{{Short description|Anime news website}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Use Canadian English|date = July 2019}} {{Infobox website | name = Anime News Network | logo = Anime News Network logo.svg | logo_size = 250px | screenshot = | caption = Anime News Network logo | url = {{Official URL}} | commercial = Yes | type = News and database | language = English | country = United States | registration = Required for use of forums or contributing information | author = Justin Sevakis | launch_date = {{start date and age|1998|8|21|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whois.domaintools.com/animenewsnetwork.com|title=Whois Record for AnimeNewsNetwork.com|publisher=Whois.DomainTools.com|access-date=2016-10-13|archive-date=13 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213091943/https://whois.domaintools.com/animenewsnetwork.com|url-status=live}}</ref> | owner = Kadokawa Corporation | current_status = Active | revenue = }}
'''Anime News Network''' ('''ANN''') is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and other editorial content, forums where readers can discuss current issues and events, and an encyclopedia that contains many anime and manga with information on the staff, cast, theme music, plot summaries, and user ratings.<ref name="scifiweekly">{{cite magazine | last=Dellamonica | first=A.M. |author-link=A. M. Dellamonica| title=Site of the Week – Anime News Network | magazine=Sci Fi Weekly | date=7 September 2004 | url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/sites/sfw11410.html | access-date=2007-12-16 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080116091348/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/sites/sfw11410.html |archive-date = 2008-01-16}}</ref>
The website was founded in July 1998 by Justin Sevakis, and operated the magazine ''Protoculture Addicts'' from 2005 to 2008. Based in the United States,<ref name="FAQ">{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/faq|title=FAQ|website=Anime News Network|access-date=2024-05-19|archive-date=18 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518220021/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/faq|url-status=live}}</ref> it has separate versions of its news content aimed toward audiences in five separate regions: the United States and Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Australia and New Zealand,<ref name="annau"/> Southeast Asia,<ref name="searegion">{{cite web | last=Macdonald | first=Christopher | title=Welcome to Anime News Network Southeast Asia! | website=Anime News Network | date=29 October 2015 | url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/site-news/2015-10-30/welcome-to-anime-news-network-southeast-asia/.94722 | access-date=2019-04-09 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180213154912/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/site-news/2015-10-30/welcome-to-anime-news-network-southeast-asia/.94722 |archive-date = 2018-02-13}}</ref> and India.
==History== The website was founded by Justin Sevakis in July 1998.<ref name="FAQ"/> In May 2000, CEO Christopher Macdonald joined the website editorial staff, replacing editor-in-chief Isaac Alexander. On 30 June 2002, Anime News Network launched its Encyclopedia, a collaborative database of anime and manga titles also including information about the staff, cast, and the companies which were involved in the production or localization of those titles.<ref>{{cite web|first=Daniel|last=DeLorme|title=2002 – The Encyclopedia in Review|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2003-01-27/9|website=Anime News Network|date=January 14, 2003|access-date=July 4, 2022|archive-date=5 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705060826/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2003-01-27/9|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 7 September 2004, the Sci Fi Channel online newsletter ''Sci Fi Weekly'' named ANN the Web Site of the Week.<ref name="scifiweekly"/> On 18 September 2004, the editorial staff at ANN became formally involved with the anime magazine ''Protoculture Addicts''; the magazine began publishing under ANN's editorial control in January 2005.<ref>{{cite web|title=Anime News Network and Protoculture Addicts Join Forces|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2004-09-18/anime-news-network-and-protoculture-addicts-join-forces|website=Anime News Network|date=September 18, 2004|access-date=July 4, 2022|archive-date=5 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705192342/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2004-09-18/anime-news-network-and-protoculture-addicts-join-forces|url-status=live}}</ref>
