In the myriad realms of imagination, there are many dungeons to explore, dragons to tame, and paths to find. Anime 5E helps you unlock the realms of fantasy to experience them all. Welcome to Anime 5E – the fantasy role-playing game for all your anime and manga adventures, which builds upon the Fifth Edition rules of “the world’s most popular storytelling game”. This stand-alone role-playing game brings a point-based balance to the standard Fifth Edition offerings, and then layers a wide selection of new races, classes, skills, features, powers, game mechanics, and combat options on top of this foundation. Anime 5E is the beginning of a journey, so hold on tight as we welcome you to your next great fantasy adventure! Explore, learn, and connect at Anime5E.com Anime5E.com © 2021 Dyskami Publishing Company Production #JPG815 | Printed in China dyskami.ca info@dyskami.ca 9 781989 695128 ISBN 978-1-989695-12-8 DYSKAMI Publishing Company Writing Mark MacKinnon Additional Writing L. B. Bryant and Sean D. Francis Foundational Writing Contributions David L. Pulver with Emily K. Dresner-Thorner and Jude McLaughlin Artwork Chabibit, Desti, Julie Dillon, Marion Gale Gaelon, Niko Geyer, KAGE Productions, Ed Northcott, Shilin, Strike Boogie, Ariel Tan, Michelle Tan, Zearyu, Low Zi Rong Graphic Production Mark MacKinnon Special Thanks To Michael Bioly, Magavarico “The Magpie” © 2021 Dyskami Publishing Company Production #JPG815 Printed in China. First Printing – July 2021 All rights reserved under international law. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or in whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for personal copies of the character sheet, or brief quotes for use in reviews. info@dyskami.ca dyskami.ca DYSKAMI Publishing Company Over twenty years ago, when Wizards of the Coast opened the opportunity for other companies to publish products that were compatible with their juggernaut fantasy role-playing game – either through the Open Game License (OGL) or their more- restrictive d20 System Trademark license – the role-playing industry changed. My original anime RPG, Big Eyes, Small Mouth or BESM, and its universal Tri-Stat System was on its way to establishing itself as the go-to destination for anime gaming action and drama. Sure, I played the world’s most popular fantasy RPG too, but I scoffed at the idea of abandoning my beloved Tri-Stat System in favour of the dominant d20 System. BESM was a better game , I told myself. Everyone should recognise that. Yet, the financial draw of playing in the d20 sandbox was undeniable. And it wasn’t just the money, but the gaming mindshare as well. I remember so clearly a 2002 convention road trip, driving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles with some publishing peers. The incredibly brilliant John Zinser challenged my way of thinking about embracing the OGL community: If you don’t publish an anime d20 game, someone else will. That single statement was the inception of the BESM d20 RPG. Ego has its benefits, but it can also place nasty constraints on the creative process. My ego needed to continue reigning as the King of Anime RPGs, and I tackled the process of converting BESM Tri-Stat to BESM d20 with impure creative intentions. I steadfastly believed that Tri-Stat was better than d20, and I made my thoughts abundantly clear while converting between the systems. I forcibly shoehorned most elements of Tri-Stat into d20 with no regard to the reasons why the system was so popular and played by millions. I’ll give you BESM d20, but I’m going to force you to play it my way. The right way. The better way. Although I look back at my approach to BESM d20 with creative disdain, it proved to be a popular product that offered numerous innovative options to standard d20 gameplay. Many gamers have expressed their appreciation to me; BESM d20 helped them merge their love of anime with their enjoyment of d20 games. I am thankful for the opportunities that BESM d20 provided to me and to others, even if I know that I made creative design compromises rooted in ego and arrogance. Fast forward nearly 20 years. I had re-emerged into the role-playing field with BESM Fourth Edition – powered by the latest and greatest version of my cherished Tri-Stat System. I had planned to devote my game development time exclusively to BESM when suddenly the world came to a halt with a global pandemic. Like many people, I found myself isolated at home with far too much time on my hands. I had the creative itch to revisit my work on BESM d20, and 2002-Mark had a very different perspective on game design and life choices than 2020-Mark. During those two decades, I had come to the (now obvious) realisation that it wasn’t my place to tell others how they should be enjoying their games, or that my game preferences were better than theirs. I was confident in my new mindset; if I tackled making an anime version of Fifth Edition, I could fully embrace the system that made Fifth Edition so popular. This wouldn’t be simply an updated BESM d20; I would make the Anime Fifth Edition role-playing game. Respect the game, I thought, and the right design paths will open. I am extremely proud of my Anime 5E design work. My love of role-playing started in grade seven with the basic red boxed set (and, later, the rest of BECMI), and I believe Anime 5E expands on the Fifth Edition game framework in all the right ways. This book is 5E, but it’s Anime 5E. Some rules aspects are tweaked or massaged in ways that enhance the foundations of Fifth Edition, of course, as I have wrapped it within a balanced, points-based, and effects-based framework that evokes the sheer awesomeness of anime action and drama. As I completed the design and playtesting, and prepared to launch a crowdfunding campaign to gauge interest, I had no idea if the Fifth Edition crowd would embrace what I was trying to accomplish with the game. I had modest hopes as I pressed Kickstarter’s launch button. Expectations blown. $608,702 was pledged by 8,073 backers, making Anime 5E the #21 most funded (by dollars) and #13 most popular (by backers) role-playing game Kickstarter of all time. Backers unlocked a whopping 40 stretch goals and have positioned Anime 5E as a significant player in the third-party Fifth Edition landscape. I had put out a general question to backers, asking them why they pledged their support for Anime 5E. The majority of the responses could be distilled to a simple answer: they love Fifth Edition and they love anime, and so supporting a game that blends these two elements together is an obvious choice. To everyone who first picked up BESM d20 so long ago. To all the BESM fans who have supported