Editing Fansub (section)

== History ==

===Pre-fansubs (pre–1970s)===
The first documented Japanese animation to be distributed in the United States was ''[[Panda and the Magic Serpent|The Tale of the White Serpent]]'' airing on March 15, 1961.{{cn|date=April 2024}} Until the late 1970s, Japanese community TV stations' broadcasts were aimed exclusive at very young children.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Feilitzen |first1=Cecilia von |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qRBkYQWTsDgC&q=late+1970s,+Japanese+community+TV+stations'+broadcasts+were+aimed+exclusive+at+very+young+children |title=In the Service of Young People?: Studies and Reflections on Media in the Digital Age |last2=Carlsson |first2=Ulla |date=2006 |publisher=UNESCO International Clearinghouse on Children, Youth and Media, Nordicom, Göteborg University |isbn=978-91-89471-35-1 |pages=405 |language=en}}</ref> Soon after the release video cassette recorders in November 1975,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grabowski |first=John F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tVpmDwAAQBAJ&dq=Soon+after+the+release+video+cassette+recorders+in+November+1975&pg=PA64 |title=Television |date=2011-02-23 |publisher=Greenhaven Publishing LLC |isbn=978-1-4205-0665-5 |pages=64 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-11 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042648/https://books.google.com/books?id=tVpmDwAAQBAJ&dq=Soon+after+the+release+video+cassette+recorders+in+November+1975&pg=PA64#v=onepage&q=Soon%20after%20the%20release%20video%20cassette%20recorders%20in%20November%201975&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> post-''[[Astro Boy]]'' anime began to spread throughout the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-24 |title=The Global Influence Of Japanese Manga On Western Cartoons - Toons Mag |url=https://www.toonsmag.com/the-global-influence-of-japanese-manga/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=www.toonsmag.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407085125/https://www.toonsmag.com/the-global-influence-of-japanese-manga/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jozuka |first=Emiko |date=2019-07-29 |title=How anime shaped Japan's global identity |url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/japan-anime-global-identity-hnk-intl/index.html |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=2024-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240412121152/https://www.cnn.com/style/article/japan-anime-global-identity-hnk-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> By March 1976, TV stations in the United States began broadcasting [[super robot]] shows such as ''[[Getter Robo]]'',<ref>{{Citation |title=Gettâ robo |type=Animation, Action, Adventure |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275838/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |others=Akira Kamiya, Ken'ichi Ogata, Rihoko Yoshida |publisher=Asatsu-DK, Dynamic Planning, Toei Animation |archive-date=2023-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217142452/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275838/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and due to the availability of VCRs, fans could record these shows to show to their friends. [[Fred Patten]] describes his first exposure to anime at the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society (LASFS) in 1976 when he met up with another fan who was an early adopter of Sony's [[betamax]] technology. By May 1977 he and a group of fans founded the first anime club in the United States, the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization (C/FO).<ref name=Leonard>Leonard, Sean. [http://ics.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/8/3/281 Progress against the law: Anime and fandom, with the key to the globalization of culture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617150643/http://ics.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/8/3/281 |date=2010-06-17 }} International Journal of Cultural Studies, 9 2005; vol. 8: pp. 281–305.</ref>

In November 1977, the C/FO began corresponding with other [[Japanese animation]] fans across the country and because the distribution of shows across the [[United States]] was different based on location, fans began trading tapes of shows they were missing between each other.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Progress Against the Law: Fan Distribution, Copyright, and the Explosive Growth of Japanese Animation |url=https://web.mit.edu/mit-Japan/outreach/working-papers/Sean%20Leonard.PDF |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=groups.csail.mit.edu |archive-date=2024-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407085125/https://web.mit.edu/mit-Japan/outreach/working-papers/Sean%20Leonard.PDF |url-status=live }}</ref> At the time many LASFS members maintained contact with members around the world, and thus C/FO members began exchanging videos with fans located in [[Japan]], typically [[US military]] personnel, who wanted ''[[Star Trek]]'' and ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]''. Fortunately, shows from either the [[United States]] or [[Japan]] could be played in either region as both used the [[NTSC]] format for broadcast. These shows were not translated; however, Japanese animations remained simple enough that the average viewer could discern the plot exclusively from the visuals. By 1979, fans and clubs of Japanese animation had begun to separate from the science fiction movement and began to refer to the media they watched as anime.<ref name=Leonard />

