There are times when I wonder about the perception of anime among regular folks in the US who have been exposed to it, but as of late I’ve wondered more about anime’s perception in the US among people who consider themselves to be anime fans. What do they look for in shows? What draws people to certain titles and has them going to cons dressed as or hugging certain characters? Obviously I can’t just pin it down on any couple of trends, seeing as otaku are a diverse bunch, but why do some shows succeed that you might never expect, and why are certain ones seemingly destined for success flops? If I could answer this definitively, I would be rolling in cash money so don’t expect any revelations, but I feel like there is a certain something which attracts the vast majority of anime fans, a certain look and feel in any given era that gives off the impression that this is something new and different, and yet somehow just familiar enough to resonate deeply. Depending on the era, these qualities change, but they are what grab the individual, transform them into an anime fan, and then keep them there.
OGIUE MANIAX
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emerika is kinda big, and with that… when I hear “anime fan” I’m really not sure I have the right image in mind. I think there is a split between fans who actively keep on top of seasonal affairs and those who basically keep up with what comes out, locally. The issue being that trends (on the net) tend to change a little quicker by the season.
2ch vs 4ch, Suki Forums vs ANN Forums, fc2 vs WP… etc. I think there is a level of abstraction in it all. Mathematically, the “American anime fan” is likely at some abstracted level directly dependent on the variable of information. So, finding the “common” source of information for American fans should assist in determining this perception.
imo
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Whatever it is now, it’s whatever Kyoto Animation is doing.
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The answer to all of your questions can be answered by the following three words: “maybe they’re gay.”
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I suppose that some people get exposed to Looney Tunes and the old cartoons when they were kids, and look to the recent lot of cartoons around recently and are found wanting. Looney Tunes were made for all ages, right? Japanese kids’ programming can get away with heavier subject matter, so people looking for that same adult sensibilities turn to anime, and whatever shonen fighting show is hot in that time…
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I don’t think we can talk about “people who consider themselves to be anime fans” as a single, cohesive group anymore.
The two most popular anime films of all time in U.S. box office numbers were the Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! movies. And those kids watch a fair bit of anime, and know what anime is, and would probably define themselves as fans of it.
Then you’ve got the grizzled old guys like me, who’ve been watching anime for a decade or two, and love all SORTS of things, from Kodocha to serial experiments lain.
Then you’ve got the moe crowd (spear-headed by the KyoAni fans, as 21stcenturydigitalboy pointed out), and the yaoi fangirls (as Daryl pointed out).
We all like different things.
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Please be respectful to all people who post and all perspectives. There were comments on the Avatar, Shut Up about Dangling Plot Threads page that were deleted from me and Touchstone. Please restore them. I know one of them was directed at one your friends but he needs to read a rebuttal especially since he was spiteful and cold towards people for even having a passionate opinion for a ship that was wrongfully misunderstood and degraded. Trying to explain a perspective is not beating a dead horse especially since the debates continue all over the web. Opinions live on in history and people do not want concepts to be remembered the wrong way.
People look for the right elements of epic action and adventure that is extraordinary while making use of familiar archetypes. American audiences like to empathize and relate to the characters. They like characters with distinct personalities. They also like humor and romance in their Anime and other cartoons. A lot of interest in animation was shaped by Disney cartoons. American audiences often judge by that standard.
Avatar, the last Airbender had all of that: symbolism, action, adventure, humour, romance, suspense, the standard theme of good triumphing over evil both internally and externally, and dynamic characters.
It also blended a modern outlook was a old world asian outlook. People also like the animation to be stunning and fluid.
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I think Avatar and Pokemon popularized Anime-styled cartoons in the US and Canada. I know technically Avatar was Anime-influenced, but not strictly Anime but it used similar elements. Also film features like Howl’s Moving Castle and the latest releases like Ponyo are receiving more attention and acclaim while receiving more exposure. You have bigger stars providing the voices. I think more Americans will be drawn to Anime because they miss those kinds of stories and animation because know we have ultra-modern Pixar/Dreamworks movies that don’t have the same flavor or magic to them.
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