View source for Biography:The Anime Man

{{Short description|Australian-born Japanese YouTuber}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox YouTube personality
| name                 = The Anime Man
| logo                 = 
| logo_caption         = 
| image                = File:Joey (The Anime Man) at SMASH 2022.jpg
| caption              = Bizinger at SMASH! 2022 in Sydney, Australia
| birth_name           = Joseph Tetsuro Bizinger
| birth_date           = {{birth date and age|1994|09|28|df=yes}}<ref>{{Cite tweet|user=TheAn1meMan|number=1177959006553272320|title=this boi is 25 years old today haha what a loser 🎉 🎈|access-date=5 January 2020|date=28 September 2019}}</ref>
| birth_place          = [[Place:Sydney|Sydney]], New South Wales, Australia<ref name=Weird>{{cite AV media |author=The Anime Man |date=16 January 2022 |title=There's Something WEIRD about my Wikipedia Page... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktcFF8ysjZs |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=YouTube |quote= "I was born in Australia, more specifically Sydney."}}</ref>
| nationality          = {{hlist|Japanese|Australian<ref name=CompanyDirector>{{Cite web |title=Joseph Tetsuro BIZINGER personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/YjvL7YCbmj7S3H95xb8t3X57FW0/appointments |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref>}}
| location             = Tokyo, Japan
| education            = University of Sydney
| partner              = Agnes Diego
| occupation           = {{hlist|[[Podcast]]er|songwriter|voice&nbsp;actor|[[Social:YouTuber|YouTuber]]}}
| website              = {{URL|theanimeman.wordpress.com}}
| pseudonym            = Ikurru Kamijou<ref name=grape>{{cite web |title=Interview with The Anime Man: On Voice Acting in Pop Team Epic and More |url=https://grapee.jp/en/102261 |publisher=grape Japan |date=8 August 2018 |accessdate=4 December 2019 |archive-date=4 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204034328/https://grapee.jp/en/102261 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ikurru
| channel_name         = TheAn1meMan
| channel_display_name = The Anime Man
| years_active         = 2013–present
| genre                = {{hlist|Interview|review|[[Vlog|vlog]]}}
| subscribers          = 3.31 million
| views                = 553 million
| network              = <!-- Multi-channel network (MCN) to which the channel has signed (past and/or present), if any -->
| associated_acts      = {{cslist|Abroad in Japan|CDawgVA|Gigguk|[[Biography:PewDiePie|PewDiePie]]}}
| silver_button        = yes
| silver_year          = 2015
| gold_button          = yes
| gold_year            = 2017
| module               = {{Infobox Twitch streamer
  | subbox          = yes
  | channel_name    = TheAn1meMan
  | channel_url     = https://www.twitch.tv/thean1meman
  | years_active    = 2013–present
  | genre           = {{hlist|Just chatting}}
  | games           =
  | followers       = 437 thousand<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitchtracker.com/thean1meman |title=TheAn1meMan - Streamer Overview & Stats |publisher=TwitchTracker |access-date=3 November 2022 |archive-date=8 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208025027/https://twitchtracker.com/thean1meman |url-status=live }}</ref>
  | views           = <!-- Twitch removed channel page views in April 2022. -->
}}
| stats_update         = 2 May 2023
}}
'''Joseph Tetsuro Bizinger'''<ref name=CompanyDirector/> (born 28 September 1994), known online as '''The Anime Man''', as well as his stage name {{nihongo|'''Ikurru Kamijou'''|神城 維来|Kamijō Ikurru}}, is a Japanese-Australian [[Social:YouTuber|YouTuber]], voice actor, songwriter, and [[Podcast|podcast]]er. His video work focuses on Japanese popular culture, which consists of anime and manga reviews, and vlogs on Japanese culture and society.<ref name=Renaissance>{{cite web|author=Patrick St. Michel|title=Joey Bizinger sees his YouTube following grow amid an 'anime renaissance'|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/07/12/digital/joey-bizinger-sees-youtube-following-grow-amid-anime-renaissance/#.XecWRtVS-00|work=The Japan Times|date=12 July 2017|accessdate=4 December 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107224422/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/07/12/digital/joey-bizinger-sees-youtube-following-grow-amid-anime-renaissance/#.XecWRtVS-00|url-status=live}}</ref> Bizinger is also known for his interviews with people in the Japanese entertainment industry, such as light novel authors, manga artists, and voice actors in anime.<ref>{{YouTube|id=3REzZ3b2yHs|title=Interview With “The Anime Man”}}, Asian Boss</ref>

==Early life==
Bizinger was born in [[Place:Sydney|Sydney]], New South Wales, on 28 September 1994. He is the son of a Japanese mother and an Australian father of German and Hungarian descent. Bizinger's mother wanted to ensure that he would retain his Japanese heritage by exclusively speaking in Japanese to him and showing him various Japanese anime on home video, with ''Doraemon'', ''Sazae-san'' and ''Pokémon'' being especially prevalent in his early childhood.<ref name=grape/>

