Forum - View topicYour feelings about anime being "niche"...
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unfurling
 Posts: 60 |
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I remember when I was first getting into anime... I was working at Gamestop, and we got the X series box with volume 1 in... I was intrigued by the art and bought it... haven't looked back since.
 I can't name 10 people I know that even know what anime is, but that doesn't affect my love for it in the least. I just have to love it all the more for everyone that's ignorant of it!
When I first started collecting, I bought everything that anyone would recommend to me, but in bootleg form because it was all I could afford. As my collection has grown, I have replaced all my bootlegs with the authentic thing, because I learned how much bootlegs hurt the industry, and I want it to prosper. I now own about 60 authentic series and only 1 bootleg (Rurouni Kenshin). So I agree that anime is a niche, but I'm ok with it.
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zanarkand princess
 Posts: 1484 |
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I have to say after thinking about it for a while I have to say evangelion is my favorite anime (I usually don't do the whole "I have a series I love now so that's my favorite but in three months it will change" thing.) I find that FMA while it appeals to a lot of people(myself included) does happen to turn some people off with the whole alchemy thing they mistake it for magic and deem it kiddish before ending the first episode. That's why I used evangelion as an example while is does get pretty complicated in the middle it certainly has that whole post-apocalyptic thing that lots of american audiences love. |
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doctordoom85
 Posts: 2093 |
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But like I said, the series pretty much kills that sort of thinking with the opening scene, and then goes on to discuss a lot of the science involved. But then again, like you said people who judge anime without seeing it might do the same with alchemy even if it's presented in a mature fashion. Edit: As for my favorites, it's (in order) Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist, Evangelion, FLCL, and Samurai Champloo. This list hasn't changed in quite a while, but Gurren Lagann is doing some impressive fighting for the #5 spot, especially since I've only seen episodes 1-4, loved them and realized that people have said "it gets far better later on", so I should be in for quite a treat. |
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Kabuto Tokugawa
 Posts: 63 |
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Since you asked.... My feelings about anime being "niche" is that it is a quality product, loved by intelligent, caring people who have vivid imaginations and in many cases a profound respect for artistic talent and ability. There are exceptions to be sure, there always are, but the vast majority of the Otaku I've encountered over the years have seemed like upright and outstanding people in one or more ways. Back in the "day" or more precisely the 1970s and 80s, we were like a brotherhood or a secret society; meeting in basements, and libraries, watching our anime in raw japanese and scarfing up every scrap that hit the North American shores. Japanamation, as it was called back then, was sheik and vogue for us, still is for me and I hope it is for all of you. If anime were a widely liked and respected form of entertainment I fear it would end up like Star Trek or Star Wars, over marketed, over hyped, over played, and over written to the point where its quality would be greatly diminished and its luster would be lost. That it is niche I think is what keeps it high quality, so in short, I feel great that my hobby is "niche."
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The Overlord
Posts: 88 |
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That's not really mainstream though, mainstream is being on prime time NBC and out performing House, that's mainstream. Anime doesn't have that kind of clout. The fact you could show pictures of Goku to people in middle America and they wouldn't know who he is. |
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Mr. sickVisionz
 Posts: 2173 |
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Hmmm... I don't really consider it to be niche. I used to think that but I come across so many types of people who like anime. Some of them are the typical type of person that everyone thinks of when you say "otaku", but the majority of them are just regular people or fit stereotypes that you wouldn't associate as an anime fan.
I think for my gen, DBZ was the best thing that could have happened. Right as American cartoons got rid of violence and started to rely solely on humor, you had this anime get broadcast that was nothing but fights. Fights for like 60+ episodes back to back. I think that captured alot of people right as they were about to be done with cartoons (like 13-15 years old) and bought them back in. Everyone that I know isn't a hardcore fan, but they all know what it as and can list you multiple titles and probably watched at least Pokemon, Digimon or Dragonball Z. |
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labomb
Posts: 8 |
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I dunno, it can be such a matter of semantics; to some extent, anything can be considered as appealing to a niche demographic. Even the above-mentioned "mainstream" programs on the networks don't appeal to everyone.
I can remember growing up, trying to expose fellow-classmates, friends, whatever.. to anime.. with very lackluster results. Until I was about 15, I only knew about 3 other people who were actively "in to" anime, beyond enjoying it as a passing fad. I can also remember going to Suncoast Video to hunt for anime and having like two small shelves to dig through. Since then, the anime-watching community has grown exponentially; an undeniable fact because there is so much of it on television now. People are only growing more accustomed and tolerant of the stereotypical anime. We've also been seeing plenty of fusion of the distinct eastern / western styles of animation. Batman: The Animated Series and its modern-day successors (the Justice League, etc) are a good example of this blending in styles. Generations pass on their interests. Think about how a lot of our parents (grandparents, etc) perceive an anime. To many of them, it's just another example that they're not hip anymore, because lots of folks in and beyond their generation just can't get in to it. Most of us on the other hand, will probably expose our own kids to anime, simply because we'll be watching it for the rest of our lives. The way I picked up a liking for Star Trek from my parents, I expect any kids I ever raise will pick up some liking for anime. I'll agree that anime is still in a bit of a niche status, but in another 100 years, the style could be so integrated and homogenized with everything else, that the demographics will become blurred.. or maybe it'll be more nightmarish than we can imagine and the likes of anime will somehow slip in to our everyday reality.. Our fighter jets will transform more and more, until we're living in frickin Macross City.. Asimo will be equipped with a rail gun. It'll be chaos I tell you.. CHAOS! 
