Funding the Global Revolution: Anime's sacrifice to the
betterment of world culture
Japanese anime isn't just an import anymore, it's a high stakes
market that is slowly changing the way entertainment companies on
both sides of the Pacific make films and how we as fans perceive
them. For example, Texas-based ADV developed the story and
characters for their "Sin" release and then farmed the animation
work out to Phoenix Entertainment in Japan. Bandai Entertainment in
America acts as a consulting body to Bandai Visual in Japan for what
will fly in the American market. And Viz Communications was built on
America's mass consumption of "Pokemon." This union of western
business and Japanese artistry has become increasingly entangled in
the last decade and, consequentially, has had an effect on both
anime production and the anime market.
One of the first such enterprises took place in 1995, when
Britain's Manga Entertainment poured about a third of the budget into the
development of Production I.G's "Ghost in the Shell" to secure
distribution rights stateside.
"'Ghost in the Shell' is intended as a breakthrough film, aimed
at theatrical release instead of a life on tape, disc and campus
film societies. The ghost of anime can be seen here trying to dive
into the shell of the movie mainstream," writes Chicago Sun film
critic Roger Ebert in a "Ghost in the Shell" review from 1996.
Ebert hit upon something there as fans, creators and executives
all seem to have strong opinions on the success of this ongoing
fusion. Some are optimistic, while others are cautious or even
downright hostile towards this new age of anime, but no one seems to
be certain on how things will turn out. As is usual, the most
immediate effects can be seen in the costs of licenses.
"Prices are being jacked up because of American money. People are
seeing 'Cardcaptors.' People are seeing 'Pokemon' and 'Digimon.' So
every Japanese company wants to sell the next hit to the United
States," says Jerry Chu, Marketing Director for Bandai
Entertainment.
Ten years ago an American company could acquire the license for
an anime title at about $1,000 an episode. Now, post-"Pokemon,"
licenses have increased five-fold. This is nothing new - the
phenomenon happens all across the entertainment spectrum once a
niche takes on a public role. "The Blair Witch Project" initially
cashed in at $50,000, but the follow up "Book of Witches" had a
budget in the millions, and replaced the creative team to boot.
Grunge bands could hardly sign a petition much less a record
contract until Nirvana hit and record companies couldn't pay knock
off bands enough to sell out arenas.
If absolute power corrupts absolutely, and money is absolute
power then the syllogism indicts cash as the real trouble with
globalized product - to get more product into more hands the product
must appeal to the lowest common denominator. Anime fans as well as
individuals who appreciate the stylistic and narrative nuances of
film justifiably fear a corruption of their preferred screen
entertainment by corporate money levying greater artistic control
over stories and themes. "Ghost in the Shell" enjoyed a better
success over here than it did in Japan. With rumors flying about an
upcoming sequel, with even more American money attached, probability
suggests that its creators will tailor the work for a wider American
market.
But in the end it all comes down to a certain aestheticism. The
inherent differences in the American and Japanese culture already
preclude a film appealing to both on equal ground commercially.
Arguably, then, it is up to the creative team to delve into a deeper
human singularity rather than diluting potent themes to maintain
artistic integrity. Perhaps this is where the American perception of
anime corrupts the most, asserting that deeper understanding doesn't
appeal to children for whom "cartoons" are meant; that Americans
want to go to the cinema to escape not think; that anime can't
convey genuine human emotions through its stenciled visage. In
indulging that deeper human singularity, truly universal anime
artists might find themselves alienating even more of the audience
they attempt to reach.