Ask John: Has the Sendai Earthquake Encouraged Greater Support for Japan’s Anime Industry?

Question:
Has the recent Earthquake/Tsunami incendent that hit Japan inspired people in the United Sates and the World to support the Anime,Manga and Video Game industry?

Answer:
I, personally, haven’t seen any evidence that points to an increased awareness, respect, or support for Japanese pop-culture art stemming from humanitarian concern about the Sendai earthquake and tsunami. Moreover, I think that absence of focus is entirely appropriate. In light of the massive devastation wrought on the Japanese coast and the lives of millions of Japanese residents, the eyes of the world rightly should be focused on more immediate points including health, safety, rescue and recovery efforts, and the Japanese psychology rather than Japanese entertainment art. Otaku worldwide are contributing to humanitarian aid for Japan, and since otaku worldwide were already focused on Japan and its culture prior to the disaster, naturally otaku have been quick to offer prayers, condolences, and assistance. However, the mainstream international attention on Japan right now is, and should be, focused on more pressing concerns than Japan’s entertainment industries. And I want to believe that global fans whose chosen hobby is Japanese comics, animation, and video games don’t need a nation-threatening disaster to motivate them to support the Japanese industries that they so love.

On a related but relatively less significant note, I’ll mention that the majority of Japan’s manga, animation, and video game production industry is based in Tokyo and southern Japan, away from the northern part of Japan most immediately and powerfully affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Anime fans inside Japan and worldwide have certainly expressed concern, sympathy, and relief over the well-being of Japanese artists and creators within the manga/anime/game industry, but apart from otaku, the eyes of the world have been appropriately focused on the northern Japanese citizens that have been most impacted by the devestation.