At St Paul's Catholic College in Manly, Bizinger was the only student of Japanese descent in his class, and therefore introduced a lot of his friends to anime.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |date=20 December 2012 |title=HSC MERIT LIST 2012 |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A312458741/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=5cbfbc33 |page=43 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Sydney, NSW |access-date=21 January 2022}}</ref> Growth in the popularity of anime, alongside a school project, spurred him to make a website where he reviewed Japanese animation. He kept making the reviews even after the project ended, and continued to post the reviews until graduation. While studying there, he began making YouTube videos to be posted on his website, eventually deciding to switch entirely to the YouTube.<ref>{{cite news |last=Low |first=Samantha |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2022/06/joey-bizinger-the-anime-man-on-youtube-success-identity-and-nonsense/ |title=Joey Bizinger, The Anime Man, On YouTube Success, Identity And Nonsense |date=22 June 2022 |publisher=Kotaku AU |access-date=17 July 2022}}</ref>

Bizinger attended the University of Sydney, where he graduated in 2016 with a degree in Computer Design Technology.<ref name=grape/>

== Career ==
=== The Anime Man ===
Bizinger began his YouTube career after posting his first video, “Dubbed Anime Sucks!,” on 27 May 2013.<ref>{{cite AV media |author=The Anime Man |date=27 May 2013 |title=Dubbed Anime Sucks! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj1XYaB2yRI |access-date=18 January 2022 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref> With a mixture of [[Vlog|vlog]]s and discussions about various anime and manga, Bizinger would hit his first big milestone, 100,000 subscribers, in 2015. This was soon followed on what is considered his break-out video, “7 Types of Anime Fans,” on 17 June 2015, which ran through the various archetypes that comprise the anime community; a week after its release, Bizinger had doubled his subscriber count.<ref name=Renaissance/> In February 2016, Bizinger created his second channel, Joey, which was initially created as a 'me' channel, but has since evolved into a channel where less polished or various content that does not fit in the main channel are placed.<ref>{{cite AV media |author=Joey |date=22 February 2016 |title=(RE)-INTRODUCTION |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFmAdrZT-Ks |access-date=18 January 2022 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |author=Joey |date=29 May 2021 |title=My New Japanese Room Tour! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAnYVN3GLRU |access-date=18 January 2022 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref>

After graduating from university, in May 2016 Bizinger moved to Japan, where he had originally planned to work in [[Engineering:Information technology|information technology]], but by then his YouTube channel had grown so successful that he could work on it full time.<ref name=Renaissance/><ref>{{cite AV media |author=The Anime Man |title=I'M MOVING TO JAPAN! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEAkSUejSis |date=30 April 2016 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=16 September 2020}}</ref> In January 2017, The Anime Man hit one million subscribers.<ref>{{cite AV media |author=Joey |date=28 January 2017 |title=The Anime Man: One Million Subscriber Special Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoqmICJTNZI |access-date=18 January 2022 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref> From 2017 to 2018, Bizinger co-hosted a weekly SBS podcast titled, ''The Anime Show'', with Agnes Diego (Akidearest), which ran for 68 episodes that discussed anime, manga, and otaku culture.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Anime Show with Joey & AkiDearest |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/popasia/podcastcollection/anime-show-joey-akidearest |access-date=17 July 2020 |website=SBS PopAsia |date=November 2017 |language=en |archive-date=17 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717110029/https://www.sbs.com.au/popasia/podcastcollection/anime-show-joey-akidearest|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-anime-show-with-joey-akidearest-sbs-rqQwAp6gJmP/ |title=The Anime Show with Joey & AkiDearest (podcast) - SBS PopAsia |date=18 June 2018 |publisher=Listen Notes |access-date=17 January 2022}}</ref>

