Updated Blog

We have just updated Protoculture's blog with the new version of Blogger (offering more flexible template, labels and improved Archive). It doesn't make a big difference but it does add a few convenient functions. Enjoy!

PA#89 is out!

The latest issue of the magazine is now out and on its way to subscribers, distributors and stores.

We have finally started to expend our distribution in the U.S.A. and the magazine should also be available very soon in a selection of bookstores (like Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc.). We will give you more details later.

For more information on the contents of this issue check http://www.protoculture.ca/PA/PA89.htm

We would appreciate very much if you could let us know what you think of the look and contents of this issue. You can give your comments in this topic of the forum: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=30314

We would also like subscribers to let us know how long it took for their copy to reach them. You can do it in this topic of the forum: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=27441

Enjoy!

PA#89 shipping soon!

Protoculture Addicts #89 is shipping imminently. It was slightly delayed because of technical problems at the printer, but it should be on its way to subscribers and stores within a week. Check the web page for more details on this issue.

To get a copy you can either order it directly from us, get a subscription or check you local store. If they are not carrying the magazine, please encourage them to do so. Retailers can order it directly from us or they can order it from several distributors (our web page has a list of distributors that carry the magazine).

Remember: the best way to support the magazine is by the word of mouth. Tell your friends about Protoculture Addicts and encourage them to buy it as well.

Larger Distribution for PA's eBooks

Recently it was announced that our eBooks “distributor,” Drive Thru RPG, merged with its former competitor, RPG Now. That means PA's eBooks have now a larger distribution, being available from both websites.

So far, there is 31 issues of Protoculture Addicts available in the eBook format from both Drive Thru RPG and RPG Now. Check them out!

Subscribers: How long does it takes to get your copy?

Considering that we were surprised to learned that some subscribers in the Middle-East got their latest copy of the magazine only recently, we started to wonder how long does it takes to our subscribers to get their copies.

Consequently, we would like our subscribers to give us some feedback on how long it takes their subscription copies to be delivered. We would need to know in which country, state and city you live and how long (in weeks) it took for PA#88 to be delivered (considering that it was shipped on June 5th).

You can give us feedback on your subscription delivery by sending us e-mail at comments@protoculture.ca or by participating in the PA forum on Anime News Network.

Thank you all in advance for your feedback. It will help us continue to offer the best possible service.

New Overseas Subscription Option

Overseas subscriptions are shipped by surface mail and should take about 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

However, we recently learned that for some far-away overseas destination, like Africa or Middle-East, it might take up to 10 weeks. So we have added a more expensive Overseas Air Mail option that should take only about 2 weeks.

In addition to the Standard Overseas Subscription ($30 US subscription plus $15 US extra for shipping cost for a total of $45 US) we now offer a new Air Mail Overseas Subscription ($30 US subscription plus $50 US of extra shipping cost for a total of $80 US) for those international customers who don't mind paying extra for a speedy delivery.

Go to the subscription information page to subscribe.

Update

The distribution information has just been updated.

In the meantime, some more PA eBooks!

There is now a total of 31 issues of Protoculture Addicts available in the eBook format from Drive Thru RPG! The latest additions are issues #62, 63, 64, 83 & 84:

More Protoculture Addicts issues in eBook format will be available later.

Delay

Most of the projects and updates scheduled for this summer have been delayed.

Unfortunately, my wife was diagnosed with a cancer in June. After several weeks of intensive tests, she was finally operated in July and, after a ten-day stay at the hospital that felt like hell, she is now home and resting. She is fine, but I have to take care of her (and such ordeal was mentally and physically draining for both of us).

I will dedicate my remaining available time to ship orders, perform minimum web maintenance and work on the production of PA#89 (still scheduled for November). I'll try to add new contents to the web site and make updates whenever possible (most likely in-between issues). Sorry folks, life happens! [CJP]

Update

The catalog section has just been updated. Besides the few aesthetic improvements, the changes affect mostly our Canadian customers.

From now on, Canadian transactions will be charged in Canadian dollars (that way we don't have to constantly adjust the exchange rate). We have also adjusted the GST rate.

For most Canadian customer, the tax is applied to the transaction only at the check out. In Quebec, the taxes are already calculated in the shopping cart as an handling charge (PayPal system does allow the automatic calculation of two taxes, even less the complex piggyback tax used in Quebec).

This should brings easier and smoother transactions both for us and the customers. Let us know if you are experiencing any problems with your purchases.

More updates should come over the coming weeks. Stay Tuned!

Protoculture Addicts on Ain't It Cool News

This week's Ain't It Cool News anime column features a write-up about Protoculture Addicts.

