Great sendoff for AI, Rob. And you most definitely helped make AI what it was. I'm pretty damn sad too.

This is sad. Back in the day, I used to get love all the Wizard magazines, (except ironically, Wizard itself). You did a good job on that thing, especially after Newtype folded last year. Wizard does have a habit of unceremoniously canceling their mags, (InQuest, In Power, is Toyfare still around?). Anyways, I probably wouldn't be as big a nerd as I am today without them, and they will be sorely missed.

While I've been lucky enough to avoid working on a magazine (or comic) on the editorial side, I know the joy and heartache that comes from the creative process.

Thanks for your hard work on AI. And their loss is our gain. I'm grateful for one of the better pop-culture, nerd friendly sites.

Damn.

Please dont tell me that ToyFare is next

Ah, I'm not even sure what to say. I've been getting AI for a long time (even got the latest volume in my bag right now) , even since before I knew who the legendary Rob Bricken was (it's been two years since i've heard of the legendary Rob Bricken). At first, I loved the fact that it had not only good, but unique, interesting articles and wasn't just pretty newtypey pictures (No offense NTUSA, i loved you too). Then, when I saw you were a part of it.. agh, I was around for all the fan mail you did, at the very least, and I loved it. This is really sad. Though, I am really glad it's allowed you to start Topless Robot, because his site is brilliant, but still. I feel sorry for all the AI staff too (especially now when i'll see them comment people's stuff on facebook or something...)

Well.. Sayonara, Anime Insider, You were great.

Damn it!

Anime Insider was printed with our blood, sweat and tears. I'm at a loss for words right now, but it's been an honor to have known you, sir, and to work under you, at that prestigious mag... and then another honor to have worked under Summer, for a total of just under 6 years. I doubt it was starry-eyed syndrome, but AI was, for me, one of the best things to have happened in the last American anime fandom era.

I'm sorry, Rob. I only worked on the magazine for a relatively short time, and I feel sad, too. But I will say that your run on AI made Newtype USA look and read like an anime delivery truck got hit by a train pulling 20 cars of dog shit.

That's a huge bummer. But I'm glad to hear that you had many good experiences while working on the magazine, and Wizard can't take those away.

This sucks, the only decent Anime mag left is no more !!!

I started reading it after NTUSA went belly up (PiQ was no substitute).

The UK is lacking in comprehensive Anime Mags (Sorry Neo, you're pretty good, but not Level 9000 + good).

It's a sad day.

Well, suffice to say my day has just been ruined. I was in college when it first came out and as an otaku in the East Coast USA it was difficult to keep up with anime news, but then I saw it in the shelves with the light shinning down on it and the little angel hovering over singing.
Admittedly as time went on I hadn't been able to keep on track with it but I got every chance I could. It was obvious to me all the hard work that went into it and for that I am eternally grateful to you and all who worked on AI for all the dedicated hard work you put in for us. And just to throw it in: "Damn you Wizard! Damn you!"

And it's true Anime Insider in comparison to Newtype completely made it look like amateur work (Not that I didn't like NT either).

WTF!!!!!!!!!!
I just can't believe it!
AI is my all time fav mag!
This is it!
This is the day the otaku in me died...
It's just the begining of the end of Anime/Manga.
Thanks a lot internet a@@holes who made the industry crumble! Enjoy your sh!tty fansubs/dubs!
Thanks for ruining one of the coolist aspects of my life... the fact that I was part of something that others looked at and said "what a nerd"
That word means something to me!
And so did Otaku...
FU! Wizard!

Damn. No more checking TR first thing in the morning...lately it's just making me sad.

If it weren't for Anime Insider, I don't think I would have been able to finally leave my parents' house and the West Coast at the age of 25 to move to New York where I'd always wanted to be, pursuing my dreams of being a writer/editor like I'd always wanted.

Though I was terminated under some not-so-good circumstances, I really do treasure the time I spent working with and for you, Rob, and what I managed to get for myself because of it.

Thanks to you and the 2003 AI and Wizard Entertainment staff for everything.

Wow. Anime Insider is the best anime magazine. The editorial made so a new fan to anime could read it and "get" anime just from one issue. Anime fandom has a learning curve and Anime Insider was a fan's roadmap. This magazine will be truly missed.

This is incredibly sad. I've just gotten into Anime Insider over the past year, and it's had some good and entertaining work. Everyone who wrote in it seemed to enjoy what the did, and that always makes for a better reading experience. I'm sad to see it go.

I also wonder who's next. Newtype USA in '08. AI in '09. Magazines in general are having a tough time, and the niche fandom that anime has probably doesn't help. Although I didn't expect the Wizard-related magazine go next, now I'm wondering what the future holds for other anime mags like Otaku USA and Protoculture Addicts, as well as the other Wizard titles.

