Markerting strategies of English anime ads and Japanese anime ads

I just noticed a curious thing about anime ads in English-language press - there are almost always quotations from critics.

Compare and contrast these two ads of Le Chevalier D'eon -

The English ad obviously has a few obligatory quotations from critics (though those critics do not seem to be well-known). The ad also describes the plot in the third person ('Obsessed with her murder. Possessed by her soul').

The Japanese ad, on the other hand, has a first-person voice: 'I shall offer all that I have (私はすべてを捧ぐ).'

Come to think of it, almost all English ads I have seen of anime have without exception quotation from one critic or another. Check out the ad of Howl's Moving Castle on the left.

Japanese ads, by contrast, seem to favour slogans in the first person. Check out the ad of Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo on the right, which says: 'Age of seventeen, just learned how to time leap.'

Granted, this may be accounted for by the fact that Japan has no anime critics as we know it in the English-speaking sphere.

A very interesting contrast this is.

Could this be a manifestation that English-speaking fans tend to objectify the anime-watching experience, whereas Japanese fans tend to subjectify it?

Comments

[Neohybrid_kai]

Hm.. considering japan is the place where kinetic novel and love sims born (and good RPG too), that's not very surprising.

I personally likes to subjectify the anime I watch. It's hard to enjoy an anime if I don't find a connection between the character's situation and me.

[w]

Hm, that's a good observation. I've only had an awareness that it's that way at the back of my head, but not really noticed it that way.

I do think they have anime critics over there - however, my impression is they're not really as well-received as they may be in say, the West, because from what I hear some otaku find it rather silly that someone would go get so serious over anime and make a living out of critiquing it - most of it is just plain ol' entertainment, no need to be so serious.

Another possibly more plausible idea could be that they frown upon people's statements being pasted so large on posters as if their own opinions were so important. Furthermore if the general consensus is that the film si no good then the reputation of that critic may be tarnished for saying such a thing.

[Wabisabi]

The whole point of me writing here is to articulate. It is good if people see what they have always dimly thought articulated into words. ^-^

Excellent point about the Japanese reserve about opinions.

[Anikimeiski]

I don't think this has anything to do with anime or Japanese TV shows. American distributors always include taglines like "From the makers of..." and critics quotes whenever they are promoting foreign entertainment. It would be interesting to make a comparison between Japanese distributors promoting American films and American distributors promoting Japanese films.

[Wabisabi]

Hmm... Good point.

But I still get the impression that using the first-person voice is Japanese anime ad thing. I saw one ad of Soukou no Sutorein: 'Yes, I will go where my brother is for sure! (そう、私は絶対に行く！兄さんの所へ！！)' There are others as well.

I have never paid much attention to Japanese distributions promoting American films. I wonder if they use the first-person often as well.

[w]

I found Aniki Meiski's comparison a good idea and just went to see a few Japanese sites for American shows...

Well I looked for some older ones like Schindler's List and newer poppy ones like Ice Age, Transformers and stuff... There doesn't seem to be much in the way of critics' comments. Although if it's won the Academy Awards and stuff then they do mention that. I do notice though, if it's a hallowed combination of director and writer and so on they will mention this (e.g. Transformers - マイケル・ベイ ｘ スティーブン・スピルバーグ　驚異の映像革命が、映画史を塗り替える！)

They actually do this in some anime promos as well. Not necessarily with people though, but studios too... Studios like Production I.G. LOVE to pimp themselves (or at least the PR dept. likes to pimp them) because I see it so many times... yes, we know you brought us Jin-Roh and GITS, thank you very much.

[Wabisabi]

The more casual anime watchers may not be aware of the studio's names and their previous works, so think of it as a kind of CV...

[w]

Yeah, and over there being recognised by the West is a pretty big thing. I was talking to the one Japanese otaku friend I keep in regular contact with, and she said that with Western recognition of anime it changed the scene somewhat. It's true, when they can write there "海外にでも評価される" or something along those lines, it's considered pretty nice. Now I don't think the effect is necessarily as strong, but it still has a good impact if it actually gets professionally reviewed.

So for even more casual bypassers who don't know anything about anime at all, if they mention something along the lines that they've been recognised overseas, it has Extra Significance. It actually works the same way here, really... if you can get accredited by foreigners (=Europeans/Americans) and expats give good reviews of you it counts for 10x more than a local's review.
Unless, of course, it goes against the government, because then it's nasty and bad and you will get banned (ala Far Eastern Economic Review). And now to end my offtopicness again.

[Anikimeiski]

May be American films in Japan are not as exotic as Japanese films in US. Perhaps Chinese films in Japan and Japanese films in US may make a better comparison.

[Wabisabi]

I see your points.