After Disney announced it has licensed and will be broadcasting Yokai Watch it became apparent to explain why the localization of anime is vitally important to the industry. Even if it goes against many things otaku demand.
Anime has been localized (altered to be acceptable meet audience/societal demands of the market a foreign product is being introduced to) from the very beginning. Almost as soon as Tetsuwan Atom hit the air in Japan it was licensed for American TV as Astro Boy. The show first aired in Japan on New Years day 1963. NBC began airing the America adaptation on September 7th, 1963, just 9 months later. The anime was changed to fit in with what was considered 'the norm' for the general American viewing audience. Character names were changed from the Japanese ones to more Western sounding versions. Episodes were either edited or skipped that contained material deemed inappropriate for American audiences. This trend has continued ever sense, sometimes taking on bizarre amalgamations of the original versions. Speed Racer, Gigantor, Battle for the Planets, Starblazers, Robotech, Captain Harlock, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, etc, etc.
The primary goal when a company licenses an anime (or any foreign product) for distribution is to generate profit through the sales and distribution of that anime. Since the late 1980's companies in America have come into existence who's goal is to release anime as faithfully as they can but still need to generate profit in doing so. This has been and still is not always the case and there is a simple reason why this happens. Anime purists are a very small minority and can not typically generate enough sales to make an anime successful. As the 00's showed anime remains a niche market that can and does face financial challenges due in part to typically low sales. The way to make something successful is to appeal to a wide portion of the population. A successful way of accomplishing that is by localizing a foreign product so that it can be enjoyed without any outside knowledge being required. As many anime have themes and ideas that are very Japanese in origin and familiarity, it is difficult for people not familiar with those themes to relate to them. If someone can not relate to what they are viewing it can be difficult for them to be interested in it. Ten year old children in America are more apt to relate and identify with a character named Ash Ketchum instead of one named Satoshi. When Ash and his companions sit down for a snack it makes sense for them to talk about eating donuts and other items that American children are familiar with instead of onigiri.
So why is all of this effort done to scrub much of the Japanese-ness out of a show? Why alter the product and not remain true to the original source material? Its done to make the show more relatable which should lead to popularity, which should lead to more profits. The first Pokemon movie is the highest grossing anime film in North America, earning an estimated $85 million in ticket sales. Half of the movies entire global ticket sales of $163 million. That same year Princess Mononoke earned $2 million in box office sales and Perfect Blue earned $120,000 in box office sales. Even with Spirited Away winning an academy award for Best Animated Picture its total box office revenue in the United States was only $10 million. Worldwide though, Spirited Away is the highest grossing anime film ever, with $274 million in ticket sales, much of that coming from Japanese box office sales. Even though Miyazaki is known by more people in America and the films are distributed by Disney and voiced by recognizable Hollywood personalities, their box office revenue's do not come close to being successful in America. Part of this is due to, even Miyazaki movies, having limited theatrical releases. Anime movies that make it to theaters in America tend to be restricted to art house style theaters, limiting the number of screens and cities, they appear in. Virtually no advertising money is spent to promote the films releases and they generally remain in the theaters for a handful of weeks. It can be argued that all of these factors work to sabotage a films success. Given the tepid box office results for Spirited Away, with the level of advertising and exposure it received following its Academy Award, it is understandable that no one sees the benefits in pushing anime films when the return will not be there. Regardless of an American otaku's passion and feelings, anime films that are not based on a franchise that has gained popularity through localization, a fanbase wider than otaku, will NEVER earn substantial revenue in American theaters.
Let me say that again: anime does not earn enough money in American theaters to warrant increased support by the distribution industry.
Yet, even localizing an anime will not and does not guarantee its success. Not everything catches on in America like it does in Japan. Surprisingly enough, the same works in reverse. There are a handful of anime titles that did poorly in Japan but succeeded in America. By succeed I mean, met niche sales expectations but did not acquire any sort of wide acceptance and huge sales. Much anime, particularly current anime titles, also only see success as a niche product in Japan instead of success with the general population. Anime in Japan, as is true in America, is primarily consumed by children and otaku. For the most part anime is viewed as a thing to do as a kid. Some titles do enjoy general popularity and success, titles such as Sazae-san, Chibi Maruko-chan and Doraemon. Generally though, anime does not generate the type of profit and popularity live action does. In order to make an anime that is popular with children in Japan to be popular with children in America, they need to be able to relate to it.
