Ask John: Is Anime Commercial Art or Commercial Product?

Question:
Anime series are frequently gobbled up by fans, only to be forgotten months later. Many anime are art, but they are still used commercially. What makes anime art and more than just a commercial product?

Answer:
At least in the American fan community, the treatment of anime as art or commerce has been debated for years. Especially veteran anime fans often think of anime as a form of contemporary art that deserves respect and appreciation. Many fans that have entered the hobby within the past five years or so view anime as a commercial product with a purpose of entertaining consumers. (In fact, a common contemporary attitude is that Japanese animation is merely a disposable commercial product that doesn’t deserve any special respect. I personally can’t comprehend why self proclaimed “anime fans” so belittle their chosen hobby.) The American anime industry has also largely treated anime as predominantly a commercial product to be packaged and marketed, more so than as an art form to be disseminated. In reality, anime is a medium between the two poles. Anime, like virtually all film or video, is a commercial art. I recognize that anime is art manufactured to be sold for profit, but I, for one, place a higher significance on the “art” aspect of anime than on the “commercial” aspect. I think that the amount of care and consideration put into creating anime elevates it to the realm of contemporary pop art, distinguishing it from advertising or mere commercial product. The difference between art and product lies in the focus of the thing itself.

Arguably virtually all visual art is commercial art. Illustrators, painters, and film makers create works that they hope to sell in order to support themselves. Film is a collaborative effort from countless devoted artisans and artists. People that create film are creating something that’s not a practical material. Art is a creative luxury item. By extension, film is art. Of course, there are differences in the quality and categorization of art. Fine art is that which has little overt concern for public acceptance or market potential. Commercial popular art is designed to appeal to everyday consumers, but it strives to preserve a significant degree of the artists’ independent creativity. A commercial product brings marketability to the forefront and sublimates artistic integrity. The primary goal of a commercial product is to sell itself. Arousing an intellectual or emotional response in the consumer is only an afterthought, or is only carried out in service of the primary goal of being a saleable commodity.

If we consider a representative anime title like One Piece, Gundam Seed, Tenchi Muyo or Full Metal Alchemist, we find anime that’s designed to be accessible to consumers and viewers, thus the characteristic of “commercial.” But in a typical anime, I think we can also find evidence that the show doesn’t pander to its intended audience, and doesn’t sacrifice the unique artistic choices of its creators. Anime typically isn’t condescending to its viewers. I think that anime genuinely wishes to convey the artistic ideas and visions of its creators to an audience. That characteristic separates anime from mere commercial product. Typical anime may not have the lofty, humanitarian goals of fine art, but anime also aspires to more than just filling lowest common denominator expectations. The fact that anime seeks a paying consumer audience without sacrificing all of its unique, intelligent, evocative characteristics is what makes anime literally commercial art, not just a commercial product. And on a side note, I feel that consumers and fans who refuse to acknowledge the potential of Japanese animation to be legitimate art are being intentionally proletariat, in other words consciously distancing themselves from possible exposure to international art and culture.