The biggest news in the entertainment industry this year is that the Walt Disney Corporation has acquired Lucasfilm, and thus the Star Wars franchise. George Lucas has ceded control of his greatest creation, although he will remain active as a consultant. I think that any reader of this blog is aware that I might just be a bit of a Star Wars fanboy. However, I was surprised to find that some of my fellow Star Wars fans think that this news is somehow a very bad thing. I believe the exact opposite. I think this is a match made by the Force.

Yes, we’re still looking at the symbiotic relationship between post-war American and Japanese pop cultures. For the Japanese creators of anime, Walt Disney was an inspiration, as he made animated films that were great works of art, appealing to both adults and children. However, Japan produced a filmmaker that was to inspire generations of filmmakers in America and around the world.

If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ll know I LOVE science fiction, especially the subgenre of space opera. You may have also gathered from the last few blog posts that I am an enthusiastic participant in the blending of American and Japanese pop cultures. We left off with the first really popular anime, Speed Racer. Obviously, I was primed for the epic space opera anime that arrived on American shores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I feel that these are forgotten gems, and anime fans should definitely seek them out.

Need a reason to celebrate? Well, every day’s a holiday! Sort of... For example, coming up soon is Malta's national holiday and Sweden’s Santa Lucia Day (both Thursday 12/13). Saturday, December 15th is the Bill of Rights Day, Cat Herder’s Day, the 73rd anniversary of the film premiere of Gone with the Wind, and also Tim Conway’s 79th birthday.