Ask John: How Popular Is Nadesico in Japan?

Question:
How popular is or was Martian Successor Nadesico in Japan? I figured at first it must have been pretty popular if it spawned a theatrical movie and that the series was accessible by virtually any anime fan. Yet, I don’t hear much fanfare about it. Why is that?

Answer:
The anime industry in Japan is very much dominated by the latest trend and current “hot” title. Unlike in America where a show like Trigun or Cowboy Bebop or Evangelion can sustain an avid fan base for years, anime in Japan are virtually forgotten overnight and a show that’s been off the air for a year typically has as much staying power in the minds of average Japanese fans and viewers as a show that went off the air 20 years ago. In other words, while shows like Nadesico may still be new and popular to most American fans, in Japan an anime that’s a year old is “ancient.”

Kido Senkan Nadesico aired on Japanese television between October 1, 1996 and March 25, 1997. It was followed up by the Gekiganger III OAV, the Prince of Darkness theatrical movie, and no less than 5 video games for the Sega Saturn, Dreamcast and Nintendo GameBoy Color. At the peak of its popularity, readers of Animage Magazine voted Nadesico “Best Anime Show Of All Time.” In fact, back in 1998 there were even news reports in the relatively crime free Japan of an epidemic of promotional Nadesico movie posters being stolen from theaters and other public venues because of the popularity of the Ruri Hoshino character. And even now, more than five years after the TV series ended, Ruri is still ranked #9 on Animage Magazine’s current monthly poll of Japan’s favorite anime characters (male or female) and #8 on Newtype Magazine’s latest fan poll of favorite all time female anime characters.

After four years of no Nadesico animation, the series has largely been replaced in the immediate consciousness of Japanese television viewers by whatever anime happens to be airing on Japanese television right now. As such, it’s highly unlikely that Nadesico will be revived with new animation in the foreseeable future if ever, but there’s clearly enough evidence to prove that Nadesico, at one time, was, in some respects, one of the most successful anime series ever created and has earned a significant place in the annals of anime history.