Japanese pop culture in the United States
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There is significant awareness of
Overview
The reception of Japanese pop culture has typically been a mainly positively accepted one by the United States. While cultural influences are mainly Japanese as due to nation of origin, Japanese pop culture has gained its popularity by high quality and standard of artistic content for sequential media, from not just artistic style and composition, but to writing content, lack of expressive restriction by censorship and moral regulation of works allowed for syndication, diverse portrayals of genres and imaginative ideas explored throughout its library of works, and appealing to generally shared human ideals and the human condition regardless of boundary of nationality and ethnicity.
While anime, manga, and video games respectively have focus of themes and literary approaches unique from each other that define them independently, shared core elements between them allow familiarity for fans to interchange from medium to medium, and provides a sense of unity, consistency, and respected tradition as sequential art. For fans, this artistic consistency establishes common ground for a community as well as a kind of artistic movement and statement. This artistic consistency has been termed "anime style" or "anime" overall by global and American fans by need of identification, ease of recognition, and sense of historic and cultural origins, with manga and anime founded by Osamu Tezuka, and goes further than just tangible art style, writing, or general themes, instead being more like the soul of Japanese popular culture in itself.
History
Japanese popular culture gradually spread to the United States in several waves during the early-to-late 20th century:
- 1920s – International stardom of Charlie Chaplain
- 1940s – Arrival of Japanese martial arts, particularly karate in the United States.
- 1950s – Arrival of .
- 1960s – Arrival of ).
- 1970s – Japanese "martial arts films (e.g. Sonny Chiba) and Japanese arcade video games (e.g. Wheels, Gun Fight, Space Invaders).
- 1980s:
- NES, Game Boy).
- ninja video games (e.g. Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden).
- mecha anime and toys (such as Transformers and Robotech).
- Growth of fighting games (notably Karate Champ).
- Early-to-mid-1990s:
- Growth of fighting games (such as Street Fighter II and Fatal Fury) and Sega Genesis video game console (including games such as Sonic and Streets of Rage).
- Mature anime on home video, including Japanese cyberpunk (e.g. Akira, Ghost in the Shell) and martial arts anime (e.g. Fist of the North Star, Street Fighter II).
- Japanese superhero TV shows, including Americanized live-action tokusatsu (e.g. Power Rangers and VR Troopers) and magical girl anime (e.g. Sailor Moon).
- Growth of
In the mid-to-late 1990s, this culminated in Japanese pop culture having a significant impact in the United States, with anime,
- The American comic books made solely for the comic book collector's merchandise speculator bubble upon The Death of Superman and poorly written examples of nuanced ambivalent morality by the character archetype known as the "90's comic book antihero", and the bankruptcy of DC Comics and Marvel Comics in 1996, these events would soon entrench comic books as disposable and forgettable male adolescent reading material. While long standing figures of comic books like traditional superheroes and Archie Comicswould largely go unharmed in the cultural consensus, the failures and shortcomings of the American comic book industry had snowballed to the point where comic books struggled to uphold its artistic integrity and appeal to new readers into the mid to late 1990s. Anime and manga provided the alternative in the face of this, being able to provide content that was able to reach to both male and female demographics, provide dilemmas and stories that were well written, and showcased topics and subjects not restricted by the Comics Code.
- The revival and revitalizing of the video games as a dead end of unprofitable business in the electronics industry, and in turn, an untrustworthy investment. With Nintendo reviving the market and paving the way for other competitors and developers by its examples of video games that were of quality and were able to sell by their reputable reputation, this would become some of the first pivotal cultural entries and layouts Japanese popular culture would have to properly settle into American awareness.
- The rise of American politicsand morality regarding the regulation of what can be presented and shown as entertainment.
Anime in the United States
Anime differs from American animation in the range of its audiences and themes. Although there are anime for all different age groups, it is made for young teenagers and adults more often than are American cartoons, and often deals with more serious themes. Anime and manga incorporate a multitude of genres such as romance, action, horror, comedy, drama and cover a wide variety of topics like teen suicides, high school rivalries, and social commentary, and more subjects. Described as a gateway for many fans that takes them to a whole new culture; it is sometimes used as a way to learn about Japan. People who are avid devotees to anime in the United States affectionately refer to themselves as otaku, although in Japan the term is similar to geek, and is commonly frowned upon by society. Much like punk and goth, anime has become a subculture.
History
Anime culture in the United States began as a niche community that had a grassroots foundation built by groups of fans on the local level.[1] Some of the earliest televised anime to air in the United States were Astro Boy, Speed Racer, and Gigantor, which gained popularity with many American audiences during the late 1960s.[1] Speed Racer was watched by a total estimated audience of 40 million American viewers during the 1960s–1970s.[2][3][4] Anime shows that aired in the United States up until the 1980s were usually heavily altered and localized, such as Science Ninja Team Gatchaman becoming Battle of the Planets in the 1970s,[5] and the mecha show Macross becoming Robotech in the 1980s. Takara's Diaclone and Microman mecha toylines also became the basis for the Transformers franchise in the 1980s.[6]
Small patches of isolated communities started to form around collective interest towards this new medium, which seemed reminiscent of familiar Disney visuals and Warner-Brothers narratives.
