Ask John: What Can Fans Look Forward to This Year?

Question:
What do we have to look forward to next year?

Answer:
Working with the limited information known about the new year, it’s difficult to make very many assertive statements because there’s not enough concrete information to base predictions upon. However, some trends already seem evident. The most prominent apparent trend in Japan seems to be that early 2009 anime appears to be very similar to the output of mid 2008. That may be encouraging for American anime fans with a taste for variety, but fans with a preference for the darker, more serious, seinen oriented anime that were more prevalent during the beginning and end of 2008 may have little to look forward to in early 2009. The American anime industry appears to be increasingly moving away from packaged media toward digital distribution. With Japanese distributors increasingly working in tandem with progressive American distributors and the American economy no predicted to begin an upswing until fall 2009, we may see even more shrinkage of America’s traditional anime distribution industry.

Japan’s first quarter 2008 launched with 23 new anime series. 29 new anime titles are scheduled to debut this month and next month. 2008 saw a slight decrease in the total number of anime productions from 2007. With so many new titles premiering this month, we may see 2009 again meet or even exceed the record number of anime released in 2007. However, while January 2008 brought us grim series including Hakaba Kitaro, Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-, Persona -trinity soul-, and Shigofumi ~Stories of Last Letter~, the only similar especially dark titles scheduled to premier this month are Kurokami and the Afro Samurai and Shikabane Hime sequels. Viewers looking for action, however, may find some satisfaction in Koukakou no Legios, Viper’s Creed, and the second Tetsuwan Birdy series.

Presuming it sustains the quality of its preceding series, this month’s second Natsume Yujin Cho television series should be one of the month’s and possibly even this year’s highlights. The full CG Butazuka, along with Mamegoma, Gingerman, and Sakuran Boy DT are the type of unconventional anime that may interest American viewers who are intrigued by unique anime productions, but these shows will probably go completely unnoticed by the vast majority of American anime viewers that prefer more typical anime productions. (I’m not suggesting that a preference for conventional anime is bad. I’m just making an observation.) With Zoku Natsume Yujin Cho, Kurokami, Afro Samurai Resurrection, Shikabane Hime, the second Tower of Druaga series, and Slayers Evolution-R already licensed for American release, and preview episodes of Kurokami, Akikan, Mariaholic, and Gingerman already released, America’s anime fans probably won’t need to worry too much about sampling early 2009’s new Japanese titles.

A massive 43 new anime series made their debut during Japan’s second quarter. So far, only 16 new TV series have been confirmed for premiere during late March to early May. But there are a number of high profile titles among those 16, perhaps none more so than the second Fullmetal Alchemist television series. Creator Shoji Kawamori’s contemporary projects have been uneven, but consistently fascinating, so Basquash should be a mid year title to anticipate. Little is known the Higashi no Eden ~Eden of the East~ project, but the involvement of about director Kenji Kamiyama and character designer Umino Chika definitely make this already a highly anticipated title. Similarly, the last time Gonzo and character designer Range Murata worked together, the result was the excellent Last Exile. We’ll see what the coupling creates this time around in Shangri-la.

The domestic outlook for America is ironically contrary. American anime viewers should expect to see increasingly rapid and inexpensive access to Japan’s latest anime. while the Japanese distribution industry has been conscious of American demand for anime for years, the Japanese industry is only now beginning to seriously directly satiate that demand with simultaneous free and low cost international distribution. However, while American viewers will enjoy more legitimate access to brand new anime this year, that access may come at the cost of DVD and Blu-ray releases and outlets to obtain anime collectibles. With anime distribution going digital, fewer domestic companies are releasing anime on physical media. Traditionally free access to video generates a consumer demand for archival home video and associated merchandise. But with the amount of anime available online and diminishing American disposable income, I’m afraid we may see American viewers watching more anime online for free and saving the discretionary funds they have available. That’s great news for American anime viewers, but a nervous possibility for many of the people that work in America’s anime industry and America’s anime collectors.

In summation, 2009 is already promising to match or surpass Japan’s 2008 year of anime in diversity and quantity, if not also quality. America’s anime industry is likely to contract a little bit more this year, but rather than collapse, the American industry appears to be in the midst of its biggest evolutionary change since the early 1990s.

January/February Japanese Premieres
Afro Samurai Resurrection
Akikan
Asu no Yoichi!
Butazuka
Druaga no Tou ~the Sword of Uruk~
Fresh Precure
Gupu! Mamegoma!
Hajime no Ippo New Challenger
Hetalia Axis Powers
Kemono no Soja Erin
Kiniro no Corda ~second passo~ TV special
Kotonagare Hero Gingerman
Koukakou no Legios
Kurokami
Major fifth season
Maria-sama ga Miteru fourth season
Mariaholic
Minami-ke Okaeri
Monogatari Sennenki Genji
Ride Back
Sakuran Boy DT
Shikabane Hime Kuro
Slayers Evolution-R
Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo
Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai
Tetsuwan Birdy Decode:02
White Album
Viper’s Creed
Zoku Natsume Yujin Cho

April/May Japanese Premieres
07-GHOST
Basquash
Beyblade new series
Fight Ippatsu! Jyuden-chan
Guin Saga
Hagane no Renkinjutsushi second series
Hanasakeru Seishonen
Higashi no Eden
Konnichiwa Anne
Mainichi Kaasan
Queen’s Blade
Sengoku Basara
Shangri-la
Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica Crimson S
Tayutama -Kiss on my Deity-
Tears to Tiarra