Ask John: Where Are the Respectable Anime Licenses?

Question:
I’m glad that Nozomi licensed Aria the Origination but cannot understand why companies license Kenichi or Raoh Gaiden instead of Denno Coil and Higurashi Kai. It’s hard to believe anticipated sales would explain such decisions, so is it about asking price?


Answer:
There are intertwined practical and philosophical factors that explain and affect contemporary anime licensing. The cost of licensing anime for American release has, as last and by necessity, come down from the unsustainable heights it was at several years ago, but that still doesn’t make licensing and distributing anime cheap. Domestic licensors are forced to weigh considerations including the cost of licensing and localizing particular series, inquire about whether certain series are even available for international licensing, determine whether the domestic distributor is interested in the title, and learn whether the Japanese licensor is willing to negotiate. Certain American licensors concentrate on certain types and genres of anime while avoiding others. Certain anime series just aren’t available for international licensing, possibly because the Japanese ownership of the title is convoluted or uncertain, or too difficult to negotiate, or simply because the Japanese owner doesn’t want to be troubled with particular properties.

Outside of practical business negotiations, considerations, and hurdles, the American consumer audience also affects the type and titles of anime that get brought to America. There is, frustratingly, a significant division between what American anime fans say they want and what they support. I frequently see ardent complaints about the amount of moé anime produced, and complaints that there’s not enough diversity in anime, and that the “good” titles never seem to reach America. But at the same time these statements run rampant, anime titles including Kemonozume, Kaiba, Nijuu Menso no Musume, Ristorante Paradiso, Denno Coil, and Ookami to Koshinryo get overlooked and almost entirely ignored. There’s a practical reason why Viz Media is fast-tracking Bleach and Naruto DVDs, yet isn’t scheduling a DVD release for Monster. American anime fans -at least, many of them – enjoy saying that they respect artistic, substantial anime, but what they most watch and purchase are anime that are flashy, atmospheric, action-oriented, and exotic but not foreign. ICv2’s ranking of the most popular anime titles in America this spring includes Afro Samurai, Naruto, Bleach, Cowboy Bebop, Code Geass, Fullmetal Alchemist, and even Yu Yu Hakusho. While these aren’t bad titles, Ouran High School Host Club is the only one among the top ten most popular commercially released anime in America that even approaches the tone and style of literate, interpretative, and thought provoking anime like Denno Coil. In fact, even Death Note, which was especially popular among Americans just a year ago, has already fallen out of America’s top ten.

In a sense, American anime fans get what we deserve rather than what we demand. I don’t want to create the impression that America’s anime distributors ignore the suggestions and requests of anime fans, but consumer spending will always be more influential than anonymous forum and blog posts. Money speaks louder than words. Domestic licensors base their acquisition decisions largely upon what market trends have proven to be viable commercial acquisitions. America’s best selling anime DVDs prove that shonen action titles like History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi and Fist of the North Star typically outsell challenging, provocative dramas. In present circumstances, America’s anime industry is faced with the option of either concentrating on action and fan service heavy titles that sell in respectable numbers if they’re cheap enough, or concentrating on licensing praiseworthy, artistic anime that won’t sell enough DVDs in America to sustain business operations regardless of how low their retail price may be. I do think that what remains of America’s anime licensing industry is doing the best it can to balance acqusitions between titles that generate enough revenue to keep the industry afloat and niche audience titles that distributors and fans want to see in America on principle.

The fact that anime titles including Spice & Wolf, Sky Crawlers, Oh! Edo Rocket, Victorian Romance Emma, and Tweeny Witches still get occasionally licensed and released in America testifies that American distributors do continue to dignify literate, creative, and unique anime. Viz has, at last, scheduled DVD releases for Nana and Honey & Clover. And there’s now rumor that a certain domestic distributor has acquired the Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei anime. These licenses provide reason to hope that other similar challenging, acclaimed titles like Denno Coil, Higashi no Eden, RD Sennou Chousashitsu, Yakushiji Ryoko no Kaiki Jikenbo, Kara no Kyoukai, Fujin Monogatari, and Umineko no Naku Koro ni may eventually reach America. But in the meantime American licensors will continue to prioritize acquisitions and releases like World Destruction, Sengoku Basara, Yoku Wakaru Gendai Maho, and Fight Ippatsu! Jyuden-chan!! because despite the disdain of a small, outspoken number of online anime fans, action, goofy gags, ninjas, swordsmen, bouncing breasts, super powered heroes, and whatever is easily recognizable as “cool” remains more profitable in America than any other type of anime.

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