Further info on anime
 Tokyo Anime Center
Since the Tokyo Anime Center opened in 'Akiba' - Akihabara to give it its full name - in March 2006, the world's first permanent dedicated anime facility has attracted around 300,000 visitors, including more than 10,000 visitors from overseas.
In front of the main JR Akihabara Station stand the Cross Field buildings; a location gradually becoming sacred to those interested in anime culture. The Tokyo Anime Center facility is located on the 4th floor of UDX building in the complex and is fronted by the Anime Press Desk which provides information on both the center itself and Akihabara in general. According to the Tokyo Anime Center Press Manager, Mr. Senda, "Akihabara can come across as a deep and mysterious area so the Anime Center can appear more familiar (and easier to) enter than other places in Akihabara - especially for first time visitors. We are now something of a tourist information center for the area."
Entering the center, a souvenir shop stands to the right alongside a multi-purpose, glass walled recording studio. Another function of the same recording studio is 'post-recording' where brief lyrical comments that accompany famous scenes from the popular animation series 'Pokemon' or 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' are prepared and 'added' to the visual side of the show(s) by and for visiting members of the general public.
The shop itself deals in a range of goods, from the cheap and cheerful 100 yen items to original pictures of 'Anpanman' valued at 300,000 yen. Several items are exclusive to the Tokyo Anime Center store.
UDX 4F, Akihabara Cross Field, 4-14-1 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo TEL: 03-5298-1188
http://www.animecenter.jp/
 Suginami Animation Museum
Suginami Animation Museum is located about 5 minutes by bus from Ogikubo Station on the JR Chuo Line. Opened in 2005, the museum is the first dedicated to each and every member of the domestic anime industry as opposed to a lone artist.
Of course the question of why such a facility would open in Suginami must be asked but with approximately 70 of around 430 anime studios in the nation based in Suginami this corner of western Tokyo is without equal in terms of being the largest anime zone globally.
Entering the museum at no charge the first thing you will see is a large chronological chart of Japanese animation history; a quick look from the earliest days of anime to today will compact many years of anime history into one bite-size piece.
Beside the chronological table, a trio of desks used by the animation director (Yoshiyuki Tomino of Gundam fame), graphic director (Takayuki Goto - Stand Alone Complex) and art director (Shinzo Yuki - Futariwa Purikyua) are on display to show the various steps needed in putting together celluloid based anime. Not far away is the latest digital anime technology and celluloid images of the masterpiece 'Jin-Roh'; a classic celluloid production. According to Mr. Yanagiya, manager of the Suginami Animation Museum; "Even the Canadians have a 'Jin-Roh' fan club and some of those fans have visited the museum here - not once, but twice."
For the hands-on type of fan who would like to have ago at producing their own simple but fun digital anime, why not take part in the workshops on painting and editing by way of the PC in the digital workshop room?
3-29-5 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo TEL: 03-3396-1510
http://www.sam.or.jp/
 Anime Fair
Anime now
Further info on anime
Studying anime
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