UlasanAnime.com – Reflecting on the spring season of 2011, this industry postmortem offers a US-centric perspective on the anime market.
It’s often said that the late-night anime business is generally profitable. With the US release of Occult Academy in May, all of Anime no Chikara’s anime titles will have made their way to American shores. This is a positive development, as all three shows possess some redeeming qualities, showcasing the power of anime to a certain extent. It is reasonable to assume that these titles will continue to generate revenue for their licensors back home for some time.
This same power has captivated newcomers with the new Lupin the Third anime, many of whom may have only seen three or fewer hours of any prior Lupin work. Similarly, this is why Kyoto Animation’s Hyouka is not met with widespread criticism; instead, it serves to counter the second-guessing from 2ch otaku towards the established animators. It mirrors the trend of idols transitioning into the 2.5D space.
You might also be interested in : Wolves and Koko Puffs
Yamakan’s ambitious yet flawed anime, Fractale, is also slated for an American release. The question of its sales performance remains. The author intends to purchase one of the 686 units. Alongside many other titles from 2010/2011, struggling major player Funimation is slowly bringing these shows to localized markets. In this regard, the situation is quite representative: Nozomi acquired Soranowoto, Sentai secured Night Raid, and NISA took on Occult Academy. These three distributors are relatively new and have distinct profiles. While an assessment of Sentai is not possible, unlike companies with a guaranteed hit like DBZ or FMA, these distributors rely on a variety of better and poorer selling shows. This diversity is indicative of the future, suggesting that while the entertainment industry might be propped up by a single hit, this otaku-centric business model does not necessitate such a reliance. Many benefit from this varied approach.
Furthermore, concerning Fractale (distributed by Funi), a quick survey of 2011 Spring acquisitions reveals that Anohana is with NISA, Madoka is with Aniplex, and Gosick, initially with Bandai, is now in limbo. This breakdown offers an interesting perspective on market competitiveness, almost like a generational handover. It’s clear that some companies license the wrong shows, while on the flip side, many are fortunate that these companies generally license the right ones for their portfolios.
Generally speaking, Funimation does a commendable job with their releases, particularly in their marketing efforts, especially for traditionally fanservice-heavy shows. Their promotion for Strike Witches was enthusiastic, and while the push for AsoIku was less so, it still occurred. However, they need to expedite their releases rather than delaying them after simulcasting.
Ultimately, it is the acquisition of new and exciting licenses that invigorates the fanbase and drives revenue.
On a positive note, there is currently significant market diversity in terms of who is distributing which titles, and FUNi deserves credit for this. They are effectively catering to the 25-75 anime fan segment, leaving most of the remaining audience largely unaddressed. Unfortunately, this also raises concerns as not all content is universally accessible. It remains a distant Avalon, a concept that once existed in our file-sharing days.
TL;DR – We have made significant progress, but there is still much ground to cover. Much to go.
PS. Speaking of the 25-percentile, did you notice the Ghibli Blu-ray Disc releases scheduled for May in the US? Upon seeing them, I was utterly surprised! Let’s get them! ???！
