Does Neo Magazine Suck Or Is It Just Me?

Wednesday, 27th May 2009 23:13

Neo Magazine, what is it with it and it's complete lack of coverage of anything even slightly H!P related?
Ok, I know I'm going to be biased I'm a huge fan of Hello! Project (did anyone guess that already?) but I feel that I have at least a slight justification for my rant.

First off for those that haven't heard of the magazine it's pretty much the only mainstream Asian entertainment magazine aimed at people into Anime, Manga and Asian Music and Film in the UK, it's a magazine that I've been buying on and off since it's first release and it's a magazine that I want so much to like, but I always find myself struggling with it so much. As to why, I'm finding that it's not really covering what I'm into that much any more and when it does the write ups aren't particularly great. There's only so many times I can turn to the News section and see photos of Tokyo Toys, only so many times I can flick through the reviews of Stuff and see Naruto and Bleach Cosplay items and sweets that I've been tucking into for years when I pop into London.
There's also the fact that it always seems behind, take for example this months issue, a feature on the Cutie Honey movie, now understandably they're covering the UK release and as such it's relevant, but the thing that I want from a magazine is something I don't know, perhaps a new slant on an old story, something. But I generally don't find it in there, I've had Cutie Honey for so long that I can't even remember who I've leant it to, it's been around that much. I guess perhaps I'm not the target audience? I mean I like Bleach, Naruto and the like but...

Anyway I'm drifting off of topic, kind of.
The general thing I find with Neo is how it sticks to the same few things, so if it's talking music it'll be JRock and it'll no doubt mention the same handful or artists and groups that they always do. Again not a bad thing, if they're touring the UK then why not, got to do all we can to promote these groups and get the awareness out there, but at the same time I'd love to see a bit of variation. Now again I know I'm biased but I personally feel that H!P for whatever reason doesn't get a look in, and for me I'm really curious as to know why? Is it purely accidental and they're not aware of them? Is it more of a concious effort and there not in there for a reason?
It's a hard one to call, could it be that they simply don't think that there's an audience for them over here and no one who reads the magazine would be interested in them? Perhaps what Chris mentions in an a previous post (Chris' Corner) has something to do with it? As much as Neo tries to stand the middle ground between the more mature side of the Japanese culture and the happy pop culture side, I feel that it doesn't really do such a great job it's generally to light, what we need is a magazine crossed between Neo and Bizarre. Perhaps the questions that H!P bring up aren't something that Neo want brought up in the magazine? *shrugs* I don't know it just seems odd that the only mentions that I've ever read in the magazine are so trivial (a little moan about UFA and the Kago incident and a brief review of Yo Yo Girl Cop) and now with the review of Rhythm Paradise.

Sitting on the train home flicking through it I came across the review and thought to myself "wicked there's got to be a Tsunku mention in there somewhere", nope, not a thing. You would of thought that with a Japanese music based game that's apparently SO original you would have mentioned the famous producer that helped with making it?
Now I know it's not really a biggy but I can't help but moan, this is after all a magazine about Japanese culture right? So why would a magazine reviewing a Japanese game where one of Japanese most well known music producers help produce alongside Nintendo not get a single mention? I know I'm making a big deal out of this, but if GAME feel the need to mention it in the product description how come Neo a magazine aimed at people into this kind of culture that would I imagine find this to be of at least some interest not mention it at all?
I don't know, it bugged me, rant over. Credit where credits due and all that...

TAGS [ Stuff Tsunku♂ ]
Posted Wednesday, 27th May 2009 23:13 | 3495 Reads

Comments

Comment by Blue Sweater on Thursday, 28th May 2009 00:55
I have a subscription with Neo and I really like their content for the most part. I'm a huge anime fan so it's good to support the only magazine that cater that interest of mine!

However, as you said, it is a bit of a shame that they never really pay more attention to H!P. Is there really that lack of interest for H!P in the UK? Have they put out some articles really early on that got shot down or something? Will really be good to know the actual reason behind the omission!


