Ask John: Will Shoujo Anime Ever Dominate America?

Question:
Even though I’m a 44 year old male, I’m not afraid to admit that I watch mainly shoujo anime because it’s far more interesting and entertaining to me than any of the other kinds, and I don’t think I’m alone in that thinking. Do you see a day when shoujo becomes the most popular type of anime in America?

Answer:
Honestly, no.

One of the great things about anime is its diversity. Anime covers such a wide range of genres and styles that there’s always something available to appeal to every viewer regardless of age or gender or nationality. And in Japan shoujo series are often among the most watched anime programs on TV. For every successful Evangelion or Cowboy Bebop or Nadesico that manages a popular 26 episode broadcast, there is an Ojamajo Doremi or Sailormoon or Utena that has anywhere from 39 up to 200 or more episodes. The sort of shows that American fans most often think of as characteristically anime are usually the shows that appeal to only the relatively small audience of hardcore anime fans. Often times in Japan, shoujo series appeal to families and mainstream viewers, resulting in more success, higher TV ratings, and longer series.

However, the audience for anime, and the perception of animation in Japan, is very different than it is in America. Traditionally shoujo series just don’t go over well in America. Series like Sailormoon and Fushigi Yuugi and Utena which are either shoujo or heavily shoujo influenced, have very devoted fan followings in America, but these fan followings are relatively small. We also have to take into consideration the fact that shows like St. Tail and Cardcaptors have been virtual commercial failures in America. Certainly the failure of Cardcaptors lies mainly in its poor English language presentation crafted by executives that didn’t quite understand what they were working with, but regardless, the Cartoon Network’s ceasing of broadcasting Sailormoon, Fox’s cancellation of Escaflowne’s TV broadcast, Warner Bros.’ cancellation of Cardcaptors, and poor sales of St. Tail all signify to mainstream importers that shows with shoujo influences don’t sell in America.

Mainstream America seems to embrace the misconception that anime is all Pocket Monsters, giant robots, guns and martial artists. Even the American fan community seems to tell distributors that shoujo anime isn’t as popular as other styles of anime by purchasing far, far more DVD copies of shows like Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop than shows like Princess Nine and Utena. There are undeniably more shoujo and shoujo-style anime coming to America all the time, but based on all the precedents that have already been established in America, it seems unlikely that shoujo will ever draw a tremendously large market share in America.