Manga, a division of UK's Island Records, has become a major powerhouse in international anime. Mark Segall reports on the phenomena in his interview with Manga executives Mike Preece and Marvin Gleicher.

I am very proud to present the first of a series of monthly comics to appear in Animation World Magazine featuring the international stars, Purdy, The Dirdy Birdy and Furgerina, from the heart-warming short animated film, The Dirdy Birdy. Soon The Dirdy Birdy will have his very own web site accessible through Animation World Network and everyone will be able to enter the strange and dysfunctional world of Purdy, The Dirdy Birdy. If you choose, write to The Dirdy Birdy at dil63@aol.com. Sincerely John R. Dilworth © All Rights Reserved. JRD 1996.

The GiggleBone Gang is alive and well at Seattle-based Headbone Interactive. Judith Shane explains it all.

Belgium filmmaker Raoul Servais, who recently completed his first feature, talks with Philippe Moins about his films, international festivals, and the problems of making features, among other things. En français (in French).

Editor's Notebook by Harvey Deneroff.

A brief tour by Fred Patten of Japanese animation from its beginnings by hobbyists in 1917 to its current status as one of the major producing countries in the world.

In the early days of American television, anime gained a small foothold. Fred Ladd, who played a key role in this effort, recalls what happened.

John Gosling looks at some of the differences between Western and Japanese animation, as well as speculating on the various cultural influences seen in anime.

In celebration of Quirino Cristiani's centennial, we are republishing Giannalberto's classic profile of the Italian immigrant who made the world's first two animated features.

Attorney Pam Schechter explores the ways cartoon characters are exploited and the type of money that's involved.