The 10 most powerful people in the North American anime industry

Postby **freerock1** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:14 pm

According to ICv2:

1. Gen Fukunaga, President & CEO FUNimation Entertainment
2. John Ledford, CEO of ADV Films
3. Kim Manning, Programmer Adult Swim
4. Katsuhiko Tsurumoto, V.P. Business Development, Geneon
5. Anime Buyer, Best Buy
6. Hayao Miyazaki, Founder Studio Ghibli
7. Arthur Smith and Shin Ishikawa, Gonzo Digimation
8. John Easum, Executive Vice President Viz Media
9. Ken Iyadomi, Bandai Entertainment
10. John Sirabella, CEO Media Blasters

The full article: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/8964.html

Postby **Kumagoro** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:17 am

No Al Kahn? He's sure powerful, but I guess he wasn't included because he's evil.

Postby **Nate** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:28 am

Actually, it's probably because 4Kids posted huge losses this past fiscal year. When Pokemon was at the height of its popularity, Al Kahn would definitely have been on that list, but with interest in his properties waning, he doesn't carry the weight he used to.

Postby **Ashley** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:53 am

I almost got into a tizzy no one mentioned the CEO of Ribon....and then I read it was North America. :sweat:

But where are Tokyopop and Viz?

Postby **uc pseudonym** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:46 pm

Good question, especially since both have several of the top anime/manga properties as listed in the same magazine. I'm guessing that means that no one individual in those companies stuck out as having great control over the company or outside of it.

Postby **CDLviking** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 2:16 pm

Ashley wrote:But where are Tokyopop and Viz?

The vp of viz is on the list

Postby **mitsuki lover** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:18 pm

Al Kahn isn't as evil as Kim Manning.

Postby **MasterDias** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:00 pm

freerock1 wrote: 5. Anime Buyer, Best Buy

I'm probably missing something but.... Anime Buyer?
Is this an actual person?

Postby **Ashley** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:14 pm

The vp of viz is on the list

Why, so he is! Darn that lack of reading!

I'm probably missing something but.... Anime Buyer?
Is this an actual person?

Perhaps they mean that the average anime consumer is driving the market (duh). At least, that's how I took it...they were trying to factor in the consumers.

Postby **That Dude** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:49 pm

I believe that they don't have the guy from Tokyopop because they mainly do manga.

Postby **MasterDias** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:13 pm

Ashley wrote:Perhaps they mean that the average anime consumer is driving the market (duh). At least, that's how I took it...they were trying to factor in the consumers.

I suppose. But that still strikes me as as a really strange choice in a poll that refers to specific people.

Postby **Shao Feng-Li** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:13 pm

I was expecting Fukunaga.

Postby **Myoti** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:09 pm

No Al Kahn? He's sure powerful, but I guess he wasn't included because he's evil.

You took the words out of my mouth (as did Kae's reply). Actually, 4Kids is giving up anime anyways, which makes me curious as to what the whole "4Sight" deal will be doing. o_O

Postby **mechana2015** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:23 pm

MasterDias wrote:I'm probably missing something but.... Anime Buyer?
Is this an actual person?

Actually it could be an actual person. Large stores and chains have people called "buyers" that go into a certain markets of product that the store wants to carry. This person then makes the decisions for purchansing the quantity and content of that section of the store/company. The Best Buy anime buyer would be rather powerful in their industry of specialty due to their huuuge financial clout, as would the buyers for cameras, computers, music, etc.

Postby **Shao Feng-Li** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:20 am

Myoti wrote:You took the words out of my mouth (as did Kae's reply). Actually, 4Kids is giving up anime anyways, which makes me curious as to what the whole "4Sight" deal will be doing. o_O

They're giving up anime? I had no idea.

Postby **RedMage** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 6:15 am

Shao Feng-Li wrote:They're giving up anime? I had no idea.

Now I'm confused. I'd never heard 4Kids was "giving up anime" and would be interested to know where this information comes from. Their new subsidiary, 4Sight, is aimed at teens and adults but probably won't have any anime titles.

Postby **mitsuki lover** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:39 pm

You never know what they might do.As far as saying Kim Manning is more evil than
Al Kahn that was based on reading a transcript to the full Kim Manning interview that someone linked to that I found several months back while lurking at AU forum.
She called the Bible a piece of crap.Anyone who calls the Bible a piece of crap has to be EVIL in my book.

Postby **Myoti** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 8:34 am

Now I'm confused. I'd never heard 4Kids was "giving up anime" and would be interested to know where this information comes from. Their new subsidiary, 4Sight, is aimed at teens and adults but probably won't have any anime titles.

From what I understand. Let me find the link and I'll get back to you on that...

You never know what they might do.As far as saying Kim Manning is more evil than Al Kahn that was based on reading a transcript to the full Kim Manning interview that someone linked to that I found several months back while lurking at AU forum.
She called the Bible a piece of crap.Anyone who calls the Bible a piece of crap has to be EVIL in my book.

Not like Kim Manning is the first person to say that. o.o

Postby **KhakiBlueSocks** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 11:24 pm

mitsuki lover wrote:Al Kahn isn't as evil as Kim Manning.

Okay, I would just like to say...KAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNN!!!!

::Clears his throat:: Ah, Just had to get that out of my system!

Anyway, are they talking about in a business sense or a creative sense? I'm seeing a lot of VP's and CEO's on the list, but I'm not seeing any producers or directors or even writers...they're just as powerful IMHO because there the ones who create the anime for these US executives to license.

The 10 most powerful people in the North American anime industry

The 10 most powerful people in the North American anime industry

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