10 Things You Didn’t Know about Anime News Network
Like its name suggests, Anime News Network is an English news website that covers news about the anime industry as well as related topics. It has existed for a long time by the standards of such websites, meaning that it has had a fair amount of influence on the English-speaking fandom for this particular kind of entertainment. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Anime News Network:
1. Founded in 1998
For those who are curious, Anime News Network was founded in 1998 by Justine Sevakis and others. Suffice to say that the English-speaking fandom for anime was a very different place in those times, seeing as how a lot of the things that are taken for granted by the modern incarnation didn’t exist back then.
2. Has Four Separate Versions
Anime News Network has four separate versions of its content that are aimed at different audiences in different regions. First, there is the version aimed at the United States and Canada; second, there is the version aimed at Australia and New Zealand; third, there is the version aimed at the United Kingdom and Ireland; and fourth, there is the version aimed at Southeast Asia.
3. Used to Publish Protoculture Addicts
In 2005, Anime News Network took control of Protoculture Addicts, which was a Canadian magazine that focused on anime and manga. Since it started up in a French-speaking region of Canada, the magazine was interested in the state of anime and manga in the French-speaking world as well. As for the name of the magazine, it was a reference to the popular Macross series, which has never caught on in the English-speaking market to the same extent as the Japanese-speaking magazine because of rights issues.
4. No Longer Publishes Protoculture Addicts
Anime News Network still owns Protoculture Addicts but a new issue hasn’t been published since 2008. This is because the magazine was one of the casualties of the collapse of the North American anime market that happened in 2008, which is why Otaku USA is the sole anime news magazine that is still being published in said region on a regular basis.
5. Covers Related Topics
Based on its name, one would assume that Anime News Network focuses on anime. However, it is important to note that it covers related topics as well, with examples ranging from manga, Japanese pop music, and Japanese video games to the various issues that have popped up in the various fandoms for those forms of entertainment.
6. Has an “Encyclopedia”
One of Anime News Network’s most useful features is its “encyclopedia.” Essentially, this lets interested individuals look up information about the people who are involved in the production as well as the localization of anime and manga.
7. Has Forums
Speaking of which, Anime News Network is known for having forums as well, which provide interested individuals with a place to talk about their shared passion.
8. Has Multiple Regular Columns
As for its news content, it should be mentioned that Anime News Network has a number of regular columns. For example, there is a column called “Buried Treasure,” which is focused on forgotten media from the past that are nonetheless worth taking a look at. Furthermore, there is “The Edit List,” which claims to cover differences between original and edited versions of anime.
9. Got Hacked in 2017
In August of 2017, a hacker took control of Anime News Network’s domain as well as some but not all of its associated Twitter accounts. As such, the website had to operate under a .cc domain name until its staff managed to regain control from the hacker.
10. Proof that Two-Way Authentication Isn’t Foolproof
The hack is proof that two-way authentication using cellphones is far from being foolproof. In short, what happened is that the hacker tried to transfer the CEO Christopher Macdonald’s phone number to a new phone card by calling in, which failed on three separate occasions because they couldn’t pass the authentication process. Eventually, they were able to succeed by convincing a customer service representative over the phone carrier’s online chat feature, which was followed by them using account recovery features to gain control over various accounts. On the whole, it is an excellent reminder for interested individuals that two-way authentication systems using cellphones are by no means foolproof.