Throughout this period it was considered socially acceptable to screen anime for an audience without the publisher's consent, as few companies had American offices, and the few that did would invariably refuse to grant permission. Japanese companies made it apparent that they knew fans in the [[United States]] engaged in unauthorized distribution and screening, but also knew that fans were not profiting. Japanese companies asked fans to help them publicize; for instance, [[Toei Animation]] asked the C/FO to aid it with some marketing research at [[San Diego Comic-Con]]. Starting in 1978, Japanese companies tried to set up their own American divisions; however, with the exception of the film ''[[The Sea Prince and the Fire Child]]'' which was licensed to RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, they realized they were not going to succeed in the American market and the last American anime company branch closed in 1982.<ref name=Leonard />

===Growth of anime fanclubs (1980s)===
After anime companies pulled out of the United States in 1982,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Daliot-Bul |first1=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j_gFEAAAQBAJ&dq=anime+companies+pulled+out+of+the+United+States+in+1982&pg=PA24 |title=The Anime Boom in the United States: Lessons for Global Creative Industries |last2=Otmazgin |first2=Nissim |date=2020-10-26 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-1-68417-581-9 |pages=24 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-11 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042653/https://books.google.com/books?id=j_gFEAAAQBAJ&dq=anime+companies+pulled+out+of+the+United+States+in+1982&pg=PA24#v=onepage&q=anime%20companies%20pulled%20out%20of%20the%20United%20States%20in%201982&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> there were no longer any legal or moral forces to discourage fans from copying and distributing tapes among themselves. From the late 1970s until the late 1980s, clubs began expanding to have chapters in other cities and grew to become of national and international scales. As the fandom grew, fans begun to experience ideological conflicts such as whether to keep the fandom niche or not. The visual quality of tapes began to degrade as fans made copies of copies; by the early 1980s some C/FO members reported tapes in their 15th to 20th generation that were extremely poor quality. In the mid to late 1980s, fans began to make booklets containing the translated dialogue for entire films (typically $2–3 to cover costs) and anime-focused magazines.<ref name=Leonard />

Despite numerous attempts, any efforts to convince US companies to license Japanese animation failed, with the exception of a handful of companies that were intent on "carving up" series to rewrite them into children's cartoons. Sean Leonard states that entertainment executives at the time mistakenly believed that anime were, like Western cartoons, predominantly aimed at young children; furthermore, Japanese animated dramas and such were much too violent and complex in plot for children. Leonard states that the most notorious example was the translation of [[Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film)|''Warriors of the Wind'']], released in the US in 1985, which left its creators [[Hayao Miyazaki]] and [[Isao Takahata]] appalled; Takahata exclaimed that licensing Nausicaä was a huge error and that no further [[Studio Ghibli]] produced films would be licensed internationally. These edits however were no worse than most other non-Disney animation films that were available in the US. Fans who obtained the Japanese originals of ''Nausicaä'' were inspired to organize an anime tour to Tokyo in 1986 to see Miyazaki's ''[[Laputa: Castle in the Sky]]'' and landmarks in anime.<ref name=Leonard />

[[Carl Macek]] played a key role in expanding the North American anime fandom. Macek ran a comic book and movie memorabilia specialty shop. After assisting in marketing and promotion of ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'' and the recent establishment of a nearby C/FO chapter, he began researching Japanese animation and imported Japanese cels, becoming known as a Japanese animation specialist. [[Harmony Gold USA|Harmony Gold]], who had acquired international licenses for several series and planned to distribute them in Latin America, Europe, and the US, reached out to Macek and enlisted his help for the US market. After noticing Harmony Gold's selection of ''[[Macross]]'' and similar science fiction series, Macek obtained Harmony Gold's approval to edit three anime series together into a single unified series named ''[[Robotech]]''. Macek went to science fiction conventions to promote the series and discovered a growing cult following among adolescents and young adults, in contrast to his initial assumption that the series could be exclusively targeted toward children. Macek edited ''[[Macross]]'', ''[[Southern Cross]]'', and ''[[Genesis Climber MOSPEADA]]'' together into ''Robotech'', which became a major commercial success and earned him significant recognition within the fanbase. Leonard describes ''Robotech'' as being more faithful to the original series than any other commercially successful North American anime release in its era, noting that ''Robotech'' included key elements such as the first love triangle on both Japanese and American animated television.<ref name=Leonard />

