Ask John: Are Contemporary Anime Better than Older Anime?
Question:
Is the content of recent anime series superior to those of the 1980s? Most of the series that are now considered cult were created in 1995-2005. There is an opinion that anime, is getting more sophisticated – including not just visual art, but all the content: the diversity of themes, the complexity of plots and ideas, the reliability of characters. Is this opinion valid? To what degree it would be right to say that the popularity of the recent series (Cowboy Bebop, Serial Experiments Lain, Haibane Renmei, Elfen Lied, Mushishi, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi) is due to their superiority over those aired in the 1980s & early 1990s? Otherwise, what is the difference between the top popular series of the 1980s and those of the 2000s?
Answer:
Much to my dismay, there will never be enough hours in my lifetime for me to watch every anime. Although I haven’t seen everything, I do believe that I’ve watched a larger variety of anime than most people in the world. From children’s anime to adult erotica; from the beginnings of modern anime in the mid 1960s to movies unspooling in Tokyo theaters, I’ve sampled virtually every type of anime imaginable. And one thing I can say with confidence is that, in my observation, anime has certainly changed; and anime continues to change. But I don’t believe that contemporary anime is holistically better or worse than vintage anime.
It would be foolish to argue that the technology and sophistication of anime hasn’t progressed dramatically over the past 40 years. The average level of animation quality has improved. The sophistication of art design – including character design, background art, and mechanical design – has improved. New types of narratives and new types of storytelling have appeared along with new genres of anime. But in terms of the creativity and entertainment value that anime exhibits, I don’t think old anime is inferior to modern anime at all.
While there are examples of vintage anime that concentrate on philosophy and psychology including Oniisama E…, Twilight Q part 2, Wings of Honneamise, and even Gundam, it is fair to argue that 1995’s Evangelion launched a variety of anime that concentrated heavily upon philosophy, psychology, and abstract theory. It’s really not so unusual to credit Evangelion with this advancement. Consider that American comic books likewise existed for decades before Frank Miller’s influential 1986 comic book series Batman: The Dark Knight Returns launched the American comic book community’s fascination with grim, gritty, psychologically complex heroes and villains.
Are contemporary hit anime titles like Naruto, Bleach, Inuyasha, and Pretty Cure really that different from 80s and early 90s hits like Fist of the North Star, City Hunter, Dragon Ball Z, St. Seiya, Sailor Moon, and Yu Yu Hakusho? Are contemporary programs like Itazura na Kiss, ToLOVEru, or Blassreiter really different from titles like Urusei Yatsura, Bubblegum Crisis, Marmalade Boy, and Tenchi Muyo? The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, Lucky Star, and Keroro Gunso may be more self-referential and more conscious of their existence as anime programs, but I account for that with the emergence of Japan’s otaku culture rather than the argument that these programs are inherently more creative than their ancestors. Likewise, stunningly animated anime like Mushishi, Kamichu, and Paprika reflect modern technology and production conditions as much as superior creativity. To reinforce that point, allow me to cite examples like 1979’s Lupin the Third: Castle of Cagliostro and 1984’s Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind that have animation quality as good or better than any present day anime. I’ll also point out that I’ve watched episodes of early anime like the 1968 ninja series Sasuke and the 1969 samurai action/horror series Dororo that are very bit as entertaining and enjoyable as any of today’s anime. Similarly, I would argue that there hasn’t been a “girls with guns” anime yet that has surpassed the wit, charm, fun, and wry intelligence of the mid 1980s Dirty Pair.
Finally, I don’t wish to sound spiteful, but I do think it’s valid to point out that seemingly sophisticated and psychological contemporary anime like Ergo Proxy, Texhnolyze, Kino no Tabi, and Shinreigari/Ghost Hound are as much, if not more, a case of smoke and mirrors than actual meaningful, intellectual substance.
I don’t think that everyone does or should love vintage anime; it’s differing opinions that make the anime community vibrant and energetic. I don’t have any objection to those who dislike old anime, but I don’t think it’s fair or intelligent to dismiss older anime just because it’s not like contemporary anime. Certain concessions must be made in respect to the technology and social circumstances that surrounded and influenced the production of vintage anime. Anime has certainly matured, and the tastes and expectations of both artists and viewers have evolved with time, resulting in contemporary anime that does look and feel different from anime from ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. When comparing a singular modern anime title to a collective impression of 80s or 90s anime, it may be easy to argue that modern anime is more artistic or intelligent or sophisticated than anime of yesteryear. However, if one compares the collective impression of contemporary anime to the collective impression of anime from the 1990s or 1980s, I think that a sense of drastic difference largely dissolves.
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I tend think each generation of anime has its own charms. Take the original Devilman TV and the OVA: it’s very clear these were from two different eras, and while I prefer the OVA by leaps and bounds, the older series is loaded with a kind of camp that would be unacceptable by today’s standards. It’s without saying I love this too.
Eighties anime was filled with flashy titles that had enough substance to be considered good. In fact, I get more excited about finding an older title I’ve never heard of. Of course, it can be painful on a level rarely seen now, but the hand drawn artistry and creative designs and premises are something you don’t see as much of either anymore, at least not quite the same. It was also the era of the OVA, so you could get your anime fix quickly if you didn’t have the time to dedicate yourself to an entire series.
Nineties anime was definitely the era when style and substance come together. We also saw dozens of classics come out of this era, many of which helped make the anime industry what it is today. I got into anime in 1997, so this era is particularly special to me.
This current era of anime seems to do a lot of things never done before, but at the same time has become almost too self-referential and aware of its own archetypes. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen a (I dislike this term) harem anime where each girl is sorted out by mild, loli, tomboy, intelligent, traditional, and eccentric/apathetic types. It’s also an era where characters try to be imposing and the bad guys ominous, but it comes off more forced than anything. The digital art style tends looks gorgeous and clean, but sometimes it looks similar to each other, and unnatural. Some early titles that adopted that look, including Saiyuki and Excel Saga have points that look absolutely terrible because the technology wasn’t perfected yet.
Yet there’s a lot to love about the latest era, with more involved works and years of history to build off of. I agree with John: it’s different, not better or worse.
Yes, surely, “it’s different, not better or worse.†One can hardly disagree on this point. Perhaps the explanation is quite simple: generations change and those who got into anime in the 80 remain devoted to this time (sometimes they even start to complain that contemporary anime degrades), while newcomers would opt for some more recent anime (and even disregard the older).
But the question had a nuance that has passed unnoticed. The fact remains that most of anime series that still holds cult status today appeared after Evangelion. (Is there any active fan’s movement around popular series of the 80s?) This can be explained simply by the change of generations, as mentioned above. But is this explanation exhaustive? The issue obviously has certain sociological implication, not so much relevant to the question of anime’s actual artistic quality.