Oh dear :(

I could sort of understand when NewType USA folded. It was big, glossy, and expensive for a niche type market. But Anime Insider too? I'd usually pick it up regardless of whether it had any anime I was interested in in it that issue because it was entertaining to read even in spite of that. It was also extremely helpful to newbies to the fandom (like myself even, way back when) to learn what to expect and what was best to read and watch first. There's also the fact that for all the lovely information the internet gives there's just nothing that beats being able to hold a professionally printed hard copy magazine (no offense meant of course) dedicated to your chosen passion. It will be missed greatly.

As someone who willing bought AI for the first 2 or 3 years it existed, I hate to see it go. Then again, Wizard's excelled at making poor choices for nearly half a decade now.

And props in general to Summer, who's a classy lady. My fiancee and I first met her back @ AX 2k7. She was working the AI both and we came by in our Gundam SEED Destiny costumes (with a Haro!) to shoot the breeze with her for a bit. I have the chance to judge the 2007 World Cosplay Summit with her later that year @ NYAF, and anyone who had to sit through that totally earned my respect. Best of luck to her and the AI staff.

It makes me feel pretty nice to know that so many people enjoyed Anime Insider. I worked on the mag from issues #15-#36, and ran it from #36-#68 (which, sadly, will never see print). That's more than 30 issues that I consider my children. The cover that Rob shows above is a special illustration that I worked with Gainax on in celebration of our issue #50, and it pretty much marks one of my proudest moments with Anime Insider. I'll miss working on the magazine, interacting with the fans, and even worrying a gray streak into my hair.

Summer! I'm so sorry to hear about this. Can you email me from your personal email so we can email one-on-one?

You do not and should not have to apologize for a post like this. We're all nerds here, and we understand. This was a good mag, and its a damn shame. I'm glad I heard it here first.

Wizard, on the other hand, has not surprised me with this. They've been hemmoraging money for quite a while now. Too bad it had to lead to this though. They should have just cancelled Wizard magazine, because I'm pretty sure no one reads that anymore anyway.

Thwo things:

1) I forgot to add TR contributor Todd Ciolek to my list of awesome people who worked on the mag. since he's one of TR's greatest contributors, I feel like an ass.

2) Things for all the kind words, guys. It really does mean a lot. I hope I don't sound ridiculous, but this new really bums me out

Goddammit. AI, you will be missed.

*21 gun salutes*

Wow, I'm going to miss AI; I didn't get to read that one as often as I liked, but it was good knowing that it was around.

thewalkindude> ToyFare is still around, at least for now. I get it every month.

--LBD "Nytetrayn"

Bah! I had a subscription to Inquest Gamer and when it folded, they sent me 2 years of Wizard to make up the issues (woulda prefered just my $ back). Now they folded the only other Wizard-based mag I get and WHAM! it's gone. Guess I'm going to get 2 more years of bird cage liner now.

Sad times for anime indeed.

Wow, I had no idea you are someone well known, well you learn something new everyday.

I remember buying Anime Invasion when I was a freshman in high school. I had been an anime fan for a long time and was excited to see a new magazine about it. I still have that copy. The article where you went to Toonami was the most hysterical thing to me. My friends and I still quote parts of it. Its sad to see it go...

Oh, one more thing:

I know the magazine industry is fucked, and I'm well aware the US anime industry is fucked; there are practically only two American anime companies left at this point to even buys ads. On the same day Blender is canned, I can't tell myself that AI's cancellation was some big Wizard conspiracy.

But what I can get upset with Wizard about is that they surely planned this at some point, and based on their desire to do the shittiest thing possible, waited until most of the staff was out and then shut everything down. Some magazines actually have final issues, and I wish to god AI had been one of them.

Steph — Thanks! That Toonami article was forever ago; I'm glad someone remembers it fondly.

I did a LOT of heavy-duty freelance writing for the mag in its ealiest, formative days; including the massive and sprawling "50 Greatest Anime of All Time" feature in the first issue, and all those "wacky stuff from Japan" articles for several issues after that. Rob and the others editors were always so easy and fun to work with, and it was a good magazine to work on. After I moved from Japan in 2004, I completely stopped working for Wizard or Anime Insider, but I am indebted to those early days of AI for keeping my name in print and helping bridge me into manga translation afterwards.

KS

Awful news. I'm in the UK and I have the first issue of Anime Invasion up in my room. Gutted for you and all at AI (plus the readers - Neo just isn't good enough).

To me this is just a big 'wow' moment, that left me utterly speechless. Anime Insider developed into what was in my opinion the best Anime magazine ever on the U.S. market, and it became that way largerly through your vision and direction, and your editorial leadership to the type of publication you wanted to put out there.

The personality of the publication, the quality of the content, and the broad spectrum approach in covering news on both sides of the pacific made it a must read, and not only will it be missed, but I think it will be well and truly mourned by those who loved it so.

To all the of the AI staffers, THANK YOU for everything, and the best of luck in your future endeavours.

I really wish Wizard would have been decent enough to allow one big send off with the last issue. It really seems to do the fans a disservice to hardly even acknowledge the issue being the last within its pages. Magazines that have been in print for years deserve a big good bye.

