10 years later, Japanese new anime distribution in China, there were many popular works, regulations and flames [Chinese otaku anime situation]
10 years later, Japanese new anime distribution in China, there were many popular works, regulations and flames [Chinese otaku anime situation]
January 01, 2022 12:000
Chinese Otaku Anime Circumstances Anime Column Planning Article
10 years later, Japanese new anime distribution in China, there were many popular works, regulations and flames [Chinese otaku anime situation]
My name is Hyakugen Kago and I’m introducing this and that about the Chinese otaku situation.
Since this is the first article in 2022, about 10 years have passed since it started (it can be said that) Regarding the regular distribution of Japanese animation in China, it was distributed in China and became popular in the otaku neighborhood. In addition, I would like to summarize the works that have had a great influence in various ways, regulations, incidents of fire, and their backgrounds year by year.
[2011] Major popular and popular works: “NARUTO”, “Fate / Zero”, etc.
There are various theories about when the movement for regular distribution of Japanese animation for mainland China began, but as an easy-to-understand big movement, TV Tokyo announced on the Chinese video site Tudou in December 2011 that ” The distribution of “NARUTO”, “BLEACH” and “SKET DANCE” has started.
In China, it has become difficult to broadcast Japanese animation on TV due to the tightening of regulations since the mid-2000s, but on video sites, Japanese animation, which is not only for the general public but also for otaku, is new. There is a movement to distribute anime as well.
Regarding this, since the Internet was a new medium, it seems that the background that the management was still relatively loose even in China at that time, the jurisdiction was confused and there were not a few gray zones also had an effect.
Another interesting move that took place around the same time was the distribution of “Fate / Zero” in the first phase of Nico Nico Douga with subtitles in eight languages, including Chinese (both simplified and traditional). It was a big topic in China at that time that the work “Fate / Zero”, which was attracting attention among Chinese otaku, was officially distributed with Chinese subtitles.
However, due to regulations, this distribution was difficult to see from mainland China, and although it became a hot topic, it seems that the number of viewers did not increase so much.
By the way, regarding the distribution of “Fate / Zero”, the second period will be distributed by “bilibili” before commercialization, and it became a big topic, but this is also due to a local permission problem. , Suddenly the distribution was canceled … I thought that it was distributed on another video site “LeTV” in the last 3 episodes.
“Fate / Zero” is a very popular work that built an era in China, but at that time China was still in the heyday of illegal uploads by a local fansub group, commonly known as “subtitle group”, and there was not much influence from official distribution. It seems. However, it seems that various trials and errors have been carried out regarding distribution, and we can also see the movement that led to the standard style of regular distribution of Japanese animation in China after that.
In addition, in the case of regular distribution, it was difficult to crack down on it due to cost and procedural issues because the local video site that purchases and distributes licenses has begun to deal with illegally uploaded videos in China. There was also an aspect that effective crackdowns were being made on the illegal upload problem in China.
[2012] Major popular and topical works: “Sword Art Online”, “Crawling! Nyaruko-san”, etc.
This year, the anti-Japanese demonstrations and riots that occurred in China, triggered by the nationalization of the Senkaku Islands by the Japanese government, affected activities and businesses in various otaku fields.
At that time, a model of “inviting guests from Japan” was established and the number of events related to otaku in mainland China was suddenly braked, and Kadokawa’s capital, which had been developed since 2010, was included. The translation and publication of Japanese light novels by the joint venture “Guangzhou Tianwen Kadokawa Doman Co., Ltd.” will also be affected by the regulations.
As a result, the place that was involved in the event in mainland China was severely damaged, and it seems that the movement to officially publish the translated version of the light novel, which was developing the market for local otaku at that time, has stopped.
However, behind the scenes, it seems that the official distribution of Japanese animation on Chinese online video sites has been on the rise. The number of video sites that regularly distribute Japanese animation has increased, and the number of works that have been distributed has also increased. Works that are still popular in China, such as “Sword Art Online,” have begun to be distributed this year.
In addition to the unexpected popularity, works that have a big impact in unexpected ways, such as “Crawling! Nyaruko-san,” which became one of the introductory works when “Cthulhu” material spread in China, are also delivered. I am. However, regarding “Nyaruko-san”, it seems that there were many sex appeal scenes that were cut when it was delivered in China, and even for Chinese otaku people, even works that are quite conscious of the frustration of regular delivery. It seems that there was.
[2013] Major popular works, topical works: “Attack on Titan” “Kuroko’s Basketball” “My sister can’t be so cute” etc.
Around 2013, the distribution environment for Japanese animation will be ready, and regular distribution works that will become explosively popular in China will appear.
This year, “Attack on Titan” and “Kuroko’s Basketball” became popular in China, and there was a lot of talk not only in the otaku neighborhood but also at the general level. There was also an unprecedented move, such as “My sister can’t be this cute” gained popularity, including the development in China linked to Japan.
