Ask John: Do Japanese Trends Affect the Success of Anime Shows?

Question:
Do trends in Japan determine the success of an anime series and manga series? Also, if someone has their own manga published and distributed during a certain trend, can that cripple the artist’s possibility for success (eg: a comedy inspired manga during a sci-fi trend)?

Answer:
My knowledge of anime is much greater than my knowledge of manga, so I’ll have to narrow my answer, although I suspect my answer is equally applicable to both anime and manga. Contemporary Japan is often called a culture of fads, and its anime industry is no exception. But major, influential trends in Japan’s anime community are typically long lasting, and not exclusionary. For example, Sunrise Studios led a trend of giant robot anime during the late 1980s. The “moe” wave has arguably been growing since the 1980s when Akihabara Electric Town began to turn into Akihabara Otaku Town. And the anime industry has been in a trend of producing bishoujo game anime adaptations for the past two years. However, even though the era of Sunrise Robots has largely passed, there are still giant robot anime being produced and released. Although we’re currently in the midst of a moe/bishoujo anime trend, there are still dark and morbid productions like Basilisk, Fullmetal Alchemist, Hellsing OVA, Speed Grapher, and Ergo Proxy being produced and released. At the same time, although bishoujo anime are tremendously popular in Japan’s fan community right now, shonen anime like One Piece still earn more, sell more, and are watched by more Japanese viewers.

Major trends in Japan’s anime community undoubtedly influence what gets produced and what becomes popular. But trends in Japan’s anime industry don’t seem to inhibit diversity. The consumer market for anime in Japan is big enough and diverse enough to support a constant variety of anime and manga. In America, certain varieties of anime are not popular, and may never be popular. But Japan continues to produce shoujo, family, and bishoujo anime during times when sci-fi and robot anime are popular. Although “moe” is very popular among Japanese fans right now, there are still anime and manga being released to great success which don’t target and appeal to “moe” fans.

I think that there are two primary motivations behind the creation and publication of anime and manga in Japan. First, titles that appeal to the prevailing interest will get produced. When there’s a market for giant robot anime, there will be giant robot anime. When romantic dramas are popular, as they are now, there will be many entries in that genre. Just the past two years have seen the release of Green Green, Popotan, Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito, Wind ~A Breath of Heart~, HaniHani, KimiNozo, Kita e, Kakyusei 2, Lamune, Canvas 2, To Heart 2, and many others. Second, quality works will continue to be produced. Using recent examples, a show like Amenaideyo gets produced because it comfortably fits into the prevailing trend of the time- bishoujo anime. However, at the same time Mushishi is produced because it’s an outstanding work, and shows like Black Cat and Gaiking: Legend Of Daiku-Maryu get produced because there is fan interest in them. In summation, I think that trends in Japan’s anime community can increase the odds of a work being produced or becoming successful, but I don’t believe that prevailing trends in Japan’s anime and manga community significantly limit the probability of a work being released or becoming popular. A weak title- one without significant intrinsic literary or artistic value- may be buoyed by a timely release and a swell of interest in its genre, but it seems to my observation that titles deserving of an audience will find their way to that audience regardless of prevailing trends.