Happy New Year Everyone, and after our trial year and a year of trials, finally, we have a home.
Welcome to Dispatches, the Website. The home of great anime journalism and fearless commentary on the Philippine J-culture scene.
This was already a dream of mine ever since I began doing anime blogging 20 years ago, and just in time for my 20th year in the community, its now time we launch this baby.
This dream of mine.
To quote Roone Arledge (and he probably quoted it from somewhere) in his book in referring Ted Turner’s dream of buying a network: “Old dreams die the hardest”.
Now, what would Dispatches, the website do?
Well, again, the basics: We will use the platform to report the news that no other anime blogsite has done before.
We will do breaking stories, longer full stories to be published at 12 midnight, and then deeper dives into the issues that anime fans care about. The deep dives will not be opinionated, it would be grounded on fact, and with careful analysis of the issues, with the aim of making you, the readers, well-informed.
The Deep Dive category will also house the event reports, a seminal feature of my reporting on conventions. But this time, don’t expect me a 1,000-word treatise on events that I attended, we will be doing event reviews front and center, 5Ws and 1H: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. We’re not going to list down who won this event and what the guest did. Instead, we will be looking behind and forward, and we will try as hell to talk to the organizers, because if not for them, we won’t be having these kinds of anime conventions, and we will ask them the questions you want them to be answered.
Meanwhile, the Opinions section will see my comments “From the Desk”, which will also be now the title of our revamped newsletter on Substack (which would also host some exclusive newsletters as well for those who will continue to subscribe to dispatchesbyfreedomstrike.substack.com) but the two won’t be just a “simulcast” post or anything. From the Desk will see my thoughts on issues regarding the state of our J-culture today and is backed by my 20 year experience in attending and covering events, as well as talking to the biggest personalities that graced our shores.
And yes, the biggest voice of them all will also be on Dispatches: YOUR VOICE, through our Letter to the Editor section. We will allow you to share your thoughts, your opinions. But please remember, while you have a voice, we would have the right to screen your article and remove any libelous or profane content that you may write.
But other than that, we will give you your voice, because you deserve to be heard, so drop us an email now at letter.editor@dispatches.freedomstrikeph.net and we will do our best to publish within 24 hours of receipt and editing.
Old content from my previous blog, Dispatches, can also be seen under the “From the Old Blog” category, just to give you what I had previously written before I made this website.
Now, we will also open Dispatches for press releases coming from basically anyone: Organizer, network, streaming platform, events, we are ready for your emails, just send them in to our Central Desk at central.desk@dispatches.freedomstrikeph.net.
You can also send your inquiries on the same email regarding possible collaborations, partnerships, and media coverage alerts.
Lastly, I just want to say thanks to two of my friends who are invaluable in the creation of this website: Jay Agonoy of Vtuber Newsdrop who helped me provide insights on the creation of my home, and to Pat Chin for allowing this to be hosted on his platform. They are very much appreciated in making this dream come true.
Now, this website is now officially on soft launch. We are now dry-running this website and expect more changes along the way, and by February or March, right before Cosplay Carnival, this website will now be more steadier than ever.
But for now, let’s begin a new chapter. Let’s make our Dispatches starting today.
And that’s the way it is.
For website inquiries, email us at inquiries@dispatches.freedomstrikeph.net. I can be reached at knightkira@dispatches.freedomstrikeph.net