However, with regard to “Attack on Titan”, along with its popularity, “the model of the character is Yoshifuru Akiyama” and “Yoshifuru Akiyama is a person who is very difficult to handle as a person involved in the Port Arthur Massacre in China” due to the circumstances peculiar to China. Strong criticism and a big flame have also occurred.
The flames about the contents of these works are not limited to “Attack on Titan”, but will continue to occur in various works. This is partly due to the increase in the number of viewers who are closer to the general public due to regular distribution, and for popular works that attract attention, they remained local, which is acceptable only among otaku fans. The problem of burning will develop into a big flame.
Also, during this period, competition in the Chinese video site industry intensified, and distribution of content outside China became important as a competitive card, so the price of Japanese animation also rose sharply. “Kuroko’s Basketball,” which was very popular in China, was also talked about at that time how much the cost of acquiring the program would eventually increase, but in the end it was jointly distributed on multiple sites. It settled down in shape.
[2014] Major popular and topical works: “Love Live!”, “Fate / stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]”, etc.
Japanese animation distribution continued to be strong this year, and various popular works were released, but the one that became a big presence was “Love Live!”. With the distribution of the second phase of the anime, its popularity has expanded rapidly in mainland China. The songs and live images shocked and instilled a new genre and way of enjoying works in China. In the otaku neighborhood of China at that time, it had a level of popularity transmission power that the name “evil religion”, which was a mixture of material and awe, came out.
In China at that time, program prices did not stop rising for all content outside China, and Japanese animation prices continued to rise. “Fate / stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]”, which was a hot topic of the year, was a popular work at the time when the price soared, so it is not only popular in the local industry but also about the price. It seems that there was a lot of talk about it.
Also this year, bilibili, which had acquired the largest otaku community in China centered on Nico Nico video barrage comments and fansubs with subtitles, entered the regular distribution of anime, and the Chinese otaku industry after that, the so-called It will also become a major presence in business in the two-dimensional field.
However, at this time of year, there are movements from various parts of China to tighten the management of foreign content, and the momentum of the Chinese video site area is becoming suspicious. In particular, after the notification issued by the government in September regarding the stricter examination permission for foreign-produced content starting in April of the following year (2015), there was some disturbing atmosphere regarding the distribution of Japanese animation.
If you think about it later, there is a view that this year was one of the peaks of Japanese anime distribution in China.
[2015] Major popular and topical works: “One Punch Man”, “Dried Sister! Umaru-chan”, etc.
This year, in addition to the stricter permission to examine foreign-produced content, which was announced from the previous year, there are restrictions on video sites that practically target Japanese animation, and the “blacklist” of problematic works. It was announced, and the distribution of Japanese anime was a mess.
Due to this series of regulatory trends, many works including the popular works of the time such as “Attack on Titan”, “Tokyo Ghoul”, and “Assassination Classroom” became unviewable on Chinese video sites, and some of them continued to be in China. There are some works that cannot be handled by the regular route.
Regarding distribution on Chinese video sites at that time, although there were certain self-regulations, the “overkill” aspect became conspicuous due to the heating of commercial competition, and in addition, the gray zone of video distribution was left unchecked. The condition continued.
Therefore, it seems that it was almost certain that it would be stopped somewhere, but it seems that the scope of the regulations that actually came into effect and their impact exceeded the expectations of industry insiders.
As a result of this regulation, the bubble-like excitement of Japanese animation distribution has diminished, and video sites that distributed Japanese animation will also be reduced in scale or withdrawn except for bilibili.
At that time, the Chinese content industry was still a relatively booming field, but since then, movements such as social games and movies have become more prominent in Japanese content, and animation distribution for otaku in China has become more prominent. Business will also enter a new stage.
[2016] Major popular and topical works: “Re: Life in a different world starting from zero”, “Blessing this wonderful world!”, Etc.
Even in 2016, the impact and confusion caused by the tightening of regulations continued, and whether the violent content of “Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress”, which was widely advertised locally, became a problem, from the top immediately after the start of distribution. Due to the pressure of the above, the distribution was canceled, and after that, it was temporarily revived, but it was also canceled. did.
Since then, sudden suspension of distribution of new animations will occur intermittently, but most of them are cases in China where the reason for regulation or self-regulation is not announced and guidelines are not presented. It seems that it was difficult to deal with it and accumulate experience.
Then, as for popular works and works with great influence, works from Japanese online novels such as “Re: Life in a different world starting from zero” and “Blessing this wonderful world!” Are increasing, and the template of Japanese online novels. Local developments and stories have come to be recognized locally.
In addition to that, the number of people who are interested in animation through the original online novel, commercial version light novel, and its comicalize is increasing, and in the Chinese otaku neighborhood, attention and treatment of works of media other than animation are also changing. To do it.
In addition to anime distribution, the launch of the Chinese version of “Fate / Grand Order” and the big hit of the movie “Your Name.” In China had a great impact on the local otaku industry.
