Quality of Anime on American TV: Up or Down?

[EmilLang1000]

Now, being the poor college student that I am (angel and Merm can both attest that RIT is a money sponge), I've never actually gotten to see what all is shown on OnDemand channels, nor the Anime Network, nor any other anime-themed networks out there. Thus, my entire breadth of knowledge of things shown on American TV extends as low down as ABC and as high as Cartoon Network.

I've been keeping up with newer Anime, and some are very good; but I've also noticed a very sharp decline in shows aired on these networks. I'm not even going to touch Fox - ever since it became 4Kids TV they've been dead to me - but some shows on Kids' WB, shows on ABC and ABC Family, and of course Cartoon Network, have led me to believe that, for some reason or another, the quality that's being shown is... well, not there.

There have been some decent American Animes made - Avatar the Last Airbender, Samurai Jack, Justice League Unlimited, etc. - and some very, very good animes brought over - Fullmetal Alchemsit, Bleach, Eureka Seven, etc. - but not all of them. In fact, most of them are fairly poor. Piss-poor in fact. YuGiOh GX, Milk-Chan, Crayon Shin-Chan, and don't even get me started on some of the marketing slop they call animation on the lower channels - B-Da-Mon, Bey Blades (wretch).

Now, what I want to know is: where is Air? Where is Excel Saga? Where are Monster, Gankutsuou, and Last Exile? Scrapped Princess? Hellsing? Where are our old favorites... Slayers, Bubblegum Crisis, Nadia, Ranma 1/2?

Their must be some reason that these top-notch, A-material animes aren't on basic cable at least, right? I'm certain there must be, because most of them have already been translated and the complete series have been shown.

Is it just that the lower networks can't show the more maturely themed shows, and Cartoon Network, for one reason or another, has lost favor with Viz, Geneon, and ADV for the most part? Or is there another reason I've somehow missed? Where are the glory days of basic cable showing me the classic animes of the Sub-Dub Wars? Anime like My Youth in Arcadia? Anime like Tenchi Muyo? Anime like Outlaw Star and Loddoss War? The dozens upon dozens of UC-timeline Gundam shows? Someone please tell me, or I may go mad (well, mad-DER).

[Otohiko]

Now, what I want to know is: where is Air? Where is Excel Saga? Where are Monster, Gankutsuou, and Last Exile? Scrapped Princess? Hellsing? Where are our old favorites... Slayers, Bubblegum Crisis, Nadia, Ranma 1/2?

I can give you one reason for that: despite fancy titles like Adult Swim, the American broadcasting industry still doesn't really believe in the viability of more or less serious animation that's not for kids. There have been attempts, but the industry is not really one that is big on innovation.

Frankly I think it's just laziness and bad judgement on their part. There has been plenty of evidence that critically-acclaimed anime works. Apparently that's not enough for them. The industry is inherently afraid of risk. And the risk is losing advertising clients. If someone even so much as raises an eyebrow at what's being shown in the timeslot where their product is advertised, they lose ca$h. And they want ca$h. To get ca$h with something relatively innovative, they'd have to first convince advertisers that it works. And why do that when you have safer options, eh?

[Moonie]

Excel Saga on ABC?!!
Never!



I miss Voltron... not sure if that was an anime though...

[Psygnius]

I think when companies purchase the distribution licenses, most of them do not purchase a broadcasting license to air the anime on TV. If I am not mistaken, it is another fee to get the broadcasting rights to animes ontop of getting the video distribution rights. So it is cheaper to just set it to DVD instead. However, Funimation/VIZ seems to prefer to get the broadcasting rights to most of their shows.

However, I could be wrong on this assumption though.

[Radical_Yue]

(too lazy to read through entire thread currently)

but reffering to the first original post. You mentioned Last Exile not being on TV. Check again, it was on Tech TV (now known as G4).


Now...beeeedddddd.....


I'll read the rest of it later, it seems interesting lol

[Willen]

As I would love to see some of these older animes on TV in the US, I doubt it would happen because they are old. Stuff from 10+ years ago is off the radar for most people, IMO. The only exception is Studio Ghibli movies. I was really surprised that Adult Swim aired Evangelion considering that we currently passed its 11th anniversary since the first broadcast on Oct. 4, 1995.

