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R.I.P. Toren Smith (1960-2013)


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One of the pioneers of the anime/manga industry in North America passed away this week. Toren Smith was best known for founding Studio Proteus, which was responsible for introducing Masamune Shirow's works to the western world. GAINAX paid a small homage to him with the character Smith Toren in Gunbuster.

R.I.P. Toren Smith (1960-2013) :(

Manga Translation Pioneer Toren Smith Passes Away

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Wow, truly sad news. I remember meeting him back when manga/anime wasn't "cool". Had him sign my old the old Dirty Pair comics he worked on with Adam Warren. He was definitely a pioneer in the manga industry.

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This is truly sad news. I remember meeting Toren at the second Anime East in 1995. He was also one of the first Americans that I had heard of involved with the anime/manga industry.

These past few weeks has taken so many people in the anime/manga industry at such young ages.

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Very sad to hear this. I had a rather odd encounter with Toren Smith - I never met him in person, but he once advertised on his website that he was looking for some "Andy Capp" books ("Andy Capp" is a British newspaper cartoon strip character who appears in "The Daily Mirror"); as it happened there was a second-hand bookshop just up the road from me which I knew had a supply and I offered to pick some up and send them across the pond to him. He accepted, and sent me some "Outlanders" books and an Adam Warren signed "Dirty Pair" print thats hanging on the wall behind me still as I type...

...oh, and lets not forget his doppelgangers role as Norikos love interest in Gunbuster...!

Edited by F-ZeroOne
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Wanted to get this in before this gets locked. Like many of you born in the 70's who found anime and manga early in their lives, Toren Smith had a huge impact on my fandom. I was truly saddened to hear this news.

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