From around this time, social games have become more and more important in terms of topicality and profits in the so-called two-dimensional industry in China, and Japanese animation-related works will continue to be screened on a certain scale in movies. ..
By the way, with regard to movies, we will maintain a relatively stable situation under the regulations that will continue to occur intermittently in China.
Of course, movies are not unaffected by political regulations and social pressures in China, and there are many “easy-to-understand cases.” However, in China, the screening and censorship system has been in place for a long time, and the industry and the government have accumulated experience and know-how, so the response to changes in the environment has not caught up. Compared to the Internet field, it seems that the environment is relatively stable.
[2017] Major popular and topical works: “Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid”, “Welcome to the Classroom of the Elite”, etc.
This year, although the regulatory mess was settled down to some extent, there was no outstanding level topical work that attracted the attention of the entire Chinese otaku neighborhood regarding new animation, and each work was dispersed and fans were attached, and it was a hot topic. It seems that it was in the form of excitement.
Also, from around this time, works with more than 100 million views on local video sites became noticeable, and apart from the excitement of the topic of otaku neighborhood, the scale of views of popular works tends to increase. had.
Then, in the field related to otaku in China, the presence of social games will become even stronger, and “Fate / Grand Order” will be treated as a signboard of Japanese content, which has attracted considerable attention locally.
However, attracting attention in China also increases various risks, and regarding FGO, the description of Qin Shi Huang in the Gaiden novel published in the official fan book of FGO released in Japan is in China. A big criticism and a big flame occurred.
The flames of this FGO Qin Shi Huang were symbolic, but at this time, the distance from Chinese users was getting closer due to the Internet, and the topicality of the two-dimensional field in China was easy to use even on the upper side of the flames, as a profitable material. It was also a time when the risks of being treated became apparent.
And even after that, Japanese otaku content will continue to be blamed for criticism and demands from various Chinese values, not just for historical and political issues, more frequently than before. ..
In addition, the actual damage caused by these will also occur to creators and fans on the Japanese side, and it is clear that it is difficult to expand Japanese content to the Chinese market in a different way than before. It will become.
[2018] Major popular and topical works: “Darling in the Frankis,” “Overlord,” “Cells at Work!”, Etc.
From the beginning of the year, 2018 was a popular and popular work in the otaku area of China, and it got a lot of excitement.・ Frankis ”is suddenly canceled, many tele-eastern animations are canceled on bilibili, and animation of“ Second Life in a Different World ”is canceled due to the flames from China. After the summer, the crackdown was strengthened mainly in accordance with the new environment related to the Internet, and the surrounding ruggedness occurred intermittently, and the situation continued to be uncomfortable.
In addition to that, in the turmoil of the discontinuation of distribution this year, I noticed that not only Japanese animation works but also popular Chinese domestic animation works were discontinued. Regarding this, it seems that the situation that the number of works with radical contents was increasing in the Chinese domestic animation that was actively produced and distributed at that time.
In China at that time, so-called two-dimensional contents became conspicuous in various places, so it became a “general” treatment as a target of crackdown in Chinese society, and regulations and pressures regardless of whether it was made in China or abroad. It seems that there was also a side that became the target of.
In addition, changes in the environment surrounding works other than regulations have come to the fore, and movements such as burning and reporting from intensifying criticism of works are no longer unusual at this time.
However, despite this situation, some of the new animations of this year have become very popular, including the circumstances unique to China.
“Overlord”, which was delivered in the second period, maintained its long-term popularity and became a very popular work that earned hundreds of millions of views in the previous first period and the third period after that. “Cells at Work!” Has gained high praise and popularity as “a useful work that can also obtain scientific knowledge,” and has become a hot topic not only among otakus but also among the general public. In particular, “Cells at Work!” Was highly evaluated, and in China, the content learned from so-called manga was an unfamiliar field, and it seems that many people found it surprisingly interesting and useful. There was an article mentioning “Cells at Work!”
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[2019] Major popular and topical works: “Kimetsu no Yaiba”, “My Hero Academia”, “Fate / Grand Order -Absolute Demon Beast Front Babylonia-“, etc.
This year, the number of Japanese animated films screened in China increased, and it was attracting attention even in the Chinese otaku neighborhood, but it seems that the hits and misses were clearly separated in terms of profitability and topicality. ..
In addition, it seems that it was a time when the economic slowdown of the Chinese content industry became conspicuous, not only for otaku-related matters, and the flashy talks such as those at one time were decreasing.
Regarding popular anime works, “Kimetsu no Yaiba” will be distributed in China as well, and it will continue to earn views even after the new animation period and will exceed 700 million in 2021, which is an unprecedented number. .. Around this time, the topic of popular anime began to spread over a wide range, for better or for worse, and the numbers increased significantly not only for otaku but also for the general public. The change in is finally becoming noticeable.
After that, this year as well, there were intermittent rumblings and cancellations regarding the distribution of new animations, but since it was the 70th anniversary of the founding of China, China’s net for the National Day of the People’s Republic of China in October. It seems that it became quieter and quieter, and the otaku neighborhood became a self-regulatory atmosphere.
