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Why does anime seem to have such a small audiance?

Unknown
edited July 2009 in Anime
Even though anime cons are everywhere in the U.S. the fan base still seems thoughtless about this particular fandom. why is that?
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  • ......
    edited July 2009
    Even though anime cons are everywhere in the U.S. the fan base still seems thoughtless about this particular fandom. why is that?
    The majority doesn't live in the USA is my guess.
    Post edited by ... on
  • AxelAxel
    We're all spread out introverts...
    What? It's true.
  • NeitoNeito
    Even though anime cons are everywhere in the U.S. the fan base still seems thoughtless about this particular fandom. why is that?
    Because you're looking at the echo chamber and thinking it's normal. For example, if I put up a poll on these forums that said "How awesome are Rym and Scott?", the answers would probably be skewed toward "Pretty awesome", as the people who don't think Rym and Scott are awesome would probably leave the forum before they could vote in the poll. In much the same way, most of the people who go to anime cons are anime fans. Thus, you're seeing a skewed opinion on anime fandom.
  • WalkerWalker
    edited July 2009
    We're all spread out introverts...
    ...And since the anime industry in the US is in the shitter, the only way for anime to gain popularity is word of mouth. Word of mouth isn't all that great on it's own, and when the medium attracts a fan base which tends to interact (for the most part) with itself, then it isn't going to spread to the wider population.
    Post edited by Walker on
  • AxelAxel
    Even though anime cons are everywhere in the U.S. the fan base still seems thoughtless about this particular fandom. why is that?
    Because you're looking at the echo chamber and thinking it's normal. For example, if I put up a poll on these forums that said "How awesome are Rym and Scott?", the answers would probably be skewed toward "Pretty awesome", as the people who don't think Rym and Scott are awesome would probably leave the forum before they could vote in the poll. In much the same way, most of the people who go to anime cons are anime fans. Thus, you're seeing a skewed opinion on anime fandom.
    Yeah. An Anime Convention seems huge, especially one like Otakon with 30,000 people. But, that's about 10% of the fandom, maybe. So like, 300,000 Anime fans, MAYBE. There are millions and millions and millions of people in this whole country. The number of Anime fans is insignificant.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    edited July 2009
    Here are the obvious reasons:
    1) The perception that all animation equates to cartoons for the kiddies.
    2) Much of the American audience traditionally dislikes watching subtitled films and shows.
    3) The Anime that does come out on television is poorly dubbed, oriented for children, poorly edited, or at a time of night that most audiences cannot access it.
    4) Anime DVDs are expensive and people have to wait for them to be released. American consumers are rarely patient and will gravitate to less expensive media that is released more reliably.
    5) Anime has been poorly marketed to interest anyone other than tots and teenage boys.
    6) Anime has been linked heavily with unwashed fanboys and sexual "deviants" or as a vehicle promote toys and games.
    9) Cultural jokes, tropes, cliches, relationships, and references are lost in translation or confuse those that are not familiar with Japanese culture.
    9) American audiences show little interest in foreign films and television in general and studios feel the need to make an American version of anything that might be remotely popular. Unfortunately, the studios are right. Look at Japanese horror flicks that have American remakes. Many of the Japanese films were available in the U.S. long before their American counterparts were made, but there was little to no interest in the original content. Even after the American versions came out, only a limited audiences were turned on to the Japanese source material.
    Post edited by Kate Monster on
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    edited July 2009
    We're all spread out introverts...
    What? It's true.
    When my friend and I did a panel on how we got into anime we asked people at random in the audience where they were for significant moments in their anime watching (Spike dying, etc.) Most people were alone in their dark room.
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • AlanAlan

    2) Much of the American audience traditionally dislikes watching subtitled films and shows.
    I agree fully with this one being a major wall. When I went to see Curse of the Golden Flower and it was in subtitles; a good 10-15 people left complaining. Also some subtitle jobs are horribly done but that is not as common. It took me awhile to get used to subs myself and had to re-watch some parts to take it all in but after awhile I learned to read them faster.
  • AxelAxel

    2) Much of the American audience traditionally dislikes watching subtitled films and shows.