Anime Insider was my first real non-freelance career job and I made lifelong friends working there, and it will be sorely missed.

It was also the ONLY publication - online or offline, seemingly - aimed at casual anime fans and younger consumers who actually bought things and watched anime on TV and generally drove the industry for years. That market is now being served by basically no one. Which really, really sucks and is not a good thing.

Damnit that's terrible. I've loved this magazine since I was in high school because of the passion that seemed to pour out of the pages (as well as the hilarious wizard-esque comment balloons) and because it seemed to evolve along with America's anime fandom. I'm sorry to see it go. I wish it could've kept going on and it's because of Rob's great work at AI that I discovered this site and have become a devotee of it. Thanks for all of your hard work everyone that did work on AI. It will be missed and I'll cherish the back issues I still have. :'(

-BP

As an uber geek I have three obsessions in life: comics, toys and anime. I can't begin to explain how great it was to have the trio of Wizard/Toyfare/Anime Insider each and every month. There was a great synergy about them.

However, in recent years Wizard has lost it's way. Be it the decline in jokes, the rape of the letters column (which is vastly underrated in all magazines) or whatever. But AI and TF continue to chug along. Just reading the letters column in both magazines - a HUGE thank you to Rob Bricken - was a breath of fresh air.

AI did an amazing thing for me. It had articles about anime that I had never seen and had no intention to see. Yet when I read those columns more often than not they compelled me to watch anime that I never would have dreamed picking up and I loved it. My single favorite anime/manga of all time is "Getbacker" and I owe my love of it to AI.

So now to know that one of the three magazines that I pick up each and every single month is gone... it just leaves me feeling hallow inside. To not get a send off issue and an extra kick square in the junk.

I'm just like to say to everyone who recently lost their job because they were current AI staffers and to people who used to work there and have since moved on, "THANK YOU." Thank you so much for your time, effort and above all else your passion. It shined in each and every single issue that saw print.

Ah that sucks. I loved Anime Insider.

I'm an older feller who was late to the table for the fandom, but I enjoy what is out there, albeit I need more adult content that isn't driven by sexual conquests (ick). Watching the industry fall because of d/l, fansubs, it seems to be be a distribution model. Tradtional means of moving product is cumbersome, weighted, it would make more sense to adopt the digital arena. But, some are still living on the old notions of mass production, in which what doesn't sell gets thrown out. I'm rambling on here but, I wan to say thanks for the memories of Anime Insider dudes. I kind of wished that Wizard would have gone the route of the digital distribution. I would have felt better if the magazine would've adapted towards this, but as the needs of the many outway the needs of a few. Its systemic of the industry as a whole, living out here in the N.W. losing the Seattle P.I. because of money problems. It would be a better traction to adopt a new model for distribution. Wizard did a huge disservice and canceling a fantastically written, thought out designed magazine.
I didn't buy the NewType because of how expensive it was, most of what I get for anime news is at Anime News Network. Rob, and Co do a great job with how difficult the industry has suffered to report on what/when, and where things are.
Its hard to fathom that in the state of things now, when there is a huge falling out of old dichotomies, systems, something new will emerge. I would like to see Anime Insider to return in a different form. Those writers deserve a better send off than just cutting the cord, and saying so long.

Thanks for the memories, Anime Insider dudes, gals.

Jeez, Anime Insider was the last major cornerstone of the print anime news magazine biz. Otaku USA and Protoculture Addicts are great, but they've never been as high profile as magazines like Animerica, Newtype USA and Anime Insider. It's a sad day knowing that AI special brand of articles won't be around anymore.

BTW, Rob, thanks for tossing me those Tenchi Muyo and SD Gundam features back during your time at AI. I had a blast on those.

This is sad news indeed. I have been reading AI since the beginning, and it depresses me to know that there will never be another issue again. It was always an excellent source of news, and the writing was always good. I'd have to say the best part was finding you and the other writers. And I've been following you everywhere Rob. From AI, to animeOnline, and now to here and your Astro Toy articles, I've always liked reading what you put out. It's a shame that this happened. So good luck to all the people, past and present, who worked at Anime Insider. You'll always have a fond place in my memories.

This is terrible! Anime Insider was the magazine that got me into anime. My mom bought it for me when I was in junior high because I was into Yu-Gi-Oh and he was on the cover(along with Goku from GT). I didn't know anything about anime, so it sat on my shelf for a while after I read the Yu-Gi-Oh part, until I picked it up one day and read it. It was so interesting that I read every word in that issue, from cover to cover, including all the small text in the advertisements (I was a little OCD about it.) I was so interested that I started watching Anime and got a subscription to AI. A couple of years ago I was getting into games more, so I let my AI subscription lapse, but this Christmas my parents got me a new subscription at my request, and I have been really enjoying it again, especially the issue I just got yesterday. AI really helped me figure out who I am because I wasn't into sports and didn't really have any hobbies. It taught me about anime, inspired me to go to Japan, and turned me into the nerd I am today, and for that I will be forever in your debt. So to all the past and present writers of AI: THANK YOU. To see the mag close is so sad, and I hope you all find interesting work quickly. I'd love to know where everyone ends up, if you could update us Rob. I'd also hadn't heard that the anime industry in the US was doing so poorly. If you could direct me to some more info about that or let me know more I would really appreciate it. (Email is a great option. If you have the time, I'd owe you even more.)

