Ask John: Should Anime be More Considerate of Foreign Viewers?

Question:
Considering the burgeoning American fascination for Japanese animation and the very lucrative market that is driven by it; don’t you think that the creators of Japanese anime should at least make an effort to use a more global sensibility when crafting their art? After all, while many anime are contracted for and viewed on Japanese TV, many are direct-to-video and almost destined for the overseas marketplace. I would, for one, like to see more storylines where Americans are seen as less violent or corruptE where Japanese women are less hysteric and over-reactive and where the characters actually engage in more realistic (and not necessarily American) relationships with each other.

Answer:
To first explain my personal opinion, I believe that Japanese animation is more than just animation from Japan. I believe that Japanese animation is animation that’s influenced by, and constructed with, native & traditional Japanese cultural beliefs, attitudes, opinions, and concerns. What distinguishes Japanese animation isn’t its big character eyes or bright colors or highly detailed visual design. What makes Japanese animation different from any other type of animation is that it’s Japanese; it’s full of Japanese culture and philosophy. If and when Japanese animation is influenced by the desire of foreign viewers to include more or less violence or nudity or sex, have fewer hysteric female characters, or have a greater percentage of dark and bleak and cynical anime, the result is no longer the product of natural Japanese artistic evolution. Inspiration is unavoidable, and even welcome, but direct input from foreign demands and expectations turns Japanese created anime into simply animation made in Japan. I’m a fan of anime because I enjoy and appreciate the work of Japanese artists that reflects Japanese attitudes, social conventions and characteristics.

However, my tastes don’t seem to represent the preferences of the majority of American anime fans. The continued prominence of English dubbing, the increasing dissatisfaction with Japanese language only domestic anime DVDs, and the increasing frequency of anime tailored toward the international market all imply that the majority of American viewers are interested in Japanese animation as long as it’s not too Japanese. We’ve already seen American releases of Japanese produced animation that’s been constructed to conform to American tastes and demands, such as Big O 2, Kinnikuman Second Generation, and the 2004 Yu-Gi-Oh movie, but it’s arguable that these productions are conflicted, compromised or watered down anime that don’t have the same characteristics they would have had if they had been produced without American influence. Furthermore, the increasing prominence of American created comics drawn and constructed in emulation of Japanese manga is admirable and seemingly reflects a trend toward accepting the influences of a foreign culture; but referring to such American written, drawn and published comics as “manga” implies a stubborn refusal to acknowledge that Japanese comics are Japanese. In effect, when Japanese art is significantly influenced by American or foreign demands, the result is no longer genuine Japanese art. Instead, heavily American influenced Japanese comics & animation may look like Japanese art but not have the same characteristics that attracted Westerners to Japanese anime and manga in the first place.

Hayao Miyazaki stated publicly in 2004 that Studio Ghibli films are specifically made for Japanese viewers. Miyazaki expressed happiness that foreigners enjoyed his stuidio’s artwork, but his target audience would always be the neighbors in the Tokyo suburb that houses the Ghibli studio. Studio 4C also expressed a similar attitude in a 2004 Newtype USA Magazine article- that although it would be nice for animation to be simply respected as a pure storytelling medium, Japanese animation will always be Japanese. Japanese animators, like all artists, are influenced by international influences, but anime is a traditional Japanese art form, and I believe that many Japanese animators consider their work a native craft. There’s no debate that the cinematic art of animation was not invented in Japan, but the distinct characteristics of Japanese animation are uniquely Japanese. So while I’m sure that Japan’s animation industry wishes to broaden the exposure and recognition of its creativity, I doubt that most Japanese animators are prepared to extensively compromise their artistic and expressive vision in order to satisfy the expectations of foreign viewers.

Furthermore, anime is, after all, a commercial art, and the biggest market for Japanese animation remains Japanese. I doubt that the sponsors and producers of Japanese animation want anime so heavily reconstituted that it loses some of its appeal to Japanese viewers and consumers. Americans, and the American market may demand sequels to shows that ended years ago in Japan, and may request anime that’s more or less erotic or violent, but ultimately anime accounts for less than 2% of the variety of home video available in America. According to VideoScan reporting, 28% of the home video titles released in America in 2004 were comedies, nearly 18% were action/adventure titles, 14.5% of the American home video debuts in 2004 were drama. By comparison, only 1.4% of the new home video titles released in America last year were classified as anime. So, if we can presume that there’s a significantly larger demand for anime in Japan than there is in America, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to radically alter the style or content of anime to appease the smaller market.

Ultimately I have to suggest that viewers look within themselves. Are you interested in Japanese animation, or just “cool” animation regardless of the unity of its cultural and artistic identity? Are you interested in appreciating the ideas and attitudes and artwork of a foreign culture, or do you prefer something comfortable and familiar? I’m aware that the majority of American fans do seem to prefer the easy path: English dubbing so that it’s not necessary to hear foreign voices; edited anime that doesn’t seem so foreign or shocking; depictions of sexuality that adhere to our American moral standards and comfort level. But I think that when we request particular anime, or request that anime exhibit particular characteristics, we’re eliminating the characteristics that attracted us to anime in the first place. If anime becomes more like American animation, or makes more concessions to American expectations or demands it loses the characteristics that make it unique and interesting. I’m afraid that when we seek to change anime to more accurately reflect our tastes, at the same time we’re eliminating the sense of surprise and wonder and adventure that we experience from imported Japanese animation. I want the anime I watch to contain Japanese perspectives on relationships and personalities and even American society because I’m fascinated and entertained by these foreign perceptions. If I want to see animation that meets my expectations and is specifically constructed to address me, an American viewer, I can watch Disney or Warner Bros. animation. I enjoy anime specifically because it’s not what I expect, and doesn’t compromise to American expectations.

Ultimately, much of what I’ve stated here is my own, personal sentiment, which I present as a sounding board for readers to criticize and either agree or disagree with. I encourage English speaking readers to carefully consider exactly why they enjoy anime, and what characteristics of anime they actually respect. After doing that, individuals should be able to make an enlightened choice to seek more or less anime and manga containing concessions for the international audience.