Sankaku Complex Forums » Japan

1. 

   Michio
   

   I'm wondering what the forces are behind the success of anime, and the larger scope of modern Japanese pop culture.

   A particular interest in Japanese culture isn't a new thing. I remember reading in some book "The Japanese Have a Word For It" that late 19th century French impressionist artwork was partially inspired by woodblock prints. It was briefly fashionable among the rich to collect Japanese artwork (the original otakus/weaboos?!), and originally that was introduced in the form of wrapping paper (for gifts etc). Also it should be noted that Japan was mostly closed off until mid-19th century, so people were quick to adopt an interest.

   I never really noticed any pattern among people interested in Japan other than internet usage. The few people I've known of that showed interest were basically just anyone that wasn't too ethnocentric and willing to try out new things.

   As I understand it, manga artists didn't really have an audience outside of Japan until the internet allowed an international audience. It would be interesting to see some statistics on the entertainment industry in Japan throughout the years and seeing what happened around the mid-90s.

   Anyway, so why do you guys think J-pop culture has been successful? I know the title says "What makes anime so appealing?", because it seems like that's usually what people are first exposed to.

   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
2. 

   Geerie
   

   for the most part i started with anything was heavily space oriented as a little kid. i was all for star wars and star trek. but i saw voltron as a kid and loved it, then power rangers came along. when i found out they were originally japanese i looked for more. i ended up watching gundam and anything else that was giant robots. a lot of friends were into pokemon and stuff so that could also be what started their decent. but it didnt hold the same appeal for me. i liked digimon they had bigger monsters so i guess thats what i liked about it. but adult swim help push it along too cowboy bebop did kick ass but i was far more into evangelion. in fact almost all my otaku collectables are gundam models. i cant tell why i like it so much. my library of movies and shows has increased but i stick with the space and giant robots for the most part. looking now it seems mostly towards military scifi because my american stuff too.

   tl;dr: IF IT CAN SMASH A BUILDING ITS OK BY ME.

   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
3. 

   CC
   

   Cause those crazy japanese always take things on step further.
   They do things that noone here would think off, too scared of the general public opinion, Oh noes I might get stared at. Just love how they can be so damn 'unique' and get away with it.
   Starts with watching Evangelion and before you know it you end up as a daily visitor of Sankakucomplex :)

   But to sum up what makes anime appealing..

   
   (If anyone wants to make a wallpaper out of that for me let me know.. as it most likely would be 20 times better then when I attempt to do it..)

   Attachments

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   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
4. 

   MV
   

   Lolis.

   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
5. 

   Geerie
   

   MV said:
   Lolis.

   just wow, just wow. i never thought id laugh so hard. simplest answers i guess.

   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
6. 

   basilio
   

   Idk. To me, anime is like the icing on the cake. It adds sweetness to life. It is the colour palette of life, of which life gets its colours from. Reality is so plain. You can't have magick or like superpowers, or even the fun the anime characters experience in their high schools (haha don't judge me; high school for me was quite boring... and yes, I did have friends. It's just that you don't get the kinda crazy antics that the anime characters have. All we have is drama and that sucks big time). By watching anime, it is like experiencing what is not normally experienced in this tasteless existence we call reality.

   Of course, the same can be said for TV shows and what-not, but then it is different in the sense that said TV shows are mostly set in the Western setting. Not to be racist or discriminative or anything, but I prefer the Asian kind of setting. Maybe I'm just too traditional in terms of being an Asian, but that's just the way it is. As for why anime, it's because anime is the one where crazy and really fake computer graphics and effects is not required. It is already not real to start with. Because of this, anime plots can be pushed to levels where TV shows with real actors cannot reach.

   Also, anime characters are closer to "perfection" than real-life people in terms of appearance. Looking at the ratio between pretty anime girls and ugly anime girls compared to the ratio between pretty real-life girls and ugly real-life girls, you will see a big difference. Anime characters are also possible to achieve the state of "perfection" real people cannot. You can have a very pretty character who is very smart (a combination that is kinda a rarity in real life) and also talented in like everything she does. That's just improbable (at least a very small possibility) in real life.

   Of course, there are other elements which makes animes superior than real-life TV shows. You can actually draw lolis, make them behave like lolis, yet make them 18 so they are legal. Bet you can't do that in real-life.

   All in all, anime is a much superior type of entertainment than anything the Western world can come up with, especially due to contributing factors such as quality seiyuus (as opposed to the voice actor junk we get for dubs), more liberal sense of depictions (they aren't as restricted in terms of discrimination and such... and no censoring... stupid 4kids), and of course, the crazy Japanese script writers. They have the wackiest and wildest ideas ever.