In addition to relatability, anime is localized to meet content standards and expectations for broadcast. Subject matter may not be equally appropriate for the same age group between different cultures. The recent import of the long running and culturally successful anime Doraemon has shown that. Some of the behavior exhibited by the characters in Doraemon, which is aimed at younger children in Japan, is not culturally acceptable for that same age group in America. Hence, the scripts and some scenes need to be altered to reflect those cultural differences in order for the show to be appropriate for its target age group. Though, even after all the changes have been made, a show just might not be received well by the general population, as Doraemon's tepid response shows. In that case you have a double negative effect; the show does not appeal to a wide audience and otaku who have been demanding a commercial release for a beloved series are enraged with its localization.
So why is localization a good thing for otaku and anime in general? Because when it works, it works really well and it creates the potential for legions of new anime fans. Every single wave of new anime fan in America has been a direct result of anime being localized (to varying degrees) and shown on TV. Anime localized in an attempt to reach a large audience is a gateway drug to deeper fandom. Every single time it happens, groups of fans of the localized version discover that what they have been enjoying comes from Japan and is possibly different from what they fell in love with. Many of them desire to see it in the original and unaltered form. In the process of learning this and acquiring the original version, they can and do stumble upon other things that exist in the world of anime. Things that are not localized and available to them from a local business or the internet. Thing they may initially have not been interested in.
While localization of an anime can ultimately lead to fan disgust it does an incredibly important job of bringing in new recruits who may not have gotten into anime if only presented with subject matters and characters they can not initially understand or relate to. You have to give the uninitiated time to understand the nuances between calling someone kun, chan or sempai. You have to let someone learn through experience what a nosebleed or a tear drop on the head represent. That historically Japanese school was 6 days per week and April signifies newness and fresh starts in many aspects of Japanese life. Recall how you began the journey of an anime fan and the things you had to learn through osmosis and research. Do not expect the uninitiated to understand right away or appreciate immediately they things you have learned and appreciated over time and exposure. The most important part and the most successful way to initiate new people is through them being comfortable and coming to enjoy something on their own terms. Let them blossom as you did at their own pace. They need the localized anime to start that journey.
So think about that the next time you shudder in horror at the changes made to a title you had hoped would see an imported release to match your expectations and demands. Keep the sneering disgust to a minimum...nothing turns off a potential fan like elitism. Meanwhile, you'll have to keep going to the sources you had gone to before anyone licensed said title if the localization does not appease you.
Here's some figures to chew on. $-box office revenue in America. ¥-box office revenue in Japan. I was unable/unwilling to search out info on everything listed for the Japanese box office numbers.
1989: Akira hits theaters ($439,162(America)), (¥6,346,343,871 (Japan))
1996: GITS in theaters in America (March 29)($515,205).
2001: Akira re-released ($114,009). Final Fantasy Spirit Within ($32,131,830)(American/Japanese co-op). Spriggan ($7,420)
2003: Spirited Away wins Oscar, returns to the theaters($10,049,886)(30,400,000,000yen), highest grossing anime film worldwide with $274,925,095 earned. Cowboy Bebop movie ($1,000,045). Metropolis ($636,830).
