Throughout the recent years, Japanese animation, specifically within the genre of anime and anime films, has been a steadily growing and dedicated following within American subculture. With the more popular anime being systematically introduced to the American public, creating “a massive expansion and organization of American fans of Japanese animation; clubs, conventions, and fanzines dedicated to anime and its fandom culture have sprung up on college campuses and in large cities all over the United States.” These fanatically dedicated fans have brought recognition and national attention to the growing anime phenomenon that spread throughout the States. Anime and anime fans have slowly developed a niche within the public sector, to a point
…show more content…
They have distorted anime creating a hybrid of American culture, westernized in a sense when viewed through American consumption of it. Animated ventures such as Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon, Astro Boy, Studio Ghibli films and more gained notoriety with the American public, large corporations took notice. These aforementioned corporations often lead way to the assimilation and Americanization of the work in hopes that it would appeal even more to the American public and they could reap the benefits. Paving the way for the original works to undergo a series of changes appropriate for the American public to consume. Some changes can be minuscule, like with Pokémon taking typical Japanese names and changing them. Satoshi became Ash Ketchum, Takeshi became Brock, even something as small as onigiri (rice balls) was changed into ‘doughnuts’. Anything that made it strikingly Japanese was edited out, to make it seem cultureless or …show more content…
By changing names, you can change the storyline and often the major points the plotline because facets of Japanese culture do not translate well into a Western one. All these changes conducted revolutionize the story, to a point where it is no longer a Japanese anime, but a unique combination of an American cartoon and Japanese animation. It is why many anime fans do not see Pokémon, no matter the season, as an anime and those within anime fandoms will tell you it is not a “real” anime. Although it does serve as many people’s initial and occasionally their only step into the world of anime, to those who journey further into the sphere comes the realization it does not have the same appeal as newer, “real”
They have distorted anime creating a hybrid of American culture, westernized in a sense when viewed through American consumption of it. Animated ventures such as Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon, Astro Boy, Studio Ghibli films and more gained notoriety with the American public, large corporations took notice. These aforementioned corporations often lead way to the assimilation and Americanization of the work in hopes that it would appeal even more to the American public and they could reap the benefits. Paving the way for the original works to undergo a series of changes appropriate for the American public to consume. Some changes can be minuscule, like with Pokémon taking typical Japanese names and changing them. Satoshi became Ash Ketchum, Takeshi became Brock, even something as small as onigiri (rice balls) was changed into ‘doughnuts’. Anything that made it strikingly Japanese was edited out, to make it seem cultureless or …show more content…
By changing names, you can change the storyline and often the major points the plotline because facets of Japanese culture do not translate well into a Western one. All these changes conducted revolutionize the story, to a point where it is no longer a Japanese anime, but a unique combination of an American cartoon and Japanese animation. It is why many anime fans do not see Pokémon, no matter the season, as an anime and those within anime fandoms will tell you it is not a “real” anime. Although it does serve as many people’s initial and occasionally their only step into the world of anime, to those who journey further into the sphere comes the realization it does not have the same appeal as newer, “real”