By the way, according to a Chinese otaku, some of the works that seem to have been discontinued (mostly suddenly disappear without official explanation) will be secretly revived after a while. From around this time, management and the eyes of the surroundings became strict, and there are few works that secretly revive … etc.
[2020] Major popular and topical works: “Do you want to tell Kaguya? -The love brain battle of geniuses-” “ID: INVADED Id: Invaded” “Ultraman Z” etc.
This year, the influence of the new Corona caused a great deal of confusion regarding otaku in China. Also, probably because of such a special environment, it seems that the works that became popular tended to be different from the usual year, and it was the year when the difference in popularity between Japan and China became clear after a long time.
For example, regarding the historical revenue of Japan’s “Kimetsu no Yaiba”, there are confused voices in the Chinese otaku neighborhood, such as “Kimetsu no Yaiba is very popular in China, but I can’t really understand it.” On the contrary, in China, “ID: INVADED” is one of the most popular works of the year, unlike Japan.
Also, in this year, there was a movement that the Japanese special effects genre, which is treated together with animation as a “moving” category in China, has risen sharply due to the popularity and high evaluation of “Ultraman Z”, regardless of whether it is a general group or an otaku group. ..
Showa Ultraman, which was once broadcast on television in China, was extremely popular, but it was long shunned by Chinese nerds as “for children.” However, the generation who grew up watching “Ultraman Tiga”, which was also broadcast on Chinese TV and became popular, joined the otaku group, and the popularity of Japanese special effects through the Kamen Rider series from the mid-2010s. It seems that the gradual rise in the number of “Ultraman Z” has led to the reinstatement of the rights as a result of the huge popularity of “Ultraman Z”.
By the way, not only the popularity situation, but also the situation unique to China and its influence will become stronger in the flame turmoil.
There was a mess about Japanese works of various sizes this year as well, but among them, the expansion of the big flame caused by “The character that appeared in the original reminds me of Unit 731” of “My Hero Academia”, and then Even with the official apology of 731, the flames did not subside, and with regard to the actual withdrawal from China, the risks and costs related to the flames, which have been rising rapidly in China in recent years, have become clear.
[2021] Major popular works, topical works: “Unemployed reincarnation-If you go to another world, you will be serious-” “King ranking” “Flash of Hathaway” etc.
And in 2021, last year’s China began to put pressure on the entertainment sector in general, including online games and the names of influential celebrities on the internet.
Strict management regulations will be enforced for new Japanese animation, and it will be difficult to broadcast in Japan and distribution with almost no time lag, which was possible until April, and the availability and schedule of distribution are unclear. It is stable.
There are a series of works that can not be distributed even though notices have been issued, and even for the works to be distributed, it is in a state of “I do not know when distribution will start” and “There is no announcement from the distribution platform”, so the topic is not exciting in the Chinese otaku neighborhood and new works The popularity of anime has also slowed down.
In addition, not only Japanese animation but also social games are strongly regulated, and in the Chinese version of FGO, there are cases such as “correcting or withdrawing the names, illustrations, profiles and voices of Chinese servants that are implemented”. Regarding FGO, there were movements such as changing the name to another Chinese name after that, but it seems that the important part such as some illustrations has not returned.
Then, last year, the big flame of “Mushoku Tensei-If you go to another world, you’ll be serious” and the cancellation of the distribution also affected the Iloilo area. Regarding the flames of “Mushoku Tensei”
“The flames have expanded beyond the usual otaku neighborhood as a source for video distributors to earn views.”
“If there is a problem with the idea or values of the work, criticism including feminist direction will explode.”
“Expanding criticism and repulsion caused flames everywhere. In addition, there were people who wanted to participate in the festival and make noise, all of which were armed with reports.”
The risks and problems of the current environment unique to China, such as, have clearly emerged.
Especially in the current environment of the Internet in China, where you can easily “report”, it is very easy for individuals to report “unforgivable things”, and even in the event of a fire, individuals report. It seems that the influence of fighting with “a very effective weapon in Chinese society” is great.
In China in recent years, various flames and reporting battles, and the damage to the entire genre due to it, are not uncommon, so even among otaku people, it has become possible to first think about the content of the work from the risk of reporting. I hear that it is difficult to see with ease like in the past.
In 2021, there was a popular work of Iloilo, and besides the animation distribution, there was good news such as the screening of “Senkou no Hathaway” at the local film festival and the subsequent excitement due to the distribution on bilibili, but in China It seems that there was always a mixture of confusion and anxiety in the otaku area.
Looking back on the past 10 years or so, the distribution of Japanese animation in China is regularly regulated after the rise, how to respond to the post-regulation situation, and the subsequent rise in the environment and further regulation. You can see that it is occurring.
Considering the situation last year, it is difficult to be optimistic about the future trends of entertainment content in China, not just Japanese animation, but what about how such entertainment content in China will change? I’m not exhausted.
