Ask John: What Are John’s Thoughts About Independent Animators?

Question:
What are John’s thoughts about independent animators/creators such as Makoto Shinkai, Yamato Works and US’ own Terrence Walker – advocates of indie anime production not bound by the studio system? These are generally very small groups of collaborators who produces high quality work with a limited budget and seek alternative forms of distribution. Is this the future of anime production?

Answer:
In my own point of view, which is focused primarily on Japanese animation, I can’t condone clean distinctions between independent animators and the established studio system. Such distinctions are somewhat more valid in America’s animation industry, but America’s animation industry is fundamentally different from Japan’s. A conventional American perspective presumes that independently produced animation is, by nature, more creative and less commercial than work produced by the established studio system. I don’t believe that’s the case in Japan. I have the utmost respect for motivated, independent creators and don’t mean to disparage their works. Rather, I think it’s hasty to presume that Japan’s established animation industry is stifling or lacks the creative flexibility of independent animators.

I vehemently oppose the common sentiment that 99% of everything is crap. Even if that belief is an exaggeration, it’s still an inherently negative assumption. I believe that many anime fans fail to recognize one basic fact, because it’s such a fundamental principle: in order to like anime, you have to want to like anime. Instead of assuming that every major anime series is merely commercial kitsch, an anime fan should be receptive to any and every anime and base judgment on experience instead of stereotypical assumptions. I’m not trying to convince anyone that all anime is excellent. But I do think that many fans overlook or miss excellent anime series because of an eagerness to jump to unsubstantiated conclusions. While it’s true that Japan’s anime industry does create a lot of anime specifically for commercial gain, Japan’s established studio industry also produces a sizeable amount of esoteric, artistic, and unusual anime that doesn’t fit the mold of typical, mainstream commercial works.

Japanese animators including Makoto Shinkai, Higa Romanov, Jun Awazu, Yamatoworks, Imperial Boy, Koji Yamamura, Shigeru Tamura, and countless others produce amazing, and often award winning animation with limited resources. But there are also many unique anime from major Japanese studios that exhibit at least the same artistic originality as work from independent creators who aren’t under the control of a studio. Nekojiro-So, Fuujin Monogatari, Super Kuma-san, Hotori ~Tada Saiwai wo Koinegau~, almost everything produced by Studio 4C, Kyogoku Natsuhiko Kosetsu Hyaku Monogatari, Platonic Chain, and Makasete Irukaya, just to name a few, are major, mainstream Japanese anime industry productions that can be easily mistaken for being eccentric, independent productions.

Anime productions from Akitaro Daichi and small studio Yumeta including Makasete Irukaya and Animation Runner Kuromi-chan are often thought of as “independent” productions, even though Daichi has directed major studio productions including Jubei-chan and Fruits Basket. Fuujin Monogatari was created by an amateur writer, but animated by Production IG. Super Kuma-san, Hotori, and Azusa, Otetsudai Shimasu! Were all adapted from screenplays by amateur writers but animated by Toei, Sunrise, and TMS respectively. Kyoto Animation’s first production, Munto, was hailed as virtually an independent production from a new, untested studio, but Kyoto Animation has continued on to produce mainstream Japanese productions including the Air TV series and Full Metal Panic Fumoffu and Second Raid. Likewise independent animator Makoto Shinkai has produced animation for major Japanese adult PC games, and a music video for Japanese television network NHK, and Urda creators Romanov Higa are now working on an adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s Tank Police Dominion. So, at least in Japan, the distinction between “independent” animators and the established studio system isn’t very distinct at all, and the fact that a recent anime is the product of a major, established studio doesn’t mean that it’s a soul-less commercial production.

Honestly, I don’t feel knowledgeable enough with the American animation scene to be able to discuss it in detail. Once again, while I respect “independent” productions such as work from Studio ArtFX and even AD Vision’s Korean commissioned animation (which qualifies as “independent” in the respect that it’s not coming from the mainstream American studio system of Disney/Warner Bros./Fox, etc.), I suspect that contemporary American independent animation isn’t being made to escape the control of mainstream studio executives. My suspicion is that American independent animation is being made primarily because America’s established studio system isn’t interested in supporting animation that has uncertain market potential. Mainstream American consumers seemingly aren’t interested in animation that’s not Disney-esque or Pixar-esque.

For that reason, I don’t envision independent productions spearheading the future of anime production in either America or Japan. American independent animation doesn’t particularly seem to be opposed to the mainstream Hollywood studio system; it’s simply marginalized and ignored by the Hollywood system and the majority of American consumers. I may be mistaken, but I get the feeling that American independent animation is independent by circumstance more than intention. In Japan, the line between independent and studio animation is blurry. There are major, mainstream Japanese studio productions like Production IG’s Fuujin Monogatari that are more innovative and progressive than independent anime like Romanov Higa’s Urda. In America, the perception of animation and consumer demand will have to change before independent or Hollywood animation is able to take major, revolutionary steps. In Japan, it seems as though independent and studio animation compliment each other, encourage each other, and both work toward the evolution of Japanese animation.