NPR on AMVs

npr_logo

Imagine my surprise yesterday morning as I was waking up to hear the words “Otakon,” “Haruhi Suzumiya,” and “anime music videos” coming from my public radio station. In the midst of stories about the Minneapolis bridge collapse disaster comes a 5 minute report about–yes–the phenomenon of AMVs, complete with interviews with fans at Otakon! Oh, how I miss thee, Otakon, after enduring the indignities of AX!

I had no idea actually that Otakon had a “Iron AMV” contest, where contestants are given time to make AMVs on the spot. That’s a great idea and I’m surprised AX, which is in a town full of movie folks and people with editing skills, doesn’t have it. (This year’s AMV showing was a fiasco, for one.)

Anyways, as a diehard NPR listener–everything I learned about radio presentation and podcasting, I learned from NPR and This American Life–it was fun to listen to the incredulous reporter talk about “saucer-eyed schoolkids with robots that jump out of their heads” (and to mention–correctly–FLCL afterwards). Tremble in fear, mainstream America. Like the British, the otakus are coming. The otakus are coming!

Author: gendomike

Michael lives in the Los Angeles area, and has been into anime since he saw Neon Genesis Evangelion in 1999. Some of his favorite shows include Full Metal Alchemist, Honey and Clover, and Welcome to the NHK!. Since 2003 he has gone to at least one anime convention every year. A public radio junkie, which naturally led to podcasting, he now holds a seminary degree and is looking to become Dr. Rev. Otaku Bible Man any day now. Michael can be reached at mike.huang@animediet.net. You can also find his Twitter account at @gendomike.