(Sentence / Hundred yuan basket sheep)
January 01, 2022 12:000
Chinese Otaku Anime Circumstances Anime Column Planning Article
10 years later, Japanese new anime distribution in China, there were many popular works, regulations and flames [Chinese otaku anime situation]
My name is Hyakugen Kago and I’m introducing this and that about the Chinese otaku situation.
Since this is the first article in 2022, about 10 years have passed since it started (it can be said that) Regarding the regular distribution of Japanese animation in China, it was distributed in China and became popular in the otaku neighborhood. In addition, I would like to summarize the works that have had a great influence in various ways, regulations, incidents of fire, and their backgrounds year by year.
[2011] Major popular and popular works: “NARUTO”, “Fate / Zero”, etc.
There are various theories about when the movement for regular distribution of Japanese animation for mainland China began, but as an easy-to-understand big movement, TV Tokyo announced on the Chinese video site Tudou in December 2011 that ” The distribution of “NARUTO”, “BLEACH” and “SKET DANCE” has started.
In China, it has become difficult to broadcast Japanese animation on TV due to the tightening of regulations since the mid-2000s, but on video sites, Japanese animation, which is not only for the general public but also for otaku, is new. There is a movement to distribute anime as well.
Regarding this, since the Internet was a new medium, it seems that the background that the management was still relatively loose even in China at that time, the jurisdiction was confused and there were not a few gray zones also had an effect.
Another interesting move that took place around the same time was the distribution of “Fate / Zero” in the first phase of Nico Nico Douga with subtitles in eight languages, including Chinese (both simplified and traditional). It was a big topic in China at that time that the work “Fate / Zero”, which was attracting attention among Chinese otaku, was officially distributed with Chinese subtitles.
However, due to regulations, this distribution was difficult to see from mainland China, and although it became a hot topic, it seems that the number of viewers did not increase so much.
By the way, regarding the distribution of “Fate / Zero”, the second period will be distributed by “bilibili” before commercialization, and it became a big topic, but this is also due to a local permission problem. , Suddenly the distribution was canceled … I thought that it was distributed on another video site “LeTV” in the last 3 episodes.
“Fate / Zero” is a very popular work that built an era in China, but at that time China was still in the heyday of illegal uploads by a local fansub group, commonly known as “subtitle group”, and there was not much influence from official distribution. It seems. However, it seems that various trials and errors have been carried out regarding distribution, and we can also see the movement that led to the standard style of regular distribution of Japanese animation in China after that.
In addition, in the case of regular distribution, it was difficult to crack down on it due to cost and procedural issues because the local video site that purchases and distributes licenses has begun to deal with illegally uploaded videos in China. There was also an aspect that effective crackdowns were being made on the illegal upload problem in China.
[2012] Major popular and topical works: “Sword Art Online”, “Crawling! Nyaruko-san”, etc.
This year, the anti-Japanese demonstrations and riots that occurred in China, triggered by the nationalization of the Senkaku Islands by the Japanese government, affected activities and businesses in various otaku fields.
At that time, a model of “inviting guests from Japan” was established and the number of events related to otaku in mainland China was suddenly braked, and Kadokawa’s capital, which had been developed since 2010, was included. The translation and publication of Japanese light novels by the joint venture “Guangzhou Tianwen Kadokawa Doman Co., Ltd.” will also be affected by the regulations.
As a result, the place that was involved in the event in mainland China was severely damaged, and it seems that the movement to officially publish the translated version of the light novel, which was developing the market for local otaku at that time, has stopped.
However, behind the scenes, it seems that the official distribution of Japanese animation on Chinese online video sites has been on the rise. The number of video sites that regularly distribute Japanese animation has increased, and the number of works that have been distributed has also increased. Works that are still popular in China, such as “Sword Art Online,” have begun to be distributed this year.
In addition to the unexpected popularity, works that have a big impact in unexpected ways, such as “Crawling! Nyaruko-san,” which became one of the introductory works when “Cthulhu” material spread in China, are also delivered. I am. However, regarding “Nyaruko-san”, it seems that there were many sex appeal scenes that were cut when it was delivered in China, and even for Chinese otaku people, even works that are quite conscious of the frustration of regular delivery. It seems that there was.
[2013] Major popular works, topical works: “Attack on Titan” “Kuroko’s Basketball” “My sister can’t be so cute” etc.
Around 2013, the distribution environment for Japanese animation will be ready, and regular distribution works that will become explosively popular in China will appear.
This year, “Attack on Titan” and “Kuroko’s Basketball” became popular in China, and there was a lot of talk not only in the otaku neighborhood but also at the general level. There was also an unprecedented move, such as “My sister can’t be this cute” gained popularity, including the development in China linked to Japan.
However, with regard to “Attack on Titan”, along with its popularity, “the model of the character is Yoshifuru Akiyama” and “Yoshifuru Akiyama is a person who is very difficult to handle as a person involved in the Port Arthur Massacre in China” due to the circumstances peculiar to China. Strong criticism and a big flame have also occurred.