Again, to all the past and present writers of AI, THANK YOU.

Today, a little part of me died. I subscribe to that magazine, it's my favorite, the only anime mag that had never failed me. I love the writing of the staff, and laughed and laughed when you, Rob, wrote the mail comumn. When you left, I thought that would've been the most heartbreak I'd have to suffer, but that was as quickly dispelled as it came on when I found out about this site. And now.... now I feel like a geek without a country. And the thing that bothers me most was that I just got delivered to me their video game issue.

That was a great send off Rob, and I'd appreciate their heartfelt message a lot more if my heart hadn't been recently torn into little pieces and vaporized. I'd always thought that AI would be the one to rise above the ashes of all the other anime magazines.... I'd always thought this one would last.... goes to show what happens when I open my heart to love....

I worked on Anime Insider as a regular freelancer from early 2006 until today. I have to say, this is kind of an interesting way to find out about the closure.

First and foremost, I have to thank Todd, Angela, Summer, Zac, and Rob for what they've done with the magazine and the opportunities they've given me. I can only hope I've made it worth their while.

As cheesy as it sounds, when I was a kid, writing for a nationwide magazine was a dream. Thanks to AI and its people, that dream has been fulfilled. Hopefully some readers found my little contribution helpful in some way.

Well, shit. Like Rob said, I was with Anime Insider for several years, up until issue 58 or so. I really enjoyed everything I did there, and I'm sorry to see the magazine shut down like this.

It reminds me of everyone I worked with at Wizard (who've been mentioned above), plus all of the outside writers who helped make Anime Insider what it was. Adam, Kumar, Chad, and Gia posted here already, and I also have to thank Casey Brienza, Heidi Kemps, Joe Chan, Alicia Ashby, Carolyn Fowlkes, Mur Lafferty, Simon Waxman, Matt Cabral, Christiana Ellis, and any other regular freelancers I'm forgetting.

I worked in the editorial office for a little as a "post grad" intern. They were willing to give a gal right out of college a chance to work at a national magazine about my biggest passion, anime, and pay me. It was wonderful working there and a great opportunity for a budding journalist. I've worked at two different offices since, and none can even compare with the enthusiasm and energy the staff had at AI. They were as much fans as professionals. Even contributing via freelance since made me happy because I loved being a part of the industry, even in such a small way.
I’m so sorry they had to go out like that, the staff deserved better. The magazine deserved better.

This leads me to wonder about the articles I did for May's issue/am working on. I'm guessing it's a no-go...

Meghan, I sincerely hope you still have your contract with you because you're entitled to a kill fee. Unless they changed the contracts.

Dang...I'm honestly sorry to hear about that. I wasn't a regular reader, but I sure know what it's like to have something you loved and labored on get swept out by the knees. :(

Wow. This is horrible news. I have purchased every issue for the last 4 years simply because (in my opinion) there was NO better anime publication available. I read it religiously cover to cover every month and seldom found an article that I did not enjoy (the hilarious word balloons were also a wonderful treat). I just need to say thank you to everyone who helped to bring that enjoyment into my life each and every month. I wish you all the best in the future--you guys deserve it.

You know, I saw this coming and yet it's still like a punch in the gut. I started freelancing for AI back in November of '06 at Angela's invitation, and while I wasn't one of the "heavy hitters" my work with the mag meant a lot to me. Back in '06, I was pretty badly mangled in a car accident, and I spent a lot of time not working due to numerous reconstructive surgeries on my ankle. Money was getting tight, and Angela surprised me out of nowhere and offered me a job.

It remains the single most important and wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me. Anime Insider gave me a chance when I was in a bad way and needed one desperately and I will never forget it. Summer and Angela are both wonderful folks and it kills me that now that the mag is ending, there's nothing that I can do to return the favor.

Like Chad, working for a magazine like AI had been a dream come true. And I am eternally grateful that I had the opportunity to contribute to it. It was wonderful magazine, and I'm going to miss it.

Summer, Angela, Rob, Andrew, Doug and many others. I worked on the magazine with these great people. Who took the time and had the patience to help a honest to god Comic Geek become a Anime fan. I hope I did not let you down.

