and maybe make a friend or two along the way?

Coop


Now that’s a spicy meatball right there, Mr. Farris! Most seasoned anime enthusiasts are used to gathering the squad and driving over to the nearest big city for a convention, but doing that has become more financially prohibitive than ever before. In fact, our colleague Kalai Chik dove into this issue over on Forbes a few weeks back. But if you’re completely priced out, a teen (yes, teenage anime fans exist, I know it’s hard to believe), or both, it’s a whole ‘nother ballpark.

It’s enough to make you Eric André at the gates of your nearest show.

Immediately, this does overlap a bit with the decrease in ease of discovering and checking out anime beyond the big streaming services. I can remember being a teen just out of high school, being able to pile friends into the car and hit up a major convention like Fanime—which was actually affordable on our young budgets at the time!

Not everyone had figured out fansub torrenting at this point, but back in the days when licensing was more…lax at fan-focused shows like this, there were a whole lot of video rooms playing episodes of fresh stuff from recent seasons that we could just wander into and check out. That’s just not possible anymore due to what licensors like Crunchy charge per episode shown at a show, to say nothing of how, as you said, the cons themselves are pricing people out.

Back when Crunchyroll was just starting to become more than a twinkle in Kun Gao‘s eye (the end of 2008), I remember watching Ultraman Mebius or the latest Shun Oguri Detective Conan special in a random video room. It wasn’t exactly legal, but it carried on the “keep circulating the tapes” ethos of the CFO generation. Well, at least until more official distributors sunk their hooks into the con and anime space we’ve come to know today.

It also might’ve been a little more reasonable for a fourteen-year-old (like myself at the time) to convince their folks into going to a convention for their birthday. Don’t get me wrong, times were tough back in ’08, but my first couple of cons were way cheaper than anything I’ve been to recently. We also have to admit that the cons of our adolescence (of Utena) were nearly (if not) twenty years ago. And yes, I towered over Walter Jones as un bebe.

You’re right, it’s been a while, and cataloging the changes in those years makes clear what else has been lost. Like if a series caught your interest viewing it at a con, there was an outside chance it might get picked up and released on DVD over here, and you could save up your allowance or part-time job earnings to buy it! In a store! Doing so physically used to be a keystone of the anime fandom experience!

In fact, bygone outlets like Suncoast made carrying extensive anime selections (plus ancillary material like soundtracks and collectibles) part of their appealing identity. These mall shops could make pretty cool places for enterprising teen weebs to hang out in…contrasting with today when curfews and crackdowns on loitering have made it difficult for kids to hang out anywhere. The mall used to be teens’ natural habitat!

To quote noted videogamesman, Jeff Gerstmann, “People f*cking hate teenagers.” It’s a huge bummer because teens need their own spaces to hang out with their friends and get into a little good trouble. Yeah, they might not always be sunshine and rainbows attitude-wise, but who is to begin with? We’re all human for cryin’ out loud.

For me, I was huge into hanging around my local Barnes & Noble, comic shops, and Borders back when they were a thing. I still am, even if I don’t get the chance to hit up a bookstore often. It’s nice to sit down with a chai latte and flip through a few books before deciding which one I’ll end up heading home with. But that also highlights another key point when it comes to gathering at any store: The expectation to buy something. Even if you’re not making a purchase, there’s a chance you might feel that sensation…which really stings when you don’t have a ton of spending money.

Yeah, this goes back to why conventions are their own convenience for…convening, as anime fans. Yes, there’s an entry fee, but once you were in, you could just hang out, sit down for some shows, and even just enjoy looking through all the wares in the dealer’s room without feeling the need to buy anything. Even the arcade games were usually set to free play! Regular-ass retail stores thus aren’t really a substitute for that. A Barnes & Noble is not a library.

Also mentioning the games just made me realize that arcades are all but dead here too, man; all the old hangout spots really are going away! What we’re describing here, by the way, is the idea of “Third Spaces”—places away from home and work/school that people can just, as we’ve described, hang out in. And they’ve been lessening at a steady clip, not just for young anime fans.

Especially when there are so many factors that lead folks to say “Nah, I’ll just do that at home.” Be it going to the movies or having the occasional brewski after a long day at work, people aren’t really going anywhere to do those things. Which, hey, it’s understandable after the incredibly traumatic, worldwide nightmare that kicked off this decade.

But since you mentioned it, let’s talk about your friend and mine, the library! Honestly, I can’t think of another institution that’s always been on the side of local and underserved communities. For every issue that we’ve mentioned so far, I can think of a library-based solution, baby.

It’s not just that libraries are, by their very nature, welcomingly hang-out-able and have manga and anime available that you’re encouraged to check out, no purchase required. Though yes, they’re that, and TWIA has talked about that before.