Feedback Please

PA#88 has now been in stores for a while and all North American subscribers should have received their copies. So I would like to remind all our readers that we would like to hear their comments on the “new look” of the magazine. We are planning more improvements with the next issue and we need your feedback in order to know if we are on the right track and what more you would like us to change.

So, what do you think about the new layout? Do you have any suggestions for more improvements? What's your favorite section of the magazine? What section do you dislike? Do you want more or less news? Do you want more or less reviews? Do you want longer or shorter reviews? Do you want more manga preview? More or less anime stories? etc.

You can express you opinion on the new layout by sending us e-mail at comments@protoculture.ca or by participating in the PA forum on Anime News Network.

Thank you all in advance for your support, comments and suggestions.

And remember: the best way to support the magazine is by the word of mouth. Tell your friends about Protoculture Addicts and encourage them to buy it as well.

Update

Over the years, some people complained that the main page of the site was rather boring, so I decided to update it a little. It's hardly an improvement, but it's slightly different (Although a mispelled code made it colorless for the past week and I didn't realize it until yesterday since Safari is interpreting the code right). I hope it will do for now. Anyway, the purpose of the main page is to attract attention and give basic information about the magazine. Its aesthetic is rather secundary (particularly when we are busy making the magazine itself looking better). In any case, PA's web page will eventually be integrated with ANN web site.

However, in the following month, we will add some new content to the website and will also update the catalog of back issues. Stay tuned!

News: Fantasia 2006

Fantasia, the North American premier genre film festival, will be offering quite an eclectic lineup for its tenth edition. Over the course of 18 days it will present more than 90 features and 125 short films from over 15 countries. Fantasia will be held in Montreal from July 6th to July 24th, at the Concordia Hall Theatre (1455 Maisonneuve W.) and J.A. de Sève Cinema (1400 Maisonneuve W.).

On the Asian landscape we first note that the festival is showing 26 movies from Japan! Unfortunately it includes only one anime: Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie: Conqueror of Shambala.

The Japanese live-action movies of notable interest include Arthouse Ultraman, Shusuke Kaneko's Azumi 2: Love Or Death, Funky Forest: The First Contact, Takeshi Miike's Great Yokai War, Samurai Commando Mission 1549, Shinobi, Negadon: The Monster From Mars (short), and Train Man.

Also showing from Japan: The All-Out Nine: Field Of Nightmares, Black Kiss, Death Trance, Executive Koala, The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai, Shusuke Kaneko's God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand, The iDol (short), Meatball Machine, Mirror man (short), Mirror Man Reflex, Norabbits Minutes (short), Reincarnation, Strange Circus, Sukeban Boy, Synesthesia, Tokyo Zombie, and Zombie Self-Defense Force.

Also three Japanese guests will attend the festival: Toro Matsuura (Synesthesia), Sion Sono (Strange Circus), and Takeshi Yagi (Arthouse Ultraman).

The festival will show 5 movies from Hong-Kong. We recommand Jeff Lau's A Chinese Tall Story and Tsui Hark's Seven Swords, but there's also Dirty Ho, The Five Venoms, and Re-Cycle.

The festival will show 10 movies from Korea: The Art Of Fighting, A Bittersweet Life, Blood Rain, Murder, Take One, My Scary Girl, Princess Aurora, The Red Shoes, Sunday Seoul, Typhoon, and Vampire Cop Ricky.

Finally, we've noted one potentially interesting film from Philipines, Exodus, and one from Russia Aziris Nuna. For details on the other movies, check the festival web page.

Bon festival!

Otakuthon Panels

Anime News Network's Christopher Macdonald, and Protoculture Addicts' Claude J. Pelletier will be at the first Montreal Otakuthon this weekend (June 10 & 11). The ANN panel will take place Saturday at noon in H-403, while the Protoculture panel will be Saturday at 1 pm in H-401. The full panel list and schedule can be seen here. More information on Otakuthon is available here. The event takes place at Concordia University (downtown) and is free to attend. [ discuss it at ANN's forums ]

Source: ANN.

Come see us at the panel and discuss the new & improved look of the magazine!

Protoculture will also have tables at the conventions, so you can purchase the lastest issue, back issues, subcription and many other goodies!

Protoculture at Otakuthon

Anime News Network's Christopher Macdonald, and Protoculture Addicts' Claude J. Pelletier will be at the first Montreal Otakuthon next weekend (June 10 & 11). There will be ANN and PA panels at the event, however we do not know the exact schedule yet. Otakuthon is Montreal's first anime convention since Hobbystar's "Montreal Anime Expo" in 2003. Registration for Otakuthon is free. [ discuss it on ANN's forums ]

Source: ANN.