the game through four editions. To all the 8,073+ Anime 5E Kickstarter backers, who took a chance on a small company with modest dreams. To everyone who purchased this book online, or at a game convention, or from a retail store. To everyone who plays Anime 5E but isn’t ready or in the position to buy the game. And to everyone who realises how fortunate we are to be welcomed into an amazing community of like-minded gamers that can not only survive, but thrive, during a global pandemic. THANK YOU. Mark MacKinnon May 2021 FOREWORD ANIME 5E | FIFTH EDITION FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING ADVENTURES 2 2 ROLE-PLAYING GAME MANIFESTO Follow the rules. Or don’t. I’m a game manifesto, not a cop. Always strive towards maximising inclusion, diversity, and sensitivity. You can’t be playing wrong when creating enjoyment for the entire group. Should dice rolls conflict with great story development, the story always wins. Moving beyond the rules with creativity and innovation is encouraged. Your interpretation of the game rules is as official as the designer’s intent. Role-playing intensity increases with honest and respectful communication. Trust is an essential ingredient for an amazing game experience. The Game Master works against the characters, but never against the players. If you are no longer having fun playing the game: stop, regroup, and evaluate. The game book contains the answers to all things. When the above does not apply, make it up. DYSKAMI Publishing Company CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 8 Big Eyes, Small Mouth ................................8 Anime Origins.................................................8 Anime Evolution .............................................9 Anime Fantasy Gaming.............................10 What is a Role-Playing Game? ....................10 What do you Want in an RPG? ...................10 Recording Game Info ...................................10 Exploring Anime 5E...................................12 Anime 5E Objectives ....................................12 Navigating Anime 5E ....................................13 Anime 5E vs. BESM d20...............................13 Creation Example .....................................14 Example Character: Jingoro ........................15 Anime 5E Glossary ....................................16 CHAPTER 2: CHARACTER BASICS 18 Session Zero..............................................18 Collective Creation .......................................18 Starting Level ................................................18 Discretionary Points .....................................20 Character Benchmarks ................................20 Table 01: Character Benchmarks ................20 Establishing Boundaries ..............................20 Your Character’s Framework ....................21 Balance and Uniqueness .............................22 Structure of the Game Mechanics ............23 Dice and Notations ......................................23 Rolling Dice ...................................................23 Ability Scores ............................................24 Ability Score Definitions ..............................24 Table 02: Ability Score Modifiers ................24 Anime 5E Character Quiz ..........................26 CHAPTER 3: RACES 28 Costing Races ............................................28 Building a Raceless Character .....................28 Table 03: Race Cost Summary.....................28 Table 04: Race Cost Breakdown..................29 Anime 5E Races ........................................30 Archfiend ......................................................30 Asrai ............................................................31 Blinkbeast .....................................................32 Demonaga ....................................................33 Fairy ..............................................................34 Grey ..............................................................35 Half-Dragon ..................................................36 Half-Troll........................................................37 Haud .............................................................38 Kodama .........................................................39 Nekojin..........................................................40 Parasite .........................................................41 Satyr .............................................................42 Slime .............................................................43 Size Templates ..........................................44 Example: Small Size Template .....................44 Example: Huge Size Template .....................44 Assigning Size ...............................................44 Fitting In ........................................................45 Table 05: Size Modifiers ...............................45 Hitting Modifiers ..........................................45 Race/Class Combinations .........................46 Table 06: Commonality of Combinations ...45 CHAPTER 4: CLASSES 48 Class Progression ......................................48 1st Level Foundation ...................................48 Levelling Benefits .........................................48 Table 07: Classes ..........................................49 Experience Points.........................................50 Table 08: Level Advancement .....................50 Classless and NPCs.......................................50 Multiclassing ............................................51 Table 09: Proficiency Values ........................51 Anime 5E Classes ......................................54 Adventurer ...................................................54 Bender ..........................................................56 Broker ...........................................................58 Dynamic Spellbinder....................................60 Hunter...........................................................62 Isekai Student ...............................................64 Magical Girl/Guy ..........................................66 Ninja .............................................................68 Pet Monster Trainer .....................................70 Psionicist .......................................................72 Samurai.........................................................74 Shadow Warrior ...........................................76 Techknight ....................................................78 Warder..........................................................80 Deconstructing Traditional Classes ...........82 Table 10: 1st-Level Base Points ...................82 