Forum - View topicYour Appreciation of Niche Titles
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Sarsi
Posts: 7 |
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Is your appreciation of certain titles much greater because it is under-appreciated (as a whole) in Japan?
Except for some of the more wildly popular shows that gather a wide audience -- such as Inuyasha, Bleach, Naruto -- most of the anime we enjoy tend to air far late into the night in Japan and attract only those who are dedicated to anime (namely otaku or people who prefer a specific genre). There are a few shows I really enjoy that I was suprised to find "niche". Especially when comparing the hits on Japanese Google searches or consider the input the DVDs receive on Amazon JP, there's often a world of difference between a show that gets the most attention versus something that doesn't. In that sense, it kind of makes me appreciate certain shows like Futakoi, Victorian Romance Emma, and Sky Girls a bit more, since IMO they should deserve a larger fanbase. |
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Kruszer
 Posts: 7994 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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When I look at my top ten it's basically all Seinen titles (shows aimed at college kids and above), Monster, Planetes, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Haibane Renmei, Black Lagoon, Elfen Lied, Rumbling Hearts, Ergo Proxy, When They Cry, and Le Chevalier D'Eon, so yeah I'd say I like a lot of niche titles. Doesn't surprise me though since I'm 24 and right in the that general age bracket. I don't limit myself to just that age demographic but series like those usually end up being my favorites.
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Vortextk
 Posts: 892 Location: Orlando, Fl |
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Very interesting. I never thought of checking something like japanese amazon and looking at the hits some of the titles receive. I might look into that for fun.
As to your question, no I don't care if an anime is not appreciated very much in Japan or the US, for me to like it. Actually, I don't know if it's appreciated in Japan at all, so obviously it's hard to care. As for Niche titles as a whole, I find I hardly know any real ones. Any of the so called "niche" titles I enjoy are usually wildly popular in places like this forum. Mushishi being an example. |
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Aromatic Grass
 Posts: 2424 Location: Raleigh, NC |
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Wow, our lists are very similar (in terms of favorites, not necessarily top ten). Ghost in the Shell S.A.C., Guardian of the Sacred Spirit, Haibane Renmei, Last Exile, Le Chevalier D'Eon, and Denno Coil, just to name a few. It's strange that I tend to like those kinds of anime a lot more than others, even thought I'm open to just about everything. In other words, I don't really care whether I like mainstream titles or non-mainstream titles better, but I must admit it helps to not get irritated by "fans" and anti-fans of the mainstream ones. I just happen to like these not-quite-as-popular anime more, but the ever-mainstream Naruto has always been my #1. I mean, if it's popular then it must be at least a little good, right? (Meh, not necessarily. But still.) |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 9902 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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Niched titles don't get adapted into live-action movies. Period. |
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Vortextk
Posts: 892 Location: Orlando, Fl |
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Sigh. I knew someone would get on me for that. But not knowing...
So look at my list at other niche titles and pick one you'd be happy with. Niche as in North American niche title since, again, I don't KNOW what's "hot" in Japan nor care. The last comment of my initial post was directed at markets outside of Japan. |
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Boomerang Flash
 Posts: 1021 |
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As far as Japan is concerned, the titles I like tend to have been rather mainstream during the time of their release. Interestingly enough, they also have a tendency to have been quite popular in the romance language countries but have a very small, if even existent following in English speaking countries. By now, though, a lot of them have become niche titles by simple virtue of their age: They are either packaged as classics and sold in remastered collector's edition or piled onto an oldies' bin. Either way, I don't recall ever finding out a show's Japanese popularity until well after viewing it. If I do, it's usually accidental and has never given me any changes in my perception of the series except sometimes a smug satisfaction that Japanese mainstream tastes aligned better than that of the U.S.
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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I will have to say that I do also like the series targeted to the older crowd. I love all the above mentioned, besides monster since I've yet to see it. I'm not sure how well Planetes did on it's ratings, but it did sell remarkably well on Amazon.co.jp as does anything GITS related. Shounen and Miyzaki seem to usually dominate the top amazon slots along with Gundam and whatever is really popular at the moment which was Code Geis and is now Lucky Star. |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
Posts: 9902 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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So where is your list?  I checked your MyAnime list and most of it were licensed mainstream titles, although there are several niched titles e.g. Demon City Shinjuku and Gestalt.
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Randall Miyashiro
Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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I just poked around the encyclopedia and I'm surprised at how many titles I've seen that have under 10 votes for "I have seen it." Most of them were very forgettable mid 80s titles like Nora, Elf 17, and California Crisis. I did enjoy the third L-Gaim OVA (the other two don't even have entries in the encyclopedia!) which contains all new footage. Even Dancouaga Requiem for Victims (so much cooler than the television series) which Dangaioh has a more than a few parallels to has only 10 people who have seen it here.
Then again this does not reflect what was obscure in Japan which was the point of the post since classics like Starzinger, Obake no Q-taro, ESPer Mami and God Mazinger all have 10 or less votes. |
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Aromatic Grass
Posts: 2424 Location: Raleigh, NC |
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Yeah, see, I knew the titles I mentioned weren't exactly unknown, but zomg I've never heard of these!  While they aren't mainstream, at least everyone's heard of Ghost in the Shell and Last Exile. I hope.
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Dorcas_Aurelia
 Posts: 5344 Location: Philly |
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Last Exile is ranked 47th in number of people that have seen it, and Ghost in the Shell is shown on TV and I've watched the second movie in a movie theater. I don't know how much more mainstream anime gets without being Pokemon. |
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blind_assassin
 Posts: 755 |
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I'm pretty big on niche titles. Particularly gambling and pseudo-sport anime. I loved Akagi and Hikaru no Go was great. I expect lots from Shion no Ou after watching the first episode today. Kaiji is also off to a great start.
Lately I've started watching Texhnolyze as well. I dunno if it's niche but if Ergo Proxy is then Texhnilyze certainly has to be. |
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ikillchicken
 Posts: 7272 Location: Vancouver |
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Ofcourse the thing to keep in mind is wether or not something is niche is totally relative.
Relative to ther forms of entertainment, I would say all Anime is niche. For a very casual fan, most things besides Naruto, Bleach, maybe Fullmetal Alchemist are Niche. (Theres probably a few more especially if you count older stuff, but you see my point.) Also, if you look at the opposite end of the spectrum, If were looking at japan, you probably have to go into completely obscure titles before you get to the point you would really call stuff niche. |
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Aromatic Grass
Posts: 2424 Location: Raleigh, NC |
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True, but sadly I've met a lot of people who haven't heard of Last Exile, which was also shown on TV at one point. Not that it isn't a highly viewed series or anything, but it obviously doesn't compare to other CN shows. I'll admit that GitS wasn't the best choice either, but I think it was overlooked by those watching FMA. While people would stay up to watch the latter, I would be up for what came on after it. Anyway, I know a lot of my favorites aren't one of those hidden treasures, but they aren't exactly what I'd call "mainstream." I also love Figure 17, if that helps.
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