In 2018, Bizinger was a guest for four episodes in Abroad in Japan's ''Journey Across Japan'' series; in which he traveled on bike with British [[Social:YouTuber|YouTuber]] Chris Broad, from Niigata to Itoigawa, Japan. The series documented local customs and daily life along the way, while also doing challenges to make it more interesting.<ref>{{cite web|title=Journey Across Japan|url=https://www.tokyocreative.com/video-series/23964-journey-across-japan-abroad-on-a-bike|publisher=Tokyo Creative|date=2018|access-date=3 December 2020|archive-date=25 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125213532/https://www.tokyocreative.com/video-series/23964-journey-across-japan-abroad-on-a-bike|url-status=live}}</ref> In one of the challenges, Broad and Bizinger were able to make a television commercial using Morinaga in Jelly, to which Bizinger created the fictional character “Dr. Jelly.”<ref>{{cite AV media |author=Abroad in Japan |date=21 October 2018 |title=We Made a Japanese Commercial in 24 Hours |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqI6TOlPluo |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref> Bizinger, along with Natsuki Aso, would continue to appear in the follow-up sequels to the series: ''Escape to Fuji'' (2020) and ''The Lost Islands'' (2021).<ref>{{cite web|title=連載：クリス・ブロードの「ガイドブックに載っていない日本」（第0回） 外国人YouTuberである僕が「日本人が見落としている日本の魅力」を伝えるためにできること|trans-title=Series: Chris Broad's "Japan Not Listed in Guidebooks" (Chapter 0) What I can do to convey "the charm of Japan that Japanese people overlook" as a foreign YouTuber?|url=https://realsound.jp/tech/2021/01/post-682755.html|publisher=Real Sound|language=ja|date=2 January 2021|access-date=10 January 2021|archive-date=11 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111011853/https://realsound.jp/tech/2021/01/post-682755.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Journey Across Japan: The Lost Islands |url=http://www.abroadinjapan.com/lost-islands |access-date=29 May 2021 |website=Abroad in Japan |language=en |archive-date=3 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603140616/https://www.abroadinjapan.com/lost-islands |url-status=live }}</ref> In June 2021, the single ''Too Much Volcano!'' by Abroad in Japan, featuring Bizinger and Aso, was released on the [[ITunes Store|iTunes Store]] and [[Software:Spotify|Spotify]]; the song and accompanying music video was recorded during the production of ''The Lost Islands''.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user= AbroadInJapan|number= 1405859533528784907|title=IT'S OFFICIAL! By popular request, we've been able to get our crazy song "Too Much Volcano!" on the iTunes store (And Spotify early next week!) Anything we make from the song will go into the production budget for future episodes! }}</ref> The song peaked at 65 on the UK downloads charts on 25 June 2021.<ref name=UK-Singles>{{cite web |title=Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 |website=Official Charts |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-downloads-chart/20210625/7000/ |date=25 June 2021 |access-date=16 January 2022 |archive-date=8 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008215104/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-downloads-chart/20210625/7000/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Bizinger also began his voice acting career in 2018, with a cameo role in the video game ''[[Software:The Fruit of Grisaia|Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vol. 4]]'' and a narration role in an episode of ''Pop Team Epic''.<ref name=grape/> In 2020, he also got the role as Music Elitist in the video game ''[[Software:No Straight Roads|No Straight Roads]]''.<ref name=PSBlog>{{cite web |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2019/09/11/japanese-voice-acting-cast-revealed-for-no-straight-roads/ |title=Japanese Voice Acting Cast Revealed for No Straight Roads |date=11 September 2019 |publisher=Playstation.Blog |access-date=16 January 2022 |archive-date=7 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807181034/https://blog.playstation.com/2019/09/11/japanese-voice-acting-cast-revealed-for-no-straight-roads/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In February 2020, Bizinger joined alongside two other Youtubers, Thai-British Garnt Maneetapho (Gigguk) and Connor Colquhoun (CDawgVA) from Wales, in creating and hosting a weekly audio and video podcast called ''Trash Taste'', where they discuss anime, manga, otaku culture, and their experiences while living in Japan. The first episode was released on 5 June 2020 and all episodes are available on YouTube and major podcast platforms.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2021/02/09/issues/new-trends-j-vlogging-allow-diverse-range-views-japan/ |title=New trends in 'J-vlogging' allow for a more diverse range of views on Japan |first=Patrick |last=St. Michel |newspaper=The Japan Times |location=Tokyo, Japan |date=9 February 2021 |access-date=17 May 2021 |archive-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302102917/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2021/02/09/issues/new-trends-j-vlogging-allow-diverse-range-views-japan/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://sumikai.com/nachrichten-aus-japan/kadokawa-holt-anime-youtuber-nach-japan-um-dort-zu-leben-und-zu-arbeiten-266870/ |title=Kadokawa holt Anime-YouTuber nach Japan, um dort zu leben und zu arbeiten |trans-title=Kadokawa brings anime YouTubers to Japan to live and work |language=German |last=Ziegler |first=Michael |date=2 February 2020 |publisher=Sumikai |access-date=29 May 2021 |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602215049/https://sumikai.com/nachrichten-aus-japan/kadokawa-holt-anime-youtuber-nach-japan-um-dort-zu-leben-und-zu-arbeiten-266870/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Smith |first=Mike |date=Winter 2021 |title=The Trash Taste Podcast |url=https://metropolisjapan.com/dec-2021/ |pages=22{{ndash}}25 |magazine=Metropolis Japan |location=Tokyo, Japan |publisher=Japan Partnership Inc. |access-date=16 January 2022 |archive-date=20 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220064727/https://metropolisjapan.com/dec-2021/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In February 2022, Bizinger created a third channel, The Anime Man VODs, which feature recordings of his Twitch livestreams.