Comment by bulmasman on Thursday, 28th May 2009 02:00
I stopped buying Neo after it's first year because i just totally lost interest in the magazine. For a long time they removed almost anything Jpop related, and there's only so many times someone can read about how awesome Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is. Honestly for the lack of enjoyment i was receiving from that mag in the end, i figured it was easier and cheap to just get the news online and skip all the crap i didn't care for.


Comment by Muse on Thursday, 28th May 2009 04:29
I think it's mainly as you mentioned, the editors don't think anyone would be interested and probably don't like H!P much themselves.

H!P could obviously be a bit hard to chew for the typical anime/mange fan, it being a bit on the crack and "bizarre" side (which most H!P have grown to love).

In the end I can't help thinking it'd be great if English-speaking H!P fans had their own jpop magazine. It's not really a feasible idea for print, but maybe online. It'd be a great frustration reliever for the magazines that are already out there like neo.


Comment by BladeMaster on Thursday, 28th May 2009 05:55
You're perfectly right, Neo Meg sucks.


Comment by Rick on Thursday, 28th May 2009 06:20
don't know anything on Neo, I was curuious about UTB, the bookstore flubbed my order and missed the last two issues. I got 191, but still need 190, have you gotten yours yet? how much HIP?


Comment by Hexi on Thursday, 28th May 2009 08:08
i actually wrote in before the current issue was released saying how i'd like to see more Jpop being featured (insert massive long list of artists here) more. i also said i'd like to see some up and coming japanese fashion. and they did put a fashion page in there but it's more japanese inspired-can-be-found-any-where-in-camden type fashion....... but i suppose it's better than nothing..... *shrug*
but i think H!P is kind of like marmite. only a few people like it and just because it's big in our lives doesn't mean it's big in other peoples'. ?
i dunno.


Comment by Hexi on Thursday, 28th May 2009 08:11
@Muse: it might be hard to swallow for some but that can be said for alot of music. ie: visual kei
and as good an idea it is....... we kind of already have places like here, hello-online, musume central. tonnes of UK places.


Comment by InsaneLampshade on Thursday, 28th May 2009 08:37
Yeah, Neo Mag sucks. As far as I can tell they only started the magazine to latch onto something perceived as popular at the time.

I also stopped buying it after the first year... would have stopped sooner if it weren't for having bought a 12 month subscription. Their target audience can be clearly seen by spending any amount of time on their forum (*shudder*, not a place I want to go back to)... seemingly only full of 15 year olds watching Naruto, Bleach, playing Kingdom Hearts, and lapping up whatever else local companies want them to get their parents to buy (generic asian horror movies abound). Try and post a topic about anything j-culture related that's a little off the beaten track so to speak, and watch as it sinks away with zero replies.

As long as those people remain the people buying the magazine then I wouldn't expect anything to change. It's not a magazine for anyone who knows anything about j-culture, as you'll find everything in it is old news/ stuff you already knew. It's simply a magazine for people with a passing interest who want to be told what they need to buy next.

(...hmm, I could rant for hours on the subject of neomag but it'd probably descend into complaining about their forum staff... so i'll leave it there, lol)


Comment by Matt_D on Thursday, 28th May 2009 11:08
worst anime mag known to man kind.

It isn't just H!P they don't cover it's more or less any j-pop (or well anything where the singers arn't squelling as though they're testicals are in a vice - and I'm not talking soprano.)

Typical neo mag reader
a) mid teens, likes generic anime, is an emo, comes from a reasonably financed family.
b) Holy then thou adult, dislikes anything edgy, often believing themselves to be some kind of anime fan elite, quite likely a uni student or recent graduate.
c) someone that keeps hoping it'll get better.

I'll stick with Megami, dengeki and g-magazine tyvm.


Comment by uknwwht on Thursday, 28th May 2009 16:04
You know what... I LOVE NIIGAKI!