In January 2007, ANN launched a separate version for Australian audiences.<ref name="annau">{{cite web|last=Macdonald|first=Christopher|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-01-25/anime-network-australia|title=Anime News Network Australia|website=Anime News Network|date=25 January 2007|access-date=2019-03-11|archive-date=24 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324055242/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 4 July 2008, ANN launched its video platform with a library of anime trailers as well as its own news show ANNtv.<ref>{{cite web|first=Justin|last=Sevakis|title=New media, new horizons, and a new video player|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/editorial/2008-05/ann-video-launch|website=Anime News Network|date=July 4, 2008|access-date=July 4, 2022|archive-date=5 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705011632/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/editorial/2008-05/ann-video-launch|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 7 August 2017, a hacker took control of Anime News Network's domain (animenewsnetwork.com), and compromised some of the site's Twitter accounts, including the personal accounts of ANN's CEO Christopher Macdonald and Executive Editor Zac Bertschy. The site was temporarily live at animenewsnetwork.cc until the staff regained control of the original domain.<ref>{{cite news|date=8 August 2017|title=Update: What's Going On with Anime News Network?|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/site-news/2017-08-08/update-what-going-on-with-anime-news-network/.119882|website=Anime News Network|access-date=2019-03-11|archive-date=13 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913183227/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/site-news/2017-08-08/update-what-going-on-with-anime-news-network/.119882|url-status=live}}</ref> In an article a few days after the loss of the domain, Macdonald published the full story on how the domain was stolen.<ref>{{cite web|last=Macdonald|first=Christopher|date=11 August 2017|title=How ANN Was Hacked|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/site-news/2017-08-11/how-ann-was-hacked/.120038|access-date=14 August 2017|website=Anime News Network|archive-date=12 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912235046/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/site-news/2017-08-11/how-ann-was-hacked/.120038|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 1 November 2022, Kadokawa Corporation announced an agreement to acquire a majority of Anime News Network's media business through a new subsidiary Kadokawa World Entertainment. Christopher Macdonald, the president of ANN, was appointed as the publisher of Kadokawa World Entertainment. Macdonald and Bandai Namco Filmworks retain minority shares in the new company.<ref>{{cite web|title=KADOKAWA Announces Acquisition of Anime News Network's Media Business|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2022-11-01/kadokawa-announces-acquisition-of-anime-news-network-media-business/.191434|website=Anime News Network|date=November 1, 2022|access-date=November 1, 2022|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108030614/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2022-11-01/kadokawa-announces-acquisition-of-anime-news-network-media-business/.191434|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Christopher |last=Macdonald |title=About Kadokawa's Investment in ANN |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/site-news/2022-11-01/about-kadokawa-investment-in-ann/.191443 |date=November 1, 2022 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |work=Anime News Network |language=en |archive-date=3 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103222354/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/site-news/2022-11-01/about-kadokawa-investment-in-ann/.191443 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Features== Anime News Network stories related to anime and manga are researched by the ANN staff. Other contributors, under staff discretion, also contribute news articles.<ref name="FAQ"/>
The website maintains a listing of anime and manga titles, as well as people and companies involved in the production of those titles, which it dubs an "encyclopedia".<ref name="scifiweekly"/> The site has hosted several regular columns, including a question-and-answer column "Hey Answerman", a review column entitled "Shelf Life", a column on old and forgotten media called "Buried Treasure" written by Sevakis.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bertschy|first=Zac|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2006-10-26/new-column-buried-treasure-with-justin-sevakis|title=New Column: Buried Treasure with Justin Sevakis|date=26 October 2006|access-date=2019-03-11|archive-date=2 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102095318/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2006-10-26/new-column-buried-treasure-with-justin-sevakis|url-status=live}}</ref>
ANN also hosts forums,<ref name="scifiweekly"/><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Cho|first1=Hyerim|last2=Schmalz|first2=Marc L.|last3=Keating|first3=Stephen A.|last4=Lee|first4=Jin Ha|title=2017 ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries (JCDL)|chapter=Information Needs for Anime Recommendation: Analyzing Anime Users' Online Forum Queries|date=June 2017|pages=1–3|doi=10.1109/JCDL.2017.7991602|isbn=978-1-5386-3861-3|s2cid=32903728}}</ref> and includes threads to accompany each news item for purposes of discussion. Anime News Network hosts an IRC channel on the WorldIRC network, #animenewsnetwork.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website}} * {{anime News Network|company|7608}}
{{Kadokawa Corporation}} {{Cinema of Japan}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2022 mergers and acquisitions Category:Anime and manga websites Category:Canadian entertainment websites Category:Canadian subsidiaries of foreign companies Category:Encyclopedias in English Category:Entertainment databases Category:Internet properties established in 1998 Category:Kadokawa Corporation subsidiaries Category:Online film databases