Ask John: Exactly How Much Anime is Made for Children?

Question:
There was an as yet unresolved discussion that most of the total anime produced is actually aimed at children. Is this true? If not, can you give some numbers on how much is aimed for different age groups?

Answer:
It’s difficult to really determine how much of the anime that’s produced in Japan is intended for children in part because it’s difficult to qualify exactly what constitutes “children.” Furthermore, it’s frequently difficult to categorically classify many anime as specifically for any particular viewer demographic. It’s relatively rare for Japanese animators to specifically name a target viewer market their programs are made for, and even when such a statement is made, its viability may not be absolute. For example, Hayao Miyazaki publicly stated that his intended audience for Spirited Away was Japanese 10 year old girls. However, the fact that the film won the American Academy Award for best animated film suggests that the movie’s audience was, in reality, much larger than just Japanese 10 year old girls. Another famous example is the Akihabara Cyber Team anime TV series. The show was a bit controversial in Japan because although it’s overtly a program seemingly intended for pre-teen girls, it became immensely popular among young adult Japanese male viewers. Finally, we have to appreciate also that what is considered a “children’s program” in Japan may not always adhere to the expectations of child suitable animation by American standards. Prime examples of this include Dragonball and Detective Conan. Both series are considered “kodomo anime” (children’s anime) in Japan, but in America Dragonball is considered too violent for uncut consumption by American children, and Detective Conan has been announced for late night broadcast on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim program.

In order to estimate the percentage of anime made for children in Japan, we can examine Japan’s current anime releases. This list is based on the anime current as of the end of January 2004.

Ashita no Nadja, Crush Gear N, Di-Gi-Charat Nyo, F-Zero: Falcon Legend, SD Gundam Force, Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters, Bouken Pluster World, Pocket Monster Advance Generation, Mugen Senki Portriss, Kaiketsu Zorori, Omoikiri Kagaku Adventure Sounanda, B-Densetsu! Battle Beadman, Koroke, Wagamama Fairy Mirumo de Pon Golden, Soreike! Anpanman, Tottoko Hamutaro, and Doraemon are all shows clearly intended for pre-teen viewers.

I think it’s safe to say that Futari wa Precure, Sonic X, Konjiki no Gash Bell, Astro Boy Tetsuwan Atom, One Piece, Inuyasha, Detective Conan, Naruto, Mujin Wakusei Survive, Transformers: Super Link, Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch, Tantei Gakuen Q, Boboboubo Boubobo, Popolocrois: Hajimari no Bouken, Chibi Maruko-chan, Sazae-san, KochiKame, Papuwa, Atashin’chi, Rockman.exe Axess, Prince of Tennis, and Crayon Shin-chan are all series intended for family viewing, suggesting that they’re made for children and teens to watch along with their parents.

That leaves Mezzo, Burn-Up Scramble, Gungrave, Chrno Crusade, Gokusen, Peacemaker Kurogane, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Jubei-chan 2, R.O.D., Saiyuki Reload, Chojushin Gravion Zwei, Sakigake! Cromartie High School, Area 88, Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, Kaleidostar, Monkey Turn, Gilgamesh, Gunslinger Girl, Cosmopolitan Prayers, Mousou Dairinin, Kita he: Diamond Dust Drops, Maburaho, Yumeria, Planetes, Twin Spica, Galaxy Railways, Misaki Chronicle, and the monthly Ghost in the Shell broadcasts to be considered anime primarily for teens and young adults.

On top of these entries, the Japanese industry releases an average of anywhere from 6 to 12 new hentai anime OAVs every month. Besides adult anime, there aren’t enough mainstream OAVs or theatrical movies released frequently enough to establish a significant presence for the purpose of this analysis.

So based on this rough breakdown, it does seem valid to state that a large percentage of anime is made for children or young viewers, especially considering that many of the shows intended for younger viewers have dozens or even hundreds of episodes while programs specifically targeted only at mid-teen and young adult viewers rarely last more than 26 episodes. But the fact that a large percentage of anime is made for young viewers is not a pejorative. It’s important to remember not to categorize anime with American or Western standards. Anime is Japanese animation, and should be evaluated with Japanese standards. In other words, what Japanese culture deems as “children’s anime” can be significantly more mature than the impression Americans get from the classification “for children.” We’ve already seen that anime for children in Japan, like Detective Conan, are considered adult programs in America. So the fact that many anime series are made for children is not a bad thing, nor does it mean that these same programs aren’t suited for an older viewer demographic in America. The fact that a lot of anime is made for Japanese children does not necessarily imply that most anime is made with a content level and degree of intelligence ideal for American children. This difference only emphasizes the differences between Japanese and American culture. It doesn’t necessarily suggest that American anime fans should all be ashamed for watching children’s cartoons. What is a children’s cartoon in one culture, may not be a children’s cartoon in another culture. For Americans, anime is simply foreign film. We appreciate hand drafted art and creative stories created by adult artists who devote their lives to the creation of anime. In that respect, as long as we, as fans and viewers, appreciate the art of anime, it doesn’t matter at all what age group or target audience the anime was originally intended for.