More than a generation ago, Anime exploded on the American scene with the critically acclaimed film “Akira.” The 1988 sci-fi feature brought with it a level of sophistication and visual brilliance not seen up until that point.
Forward 24 years, and unfortunately, you can’t point to a single work of Anime today that would be on the level of “Akira.” Moreover, the landscape has changed so much that Anime probably wouldn’t be preferred over the 3D animated movies currently populating screens (and filling the coffers of studio executives). And, let’s be honest here, Anime, while ranging from romance to sci-fi, horror, comedy and beyond, can be many things, but it’s usually at its best when meant for an adult audience.
This art form, straight from Japan, has influenced the way movies are made. In fact, the Wachowskis, directors of the “Matrix Trilogy,” took specific camera angles and styles directly from the Anime films they admired (“Akira” and “Ghost in the Shell” being at the top of the list). And by extension, “The Matrix” touched almost everything that came after it, in terms of special effects.
Spike TV’s “Afro Samurai” is five years old and counting. “Cowboy Bebop: The Movie” was released in 2001. SyFy Channel has dumped its own evening Anime Monday night programming. So, to really get your Anime fix, you’ve got to spend time at the conventions, or on Netflix, or combing through your own DVD collection.
Anime’s not dead, but it is an aging genre. On the bright side, there’s the Anime Network, and Cartoon Network seems to be doing a fine job of keeping Anime alive under its Adult Swim banner late nights.
Still, I’m waiting for the next Anime revolution. Something that wakes up the general populace. Something to shatter box office returns. If history is indeed cyclical, a new movement should be right around the corner.