But also, befitting their role as generational community centers, libraries have continued to pick up the slack as formal gathering spots for budding weebs. Local “library conventions” centered around comics, manga, and anime have become a recurring pop-up these days, generally with free entry and local authors/artists having discussions and signings!

I was at one of these a few months ago, which included an appearance by a sci-fi author known enough that my partner was tasked with picking up a book copy/autograph for an out-of-state friend! Then we and said author had a lovely conversation about Gunbuster, these kinds of gatherings really make it easy to connect with people!

Also, you mentioned the artist alley component, and while that does indeed come with an expectation of spending some money, I’d be much more enthused about buying some prints and stickers from a local creator compared to a more major merch importer from the sprawling sea of a big-con dealer’s hall these days.

Absolutely! Nabbing a print or sticker from a local artist puts money back into your community rather than having it scatter to the four winds.

However, the library gatherings don’t have to stop there! If there’s a local anime or manga club at your library, pop your head in and see if you’d like to join. Or if there isn’t a club at all, you could always speak with the library staff and try to spin one up! It’s a great way to meet new friends, discover new favorites, and maybe find a few carpool buddies if you’re looking to take a day trip to the local “big convention.” I’d also like to mention that your librarians will need to get in contact with the publisher if they want to screen anything, but most companies have a form on their website to do just that. Crunchyroll used to have a rock-solid library program, but they tripped over themselves again and killed it last May.

This will be a whole subfolder of images for me by the end of the column if this keeps up.

Still, it does allow for more showcasing of how the people themselves can always step up where corpos will inevitably fail us. It’s not just libraries—I’ve got a local tea shop that’s been hosting mini pop-up artist alleys and informal fan gatherings for a while now. You know they’re real ones because of the Chiikawa decs and the cool stickers I can pick up.

This is why people themselves sticking together is so valuable…and why it’s instrumental to finding these sorts of spaces in the first place. Follow some local artists online, and you might see them showcasing at a pop-up like at that cafe…where you’ll meet more local artists, fans, and maybe even find cards and flyers for other sorts of gatherings happening. It’s how I’ve learned about local fighting game gatherings and even upcoming local conventions.

Getting together to game is another reminder that, even as forces are working to criminalize hanging out, other arenas are going against that. Local hobby and game stores, for one, can generally be good for having regular nights dedicated to people gathering for card battles. Magic the Gathering isn’t exactly, weeb-focused, but there’s also Pokémon, One Piece, Gundam, and Cardfight!! Vanguard for weeb-y kindred spirits to throw down on. Maybe even Weiss Schwarz if you’re lucky enough to get some locals going.

If you have the extra scratch for a figure, these stores occasionally carry prize figures from the big hot series…and Lupin the Third. Some folks just want to throw an All Might or Fujiko Mine on the shelf, as we talked about a little while back.

The key to building any community is just showing up. We might know of each other on social media or chat on Discord, but being in honest-to-god meat space with other people says a lot! Even if you make the occasional social misstep, most people appreciate the effort you’ve made to chat with them and put yourself out there. I felt like an awkward mess when I attended Otakon for the first time in 2022, but I know the efforts I made ended up leaving a good impression on people. Just go ask your partner or Justin Sevakis, Chris.

Heck, I even hosted a Macross Panel with our mutual friend (and keeper of the Space Kaleidoscope), Russell Latshaw… This was the first con I attended after the first round of COVID-19 boosters! Again, people appreciate the effort.

Yeah, I want to confirm that even as the money and distance to attend them have increased, conventions can still facilitate these kinds of personal connections we’re espousing here. Maybe it’s harder to steal into a video room to see something, but nothing is stopping us from cramming a bunch of friends into a con-weekend room party to be subjected to Psychic School Wars!

“Thanks,” Megan!

Stuff like this or dramatic readings of Disco Stu poetry or goofy room panels that didn’t quite make the cut for the con itself, these are the kinds of antics that in-person anime fandom is built on. And it’s why having and finding the space for them to happen is so valuable.

Now you’ve got me thinking about bringing the original live-action film version of Psychic School Wars—Nobuhiko Ōbayashi‘s School in the Crosshairs. It’s worth mentioning that Obayashi directed this little movie called House.

But speaking of things I’ll be bringing to Otakon, Sylvia will be joining the two of us to host our very first in-person This Week in Anime LIVE Panel! And now that I think about it, our topic slides in quite nicely with what we’ve talked about today.

We’ll discuss it in more detail there, but anime zeitgeists are shaped by anime culture and its ability to come together…or its difficulties, as we’ve discussed here. A lot of the popular, influential series of the day are ones that people all had in common to talk about when they came together. Some of those even continue to do so to this day, as evidenced by GKIDS bringing the Evangelion movies back for a fresh theatrical run for generations of weebs to come together, watch, and discourse about among each other afterwards.

