UlasanAnime.com – Many individuals offer diverse perspectives on what precisely defines anime or manga. It’s unclear which definitions are accurate, if any are contradictory, or if they are truly in conflict. What is evident is that “anime” and “manga” are broad terms encompassing a wide array of content. Introducing video games into this discussion doesn’t necessarily complicate matters further.
The gaming community serves as a useful case study. In reality, a vast spectrum of game types exists. Furthermore, video games have long since permeated mainstream culture, particularly in recent years. This surge was fueled by the rise of casual gaming, which became deeply intertwined with the ubiquitous gadgets everyone desired and the social networking platforms everyone frequented. It has reached a point where nearly everyone recognizes “Angry Birds,” and the question arises, why? While the exact reasons are multifaceted, the game’s compatibility across various devices is a significant factor.
The core point is that individuals like myself, who don’t actively engage with mainstream gaming titles, have vastly different experiences compared to friends who play games like Halo and Call of Duty. These, in turn, differ significantly from the gaming habits of a blogger who is currently on hiatus or another who is not. Can we all be considered “gamers”? By a broad interpretation, certainly. We might also have watched anime at some point in our lives, or read manga. However, at a granular level, our preferences and engagement within these hobbies are quite dissimilar, to say the least.
This disparity becomes painfully apparent when observing the state of manga in America. The prevailing marketing strategy has largely remained stagnant, reminiscent of TokyoPop’s approach: “Wow, this stuff is from Japan! It’s like, for girls! We call it manga! UNCE UNCE UNCE!” While this might have been acceptable in an era like 1989, it is woefully inadequate in 2011. This is especially true considering Japan’s active involvement in the localization scene and the significant influence of the internet in shaping how content reaches audiences and how the industry evolves.
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It is unfortunate that even esteemed and classic manga publishers like Vertical struggle to gain traction with this outdated marketing. To draw an analogy, it’s akin to selling mushrooms: can a $500/lb truffle be marketed in the same manner as $2/lb white button mushrooms, simply because they share some biological similarities? While you are indeed a mushroom vendor, and not even an illicit one, the question remains: if one reads, sells, buys, reviews, or follows manga, what does that truly signify? What common ground does a title like Drops of God share with Bleach? My assertion is, nothing.
Consider, for instance, the catalogs of Marvel or DC Comics. The fragmentation of attention within those spheres is a phenomenon largely unseen and unimaginable with American manga publishers. This isn’t to imply that DC or Marvel lack diverse offerings; however, they are not as intensely focused on the sheer breadth of topics, forms, modes, and concepts that manga encompasses. In essence, manga covers virtually every conceivable subject under the sun.
Naturally, this diversity extends to the fanbase. The mere fact that I maintain an anime blog does not equate to it being identical to any other specific type of anime blog. Relatively speaking, anime is a more niche medium than manga. Consequently, I believe the relative success of marketing based on product identity in the West is significantly better for anime. Ultimately, when I attend an anime convention, there is a considerable overlap in attendees’ anime consumption experiences, in terms of what defines them as fans. I cannot confidently say the same for manga. However, to avoid self-contradiction, I likely wouldn’t strongly identify with the majority of American convention-goers either, primarily because my age is likely above the average. Perhaps. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure.
This is likely why phenomena like these occur. Learn to “offkai”, right? But it’s more serious than that: Learn to recognize that your hobbies are, in fact, (slightly) different from mine? Do we need to invent or import new vocabulary for this realization to occur? Is your “illustrated pornography” distinct from mine? How significant must the difference be? Or are they fundamentally the same, with some attendees at a convention simply being older, and some characters being too old? Would you feel more at home at a Jump Manga Adaptation Con than a Latest Late Night TV Anime Con? Or perhaps a direct jump to 4ChanCon? Do plot-driven narratives resonate with you more than “The House the Art Fag Built”? Or do you require the services of both? Neither? All these elements can profoundly influence what we enjoy, how we experience it, and how we find enjoyment together. I fail to understand why we would want to conflate them. Let’s be explicit.