CHAPTER 5: ATTRIBUTES 90 Adding Attributes .....................................90 Attribute Entries ...........................................90 Table 11: Attributes ......................................91 AC Bonus ......................................................92 Alternate Identity .........................................92 Armour Proficiency ......................................92 Augmented...................................................92 Change State ................................................92 Cognition ......................................................93 Combat Mastery ..........................................93 Combat Technique.......................................94 Companion ...................................................95 Connected ....................................................98 Control Environment ...................................98 Conversion....................................................98 Dynamic Powers ..........................................99 Edge ..........................................................100 Elasticity ......................................................100 Energised ....................................................101 Enhanced Proficiency ................................101 Extra Actions ..............................................101 Fast ...........................................................101 Features ......................................................101 Table 12: Example Features ......................101 Flight ...........................................................102 Forced Disadvantage .................................102 Healing ........................................................102 Heightened Senses ....................................102 Immunity ....................................................103 Immutable ..................................................104 Inspire .........................................................104 Item ...........................................................105 Jumping ......................................................105 Language ....................................................105 Massive Damage ........................................106 Mimic ..........................................................106 Mind Control ..............................................106 Mind Shield ................................................108 Minions .......................................................108 Monster Training........................................108 Mulligan ......................................................110 Nullify ..........................................................110 Pocket Dimension ......................................110 Portal...........................................................111 Protected ....................................................111 Regeneration ..............................................112 Resilient ......................................................112 Saving Throw Proficiency ..........................112 Sixth Sense .................................................112 Size Change ................................................112 Skill Proficiency ...........................................113 Table 13: Skill Proficiencies ........................113 Special Movement .....................................116 Spell Amplification .....................................116 Spell-Like Ability .........................................117 Supersense .................................................118 Telepathy ....................................................118 Teleport.......................................................119 Tool Proficiency ..........................................119 Tough ..........................................................120 Transfer .......................................................120 Tunnelling ...................................................120 Undetectable..............................................120 Unique Attribute ........................................120 Unknown Power ........................................121 Water Speed...............................................121 Wealth ........................................................121 Weapon ......................................................124 Table 14: Weapon Damage Dice...............124 Table 15: Weapon Enhancements............125 Table 16: Weapon Limiters ........................129 Weapon Proficiency ...................................130 CHAPTER 6: DEFECTS 132 Defect Ranks ...........................................132 Table 17: Defects........................................132 AC Penalty ..................................................133 Accountability.............................................133 Bane ...........................................................133 Blind Fury....................................................133 Cursed.........................................................133 Degraded ....................................................134 Diminished Proficiency ..............................134 Easily Distracted .........................................134 Fragile .........................................................134 Hounded.....................................................134 Impaired Manipulation ..............................134 Impaired Speech ........................................135 Inept Attack ................................................135 Ism ...........................................................135 Limited Damage .........................................135 Magnet .......................................................136 Marked .......................................................136 Nemesis ......................................................136 Nightmares .................................................136 Obligated ....................................................137 Obstacle ......................................................137 Opposing Advantage .................................137 Phobia .........................................................137 Physical Impairment ..................................137 Reduced Damage.......................................138 Secret ..........................................................138 Sensory Impairment ..................................138 Significant Other ........................................138 Slow ........................................................... 