Is anime really mainstream in Japan?

MajinSaga said:
P

Stupid statement. Have you ever met anyone from Central America? They are far far more ignorant and less aware of other cultures than your average American. Do you think that someone from Spain can tell you all about China and vice versa? By your statement, everyone but America is culturally rich and intelligent. That is why so many countries in the Middle East must get along. Why there are no genocides and wars in Africa based on ignorance on ethnicities and religion. Nope, only Amarica, the country that is most diverse btw, doesn't know that anything exists outside the country.

MajinSaga said:
This is how much Japan just LOVES weeaboos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2FGgYp6mdk

AstronomyDomine said:


This video is disgusting. Firstly for the guy who got to a level that is really hard to come back, but the biggest problem is how he is treated by those Japanese. Awkwardness aside, that guy, at least, is trying to fit in their country respectfully and he's not doing harm to anybody. He deserved a little respect to say the least.

RichardSherman said:


He's using a sensationalist example. While it might indeed be true, the over-exaggeration is nonsensical and blind.

baki502 said:
Its probably like porn here. Why does it make sense that admitting you read 50 shades of grey is totally normal and nothin wrong to do, but admitting you watch porn daily and everyone gives you weird looks. People will be hypocrites no matter which nationality. Apparently if its in book form its always better or more accepted. Makes you more intelligent. Its probably more accepted in japan to admitt you read shota manga than to admit you watch shows like Kill la Kill.

AstronomyDomine said:


Yeah, i know. But it doesn't spare those featured in the video from being assholes

baki502 said:


When I finish my programming education, I wish I could work on a say game in japan, and then pretend to e a total looser otaku have them come over to my place, show them my collection and shit. Then when they ask me if I had a girlfriend I would say no and while they are mocking me that they believed I was a ladies man, have 3 girl come out of my bedroom half nacked. Thend Id stand up put on sunglasses, say "excuse me gentleman, I have an appointment!". And Id get into my ferrari and drive off with the 3 girls.

It would probably cost me around 1000$ for the rental car and to pay the hoes, but it would be totally worth it. Cause I doubt I could convince 3 girl to play along with me like that, maybe one but certainly not 3.

MajinSaga said:

I've always this logic too.

Reading a book written by sarah palin or oprah is apparently far more intelligent than watching an animated film by Satoshi Kon or Walt Disney.

MajinSaga said:
This is how much Japan just LOVES weeaboos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2FGgYp6mdk

gamer2710 said:
Not the kind all of you watch.

Plusme said:


It's ironic that all those late-night anime are what's popular here in MAL or "the internet". :P

MajinSaga said:
This is how much Japan just LOVES weeaboos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2FGgYp6mdk

WeirdHeather said:


That video made my day. Assuming that it wasn't completely staged (which is certainly a possibility), one can learn lessons from it. It was funny, but also painful to watch. I have to admit that I felt bad for that poor guy, but he did set himself up through his ignorance, so I can't have too much sympathy. Anyone who is capable of doing three minutes worth of research on the web should be able to learn that the otaku subculture is not well liked in Japan, and that the word "otaku" has strong negative connotations. This should be clear even from watching some anime series. In "Lucky Star," Konata is an otaku. Although she has friends, she certainly isn't considered normal. (Of course, that is a large part of her charm.) In "Yuru Yuri," there is a scene in which Kyouko tries to buy tickets to an anime movie at the wrong counter, and she is told that the anime tickets are sold elsewhere. I forget her exact words, but she says, approximately, "it's like I just announced that I'm an otaku."

In any society, obsessive fan subcultures are seen by outsiders as weird, funny, creepy, or even threatening. Compare how obsessive Star Trek fans are seen in the United States. I'm sure most people consider them harmless, but they are not exactly looked upon favorably either. People who are into these subcultures should feel free to enjoy them, but should also use a little common sense and tone things down when outside of environments, such as conventions, where obsessive fan behavior is expected.