The flames about the contents of these works are not limited to “Attack on Titan”, but will continue to occur in various works. This is partly due to the increase in the number of viewers who are closer to the general public due to regular distribution, and for popular works that attract attention, they remained local, which is acceptable only among otaku fans. The problem of burning will develop into a big flame.
Also, during this period, competition in the Chinese video site industry intensified, and distribution of content outside China became important as a competitive card, so the price of Japanese animation also rose sharply. “Kuroko’s Basketball,” which was very popular in China, was also talked about at that time how much the cost of acquiring the program would eventually increase, but in the end it was jointly distributed on multiple sites. It settled down in shape.
[2014] Major popular and topical works: “Love Live!”, “Fate / stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]”, etc.
Japanese animation distribution continued to be strong this year, and various popular works were released, but the one that became a big presence was “Love Live!”. With the distribution of the second phase of the anime, its popularity has expanded rapidly in mainland China. The songs and live images shocked and instilled a new genre and way of enjoying works in China. In the otaku neighborhood of China at that time, it had a level of popularity transmission power that the name “evil religion”, which was a mixture of material and awe, came out.
In China at that time, program prices did not stop rising for all content outside China, and Japanese animation prices continued to rise. “Fate / stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]”, which was a hot topic of the year, was a popular work at the time when the price soared, so it is not only popular in the local industry but also about the price. It seems that there was a lot of talk about it.
Also this year, bilibili, which had acquired the largest otaku community in China centered on Nico Nico video barrage comments and fansubs with subtitles, entered the regular distribution of anime, and the Chinese otaku industry after that, the so-called It will also become a major presence in business in the two-dimensional field.
However, at this time of year, there are movements from various parts of China to tighten the management of foreign content, and the momentum of the Chinese video site area is becoming suspicious. In particular, after the notification issued by the government in September regarding the stricter examination permission for foreign-produced content starting in April of the following year (2015), there was some disturbing atmosphere regarding the distribution of Japanese animation.
If you think about it later, there is a view that this year was one of the peaks of Japanese anime distribution in China.
[2015] Major popular and topical works: “One Punch Man”, “Dried Sister! Umaru-chan”, etc.
This year, in addition to the stricter permission to examine foreign-produced content, which was announced from the previous year, there are restrictions on video sites that practically target Japanese animation, and the “blacklist” of problematic works. It was announced, and the distribution of Japanese anime was a mess.
Due to this series of regulatory trends, many works including the popular works of the time such as “Attack on Titan”, “Tokyo Ghoul”, and “Assassination Classroom” became unviewable on Chinese video sites, and some of them continued to be in China. There are some works that cannot be handled by the regular route.
Regarding distribution on Chinese video sites at that time, although there were certain self-regulations, the “overkill” aspect became conspicuous due to the heating of commercial competition, and in addition, the gray zone of video distribution was left unchecked. The condition continued.
Therefore, it seems that it was almost certain that it would be stopped somewhere, but it seems that the scope of the regulations that actually came into effect and their impact exceeded the expectations of industry insiders.
As a result of this regulation, the bubble-like excitement of Japanese animation distribution has diminished, and video sites that distributed Japanese animation will also be reduced in scale or withdrawn except for bilibili.
At that time, the Chinese content industry was still a relatively booming field, but since then, movements such as social games and movies have become more prominent in Japanese content, and animation distribution for otaku in China has become more prominent. Business will also enter a new stage.
[2016] Major popular and topical works: “Re: Life in a different world starting from zero”, “Blessing this wonderful world!”, Etc.
Even in 2016, the impact and confusion caused by the tightening of regulations continued, and whether the violent content of “Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress”, which was widely advertised locally, became a problem, from the top immediately after the start of distribution. Due to the pressure of the above, the distribution was canceled, and after that, it was temporarily revived, but it was also canceled. did.
Since then, sudden suspension of distribution of new animations will occur intermittently, but most of them are cases in China where the reason for regulation or self-regulation is not announced and guidelines are not presented. It seems that it was difficult to deal with it and accumulate experience.
Then, as for popular works and works with great influence, works from Japanese online novels such as “Re: Life in a different world starting from zero” and “Blessing this wonderful world!” Are increasing, and the template of Japanese online novels. Local developments and stories have come to be recognized locally.
In addition to that, the number of people who are interested in animation through the original online novel, commercial version light novel, and its comicalize is increasing, and in the Chinese otaku neighborhood, attention and treatment of works of media other than animation are also changing. To do it.
In addition to anime distribution, the launch of the Chinese version of “Fate / Grand Order” and the big hit of the movie “Your Name.” In China had a great impact on the local otaku industry.
From around this time, social games have become more and more important in terms of topicality and profits in the so-called two-dimensional industry in China, and Japanese animation-related works will continue to be screened on a certain scale in movies. ..
By the way, with regard to movies, we will maintain a relatively stable situation under the regulations that will continue to occur intermittently in China.