2004: Steamboy ($410,388)(¥1.16 billion). GITS Innocence ($924,482)(¥1 billion). Yu-Gi-Oh The Movie ($19,762,690)
2005: NRI otaku report. Howls Moving Castle ($4,710,455)(¥19.6b illion)
2009: Ponyo ($15,050,041) (¥15.5 billion)
2012: The Secret World of Arrietty ($19,192,510)
Anime has been localized (altered to be acceptable meet audience/societal demands of the market a foreign product is being introduced to) from the very beginning. Almost as soon as Tetsuwan Atom hit the air in Japan it was licensed for American TV as Astro Boy. The show first aired in Japan on New Years day 1963. NBC began airing the America adaptation on September 7th, 1963, just 9 months later. The anime was changed to fit in with what was considered 'the norm' for the general American viewing audience. Character names were changed from the Japanese ones to more Western sounding versions. Episodes were either edited or skipped that contained material deemed inappropriate for American audiences. This trend has continued ever sense, sometimes taking on bizarre amalgamations of the original versions. Speed Racer, Gigantor, Battle for the Planets, Starblazers, Robotech, Captain Harlock, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, etc, etc.
The primary goal when a company licenses an anime (or any foreign product) for distribution is to generate profit through the sales and distribution of that anime. Since the late 1980's companies in America have come into existence who's goal is to release anime as faithfully as they can but still need to generate profit in doing so. This has been and still is not always the case and there is a simple reason why this happens. Anime purists are a very small minority and can not typically generate enough sales to make an anime successful. As the 00's showed anime remains a niche market that can and does face financial challenges due in part to typically low sales. The way to make something successful is to appeal to a wide portion of the population. A successful way of accomplishing that is by localizing a foreign product so that it can be enjoyed without any outside knowledge being required. As many anime have themes and ideas that are very Japanese in origin and familiarity, it is difficult for people not familiar with those themes to relate to them. If someone can not relate to what they are viewing it can be difficult for them to be interested in it. Ten year old children in America are more apt to relate and identify with a character named Ash Ketchum instead of one named Satoshi. When Ash and his companions sit down for a snack it makes sense for them to talk about eating donuts and other items that American children are familiar with instead of onigiri.
So why is all of this effort done to scrub much of the Japanese-ness out of a show? Why alter the product and not remain true to the original source material? Its done to make the show more relatable which should lead to popularity, which should lead to more profits. The first Pokemon movie is the highest grossing anime film in North America, earning an estimated $85 million in ticket sales. Half of the movies entire global ticket sales of $163 million. That same year Princess Mononoke earned $2 million in box office sales and Perfect Blue earned $120,000 in box office sales. Even with Spirited Away winning an academy award for Best Animated Picture its total box office revenue in the United States was only $10 million. Worldwide though, Spirited Away is the highest grossing anime film ever, with $274 million in ticket sales, much of that coming from Japanese box office sales. Even though Miyazaki is known by more people in America and the films are distributed by Disney and voiced by recognizable Hollywood personalities, their box office revenue's do not come close to being successful in America. Part of this is due to, even Miyazaki movies, having limited theatrical releases. Anime movies that make it to theaters in America tend to be restricted to art house style theaters, limiting the number of screens and cities, they appear in. Virtually no advertising money is spent to promote the films releases and they generally remain in the theaters for a handful of weeks. It can be argued that all of these factors work to sabotage a films success. Given the tepid box office results for Spirited Away, with the level of advertising and exposure it received following its Academy Award, it is understandable that no one sees the benefits in pushing anime films when the return will not be there. Regardless of an American otaku's passion and feelings, anime films that are not based on a franchise that has gained popularity through localization, a fanbase wider than otaku, will NEVER earn substantial revenue in American theaters.
Let me say that again: anime does not earn enough money in American theaters to warrant increased support by the distribution industry.
Yet, even localizing an anime will not and does not guarantee its success. Not everything catches on in America like it does in Japan. Surprisingly enough, the same works in reverse. There are a handful of anime titles that did poorly in Japan but succeeded in America. By succeed I mean, met niche sales expectations but did not acquire any sort of wide acceptance and huge sales. Much anime, particularly current anime titles, also only see success as a niche product in Japan instead of success with the general population. Anime in Japan, as is true in America, is primarily consumed by children and otaku. For the most part anime is viewed as a thing to do as a kid. Some titles do enjoy general popularity and success, titles such as Sazae-san, Chibi Maruko-chan and Doraemon. Generally though, anime does not generate the type of profit and popularity live action does. In order to make an anime that is popular with children in Japan to be popular with children in America, they need to be able to relate to it.