    I agree fully with this one being a major wall. When I went to see Curse of the Golden Flower and it was in subtitles; a good 10-15 people left complaining. Also some subtitle jobs are horribly done but that is not as common. It took me awhile to get used to subs myself and had to re-watch some parts to take it all in but after awhile I learned to read them faster.
    I personally don't like subs. I prefer dubs unless they're utter crap, like all 4Kids dubs and most Viz dubs.
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    I personally don't like subs. I prefer dubs unless they're utter crap, like all 4Kids dubs and most Viz dubs.
    I'm ambivalent -- I'd usually prefer subs, because most dubs are so awful. However, I don't have time to watch anime (or anything, really) except while I'm drawing, which means I'm stuck with dubs. So I'm limited to the fairly small percentage of anime with decent dubs.
    significant moments in their anime watching (Spike dying, etc.)
    Might want to block that out, that's a pretty major spoiler.
  • KoholintKoholint
    edited July 2009
    We're all spread out introverts...
    What? It's true.
    When my friend and I did a panel on how we got into anime we asked people at random in the audience where they were for significant moments in their anime watching (WOOPS) Most people were alone in their dark room.
    Thanks a lot for spoiling that!
    Post edited by Koholint on
  • Josh BytesJosh Bytes
    Spike isn't dead, Keanu Reeves is going to play him. ;)
  • AxelAxel
    edited July 2009
    Yeah...I haven't actually seen most of Cowboy Bebop, and I might someday...So that did just kinda spoil it for me.
    It's okay, I don't mind a whole lot. Just saying, don't assume everyone's seen it. Us young whippersnappers couldn't stay up 'til 1 AM when it was on Adult Swim.
    Post edited by Axel on
  • DkongDkong
    edited July 2009
    I love how people always bitch about people "spoiling" Cowboy Bebop for them, even though knowing whether or not Spike dies doesn't really spoil shit. The show's magic and most of the entertainment value don't lie in that fact, they lie in the characters and the environments and settings of the show.
    Plus, most anime fans have seen Bebop, so Spike dying is considered common knowledge among anime fans.
    Us young whippersnappers couldn't stay up 'til 1 AM when it was on Adult Swim.
    You could have easily pirated it, taped it, or bought the DVDs.
    Post edited by Dkong on
  • KoholintKoholint
    He still could have used spoiler tags.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    edited July 2009
    He still could have used spoiler tags.
    For Cowboy Bebop? If the show had only come out in the past few years, I would be right there with you. However, it has been around FOREVER (forever in this instance being since 1998), is recommended frequently and considered to be one of the best anime series created thus far. If you haven't taken the time to see it yet, then you aren't interested in it enough to be pissed about "spoilers".
    Post edited by Kate Monster on
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    edited July 2009
    He still could have used spoiler tags.
    Yes. That was a spoiler with no warning, and there's no reason for anyone to expect spoilers in this thread. If this thread was "Cowboy Bebop Discussion", a person who hadn't seen Bebop yet could reasonably choose to avoid it. Not so this thread.
    Plus, most anime fans have seen Bebop, so Spike dying is considered common knowledge among anime fans.
    Most PEOPLE haven't seen Bebop, and considering that this is a thread about why people DON'T watch anime, you could show a little more consideration. Hell, I didn't see Bebop until a couple years ago, despite watching anime off and on for over 15 years.
    is recommended frequently and considered to be one of the best anime series created thus far.
    If it's "recommended frequently", that means there are still people who haven't seen it yet, and are being encouraged to, so why spoil it for them? Seriously, why not just white out the text? Is it that hard?
    Post edited by Funfetus on
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    If it's "recommended frequently", that means there are still people who haven't seen it yet, and are being encouraged to, so why spoil it for them? Seriously, why not just white out the text? Is it that hard?
    Yes, but in these forums there is a certain amount of assumed knowledge. Also, if knowing one aspect of a show somehow "spoils" it for you, then you simply do not know how to watch a show. If you are only watching it to "find out what happened" rather than to appreciate the experience, explore the themes, engage with the character development, etc. Then you deserve the spoilers that come your way. This isn't an M. Knight Shyamalan movie where the entire film is the twist. It has been out for 11 years. Any one that joins these forums has heard about Cowboy Bebop and knows that it is worth seeing. If they haven't seen it yet, so be it.