One more thing I feel I should mention before I toddle off the bed - I remember that visit-to-Toonami article too. It was legendary stuff. ;)

I always remembered buying this magazine always except for one issue. I will probably say that other than Newtype USA, and Shonen Jump, this was a magazine that I could always go to the bookstore for tons of confidence and coverage. My only request if it is EVER TRULY POSSIBLE (like a one in a billion chance) is if they would print one last issue with a farewell and coverage of past magazines that got them to where they got to now. I wish they could do that UNLIKE ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY which lasted 20 years or more and not even a send off issue or what the cover for the last magazine was. WHAT A FRICKIN RIPOFF. If the Insider magazine is gone for good this is really bad news for the anime industry. What's next to go Shonen Jump? That's when you know that there is no hope for a very long time for the anime industry to ever come back from the doldrums. I hope it is not

Well, damn! Talk about a crying shame! I was absolutely shocked, then saddened to have read about the sudden demise of Anime Insider which I absolutely loved. I have every issue of the mag, hell, I even submitted a pic of myself with first fifty issues and promised the editorial staff that I'd do the same with issues #51-100. Now AI is dead.

I'm just crushed since it was a great mag to read about anime and manga. After Newtype USA went down in flames (don't even get me started on PiQ, the short-lived atrocity that replaced it), I looked forward to AI for my monthly fix. While websites like Anime News Network are good resources, nothing beats holding and reading a magazine about the passion that I enjoyed. What's worse was that the assholes at Wizard bushwhacked Summer and the rest of the staff at AI, not to mention the people like me who enjoyed the mag by pulling the rug out from all of us by denying both the staff and readers a farewell issue. That's abominable and reprehensible on more levels than I can possible imagine.

My sympathies to Summer and the rest of the AI staff, being thrown out of a job in this crappy economy is bad news times ten. I hope they'll be able to get back on their feet real soon. Meanwhile, I hope the cretins at Wizard will burn in hell for what they've done!

Crap. Shite. Every other invective possible. I doidn't even know till I read this thread, and I work(ed) for Anime Insider until this moment. OIr so I thought.
This month's Flash In Japan is just about to be deleted.
Will write more soon; too shattered right now.

FUCK! this had better be a very bad April Fools joke because I don't think I could take much more after the whole PIQ fiasco.(I had a subscription dammit you owe me $80 bucks you bastards!) This is truly a sad day for anime and nerddom in general. Fuck Wizard! Fuck it in the ear!

FUCK! this had better be a very bad April Fools joke because I don't think I could take much more after the whole PIQ fiasco.(I had a subscription dammit you owe me $80 bucks you bastards!) This is truly a sad day for anime and nerddom in general. Fuck Wizard! Fuck it in the ear!

Sorry for your loss.

I'm Peter Payne of J-List, and I saw this coming a while ago. Very sad stuff as it was a good magazine we did our best to support. I'm still in shock of the death of Newtype USA, this just increases the lack of fun. The thing is, there IS NO "anime recession" at all -- there are more fans than ever. The problem is a) torrenting (yes, fuckers), and b) the general craptasticness of the economy.

About a month ago, I bought AI issues #65 and #66 in full cash, out of chasing a particular anime series I really loved, because a page scan on a hard disk isn't enough -- I wanted the genuine article, the feel and smell of it, the kind I want to keep for a lifetime. Really fired me up to buy three boxsets.

But just as I was going to get another issue I came across this news. I never thought they'll pull the plug on this great -- damn truly entertaining, smartly well-designed -- mag... without warning, without even a mere notice.

Why?

Unfortunately it seems that every anime-related mag I came across since 1999 have folded up for a variety of reasons, just as I ever thought mistakenly they'll be around due to the number of people buying them.

This is truly sad news. I've been a subscriber to Anime Insider for years. Rob, I'm sure you and the rest of the staff worked your asses off to produce this magazine (that kind of quality doesn't come easy), but it sure read like you were all having fun, and that fun was infectious. And I don't mean the "it itches in embarrasing places" kind of infectious fun, either. First Animerica, then Newtype USA, now Anime Insider. Doesn't anybody read anymore? Or is there another reason for this implosion?

Thank you for the kind words regarding the redesign of the mag. It was a blast working on the mag and meeting all who worked on it over the years. You will be missed.

Looks like Anime Insider solicited in this month's Previews will get cancelled orders?

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!First you stop the mailing columb then the magazine stops all togetjer it just is not fair, you made that magazine great and i want you to know i saved all the copies i ever got of it and it hellped introduce me to a ton of great anime. Thank you brick-san for all your contributions to AI
they always made me laph.

I guess every great thing always has to come to an end somehow. This sucks. I'm not from the US so I am only able to buy AI back issues. I only have 9 copies actually. Yesterday, I was able to buy 2 back issues and was so happy. I even emailed Bricken-sama this morning to tell him "how he has inspired me to strive to write better articles" because I really like his way of writing articles. And then I found out about this. So sad. We have a regular magazine in my country (Philippines) but it's not as good as the one that preceded it. And with AI gone, now there's no more for me to watch out for whenever I go to particular bookstores here.
I'll miss Anime Insider. Thank you for sharing your talent in writing and putting a smile on my face as I read the editorial, Bricken-sama!

