It's late at night, you're poking around the Internet, and after having finished the latest episode of Bleach or Naruto or whatever else is popular these days, you stumbled across Japanator. What is it? Why should I read it? How do I pronounce it's name?
Ja-pan-a-tor, by the way.
Simply put, we are the otaku's companion. We're here to keep you updated on all things Japan: Not only anime and manga, but also Japanese music, television dramas, cosplay, gaming, and even current events/politics from time to time. Besides the hard journalism that is inherent to the Japan blogging community, we've got plenty of original features and columns to keep you entertained.
Once you're done reading the front page, you can hop into our forums or our community blogs section to share your ideas. The community blogs section is a place for you to expound upon your own ideas, share news, and in general produce a cohesive long-form post. We're always on the prowl looking for good entries: if we really like your piece, we'll promote it to the front page.
Meanwhile, over in the forums, go ahead and kick up a discussion. Want to talk about the latest episode of this one show? Do it in the forums so that other people can join in on the conversation. While you're there, you can find recommendations for new things to watch or meet a few new people from the community.
How'd we get here?
Back when Modern Method, our little company, was simply Destructoid.com, we decided to launch a site dedicated to covering those funny Japanese cartoons and comic books, and Japanator was born on November 3rd, 2006. Since then, we've been carving our own path in the community.
We found that just writing about anime and manga was limiting, so we opened ourselves up to covering a fuller Japan beat, and haven't looked back since. It's been a major part of our development and appeal, offering a greater scope of Japan, its media and its culture than any other site out there on the 'net.
If you're interested in hearing our Editor-in-Chief talk about himself and running the site, check out his appearances on Anime3000's podcast, Anime News Network's show and even our G4 spot up above.
ps. Got news? Send press releases, stories, and inquiries to tips@japanator.com
The staff
Brad Rice Editor-in-Chief
Brad is a writer, through and through. Normally he's chained to his desk updating the site at all hours, but on occasion he manages to slip out to work on writing screenplays and papers, even though he's already graduated from Syracuse University.
Dale is a writer/journalist/blogger that mostly covers games, tech, music, and, of course, Japanese culture. He rarely ever stops writing. When he's not writing for the fine ModernMethod network of websites, he's usually recording music, traveling, cooking, or eating.
Colette runs Tomopop.com because of a burning passion for toys, but also moonlights over on Japanator as she can't seem to cast off a love of all things Japanese. She also does freelance work for Colourlovers.com,
Likes: J-dramas, ikemen, authentic Japanese food, 90s anime, shoujo and horror manga Dislikes: slice of life shows, moeblobs, anime elitists
Zac is a musician, writer, graphic designer, husband, pet owner, dishwasher, chauffeur, book reader, chair sitter, head scratcher, thinker, movie watcher, Polysics fan, blogger, coffee drinker, driveway shoveler, video game player, sleeper, curmudgeon, pushover, jerk, skeptic, atheist, pacifist and just this guy, but really just a speck, living on a speck, floating in space.
Jake leads a couple different lives, one of which as a photographer, cinematographer, and all around camera otaku. He is currently working his way towards a degree in Japanese language, and aspires to bring a Japanese way of film stateside. At least, that's what his personal statement essay said...
Contact: Just yell "Hey, look over there! It's a giant lens!" and I should show up to wherever you are fairly soon.
Tim Sheehy
Features and Reviews Editor
Tim is one of those rare otaku who actually follows every aspect of the Japanese entertainment industry. If he's not writing, he's busy playing video games, reading manga and books, watching anime or dramas, listening to J-pop, or composing and arranging music of his own.
Likes: Shunya Yamashita, Macross, Sangokushi Dislikes: Gurren Lagann, L cosplay, One Piece
Considering his love for cute and moe girls, it is a surprise that the Pedrobear hasn't received a visit from a certain television personality. Currently studying Journalism at Florida International University, Pedro wants to be the next Hunter S Thompson, illicit substances, apes and all. He is also quite fond of Guinness.
Likes: Gurren Lagann and Nia in particular, cute girls, big asses, great legs, PVC, One Piece
Dislikes: Key shows, trolls, bad fanservice, losing in Street Figher 4...repeatedly
Josh Tolentino Associate Editor
Josh writes for a living, and is glad beyond belief that writing for Japanator is part of that. He knows, though, that true happiness can only come when one can direct a meaningful stare worthy of a Mamoru Oshii film as well as display a self-satisfied smirk worthy of Konata Izumi.
Likes: The Absolute Territory, playing video games, Konata Dislikes: Yandere, folks who diss JRPGs because of the "J," and his inability to give a properly photogenic smile. Seriously, it ruins all of his family photos.
Jeff is an anime fan, who spends much of his time trying to make money so he can buy more anime and related goods. Sometimes he writes about it. The rest of his time he giggles with the other random internet anime guys about the latest panty shots. Part-time kimo-ota.
Likes: Biz & Industry, Nadesico, memes, Masami Okui Dislikes: US Copyright, boring anime
Ben Huber Associate Editor
Ben is a fledgling graphic designer, artist, and writer. Almost complete with his degree in Graphic Design, he plans to lead a life of dealing with stupid clients and then unwinding with video games, manga, and anime. He's particularly enthusiastic about the art of package design and character design, and looks forward to the (unlikely) epic return of traditionally animated films to American cinema, forever banishing non-Pixar CGI.