In addition to relatability, anime is localized to meet content standards and expectations for broadcast. Subject matter may not be equally appropriate for the same age group between different cultures. The recent import of the long running and culturally successful anime Doraemon has shown that. Some of the behavior exhibited by the characters in Doraemon, which is aimed at younger children in Japan, is not culturally acceptable for that same age group in America. Hence, the scripts and some scenes need to be altered to reflect those cultural differences in order for the show to be appropriate for its target age group. Though, even after all the changes have been made, a show just might not be received well by the general population, as Doraemon's tepid response shows. In that case you have a double negative effect; the show does not appeal to a wide audience and otaku who have been demanding a commercial release for a beloved series are enraged with its localization.
So why is localization a good thing for otaku and anime in general? Because when it works, it works really well and it creates the potential for legions of new anime fans. Every single wave of new anime fan in America has been a direct result of anime being localized (to varying degrees) and shown on TV. Anime localized in an attempt to reach a large audience is a gateway drug to deeper fandom. Every single time it happens, groups of fans of the localized version discover that what they have been enjoying comes from Japan and is possibly different from what they fell in love with. Many of them desire to see it in the original and unaltered form. In the process of learning this and acquiring the original version, they can and do stumble upon other things that exist in the world of anime. Things that are not localized and available to them from a local business or the internet. Thing they may initially have not been interested in.
While localization of an anime can ultimately lead to fan disgust it does an incredibly important job of bringing in new recruits who may not have gotten into anime if only presented with subject matters and characters they can not initially understand or relate to. You have to give the uninitiated time to understand the nuances between calling someone kun, chan or sempai. You have to let someone learn through experience what a nosebleed or a tear drop on the head represent. That historically Japanese school was 6 days per week and April signifies newness and fresh starts in many aspects of Japanese life. Recall how you began the journey of an anime fan and the things you had to learn through osmosis and research. Do not expect the uninitiated to understand right away or appreciate immediately they things you have learned and appreciated over time and exposure. The most important part and the most successful way to initiate new people is through them being comfortable and coming to enjoy something on their own terms. Let them blossom as you did at their own pace. They need the localized anime to start that journey.
So think about that the next time you shudder in horror at the changes made to a title you had hoped would see an imported release to match your expectations and demands. Keep the sneering disgust to a minimum...nothing turns off a potential fan like elitism. Meanwhile, you'll have to keep going to the sources you had gone to before anyone licensed said title if the localization does not appease you.
Here's some figures to chew on. $-box office revenue in America. ¥-box office revenue in Japan. I was unable/unwilling to search out info on everything listed for the Japanese box office numbers.
1989: Akira hits theaters ($439,162(America)), (¥6,346,343,871 (Japan))
1996: GITS in theaters in America (March 29)($515,205).
1999: Mononoke Hime (October)($2,298,191) (¥18,650,000,000 (Japan)). First Pokemon movie (November)($85,744,662). Perfect Blue (December)($112,536)
2000: Digimon The Movie ($9,628,751)
2001: Akira re-released ($114,009). Final Fantasy Spirit Within ($32,131,830)(American/Japanese co-op). Spriggan ($7,420)
2003: Spirited Away wins Oscar, returns to the theaters($10,049,886)(30,400,000,000yen), highest grossing anime film worldwide with $274,925,095 earned. Cowboy Bebop movie ($1,000,045). Metropolis ($636,830).
2004: Steamboy ($410,388)(¥1.16 billion). GITS Innocence ($924,482)(¥1 billion). Yu-Gi-Oh The Movie ($19,762,690)
2005: NRI otaku report. Howls Moving Castle ($4,710,455)(¥19.6b illion)
2009: Ponyo ($15,050,041) (¥15.5 billion)
2011: Summer Wars ($78,182)
2012: The Secret World of Arrietty ($19,192,510)
I see you, homestuck.
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