Ask John: How Long Will the Pokemon Fad Last?

Question:
Do trends in Japan stay popular longer than here in American? Like Pokemon, for instance, is still going pretty strong in Japan and it has been since its debut in 1998. But the fad of Pokemon in American only lasted, I’d say, for about a year. And does Japan have any indication if Pokemon is in its last and final season?

Answer:
Contemporary Japanese culture is world famous for its obsession with trends and fads of isolated lifespan. Of note, Japan is the home of the “idol,” the subject of anime including Legendary Idol Eriko, Chou Kuseninarisou, Idol Defense Force Hummingbirds, and Perfect Blue. Idols are the equivalent of American “one hit wonders.” But Japan has elevated to virtually a science the industry of creating young and hot celebrities whose stardom lasts only a year or less before they’re replaced by a new, more trendy idol.

Anime also has its trends in Japan. Popular franchises may be blockbusters for a time, then fade into obscurity. In the mid 1980s, St. Seiya was massively popular among especially young Japanese girls. Although the franchise is still popular today, it’s now most popular among older male viewers that grew up with it. During the mid 1980s, Sailormoon was a wildly successful franchise in the early 1990s, but by 1996 its popularity had fallen off so much that Toei decided to conclude the series. Around 2000, Ojamajo Doremi seemed to be an unstoppable anime juggernaut, but since its conclusion in early 2003, the series’ dominance has quickly dispersed.

Pokemon, however, seems as though it’s not a passing fad in Japanese culture. Rather, Pokemon seems to be a genuine addition to Japanese contemporary culture that many of us have witnessed the birth of. Since so much anime is released in Japan on a regular basis, it’s uncommon for any particular show to achieve any true lasting appeal. But occasionally certain anime do establish a foothold in Japanese culture and become a part of contemporary life. A few examples of this include Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy), Chibi Maruko-chan, Sazae-san, Doraemon, Hello Kitty, and Totoro. I believe that Pocket Monsters should now be included in such company.

While the Pokemon craze was a temporary over-inflated bubble in America, the Pokemon franchise has been and continues to be steadily popular and respected in Japan. Because the bubble burst in America, many American fans expect a similar thing to happen in Japan. However, from my second hand observer’s opinion, I don’t see any indication that the “Pokemon craze” will ever end in Japan. I think that the Pocket Monster franchise has managed to tap into a stream of the collective Japanese conscience and ingrate itself into Japanese culture itself. As a result, I fully expect to see Pokemon still going strong, and still just as popular as it is now, ten or perhaps even twenty years from now the way Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny have become multi-generational icons within American culture. Anime series including Sazae-san and Doraemon have been steadily airing new episodes every week for 30 years. I don’t see any reason to assume that Pocket Monster will not be able to do the same.