A subculture began to grow around the United States revolving around people who identified with the social identity “Anime fan.”[1] The strong imagined community built by the fandom since the earliest days was both the backbone and reason for the subculture's growth. Today, early 2000s anime shows like Pokémon have become almost universally recognized media in the United States.[11]
This love for anime in the United States has even brought out well known movie stars to produce and star (their voice) in these series. Michael B. Jordan, from Black Panther & Creed fame, is starring in his own series and producing the series gen:LOCK. This has helped the genre to grow more and this has helped sales and influence many creators.[12] Anime which is a type of Japanese art is used by some American teachers to teach Japanese culture in classrooms. It draws student interest and increases their contribution to the course as it is an entertaining form of learning. Many already have great interest in the popular culture of anime mainly due to the popularity of some such as Pokémon, making its use as a teaching tool very effective. Students new to it are equally intrigued by this style of learning and generally adapt with minimum difficulty. They get to learn not just the culture of Japan to satisfy the course syllabus through anime short videos but also get to know how anime is created.[13]
Anime fan-culture
Although anime can be considered by some as distinctly Japanese animation, some scholars and fans relate to them by their animated nature similar to the works of Walt Disney.
Interview with modern-day anime fans reveal that some have no interest in its Japanese roots, merely that they enjoy the fashion or particular facets of the fandom. Scholars highlight the reason for this phenomenon as being the increasing hybrid factor of anime caused by integrating North America's popular culture characteristics.[20] Because of the nature of imports, scholars found that the natural selectivity of anime importing by American companies cause the perception of anime to grow increasingly Western, as anime itself as a medium covers a broad range of genres.
Anime would later go on to infiltrate one of the biggest cartoon networks in the United States— the fittingly named Cartoon Network. This has had a huge impact on a new generation of viewers by introducing them to anime and it's a distinctive style. If one were to watch some of the original Cartoon Network series, such as The Amazing World of Gumball and Teen Titans, one could see how they utilized the anime style with their animation (such as face expressions that are commonly seen in Japanese media) and even their theme song. The Amazing World of Gumball in particular has a lot of references to various anime, which while being a nice treat for those already invested in the media, will let newer views become familiarized with anime media should they ever come by it. It has become so popular; they have even created a special time slot for new series and re-occurring popular series on their Saturday night Toonami segment. There is a rich culture that is brought out in the anime; you can watch about Japan's early history about the samurai and the bloody wars that are associated with them. Having these types of “historical” anime gives people an insight on how Japan became how it is today, granted it does have some creator interpretation on the story which might not be historically accurate. But these anime like Rurouni Kenshin gives the viewer a glimpse in the Meiji era and has plenty of action and romance as well. This has influence other American shows like Samurai Jack and Afro Samurai: Resurrection that had the voice of Samuel L. Jackson.[21]
Anime conventions
The primary function of anime conventions in the United States is to give a place to fans of anime, manga and Japanese culture. There are a range of informational panels offered at these conventions from the basics of Japanese language and culture to cutting edge news about anime releases in Japan and the US. Anime conventions also provide performances and vendors of Japanese goods, manga, anime, figurines and Anime related merchandise. Most American anime conventions are fan operated, the increase in popularity starting in the '90s, sprung forth a long-standing list of annual conventions, such as Anime Expo, AnimeFest, Anime NYC, Anime Frontier, Otakon, and Anime Boston, which continue to today with numbers of attendance reaching over 100,000.
Anime influence and sales
Through the last two decades the introduction of anime into American mainstream culture has furthered its popularity. Such famous titles as
Unlike American cartoons where they have a lot of standalone episodes with each having their own stories where you can jump into the series and enjoy it, Japanese anime has more of a complex storyline that builds upon previous episodes. This is why it is so popular in the United States since people can get to know the characters better and become invested in the series and at times dress up like them for
Fashion
Cosplay
The term "cosplay" corresponds to an abbreviation of the English words costume play, though the term was coined in Japan the practice is not solely Japanese. The use of the term cosplay applies to any costumed role play outside of theaters. Characters are often taken from popular Japanese fiction. Popular sources that fans draw from include anime, manga, video games, comic books, and graphic novels. American cosplayers practice this form of fandom at anime conventions. However, there are a growing number of web pages and photo sites dedicated to the art of cosplaying, such as DeviantArt and Cosplay.com.
