''Anime UK'' became ''Anime FX'' after a change of backer and closed at the end of 1996. Andy Frain of [[Manga Entertainment]], then the most influential anime distributor in Britain, took issue with the magazine's editorial policy and later with its involvement in the campaign against the [[trademark]]ing of the word "manga", but this did not affect either McCarthy's position or the magazine's publication.  She also contributed to ''Manga Mania'' magazine, and after ''Anime UK'' closed she edited it from 1997 to 1998. More recently she has written for British magazines and newspapers including the ''Daily Telegraph, NEO, SFX'' and ''ImagineFX''.

• Manga Manga Manga, A Celebration of Japanese Animation at the ICA pub Island World Communications (London) 1992. ISBN 0 9520434 0 8
• Anime! A Beginners Guide To Japanese Animation pub. Titan (London) 1993. ISBN 1 85286 492 3
• The Anime Movie Guide: Japanese Animation since 1983 pub. Titan (London) 1996 ISBN 1 85286 631 4
• The Erotic Anime Movie Guide (with Jonathan Clements) pub Titan (London) 1998 ISBN 1 85286 946 1
• Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation pub Stone Bridge Press (Berkeley, CA) 1999 ISBN 1 880656 41 8
• Japanese Animation since 1917 (with Jonathan Clements) pub Stone Bridge Press (Berkeley, CA) 2001 ISBN 1 880656 64 7; 2nd edition 2006, ISBN 1 933330 10 5
• 500 Manga Heroes and Villains pub Collins & Brown (London) 2006 ISBN 1 84349 234 3, Barron's Educational (USA) ISBN 9780764132018
• 500 Essential Anime You Must Own pub Ilex (Lewes) 2008, ISBN 9781905814282, Collins Design (USA) 2009, ISBN 978-0061474507
• Manga Cross-Stitch: Make Your Own Graphic Art Needlework, pub Ilex (Lewes) 2009, ISBN 978 1905814510, Andrews McMeel (USA) 2009, ISBN 978 0740779657
• The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga pub Ilex (Lewes) 2009, ISBN 978 1905814664 Abrams ComicArts (USA) 2009, ISBN 978 0810982499

• 2010: winner of a Harvey Award for The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga
• 2010: nominated for an Eisner Award for The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga
• 2008: Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation/Authors' Foundation award for research into Japanese animation and comics.
• 2006: IMAF Award for Outstanding Achievement in Anime and Manga, sponsored by the International Manga and Anime Foundation.
• 1997: Japan Festival Award for work in promoting understanding of Japanese culture in Britain, from the Japan Foundation.
• 1994: Osamu Tezuka Award for Anime UK