Forum - View topicThe new "shoujo."
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rti9
 Posts: 1241 |
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While talking about Yume Neko DS, Nanako Matsushima, and the Wii Fit; my game-maniac friend mentioned Nintendo's new trend of searching for gamers outside the obvious circles. Instead of fighting for a bigger share of the hardcore gamer market, the company wants to expand by focusing on casual and non-gamers. Particularly young women. Then I started to wonder... are anime studios thinking the same way?
I recall reading something about Honey and Clover's schedule trying to reach young women and while searching for data on the net I ended up stumbling upon Noitamina. From wikipedia: noitaminA (ノイタミナ, "Animation", written backwards) is Fuji TV's programming block devoted to anime, with the intention of expanding the target audience beyond the typical young male demographic. I recently watched Bokura ga Ita and found myself thinking how it took almost ten years for me to really enjoy another animated romance after Kare Karo. Not for the lack of searching. These last few years the anime romance genre has been flooded with too much harem, fan service, and titles based on dating games; all of which I'm just sick and tired of. Ouran High School Host Club was great because it seemed like a funny backlash to all these over-utilized stereotypes. Aimed at this new target audience, shows like Honey and Clover, Paradise Kiss, Nodame Cantabille, Bokura ga Ita, Nana, and Lovely Complex have more down-to-earth plots that resemble j-dramas. Movies like The Girl Who Leapt through Time and the works of Makoto Shinkai focus heavily on feelings and relationships unlike most animated films we usually watch. They all bring a fresh perspective for romance and drama in anime and probably are leading shoujo anime into a brand new stage. |
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Digimon_Sommelier
Posts: 28 Location: NYC |
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I'll have to check those shows you mentioned out.
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 9902 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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You lagged, pal.  Noitamina has been around for quite some time.
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rti9
Posts: 1241 |
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I guess I should change the title to The Semi-New Shoujo then  .
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Ishmoo
 Posts: 413 Location: Fredericksburg, VA |
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If its a trend I hope it continues. I love all of those shows you mentioned and would like to see more of the same. They'd be smart if they did tap into the teenage girl market. Man, young girls spend FORTUNES on all manner of things related to characters they like. If an anime catches on with them here in the US they would buy related hats, purses, figurines, t-shirts, pillows, stationary etc...etc...
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rti9
Posts: 1241 |
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It would all depend on the marketing sector of the distributor. But sincerely, I'd rather keep a title like Paradise Kiss away from any PTA member. It could spark another anime-is-corrupting-our-children crusade. Great publicity though. Interesting that you mentioned teenagers. I wrote the post thinking of the contrast between the magical girl theme that dominated the 90's shoujo anime and the slice of life that seems so strong on the titles I mentioned on the first post. Wouldn't the magic genre be more appealing for the teen audience? I only say this because the loyalty of Sailor Moon fans still impresses me today. Weirdly enough, whenever I think of the current viewers of the anime magic genre, the male hard core otakus come to my mind. Last edited by rti9 on Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Miwaslover
Posts: 2 Location: San Francisco, CA |
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I'll agree on you that the romantic genre has gotten what seems as a change of heart and switched from the magical transforming sequences to slice of life writing format. Personally, it's a good way to draw in a audience. It's easier to relate to heroines/hero in the series that you mentioned than a Sailor Moon.
Regarding your question about teenage appeal possibly leaning more towards magical girl anime, I think that youth has an edgier thought process than back in the 90's when Sailor Moon was busting at the seems with popularity. Like with many things, anime/manga goes through phases of popularity. What might be appealing now could be less appealing to the youth of the future. I've read some of each of the series that you've listed except for Bokura ga Ita. So I'll have to go check that one out now. ;P Glad to see someone else who's grown back into shoujo after a long hiatus. |
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Ishmoo
Posts: 413 Location: Fredericksburg, VA |
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Somehow I doubt that the Magical Girl genre would appeal as much to today's teens, with the exception of maybe Fushigi Yugi type shows. Girls today are MUCH more sophisticated than they used to be. I mean, they're into shows like Gossip Girl and The OC, which should make any card carrying PTA mom cringe. In fact, I'd say that kids overall are accustomed to more mature fare now. My 6 year old daughter is already outgrowing Sailoor Moon. All she wants to watch these days is Bleach (in Japanese no less). I don't actually know any male Otakus, only female ones. One thing I can tell you is that even adult women emjoy the slice of life romances like Honey and Clover and Nana. I'm 38 and I loved Bokura Ga Ita and Lovely Complex too. They're not a far stretch from the soap opera-ish shows aimed at adult women on US TV. |
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NathanBum
 Posts: 135 Location: Dallas, Texas |
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Nintendo fails. They are for seven year olds now, and only their old NES and SNES games are surviving for hardcore gamers like me. I can beat Super Mario Brothers without dying in less than 15 minuets.
