asian-invasion

Why is the anime industry in the US not as large as it could be? In an age of overpaid actors who only ask for more money to work a once popular TV show which is now in the winter of its existence, the networks could learn a thing or few about the financial advantages of hosting a anime series in its place. All the episodes are usually complete upon the title’s release in Japan and the voice actors have already dubbed into English at least half of them before the DVDs hit domestic shelves. And the voice actors, for the most part, are in it because they somehow connect with the character they’re voicing. It’s about loving what they do and being in touch with the fans, which is easier since the actors’ faces aren’t seen during the show and there’s never any notable scandal for the tabloids.

Even if the voice actors were to all ask for more money for their part in what would be a major TV network show, they wouldn’t be asking for anything near $1 million each per episode. And writers’ strike?..wouldn’t happen. The show is in the can, complete and ready for public consumption. If there were a strike, there would simply be no new titles coming from Japan or no English-dubbed anime titles should the voice actors walk out. But a significant amount of time would pass (in terms of years) before any of that were to happen since it takes that long for American audiences in general to warm up to a new show.

And if the studios are really smart (FUNImation, VIZ Media, Bandai, and ADV being the nation’s largest), they will keep their talent searches “in-house” when it comes time to cast the next series. The people we consider “celebrities” would only diminish the value of a good anime series simply because of that person’s inaccessibility to the fans. It is through the voice actors that they become attached to a character or anime title and the fans know that, by attending the right convention, they have the chance to meet and possibly connect with the person behind the voice. And again, it’s for the fans and the love of a character that these voice actors make themselves open and available for a very personal experience.

Not so much with the famous names. See, big budget films like the kind we get from Pixar use big budget actors for just their voices, yet they are paid the same as if they were actually on camera. Still, they are more known for their live-action roles than their animated ones. Mike Myers, for example, will always be better known for Austin Powers than Shrek.

The voice actors also don’t have the pressures of being hounded by the press and photographers for sound bytes or interviews about the latest project or scandal. They have also read the manga (Japanese “graphic novels”) and/or watched the entire anime series before auditioning for any part since, by that time, they have already connected with at least one. When do our “A-list” celebrities have time for that?

The debate of “voice actors v. celebrities” could go on forever, and that would merely scratch the surface of why anime isn’t a bigger industry in the US. It isn’t small, to be sure. In fact, Saturday nights on Cartoon Network should stand as the example of the current level of demand for anime in the “mainstream” market. Competing for the cable audience is IFC (Independent Film Channel) which currently has four running series on as many nights of the week. The Sci-Fi Channel (Monday nights at 11:pm EST) also have anime among their regularly-scheduled fare. There are “premium” cable channels on the digital spectrum which have been launched that are dedicated solely to all things anime.

Perhaps one good series placed on a “big four” prime time TV schedule by someone who dares expose American viewers to something new is all it would take to launch anime as a invaluable staple of the domestic entertainment industry. The time is right. After all, Ouran High School Host Club is set for DVD release at the end of October and Fox is coming pretty close to exhausting the Simpsons.

It could happen…

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