The C/FO was at its height between 1985 and 1989, with over three dozen chapters throughout the US. [[John Renault]] helped lead the C/FO chapter in Japan and played a key role throughout fansub history due to his Japanese fluency, anime industry contacts, and military background. Renault helped exchange raws from Japan, wrote informative articles about production, translated booklets, introduced military techniques to anime distribution, and provided plot synopses that proved invaluable for watching Japan-exclusive anime. Fan distribution through C/FO's efforts, particularly C/FO Rising Sun, sought to keep anime free (but controlled within the C/FO organization) in order to promote Japanese animation. Bootlegging at the time was economically infeasible; accordingly, access to anime in North America was heavily dependent on one's contacts within anime fan communities, leading to a growing divide in fandom between the "haves" and "have-nots". In 1989 members began to accuse Patten of disloyalty for writing articles for general magazines rather than the perpetually behind-schedule C/FO fanzine. However, Patten felt that, by writing for popular magazines, he was furthering their cause to proselytize and promote anime. After Patten stepped down{{When|date=April 2024}} with no clear successor, the C/FO began to break apart, and eventually ceased to exist as a conglomerate in July 1989.<ref name=Leonard />

===Early fansubs (1980s)===
The first known fansub documented at the Rising Sun chapter of the C/FO was in 1986 of a ''[[Lupin III]]'' episode produced on the [[Amiga]], marking the introduction of the formula for the process of fansubbing.{{Cn|date=April 2024}} However, fansubbing was extremely expensive at this time (on the order of $4000 in 1986 and over one hundred hours). There were a few ventures into subtitling in the late 1980s; Leonard labels the fansub of the first two episodes of ''[[Ranma ½]]'' in May 1989 as the earliest widely distributed fansub.<ref name=Leonard />

===Distribution and playback (1990s, early 2000s)===

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, fansubs were primarily distributed through physical means like VHS or Beta tapes and mailed CD-Rs.{{cn|date=April 2024}} Many fans did not have high-speed Internet and were unable to download large files. Many of the early digital fansubs were made from regular tape subs.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kearns |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ewPDjORphEC&dq=Many+of+the+early+digital+fansubs+were+made+from+regular+tape+subs&pg=PA161 |title=Translator and Interpreter Training: Issues, Methods and Debates |date=2008-05-12 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-1-4411-4057-9 |pages=161 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-11 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042633/https://books.google.com/books?id=7ewPDjORphEC&dq=Many+of+the+early+digital+fansubs+were+made+from+regular+tape+subs&pg=PA161#v=onepage&q=Many%20of%20the%20early%20digital%20fansubs%20were%20made%20from%20regular%20tape%20subs&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> In the mid-2000s, most fansubs were distributed through IRC channels,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ito |first1=Mizuko |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FpOzAwAAQBAJ&dq=fansubs+were+distributed+through+IRC+channel&pg=PA184 |title=Fandom Unbound: Otaku Culture in a Connected World |last2=Okabe |first2=Daisuke |last3=Tsuji |first3=Izumi |date=2012-02-28 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-15864-9 |pages=184 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-11 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042639/https://books.google.com/books?id=FpOzAwAAQBAJ&dq=fansubs+were+distributed+through+IRC+channel&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q=fansubs%20were%20distributed%20through%20IRC%20channel&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> [[file hosting service]]s and [[BitTorrent]]. In recent years, most fansub groups have moved from IRC to [[BitTorrent]] distribution. Dedicated anime trackers make finding the latest releases easy, while groups often have their own websites for release updates. File size standards are less strict due to the lack of [[CD-R]] and [[DVD-R]] reliance.