Anyway, that was a bit off subject, but from the companies point of view, there are entire demographics full of cash that they have yet to even touch, so why not get into them? If they fail, another will pay it off and get them more money. I think we will be seeing a lot more stuff like this in the near future. |
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ManSlayer07
Posts: 214 |
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noitaminA isn't shoujo/josei-exclusive anymore though, they also include seinen as well. I'd prefer the shoujo-only focus but an excellent show is an excellent show regardless. 
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rti9
Posts: 1241 |
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Nice that you mentioned josei, ManSlayer07. Together with this new shoujo, we may possibly be viewing the rise of josei anime. Before the titles mentioned on the initial post, I don't recall any popular titles that were aimed at young women.
By Fushigi Yuugi type shows I suppose you are talking about fantasy anime like Twelve Kingdoms, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, The Story of Saiunkoku, and Shakugan no Shana. But we can't overlook strong titles of the magic genre like Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, My-Hime, My-Otome, The Familiar of Zero, and Princess Tutu. The magical girl theme seems unshaken by the popularity of different genres, thus demonstrating a solid audience. There was a dramatic increase in the number of anime produced since the beginning of the new century. Instead of the replacement of magic for more down-to-earth stories, I rather view this as the addition of something that wasn't available before. |
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HitokiriShadow
 Posts: 6251 |
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Princess Tutu is the only one of those that is truly a magical girl series and the only one of those even aimed at girls. Nanoha, My-HiME, and My-Otome have some magical girl window dressing or vague similarities to magical girls series, but they are not truly magical girl titles. I've heard Nanoha described as a super robot series disguised as magical girl, and that seems pretty accurate. My-* are only magical girl in the sense that the girls get powers and (maybe) transform to some degree. The Familiar of Zero is as magical girl as Harry Potter. However, there have been other magical girl titles. Pretty Cure has been going strong for, what, 5 years? There's Fushigi Boshi no Futago Hime, Otogi Juushi Akazukin, and the recently started Shugo Chara. |
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BellosTheMighty
 Posts: 767 |
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When was the first one? Seriously, did I miss *the crusade*?! That sucks! I was all psyched to be standing atop the walls of Manga Jerusalem shouting bold taunts in a pastiche of 300! |
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Kyrie
 Posts: 4 Location: Inthe library, chasing Alchemists, Carrollton |
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I'm really in to shoujo and a big big fan. I still love sailor moon. lol. Theres alot of anime shoujo that is being turn into j drama or krn drama not to mention taiwanese or chinese. srry .. ^^;;
I've been spending to much watching them . I heard of the anime u guys are talkin about but haven't really watch them. I got verizon fios and my dv-r record shows and such. I've been watching peach girl and its so awesome. Love hina is one of my favorite not to mention tenchi muyo! lol |
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rti9
Posts: 1241 |
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HitokiriShadow, thanks for bringing that up. Since I don't watch much the magic genre, I just wrote the most popular magic series on ANN lately. I was trying to point out that the magic genre was still on demand today. By the magical girl titles you mentioned, I would assume that the magical girl theme is probably aimed at a younger female audience. Therefore can I also conclude that the magic genre is "evolving" by trying to reach a wider audience? By writing this, I notice that to me, it is natural to assume that the magic genre is strongly associated with girls while in contrast, mecha is strongly associated with boys. This black and white relation is probably outdated, but is it essentially wrong?
I phrased it wrong. I should have written "another crusade to save the children". They keep blaming rock music and video games for a lot of stuff nowadays regarding the youngsters. The last thing we need is them blaming anime too. Kyrie, Love Hina and Tenchi Muyo may be romances, but they aren't shoujo. |
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