Protoculture at Anime Boston

Anime News Network and Protoculture will introduce the new format of Protoculture Addicts at Anime Boston. Come and check out the latest issue of the magazine at our booth (#413, beside FUNimation).

Also Protoculture will be making copies of the magazine available, on consignment, to merchants at Anime Boston. Merchants can contact Protoculture Addicts in advance (editor@animenewsnetwork.com) to reserve copies, or visit us at our booth.

Protoculture Addicts on ICv2

ICv2 has posted a short article on Protoculture Addicts issue 88. For more info on Protoculture Addicts #88, see the recent press release. [ discuss it on Anime News Network's forum ]

(Source: Anime News Network)

PA#88 is now at the printer!

Protoculture Addicts #88 is now at the printer. This is the first issue of the new, improved version of the magazine that offers more pages, in full color, with better quality of printing and the best and most informative of anime contents for both beginners and otakus. It is, more than ever, your best guide to anime culture!

Protoculture Addicts, the oldest anime magazine still in publication in North America, is now 100-page, full color and retails for $5.95. This issue offers a spotlight on Basilisk and also introduces you to seven new anime series with “Anime Stories” on Bewitched Agnes (aka Okusama wa Mahou Shoujo), Blood +, Elemental Gelade, Gallery Fake, Gun Sword, Kamichu!, and TideLine Blue. For all those series you'll find an overview, the character profiles, a story primer that gives the synopses of the first few episodes, and a “data file” that lists staff & cast, release information, PA's ratings, etc.

This issue also includes a 20-page exclusive preview of Del Rey's manga ES: Eternal Sabbath, articles on Urusei Yatsura, Full Moon, j-rock band Triceratops, a convention guide (where to go and what to do at anime cons), interviews with The Big O mangaka Hitoshi Ariga, AnimEigo's Robert Woodhead and Viz Media's Alvin Lu, as well as reviews of anime & manga-related products (41 DVDs, 11 manga, 5 CDs, 4 live-action movies, 3 books) and the latest anime & manga news directly from Anime News Network newsdesk!

Protoculture's new improved formula will certainly quench your thirst for anime knowledge! Don't miss it!

And it is still time for you to subscribe or to order this issue!

PA Announces New Format

Starting with issue 88 of Anime News Network's Protoculture Addicts, the magazine will be 100 pages long (up from 80 pages in previous issues) and full color (up from 16 pages in previous issues). As a result of the format change, the magazine's cover price will jump from $4.95 to $5.95, however the subscription rate will remain the same, $30 for 6 issues.

PA#88 to Preview “ES”

Protoculture Addicts issue 88, due out in May, will feature a 20-page preview of Del Rey's upcoming manga series, ES: Eternal Sabbath.

More PA eBooks!

There is now a total of 26 issues of Protoculture Addicts available in the eBook format from Drive Thru RPG! The latest additions are issues #40 and 41:

Some issues of the magazine are now sold out and available ONLY in eBook format:



More Protoculture Addicts issues in eBook format will be available soon.

PA#82 Now Available as eBook!

A Full Color version of Protoculture Addicts #82 is now available in the eBook format from Drive Thru RPG for only $3.95!

We now have a total of 24 titles available in eBook format and new ones are coming soon. Check it out!

PA#87 Shipped

Protoculture Addicts #87 shipped tuesday. By the end of next week it should be in most stores and Canadian subscribers should have received their copies. US and International subscribers won't probably get their copies for another two or three weeks.

As usual, if you want a copy you can either order it directly from us, get a subscription or check you local store. If they are not carrying the magazine, please encourage them to do so. Retailers can order it directly from us (they can check our terms of business) or they can order it from several distributors (our web page has a list of distributors that carry the magazine).

Remember: the best way to support the magazine is by the word of mouth. Tell your friends about Protoculture Addicts and encourage them to buy it as well.

Please give us some FEEDBACK by either going to the PA's forums or by e-mail! That will help us continue to improve the magazine.

Also, the information on the next issue, PA#88, has been updated in the Upcoming Issues section.

Thanks for your support and take care!

PAX #1 now available as eBook!

Protoculture Addicts Extra #1 is now available in the eBook format from Drive Thru RPG for only $1.99!

We now have a total of 23 titles available in eBook format and new ones are coming soon. Check it out!

Updates

We have updated the subscription information.

We also did more updates on the “Other Products & Rare Issues” section of the catalog.

PA#87 Information available

We've put online the content information for Protoculture Addicts #87.

Also, please note that the content of PA#88 has been changed. The new information will be posted later this week.

PA 87 at the printer

Happy New Year everyone!

PA 87 is still at the printer... The production was a few days late so we missed our printing window and the fact that the printer was closed for the entire Holidays just added to the delay. However, the press should restart soon and we will ship the magazine next week.