Anime is getting more popular with every month
 

Oh man... otaku is not a alternative culture anymore... it's becoming a part of the "popular" culture... the question is, is it a good or bad thing?

It has to be a good thing. The more fans there are... the more titles that will be released... the fewer series that will be stopped midway... the higher quality of releases... the prices might even go down.

It's easy to want it to be "our little secret" but if we really love an anime, don't we want everyone to see it?

I guess it's good,but usually when something becomes mainstream,it also becomes artificial,at least that's the case with music.Let's hope the same don't happen to anime.

I totally agree. There are certainly negatives to it, too. However, like music, anime is a media of its own, not just a genre. Just as I don't like all music, or even very much music, I really like the music I do. Anime is the same way. The more we have to choose from, the better chance we'll have in finding stuff we really like.

That's a very interesting and honest take in the situation, and I think a lot of people are in the same boat.

For example, fans of punk music love punk music, and think it's the best, but at the same time don't want their favorite punk bands played on Top 40 radio and selling out auditoriums. They still may feel that music is the best, but they don't want EVERYONE to think that music is the best because then they lose that ability to define that passion as a part of their unique personality. Totally and completely fair.

Though as anime does spread through Western society, we see its popularity spread, but also sub-cultures emerge. To me saying "I am an anime fan" is almost like saying "I am a TV fan" (not quite, but getting there). Horror, comedy, shoujo, space opera... we are getting more and more titles now that can be classified and sub-classified so that you can get genre fans. I am an "anime fan" but I am certainly not a fan of most of the anime out there, just as I am a "music fan" but the majority of music out there doesn't appeal to me (as it is with most people, I am sure).

Back when I first started watching anime, it was wayyyy underground here.
Since then it's everywhere.

I'm not as into anime as I used to be but I think it's a good thing.
If anything will help other Japanese media become popular worldwide it'll be anime.

More anime fans me more people with a positive view of Japan. Which is always a good thing.
I've never really wanted any of the underground things I like to have stayed underground. I've always been saddened that most of the stuff I like isn't mainstream.

Oh, totally! I am amazed at how much Japanese culture and traditions are now common knowledge in the West, when a decade or two ago it was a complete mystery.

A couple years ago a teenaged acquaintance of mine asked about the lunch scene in "The Breakfast Club" (which was new when I was in high school...umm...in 1986). In the scene Judd Nelson makes fun of a Molly Ringwald for bringing sushi for lunch. "Raw fish? You're really going to eat that?"

The teenager I knew was confused by that scene because at the time (mid 2000s) all his friends went to eat sushi regularly, and had never heard of someone making fun of someone who ate sushi. Of course, this is on the West Coast, so it may be more normal here than other places, but I think the point still stands.

anime
 

Anime is becoming more and more main streem all the time. But lets not forget its been main streem in japan for years. Anime is made in Japan so the creators only consider the Japanese audience. It becoming mainstream in america wont affect it in Japan, so we dont need to worry about anything changing.

Although maybe somthings happening in Japan too. Latley I have noticed anime becoming more focused on the animation, and less on the plot. Im not sure whats happening.

Somthing else from Japan that I think is really entering main streem in america, is Japanese movies. The popularity of J-horror is really getting big. Like Ring, Ju-On, and anything from Takashi Miike, (like audition, or ichi the killer) I think the new popularity of Japanese films over seas is affecting the Japanese film industry alot. Is it just me, or are Japanese films getting higher budgets then ever before? I ecessialy noticed in 2005 and 2006, some really high budget films from Japan.

Thats a good point, that the more that people like manga, the more releases there might be. I guess that there will be much more variety to choose from, and anime artists, will compete harder to get on top of the competion for the manga art.

I think there is a worry that asian movies, games and anime will be heavily influenced by the west.

For example:
The anime style of Final Fantasy VII shifted to a more western style in VIII

The great Fudoh war was only directed by Takashi Miike as they thought it would help it sell abroad.

I also believe that Western companies heavily financed films like Ghost in the Shell, which runs the risk that they will try to appeal to western audiences.

Also I feel it's a shame many asian directors have tried to make it big in the west, Stephen Chow, John Woo etc as their work has suffered. It's not too bad yet as it's still at the early stages but it's a worrying trend.

You have no idea. Here in my country it was very rare to meet people who liked anime or japanese culture. Now is becoming popular, even when it is so hard to get series here. The only source we have is Internet.
I still can't figure out if this is suppposed to be a good thing or a bad thing. The good thing about it, at least for me, is that I get to share what I like with more people and it has allowed me to make new friends. :)

where?
 

Where do you live?

Ocasionaly if anime gets REALLY popular in the U.S. they tyake the american audience intoi consideration. Thats VERY rare though.

Takashi Miike is a great director, but he isnt chosen for projects JUST so they can be seen outside Japan. He has a loyal fan base in Japan as well. So in a way, they were taking all audiences AND Japan into consideration. But I think Takashi Miike himself, only thinks about the Japanese audience.


Anime, Manga, Games, Movies, and lots of other stuff in Japan, have been influenced by the west for a long time. Nothing has changed.

Another thing that has been EXTREMLEY popular in the west for a VERY long time is Japanese vidio games, and game systems. I dont think they are getting anymore popular, so nothings really changing.

I live in Uruguay. It's a small country in South America.

oh
 

So do you read scanslations? Or do you order manga translated into english from america (online). You say you use the internet, but how?

(Im only asking because im curouse)

not a good thing
 

i hate that anime/manga is getting popular, because then the people who have loved it for years(like me).... well its like being mocked cause where we live u got teased for likeing manga, and now all the people that were teasing us a reading it... well its just annoying.
and then they are only reading it cause its "in" . and eventually it wont be and they'll all drop it, and i hate people like that. plus sence more people will be into it that means less books for us real manga fans

i denifinatly agree with that, most people in my school look at the manga and ask why its "backwords". i HATE THEM they annoy me..... but i definatly dont want it to be Americanised.

I don't know if it's positive or negative... I don't like the fact that it isn't alternative anymore.... But if more people like it, maybe more animes will come on tv in country's other than Japan.

I read scanslations and I sometimes go to Argentina and buy manga there. I'd love to order online but it's too expensive for me. I also download anime episodes. Since most anime here is not licenced I have no trouble exchanging series with my friends.