Ask John: Why Is Ghost in the Shell So Popular?

Question:
In response to your response about why serious anime contains comic relief, I wanted to ask why it is that Ghost in the Shell has enjoyed such popularity. Both of the movies and TV seasons are quite serious and lack any comic relief. And from what I understand, the first movie was never as popular in Japan as in America. Even so, there’s been two TV seasons, another movie, and now an OVA, all with gigantic budgets. Are the producers appealing more to the Western markets than to the Japanese one? Or is there something about the show that makes it contrary to your conclusion that most popular anime in Japan isn’t very serious?

Answer:
There are exceptions to every rule. A broad look at Japan’s anime reveals that family friendly shows like Doraemon, Detective Conan, One Piece, Naruto, Keroro Gunso, Bleach, and Pocket Monster are among the most successful, popular, and long running anime in Japan. Also consider how many lighthearted comedies, romances, and other cute shows are released compared to serious, dramatic, and intense programs. Shows in the vein of Kirarin Revolution, School Rumble, Ouran High School Host Club, Zero no Tsukaima, and Lovege Chu far outnumber dark and ominous titles like Ergo Proxy, Innocent Venus, and Ghost in the Shell. But the fact that bright and happy anime is more prolific doesn’t mean that grim shows aren’t also popular, especially among hardcore anime fans. An especially good example is Evangelion. Although the lifespan of most average anime series in Japan is roughly a year, Evangelion has remained extremely popular for a decade, despite the fact that it’s an apocalyptic “otaku oriented” series. Ghost in the Shell, however, seems to be a bit of a unique exception. I suspect that there are particular qualities to Ghost in the Shell that keep it relevant and interesting to Japanese fans. There’s also an eager market for the title overseas. That’s a bit of an unusual case, because most often serious, dramatic anime achieve popularity in either the Japanese market or the American market, but not both.

Ghost in the Shell, like Evangelion, is interesting to Japanese viewers, I think, because it includes mecha. That may seem like a simplistic and superficial explanation, but consider that other equally dark and serious anime like Berserk, Cowboy Bebop, and Hellsing have not had the lasting success in Japan that Ghost in the Shell has enjoyed. Also consider that franchises including Evangelion and Gundam, which combine serious storylines and complex characters with robots, have achieved lasting success in Japan. It can’t be exclusively the characters that makes Ghost in the Shell popular among Japanese viewers because, in practical terms, main character Motoko Kusanagi does not appear in the second Ghost in the Shell movie. (She does have a small role in the film, but it’s little more than a cameo, and she never appears with the visual appearance that fans expect her to have.) Motoko and Batou are both interesting and popular characters because they’re cyborgs. The tachikoma of the Ghost in the Shell TV series have as much, if not more merchandising than the main characters do. Seemingly mature oriented anime has a limited appeal among Japanese viewers, but mature oriented anime that deals with the interaction between humans and machines and technology, like Evangelion, Gundam, and Ghost in the Shell, has more relevance within Japanese society, and more traction with Japanese viewers.

As often cited, the original Ghost in the Shell movie was not a commercial success in Japan. The second theatrical movie also never reached the top of Japan’s box office. But despite that apparent minimal success, the franchise has had two big budget theatrical films, two very expensive television series, and a very big budget OVA. There are several contributing reasons for all of this anime. Viewers shouldn’t overlook the fact that director and supervisor Mamoru Oshii wanted to make this anime. It’s also a mistake to assume that Ghost in the Shell is not popular in Japan. The franchise may not be a breakthrough mainstream hit hit Bleach or Naruto, but it’s unquestionably popular within Japan’s otaku community. In fact, Japanese Ghost in the Shell fans directly helped support the series and almost certainly influenced the decision to extend the original TV series. Unlike most normal anime television series, Stand Alone Complex was broadcast in Japan on a pay-per-view basis. So fans literally paid to watch new episodes, and the success of the first series doubtlessly encouraged Production I.G. to develop a second series. All of the Ghost in the Shell animation has also been co-produced with investment money from American companies, so American interest in the franchise has directly contributed to the creation of Ghost in the Shell anime.

I don’t think that the Ghost in the Shell anime is consciously designed for foreign viewers, or think that it’s being produced specifically for export. But I’m sure that Production I.G. is aware that Ghost in the Shell anime will inevitably be exported. I don’t think that Ghost in the Shell anime needs to be conformed to fit foreign expectations because it’s anime that inherently appeals to both Japanese and foreign viewers. In fact, the series’ persistence in targeting the Japanese audience may be part of the exotic flavor of the franchise that foreign viewers find attractive. I think that Ghost in the Shell anime continues to be produced both because Production I.G. wants to continue making it, and because there’s a significant demand for it both within and outside Japan. I’ve always said that Japanese viewers seem to prefer lightweight, amusing anime over complex, adult shows, but that’s a broad, general statement; not an absolute rule. Anime series like Ghost in the Shell are the occasional exception that manage to become popular.