In the middle of a root canal yesterday, a thought occurred to me: I’m just as guilty as anyone else in describing shows like Aria, Maria-sama ga Miteru and Hidamari Sketch as having “limited appeal”, and yet, these shows keep getting multiple seasons. Meanwhile, a lot of seemingly popular shows get one season and nothing more.
I’d be curious to know what the story is behind this. Is it because these sorts of show often cater to a core group of dedicated fans, whereas most everything else is left to fight over a bunch of fans who couldn’t care less what they’re watching from one season to the next? Perhaps there are lucrative merchandising tie-ins at work? I know the Aria manga has long been a hot seller in Japan. Same with the Marimite novels. No idea about Hidamari Sketch.
Of course, these titles most likely appeal to mainstream, non-otaku audiences with a lot of yen to spend. Perhaps it just highlights how difficult it is to gauge what’s truly popular in the world of anime and manga from the inside looking out. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in the trivialities of the subculture that you forget there are millions of “normal” people out there who dig this stuff, too.
As for why this all came to mind while a guy shoved metal files up my tooth, all I can say is that I had to keep myself entertained somehow.
Hmm, I always thought it was just differnent tastes. Isn’t Hidamari Sketch extremely popular in Japan? Meanwhile over here, there’s hardly anyone who is into it. The same thing could be said about Aria too. It seems like “mainstream” shows like Bleach are more popular outside of Japan than in too. But eh, I’m just judging from what I’ve seen from the internetz. I agree that slice of life is probably more appealing to a normal audience as well.
iyashikei anime sells. the appeal is more practical than aesthetic. nothing about what’s normal or what is popular for the mainstream.
but then again I don’t know what shows are actually “better” or more popular than those titles you listed. sure, marimite has a limited appeal, but so do most anime. to put things in perspective, marimite isn’t really that fringe at all.
As totali said, it does highlight apparent differences (how do we know for sure) in the popularity of shows in Japan and abroad, or at least in terms of apparent cultural differences in what people from different areas “want” from their anime. Wonder what that means generally for fans in the US
If you’re just applying the label of “limited appeal” to a specific situation, like say the animeblogosphere (which I don’t think is true :3), and others can agree with that because your support for that opinion makes sense, I don’t see a general problem with that. :P
Well, that’s kind of my point, Omo. There are quite a few shows out there that I think most hardcore anime fans would consider “niche” despite having mainstream appeal and popularity. It’s a can’t see the forest for the trees sort of thing. Joe Otaku looks at Maria-sama ga Miteru and says, “I can’t see how anyone would enjoy this.” Then, he writes it off as some weird niche show without asking himself if he’s the show’s target audience in the first place.
For example, I’m watching Moyashimon right now, and while I can’t see many serious anime fans being attracted to the show, I can see how someone who is only tangentially in to anime (or barely in to anime at all) would get a kick out of it. Of course, the Noitamina time slot was specifically created to attract that sort of viewer.
I actually have a preference for this sort of mainstream anime, although I enjoy the otaku stuff in managed doses. And that could be why I enjoy iyashikei shows so much… they’re often the best of both worlds.
I don’t think I’d call any of them “mainstream” the way you do. When Joe Otaku thinks Marimite is a niche show he’d be right. When Joe Otaku thinks, for example, Cowboy Bebop is a mainstream show, he’d be right too.
None of that translates to how much money so-and-so franchise could make in a direct sense.
I’d call them “mainstream” in the relative sense. In my opinion, Marimite is more mainstream than, say, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, having a more diverse audience and all. Sure, it’s no Cowboy Bebop or Pokemon or whatever, but it’s still more mainstream than a lot of the shows people like you and I hitch our wagons to.
Let me throw in my say as a noob to the anime scene. I don’t consider myself a hardcore anime fan. I don’t thimk I’m mainstream either. Although to a veteran I’d guess I’d come across as a mainstream user.
I watched alot of anime in the last couple of years looking for something. At first some of the romance genre and then the slice of life series. There were moments in each of these that held what I was looking for. Brief fleeting moments…
I found what I was looking for in the iyashikei anime, that guys like Jeff and TheBigN were blogging. I didn’t even know what it was called, but I liked it. That calming, soothing effect is just what I’m seeking. If I was a cat, it would left me purring.
To me, this seems like a very specific niche in the anime universe. But am I looking for something more mainstream in an otaku world?
You don’t have to go to Japan for examples. The most popular anime in the U.S. is One Piece, with Naruto and Bleach trailing it at a respectable distance. However, if you ask any otaku what is most popular, he’d say “Naruto”. It’s the same difference between perception and reality.
Another thing, attaining a second season is a so-so indicator. Remember Stratos 4, for example. Certainly, the Marmitie is truly popular, but even then how many Galaxy Angel seasons are out there? Several things have to coincide for a second season to happen, although I only have vague idea what. I recall how Tatsuo Sato blogged that Stellvia II have become impossible, so clearly creators attempt to extend shows with definite endings. Sometimes their results bear fruit, like J2. At a guess, one of these things is that there must be profit to be had. So, Hidamari with its extreme corner-cutting may be able to turn profit at a lower revenue.
I don’t know if this line of reasoning explains Marimite. That show is the one on your list which is not like the others. Its extra seasons seem more like Crest/Banner of the Stars, the big franchise flopping around. But then perhaps it’s only the otaku perception, see the first paragraph.
I believe that for an anime to get a second (Or subsequent) season, there must be
A) More material (In the absence of this, fillers pop up)
B) High DVD sales (This is attributed to marketing and what sort of extras the DVD contains, since people in Japan can catch an anime series on television)
C) A high demand (Which is why obscure series sometimes don’t get second seasons)
D) The previous storyline must have had room for a sequel instead of tying up all the loose ends (Related to A).
Or at least, that’s my guess. But it’s as good as yours; I’m no expert.
If I lived in Neo-Venice, I would fall in love with the Gondola Angels of the city.
Who’s to say I won’t be in love with the city itself.
Damn I wish I lived in an anime sometimes. Most of the time.