Ask John: Is There a Market for Iyashi Kei Anime in America?

Question:
I’m a fan of a few different manga and artists that I’ve noticed don’t get very much exposure in the states. Two manga I really enjoy are Aria by Kozue Amano and Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou by Ashinano Hitoshi. As far as I know, Aria has only 3 volumes out in the United States, though I know there are not only more volumes out in Japan, but an anime series also. I can only surmise that the sudden stop in release [of the manga in America] is due to lack of consumer interest. I haven’t seen anything about YKK being published. Both are excellent manga artistically and storywise, which I would love to see translated and released in the States, including any related anime.

Do you think is there a place for calmer, less action oriented manga and anime in the United States? The stories in these manga are very subdued and contain very little in the way of hostile conflict; they are more about discovery and understanding. Do you think that the Aria manga or YKK will ever be fully published in the US? Why do you think there is so little interest here in the US in such manga where the “gimmick” isn’t what the story is all about?

Answer:
Anime and manga titles including Aria and Yokohama Shopping Log fall within the Japanese sub-genre known as “Iyashi Kei” or “healing type.” These series are soothing and placid stories that deliver subtlety and charm in place of exaggerated action or spectacle. Similar shows include Maria-sama ga Miteru, Studio Ghibli’s film Whisper of the Heart, Kokoro Library, Piano, Seraphim Call, and the original To Heart anime series. These “slice of life” dramas are often popular among certain circles in Japanese fandom because they’re an alternative to conventional anime, and because they’re an enjoyable means of relaxation. But particularly for those reasons, these types of manga and anime aren’t very popular among American fans.

Although I don’t know for certain, I guess that the mediums of manga and anime are still relatively new to Americans, so many Americans are still attracted to the sensational aspects of manga and anime. Romantic, violent, funny, and otherwise intense shows and stories are appealing because they have immediate and obvious characteristics and appeal. But iyashi kei are typified precisely by their lack of sensationalism, so for many Americans, they just seem dull. AD Vision has published three volumes of Kozue Amano’s Aria manga in English, but there’s no telling if books 4-8 will be released in America. Sales of the Aria manga in America seem to have been weak, but AD Vision has actually drastically scaled back all of its manga releases within the past few months. Anime titles including Piano, Whisper of the Heart, and To Heart are licensed for American release, or are already available in America.

Evidence suggests that the iyashi kei genre isn’t entirely unrepresented in America, but at the same time there’s very little interest in it within the majority of America’s anime fan and consumer community. My subjective impression is that a few of America’s anime industry distributors are willing and interested in trying to diversify the American anime and manga community, but doing so is difficult when the fan community doesn’t respond and support those efforts. To cite an example I’m personally very familiar with, AN Entertainment licensed and distributes director Koji Masunari’s charming and heartwarming anime television series Risky Safety, but the show has never been very successful in American release. Based on that result, it’s difficult to justify the expense of licensing Masunari’s even more tranquil and sweet Kokoro Library series. Unfortunately, regardless of their quality, particular anime and manga, and certain genres won’t be frequently released in America if they don’t generate profits, and the most profitable anime in America are often those which offer immediate gratification rather than those which offer subtlety and pastoral pleasantry.