138 Social Fault..................................................139 Special Requirement..................................139 Susceptible .................................................140 Unique Defect ............................................140 Vulnerability ...............................................140 Wanted .......................................................140 Weak Point .................................................140 TABLE OF CONTENTS ANIME 5E | FIFTH EDITION FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING ADVENTURES 4 4 CHAPTER 7: CUSTOMISATION 142 Enhancements ........................................142 Table 18: Allowed Enhancements ............142 Area ...........................................................143 Duration ......................................................143 Potent .........................................................143 Range ..........................................................143 Targets ........................................................143 Limiters ...................................................145 Table 19: Limiters .......................................145 Activation ....................................................145 Assisted .......................................................145 Backlash ......................................................145 Charges .......................................................145 Concentration ............................................146 Consumable ...............................................146 Dependent .................................................146 Deplete .......................................................146 Detectable ..................................................146 Emotional ...................................................146 Environmental ............................................147 Equipment ..................................................147 Imbue..........................................................147 Irreversible..................................................147 Maximum ...................................................148 Object .........................................................148 Permanent..................................................148 Recovery .....................................................148 Semi-Permanent ........................................148 Unique Limiter ...........................................148 Unpredictable ............................................148 CHAPTER 8: ACTION 150 The Story Begins .....................................150 Describing Actions .....................................150 Game Time .............................................151 Scene, Round, and Initiative .....................151 Dice Rolls ................................................151 Difficulty Class ............................................152 Table 20: Difficulty Class ............................152 Contests ......................................................152 Roll Types ...............................................153 Advantages and Disadvantages ................153 Ability Checks .............................................153 Skill Checks .................................................154 Saving Throws ............................................155 Initiative Rolls .............................................155 Anime 5E Combat Flowchart ..................157 Anime 5E Combat ...................................158 Determining Initiative ................................159 Character Action ........................................159 Attack Actions .........................................160 Attack Roll ...................................................160 Melee vs. Ranged Attacks .........................160 Flanking an Opponent ...............................161 Grappling ....................................................161 Tactical Actions .......................................162 General Actions ......................................163 Character Movement ................................163 Jumping Distance .......................................163 Combat Manoeuvres ..............................166 Ready (Hold Actions) .................................166 Called Shots ................................................166 Two-Weapon Fighting ...............................167 Multiple Targets With One Attack ............167 Striking to Wound ......................................167 Total Attack .................................................167 Surprise Attack ...........................................168 Touching a Target .......................................168 Mounted Attacks ........................................168 Attributes in Combat .................................169 Combat Modifiers ...................................170 Margin of Success ......................................170 Table 21: Margin of Success ......................170 Critical Hits ..................................................170 Critical Failures ...........................................170 Table 22: Critical Failure .............................170 Range Penalties ..........................................171 Table 23: Range Penalties ..........................171 Cover...........................................................171 Table 24: Attack Roll Advantages ..............171 Table 25: Attack Roll Disadvantages .........171 Damage ..................................................172 Weapon Damage .......................................172 Damage Types ............................................173 Effects of Damage ......................................173 Pain and Hit Points .....................................173 Resting and Recovery .............................175 Energy.....................................................176 Dramatic Feats ...........................................176 Player Retcon..............................................176 CHAPTER 9: ADVENTURING 178 Health Risks ............................................178 Poisons........................................................178 Disease........................................................179 Environmental Damage .............................179 Deprivation .................................................180 Table 26: Deprivation .................................180 Character Advancement .........................181 Overcoming Conflict ..................................181 Exceptional Role-Playing ...........................181 Engagement Bonus....................................182 Allocating Points and Other Benefits ........182 Crafting Items .............................................182 Challenge Ratings ...................................184 Table 27: Challenge Rating XP ...................184 Calculating CR .............................................184 