Anime and Technology Through the Years
One subject I write I think about a lot is the timeless nature of anime, the way animation somehow seems to live on forever, perhaps becoming “aged” like wine or cheese over the years, but still very worthy of our time and devotion. You probably wouldn’t find me watching old re-runs of American TV programs like Happy Days or Beverly Hills 90210, but I’m more than happy to sample classic anime from past eras, like the original Evangelion, which had no CGI in it at all — even Misato’s car was hand-drawn cel by cel by Gainax animators — and featured a much longer and more developed story than the three movie remakes. I thought it’d be fun to take a look at anime and technology, to compare the classic anime series of the past with the technology that was cutting-edge at the time. Isn’t it cool to view the tech we used to use (depending on how old you are) with the animation of the era?
Technology is important to all of us, and the rapid changes in technology define each era of human progress. My first experience with computers was the huge Wang mainframes at my mother’s office before getting my first 8-bit computer and learning to program with it. The history of technology has also had a big effect on J-List, since we evolved as tech did, using the Internet aggressively in ways our Japanese product distributors (many of whom still send us daily faxes to solicit new orders, God bless them) could only dream of.
What’s the oldest tech you remember using? And what’s the oldest anime you’ve watched? Tell us on Twitter!
We’re busy preparing for our first big anime convention of the year at Phoenix Comic Fest, but our staff in San Diego posted some great English-language hentai manga by our friends at Fakku, which combine all the wonderful ero art and stories you love, but fully translated into English. See the new products here.
