Results for
Ru's 3rd Semi-Annual Rec.arts.anime.*
"What are we like?" Fan Survey
August 1998
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part A. Time as a Fan
A1. How long have you been a fan of anime?
0 0% I was just introduced this month
0 0% less than 6 months
8 5% 6 months to 1 year
20 13% 2 years
54 36% 3 to 5 years
31 21% 6 to 10 years
38 25% more than 10 years
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
A2. How were you introduced to anime when you became a
fan?
40 26% A friend showed me some anime
12 8% A club showing
59 39% TV broadcast
17 11% Video rental or loan (eg. out of curiosity)
5 3% A public (other than club) showing (eg. theatre)
4 3% Saw some material from WWW sites/newsgroups/internet.
1 1% Saw a demo at a store or rental shop
10 7% Purchase without preview (eg. out of curiousity)
3 2% blank
-------
151 100% total
A3. How do you USUALLY get a FIRST viewing of an anime title?
21 14% At home on TV broadcasts
75 50% At home with borrowed or rented media
86 57% At home on your own video media
3 2% At a friend's or relative's home on TV broadcasts
16 11% At a friend's or relative's home with borrowed or rented media
28 19% At a friend's or relative's home on his/her own video media
38 25% At an anime club
24 16% At a convention
5 3% At movie theatres
6 4% At stores that show demos
2 1% blank
-------
304 201% total
A4. How many anime TITLES (a series counts as one title)
do you estimate you have watched?
10 7% 10 or less
15 10% 11 to 20
31 21% 21 to 40
36 24% 41 to 80
20 13% 81 to 120
10 7% 121 to 160
11 7% 161 to 200
11 7% 201 to 240
7 5% more than 240
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
A5. How much anime video do you watch?
11 7% up to 2 hours a month
24 16% up to 2 hours every 2 weeks
31 21% up to 2 hours a week
58 38% up to 2 hours every 3 days (or 5 hours a week)
21 14% up to 2 hours a day
6 4% more than 2 hours a day
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
A6. How much non-anime video (eg. TV, rentals) do you watch?
9 6% never
16 11% up to 2 hours a month
13 9% up to 2 hours every 2 weeks
23 15% up to 2 hours a week
42 28% up to 2 hours every 3 days (or 5 hours a week)
30 20% up to 2 hours a day
18 12% more than 2 hours a day
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
A7. How many anime fans do you personally have frequent
face-to-face contact with (outside of a club)?
28 19% none
46 30% 1 to 2
49 32% 3 to 5
17 11% 6 to 10
5 3% 11 to 20
6 4% more than 20
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
A8. What percentage of your acquaintances (eg. people at work,
folks at the grocery store you are on first name basis with) would
you guess are what you consider anime fans?
36 24% none of them
82 54% 1 to 10% of them
20 13% 11 to 30% of them
6 4% 31 to 50% of them
2 1% 51 to 70% of them
3 2% 71 to 90% of them
0 0% all of them
2 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
A9. How many different hardcopy anime fan magazine titles do you
regularly buy, read, look through, or subscribe to?
62 41% none
38 25% one
27 18% two
20 13% 3 to 5
3 2% more than 5
1 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
A10. Do you read Manga (Japanese or translated)?
133 88% yes
18 12% no
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
A11. How many anime conventions per year do you usually attend?
84 56% none
39 26% one
19 13% two
7 5% 3 to 5
1 1% more than 5
1 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part B. Linguistic Fluency
B1. How fluent are you in understanding spoken Japanese?
1 1% As if it were your native language (or, is your native language)
18 12% Enough to survive alone in Japan
54 36% You can understand a few words and phrases of FORMAL conversation
70 46% You only know a few words
8 5% Not a word.
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
B2. How fluent are you in speaking Japanese?
1 1% As if it were your native language (or, is your native language)
17 11% Enough to survive alone in Japan
44 29% You can speak a few words and phrases of FORMAL conversation
73 48% You only know a few words
16 11% Not a word
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
B3. How fluent are you in reading Japanese (kanji, hiragana, or
katakana)?
1 1% As if it were your native language (or, is your native language)
21 14% Enough to survive alone in Japan
38 25% You can read a few words and phrases
38 25% You only know a few words
51 34% Not a word.
2 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
B4. Which Japanese script are you most fluent in?
as appropriate)
24 16% kanji
61 40% hiragana
56 37% katakana
62 41% blank
-------
203 134% total
B5. What language do you generally watch anime in?
1 1% untranslated only
5 3% mostly untranslated
40 26% some untranslated, some translated (dub or sub)
57 38% mostly translated (dub or sub)
48 32% translated (dub or sub) only
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
B6. Have you taken courses (eg. in classes or in home study)
in Japanese?
