Just listened to the podcast and it's interesting to learn about where your name came from, and Stilt's, too. Yes — Ping Pong is absolutely different than any other sports shows that it seems more like a character drama to me than sports. It's also interesting to hear you both trying to understand why sports shows in general don't get picked up a lot by the English-speaking fans. I personally think that it's a lost opportunity for anyone who loves anime to ignore a show for just because it's labelled sports — or other genres. Oh well…
I think where westerners are concerned they are more likely too engaged in RL sports to care about fictional sports. Secondly majority of anime fans in the west are indoor types so sports as a theme to engage with hardly falls under their interests. There's also less of a culture around reminiscing highschool life which a lot of series (even sports) tend to place emphasis on these days. How many sports shows airing focus on adults for example? Manga in general permeates the everyday in Japan so sports titles are more readily available and engaged with. With the 10s tapping into the fujoshi market there's been a spike in interest there too.
See, that's what i figure too. Ive actually talked to people about this and to me, it seems that it has to do with how anime came up in the west vs how it is perceived in Japan. When you mention anime. most people think DBZ, sailormoon, Gundam, code geass; that's what defines anime for a lot of western fans; why their are so fond of the medium where as in Japan, Anime encompasses anything that comes to mind so it just becomes a matter of whether the material is entertaining to them (there really isnt any true mindset the average japanese anime fan has of anime….unless you wanna count the image of cat girls going Nyaa i guess). Ive literally read comments on the internet of people saying that it doesnt matter how good a sports anime may be, they just cant get into it because that's not what they watch anime for and hey, i can understand that. There are other reasons why someone may not be into the sports genre of anime but i find this to be one of the key reasons on the western perspective. I think the evidence matches very well.
I just don't think a lot of Western fans of anime are into sports as a general rule. Most of the people I've known were previously into comics, sci-fi/fantasy, pen and paper RPGS, videogames, model making, and combinations of the above. Martial arts was the closest thing to sports that was ever brought up in conversation with those people. In the West people with those inclinations naturally gravitate towards manga/anime than people with mainstream sports interests.
Ronbb
May 31, 2014 at 7:08 pmJust listened to the podcast and it's interesting to learn about where your name came from, and Stilt's, too. Yes — Ping Pong is absolutely different than any other sports shows that it seems more like a character drama to me than sports. It's also interesting to hear you both trying to understand why sports shows in general don't get picked up a lot by the English-speaking fans. I personally think that it's a lost opportunity for anyone who loves anime to ignore a show for just because it's labelled sports — or other genres. Oh well…
Hangman
May 31, 2014 at 8:02 pmI think where westerners are concerned they are more likely too engaged in RL sports to care about fictional sports. Secondly majority of anime fans in the west are indoor types so sports as a theme to engage with hardly falls under their interests. There's also less of a culture around reminiscing highschool life which a lot of series (even sports) tend to place emphasis on these days. How many sports shows airing focus on adults for example? Manga in general permeates the everyday in Japan so sports titles are more readily available and engaged with. With the 10s tapping into the fujoshi market there's been a spike in interest there too.
Ronbb
June 1, 2014 at 2:48 amPerhaps you're right. There are not that many amongst my peers who like anime, and for the very few who do, they prefer action or big names like SnK.
sonicsenryaku
June 1, 2014 at 4:02 amSee, that's what i figure too. Ive actually talked to people about this and to me, it seems that it has to do with how anime came up in the west vs how it is perceived in Japan. When you mention anime. most people think DBZ, sailormoon, Gundam, code geass; that's what defines anime for a lot of western fans; why their are so fond of the medium where as in Japan, Anime encompasses anything that comes to mind so it just becomes a matter of whether the material is entertaining to them (there really isnt any true mindset the average japanese anime fan has of anime….unless you wanna count the image of cat girls going Nyaa i guess). Ive literally read comments on the internet of people saying that it doesnt matter how good a sports anime may be, they just cant get into it because that's not what they watch anime for and hey, i can understand that. There are other reasons why someone may not be into the sports genre of anime but i find this to be one of the key reasons on the western perspective. I think the evidence matches very well.
Zeta Zero
June 1, 2014 at 6:09 amI just don't think a lot of Western fans of anime are into sports as a general rule. Most of the people I've known were previously into comics, sci-fi/fantasy, pen and paper RPGS, videogames, model making, and combinations of the above. Martial arts was the closest thing to sports that was ever brought up in conversation with those people. In the West people with those inclinations naturally gravitate towards manga/anime than people with mainstream sports interests.