4 ms·

Reading light novels - of which manga is a respected category - is proportionately more popular in Japan. Rurouni Kenshin selling something like 70 million copi

Reading light novels - of which manga is a respected category - is proportionately more popular in Japan. Rurouni Kenshin selling something like 70 million copies of the manga by some old record I saw. Anime programming on TV is a fact of life and not something people need to be "into". But that is to say that there is a lot more dramas and mundane animated programming that wouldn't have an economic rationale outside of Japan. A lot of it falls by the way side and then later turns out to appeal to Western audiences, even more rarely circling back to Japan for a closer look. The anime subculture is niche in Japan. ie. The niche where people collect merchandise and have whole shelfs on display as a point of pride. That garners the same discomfort from the general population and potential dates as it would in the West. That being said, the western market is MASSIVE as it is just a larger market and vibrant economy. Something doing "okay" in the US would be the same as shattering records in a Japan-only release. So enterprisers can resyndicate all the crap over to here and see what sticks.

ineedasername 6y ago
So it sounds like a lot of anime popular in the West is the equivalent of a low budget made-for-tv movie in the US hitting paydirt with a foreign audience. I guess that makes sense, I'm sure that happens too.
- jcranmer 6y ago
  I wouldn't quite say that. The US imports virtually no live-action series or films from foreign language countries, and relatively little even from other English-speaking countries. So we extrapolate the tastes of the entire country from what is a relatively small market share. Imagine trying to judge US culture solely on the basis of shows like The Simpsons, Futurama, and South Park. These aren't low-quality shows, but they're also nowhere near fully reflective of the entertainment that people consume in the US.
- vmception 6y ago
  Some similarities, some differences. US sees most of the highest budget anime and from the largest studios. US entrepreneurs that started as enthusiasts are basically financing a lot of it directly and through syndication agreements. But there are tons of IP that is ignored and not syndicated abroad and there are tons more in the manga and book form. Although many western anime fans are curious about Japanese customs, the west likes the style more and resonates with things that have broader appeal to western interests. Essentially, not-Japan, or resonating with anime-style works from western studios and directors. I’m sure we can think of an exception here or there but anime about mundane life in Japan is not popular outside of a Japan.

ineedasername 6y ago

So it sounds like a lot of anime popular in the West is the equivalent of a low budget made-for-tv movie in the US hitting paydirt with a foreign audience. I guess that makes sense, I'm sure that happens too.

jcranmer 6y ago
I wouldn't quite say that. The US imports virtually no live-action series or films from foreign language countries, and relatively little even from other English-speaking countries. So we extrapolate the tastes of the entire country from what is a relatively small market share. Imagine trying to judge US culture solely on the basis of shows like The Simpsons, Futurama, and South Park. These aren't low-quality shows, but they're also nowhere near fully reflective of the entertainment that people consume in the US.
vmception 6y ago
Some similarities, some differences. US sees most of the highest budget anime and from the largest studios. US entrepreneurs that started as enthusiasts are basically financing a lot of it directly and through syndication agreements. But there are tons of IP that is ignored and not syndicated abroad and there are tons more in the manga and book form. Although many western anime fans are curious about Japanese customs, the west likes the style more and resonates with things that have broader appeal to western interests. Essentially, not-Japan, or resonating with anime-style works from western studios and directors. I’m sure we can think of an exception here or there but anime about mundane life in Japan is not popular outside of a Japan.