During the golden era of the economy in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a curious phenomenon emerged with Hollywood stars appearing in commercials in Japan: Arnold Schwarzenegger selling instant noodles, Harrison Ford promoting Kirin beer. Even today, Tommy Lee Jones continues to appear in various long-standing commercials.
However, you won’t see many Hollywood stars currently—there’s no Dwayne Johnson advertising Toyotas, nor Ryan Reynolds endorsing energy drinks. This isn’t due to Japanese companies lacking large advertising budgets, as superstar Johnny Depp has recently been seen promoting Asahi beer. The reality is that the fundamental reason is that Japan no longer holds the same allure for Hollywood as it once did.
Avatar 2 also “waves goodbye” at the cherry blossom screenings
According to reports from The Washington Post, box office revenue in the US has significantly declined over the past several years. This trend has appeared since before the pandemic and has become more pronounced in the aftermath. Four out of the five highest-grossing films of 2022 were animated films, with the only Hollywood representative being Top Gun: Maverick.
The only Hollywood representative in the top 5 highest-grossing films of 2022 is Top Gun: Maverick.
Japan remains an independent film market without any constraints imposed on American movies, and there is no censorship that hinders distribution. This is not a post-pandemic phenomenon, as the cherry blossom screenings are among the few countries that still allow screenings during the global pandemic.
Instead, Japanese audiences are trending towards local films, particularly large-budget animated films. The anime culture is “blooming” with the rapid rise of films that consistently top the box office, such as One Piece Film: Red and Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie.
Even James Cameron with his blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water predominantly focuses on screenings in the third tier. This has been marked as a significant loss in Japan, where the first Avatar achieved great success, recognized as the 12th highest-grossing film in this nation’s history.
Avatar only recorded revenue ranked third, following two animated films in Japan.
One significant point to note is that this is the only market where Avatar cannot make a dent in box office rankings. The animated film “Suzume” has surpassed Avatar with nearly 10 billion Yen, equivalent to about 75 million USD.
It can be observed that perceptions in Japan have changed significantly. This phenomenon has been exemplified by the success of the film Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. Although it was released during the pandemic in 2020, this animated film remains the highest-grossing film from Japan to date, breaking a record held since 2001 by Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, which won an Oscar.
The Appeal of Japanese Animated Films
It’s no surprise that anime from Japan is considered a vibrant art form with a powerful life force. Anime itself resembles the Japanese people, always resilient and persistent. In an era where Hollywood’s animated films are “diluting,” Japanese anime continues to build and showcase its unique characteristics.
To this day, Japanese animation is increasingly recognized for its meticulous craftsmanship in both auditory and visual elements, from character design to storytelling and deeply emotional music.
Japanese animated films demonstrate their irresistible appeal.
Japanese animation studios have been very sophisticated in creating works that have high educational value while cleverly blending elements of entertainment and humor. As a result, viewers often feel uplifted, happier, and more optimistic about life after watching.
In many Western countries, the US, and even Vietnam, when mentioning “animated films,” we often think of a product aimed at children. However, the target audience for anime is incredibly broad. As such, the content that anime presents can be complex and deeper.
Stepping out into the light, people are gradually experiencing various emotions and reflections on human experiences, not just the superficial impressions we often see in “instant noodles” films.
A plethora of renowned names in the animation industry, such as Makoto Shinkai, Mamoru Hosoda, and Hayao Miyazaki, have made Japanese animated films a global phenomenon. Their “masterpieces” have made cherry blossom films famous worldwide.
One Piece is one of the most appealing titles.
These distinct characteristics continue to redefine the concept of animated films. More importantly, everyone uses the term “anime” to distinguish it from traditional animated films, wherein mentioning anime conjures up a vastly different concept.
SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST
