Anime's International Appeal
Not only does anime portray characters and situations with stunning reality, it also serves as a catalyst for transmitting cultural and individual beliefs and values worldwide. Because of its international exposure, anime holds great potential for cultural exchange. Anime gives its international audiences an opportunity to learn about the ideal worlds envisioned by the Japanese people in their animated films, to become familiar with some of the customs and traditions, even historical tales of Japan, and maybe even learn a little Japanese on the side. It also provides its international audience with a common discourse through which people of any one culture can communicate their specific interpretation of the film to fans from other cultures. Fans all over the world have formed networks of communication through publications about anime, computers, mail, and foreign exchange. Every day, the audience for anime grows larger and more diverse.
A number of Americans are already experiencing the wonder that is Japanese animation. Many more are just starting to discover the unique way in which it portrays reality. Even so, some people doubt that anime will ever truly become part of mainstream American culture. "It’s a cult thing," says Marvin Gleicher, president of Manga Entertainment, "I doubt that anime will ever be a mass-appeal genre, but it will pick up different niches of the mass market through related lifestyles and interests" (qtd. in Atwood). Because of its unique ability among animations to realistically relate the stories of the imagination and reflexively transmit cultural and individual values, I imagine that, in whatever form, anime is here to stay.
Fans all over the world have formed networks of communication through publications about anime, computers, mail, and foreign exchange.
Copyright © 1998 by Sheri Le