   And that is why I think anime is so much more appealing in comparison to other types of entertainment.

   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
7. 

   Michio
   

   Cool response. Another thing I've been thinking about a lot is the dissolution of American culture (I live in America).

   Culture was created by humans to satisfy human needs:
   - basic needs (food, water, sex)
   - emotional needs
   - family needs
   - higher spiritual/philosophical needs

   What I'm interested in is how economic systems affect the culture they reside in. In this case, I think America places too much emphasis on satisfying the basic needs/material needs of its people. Combine this with the fast-paced evolution of the identity of "American" (we are a conglomeration of many cultural groups from immigration), and you have a bunch of citizens that are starting to lose their identity and feel out of touch. We are constantly attempting to satisfy all our needs in some way.

   Naturally, humans want to belong, and if they feel out of place, they'll start looking elsewhere to conform and assimilate.

   This may have in the last few decades spawned an interest in eastern culture, just because it's different, and often Westerners seem reverent toward eastern peoples.

   I thought this was relevant (even though this sounds like I'm over-analyzing), because it may just be another factor that could spawn an interest in the huge Japanese entertainment industry, and anime is such a convenient medium since it has something for everyone. And it's just... different.

   Of course this says nothing about the success that anime has had in tons of other countries, so we may need to call up some statistics about Japanese pop culture consumption in different countries to compare.

   -----

   By the way, when I was young, I used to love Sailor Moon... I think that spawned my eventual interest in high school anime/ magical lolis. As I got a bit older, I felt "wrong" by liking stuff such as Sailor Moon (I'm male), so I just denied myself until I discovered people like sankakucomplex users on the internet. heh

   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
8. 

   Michio
   

   MV said:
   Lolis.

   Now that's a sentiment I can understand.

   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
9. 

   Geerie
   

   Michio said:

   By the way, when I was young, I used to love Sailor Moon... I think that spawned my eventual interest in high school anime/ magical lolis. As I got a bit older, I felt "wrong" by liking stuff such as Sailor Moon (I'm male), so I just denied myself until I discovered people like sankakucomplex users on the internet. heh

   sailor moon was pretty kick ass i watched it all time before gundam wing. the high school shows are pretty good. although the only one i fell head over heels for was cromartie high.

   Posted 7 years ago # Quote
10. 

    Ichiro Ino
    

    cute loli...

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
11. 

    Geerie
    

    ichiro_ino said:
    cute loli...

    ugly chicks need loving too. i think the same applies to lolis, it should also apply that they have to pay for their loving, like fat and ugly chicks.

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
12. 

    serene_zone
    

    well i honestly dont know why i got into the whole anime/j pop culture, i guess i like how goofy and lively shit can be. its soo strange to me when compared to american television, which is really great because i hate american tv. also japanese is far more easy on the ears than english imo, sub ftw!

    its pretty crazy tho, i just started watching anime regularly like this time last year (i dont count watching dbz, sailor moon and pokemon as a kid) and now im hooked. seriously, last time i spent the night at my father's place and i was feeling withdrawal because they dont have internet. luckily tho i had 2 episodes of kamisama kazoku and a shit load of j pop and anime songs on my shitty little n81 to keep me from going insane.

    shits related, its fuckin awesome

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
13. 

    Geerie
    

    serene_zone said:

    i dont count watching dbz, sailor moon and pokemon as a kid

    i wouldnt count it if it wasnt relevant since the whole giant monsters fighting giant robots and buildings being destroyed was a big thing in my childhood i even have godzilla movies. its just so awesome i watched megas xlr too even though most people say it sucked.

    (also i couldnt help but read that in yukis voice right down to the "shits related, its fucking awesome")

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
14. 

    serene_zone
    

    lol yea. the reason i dont consider watching as a kid relevant is because after i lost interest in dbz and pokemon was fading out i started to dislike anime i dont really know why.

    its kinda funny through high school i hated japan and their bullshit. i rember one of my buddies would always ask me if i wanted to go to the anime club with him. and i would respond with something like 'hell no dude, that shit is for fags'.

    lol maybe i will grow to hate anime again and later will once again start like it. or maybe im just thinking too much, just smoked a bowl lol

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
15. 

    MV
    

    The point about the heterogeneity of American culture is an interesting one. I'm not American, but much of my childhood consisted of a wholesale consumption of American entertainment. Wouldn't you say that because American culture is so varied, it has a better chance of resonating with more people? I see your point however of a more stable culture like Japan's being less intimidating because of its internal consistency.

