Seventeenth Interview

Interview by: AIM
Site: Hanabatake
Webmasters: Ardith
Interviewer: Jade

Jethrajade: Why and when did you start your site?
hanabatakeardith: I started in 1995. I just began going to UCLA and my friend Wuken had a DragonBall Z site on Geocities.
hanabatakeardith: So I began my site on Geocities with my opinions and reviews of a few shows that I liked. I was very into Ranma 1/2. Very.
Jethrajade: It's a good series
hanabatakeardith: I wanted to share my love of anime, mainly, with other people and the internet was a new playground. Yes. I still have a soft spot for [Ranma 1/2].
Jethrajade: Any inspiration about the type of site you started?
hanabatakeardith: Not really. At first, it was just a page with my opinions about anime. I didn't know much about HTML. You know, frames were such a new thing! Once those were available to use, I changed the whole look of my site. Instead of one big page, I had individual pages with my anime ramblings.
Jethrajade: So you did the layout yourself?
hanabatakeardith: Initially. Last year, I switched to mambo (and then to Joomla) for content management. I use templates that are available now. But on archive.org, you can look at my old designs. *laugh*
Jethrajade: Do you have staff members who help you?
hanabatakeardith: No, my page is all me. It was my hobby in college. Currently, I do my best to post with news and information. It's a lot harder. I think I really got the most hits on my site because I like anime that people considered obscure a few years ago. Like One Piece and Mahojin Guruguru. Hm, I guess the second is still obscure.
Jethrajade: Now that anime is becoming more mainstream in American culture, do you think it's getting easier or harder to please visitors?
hanabatakeardith: Hm, I guess that since I do the site for my own pleasure, I haven't had any issues with trying to please visitors. I write some fanfiction. Most of my visitors wrote begging me to finish my stories. I think there are some people who visit since I post about the anime industry and some goings on every now and then. With the expansion of anime & manga, there are so many more sites with much more information than mine. But I like to think I've been around for a long time and my love for anime & manga will keep me around for a few more decades.
Jethrajade: It looks like you know what the people want. That's a good thing to have. Is updating a hassle for you?
hanabatakeardith: I hope that people enjoy visiting.
Jethrajade: I know I did
hanabatakeardith: The only issues now with updating is that I'm pinched for time.  People stop by Hanabatake for different things. Some for my research papers, some for my fanfiction, and others for my reviews of anime & manga. I hope I'm able to encourage people to try new shows or to look at anime & manga in a different way.  I've never thought of anime or manga as something only for kids or teens or even college students.
Jethrajade: Was that the goal you set out to do originally?
hanabatakeardith: My original goal was to get the word about anime. In 1995, not that many people had internet access or web pages. It was all very new.  I wanted people to read about new shows that I had watched at UCLA Anime Club or new manga I picked up at the local Japanese bookstores. *laugh* I feel kind of old now. The world is wide open and hopefully better for it.
Jethrajade: It's ok. You're never too old for anime
hanabatakeardith: More open to anime & manga, I mean.  I know, I might be attending conventions in my old age!
Jethrajade: Right now, what's your favorite website outside of your own?
hanabatakeardith: I read AnimeOnDVD.com every day. I also love reading webcomics like PennyArcade.com and MegaTokyo.com. I looooved to read LoveManga.co.uk. Manga blogs are my new thing.
Jethrajade: So when you're online, what do you do during the majority of your time?
hanabatakeardith: Like Manga4kids.com. Since I work in for a Anime/Manga company, I do a lot of emailing. *laugh* And check out anime news sites. When I'm at home, I spend a lot of time reading about upcoming anime.
Jethrajade: You actually work for an anime/manga company? Does that mean that you're around anime/manga most of the time?
hanabatakeardith: I'm overflowing with anime information!
Jethrajade: That's great!
hanabatakeardith: Haha. Yes, I work for Broccoli International USA, Inc.
Jethrajade: That's one cool company
hanabatakeardith: Well, we try. I love working for Broccoli.
Jethrajade: Is being a webmaster help you with your job?
hanabatakeardith: I can work on HTML on the fly! I also know my way around FTP and setting up web pages. In a pinch, I can set up a URL in a few hours. Since I have so much experience with the internet, I can research really quickly. My friend introduced me to Google when it was still beta and I never looked back.
Jethrajade: No Yahoo for you!
hanabatakeardith: Nope!
Jethrajade: We covered some background information on your site. Now...on with why you like anime so much! Why do you like anime?
hanabatakeardith: How could you not! I fell in love with anime as a child. I watched Robotech and was fascinated by the relationship between Rick, Lisa, and Minmey. I was a Rick x Lisa girl all the way, even as a child. Mostly, I love anime and manga because of the stories.