Live-action film and television
The following Japanese live-action film and television genres have also had a significant influence on American popular culture:
- Jidaigeki (Japanese historical fiction)
- Yojimbo
- ninja films
- Tokusatsu (Japanese science fiction)
- Ultraman
- ) franchises
- Hana Yori Dango and Nodame Cantabile
- Grudgefranchises
Manga in the United States
Along with the translating and purchasing of Japanese manga in the United States, this led to the development of artists and writers in the country to develop their own manga. These were called
Manga influence and sales
Calvin Reid of Publishers Weekly estimated that the "Total U.S. manga sales in 2007 rose about 10%, to more than $220 million, and about 1,468 titles are estimated to have been released last year."[31] Fans of manga have long stated that its library and lexicon of works are with something for everyone, as well as not as restricted creatively and not as censored as the American comic book industry, instead being as varied and as openly expressive as any form of entertainment. Female readers, a demographic that comic books have been somewhat unsuccessful in gaining attention, are as equal of an audience to the male audience, finding manga has material as well as writers able to provide in the creative content manga has been known to host.
With the popularity of manga on the rise graphic novel artists are beginning to adapt their style to that of manga. In a different trend celebrities are getting their hands into the manga market, rock star
To the derision and jealousy of the hardcore American comic book industry and its supporters, as CBR columnists Joe Casey and Matt Fraction describe the increase of manga sales in the United States, "Manga is the 900-pound bear in the comics shop. Inescapable, unavoidable, and impossible to ignore, the manga explosion is either going to go away—which is bad, as so many mass-market bookstores seem to be bulking up their comics supply based on manga's lead—or manga will continue to grow—also bad, as the direct market scrambles to keep up. The entire industry is being forced, month by month, little by little, into a paradigm shift not seen since the advent of the direct market in the early '80s, all thanks to these strange little books from far away."[32]
In October 2019 industry analyst
Martial arts
Popular
.Music
Video games
Since the early 1970s, Japan has been home to some of the most famous and influential
See also
Notes
- ^ ISSN 0145-2096.
- Volkswagen of America. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ "Launching From the Web: Art Asylum Seeks an Alternative to Costly TV Ads". ICv2. February 20, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ "Need For Speed". Sega Pro. No. 25 (November 1993). October 14, 1993. p. 14.
- ISBN 9781403984760.
- ^ "The History of Transformers on TV". IGN. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
- S2CID 190720796.
- S2CID 145335176.
- .
- ^ Grisby, Mary (Summer 1998). ""Sailormoon": "Manga (Comics)" and "Anime (Cartoon)" Superheroine Meets Barbie: Global Entertainment Commodity Comes to the United States". Journal of Popular Culture. 32 (1) – via Proquest.
- ^ "How Pokemon Became a Pop Culture Sensation in America". The Escapist. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ^ Hills, Megan (2018). "Michael B. Jordan Will Be Starring In And Co-Producing An Anime Series".
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - JSTOR 20787689.
- S2CID 122828222.
- ^ .
- S2CID 143091243.
- ^ ISSN 0030-851X.
- ^ a b c d Jenkins, Henry (2004). Globalization. BERKELEY; LOS ANGELES; LONDON.: University of California Press. pp. 121–126.
- S2CID 145783762.
- ^ S2CID 143210545.
- ^ Toonami., 2019
- ^ http://publications.epress.monash.edu/doi/pdf/10.2104/cc100012[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Anime DVDs Down 20%". February 13, 2008. Retrieved December 10, 2010.
- ^ "How Has Japanese Anime Influenced the World?". Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ^ Kheraj, Alim (August 2, 2019). "Avril Lavigne was the original e-girl". i-D. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
- ^ "Hello Kitty grows up: How Japan's Sanrio has expanded the character's empire". AOL. March 19, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
- The Free Library. November 3, 2014.
- Heatworld. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
- ^ Marci, Kayla (February 17, 2020). "What is an E-Girl and E-Boy?". EDITED. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
- Wired.com. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
- ^ Reid, Calvin (December 7, 2007). "New Report Finds Manga Sales Up; Anime DVD Down in '07". Retrieved December 10, 2010.
- ^ Comic Book Resource (September 28, 2004). "The Basement Tapes Issue #9". Retrieved December 10, 2010.
- ^ Salkowitz, Rob (October 8, 2019). "Surprising New Data Shows Comic Readers Are Leaving Superheroes Behind". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
References
- Baus, J. (December 17, 2007). "Anime Releases Tumble: Manga Market Girds for Challenges". ICv2.
- Kelts, Roland (2006). Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S.. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781403974754.
- Sarafin, J. (April 24, 2008). "Manga Sales Rose Slightly in America". Archived from the original on October 13, 2012.
- Schodt, Frederik L. (2007). Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press.
- Sefton-Green, Julian (2003). Digital Diversions: Youth Culture in the Age of Multimedia. London: Stone Bridge Press.
- Johnson-Woods, Toni (2010). Manga: An Anthology of Global and Cultural Perspectives. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc
- Kohler, Chris (2016). Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life. New York: Dover Publications