I read through some of the older parts of this blog recently, and I realized that I'd spent quite a few entries talking about the bumpy attempts of Hollywood to reckon with the popularity of anime, which are not unlike their bumpy attempts to reckon with the popularity of gaming. There were so many plans for adaptations of titles like "Akira" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion" that all fell through, but there were a few successes too, like the recent "One Piece" live action series. It's been a few years, so I thought these posts deserved an update. Also, "Naruto" is next in line for an attempt, with a live action film adaptation directed by Daniel Destin Cretton currently undergoing a casting search. So, this topic is back in the popular consciousness again.
The influence of anime on the American youth shows no sign of slowing down, though all the popular titles are different since I was an otaku twenty years ago. The new "Demon Slayer" movie crossed $100 million at the North American box office last year, the latest in a steady string of animated hits from overseas. Former anime pirate site Crunchyroll is in the top ten US streaming sites by subscriber count, with over 20 million subscribers. Netflix, the home of the "Castlevania" franchise, has become a major driver of anime production, with 50% of their viewers reported to be watching anime on the platform. They recently announced a partnership with MAPPA, the studio behind "Chainsaw Man" and "Jujutsu Kaisen," which has sparked a lively debate about the potential threat of the streamers to the Japanese production committee system that produces most anime, as well as physical media and appointment viewing - a bigger deal in the anime world than in other parts of the media landscape.
American creators have been trying to capitalize on the popularity of anime through co-productions with anime studios for a long time, but the results were often very hit-or-miss. Early attempts like "Afro Samurai" and "IGPX" didn't quite work, probably because of mismatched expectations and the unfamiliarity with the different production cultures. After a few decades of experimenting, it's gotten better. This summer the third season of the "My Adventures With Superman" cartoon and the new "Avatar: the Last Airbender" movie, both heavily anime influenced, hit the streamers. One was animated in Korea and the other largely in Australia, but they both clearly had roots in shonen anime. It's not just the designs or the animation style that made these projects work, but the use of anime visual language, character tropes (genki girl Lois Lane), and storytelling choices that have become familiar to global audiences. "Star Wars" and "Scooby Doo" are also on the list of franchises getting the anime treatment. "The Ninth Jedi" will probably be out by the time this is published. There are still regular stumbles, however. "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" feature film was a bad match of IP and anime aesthetic that didn't manage to appeal to anybody.
A culture shift has definitely happened. Most of the people working in animation now grew up on anime, or are at least much more familiar with anime than they were in the '90s. You don't see many conspiracy theories about Western shows stealing from anime these days - the homages are everywhere and they're proudly highlighted by their creators. I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, I'm absolutely convinced that the boom in Western animated shows being made for YA and adult audiences owes a lot to the influence of anime. "Arcane," "Blue Eye Samurai," and so many more great series wouldn't exist otherwise. However, I've also seen some of anime's bad habits migrate to Western animation too, particularly in the projects that are really trying to go after the anime audience.
Personally, I'm taking it slow with anime. I watch a series or two a year, and even if I enjoy them, I don't feel the way I used to when I was watching anime in my twenties. I'm out of the target audience for the popular stuff, and a lot of the old tropes don't work for me anymore. And, boy are the old tropes still in circulation. The "Demon Slayer" and "Chainsaw Man" movies did not make me want to track down more. Still, nostalgia and old habits compel me to keep a friendly eye on the anime world. And every once in a while you can still find a "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End." But more on that another time.
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