Jose Arboleda Jr. from the Philippines

Now thats what i call messed up. A.I. basically introduced me to anime allowing me to understand that what i'm watching is not "catoons". i'm from Dominica (not the Republic) and live and work in Antigua and dammit if A.I. wasn't my monthly cup of coffee. i love everything about that magazine, i just got my hands on April issue. what am i gonna do now? it was hard enough when Rob left but this is too much... i think i need a shoulder to cry on (sob). WWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! but let me just say Thank You to Bricken-sama and the whole A.I team for giving us all this wonderful experience, peace to all.

I've enjoyed reading Anime Insider since #8(how many years ago?). There was a time my Fruits Basket messenger bag held the latest issues of Animerica, Newtype USA, Becket, Shonen Jump and of course Anime Insider. My nephews thought I was "da bomb" because I knew stuff their parents didn't. Stuff about the newest series, game, or toy that was coming each month and whether it was any good. I had Chocolate Pocky and Strawberry Ramune. I had Anime-Cred. Your info was always right on. To Rob and the entire staff thru the years at A.I, thanks for making me cool.

jeez cant believe it just got into to it a few weeks ago and stayed up late nights just to read cuz it was the only dam anime mag worth reading and just when i go to check out the site for subscription, It's been F**K'EN Canned. (You Wizzard basterds)

And Best Of Luck To You Rob On Your Next Job, Really Hope You Make It Back To The World Of Anime

No i didnt say that right you will always be an idol to the otaku AI (ers) and a major role in introduceing people to anime, Fight your way back to the ranks!

This stinks. I *just* found out about Anime Insider's screeching halt - due to "life happening", I haven't been on top of the anime scene in the last few months. I was trying to look up info online about an anime mag I just saw and had never heard about (Future Anime), when I learned that Anime Insider is apparently no more. Even though I haven't read issues 66 and 67 yet, I was beginning to wonder why 68 hadn't arrived... and I just sent Wizard a renewal check, too. Not cool.

To all of the folks who contributed to Anime Insider, thank you. I have every issue and am saddened at this event.

This also makes me sad...I was wondering why I never got May's issue; ironically I got on the computer just now to complain to customer service about it. When I google searched for AI's web site, I found this article. I only got 4 issues in my current subscription, and I had been buying them here and there for a long time. Now that AI and Newtype are gone, where am I going to get my anime news? WHERE???

Shit.

What the hell magazine are us anime nerds going to turn to next!?

I'm up for blackmailing Wizard. Anyone with me?

P.S.

I guess that means all of those letters and Last Man Standings that I and fellow fans sent in the past four months will never see the light of day.

Anime Insider was the greatest anime mag out there. I've tried several others but I just couldn't find anything better than AI.

Hey Rob,
I feel as bummed out as you do. I followed Anime Insider from the very first issue as Anime Invasion, all the way to the last issue. It was my favorite magazine of all the Wizard titles.

R.I.P. Anime Insider. You were the best of the best.

I've been buying Anime Insider for about four years and am very sad to see it go. I've kept every issue I bought, so have a nice library. But I figured I'd be adding to it for many more years.

It looked like it sold well at the bookstores where I live. I don't understand why Wizard canned it. :( Boo on Wizard. I'll never buy another thing associated with them unless they bring back Anime Insider.

I cant belive there gone AI was the greatest anime mag of all time & im realy sad to see it go. Seeing as how I have the last issue ill keep it for nostalgia & use it as a way to show fresh anime fans some good stuff. With that being said you'll be missed farewell & i hope the best for the staff at ANIME INSIDER.

and now time to sulk:(

Oh man not AI, too. Fuck.
Recently l've heard about Shojo Beat's cancelation, and while lurking around blogs I've then found out about this!
Well, as an avid reader of this magazine l truly thank the Al staffs' hard work to make this magazine worth it. The ride was fun while it lasted.

After reading all of these posts. There seems no beter way to honor all those involved in the making the best Anime mag ever but to say you will be missed. I have read all of the anime mags I could find and AI is, or was, the best. Best wishes and bright future to all who made AI what it was...

This is sad news. However, in issue 67 Wizard actually advertised for the next issue so i had no idea the magazine was gone until just now. RIP Anime Insider.

Sigh. For this 40-ish anime fan, Anime Insider will be missed as an accessable, funny, easy to use guide to the sometimes bewildering world of anime.
Between work, housework, school, and job hunting, I don't have time to search for the best website to find me the best anime. AI was a resource I could read at my leisure to find a new show or find out more about something I was watching.
Fullmetal Alchemist, InuYasha, Samurai Champloo - AI had the information on these Cartoon Network shows I was interested in; it had info on non-CN shows like Solty Rei and Scrapped Princess that got me watching these shows.
If there's a website that's a accessable as AI was for the time-deprived anime fan, let me know!

It sucks that the coolest mag is cancelled But it was AWESOME while it lasted.

Wow .... there went $28 ................ *_*

First off, hi again Rob! I attended your panels at Ohayocon! I would first like to say PLEASE run your panels at more cons and spread the "word" about saving the anime industry - I can't believe how many "fans" illegally download shows all the time! (*cough*Hetalia*cough*Soul*Eater*ahem*)

I can remember perusing B. Dalton waaaaaaay back in high school, spotting lil' Goku on the cover of Issue #1. I was instantly a fan of the magazine, and I've made sure I gotten every issue since then.