    I will agree with you that it would be incredibly nice if people think to put a spoiler warning; however, with something as well known and long standing as Cowboy Bebop, it can be understood that it seems like common knowledge in a forum that has a large Anime community.
  • SailSail
    edited July 2009
    No one mentions the fact that you see Spike die in the very first episode?
    Post edited by Sail on
  • AxelAxel
    edited July 2009
    Sorry. I didn't mean to seem like I was really angry. That's why I said it was no big deal. I was just agreeing that blatant spoilers aren't really cool. I've been both on the receiving and, unfortunately, giving end, and it's no fun unless you want them.
    But seriously, it's not a big deal. I realize that doesn't change much about the show, which I still plan on watching.
    Also, I am still a young whippersnapper, and therefore can't afford DVD's. I don't have the time to pirate it and watch it, as I'm usually busy during the school year. I probably should this summer, not that I haven't overloaded myself already with stuff to do.
    Post edited by Axel on
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    No one mentions the fact that you see Spike die in the very first episode?
    The animation in the opener makes it pretty clear, too.
  • KoholintKoholint
    Hey, I still plan on finishing Cowboy Bebop. I enjoyed what I did see of it, and to be honest I'm used to watching shows or playing games where I already know the outcomes. I just think spoiler tags would have been nice there. I understand that it is assumed that everyone here has seen Cowboy Bebop, but he could have handled that better. I mean, nothing in the post previous to the spoiler gives any indication that he was going to say that. If he had said "(In Cowboy Bebop when...)" then it would have been my fault for continuing on and reading a possible spoiler about a show I haven't finished. I'm not pissed or even angry at all really, I just think that this whole situation could have been avoided trivially.
  • DkongDkong
    edited July 2009
    Most PEOPLE haven't seen Bebop, and considering that this is a thread about why people DON'T watch anime, you could show a little more consideration. Hell, I didn't see Bebop until a couple years ago, despite watching anime off and on for over 15 years.
    Why did you put emphasis on "people"? Just wondering.

    Anyways, by saying that Spike dies, that reveals a major part of the plotline, but by no means does it actually ruin your experience of the show.
    Post edited by Dkong on
  • KoholintKoholint
    I think it's kind of funny in the context of the post: "significant moments in their anime watching (SPOILAZ)" Welp, that's not going to be a significant moment for me anymore!
  • Josh BytesJosh Bytes
    Spike isn't dead. Spike can never die. :(
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    Most PEOPLE haven't seen Bebop, and considering that this is a thread about why people DON'T watch anime, you could show a little more consideration. Hell, I didn't see Bebop until a couple years ago, despite watching anime off and on for over 15 years.
    Why did you put emphasis on "people"? Just wondering.
    To distinguish "people in general" from "anime fans".
    Anyways, by saying that Spike dies, that reveals a major part of the plotline, but by no means does it actually ruin your experience of the show.
    It doesn't ruin your experience of the whole show, but it diminishes much of the emotional impact that that scene may have had. It does COLOR your experience of the whole show, though -- now you're thinking "well, I know HE dies" the whole way through. Any time he's in danger, you're not thinking "Oh man, I hope he's gonna make it!", like you're supposed to be, but "I wonder if THIS is where he gets it". Not really the same effect.
  • SailSail
    Fact: You see Spike get shot at the very beginning of the first episode. Hardly a spoiler.
  • FunfetusFunfetus
    Fact: You see Spike get shot at the very beginning of the first episode. Hardly a spoiler.
    You don't see him die. In the last shot of that sequence, he's still smiling. I certainly didn't interpret that as his death when I first watched it.
  • KoholintKoholint
    Fact: You see Spike get shot at the very beginning of the first episode. Hardly a spoiler.
    It's an anime. Showing someone getting shot could mean anything.
  • WalkerWalker
    If I remember correctly he gets shot more than once over the course of the show.
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