If I get a chance to visit Japan, I won't run around wearing an anime tee shirt, a maid's outfit, cat ears, a school uniform, or anything like that. I won't go there merely to check out the anime/manga scene, and that won't necessarily even be a high priority. Japan is so much more than anime and manga. Japan has great food, great booze, and a long tradition of art, literature, and music. I would love the opportunity to check out all of these things.

Chibi-Alice said:
The Studio Ghibli movies are very popular though.

Sung-Hwan said:

people don't like to call ghibli movies as "anime" as much as "japanese animated picture" (as batshit stupid as this sounds).

Cupquake said:


People in Japan call ghibli movies japanese animated picture? That seems really stupid

Sung-Hwan said:

dunno about Japan, but in the West, it's pretty rare for critics to call those films "anime" (as anime is hated over here by those people).

Cupquake said:


I thought we were talking about Japan

baki502 said:

You must be american then. Only america has grown ups that are that unaware of other countries culture.

Seriously you claim to love japan and japanese things and didnt know otakus are despised in japan?

Answerman said:
First, let me dispel right now with the notion that animation is universally respected or considered a mature artform in Japan. It's not. Anime is a subculture -- it is not mainstream. The sort of anime that gets released nowadays can be fairly neatly be broken up into three broad marketing sub-groups: first, you have the super-mainstream stuff. There isn't a lot of this, and it's nearly all aimed at family audiences, much like a Pixar movie. In this pile you have Mamoru Hosoda movies and other family audience stuff like Giovanni's Island and TV shows like Sazae-san and Detective Conan. Studio Ghibli films were the most prominent anime under this umbrella. While there's some great filmmaking going on in this category, it's aimed squarely at a family audience.

In the second category, you have the stuff that's REALLY aimed at kids. There's stuff for boys and stuff for girls. There's Doraemon and One Piece and Naruto, there's also Aikatsu! and Pokémon and Yōkai Watch. While a handful of otaku watch these shows, they're broadcast basically to sell merchandise to kids. The producers are not aiming for an adult audience, and with the exception of hardcore anime fans, adults mostly ignore them -- although a handful of them do cross over a bit.

When those two categories of shows air on TV, it's aired at sane hours of the day, generally early evenings, when the kids are home from school and everybody's awake. To the vast majority of Japanese people, these two categories are all they think of when the topic of "animation" comes up. They are all aimed at kids or at family audiences. Most parents of anime and manga-addicted kids hope they outgrow it. Adults might read some adult-oriented manga on the train, but that's the extent of their involvement with the world of anime and manga.

And then you have the other stuff. The stuff made for hardcore fans, the vast majority of shows that we spend all our time here on ANN covering. These TV shows air in the wee hours of the morning. TV stations air them because the anime producers pay them to, like they're infomercials. They are aimed at a very small audience. These fans buy merchandise, soundtracks, expensive DVDs and Blu-rays. They follow voice actors, they attend events. It's estimated that there are only a few hundred thousand of these fans in Japan. These shows are absolutely not mainstream. In fact, if you ask a random Japanese person on the street about them, nearly all of them will have no idea what you're talking about.

Answerman said:
Japanese otaku do not generally enjoy their hobbies openly. Most of them quietly obsess over their favorite shows and characters and voice actors at home, and with their own subset of like-minded friends, either in small groups or online. Many otaku are harshly judged for being anime fans by peers and co-workers. There have been lots of tabloid TV news stories about otaku, and due to a handful of ugly incidents involving offenders that were into anime and eroge, many people think that the whole scene is something to be ashamed of.

