Ask John: Has Anime Become More Popular in Japan Lately?

Question:
Has anime become more popular in Japan within these past years, and does this have anything to do with anime’s popularity in America? Do you think this is a reason why the amount of mature anime (not hentai) has declined, or am I ignorant in thinking this is the case?

Answer:
I wish the case was otherwise, but regretfully I’ll only be able to answer part of your question. I think that there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that anime is becoming more popular in Japan particularly within the past few years. But I don’t know exactly why that’s the case, although I can provide some speculative guesses. Regarding the prevalence of “mature” anime, I don’t think that there are actually fewer dramatic, intelligent or adult oriented anime in Japan these days. I suspect that the number of these types of shows produced is staying constant while the number of other types of anime are increasing.

A very quick and unscientific count of new anime television series, excluding OVAs, TV specials, and motion pictures, reveals a steady increase over the past few years. Roughly 78 new anime TV programs debuted in Japan in 2002. That number jumped up to 93 in 2003, then continued to increase. 105 in 2004; 106 in 2005. By my quick survey, somewhere around 156 new anime TV shows will debut on Japanese TV this year. However, currently only 12 out of this year’s 150+ new TV shows have been licensed for American release. The steady increase in the amount of anime made and released in Japan suggests that the demand for anime in Japan is increasing. The fact that fewer than one out of every ten new anime series in Japan is reaching American DVD suggests that at least 90% of current anime is being targeted to and watched by Japanese audiences. However, ironically, the fact that most current anime is not being exported to America doesn’t necessarily mean that the increasing Japanese interest in anime isn’t influenced by America.

Obviously American demand is not having a significant impact on the Japanese anime industry. If 90% of current anime stays in Japan, presumably it’s intended for Japanese audiences, and is proving successful in Japan. If there wasn’t a big demand for anime in Japan, there wouldn’t be as much of it produced. American demand for anime may not be forcing Japanese studios to produce more anime, but American interest in anime may be inspiring Japanese citizens to pay more attention to their own national treasure. Earlier this month CNN published an article about Japan’s “soft power,” the nation’s cultural and artistic influence. Over the past several years the Japanese government has emphasized the value of Japan’s intellectual creativity as an industrial commodity. At the same time, or possibly as a result of this increasing mainstream respect for anime and manga culture, Japanese fans are empowering themselves and taking pride in their status as otaku. The rise and development of Akihabara as an otaku mecca, Ikebukuro developing into “Otome Road,” the rise of maid cafes, and the popularity of franchises like Densha Otoko illustrate Japan’s otaku becoming more prominent and influential. For decades, anime has been a niche commodity in Japan, popular among underground otaku and children. But the popularization of manga and anime culture internationally, in North and South America, Russia, Europe, and Australia in particular, has possibly given Japanese society a new perspective. Now that it’s popular worldwide, anime has become something which mainstream Japanese society can respect and be proud of. As CNN reports, Japan has minimal political or military influence internationally. Japanese pop culture has become Japan’s best known and most desired export, which may be bringing steadily increasing attention to the industry within Japan.

The increasing interest in anime creates more demand, seemingly particularly among hardcore otaku, resulting in more anime produced specifically for that market. American anime fans may be a bit burnt-out on harem shows, romantic comedies, and other types of “moe” anime, but these genres are still very popular in Japan, which is why they outnumber serious, dramatic, and complex shows. But the fact that “mature” anime is overshadowed by lighthearted, ephemeral fare doesn’t mean that there are fewer serious shows. Just within the past three years there have been TV shows including Zipang, Gankutsuou, Monster, Gantz, Paranoia Agent, Akagi, Mushishi, Gallery Fake, Black Jack 21, Ergo Proxy, and Yomigaeru Sora, just to name a few, which have dealt with serious, dramatic stories while avoiding excess fan service and gratuitous pandering to instinctual desires. I don’t think that the number of “mature” anime available has decreased; these shows are simply more difficult to find now because they’re now mix among so much more anime than previously existed.