I happened to have moved right when AI went out of business, so just recently I was thinking "Hmmm, I should have gotten Issue #68 by now..." When I went to search Google for Anime Insider, then it hit me: OMG it's gone! T_T I knew, Rob, you had said the print industry was in bad shape, but I had no idea AI was going under! As an aside, I also started reading Otaku USA last year, and I subscribed to both magazines. To be honest, I never thought AI would go down first. It's a real shame.

I thought an issue of AI was designed perfectly:
-Low price
-Thin, but yet JAM PACKED with content!
-"Last Man Standing" - I'm personally obsessed with x-overs
-Manga/Anime release schedule - I liked having a brief list of the new stuff out every month.
And of course...
-Letters to the Editor! - Prolly one of the most interesting features in the magazine. The way Rob and the other editors handled the questions was always witty and inteligent. And you didn't answer just one or two emails like Otaku USA does - you guys answered several pages worth!

Anyways, thanks so much, AI Staff, for 67 issues of awesomeness! I wish you the best of luck! :)

I would like to start this by stating my intent to not fling copious amounts of profanity like so much monkey poo, as much as I'd like to. The preceding posts (every one of which I have read) rarely used the wording and never the intensity that I would so much like to use to express my distaste. Having said so, and I will continue.

I will paraphrase a recent letter in Maxim (one of the other magazines I peruse): Some people track time by the calendar, others by their paycheck- I did so by Anime Insider. AI first caught my eye while I was in Arizona with the cover page promise of a Trigun Movie. The PX on most army bases sold AI, so when I moved to Germany, it was there; when I went to Iraq, I could usually count on my monthly purchase of Anime Insider. Even in Hawaii (where I am now) I had to go to a different base to buy it because the one closest simply didn't get new shipments of anything in very fast; however it was still there. Thus leads me to my morose state- I hadn't seen the new issue in my local PX, which wasn't too surprising, considering the lack of speedy logistics. I figured that it would come in at the end of the month- late, but still there. I waited. June 1st comes around, and I'd figure I'd send an e-mail and ask about something that was nagging at me (Blu-Ray Bebop, anybody?), to find... nothing. Except this thread. I still don't know what to say. I've seen other (read:all of them) publications that seem to take themselves way to seriously; Newtype seemed a little too pretentious for me (fat lotta good that does me now). AI had exactly what I wanted. I don't know what to say.

Oh Woe!!! How did I know? A nasty little feeling in the pit of my stomach when I could not find the May issue anywhere. Look here, look there, look almost everywhere. I owe so much of the anime I have watched to AI. To find a smart, informed, and non-costly magazine helped me out in my anime infancy, and I will sorely miss it.

To all the staff, thank you so much for all the education and laughter you gave me. You deserved so much better than what you got. It literally is giving me a stomach ache to ponder this. Ouch...

I can't beleive it's really gone. I always waited for AI every month, It filled me in on all the latest anime news. I laughted at all the inside jokes that only anime fans would get,and all my firends who liked anime was always jealous that i got it. I loved everthing sooooo much like Animail (ROB BRIKEN-SAN YOUR THE BEST), death of the month (laughed my head off at those), by the number,the fanservice, Last man standing (So great)...pretty much everything.
It deserved so much better than to just be cancelled like that it was my highlight of the day when i got it in the mail. Im a hudge Otaku becasue of AI, my parents bought the subscription for me for my 16th b-day when i first started to get into anime and AI helped me learn everything. It shouldn't have to go.
Thanks so much to all the staff who made my day. It won't be the same with out it :(
RIP 2001~2009

AI was one of the only anime outlets in the area, when I first foud it I showed it to all my friends in high school. Then they bought them, my whole group of friends were often made fun of for this, but we didn't care we were the the "aninerds" but we were happy! AI was one of the best things during school, most of us were outcast AI showed we were not the only ones out there that loved anime. The loss of Anime Insider is truly before its time, all things will come to an end. AI just was ended to soon. Its a damn shame.

Thank you to all who responsable for makeing Anime Insider as great as it was. My utmost gradatude to you all.

-breaks down sobbing-
No! Whyyyyyyy?! This news has ruined my day. I'm now going to wallow in a pit of dispair. That magazine was just about the only scrap of connection with the outside anime-lovers i had!!! They only sold it in one store in my area, and i bought it faithfully as often as i could. I was starting to get a bad feeling when after searching and searching i had yet to find issue 68. But i hadn't thought the whole thing was going to be cancled.... just, maybe that the store has stopped carrying it. This is so awful. I love AI with all of the anime fan in me! It was such a great magazine. Even if i didn't know any of what was being featured, i'd still read it. I still go back and read old issues. I'll be flicking through and find someting i love now that i didn't know about when i got the magazine and think "Hey! Oh, okay! I get it now, that's what they were talking about!" Anime Insider will be sorely missed.
Thank you to everyone who made AI so awesome. It was great to read and always held my attention. And it wasn't way over priced. I will now go crawl under a rock to mourn.
R.I.P Anime Insider, We will miss you.