Of course, movies are not unaffected by political regulations and social pressures in China, and there are many “easy-to-understand cases.” However, in China, the screening and censorship system has been in place for a long time, and the industry and the government have accumulated experience and know-how, so the response to changes in the environment has not caught up. Compared to the Internet field, it seems that the environment is relatively stable.
[2017] Major popular and topical works: “Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid”, “Welcome to the Classroom of the Elite”, etc.
This year, although the regulatory mess was settled down to some extent, there was no outstanding level topical work that attracted the attention of the entire Chinese otaku neighborhood regarding new animation, and each work was dispersed and fans were attached, and it was a hot topic. It seems that it was in the form of excitement.
Also, from around this time, works with more than 100 million views on local video sites became noticeable, and apart from the excitement of the topic of otaku neighborhood, the scale of views of popular works tends to increase. had.
Then, in the field related to otaku in China, the presence of social games will become even stronger, and “Fate / Grand Order” will be treated as a signboard of Japanese content, which has attracted considerable attention locally.
However, attracting attention in China also increases various risks, and regarding FGO, the description of Qin Shi Huang in the Gaiden novel published in the official fan book of FGO released in Japan is in China. A big criticism and a big flame occurred.
The flames of this FGO Qin Shi Huang were symbolic, but at this time, the distance from Chinese users was getting closer due to the Internet, and the topicality of the two-dimensional field in China was easy to use even on the upper side of the flames, as a profitable material. It was also a time when the risks of being treated became apparent.
And even after that, Japanese otaku content will continue to be blamed for criticism and demands from various Chinese values, not just for historical and political issues, more frequently than before. ..
In addition, the actual damage caused by these will also occur to creators and fans on the Japanese side, and it is clear that it is difficult to expand Japanese content to the Chinese market in a different way than before. It will become.
[2018] Major popular and topical works: “Darling in the Frankis,” “Overlord,” “Cells at Work!”, Etc.
From the beginning of the year, 2018 was a popular and popular work in the otaku area of China, and it got a lot of excitement.・ Frankis ”is suddenly canceled, many tele-eastern animations are canceled on bilibili, and animation of“ Second Life in a Different World ”is canceled due to the flames from China. After the summer, the crackdown was strengthened mainly in accordance with the new environment related to the Internet, and the surrounding ruggedness occurred intermittently, and the situation continued to be uncomfortable.
In addition to that, in the turmoil of the discontinuation of distribution this year, I noticed that not only Japanese animation works but also popular Chinese domestic animation works were discontinued. Regarding this, it seems that the situation that the number of works with radical contents was increasing in the Chinese domestic animation that was actively produced and distributed at that time.
In China at that time, so-called two-dimensional contents became conspicuous in various places, so it became a “general” treatment as a target of crackdown in Chinese society, and regulations and pressures regardless of whether it was made in China or abroad. It seems that there was also a side that became the target of.
In addition, changes in the environment surrounding works other than regulations have come to the fore, and movements such as burning and reporting from intensifying criticism of works are no longer unusual at this time.
However, despite this situation, some of the new animations of this year have become very popular, including the circumstances unique to China.
“Overlord”, which was delivered in the second period, maintained its long-term popularity and became a very popular work that earned hundreds of millions of views in the previous first period and the third period after that. “Cells at Work!” Has gained high praise and popularity as “a useful work that can also obtain scientific knowledge,” and has become a hot topic not only among otakus but also among the general public. In particular, “Cells at Work!” Was highly evaluated, and in China, the content learned from so-called manga was an unfamiliar field, and it seems that many people found it surprisingly interesting and useful. There was an article mentioning “Cells at Work!”
src=”https://japaneseanime3315.up.seesaa.net/image/t640_936054-thumbnail2.jpg” width=”341″ height=”480″>[2019] Major popular and topical works: “Kimetsu no Yaiba”, “My Hero Academia”, “Fate / Grand Order -Absolute Demon Beast Front Babylonia-“, etc.
This year, the number of Japanese animated films screened in China increased, and it was attracting attention even in the Chinese otaku neighborhood, but it seems that the hits and misses were clearly separated in terms of profitability and topicality. ..
In addition, it seems that it was a time when the economic slowdown of the Chinese content industry became conspicuous, not only for otaku-related matters, and the flashy talks such as those at one time were decreasing.
Regarding popular anime works, “Kimetsu no Yaiba” will be distributed in China as well, and it will continue to earn views even after the new animation period and will exceed 700 million in 2021, which is an unprecedented number. .. Around this time, the topic of popular anime began to spread over a wide range, for better or for worse, and the numbers increased significantly not only for otaku but also for the general public. The change in is finally becoming noticeable.
After that, this year as well, there were intermittent rumblings and cancellations regarding the distribution of new animations, but since it was the 70th anniversary of the founding of China, China’s net for the National Day of the People’s Republic of China in October. It seems that it became quieter and quieter, and the otaku neighborhood became a self-regulatory atmosphere.