Encounter Threat Score.............................185 Table 28: Encounter Threat .......................186 Game Currency .......................................187 Money.........................................................187 In-Game Point Changes .............................187 Alignment in Anime 5E ...........................188 Creature Alignment ...................................188 Alignment in the Anime Multiverse .........188 CHAPTER 10: ITEMS 190 Adventuring Items ..................................190 Point Costs ..................................................190 Mundane Items..........................................190 Weapons ................................................191 Simple Melee Weapons ............................191 Simple Ranged Weapons ..........................191 Martial Melee Weapons ...........................191 Martial Ranged Weapons ..........................192 Simple Splash Weapons ............................192 Martial Siege Weapons .............................192 Armour ...................................................193 Light Armour ..............................................193 Medium Armour ........................................193 Heavy Armour ............................................193 Table 29: Melee Weapons.........................196 Table 30: Ranged, Splash, and Siege ........197 Table 31: Armour and Shields ...................198 Shields ....................................................199 Shield Sizes .................................................199 Shield Materials .........................................199 Item Attributes .......................................199 Adventuring Gear ...................................200 Daily Devices ..........................................204 Items of Power .......................................205 Protective Devices ..................................209 Armaments.............................................210 CHAPTER 11: MONSTERS & NPCS 214 Monsters ................................................214 Size and Monsters......................................214 Base Points .................................................214 Table 32: Monsters by CR ..........................215 Monsters in Anime 5E vs. Fifth Edition ....215 Comparing Challenge Ratings ...................215 Kobold.........................................................216 Goblin .........................................................217 Orc ...........................................................218 Bugbear ......................................................219 Ogre ...........................................................220 Hell Hound..................................................221 Mummy ......................................................222 Troll ............................................................223 Wyvern .......................................................224 Giant, Stone................................................225 Succubus.....................................................226 Dragon, Young White.................................227 Purple Worm ..............................................228 Dragon, Adult Red......................................229 Neomorphs.............................................230 Cabbit..........................................................230 Elephox .......................................................231 Gryphon......................................................232 Jackalope ....................................................233 Nue ............................................................234 Wolverpotamus .........................................235 Allies and Enemies..................................236 Table 33: Allies and Enemies .....................236 CHAPTER 12: GAMING 238 The Anime 5E Foundation ......................238 Effects-Based System .................................238 Min/Maxing................................................239 Player Advice ..........................................240 Hosting Adventures ................................242 DM Basics ...................................................242 Campaigns, Mini-Campaigns, One-Shots.243 Categorising the Game ..............................243 Concept and Theme ..................................244 World Building ........................................244 The Supporting Cast ..................................244 Designing Adventures................................245 Navigating Gameplay .............................248 Rules Questions .........................................248 House Rules................................................248 Changing the Rules ....................................248 Damage Control .........................................249 Advice for the DM ..................................250 Example Settings ....................................254 The Anime Multiverse ...............................254 Aradia..........................................................255 Bazaroth......................................................256 Ikaris ...........................................................257 Appendix A: Gedanken...........................260 Table A1: Revised Ability Scores ...............260 Table A2: Revised Difficulty Class .............260 Appendix B: Conversion Notes ...............262 Index.......................................................264 Character Sheets.....................................270 TABLE OF CONTENTS ANIME 5E | FIFTH EDITION FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING ADVENTURES 5 5 CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 1 Introduction Introduction Big Eyes, Big Eyes, Small Mouth Small Mouth “Anime” is the accepted term for animation from Japan. It has garnered much more respect in its native country than North American cartoons have in Canada and the United States. One reason for the popularity of anime is its diverse subject matter, ranging from fantasy and science fiction to romantic comedy and horror. While North American cartoons tend to be written for younger audiences (with a few exceptions), anime includes many shows aimed explicitly at teenagers or older viewers. This encourages more sophisticated storylines and a wider array of genres. Another factor in the appeal of anime is the ongoing multi- episode story arcs that are a common feature of many live- action TV dramas. A show can tell a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end rather than simply present a series of disconnected episodes that lurch onward until cancellation. Science fiction and fantasy fare very well in anime. Freed from the budgetary constraints