In 1994, the anime scene in Australia was still in it's infancy. With no reliable local licensor of anime (imports of titles such as Macross and Appleseed on Pioneer were sometimes in excess of $50 with only a couple of episodes on a single VHS tape), and with SBS only very rarely screening a feature-length anime film ("Japanimation" they'd say), anime in Oz had a small - albeit RABID - cult following.

Some of us grew up in the 80s with Astro Boy (weekday mornings on the ABC) and Robotech (weekday mornings on Channel 7), but it wasn't until AKIRA that many Aussie adults had their anime epiphany. Jump forward to 1994 and Australia had it's first anime festival - right here in Melbourne at Northcote's Valhalla Cinema, now known as the Westgarth. For many, this was the first introduction to the anime whirlwind with a heavy focus on demented sex and violence, tripped-out sci-fi and relentless visual bombast.

So here I present the programs from way back when. I've had these flyers for a long time and I still get a kick out of them. Anime has come a long way, both locally and internationally and these quaint artefacts are testament to that!

The controversial debut of Urotsukidoji at the nice and regal Valhalla Cinema! The Herald Sun had an absolute field day over this "abhorrent and sick cartoon" and angry young men came from Dandenong to Daylesford to bare witness to the OTT glory...

Yep - the ultimate date movies!

Ah...to have seen Fist of the North Star on the big screen! Click the image above to read the small print.

Tell us your vintage anime memories!