On a recent stroll through a discount store, a
reporter observed a revealing scene: “ Kimetsu no Yaiba ”
toys at 79% off, “SPY×FAMILY” plushies at 67% off, and “Oshi no Yaiba”
candy. Ko” at half price . The surprising thing is that many of these
products are from animes that aired just a few months ago or even last year.
This trend of seeing anime products at a discount is increasingly common in
these establishments.
A curious case was seeing an elderly man buying
“Oshi no Ko” candy, still available in convenience stores and
supermarkets. When asked why he chose this product, he simply replied:
“ Because it is cheap .” He confessed not knowing
anime, but he did have a taste for candy.
Despite the rise of “oshi-katsu” (supporting
your oshi/idol) and the anime boom, with convenience stores full of
merchandise, the reality is that not all of these products sell well. One
merchant commented: “ Some anime products sell, but most don't. The
fad of a series passes very quickly .”
In many cases, anime that generate great
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 followers to remain loyal. Furthermore,
the amount of products produced after initial success is often excessive, and
when demand declines, 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 launched quickly to take advantage
of the trend, but production can take more than three months to complete. If
the product arrives late, interest will have already decreased.
The 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 rapidly change interests, driven in part by the rapid dynamics of
social media. Previously, popular anime aired for years, allowing them
to develop a solid fan base. Nowadays, most series are broadcast at
night and last a few weeks, which limits the time to build audience loyalty.
The overproduction of anime also plays a
role. According to the “2023 Anime Production Market
Trend Survey” by the Japanese Animation Association, 310 series were
produced in 2021, compared to 109 in 2000. This excessive number not
only dilutes the attention of fans, but also It also overloads animation
studios, which suffer from staff shortages.
Longtime fans remember when they could
follow almost every anime on air, but nowadays it's impossible to keep up. This
leads to a rapid turnover of interest among new series and makes it difficult
for anime to maintain a consistent audience.
Additionally, 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 have a long history.
Without children's shows, the bases of future anime fans are not being formed,
which could negatively impact the industry in the long term.
In conclusion, the anime industry faces
a dilemma: overproduction and the rapid loss of public interest. To
address this, it is crucial to reduce the number of series produced and focus
on creating quality content that can keep fans interested for longer. In
addition, investment should be made in children's anime to ensure a new
generation of followers . Only in this way can a solid and lasting
base of anime fans be built.
Source: Livedoor News