    I also wonder if the relative liberalism of Japan's culture would also be a factor, as has been broached. Maybe they can explore more themes in their stories without fear of repercussion. I wonder if something like Eva would ever be made in America with its heavy religious references, or something like Kodomo no Jikan… Of course Eva was localized, so perhaps that's moot.

    I think that America has the resources and talent to make excellent animation, but these are mostly squandered. I disagree about seiyuu and American voice actors. Any American-produced animation will have excellent voice work. America's myopia regarding the potential depth of animation limits its progress way too much. There are quite a few American shows that I've enjoyed over the years—Megas XLR, anything by Genndy Tartakovsky, Avatar: The Last Airbender, etc.—but there are so few good shows that are truly captivating. American cartoons seem to focus on humour (Looney Tunes legacy?) whereas other cultures seem less afraid to experiment. The result is a bunch of narratives that hardly engage your desire for contemplation. I love comedy as much as anyone else, but I need something more, and America doesn't deliver when it comes to animation.

    I'll never get tired of lolis though. God bless Japan.

    Note: I refreshed the page after typing this up and before submitting, and now see that Geerie mentioned Megas XLR as well. Shit was awesome, don't let anybody tell you any different.

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
16. 

    kyonichi
    

    I think there's really two reasons...

    The first only applies if you're talking specifically about anime/manga. If you look at the way animation is a medium rather than a genre in Japan, it becomes a little more clear. You can do a lot of things with animation that you cannot do with LA without it just being cheezy. Tentacles, magic, hot crossdressers; a lot of stuff is just a lot easier to pull off believably in the animation medium.

    The second is the long standing historical tradition of taking outside ideas or values, refining them, and in many cases convincing the originators to take the idea back. From written language all the way to electronics, Japan has a long and rich history of taking basic ideas from others and making the specific product of the ideas better. Look at J-rock... take American rock from ten to fifteen years ago, progress it ten to fifteen years in a positive direction (rather than the shithole we've made of popular music), and it's ready to sell back to us as a superior product. This has happened over and over throughout the years, but I'm drunk, so I'll leave it simple rather than fuck up a bunch of examples and undermine what I'm trying to say.

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
17. 

    MV
    

    kyonichi said:

    The second is the long standing historical tradition of taking outside ideas or values, refining them, and in many cases convincing the originators to take the idea back. From written language all the way to electronics, Japan has a long and rich history of taking basic ideas from others and making the specific product of the ideas better. Look at J-rock... take American rock from ten to fifteen years ago, progress it ten to fifteen years in a positive direction (rather than the shithole we've made of popular music), and it's ready to sell back to us as a superior product. This has happened over and over throughout the years, but I'm drunk, so I'll leave it simple rather than fuck up a bunch of examples and undermine what I'm trying to say.

    Consumer electronics, cars, video games, food (instant noodles)…

    Young Doc: No wonder this circuit failed. It says "Made in Japan".
    Marty McFly: What do you mean, Doc? All the best stuff is made in Japan.
    Young Doc: Unbelievable.

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
18. 

    Geerie
    

    i have to agree with you on Tartakovsky i loved samurai jack and when you brought him up another name came to mind phil lamarr awesome voice actor. hes jacks voice, vamps voice in mgs4v hermes in futurama he has to be one of the best voice actors ive ever heard. i didnt even know his ethnicity until i looked him up. i do have to agree we this view that anything animated is considered a childs show.

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
19. 

    MV
    

    Oh wow, I didn't realize he was Jack's voice too. I'm a Hermes fan myself, but I'm Jamaican so I might be a little biased.

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote
20. 

    dingo
    

    Michio said:
    What I'm interested in is how economic systems affect the culture they reside in. In this case, I think America places too much emphasis on satisfying the basic needs/material needs of its people. Combine this with the fast-paced evolution of the identity of "American" (we are a conglomeration of many cultural groups from immigration), and you have a bunch of citizens that are starting to lose their identity and feel out of touch. We are constantly attempting to satisfy all our needs in some way.

    Naturally, humans want to belong, and if they feel out of place, they'll start looking elsewhere to conform and assimilate.

    Hmm, I think this is how I feel. Maybe I find anime appealing because it's not American. Perhaps it's mainstream media firing back on itself. Music? I take a look at MTV's top 20 singles and many of them give me a sour taste because I don't want to be a part of that culture that music represents. TV? I don't watch anything anymore except Battlestar. Print? This may be the only thing that doesn't apply, maybe because print can't be 'broadcast' the same way as the other two.

    Posted 7 years ago # Quote

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