Ask John: Why Is Some Anime Based on Foreign Material?

Question:
Do you think that some anime creators make some anime for Americans, or maybe they might think it could be popular in America or other parts of the world? For example I found Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo to be a very strange anime because it doesn’t seem like it would interest the average Japanese otaku. Gankutsuou doesn’t have much violence or any fan service, plus it’s based on a old European novel.

Answer:
Based on my limited knowledge about the creation of Japanese comics and animation, most works are created for Japanese audiences, although most artists, regardless of nationality, would like their art to be appreciated by as many people as possible. While I’m sure that most Japanese creators are conscious of the possibility, or harbor a hope that their work will gain international recognition, I suspect that most Japanese artists create works for their native audiences. Of course, there are exceptions in the case of works that are specifically created because they have international market potential, such as Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and the Ninja Scroll TV series. And there are anime produced as international co-prductions or produced with the express purpose of international distribution, such as The Mysterious Cities of Gold, IGPX, and the 2004 Yu-Gi-Oh movie.

On first impression it may seem incongruous to Americans that an anime for Japanese viewers would be based on a classic European novel, but that surprise is actually a result of unfamiliarity with Japanese culture. In fact, Japan has a higher literacy rate than America, and it’s probably not too much of a stretch to say that average Japanese youths are at least as familiar with classic Western literature as American and European natives are, if not more so. Classics of Western children’s literature including Alice in Wonderland and Anne of Green Gables are quite popular in Japan. Modern classics such as the Harry Potter series of novels are also tremendously popular in Japan. Over the years, there have been many anime adaptations of foreign (non-Japanese) literature. The long running World Masterpiece Theater anime series produced lengthy adaptations of Western classics including Peter Pan, Little Women, Tom Sawyer, Swiss Family Robinson, and Pollyanna. There have also been anime adaptations of imported literature including Dracula, The Three Musketeers, Sherlock Holmes, Don Quixote, Le Morte d’Arthur, Moby Dick, The Arabian Nights, Les Miserables, and even The Bible.

Typical Americans may not be very familiar with world literature, but Japan’s educational system ensures that Japanese children are well versed in international literature. Furthermore, assuming that Western literature may not provide good source material for anime relies on an erroneous stereotype. While a lot of the anime that Americans may be most familiar with is exciting and sensational, that type of anime doesn’t represent all anime. The examples already provided begin to prove that anime isn’t limited by style or subject matter. There are countless dramatic and placid anime that don’t include any type of fan service (cute girls, action, violence, giant robots, etc.) For example, the “iyashi-kei” (“soothing” or “healing”) genre of anime that includes Maria-sama ga Miteru, Yokohama Shopping Log, and Aria the Animation are anime about basically nothing. These are simple, peaceful, slice-of-life anime designed to let viewers unwind and relax while watching them. One example of tranquil anime that I like to cite is the first episode of the 1999 To Heart television series. The entire first episode is about the simple action of a high school class choosing its seat assignment for homeroom. Although the best selling and most popular anime in America is typically sensationalistic and action oriented, Japanese viewers eagerly support a very wide variety of anime styles and genres, many of which aren’t popular in America.

Not all anime attempts to be flashy or exciting. And anime certainly isn’t limited to stories about violent conflicts or voluptuous girls. Anime adaptations of Western literature (meaning American, European, and Australian) are actually quite common in Japan. In fact, a new anime adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen is airing on Japanese television right now.