Today's Anime Fall Into Oblivion Very Quickly
On a recent walk through a discount store, a reporter observed a revealing scene: "Kimetsu no Yaiba" toys at 79% off, "SPY×FAMILY" stuffed animals at 67% off, and "Oshi no Ko" candies at half price. What's surprising is that many of these products belong to anime that aired just a few months ago or even last year. This trend of watching anime products on sale is becoming more and more common in these establishments.
A curious case was to see an old man buying the "Oshi no Ko" candies, still available in convenience stores and supermarkets. When asked why he chose this product, he replied simply, "Because it's cheap." He confessed that he didn't know anime, but he did have a taste for candy.
Despite the rise of "oshi-katsu" (supporting your oshi/idol) and the boom of anime, with convenience stores full of merchandise, the reality is that not all of these products sell well. One shopkeeper commented, "Some anime products sell, but most don't. The fashion for a series goes by very quickly."
In many cases, anime that generate a lot of attention on social networks and become a trend, fall into oblivion in a few months. This is partly due to the current structure of the anime industry. Most series are produced in seasons of 12 to 13 episodes. When a series gains popularity, a second season is announced, but it can take up to a year to air, during which time many fans lose interest.
Overproduction and the short duration of the series make it difficult for fans to stay loyal. In addition, the number of products that are manufactured after an initial success is often excessive, and when demand decreases, they end up in discount stores.
The situation is also complicated for companies that develop anime products. With the exception of big titles like "Precure" or "Shonen Jump" series, most products are released quickly to take advantage of fashion, but production can take more than three months to complete. If the product arrives late, interest will have already waned.
Instability in demand also affects retailers. Products that are initially popular, soon lose their appeal and are relegated to discount stores. This reflects a phenomenon in which fans quickly shift interest, driven in part by the fast-paced dynamics of social media. In the past, popular anime would air for years, allowing you to develop a solid fan base. Nowadays, most series are broadcast at night and last only a few weeks, which limits the time to build audience loyalty.
Anime overproduction also plays a big role. According to the Japanese Animation Association's "2023 Anime Production Market Trends Survey," 310 series were produced in 2021, compared to 109 in 2000. Not only does this excessive amount dilute fan attention, but it also overburdens animation studios, which are suffering from staff shortages.
Longtime fans remember when they could follow almost every anime on the air, but nowadays it's impossible to keep up. This leads to a rapid rotation of interest among new series and makes it difficult for anime to maintain a consistent audience.
In addition, the lack of anime aimed at children on television is worrying. Most of the new anime are for adults, and children's series are few and far between. Without children's shows, the bases of future anime fans are not being formed, which could negatively impact the industry in the long run.
In conclusion, the anime industry is facing a dilemma: overproduction and the rapid loss of interest from audiences. To address this, it's crucial to reduce the number of series produced and focus on creating quality content that can keep fans engaged for longer. Also, you should invest in anime for kids to ensure a new generation of followers. Only then can a solid and lasting base of anime fans be built.
Source: Livedoor News