===Musical career===
Bizinger produces music under his other alias Ikurru and released an album on 18 December 2019 entitled ''A Picture Frame Full Of Memories'', performing both piano and vocals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ikurru - A Picture Frame Full of Memories|url=https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ikurru/a-picture-frame-full-of-memories-2|work=DistroKid|accessdate=3 January 2020|archive-date=21 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221211228/https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ikurru/a-picture-frame-full-of-memories-2|url-status=live}}</ref> The album references his late grandfather Eishiro Suzuki.<ref name=Weird/> Bizinger has released three full-length albums as Ikurru (including a collaborative album with composer Kevin Penkin), three EPs (including a collaborative EP with musician Grey Fox), and four standalone singles as of October 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ikurru|url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/7mu0JnIzCFctvLoVaWE1lq|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-01|website=[[Software:Spotify|Spotify]]|archive-date=26 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026041931/https://open.spotify.com/artist/7mu0JnIzCFctvLoVaWE1lq}}</ref> Bizinger sings and raps in both English and Japanese in his music.

===Business ventures===
In 2022, Bizinger announced the launch of Nonsense, a streetwear clothing brand he created.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldYth8DhCN4&ab_channel=TheAnimeMan | title= 「 N Ø И S E N S E 」 | website=[[Company:YouTube|YouTube]] }}</ref>

==Personal life==
On 4 November 2016, Bizinger and fellow YouTuber Agnes Diego (Akidearest) announced that they were in a relationship.<ref>{{cite AV media |author=The Anime Man |date=4 November 2016 |title=We Have A Confession... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUcDMXwtZdQ |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |author=akidearest |date=4 November 2016 |title=WE FINALLY CONFESS! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vui0La79_aw |access-date=16 January 2022 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Chart positions
|-
! scope="row"| ''A Picture Frame Full of Memories''
| 2019
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
! scope="row"| ''Soundtracks for the Delicate''
| 2021
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|}

===Extended plays===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Chart positions
|-
! scope="row"| ''Fifteen''
| rowspan="2"| 2020
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
! scope="row"| ''Shirokitsune''
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
! scope="row"| ''What's On Your Mind?''
| 2022
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Chart positions
! scope="col"| Album
|-
! scope="row"| "I Know You Will Fall"
| rowspan="2"| 2020
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| rowspan="4" {{n/a|Non-album singles}}
|-
! scope="row"| "ANIME CYPHER 2020"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring Gray Fox, Otaku>d Furiku, Rustage & Kuro!)</span>
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
! scope="row"| "Freefalling Upwards into an Ocean of Dreams"
| rowspan="2"| 2021
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
! scope="row"| "Twenty Seven"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|}

====Featured singles====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Chart positions
! scope="col"| Album
|-
! scope="row"| "Joestar (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(None Like Joshua & Musicality featuring Rustage, Nux Taku, CDawgVA, JY Shawty, Ikurru, Chi-Chi & Caleb Hyles)</span>
| 2020
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| rowspan="2" {{n/a|Non-album singles}}
|-
! scope="row"| "Too Much Volcano"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Abroad in Japan featuring The Anime Man & Natsuki Aso)</span>
| 2021
| style="text-align:center;"|
* UK: 65<ref name=UK-Singles/>
|-
|}

==Filmography==
===Television animation===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Source
|-
! scope="row" | 2018
| ''Pop Team Epic''
| Narrator
| "Dancing with a Miracle"
| <ref name=grape/><ref>{{cite web |last=Ekens |first=Gabriella |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/pop-team-epic/episode-8-9/.128539 |title=Episode 8-9 - Pop Team Epic |date=4 March 2018 |publisher=Anime News Network |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-date=5 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305040906/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/pop-team-epic/episode-8-9/.128539 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}

===Video games===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Source
|-
! scope="row" | 2018
| ''[[Software:The Fruit of Grisaia|Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vol.4]]''
| Himself
|
| <ref name=grape/>
|-
! scope="row" | 2020
| ''[[Software:No Straight Roads|No Straight Roads]]''
| Music Elitist
|
| <ref name=PSBlog/><ref>{{cite web |last=LeClair |first=Kyle |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/news/no-straight-roads-shows-off-japanese-va-cast-in-tgs-trailer/357404/ |title=No Straight Roads Shows Off Japanese VA Cast in TGS Trailer |date=14 September 2019 |publisher=Hardcore Gamer |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-date=19 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119164935/https://hardcoregamer.com/news/no-straight-roads-shows-off-japanese-va-cast-in-tgs-trailer/357404/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|8983995|Joey Bizinger}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anime Man, The}}
[[Category:Computer designers]]

{{Sourceattribution|The Anime Man|1}}