Ask John: How Will Reductions in TV Anime Broadcasts Affect America?

Question:
How will the current hiatus of Naruto, Code Geass, and other seemingly popular titles affect the American side of the anime industry? Could any positives come from anime no longer getting mainstream broadcast on networks like Cartoon Network?

Answer:
In adherence to Japanese philosophy, with every end comes a beginning. The recent drastic decrease of anime broadcast on nationwide American television is certain to have a depressing impact on American anime sales and distribution. But there’s also an upswing associated with this development, albeit an advance that probably won’t offset the damage done by declining television broadcast exposure. The absence of TV broadcasts will have a harmful impact on the viability of anime distribution in America. But at the same time this development is also forcing the anime distribution industry to evolve, and is bringing smaller but more authentic anime distribution to America.

The absence of major televised anime including Naruto, Code Geass, and Moribito has two significant effects. Broadcast cancellations demonstrate to television networks and advertising sponsors that anime isn’t viable for profitable American broadcast. Television networks will be less likely to aggressively pursue new anime to air when past series have repeatedly failed. More importantly, the lack of nationwide television broadcast decreases American consumer awareness of anime. America’s most devoted anime fans will always know that anime exists and is available, but it’s mainstream television broadcast that brings anime to the attention of mainstream consumers who help sustain American anime sales. We’re already seeing the nationwide Best Buy retail chain – one of biggest supporters of the American anime distribution industry – drastically reduce its anime purchasing. Part of the reason for this reduction is doubtlessly caused by falling sales to mainstream consumers that purchase anime out of curiosity, or because they’ve watched and enjoyed certain titles on television.

Reductions in domestic anime broadcasts may also cause decreased development of American co-productions such as past titles including D.I.C.E., IGPX, The Big O II, and Afro Samurai. There’s little reason for American sponsors to invest in the production of TV anime if American television networks won’t air it.

The harm inflicted on the American anime industry by reductions in mainstream television broadcast will be significant, but this development is causing some mitigating degree of positive innovation. Within roughly the past year the amount of new anime distributed online has increased exponentially. Anime is reaching America faster and in more authentic presentations. Furthermore, American viewers now have the legitimate ability to watch titles like Moegaku 5, Otogi Jushi Akazukin, Galaxy Express 999, and Neko Rahmen that would never have reached America if television broadcast or retail packaged media were their only distribution options. Regardless of whether the adoption of online distribution is eagerly embraced or fitfully mandated by necessity, the result is American viewers having legal access to authentic Japanese anime quickly and legally, and having access to anime series and types of anime that were previously unavailable in America.

While American otaku may enjoy some benefit caused by reductions in American anime television broadcasts, the benefits, so far, don’t seem to outweigh the losses. With less anime being exposed to fewer American consumers, America’s anime distributors are licensing less and distributing less. It’s satisfying to see anime series like Buzzer Beater, Kaiji, Gintama, Captain Harlock, and Koi Koi Seven legitimately available to American viewers, but there’s no sign of these programs reaching American DVD. Internet distribution is being used increasingly as a substitute for television broadcast – especially in the notable case of Naruto Shippuden – but we’re seeing an emphasis on internet broadcast as a cheap and quick method of promoting anime and its Japanese producers rather than internet broadcast as a means of advertising to stimulate DVD sales, as television broadcast is.

Decreasing American anime broadcasts on TV won’t doom America’s anime industry, and the circumstance isn’t entirely without its silver lining. But the silver lining is thin, and it surrounds a very large and angry dark cloud. Americans viewers can blame domestic TV networks for the decisions they make, but TV networks wouldn’t pull anime broadcasts if an adequate number of American viewers watched them. Ultimately American anime fans have to remember that America’s anime industry is us – other anime fans. It’s ultimately up to each and every individual American anime fan to support anime distribution in America, otherwise there won’t be any anime distribution in America.