74 49% yes
77 51% no
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
B7. If you have taken courses, were any of the following
components in the course?
59 39% verbal or audio
65 43% text (kanji, katakana, or hiragana)
57 38% romanized grammar text
77 51% blank
-------
258 171% total
B8. Regarding your fluency in Japanese, which best characterizes
the influence of your interest in anime?
0 0% was already fluent in Japanese when got interested
8 5% was already trying to increase fluency when got interested
86 57% interest in anime started interest in improving fluency
15 10% interest in fluency and in anime were (nearly) simultaneous
1 1% interest in fluency started interest in anime
12 8% there is no influence of one on the other
16 11% have no interest in fluency
13 9% blank
-------
151 100% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part C. Dub versus Sub
C1. When you BORROW, RENT, or otherwise VIEW translated anime,
what is your translation preference?
26 17% demand sub only
92 61% tolerate dubs but prefer subs
20 13% have no preferance
11 7% tolerate subs but prefer dubs
1 1% demand dub only
1 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
C2. If you OWN translated anime, what is your translation
preference?
55 36% get sub only
61 40% sometimes get dubs, but mostly get subs
15 10% have no preference
12 8% sometimes get subs, but mostly get dubs
6 4% get dub only
1 1% don't own any anime
1 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part D. Video Format
D1. What video format do you own anime in?
146 97% Tape
15 10% VCD
46 30% LaserDisc
21 14% DVD
4 3% other
1 1% None
0 0% blank
-------
233 154% total
D2. If you own anime, what video format do you choose the
most (eg. due to budget constraints) to collect anime in?
114 75% Tape
5 3% VCD
22 15% LaserDisc
6 4% DVD
0 0% other
4 3% blank
-------
151 100% total
D3. If you own anime, what video format do you prefer (not wish)
the most to collect anime in?
76 50% Tape
5 3% VCD
34 23% LaserDisc
23 15% DVD
0 0% other
13 9% blank
-------
151 100% total
D4. If you own anime, what video format do you wish to collect
anime in if you could afford it?
10 7% Tape
1 1% VCD
63 42% LaserDisc
70 46% DVD
0 0% other
7 5% blank
-------
151 100% total
D5. If you don't own anime but wish to, what video format
would you prefer to collect anime in?
9 6% Tape
0 0% VCD
12 8% LaserDisc
9 6% DVD
0 0% other
121 80% blank
-------
151 100% total
D6. Which formats does the equipment you own, or share, play?
149 99% Tape
40 26% VCD
49 32% LaserDisc
26 17% DVD
5 3% other
1 1% blank
-------
270 179% total
D7. If you collect anime, is your decision to buy one unit of
your prefered format (eg. one LD) in a series dependent on the
distributer releasing the full series in your prefered format?
60 40% yes
36 24% no
45 30% sometimes
10 7% blank
-------
151 100% total
D8. Which release version of anime do you collect?
50 33% only non-Japanese (eg. English version, French version)
46 30% mostly non-Japanese, some Japanese domestic
29 19% some non-Japanese, some Japanese domestic
15 10% some non-Japanese, mostly Japanese domestic
5 3% only Japanese domestic
6 4% blank
-------
151 100% total
D9. If you have Japanese domestic releases, do you try to also
get the non-japanese version when available?
32 21% yes
30 20% no
37 25% sometimes
52 34% blank
-------
151 100% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part E. More about DVD
E1. Would anime be, or was anime, an issue in your decision to
buy (or not to buy) a DVD player?
96 64% yes
38 25% no
17 11% blank
-------
151 100% total
E2. Suppose DVD became well established. What video quality
would you tolerate if you wanted to collect anime on DVD?
0 0% even if poorer than VHS
7 5% even if only similar to VHS
29 19% even if better than VHS but poorer than LD
48 32% even if similar to LD
39 26% only if better than LD
8 5% regardless of the video quality
16 11% undecided
4 3% blank
-------
151 100% total
E3. Suppose the video quality is sufficient for you. Would you
collect anime on DVD
20 13% only if DVD is recordable
89 59% even if DVD is not recordable
37 25% undecided
5 3% blank
-------
151 100% total
E4. Suppose DVD meets the above requirements. Would you collect
anime on DVD if anime DVD manufacturers predominantly used the
region lock (for example, a lock code for Japan's region would
prevent you from playing the DVD on a US player)?
48 32% yes
59 39% no
39 26% undecided
5 3% blank
-------
151 100% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part F. Anime Products
F1. Do you also typically buy products associated with anime?
