Ask John: Why do Otaku Hold Anime to Such High Standards?

Question:
Why is Japanese anime held to such extremely high standards by international fans? After all, Japan isn’t the only country to re-hash an idea; Hollywood is guilty of that sin as well.

Answer:
Repetition breeds expectation. Not every anime production is exceptional; not every anime is even good. But a substantial number of anime productions satisfy and enthrall fans. So naturally fans begin to expect anime to satisfy and enthrall; we expect anime to strive for excellence because numerous examples have convinced us that anime is very capable of achieving excellence. Furthermore, the obsessive characteristic of otaku leads us to scrutinize particular creators and production studios, interpreting trends and tendencies. When particular studios frequently produce excellent work, or particular creators evidence routine creativity, consumers naturally begin to expect a repetition of these traits from these particular sources.

Anime production is a unique industry because practically all anime production travels through one of a few dozen well-known production houses, nearly all of which are geographically based in Tokyo. The live-action film that Americans see at the local theater, on the other hand, comes from a massive number of studios, producers, and geographic locations. Typically, due in part to is massive variables in production background, audiences don’t find that a particularly significant percentage of live-action movies available to them are outstanding. Yet viewers do typically find that a significant number of anime available to them are very rewarding, satisfying, and entertaining. So we naturally apply higher expectations to the anime genre than to other varieties of film because anime has more frequently fulfilled our expectations than other varieties of film have done so. The cultural disposition that underlies Japanese behavior insists that failure is not an option. Japanese culture quietly demands excellence; the individuals and organizations unable to strive for and achieve excellence get marginalized, ignored, and dismissed. That Japanese philosophy distinctly affects anime production. The urge to achieve excellence explains why sub-par productions like Xebec’s Negima television series get remade, and why productions like Bakemonogatari get completed and additional animation for their home video releases – not primarily as an effort to milk more cash from the cow but rather to improve initial efforts that didn’t reach their greatest potential. Since anime production itself holds itself to the highest standards reasonably possible, allowing for production funds and production circumstances, anime viewers likewise have a reasonable cause for expecting excellence from anime.

One may legitimately question whether consumers applying such high standards of expectation to the anime industry is fair, but the alternative is an unpleasant option. I, probably like most otaku, would prefer to anticipate that every new anime will be excellent and find myself periodically disappointed rather than expect every new anime to be weak and find myself occasionally pleasantly surprised. If I consistently expected the worst from anime, if I anticipated every quarterly TV season to be filled with derivative, uninspired, poorly-produced crap hopefully interspersed with a few gems, I probably wouldn’t be a devoted, supportive anime fan. Like parents that want to see their child become successful, otaku expect the best from anime because we love anime.