oh, lord.
when i stopped getting the mag, i thought "oh hell! i've let the subscription run out!"
and so i went and sent $28 of my social security money off with naruto scrawled on it and waited.
and waited.
and started to get really sad.
and worried.
and now i find out, yes. it is dead. and i want to cry!
this magazine had become my life's blood lately! i live out in the sticks, am poor, don't have the internet, and don't get much exposure to what's new in the anime world. this magazine ALWAYS brightened my day. i'd spend a good long time reading it to draw it out. i enjoyed every single bit, read every damned word, even the ads. that's never happened with me and a magazine before.
i sorely, SORELY miss this thing. it was so great. the entire staff were just *my people*. they enjoy anime the way i do - with a lot more than a grain of salt and a bunch of sass.
i miss, i miss, i miss. i can't believe it's gone.
thanks for the great work, mr. bricken. (MANY SAD EMOTICONS)

And now I figure out why my subscription stopped coming. I usually didn't stop to think when my issue would arrive, as it was a bit sporadic. So, I just waited and was happy when it got here. That stopped happening, and I figured Wizard had fucked up my subscription or perhaps skipped a month. So, I waited, and waited, and..yeah. My story is probably like many others. I finally decided to google about today when I went to renew my PC Gamer subscription (the only other magazine of this type I sub to), only to find the post on ANN and this.

Thanks for all the laughs and McGuffins and such. The letters and feedback you did (and Summer, after) were easily my favorite portion of the magazine and it was interesting to see various series mentioned, even if I'd already seen them via import or otherwise.

I think I will add toplessrobot to my RSS feeds, now.

Прикольно пишете, жизненно. Все-таки, для того, чтобы делать действительно интересный блог, нужно не только сообщать о чем-то, но и делать это в интересной форме:)

I found anime insider while visiting durango a few years back i had only just moved and was finding my place in my new state. i was shy when i was getting to know my classmates in 7th grade but a few people who liked anime instantly took me in and introduced me into anime. i found that some of my favorite shows like sailor moon was anime. i didnt become an otaku but it was a side hobby that i ocassionaly indulged myself in. i bought some mangas and anime but i got more into it when i found anime insider. it was at a small grocrey store and i begged my mom to buy it that night i read it three times over. i didnt see it again till i went to a book store and saw it again i made sure that every month i saved up some money to buy an issue.

it was great everytime i got one it was a real fun experience i especailly loved reading the rob briken fan mail stuff and it was nice knowing which anime or mangas were coming out. it also helped with my career choice i could never figure out what i wanted to be now i have decided to go into linguisits and be a translator for foreign businesses or become an english/spanish teacher in a different country.
before i went on vacation this year i finally subscribed to anime insider unfortuanlly i didnt know that the last issue i bought earlier #67 would be my last. 10 minutes earlier of writting this i found wizard cancelled AI.

i will really miss anime insider magizine it had lots of info, full of great stuff and only cost like 5 dollars. i appreciated the hard work that went into making it and im glad to know that so many other people thought so to i wish those part of the AI team good luck

and to the AI magizine itself
" raise imaginary glass" you did awsome for the time you had the stage we'll miss you

I just teared up a bit, to be honest. I was ten when I picked up issue 14 of A.I., and from there it was no turning back. I now have a multi-hundred volume manga/anime collection, not to mention myriads of posters, figurines and other paraphenelia. Anime is a major part of my life, and to know that the great publication that got me into my fandom has disappeared hurts, almost as much as the passing of a friend. Pardon me for sounding nerdy, but it's the truth. I hope the excellent staff of A.I. find work elsewhere, because they are some the funniest and most-talented writers on the medium of Japanese animation and comics. R.I.P., Anime Insider.

Yeah, Rob, I remember when you left A.I and was wondering what was up, being a subscriber and in my second year of the magazine.
I used to be a big Wizard reader but got out of comics and therefore got out of the magazine because, for 1 it just lost the feel/appeal it had back in the mid-late 90's and when Jim left it wasn't the same at all. Kinda like Anime Insider after someone left ;o)
But I'm here to comment that, at least you KNEW or got some news about A.I. being killed. Many like myself were left in the lurch after getting the 67th [and subsequently final] issue of the rag. Now I get Wizard again which is nothing at all(!) like it was back in the day (it's like they took a Letterman theme, stripped it of its humor and added more details to it along with a cover).

I'm sure you have a gripe or two about Wizard because you were an employee, but as an Anime fan who doesn't go to Japan ever and definitely doesn't have any insider scoop, I think it sucks completely. And to top it off with a nice little cherry, there isn't a news stand anywhere that carry's an Anime themed magazine anymore because they don't exist. If they do then I may be a monkey's uncle (which I already am to an extent).

P.S.
"Fuck" is a good and rarely utilized way to start an article/blog. What more can a person say to such disappointing news?