3 2% you don't buy any associated products
124 82% manga
122 81% music CDs
68 45% toys (excluding model kits)
47 31% model kits
45 30% games
87 58% books
85 56% magazines
101 67% posters
53 35% calendars
40 26% cels
48 32% trading cards
47 31% decorations
29 19% office products (eg. erasers, pens)
10 7% phone cards
59 39% computer products (eg. screen savers, mouse pads)
37 25% other
1 1% blank
-------
1006 666% total
F2. What is your most common source of Anime products?
76 50% off the shelf at local anime store
28 19% special order from local anime store
85 56% mail order from non-local anime store
49 32% off the shelf at local non-anime store
23 15% special order from local non-anime store
11 7% mail order from non-local non-anime store
19 13% ordered through friends or family living in or visiting Japan
16 11% gifts from friends or family living in or visiting Japan
4 3% blank
-------
311 206% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part G. Anime Clubs and Accessibility
G1. How many anime clubs are you aware of that are what you
consider reasonably accessible?
55 36% none
45 30% one
19 13% two
22 15% 3 to 5
6 4% more than 5
4 3% blank
-------
151 100% total
G2. How many anime clubs do you belong to?
93 62% none
41 27% one
12 8% two
5 3% 3 to 5
0 0% more than 5
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
G3. How many people are in the largest anime club you belong to?
1 1% 2 to 5
1 1% 6 to 10
9 6% 11 to 20
50 33% more than 20
90 60% blank
-------
151 100% total
G4. If you belong to more than one anime club, how many people are
in the smallest anime club you belong to?
7 5% 2 to 5
2 1% 6 to 10
3 2% 11 to 20
10 7% more than 20
129 85% blank
-------
151 100% total
G5. How many video rental shops are accessible to you in your
geographical area?
2 1% none
5 3% one
9 6% two
13 9% three
120 79% more than three
2 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
G6. How many of those video rental shops have any anime?
8 5% none
27 18% one
26 17% two
22 15% three
63 42% more than three
5 3% blank
-------
151 100% total
G7. How many of those video rental shops have a section devoted
to animation (general or anime specifically)?
26 17% none
31 21% one
29 19% two
15 10% three
42 28% more than three
8 5% blank
-------
151 100% total
G8. What it the size of the largest anime inventory (number of
tapes, or equivalent media, discounting multiple copies) at those
video rental shops?
10 7% less than 6
23 15% 6 to 10
20 13% 10 to 20
26 17% 20 to 30
21 14% 30 to 50
41 27% more than 50
10 7% blank
-------
151 100% total
G9. How many anime stores (dedicated to anime and/or manga/comics)
are accessible to you in your geographical area?
51 34% none
37 25% one
34 23% two
6 4% three
21 14% more than three
2 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
G10. What is the most common source of your Anime video (any
medium) purchases (not gifts)?
51 34% off the shelf at local anime store
46 30% off the shelf at local video retailer
8 5% special order from local anime store
6 4% special orders from local video retailer
0 0% special orders from local video rental shop
3 2% special order from local anime club
32 21% mail order from non-local anime store
9 6% mail order from non-local video retailer
5 3% mail order from non-local anime club
16 11% mail order from domestic distributer
6 4% mail order from Japanese distributer
5 3% blank
-------
187 124% total
G11. How often do you research or get information about a title
(e.g. criticisms, recommendations, descriptions, synopses, reviews,
renting/borrowing) before buying?
5 3% never
9 6% hardly ever
39 26% sometimes
36 24% most of the time
34 23% almost always
27 18% always
1 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
G12. Where do you usually get information about specific anime
titles?
97 64% usenet
125 83% World Wide Web
94 62% word of mouth (e.g. friends, family, club members)
27 18% club resources
50 33% store (e.g. comic shop, anime store, video store)
91 60% viewing (e.g. rental, loan, club showing)
28 19% other
0 0% blank
-------
512 339% total
G13. Which type of information do you find most useful in
deciding on buying an anime title?
13 9% synopses / descriptions
17 11% recommendations
21 14% reviews / criticisms
81 54% seeing it for yourself
2 1% none (I'll buy any anime)
4 3% other
13 9% blank
-------
151 100% total
G14. Which type of information do you find most useful in
deciding to watch an anime title that you have not seen before?
44 29% synopses / descriptions
40 26% recommendations
21 14% reviews / criticisms
28 19% none (I'll watch any anime)
5 3% other
13 9% blank
-------
151 100% total
G15. How often do you research or get information about related
anime products (e.g. criticisms, recommendations, descriptions,
reviews, renting/borrowing) before buying?
7 5% never
35 23% hardly ever
52 34% sometimes
20 13% most of the time
19 13% almost always
15 10% always
3 2% blank
-------
151 100% total
G16. Where do you usually get information about specific related
anime products?
