Ask John: Why Isn’t Chibi Maruko-chan in America?

Question:
Why is Chibi Maruko Chan not released in the US?

Answer:

I don’t know the exact circumstances affecting the Chibi Maruko-chan anime series, but I think I can reasonably hypothesize. My best guess is that there are three major intertwined reasons why the Chibi Maruko-chan anime has never been officially released in America and why, in fact, it’s nearly unheard of in America despite being a popular staple franchise in Japan. The style and content of the show simply don’t appeal to most American viewers. The show is very long, which makes it difficult and expensive to release domestically. And I’ve never heard of its Japanese broadcaster and licensor trying to get it distributed in America.

Chibi Maruko-chan (Little Maruko) is a lighthearted slice of life show about nine-year-old Momoko “Maruko” Sakura and her daily life in suburban mid-seventies Japan. It’s based on Momoko Sakura’s award winning shoujo manga, which was the fifth best selling shoujo manga series ever published in Japan, as of 2006. The argument may be made that the similar Crayon Shin-chan anime has reached America, meaning that Japanese domestic comedy anime can succeed in America. But Crayon Shin-chan is a slapstick and occasionally mildly crude comedy while Chibi Maruko-chan has a much more mild mannered tone. If Crayon Shin-chan can be called Japan’s answer to The Simpsons, Chibi Maruko-chan has no animated American equivalent. American anime fans generally gravitate toward anime that are either highly stylistic and kinetic (read: “cool”) or anime that seem dramatic and artistic. Japanese domestic comedies, however, have never been particularly appreciated in America. Besides Chibi Maruko-chan, very successful and long running series including Sazae-san, Jarinko Chie, Azuki-chan, Nono-chan, Atashin’chi, and the recently premiered Gokyodai Monogatari remain practically unheard of in America. Even America’s hardcore otaku generally overlook these types of shows. The Chibi Maruko-chan and Jarinko Chie movies have gotten poorly circulated American fansubs. A small handful of Sazae-san and Atashin’chi episodes have English language fan translations. Episodes of Gokyodai Monogatari have reached the American otaku community, but none have been fan translated. Azuki-chan and Nono-chan have never circulated in America’s hardcore fan community at all, as far as I’m aware. Evidently, there’s just no significant interest in shows like Chibi Maruko-chan from American viewers.

The first Chibi Maruko-chan anime premiered on January 7, 1990 and aired 142 episodes. Few American fans are aware that a second series premiered on January 8, 1995 and is still airing weekly episodes now. As of this week, the current series has aired 741 episodes. Licensing and distributing lengthy anime series is a daunting task for American distributors. Licensing fees have decreased in recent years, but licensors still get what they pay for. So a greater number of episodes incur a greater licensing cost. While not more “Japanese” than any other typical domestic comedy, Chibi Maruko-chan is still a show that practically can’t air on American television because its childlike visual design is likely to deter American viewers, and its narrative restraint make it difficult to promote or localize as anything beside the slice of life show that it is. Even if the series was packaged in bargain priced multi-disc sets for the American market, it’s not a title likely to sell well because American viewers and consumers just aren’t interested in it.

Japanese licensors sometimes solicit particular anime titles to potential American buyers. Typically, Japanese licensors try to interest American licensors in the shows which are hot in Japan at the time, or shows which the Japanese licensor can profit from should the show get increased international exposure. I honestly don’t know whether the Fuji TV network or the Nippon Animation production studio recognize that the show has little American market potential or whether one or both companies consider it a Japanese institution that they’d like to keep close to home. Considering that the Chibi Maruko-chan anime has been licensed for broadcast throughout Asia and India, hesitation to negotiate international distribution rights doesn’t seem to be a factor. Despite being one of Japan’s most enduring and popular franchises, with best selling manga, two live action TV series adaptations, and a long running anime TV series, Chibi Maruko-chan seems destined to be one of countless anime series that will never formally reach America.