UlasanAnime.com – The author begins by questioning their own motivation for discussing a particular topic, suggesting it’s a conditioned response to specific keywords or ideas that resurface periodically. This prompts them to articulate a thought they feel compelled to express.
The core of the discussion revolves around the importance of “Anime no Chikara” (the power of anime) and efforts to create original anime. The author contrasts this with established practices, using the example of director Yamakan’s (Yutaka Yamamoto) original anime project via Fractale as a means to “fix the industry.” This is presented not as an arbitrary endeavor but as a deliberate response to industry issues.
The concept of “media mix” business strategies is then explained. This involves taking an initial idea and expanding it across various media such as anime, radio shows, video games, and manga. The goal is to monetize a single concept through multiple outlets and further leverage it through merchandise like figures and toys.
Japan is highlighted as being particularly adept at this media mix strategy. The author defines “good” in this context as the ability to cheaply produce a line of sellable items across different mediums, emphasizing the concept of “good marginal value.” However, this efficiency can lead to problems, as illustrated by “Tezuka’s Curse.” This curse refers to a situation where the creation of content is inexpensive relative to its selling price, but the profits primarily benefit those involved in sales and distribution rather than the creators themselves.
To elaborate, the author argues that valuing and rewarding creativity requires appropriate compensation. When the creative process is detached from copyright mechanisms, it becomes susceptible to market pressures, especially when competing with established monopolies like copyrights. A comparison is drawn between the global export of anime-based media from Japan and other mass media (excluding video games). The author notes a disproportionate distribution of money and intellectual focus, with domestic Japanese markets often favoring manga and print publishers through copyright financing structures, while animation houses struggle.
This situation is contrasted with Hollywood’s approach to adaptations or revivals of existing franchises. While Hollywood projects are often driven by marketing and risk aversion, Japanese media mix projects involving manga or light novels are more significantly influenced by copyright ownership and lucrative royalty contracts or advertising revenue.
An example is provided with Ume-sensei’s (Ume Aoki) manga being adapted. The author suggests that while Ume-sensei likely receives substantial payment, the animation studio, Shaft, benefits from anime sales. The manga is presented as a supplementary product, and without the anime adaptation, Ume Aoki’s work might remain just another 4-koma gag manga. The author uses K-ON! as another example to illustrate this inequity, implying that the appeal of such works often stems more from their anime adaptation than the original manga itself.
The author posits that consumers purchase manga or merchandise not solely because of the original creator’s work but because producers recognize the commercial potential of an anime adaptation and its suitability for specific animation studios. This leads to the observation that anime often functions as a form of paid advertising, where the “commercial” (the anime) is more appealing than the product it is ostensibly selling (the original manga or idea).
This dynamic is partly explained by the fact that if an anime publisher is also the animation studio, their income increases with anime sales. However, lacking ownership of the original material, their stake in the production committee extends only to the anime itself. Profits from other ventures are subject to the distribution agreements among various parties involved in the joint production. This is likened to a shop featuring a “kanban musume” (advertising girl) who is the owner’s daughter and receives no bonus for her role, unlike those who profit from the business.
In contrast, anime originals like Sora no Woto (Sound of the Sky) are discussed. In these cases, the main copyright owner invests in the animation production team. While still financed through committee structures, the additional royalty money from licensing merchandise flows back into animation production rather than supporting “dead tree media” (print publications). Furthermore, media mixes of anime originals can lead to novelizations and manga spin-offs that, in turn, help sell print materials, making them potentially more commercially viable for manga publishers than entirely original works.
The author concludes by suggesting that unless the financing structure for anime in Japan changes, the industry will continue to face complaints about stagnation or nostalgia for past eras. They ponder whether it is easier to address public ignorance or to reform the fundamental business practices within Japan.
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