Comment by momo on Thursday, 28th May 2009 16:50
The US has some anime magazines like Anime Insider, and Otaku USA. We used to have Newtype USA but they stopped publishing in 2007. The problem with Newtype is that it was expensive, 10 dollars an issue. It mainly covered anime just like the Japanese one. However "AI" and "O USA" don't really cover jpop just like Neo Mag it seems.

You're better off still getting Japanese magazines if you want jpop coverage until maybe one day they cover it or there is a magazine just for Jpop.


Comment by Cyndi on Thursday, 28th May 2009 17:25
Haha, I don't really even bother with anime magazines. They're very boring because they only stick to popular dubbed ones.. Only one that I ever liked was Newtype but I hardly bought that. I dunno what we can expect from anime magazines considering otaku tend to be closed minded. They only like their favourite animes and only like the singers that do the openings and closings for them. At least that's what I've seen.

I love SHOXX and Cure, but that's visual&oshare kei.. They've seen more popularity outside of Japan then Idols I think.. We should have a JPop magazine, because I'd buy it.. and there are several JPop fans outside of Japan. Even general asian pop, since the wondergirls and dbsk are enjoying fanbases outside of Korea. A magazine of Idols doesn't seem like it'd take off too well since people can be a bit turned off by the idol world.. Just look at Chris. Hahah, a lot of people see it as jailbait girls dancing around in weird costumes singing happy songs with high pitched voices (or trying to be sexy with "5 year old voices")

Our best hope for H!P's exposure would be in an asian pop magazine since stupid anime magazines never mention them (or mention them and DON'T RESEARCH!!)
It's a shame. I quite like my H!P fandom...

Oh dear.. I forgot what I was trying to make a point of.


Comment by Cyndi on Thursday, 28th May 2009 17:26
Oh and best chance of seeing them would be in Japanese magazines like momo said. English based magazines are so boring and repetitive...


Comment by Hexi on Thursday, 28th May 2009 18:01
we should so start writing our own. XD
been mulling it over all day and i think an all jpop uk based magazine would be cool.
or someone get a job at neo to push that stuff. XD

i'd also like to see an anime/l-music radio station. it just seems like an awesome idea. the only news reported would be anime and jmusic news.
it's where the idea of radio hexi came from but obviously an actual radio station would be epensive etc etc etc.
but yeah.
*nod*


Comment by momo on Thursday, 28th May 2009 18:58
Hexi, there are people who actually do their own live show. Although it's mainly tv though. If you got a camcorder lying around, you can basicly start your own tv show. I tried it as an experiment last year with a MM/H!P related thing but it was not successful. There are sites like Stickam, and Ustream where people can broadcast live TV like I tried to do.

JPHIP has their own streaming radio channel, they are listed in the shoutcast directory. I'm not sure how you may be able to start your own internet stream, but i'm sure there are resources out there to get started.

Cyndi, you're right, there needs to be a Jpop or a general asian pop magazine whether it's in the US or Europe to get people interested.


Comment by Hexi on Thursday, 28th May 2009 19:18
hahahaha, Momo, don't make me laugh! i'm so awkward i'd talk gobbledegook and fall over all my words.
plus i hate speaking in front of people so doing anything like that would have me bricking it.
if it were to happen i'd want to do it with someone anyways. not just by myself like a bit of a loser. >3<


Comment by momo on Thursday, 28th May 2009 19:22
Well it appears Otaku USA is the only anime mag left in America now. Anime Insider ended 2 months ago. Thats a shame that they are the only one left now. Oh and Newtype USA ended in 2008 not 2007

Otaku USA:
http://www.otakuusamagazine.com/


Comment by momo on Thursday, 28th May 2009 19:25
Hexi I felt the same way. I never did such a thing in my life. I could never figure out what to say. I couldn't really speak my mind so I used textedit as a Teleprompter so I wouldn't get stuck with words lol.

It looks like you probably would be comfortable doing radio since people would listen to a voice and not see anyone. Maybe even recorded podcasts would work too. I tried that idea too.


Comment by Matt_D on Thursday, 28th May 2009 19:29
you can always get a live365 broadcaster account, never looked into it myself but I used to stream alot from that site - even have a paid up account somewhere. However you may need to be an American to broadcast as they use some kind of clauses in the dmca to be legal.


Comment by momo on Thursday, 28th May 2009 19:42
Yeah the DMCA rules are kind of hard to follow but yes there is a clause that says "Only broadcast sound recordings that are authorized for performance in the U.S."

So yeah you can't play H!P/MM music on live365 as it says at http://www.live365.com/popup/dmca_filter.html

But it seems that shoutcast will allow you to do it but again some DMCA hurtles are in the way. http://www.shoutcast.com/download

Ok i'm sorry if I made it a bit complicated lol.


Comment by jun on Thursday, 28th May 2009 22:21
hmmm i dont really like news type and otaku usa but yeah they are source to anime jpop and cosplay but yeah jun here


Comment by paul.thomas on Thursday, 28th May 2009 23:40
Blue Sweater, well in all the issues if Neo that I have there have been some minor comments towards H!P not full articles or anything like that, or even mentioning anything. Just look at the Yo Yo Girl Cop review they did (I've put the link below) again I'd imagine considering the cast H!P would get a mention, the director gets a mention yet the fact that 5 members from H!P were in it doesn't even if it was just a nod but nothing, all very odd.

http://www.helloblog.co.uk/comment.php?commentID=385

Bulmasman, yeah I think thats how I think about it certainly when it comes to most things I prefer reading the opinions on blogs and the like, certainly when it comes to music I really enjoying reading other peoples thoguhts on it and I know that with certain sites chances are if the person writing about it likes I'll like it to, just a bit more reliable than any magazine review I think.

Muse, maybe it's just me but I've always considered the bizarre side of Japan the most appealing part of it and I've always kind of presumed that's how everyone felt about it lol. I know what you're saying that perhaps the writers aren't fans and so there's nothing relevant but that bugs me, why ignore a part of something, which if writen about properly could be an amazing read? Even if they ignore the music and concentrate on the crazy Japanese fans lol.

BladeMaster, lol glad it's just not me.

Rick, yea I really need to get some UTB posts up I've got a couple of issues that I haven't posted about so I'm thinking I might go on a scan-a-thon over the weekend and do both the issues on one post, there's a fair bit of H!P in them.

Hexi, ah so you got around to finishing that letter, hopefully they'll take notice and we might see a change? The couple of pages in Neo about the Japanese fashion was a major dissapointment as you say not really Japanese fashion more inspired by, still the girl in the green was fairly attractive, so not all bad I guess.
And yeah point taken, but that's still not an excuse to ignore is it? Maybe I'm alone in my liking of reading things about Japan that I wasn't originally aware of? One reason why I like Bizarre magazine as they occasionally cover Japan but go for the more darker side, which is always fun :)
It's not a bad idea, although not to sure where we'd get the cash from to start something lol. :S Can you imagine me writing an article for a magazine? I could hold a competition with each one to see who can reorgansie and rewrite it so it at least makes a bit of sense lol.
Well if you ever do a podcast or some sort you know you'll have a fan of me, get to it ;p

InsaneLampshade, yea I've been on the forum a couple of times and I know what you mean very few of more topics got any sort of comments on, but then on saying that I think I first met Bulmasman through the neo forums chatting about GAM, I think? I'm still really confused as to who Neo is actually targetted at, it's obviously targeted at a certain community as to whether they having a passing interest or not is another thing, but it seems very much orientated around the Tokyo Toys/Orbital Manga people or at least thats the impression I get from all how much they feature of them both within it.

Matt_D, phew thanks for tagging the C on there ;p G-magazine? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_Magazine lol

uknwwht.....You know what.... I LOVE NIIGAKI TO!!! She's awesome isn't she! Love that smile!

momo, oh yeah def the best option is to keep buying the Japanese mags, but it's not so much them appearing in it that bothered me it was just the lack of recognition on something that to me would seem to be a fairly important point. It just seems to me that a game based around music that has a famous Japanese music producer working on it feature in a magazine on Japanese culture it would at least mention him even in passing. *shrugs* I don't know, to me it seems like an important part, I wonder what other magazines ahve to say about it, I might check out Edge's review.
I still think you should of kept up the video it would have got better with time, the moer you do something the more you'll not only get used to it.

