Ask John: How Much Does the Anime Industry Encourage Creativity?

Question:
Many well known people in the video game industry (such as Nintendo’s Miyamoto) have pointed out how stale gaming is. Each year sees little more than “clone” after “clone” with very little creativity or ingenuity gracing any particular “mainstream” release. I’m curious as to how/if this mentality applies to the anime/manga industry. To what extent do you think it’s accurate to say companies think nothing more than, “Make me the next Dragon Ball/Evangelion/Naruto/One Piece,” versus saying, “Make something creative and unique and let’s see how it performs”? To what extent do you think this is helpful to the industry, and to what extend do you feel it’s detrimental to it?

Answer:
Influential Japanese critics including director Hayao Miyazaki and Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara have accused the contemporary anime industry of lacking creativity and relying too much on recycling proven formulas. However, I think it’s easy for observers in rarified positions to make such accusations because they may not consider certain relevant circumstances. Anime is, after all, a commercial art, so animators have a professional obligation to create works that will appeal to consumers. I don’t think it’s fair to harshly criticize an industry for prioritizing a “don’t fix it if it ain’t broken” attitude when millions of dollars are on the line. Furthermore, the anime industry responds to the interests and demands of fans. There are four TV seasons every year in Japan, making Japan’s anime industry highly flexible and adaptable to changing trends and viewer interest. Shows that are surprise hits may be extended or get second seasons. Shows that aren’t popular may be replaced after only three months.

Although anime studios create anime, they don’t always have ultimate control over anime. Anime studios are often at the mercy of corporate sponsors, distributors, and production committees that sponsor anime production. Most studios can’t afford to produce whatever anime they want. Studios plan projects then solicit sponsors to pay for the production, so studios can only make what sponsors are willing to pay for. Katsuhiro Otomo began work on Steamboy years ago because he wanted to produce a steampunk anime. But then production on the film stalled because producers who wanted another cyberpunk film in the vein of Akira withdrew their financial support for the project. Animators may want to be creative and unique, but they can only do what there’s money to do.

I object to accusations that all anime is the same or that there’s no diversity or creativity in current anime. I think that observers who complain about a lack of creativity and variety in current anime are either ignorant, or are making broad generalizations. I concede that a lot of contemporary anime seems to be designed around introducing popular characters that will fuel ancillary merchandise sales, but accusing the anime industry of having no diversity or creativity overlooks productions that are ground breaking, original, and unique. Moreover, the most successful anime franchises seem to be often the most conventional ones. It’s not fair to insist that the anime industry prioritize creativity and originality then ignore productions that are creative and original. Within the past few years, anime productions including Paranoia Agent, Monster, Zipang, Kamichu, Gallery Fake, Mind Game, Mushishi, Ayakashi, and Emma, just to name a few, have challenged the established conventions of typical contemporary anime. But most of these series have slipped by average fans unnoticed. There is creativity and individuality in the contemporary anime industry, but many skeptics don’t want to acknowledge or admit it because doing so weakens their theory that all anime is simplistic, commercial tripe. And even anime that do succumb to employing easily marketable characters and superficial gimmicks, like the current smash hit Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, can still exhibit respectable qualities.

Considering the variety of contemporary anime available, it seems apparent that producers and sponsors do lean toward safe projects and works that have a potential to become profitable hits. But Japan’s anime industry hasn’t entirely dismissed its support for unconventional and artistic shows. Rather than helpful or harmful to the anime industry, I think this is simply the way the anime industry is. The argument can be made that more anime should be more creative and individualistic, but that could result in fewer consumers watching and buying anime. The present diversity of anime available in Japan seems to adequately satisfy both Japan’s anime industry and Japanese consumers.