Anime in the UK

In recent years the anime market in the UK seems to have exploded. The DVD scene is more alive than ever, there's merchandise aplenty, manga is going strong, there's a dedicated magazine going - there's even special hair products (!). So, what's all the fuss about?

I think part of the appeal of anime is that it presents stories that otherwise could not be told. If something like Cowboy Bebop was instead a live-action TV series, the budget would have been astronomically higher, and so much of its visual style would have been lost. Similarly, the world of Last Exile would be virtually impossible to recreate on the small screen without losing much of it's charm. Perfect Blue was initially going to be a live-action production, but for budget (and to a lesser extent, artistic) reasons it was decided that it should instead be animated. I'm glad, because we got one of the best anime psycho-thrillers out of it. There are some scenes that could not be shot in live action and retain the visual impact, such as the images of the idol Mima skipping through crowds and over streetlights.

The industry still seems to be having a hard time shaking off the image that it is little more than cartoon porn, a result of the now-infamous Urotsukidoji. It's no secret than hentai is an unshakable part of Japanese animation -and, indeed, culture- but all too often the media will focus on this aspect. It doesn't help when anime is still percieved as simple cartoons for kids, and the easily-offended and ill-informed begin to attack whatever happens to be the latest scapegoat. I would invite such people to sit and watch something like Perfect Blue or Ghost in the Shell, and see how they react. Certainly, these titles are not for kids, but they're proof that anime can be more than just big-breasted chicks with guns (on second thought, better not show the GitS, eh?).

On TV

A lot of anime's popularity can be attributed directly to Pokemon and Dragonball Z- they were the two franchises that gained the most attention, and if we're honest, really got the ball rolling. As soon as Pokemon proved to be a sucess, TV companies around the Western world were clamouring over one another to jump on the bandwagon, picking up anime shows left and right. Even the Sci-Fi Channel, previously the only place to see anime, made an effort to get in on the action, with the high-profile afternoon programme Saiko Exciting!, featuring Neon Genesis Evangelion and Martian Successor Nadesico. I think they made a grave mistake of trying to go head-to-head with Cartoon Network for the 5pm timeslot. Unsurprisingly, they lost; Saiko Exciting! was soon canned, and anime was pushed further towards the graveyard slot before ultimately disappearing from Sci-Fi's listings altogether.

Hopes were revived with CNX, Turner's channel aimed at 15-30 males. Essentially a more mature Cartoon Network, it had uncut Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star on at a reasonable hour. It was great - until it was canned nine months later. The Toonami section during the day was more popular, and Turner ultimately shed the grown-up stuff and relaunched the channel under the new name.

Now, it seems as though TV companies are unwilling to take the risks currently associated with anime. It's hardly surprising - of all the shows snatched up, how many were truly popular? Most were simple quick cash-ins, and I wouldn't be surprised if company execs felt the anime bubble had burst. There are still some shows willing to air anime - Jetix still has a healthy selection in it's lineup, but they're aimed squarely at kids. There isn't much that isn't there simply to sell the toyline (but this is hardly a new development - it was the reason for the existence of Transformers and He-Man, back in the day).

Maybe this is the perfect time to put fresh new shows for more mature audiences. When Neo magazine put out a call for what anime fans wanted to see on TV, many spoke up . When they put up a poll of the most popular picks and present the results to Toonami, maybe. This provides an interesing and rare opportunity for fans to have their say. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get to see our own version of Adult Swim. You never know, maybe Turner have learned from CNX and won't take as big a gamble.

On DVD

There are advantages to living in a smaller English-speaking country; all the translation and dubbing work has already been done for the US market, and while the selection here may not be as large, it's usually only the most popular, proven titles that make it over. We get the best, even if it does mean we have to go without the odd underated classic or niche title.

It's not all good news, however. The US market may be starting to show the signs of saturation, with some companies closing studios, merging or even staggering releases over more DVDs. There is just far too much being released far too quickly, and anime distibutors are struggling to get shelf space. Competition for A-grade titles is also driving costs up to unprecetended levels - just look at how long it took for Naruto to get licsenced. Naturally, anything that affects the US market is bound to have an impact on the UK's.

Nothing Changes

In the end, it doesn't look like anime's going anywhere just yet. There've been quiet spells before, and we're back on track with one of the strongest DVD lineups in memory. Even if the industry is going through a bit of a slump, it'll be back. We're not going anywhere.