Likes: Anything by Studio Ghibli, anime that breaks the moeblob mold, Japanese music, gadgets, Valve games, coffee Dislikes: brown video games, moeblob, red beets, bad movies that everyone else love
Crystal White Intern
Crystal is a traditional and digital illustrator, and when she's not busy keeping up her oh-so-very-required indie artist lifestyle at Syracuse University, or writing for Japanator, she's usually sucked into her PS3, traveling, or playing guitar. She's always on the lookout for the newest tech and gadgets, and at twenty-one years old, still has a disturbingly great appreciation of childish things. Yes, that means Pokemon.
Likes: gaming, character design, comics, anything Harry Potter related, Square-Enix Dislikes: bad video game box art, anything written by Dickens, staying in one place too long
Mike is a writer from all sides of the media landscape. Whether it be film, music, video games, books, magazines, fashion, toys or anything pop culture related, he's down to uncover its origins and lay down his personal spin on it. This also entails the obligatory Yay or Nay regarding whether or not he sees that particular issue of any importance--so be prepared for, as the kids say, "crazy opinions, yo". He's a pretty slight fellow, so here's to hoping the rest of the staff won't eat him alive. Unless they have a penchant for malnourished bones, he'll stick around for a while.
Likes: Running really fast, Explosions, Aliens, Snow, Fire, Birds, Needlessly Large Weapons, Guitars, Guitars That Double as Weapons, Women, Women Alongside Any of the Aforementioned Items, Pokemon Dislikes: The fact that I really like Pokemon, The fact that I like snow but hate cold weather, When women ask me for diet secrets
Marcello is a twenty-something graphic designer and writer who spends way too much time playing Xbox 360 and neglecting his loved ones. When not hard at work in the studio, he spends his spare time sitting in a corner tugging on his imaginary beard, thinking about the good 'ol days of war and mayhem. His 9 foot mecha also regularly goes out to get him his lunch. Nice mecha, nice...
Likes:PS1 RPGs, good quality Blu-ray movies, sushi, his new Chevy Camaro
Dislikes:Long walks on the beach, flaming hot cheetos, filler anime episodes
In short, we do business based on Google's meme: "Don't be evil."
Japanator is a trusted community site so we hold ourselves to the highest privacy standards. Simply put -- We would never sell your email address, nor share it with with anyone, or ever spam you -- ever, end of story. We also have everything in place to keep the bad guys out. We would also never ask you for your passwords, credit card, phone, etc. We don't even care if you don't give us your real name, to be honest.
By becoming a member of the Japanator community, you are only agreeing to become a virtual person in our world and discuss stuff. Seriously, that's all there is to it. Easy, eh? Yes, as it should be. (ahem!)
Japanator is committed to protecting the privacy of Internet users. The following statement details our ongoing support for the responsible collection and management of Internet user information.
Internet User Information
When we display an advertisement on your computer, we do not collect any personal identifiable information about you, such as your name, address, telephone number or email address. Japanator does, like other Internet advertisers, collect certain information which can not personally identify you. (Specifically: Cookies!) This category of information is generally referred to as non-personally-identifiable information includes information like the server or internet service provider you use, type of browser used. There are some cases where you, the Internet user, may voluntarily provide personal information in response to a particular ad (a survey or purchase order form). In such cases the third party advertising with Japanator may collect this information on behalf of an advertiser. The advertiser in turn uses this information to reply to your request.
Furthermore, Japanator.com does not divulge any information regarding the users who use email for correspondence with the webmaster or any representative of Japanator.com.
Online Advertising
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our Web site. These companies may use aggregated information (not including your name, address, email address or telephone number) about your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, check out http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp.
In layman's terms: it's just a cookie that says "hey you saw this ad already" or "ok, he clicked on a banner ad for leather rock pants, lets show this guy more of those." We don't share any information from your personal account with advertisers.
HEY YOU - USE COMMON SENSE IN ALL YOUR ONLINE ACTIVITIES
Even the best policy can't protect your online privacy and security in all circumstances. Unscrupulous advertisers, hackers, and scam artists are constantly searching the Internet looking for new targets. Your best protection is to understand the limits to privacy on the Internet and use common sense in all of your on-line activities.
Be aware that e-mail is an inherently insecure form of communication. Remember that third parties are sometimes able to illegally intercept your unencrypted messages, including online greetings. Anytime you visit a chat room or post a message to an on-line bulletin board, your e-mail address can be accessed by advertisers looking to compile lists for unsolicited commercial e-mail (also known as spam).
Be sure that you only disclose your e-mail address in circumstances in which it is safe to do so. Beware of scams in which persons unknown to you request your screen name, password, or credit card information. Make sure you verify the identity of anyone asking for personal information. Always monitor your children's on-line activities and educate them as to the rules for safe Internet use. For more information, click here for the Internet Education Foundation's Online Safety Guide for Kids.
Contacting the Webmaster
If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Website, you can contact the site owner at niero@japanator.com. I will do our best to reply within 48 hours.
We're evaluating Livefyre, a new comments system that helps us fight spam, allows you to thread comments, get email notifications, and follow site-wide AND twitter/facebook conversations about our stories all from one page. If you love it we will integrate it into the site permanently so that your old comments and profiles sync up. During this test you can register a chat avatar and track your comments here. Let us know what you think! support@japanator.com
Embedding images/pictures: To help us fight spam/pr0n we only support images from Flickr, Twitpic, tinypic, and imgur for images. Just type in the URL and a thumbnail of the picture will show up. Supported video sources are vimeo and youtube.
live comments!
Everything makes sense now.