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Fear Ghoul
 Posts: 65 |
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I'm not bothered about being involved in a niche interest. I'm quite into Games Workshop stuff, so I grew up being involved in a niche hobby. And even for an anime fan, my anime tastes could be considered niche. So no, it doesn't bother me, and it really shouldn't bother anyone else either. It would be great if anime were mainstream and more people could become interested, but that can only happen over time (and if they stop showing all the worst anime on mainstream TV).
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mdo7
 Posts: 6253 Location: Katy, Texas, USA |
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Only people older then 30 years old wouldn't know who goku is. But People who watch Dragonball Z when they were young would know for sure who he is. Anime is mainstream a lot of time. You see a lot of anime/manga related merchandise in store even video store like FYE and Suncoast Video. I even seen kids younger then 10 and 5 reading manga/watching anime online (mature one). So you think anime is niche, I don't think so.
I agree, anime are getting a lot of people attention. Even sports anime are reaching out to athletes who never watch a anime before. Even Initial D have reached out to racing fan. I don't think anime is a niche thing. It reached out to a lot of people. Just look, there are a lot of store selling anime/manga collectibles in store where you don't expect to find them but now they do. |
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Top Gun
 Posts: 4575 |
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What about the masses of people under 30 who never saw as much as a second of DBZ, hmm? Hell, the only reason I know who Goku is is because I saw a bit of the original Dragonball at one point; catching a few episodes of DBZ is what turned me off to giving anime a shot for a good span of years. There are a whole crap-load of people out there in that age group who, although they may have watched some cartoons at one point in their lives, haven't the foggiest idea what "deebeezee" is. If one of the most pervasive anime series ever released over here has that sort of widespread anonymity, how then can one claim that anime as a whole is anything but niche? |
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mdo7
Posts: 6253 Location: Katy, Texas, USA |
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Because I met a lot of people who watch 1 or more anime not shown on TV. I even met bunch of newbies who started to watch anime. I'm helping them with selecting anime. I'll tell you why anime is not a niche: -when certain anime is on TV and get popular. The merchandise which include manga. -when manga which the anime on TV was based on, people read that manga, but they also see other manga which interest them, they'll read it, it applies to everybody. -when they read more manga and found out that's it has a anime. They'll watch it. The same things for advertising. That conclude wht anime is not niche. Because we have a millions of fan beyond just the regular fanboy. We have athletes reading sport manga and anime. We have racing fans reading Initial D. Hell, I met some hot looking models who read shojo manga and Inuyasha. Even some celebrities are anime fan themselves: -Robin Williams is a NGE fan -Kanye West is a Akira fan -Ben Affleck is a anime fan also -Christian Bale is a fan of Hayao Miyazaki. So that's niche. How come I keep hearing anime and manga popping up on news and how come Newspaper have been having articles talking about anime and manga. Wired magazine has been talking about manga. So that's niche to you, not to me isn't |
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zanarkand princess
Posts: 1484 |
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Heh Heh famous fans for famous anime. Akira has integrated itself into american pop culture and so has DBZ and lots of people know about NGE. But how many people in hollywood are fans of Dokuro-chan? The popular stuff might not be niche but a lot of it sure is. As for the hot looking models Why couldn't they be as fangirl as anyone else? Because they were hot looking models? Not all of the anime fans in the world have to fit that stereo type because I sure don't and neither do a lot of other people. Just because famous people like something doesn't mean it's not niche. And all those newspaper articles on anime tend to be about "Are they appropriate for your kids?"
"Some of the most popular cartoons in the country come from japan", "The anime epidemic" and stuff like that. Anime is most certainly still a niche. Last edited by zanarkand princess on Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ikari1
 Posts: 531 Location: London |
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Anime is niche to us westerners. Its interesting because it presents alot of themes and images that arent usually shown or explored in western entertainment. Simple as that. Anime is also one of those forms of entertainment that will only impress if given a chance. Over here in the UK all too often do I here people calling anime silly cartoons without a second thought. This attitude is why anime is niche in western countries. It's nothing to do with not knowing that anime exsists because they bloody well do know its about but they choose to not look above thier own silly reservations.
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Eusis
Posts: 7 |
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I'll just add that I find it interesting how the fandom in the West seem to crave shows that are very much "niche" in Japan. While it's true that some of the more mainstream TV anime in Japan (like Naruto and Bleach) have found tremendous success overseas, there seems to be a big market in the West for shows that were originally aimed at Akiba-going, stay-up-late otaku.
I admit that I myself am a fan of shows like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Kanon, both of which are fairly niche in Japan. But I have to wonder if most Western anime fans are really more driven towards the stuff that's aimed at Japanese otaku, as opposed to, say, Chibi Maruko-chan or Doraemon? The last two are apparently household names in Japan. |
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zanarkand princess
Posts: 1484 |
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Haruhi niche in japan? No way just because it came on late at light doesn't make it niche. South park also comes on late at night.
But those aren't anime for "otaku" or even casual viewers those are educational cartoons for japanese children. It's like comparing sesame street and dora the explorer to home movies. The former are mainstream because they are prominent kids shows and have been running for many years and the latter are for a totally different audience. By the way it's a shame that Chibi Maruko-chan never even got brought to the west. |
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