Answerman said:
While you can find Naruto and Gundam and One Piece stuff everywhere in Japan, the vast majority of anime merchandise can only be found in places like Akihabara, or Maiden Road in Ikebukuro or Nakano Broadway or Den Den Town in Osaka. It is, by and large, a subculture, mostly tucked out of the way of public view. It is not mainstream. It is a subculture, and in that sense, it's very similar to how anime is in the United States.

zombie_pegasus said:
"Most anime air at midnight" may be true by title count, but by viewer count most anime viewers are watching anime airing during the day. "Anime are cartoons" makes sense in this context as "cartoons" are animated tv shows intended for either children or family audiences, which is what these shows are made for. Statistically 60% of Japanese people watch anime, but they aren't "otaku", most of them are just watching shows like Detective Conan and Sazae-san. If we narrow the definition of "anime" to "the kind of anime Westerners like to watch" then "anime" isn't that mainstream in Japan, but that would be a pretty silly definition to use.

ScarletSentry said:
Curious as to the answer to Lobinde's question. Also are acceptance levels and popularity levels (treated seperately if possible) rising or falling in Japan?

mdo7 said:
I know it's 2 year late. But ANN's Answerman has finally answered about anime not being mainstream in Japan according to this recent article, I'll quote:



I hope this help and probably can put an end to the question if anime is mainstream or not. The answer is: majority of them aren't even mainstream in Japan just like in the US. Judging from the Answerman article and how familiar these niche anime in Japan aren't well known. I would say and probably estimate 90% of the anime talked about amongst hardcore fans aren't even household name in Japan.

To continue what Answerman said about hardcore fan/otakus:



And here's the sadder truth about anime in Japan:



I hope whatever I posted citing Answerman from ANN finally may put an answer about anime being mainstream in Japan, and the answer is it is not.

keragamming said:

anime may not be mainstream, but manga certainly is. and yes snk is mainstream in Japan.

mdo7 said:


Well I never question manga being mainstream or not. Attack on Titan is one of the few hardcore anime title that is mainstream. I know Evangelion despite being an anime aimed at hardcore fans, but it's one of the few that is mainstream. But what about other hardcore anime title like Fullmetal Alchemist, Mobile Suit Gundam are they mainstream?

keragamming said:

I'm honestly not sure about fmab, but Gundam is definitely mainstream..... atleast the older ones.

mdo7 said:


So you're not sure about Fullmetal Alchemist. About Gundam, from what my cousin told me, the UC series are the most well-known/mainstream amongst non-otaku/non-Gundam fans.

But what I like to know is how many other hardcore anime titles that cross over ot made it to "mainstream/household name" status in Japan?

keragamming said:

I know that gundam seed is mainstream in Japan. hmm... probably, one piece, dbz, naruto, and those long running anime that we westerners don't give too shits about.

mdo7 said:


I'm not talking about those. They were always made for mainstream audiences. I mean niche title that have went from niche to mainstream/household name status. I mean is Cowboy Bebop mainstream in Japan like it was in the US? What about Ghost in the Shell? What about Sword Art Online, is that franchise even mainstream/household name in Japan? What about Idolmaster? Does everyone in Japan know what that is or is that a otaku thing?

keragamming said:

I think @bigivelfhq's would have the best answer for those question. I summon thee. Bebop is definitely not mainstream in Japan though.

AltoRoark said:
Manga is mainstream but anime is considered to be for kids? Where does this kind of idiocy come from? Do the Japs really need a lecture about the fact that anime is...I dunno... manga in animated form?

mdo7 said:


Whoa take it easy. Better remove the "jap" out of your sentence, that's a bit offensive to anyone who is of Japanese decent.

Anime is not for kid, they never said they're for kids. But they're kind of geeky and a bit not accepted amongst mainstream audiences (except for the one that are aimed at kids and family audiences). But anime aimed at older viewers, they're not treated the same like any other medium.

AltoRoark said:

There's an article posted by the first replier in this thread, saying that anime is considered to be for kids and adult anime fans are looked down upon. Besides that, it really begs me to wonder about the reason for such a differentiating stigma around the two. I mean, they're hardly different.

mdo7 said:


If you bother to look at the date, that was from 2014 almost 2 years ago!!! If you want to know how anime are treated in Japan and why it's not mainstream, didn't you bother reading my post on this thread (that post was the reason I revived this thread)

AltoRoark said:

Ah I see now. Thanks for the info, fam.