Sadly, it seems one of the anime fandom’s pioneers has passed away. James Kapostzas, the world’s founder of AMV, has passed away.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The news was shared online through a close friend, and Michael Pinto went on to share some loving words about Kapostzas. “To my old anime fandom friend, may you rest in peace James Kaposztas. Know as “Jim” to his friends, he created the first anime-themed music video using nothing but second-hand VHS footage,” the tribute reads.
“Beloved by friends, Jim played a key role in supporting early anime fandom events in NYC and Philly, was an early cosplayer who dressed as Captain Avatar from Star Blazers, and would later be involved with Otakon. What made me proud of Jim was that he took his love of anime and turned it into a professional career as a video editor for over two decades.”
If you do not know the story of Kapostzas’ first AMV, it is a wild story. In the past, the founder told fans the world’s first AMV was made by connecting two VCRs that synced scenes of Space Battleship Yamato to music from The Beatles. This happened back in 1982 before video editing tech was readily available to the masses, and Kapostzas was just 21 years old.
Of course, creating AMVs would go on to gain popularity as tech and show accessibility grew. From Kapostzas’ manual edit to today’s TikTok tributes, the entire fan space looks different these days. And of course, AMVs continue to bolster some of the best music on the air. From classic titles to underrated bangers, AMVs have it all, and it is thanks to Kamostzas that we even have the pastime today. So if you haven’t checked out any AMVs in a while, go watch a few in memory of one of anime’s biggest fans.
Our thoughts are with the creator’s loved ones during this time. May Kaposztas rest in peace.
