There is no doubt that the universe of anime over the years has expanded more and more, becoming so popular among new audiences that make it a profitable industry, in which more and more companies are interested in distributing this type of content outside Japanese lands. Such is the case of Disney and through a talk they have come out the reasons why they have set their sights on this oriental animation.
Disney has focused on many anime series and will be looking to make several changes
As many fans of Japanese animation will know, a few decades ago, access to this content meant an alternative to what was produced in the West and which could be difficult to find, as there were limited options for legal distribution. But over time this market began to change significantly, Japanese content began to be of greater interest worldwide and entertainment companies and producers knew it was a good business opportunity.
Today not only Crunchyroll is the streaming platform that mainly distributes these series, many other services have acquired licenses and a few years ago Disney also added this content. And to know the guidelines that the company has about anime in its plans, recently the Japanese news site Mantan Web conducted an interview with Takuto Yawata, head of Japanese animation at Disney Plus.
First of all, he points out that anime has exceeded market expectations over the past 10 years thanks to growing popularity and that this allows for global distribution, as in the case of SAND LAND. But what really alarmed the anime fan community were the statements about the decisions that the studios may have to make and the changes that may be made to the stories in order to reach as many audiences as possible.
When asked if the unique essence of anime needed to change, he said, “I don’t think there have been major changes. The fundamental storytelling and the accuracy of the action have not changed, but there are some areas where people are adopting more acceptable expressions, it is natural to use expressions that do not hurt people or cause misunderstanding. This may not be a negative thing, but rather an evolution.”
This of course has already become a topic of discussion among fans, and it is not only they who have disagreed with this type of opinion. Even producers and directors have commented that due to the expansion and attention that these series are getting, they fear that it will change in a way that no longer respects the original idea, but that it will change so much as to only adapt to the “politically correct” for China and the West.
The globalization that Japanese animation is experiencing opens up many possibilities, and one of them is that it can be better known by diverse audiences: “I think that no matter the setting, the points that impress people remain the same. I think it can equally excite all countries, regions and generations. The combinations are endless, and although new things keep being created, there are some things that will never change.” Others agree with what Yawata has stated and see no danger in anime adapting to different cultures.
However, there are a large number of fans who fear seeing anime involved in the changes that Disney has made in recent years in its productions, such as the so-called “forced inclusion” between characters, even modifying the stories so much that they move away from anime and become just another animation. Let us know what you think about Disney in this important medium.