Cyndi, yea I'd love there to be a magazine on just general Asian culture, movies, music, lifestyle etc etc, I'm genereally into most things and it would be great to have a mag to suit them tastes.
Yea, I think they may be the exact reason why Neo doesn't cover it, it might be considered a little to questionable? But then at the same time that's why I think they should cover it, it's a good point of discussion and isn't that exactly what a magazine should be about?


Comment by Matt_D on Friday, 29th May 2009 00:21
lololololololol http://www.jlist.com/PRODUCT/PAB477


Comment by Rick on Friday, 29th May 2009 04:52
@Momo: no more protoculture addicts? I haven't heard of their demise.I have'nt really been keeping up on them though.


Comment by Hexi on Friday, 29th May 2009 08:09
ahahahaha. no way. you KNOW how cripplingly awkward i am with words "blah blah blah let me try again" happens way more than it should. XD
i think everyone here should write or email in and say that they want some H!P included. or at the very least some Jmusic that isn't limited to like the same 4 bands they keep writing about.
or, if they'd rather stick with the rocky kind of 13-year-old thing they have going on, why not at least H&A? they're even have the fashion label to go with!


i suppose there's like legal things though and that they'd have to contact them and blah blah blah.

rubbish


Comment by paul.thomas on Friday, 29th May 2009 10:51
Matt_D, ohhhhh that g-magazine lol ;p

Hexi, come on you're not any where near as bad as you're making yourself out to be, if it was something as complicated like walking and avoiding blatantly obvious sign posts that are right in front of you then I might go "hang on, i dont think she can do this" ;p and besides it'll always be fun watching/listening to you getting mixed up.
I was tempted to write into them, but then wondered if there was any actual point? I can't imagine there's any legal things is there? Surely the only thing they'd have to worry about is permission to use images etc?


Comment by Cyndi on Friday, 29th May 2009 17:33
I can't think UFA would be too be bothered by them using their photos and the like since they're branching out into the world. Plus more promotion is good!


Comment by Hexi on Friday, 29th May 2009 17:58
i DO that and you know it.
as do you come to think of it...... and falling off curbs that are obviously there too.


Comment by paul.thomas on Sunday, 31st May 2009 11:49
Cyndi, that's exactly what I would have thought, if they're trying to promote themselves in the west (which they obviously are with the concerts right?) then using images and such like in magazines can only be a good way of promoting them and...why wouldn't they want that?

Hexi, lol I do but you're worse than me and curbs well....they jump out and surprise me sometimes :S


Comment by InsaneLampshade on Tuesday, 9th June 2009 18:27
Thinking about this again, i just remembered the exact reason i didn't renew my subscription to Neo...

One of their writers in the early issues (Jonathan Clements), a so called "expert" on manga and anime (and supposed author of many books on the subject) labelled *all* Korean manga as “crappy Korean knock-offs” in one of his articles. That was just incredibly lazy/un-professional writing in my opinion, and despite them receiving several complaints; they or him never retracted that comment or offered any basis for his reasoning behind what he said. I just refused to buy it after that.


Comment by Dot on Wednesday, 1st July 2009 18:45
Gyaaa, I know what you mean.
I like NEO, but I'm thinking of writing in to the letters page, and telling them that not all of us are AN CAFE fans, or Visual Kei fans for that matter :o
I perked up when they mentioned SMAP in an issue...hey, I hate SMAP, but seriously, if it's non NEO standard J-pop, I'm happy.
And it's getting more boring every issue..... :(




Comment by GeeGee on Wednesday, 25th August 2010 09:21
You aren't alone. And any anime fan that likes Neo FAILS at life. Their readers voted TokyoPop number 1 manga distributor.
Trust me, the magazine sucks.

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