79 52% usenet
120 79% World Wide Web
76 50% word of mouth (e.g. friends, family, club members)
17 11% club resources
66 44% store (e.g. comic shop, anime store, video store)
22 15% other
6 4% blank
-------
386 256% total
G17. How often do you do anime related Web browsing (other than
usenet/news groups)?
1 1% never
5 3% once every 6 months
6 4% once a month
15 10% once every 2 weeks
28 19% once a week
29 19% once every 2 days
33 22% once a day
13 9% twice a day
21 14% morth than twice a day
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part H. News groups
H1. Approximately how often do you at least READ rec.arts.anime
news groups?
2 1% never
4 3% once a year
4 3% once every 2 to 4 months
3 2% once a month
4 3% once every 2 weeks
14 9% once a week
27 18% once every 2 days
45 30% once a day
23 15% twice a day
25 17% more than twice a day
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
H2. In approximately how many reading sessions do you POST to
rec.arts.anime news groups?
34 23% never
12 8% once a year
24 16% once every 2 to 4 months
18 12% once a month
15 10% once every 2 weeks
15 10% once a week
9 6% once every 2 days
11 7% once a day
6 4% twice a day
5 3% more than twice a day
2 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
H3. Which rec.arts.anime news groups do you USUALLY
check out?
69 46% rec.arts.anime.info
48 32% rec.arts.anime.music
104 69% rec.arts.anime.misc
12 8% rec.arts.anime.models
57 38% rec.arts.anime.fandom
20 13% rec.arts.anime.games
41 27% rec.arts.anime.marketplace
44 29% rec.arts.anime.creative
8 5% blank
-------
403 267% total
H4. Which rec.arts.anime news groups do you OCCASIONALLY
check out?
27 18% rec.arts.anime.info
32 21% rec.arts.anime.music
21 14% rec.arts.anime.misc
20 13% rec.arts.anime.models
21 14% rec.arts.anime.fandom
16 11% rec.arts.anime.games
36 24% rec.arts.anime.marketplace
22 15% rec.arts.anime.creative
58 38% blank
-------
253 168% total
H5. Do you read rec.arts.anime news groups from a local server?
115 76% yes
14 9% no
18 12% don't know
4 3% blank
-------
151 100% total
H6. Of the fans from your geographical area and which you are
personally acquainted with, approximately how many are you aware
of that at least READ rec.arts.anime news groups?
64 42% none of them
6 4% all of them
8 5% 80% of them
9 6% 60% of them
8 5% 40% of them
15 10% 20% of them
21 14% less than 20% of them
20 13% blank
-------
151 100% total
H7. Of the fans from your geographical area and which you are
personally acquainted with, approximately how many are you aware
of that POST to rec.arts.anime news groups?
81 54% none of them
3 2% all of them
1 1% 80% of them
4 3% 60% of them
2 1% 40% of them
7 5% 20% of them
33 22% less than 20% of them
20 13% blank
-------
151 100% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
Part I. Miscellaneous
I1. How old are you?
0 0% less than 11 years
7 5% 12 to 15 years
18 12% 16 to 18 years
93 62% 19 to 30 years
24 16% 31 to 40 years
7 5% 41 to 60 years
0 0% over 60 years
2 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
I2. What geographical region do you live in?
6 4% East Asia (eg. Japan, India)
0 0% West Asia (eg. Turkey, Iran)
4 3% Southern Pacific (eg. Australia, Indonesia)
15 10% Europe (eg. Germany)
2 1% Africa (eg. Kenya)
122 81% North America (eg. Canada)
0 0% South America (eg. Brazil)
0 0% Antarctica (eg. ...)
2 1% blank
-------
151 100% total
I3. Do you pay directly for your internet account or access?
97 64% yes
51 34% no
3 2% blank
-------
151 100% total
I4. Do you participate in anime mailing lists?
89 59% yes
62 41% no
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
I5. Have you participated in past "What are we like?" questionaires
(eg. Aug 1997, Feb 1998)?
40 26% yes
107 71% no
4 3% blank
-------
151 100% total
I6. Where did you get this copy of this questionaire?
145 96% a news group
5 3% someone e-mailed me a copy
0 0% hardcopy that I re-entered manually (or by OCR)
0 0% web page (note: I'd rather it didn't appear on a web page)
1 1% someone dictated it to me
0 0% blank
-------
151 100% total
Jump to Section: [A][B][C][D][E][F][G][H][I][End]
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If you have any other comments or questions regarding this survey
e-mail me.
Copyright © 1998,2002 Ru Igarashi