AS/CN seems to pick stuff that is more modern (Paranoia Agent) or futuristic (Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) if it isn't a Shonen Jump property (Naruto, Bleach, etc.) or related to Cowboy Bebop (Samurai Champloo).

Scrapped Princess I'd like to see on TV but there is a tiny bit of nudity that they may have to deal with. CN aired the R.O.D. OAVs as one movie, why not R.O.D. the TV (again, minus the bit of nudity)? And PlanetES on US TV would make my day. Hell, if AS aired Eva, why not RahXephon too?

At least I get a Funimation block on one of my local TV stations. Currently airing are: Blue Gender, Kiddy Grade, Tenchi Muyo! GXP, and Baki the Grapppler. Blue Gender I already saw on CN and TM!GXP and Baki don't currently interest me. Kiddy Grade is the only thing I'm watching on and off.

I miss Case Closed (aka. Detective Conan)...

[angelx03]

CN aired the R.O.D. OAVs as one movie, why not R.O.D. the TV (again, minus the bit of nudity)? And PlanetES on US TV would make my day. Hell, if AS aired Eva, why not RahXephon too?

Adult Swim was planning to show Read or Die TV, but unfortunetly G4 outbidded them. G4 also still has broadcasting rights for RahXephon (though G4 is doing a terrible job with them ).

[older_gohan]

It's all about rights and what companies are free to part with their own creations. I mean it's very true that tations like fox, abc, and 4kids have completely slaughtered most any anime they have gotten their hands on.

Ylou have to think about what creators are willing to bend their copywright. Also you have to realize that when an anime is brought over to air on usa television they are trying to aim for a more broad audience. They aren't just looking to please anime lovers, they are hoping to interest others into watching it. Seriously how many kids in the US knew what Yugioh was before they saw it on T.V.?

I've known many people to get into naime just from watching Cowboy Bebop for the first time on AS/CN. They are trying to attract more audiences so they choose what they decide to be more appealing shows. I mean I would faint if I found out they were bringing the original macross back to AS/Cn. But it won't attract many because it's old, and the animation is nothing compared to ones like eureka 7. PLus it'll only appeal to die hard anime fans.

So to put it simple, all about ratings. That's why.

[requiett]

As opposed to what? It's not like it's been on TV mainstream very long. Most of what has been in the past was just marketed to children in the 70's - 80's. Obviously the quality's gone up, so you purists can quit bitching about editing. If you don't like it, go petition the FCC and buy the fucking official DVDs.

[Heero_Yuy84]

The dozens upon dozens of UC-timeline Gundam shows? Someone please tell me, or I may go mad (well, mad-DER).

These, actually, aren't just the networks' faults (although CN IS a big player in what happened.)

It's actually a three-part incident which the fans are, in part, guilty of.

Here's how UC's downfall played out:

Bandai brought over Gundam Wing in 2000. With it's newer animation, sharp character designs, and (relatively) fast-paced story, it became a fast hit with American viewers.

On the one hand, this could be seen as good marketing...on the other, it was also one part of one of the biggest mistakes BandaiUSA could make.

Following the success of Gundam Wing, Bandai decided now was a good time to bring over the original Mobile Suit Gundam.

There was one problem with this plan, however.

Many of the people they hooked with Wing were expecting more modern animation style, and, when they saw the 1979-vintage animation, were quickly turned off by it.
To this end, given CN tried to market MSG to the Toonami crowd, much younger viewers, again, the older animation, in spite of a good story, fell on deaf ears.

The show limped along as CN desperately looked for an excuse to pull it. It wasn't until September 11th that they had a solid excuse to take the show out quietly and without questions. (...and to anyone who doubts that 9/11 became a means to an end for CN, note that, while they claim MSG wasn't acceptable for its warfare story, 08th MS Team, which featured far grittier Earth-based combat (MSG by this point, was up into the Solomon arc and was space battles from there on out) was left on the air, unchallenged.)

CN tried to give MSG another shot on its Adult Swim slot, but, again, due to its older animation, it was given the brushoff by the viewers.

Since then, CN's been much more reluctant to touch any UC based products, as they don't feel they're viable market (Hell, even the likes of SEED have been given late night timeslots in ratings wasteland.)

Gundam, while a good title, fell prey to a combination of bad marketing and a fickle fanbase...

...so yeah, that answers one of them.