Jethrajade: Ah, can't argue there.
hanabatakeardith: Not all of the stories are good. Like all mediums, there are crappy things made all of the time. But there are stories that I find much more accessible than superhero comics.
Jethrajade: Which genre type do you tend to read/watch?
hanabatakeardith: My theory about why manga is so popular with girls and women is that they find something ultimately relatable in the stories. I tend to favor stories with romance and fantasy. My favorite manga ever is Rurouni Kenshin. Anime & manga, hands down. But I also loved Kodomo no Omocha and Fruits Basket and Escaflowne.
Jethrajade: Would one of these series be your all time favorite anime?
hanabatakeardith: Rurouni Kenshin. I think that Kenshin is such a complex character. All the characters have flaws and really appeal to me.
Jethrajade: Which character can you relate to the best?
hanabatakeardith: I think I found Kaoru appealing. Young and alone, she really had to fight hard. I mean, during that time period, it would be so hard for a young woman to live alone and try to do all the things she was doing when she is introduced. And that relationship between Kenshin & Kaoru really has been a fascination of mine.  Because although Kaoru is young, impulsive, and sometimes emotional, she really helps him.
Jethrajade: If you were in Kaoru's shoes, what would you do? It's a broad question, so broad answers are welcome. No pressure.
hanabatakeardith: If I were in her shoes? I hope I would be able to run a school with the same determination. I admire that in her. She didn't really give up. And she went after Kenshin.
Jethrajade: If you were in Kaoru's shoes, would you have been more aggressive with dealing with Kenshin?
hanabatakeardith: Like Megumi? I don't think so. In real life, I think I'd be more attracted to Sanosuke, but that may just be because of how he's drawn. haha
Jethrajade: Not his personality? He's the "bad boy" type kind of.
hanabatakeardith: Haha. Well, he does make me laugh.
Jethrajade: lol
hanabatakeardith: I like that all of the characters in Rurouni Kenshin have their moments. I mean, I've gotten teary eyed for all their stories.
Jethrajade: I think Sano and Yahiko are the comedy relief.
hanabatakeardith: Yes, but they have these back stories. Being orphaned, having to survive alone in the world. That's a big theme in Kenshin. They come together as a family and are stronger than being alone.
Jethrajade: Their backgrounds give them a little more dimension
hanabatakeardith: And I think that's one of the reasons they fight so hard as the Kenshin-Gumi. They are family.
Jethrajade: It seems you know a lot about anime/manga. Would you think that makes you more of an otaku or just an anime lover?
hanabatakeardith: Anime fans in the US have appropriated the term Otaku to mean hard core fan in a good way. In Japan, it's not that... complementary... of a term.  *laugh*
Jethrajade: well... I mean it in the American sense
hanabatakeardith: But I'm a geek and I don't mind it either which way. I find that anime & manga is rich. Like books and movies. You can find stories that are incredible.
Jethrajade: haha, finally!  Someone who understands!
hanabatakeardith: Movies that will make you cry like Millennium Actress. And that will make you laugh. I mean, I love how there is a transformation when things are animated. I watched Howl's Moving Castle and then sat down and read the book. I liked the movie more.
Jethrajade: Transformation as in transition from manga to anime?
hanabatakeardith: I mean, I found the book enjoyable, but other fantasy writers did it better like Patricia C. Wrede. Yes. See, now I'm talking all anime-elite like!  Stop me if I wax otaku too much.  ^_^;;
Jethrajade: Oh no, I like it when you speak your mind
hanabatakeardith: I liked the Fruits Basket anime more than the manga. shhh..
Jethrajade: lol
hanabatakeardith: The anime was directed by the same director as Kodomo no Omocha. He's incredible.
Jethrajade: Let's say you get the chance to be featured in an anime-related magazine. Which magazine would you prefer? (i.e. Newtype, Anime Insider)
hanabatakeardith: Shoujo Beat!
Jethrajade: I like that one too!
hanabatakeardith: Haha. I'd love to tell young girl readers that you can do whatever you want with your mind.  They are running Baby & Me. It's one of my favorite manga.
Jethrajade: Oh, yeah, that manga is cute. It's not really my taste, but it's funny.
hanabatakeardith: It starts a little slow, but I get teary eyed every time I think about the story.
Jethrajade: It's sad, ain't it?
hanabatakeardith: Like a lot of manga, it starts out and has to have a few volumes to really take it's direction. It's complex. Funny and sad. The relationships between the kids are really the best.
Jethrajade: Now I have one more question for you. Ready?
hanabatakeardith: Okay!
Jethrajade: What's your favorite....
Jethrajade: COLOR?
hanabatakeardith: Blue!