Ask John: How Successful and Influential is the Anime Network?

Question:
I just received Anime Network and Anime Network on Demand on digital cable and I was wondering is ADV going to monopolize the whole “anime on television” sphere? Is Anime Network doing to branch out to include titles from other companies like Bandai, Geneon, and FUNimation? How are other anime production houses handling ADV’s foray into cable television? How long was “Anime Network” on the back burner before its launch? From seeing its lack of structure, it feels like the whole network is put together at the last minute. Is that true?

Answer:
I’m sorry to say that I don’t know how much development time and effort was put into the Anime Network before its launch, nor do I know what resources are devoted to its current maintenance. The launch of the Anime Network did seem to take the entire American anime community by surprise, but it’s impossible to create such a project literally at the last minute, or with no forethought.

The success of the Anime Network largely depends on whose perspective you wish to believe. AD Vision consistently acclaims the success and growth of its Anime Network, but the reaction of the rest of America is much more lukewarm. Despite AD Vision claims that the Anime Network is constantly expanding, the Anime Network doesn’t seem to reach most American anime fans, and it seems to have even less impact on the American anime fan community. The word on the grapevine is that most American television providers aren’t interested in supporting the Anime Network as a linear, traditional TV channel, instead preferring the video on demand version of the Anime Network. But digital cable’s video on demand doesn’t have a large, established market in America, and its support, cost and programming varies with location and service provider.

The Anime Network has carried anime titles from distributors besides AD Vision, but the majority of the network’s content has been AD Vision owned titles. Naturally, AD Vision broadcasting its own properties on its own television network minimizes expenses and maximizes profits. It’s quite possible that competing American distributors have been hesitant to offer their titles to the Anime Network out of a hesitation to provide content to AD Vision at minimal or no cost, which AD Vision will then profit from. Or American distributors may be unwilling to provide content for AD Vision’s Anime Network at no charge. After all, there’s little reason for ADV to pay for content when they’ve got plenty of anime for the Anime Network that they already own. Finally, it’s possible that competing distributors prefer the greater exposure that television broadcast on networks like Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, G4, Showtime, Encore, and Comcast’s video on demand service provide. And, of course, the dearth of distributor variety represented on the Anime Network may be a combination of all of these, and other, factors.

While AD Vision claims that the Anime Network is a resounding success that’s expanding all the time, I think the consensus opinion in America’s anime community is less optimistic. Both Viz and FUNimation have publicly broached the idea of creating their own anime exclusive television networks. Comcast currently sponsors its own video on demand anime network that competes with AD Vision’s Anime Network. And there has been speculation within the fan community that the Japanese Animax anime television network may eventually expand to America. While the Anime Network must be given credit for pioneering anime exclusive television broadcasting in America, I don’t think the Anime Network has been successful or influential enough to convince either the American anime industry or the American television industry that an anime exclusive television network can really be a universally acknowledged success in America at this point in time.