Ask John: Is American Interest in Anime Dropping?

Question:
I am worried about the anime Industry here in America. Is there still interest in anime or is this trend dropping.

Answer:
I understand your anxiety. Over the past few years the prominence of Japanese animation in America has grown to its highest level ever, and quickly receded. A number of America’s anime distribution companies have gone out of business or drastically reduced output; domestic anime licensing has drastically reduced; and domestic profits from anime sales have halved in less than five years. However, the steadily increasing attendance at domestic anime conventions and continued interest in anime from the American fan community demonstrate that there is still a significant audience for anime in America. The primary problem that anime distribution in America is faced with isn’t a lack of viewers. The problem is a lack of viewers that are willing and able to financially support domestic anime distribution.

Decreasing viewership for anime aired on American network television may be partly responsible for shows like Code Geass, Moribito, and even Naruto having their broadcasts marginalized or even canceled, but unfavorable promotion and treatment by television networks in the first place have certainly contributed to weakened viewer enthusiasm. And domestic DVD sales are drastically down compared to sales figures from just a few years ago. But there’s evidence that America’s anime fans are simply turning to alternate methods of watching anime. And there’s evidence that American fans are still watching a great amount and variety of anime.

The Crunchyroll website has attained great success by offering inexpensive commercial access to current Japanese animation. In partnership with Japanese licensors and distributors, FUNimation, along with other online distributors including Gong Anime, Joost, and Viz Media are aggressively instituting online anime distribution to curb traditional distribution costs and offer alternatives to tech savvy do-it-yourself fan distribution. These moves have become a vital necessity in response to the global economic slump which has made consumers less able to purchase anime, and short-sighted business practices from the domestic anime industry that prioritized immediate profits over creating financially sustainable distribution methods.

Especially in recent years, April has become one of Japan’s biggest months for the debut of new anime titles. Out of the 38 new anime TV series that have so far premiered in Japan this month, all of them save Otenba Lulu have reached the American otaku community – either through officially sanctioned distribution or “do-it-yourself” fan distribution. In fact, I don’t recall any previous Japanese television anime premiere season that has been so thoroughly covered by the American fan community. This statistic suggests that the American fan community may be turning more heavily toward online distribution to compensate for diminishing options available on DVD and TV broadcast. This statistic may also reflect the American fan community – or at least some minority of it – actually expanding its interest to a wider variety of contemporary anime styles and genres. While in the past new Japanese family and childrens’ anime have frequently been ignored or overlooked, this season even shows like Mari & Gali, Metal Fight Beyblade, Jewelpet, and Sugar Bunnies Fleur have breached the American fan distribution network. Granted, it’s not commendable that so much anime is getting distributed in America illegally. But American viewers exhibiting interest in these types of shows may reflect an expansion of interest and demand for Japanese animation in America.

Unfortunately, there’s never been a way to determine exactly how many Americans watch anime regularly. Quantifiable statistics like DVD sales data confirms that American consumers are buying far fewer anime DVDs and spending much less on the anime which they do purchase. But revenue from traditional methods of anime distribution may be inverse to American demand for anime. I do think that there’s still significant interest in anime among American viewers. The interest in anime among casual, mainstream American viewers may have declined somewhat due to a decrease in the mainstream visibility of anime in America, but interest from America’s hardcore otaku community seems to be as strong, if not stronger now than it’s ever been before. Domestic distributors are just recently beginning to tailor their business methodology around that evolving demand, which is why consumers are seeing more online distribution and more DVD releases as multi-disc sets in place of single discs. I don’t believe that anime is in danger of entirely disappearing from American circulation. What may change, however, is the way American anime fans access and collect anime.