Manga Entertainment dominates NEO Awards 2011

Ian Wolf

Ian Wolf

Mushi-shi
AUKN Staff
Distributor Manga Entertainment came out on top in this year's NEO Awards, winning six out of the twelve awards.

The awards won, which are voted for by an online public vote, included "Best Anime Distributor" and "Best Asian Movie Distributor". It also won the awards for "Best Anime" for Black Butler, "Best Anime Movie" for Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance, "Best Franchise" for Fullmetal Alchemist (alongside with the manga publisher Viz Media) and "Best Asian Movie" for Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

Another series distributed by Manga Entertainment, Hetalia: Axis Powers, won the award for "Best Manga", although this was solely credited to the manga publisher TokyoPop. TokyoPop also won the award for "Best Manga Distributor", despite the fact they have now pulled out of the English speaking market.

In the game categories, the award for "Best Game" went to Pokemon Black and White, and the "Best Game Distributor" was Square Enix, responsible for games such as Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.

The winner of the "Best Retailer" award went to TokyoToys, while the award for "Best Musical Act" went to Dir en grey.

The complete list

* Best Anime: Black Butler (Manga Entertainment)
* Best Anime Movie: Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance (Manga Entertainment)
* Best Franchise: Fullmetal Alchemist (Viz Media and Manga Entertainment)
* Best Anime Distributor: Manga Entertainment
* Best Manga: Hetalia: Axis Powers (Tokyopop)
* Best Asian Movie: Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Manga Entertainment)
* Best Manga Distributor: Tokyopop
* Best Asian Move Distributor: Manga Entertainment
* Best Musical Act: Dir en grey
* Best Game: Pokemon Black and White Version (Nintendo)
* Best Game Distributor: Square Enix
* Best Retailer: TokyoToys
 
Hmm not really surprising given that the audience for Neo and the audience for Manga UK are the same crowd. Some of those are definitely well deserved but some I am less convinced by. I think giving Manga the award for best Asian movie distributor as well might be an example of something that's rather unfair given their output levels compared to some other specialist companies I could name.

Hurrah for Hetalia and Black Butler fans. I wonder if Neo votes translate to DVD sales?

(Should that be "Square Enix"?)

R
 
Best Manga Distributor: Tokyopop ?

I think that says it all for Neo readers :roll:

I also agree with Rui that Manga shouldn't have got the best Asian movie distributer award.
 
Pokémon Black & White won best game? Noice!

I agree with the comments about Manga UK winning Best Asian Movie Distro...what the hell? They only release like, 1 or 2 live-action titles every few years.
 
Will this get manga to realise they've almost totally alienated men as an audience??
Also that a publisher dying takes a while to take affect on the market (whilst stock clears), maybe they'll realise we don't all buy new shiny stuff and actually care about classics.

Or I could just take this as Neo being total **** that isn't worth the paper it's printed one.
 
Reaper gI said:
Will this get manga to realise they've almost totally alienated men as an audience??
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Er, it's one title (Hetalia being the manga version). Perhaps Neo magazine has "alienated men", since it was voted for by fans, but I don't see a company which is putting out titles like Strike Witches and Dance in the Vampire as particularly shunning one particular gender.

Also, Black Butler is technically shounen :p (yeah yeah I know).

I can't really explain why Manga was even nominated as an Asian movie distributor as it's really not something they specialise in at all, so that's Neo's bad.

R
 
Hmm, yeah maybe the Neo readers were in a deranged Manga frenzy and would have voted for them in any category they were in, if Manga were in best classical literature publisher they still would have probably won. They probably just don't know any better, Manga was probably the only Asian movie distributor name they recognized in that category.

Or Manga slipped Neo's editor a couple redbacks under the table.... Winning Neo's awards can't be worth any more then that.
 
Rui said:
Reaper gI said:
Will this get manga to realise they've almost totally alienated men as an audience??
Click to expand...
Er, it's one title (Hetalia being the manga version). Perhaps Neo magazine has "alienated men", since it was voted for by fans, but I don't see a company which is putting out titles like Strike Witches and Dance in the Vampire as particularly shunning one particular gender.
Click to expand...
Rui said:
Strike Witches and Dance in the Vampire
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Rui said:
men
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If you say so Rui... ;P
 
Lawrence said:
Oh wow, Tokyo Toys.
I don't think I even need to say anything more.
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I was thinking that same thing, clearly they don't use any one else. I haven't used TT's for years -back when it was legit stuff.....not like now-
 
Otaku-san said:
Aya-Kun said:
Lawrence said:
Oh wow, Tokyo Toys.
I don't think I even need to say anything more.
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I haven't used TT's for years -back when it was legit stuff.....not like now-
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WOO WOO

Back Up....They have illicit wares!!!>!?!?
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Sorry to say but yes they do, not all of it is a lot of there stuff is legit -even if it is well over prices -figures mainly-.

I bought a purse from them it was horrible quality didn't last that long and then on ebay found the same one sold by a hong kong seller for a lower price -and they only sold bootleg stuff-
 
Yeah, I've bought stuff from TokyoToys and on closer inspection have found telltale signs of it being counterfeit, such as incorrect logos.

Also, on the rare occasion that I am actually in the store (like, once a year) you can just tell from the packaging that it's illegitimate. To further Aya-kun's point, one time I was in there and saw a replica Shakugan no Shana Alastor pendant (can't remember how to spell the actual name of it xD) but I instantly recognised it as one the crappy looking knock-offs I say on eBay a while before that.

Obviously though, they do sell a fair bit of legit stuff too. Shopping in there needs a fine eye xD
 
To be honest though, most "legit" anime merch is probably just as bad quality as the "counterfeit" stuff, so it really makes little difference aside from a slightly shonky logo here or there.
 
vashdaman said:
To be honest though, most "legit" anime merch is probably just as bad quality as the "counterfeit" stuff, so it really makes little difference aside from a slightly shonky logo here or there.
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Aaand the fact that none of the proceeds go to the original creators?
 
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