UlasanAnime.com – The Web 2.0 era is characterized by the rise of platforms like iPod, MySpace, and YouTube, fostering a generation focused on self-centered information production. In this landscape, even personal rants can reach a wide audience unrelated to the author.
Bloggers are the foot soldiers of a new informational faction. We are now the producers of content, whether it’s for entertainment, news, social action, or simply self-expression. The power has shifted from large, centralized corporate entities like mainstream press and media cartels to individuals. This newfound freedom allows for a vast range of creative output.
However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that we cannot exist in isolation from these established media giants. The collective effort of people who blog, comment, aggregate content, link between blogs, and most importantly, those who read and contribute, builds upon the foundations of everyday life and mass media. This collaborative process forms a vibrant information ecosystem, leading to a richer world. Instead of focusing solely on celebrity figures, we can engage with fellow bloggers, commenters, or even collectively discuss public figures.
This phenomenon is reminiscent of academic peer-review publications, where professors and researchers build upon each other’s ideas. The process involves critique and collaboration, fostering the development of new concepts. This community differs significantly from traditional media outlets like the BBC, CNN, TNT, Oxygen, FOX, or NHK. It shares similarities with platforms like 2ch or Slashdot, yet possesses a distinct characteristic: the long tail.
The internet’s ability to connect geographically dispersed individuals with shared interests is fundamental. For instance, within the broad spectrum of American anime fans, you’ll find diverse interests ranging from Yugioh and Digimon to Final Fantasy. Zooming into specific segments reveals enthusiasts of Naruto, FMA, or classic films like Ninja Scroll and Akira. Further specialization uncovers viewers of digisubbed content, cosplayers, fan artists, webcomic creators, and online personalities, showcasing the multifaceted nature of fandom.
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However, the anime blog community doesn’t entirely mirror this diversification. Within these sites, there’s a tension between those that tend to “centralize” content and those that “diversify.” This reflects an inherent human tendency to “syndicate” information versus relinquishing editorial control to readers. Platforms like Something Awful or Blogsuki act as both filters and, at times, censors. Modern aggregators like Slashdot and Digg attempt to circumvent this by incorporating democratic feedback, but they often face similar compromises.
The critique here is that individual dissenting voices, much like in previous decades, may still struggle to be heard. While the internet has vastly improved the potential for these voices to be amplified, the democratic filtering process can still lead to their marginalization. Similarly, a tightly controlled editorial process with power concentrated among a few editors does not guarantee improved intellectual exchange.
This situation is also prevalent in academia. Yet, in the pursuit of truth, merit often outweighs mere appeal. The question arises: are there genuine truths to be uncovered in this medium, or are we merely producing content for the sake of regular updates, spewing meritless information? The tendency for anime bloggers to gravitate towards new releases raises the question of why older series receive less blogging attention. Is this the influence of “Relevance,” dictating the flow of content? What is the current state of the anime blogosphere?
Perhaps the answer is simply that it “doesn’t matter.” Or perhaps it does; the author remains uncertain. It’s possible that the current stage of development is appropriate given the community’s size, as similar patterns can be observed in various online communities today. Nevertheless, a degree of self-interest might be the most pragmatic approach.
This article is part of a continuing series exploring various aspects of blogging. Readers can find previous entries by searching for the “blogging” tag.