After they all completely avoid eye contact for that first part of End of Eva, anyway.

Hey, everyone’s got to know when they’re the lowest of the low at some point.

While slipping twenty bucks to some guy at a meet-up for a tape isn’t necessary anymore, Eldred’s points still ring true to this day. I might love me a cartoon or comic, but that’s nothing compared to the friends and loved ones who’ve entered my life through those shared interests.

It’s why, despite big streaming sites and, uh, the law trying to tamp down the options, I hope our readers can see there remain plenty of opportunities to find spaces to gather with others and enjoy those kinds of good times. And if you can’t find any anime events happening in your neck of the woods, maybe it’s up to you to get it started yourself!

You never know who you’ll run into!

Sony Pictures Entertainment began streaming on Thursday a new official trailer for the new live-action reboot of CAPCOM‘s Resident Evil survival horror game franchise. The video features the film’s star Austin Abrams as Bryan:

The film will open in theaters in North America on September 18. The film will then open in Japan on October 9.

The film stars Austin Abrams (Weapons, Euphoria, Wolfs) as Bryan. The cast also includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell, Black Bird, The Fantastic Four: First Steps).

Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons) directs the new film.

Constantin Film and PlayStation Productions are producing the new reboot film. Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 4, Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead) co-wrote the screenplay along with Cregger. Constantin’s Robert Kulzer, Vertigo Entertainment‘s Roy Lee (Minecraft), Miri Yoon (Woman of the Hour), and PlayStation Productions are producing. Nicole Brown is overseeing the movie. Dariusz Wolski is the director of photography. Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Cregger’s film would “take the title to its horror roots and be more faithful to the initial games.”

Sony also released the previous movies in the franchise. Four studios, including Warner Bros. and Netflix, were bidding for the film rights.

This film will be the eighth live-action film in the franchise. The first six films in the franchise opened between 2002 and 2017, and all starred Milla Jovovich.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, the first live-action film reboot in the franchise, opened in the United States in November 2021, and then opened in Japan in January 2022. The film is set in the late 1990s, has a completely original story, and features characters from multiple games in the series. CAPCOM producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi (Resident Evil 4, Sengoku Basara) supervised the project.

Resident Evil: Death Island (Japanese title: Biohazard: Death Island), the latest CG animated film in the franchise, opened in July 2023.

The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York inducted the 1996 Resident Evil game into the Video Game Hall of Fame in 2024.

The Resident Evil requiem (Biohazard requiem) game launched on February 27 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The game has exceeded 6 million units in cumulative sales worldwide. The game is the fastest to reach the milestone in the Resident Evil series.

Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment‘s YouTube channel

Titan Manga revealed to ANN on Thursday that it will publish the following manga:

Title: LastBoss LoveDeath

Author: Yoshikazu Kuwajima, Takahiro Seguchi

Release Date: April 6, 2027

Pre-Order: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Forbidden Planet

Summary: High school girls Fūka Nagisa, Julie Yūki and Kanon Amamiya never expected their ordinary lives to end with extraordinary powers. Suddenly gifted incredible abilities, the trio throws themselves into battle against a sinister secret organisation threatening the world.

But becoming heroes isn’t as easy as they imagined.

Overpowered by the mysterious enemy, the girls are captured – and rather than destroying them, the organisation recruits them as its newest idol group. Now trapped between the dazzling spotlight and the shadowy schemes of their captors, they must navigate fame, friendship and impossible choices while searching for a way to reclaim their freedom.

Bursting with spectacular battles, colourful characters and unexpected humour, LastBoss LoveDeath delivers an inventive twist on the magical girl genre, combining superhero action with the cut-throat world of idols. Writer Yoshikazu Kuwajima and artist Takahiro Seguchi create an energetic series full of surprising reversals, emotional stakes and stylish artwork that keeps readers guessing until the very last page.

Title: The Rabbit Circle

Author: Sanada Shiro

Release Date: April 20, 2027

Pre-Order: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Forbidden Planet

Summary: In a world where humanoid animal hybrids exist, Teddy is a rabbit and grows up in an orphanage for rabbits. He is ostracized for his pale skin, white hair, and red eyes. But suddenly, his world changes.

A letter from his father invites him to live at his mansion along with his many rabbit brothers. Things are different when they show him kindness and love. But something doesn’t sit right with Teddy, a familiar feeling obscured by the mirage of affection.

He meets his brother Adelbert who quickly becomes infatuated with Teddy, and all seems well…until his brothers reveal that they are there to one day be eaten by their father.

Angered at the prospect of losing his closest friend and brother, Teddy vows to break out before he and Adelbert can be eaten.

Featuring supernatural elements and a horrifying mystery at its center, The Rabbit Circle is bound to lead you down the rabbit hole.

Source: E-mail correspondence