imposed by the high cost of live-action special effects, coupled with a willingness to tackle stories that appeal to older viewers, many shows bring fantastic visions to vivid life. Alien invasions, world-shaking sorcery, transforming robots, super-powered heroes, demonic monsters, obsessively detailed military hardware, and realistic depictions of life in space are all a part of anime. Characters in these shows are often larger than life: angst-ridden, utterly clueless, burning for revenge, or hopelessly in love. “Manga” can simply be defined as comics from Japan, though the offerings are once again much more accepted and widespread than their Western counterparts, with millions of issues sold each week. With ongoing plotlines, engaging characters, and a vast diversity of settings, genres, and topics, manga has gained popularity in North America over the years. With manga achieving mainstream respectability, bookstore shelves often have a separate manga section, sometimes with hundreds of titles available for purchase. ANIME ORIGINS The first anime series produced in Japan was Tetsuwan Atom (1963), created by Osamu Tezuka and his animation studio, Mushi Productions. Later, this series became popular in the West as Astro Boy. From the 1980s through the 1990s, anime improved in both sophistication and quality, with series like Space Battleship Yamato (1975, space opera), Urusei Yatsura (1981, alien girlfriend comedy), Mobile Suit Gundam (1979, military drama), Macross (1983, science-fiction soap opera), Bishojo Senshi Sailormoon (1992, magical girl drama) and Ranma 1/2 (1994, martial arts comedy) exemplifying particular genres. A major breakthrough came in the early 1980s, when direct-to-video (OVA; Original Video Animation) anime releases caught on, allowing production studios to produce shows aimed at smaller niche audiences or older viewers in a much greater diversity of genres. The legacy of this “OVA boom” (and the rise of speciality cable TV) was a renaissance in original television anime in the late 1990s, of which the most influential series was the mecha-conspiracy saga, Neon Genesis Evangelion (1996). In North America, relatively few anime-derived series were translated and adapted for television in the 1970s and 1980s. Most that did appear were heavily altered, often losing those Japanese elements (such as a continuing story arc) that made them interesting and so engaging. Notable exceptions were Star Blazers (1979, the U.S. version of Space Battleship Yamato) and Robotech (1985, a compilation of Macross and two other series), whose adaptations left their story arcs largely intact. The fandom that developed around these shows was sustained by comics, books, and fan activities that helped fuel the first anime-inspired giant robot board games and RPGs. In 1986, the first American anime magazines appeared. More and more Westerners became active in the distribution of Japanese- language or fan-subtitled tapes, as fans became aware of the “OVA boom” taking place in Japan. Successful comic book translations of high-quality Japanese manga (such as Akira, Lone Wolf and Cub, and Appleseed) and the theatrical release of Akira captured new fans. In the late 1980s, a number of American companies began releasing quality subtitled and dubbed translations of anime releases, including some of the best of the then-new science- fiction OVA series like Gunbuster (1988) and Bubblegum Crisis CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION In the myriad realms of imagination, there are many dungeons to explore, dragons to tame, and paths to find. Anime 5E helps you unlock the realms of fantasy to experience them all. Welcome to Anime 5E – the fantasy role-playing game for all your anime and manga adventures, which builds upon the Fifth Edition rules of the world’s most popular storytelling game. Mark MacKinnon, creator of the critically acclaimed Big Eyes, Small Mouth anime role-playing game, has adapted the best of anime dynamics to Fifth Edition to give players and DMs unlimited control over their creations. Anime 5E brings a Point-based balance to the standard Fifth Edition offerings and then layers a wide selection of new Races, Classes, Skills, features, powers, game mechanics, and combat options on top of this foundation. What you hold in your hands is the beginning of a journey, so hold on tight as we welcome you to your next great fantasy adventure. ANIME 5E | FIFTH EDITION FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING ADVENTURES 8 8 (1988). In the 1990s, the growing popularity of anime allowed companies to release longer TV series (notably, amongst them was Ranma 1/2, one of the first successful non-mecha series in America) direct to video. In 1995, the “impossible” happened when the magical girl show, Sailor Moon, began appearing on North American television – the first shojo (young girl) anime to do so. Its success has added a new generation of young female (and male) fans. The end of the millennium (and the transition into the new century) saw an explosion in anime with TV series being translated and released on video within months of their appearance in Japan. This is in addition to anime returning to mainstream American television. Series such as Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, Tenchi Muyo!, Cardcaptor Sakura, Digimon, Escaflowne, and Pokémon were broadcasting on network television to high ratings. It seemed as though the high times would continue for years to come. ANIME EVOLUTION All good things must come to an end, however, and around the end of the decade, the bubble burst on the North American anime market. This left doubts in people’s minds whether anime in the West would even survive the large-scale changes that were looming. With the advent and popularisation of the streaming service Crunchyroll in 2008, fans could access anime faster than ever before. While some criticised the streaming site for initially allowing illegal uploads of Asian entertainment on their site, Crunchyroll began obtaining legal anime licenses and grew dramatically over the coming years. With streaming becoming more and more popular in the second half of this decade, multiple companies couldn’t keep up with the changing marketplace and either went out of business (ADV and Central Park Media) or closed up shop in the West entirely (Bandai Entertainment and Geneon). Luckily for fans in North America, more companies followed Crunchyroll’s lead by opening their own streaming services, including Funimation and Netflix – both of which have recently engaged the market more heavily by helping to finance original productions. Despite this new hurdle, the indomitable spirit