By the way, according to a Chinese otaku, some of the works that seem to have been discontinued (mostly suddenly disappear without official explanation) will be secretly revived after a while. From around this time, management and the eyes of the surroundings became strict, and there are few works that secretly revive … etc.
[2020] Major popular and topical works: “Do you want to tell Kaguya? -The love brain battle of geniuses-” “ID: INVADED Id: Invaded” “Ultraman Z” etc.
This year, the influence of the new Corona caused a great deal of confusion regarding otaku in China. Also, probably because of such a special environment, it seems that the works that became popular tended to be different from the usual year, and it was the year when the difference in popularity between Japan and China became clear after a long time.
For example, regarding the historical revenue of Japan’s “Kimetsu no Yaiba”, there are confused voices in the Chinese otaku neighborhood, such as “Kimetsu no Yaiba is very popular in China, but I can’t really understand it.” On the contrary, in China, “ID: INVADED” is one of the most popular works of the year, unlike Japan.
Also, in this year, there was a movement that the Japanese special effects genre, which is treated together with animation as a “moving” category in China, has risen sharply due to the popularity and high evaluation of “Ultraman Z”, regardless of whether it is a general group or an otaku group. ..
Showa Ultraman, which was once broadcast on television in China, was extremely popular, but it was long shunned by Chinese nerds as “for children.” However, the generation who grew up watching “Ultraman Tiga”, which was also broadcast on Chinese TV and became popular, joined the otaku group, and the popularity of Japanese special effects through the Kamen Rider series from the mid-2010s. It seems that the gradual rise in the number of “Ultraman Z” has led to the reinstatement of the rights as a result of the huge popularity of “Ultraman Z”.
By the way, not only the popularity situation, but also the situation unique to China and its influence will become stronger in the flame turmoil.
There was a mess about Japanese works of various sizes this year as well, but among them, the expansion of the big flame caused by “The character that appeared in the original reminds me of Unit 731” of “My Hero Academia”, and then Even with the official apology of 731, the flames did not subside, and with regard to the actual withdrawal from China, the risks and costs related to the flames, which have been rising rapidly in China in recent years, have become clear.
[2021] Major popular works, topical works: “Unemployed reincarnation-If you go to another world, you will be serious-” “King ranking” “Flash of Hathaway” etc.
And in 2021, last year’s China began to put pressure on the entertainment sector in general, including online games and the names of influential celebrities on the internet.
Strict management regulations will be enforced for new Japanese animation, and it will be difficult to broadcast in Japan and distribution with almost no time lag, which was possible until April, and the availability and schedule of distribution are unclear. It is stable.
There are a series of works that can not be distributed even though notices have been issued, and even for the works to be distributed, it is in a state of “I do not know when distribution will start” and “There is no announcement from the distribution platform”, so the topic is not exciting in the Chinese otaku neighborhood and new works The popularity of anime has also slowed down.
In addition, not only Japanese animation but also social games are strongly regulated, and in the Chinese version of FGO, there are cases such as “correcting or withdrawing the names, illustrations, profiles and voices of Chinese servants that are implemented”. Regarding FGO, there were movements such as changing the name to another Chinese name after that, but it seems that the important part such as some illustrations has not returned.
Then, last year, the big flame of “Mushoku Tensei-If you go to another world, you’ll be serious” and the cancellation of the distribution also affected the Iloilo area. Regarding the flames of “Mushoku Tensei”
“The flames have expanded beyond the usual otaku neighborhood as a source for video distributors to earn views.”
“If there is a problem with the idea or values of the work, criticism including feminist direction will explode.”
“Expanding criticism and repulsion caused flames everywhere. In addition, there were people who wanted to participate in the festival and make noise, all of which were armed with reports.”
The risks and problems of the current environment unique to China, such as, have clearly emerged.
Especially in the current environment of the Internet in China, where you can easily “report”, it is very easy for individuals to report “unforgivable things”, and even in the event of a fire, individuals report. It seems that the influence of fighting with “a very effective weapon in Chinese society” is great.
In China in recent years, various flames and reporting battles, and the damage to the entire genre due to it, are not uncommon, so even among otaku people, it has become possible to first think about the content of the work from the risk of reporting. I hear that it is difficult to see with ease like in the past.
In 2021, there was a popular work of Iloilo, and besides the animation distribution, there was good news such as the screening of “Senkou no Hathaway” at the local film festival and the subsequent excitement due to the distribution on bilibili, but in China It seems that there was always a mixture of confusion and anxiety in the otaku area.
Looking back on the past 10 years or so, the distribution of Japanese animation in China is regularly regulated after the rise, how to respond to the post-regulation situation, and the subsequent rise in the environment and further regulation. You can see that it is occurring.
Considering the situation last year, it is difficult to be optimistic about the future trends of entertainment content in China, not just Japanese animation, but what about how such entertainment content in China will change? I’m not exhausted.
(Sentence / Hundred yuan basket sheep)
