research regarding the presence of the anime … 03 28.pdf · this animation style is called...

Iulian Boldea (Coord.) Globalization and National Identity. Studies on the Strategies of Intercultural Dialogue

SOCIAL SCIENCES SECTION

286 Arhipelag XXI Press, Tîrgu Mureș, ISBN: 978-606-8624-03-7

RESEARCH REGARDING THE PRESENCE OF THE ANIME CULTURE’S PRODUCTS ON THE ROMANIAN MARKET AND THEIR IMPACT UPON THE

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Adrian Nicolae Cazacu

PhD Student, Bucharest University of Economic Studies

Abstract: The anime products are the new trend on the international animation market, including

Romania. These products are related with the anime culture, also a new cultural identity, coming

from Japan, with a rapid spread all over the world.This study is a research on the Romanian

consumer behavior regarding the following aspects of the new market of the anime‘s cultural

products, such as: the target audience,the most watched animes,the importance of the correct

subbing, the subbing preferences,the preference for anime related products . The results of this

study lead us to some conclusions regarding the new challenges for the Romanian market, in the

present time.

Keywords: anime, market, Romania, behavior, consumer

1. Introduction

Since 70s, the Japanese animation began to make its way into the top of the western consumer

preferences, starting with the american ones. The Japanese animation is a style of animation,

defined by its own artistic style and the richness of themes, being addressed to all age categories.

This animation style is called ―anime‖ (Steiff, 2010). The import of animes and the acquiring of

licenses by the entertainmentcompanies, from the anime producers in Japan, with the purpose of

localization of the anime, by subtitling and dubbing, proved to be a very profitable business. The

animes for youths and adults quickly made their way on the mass-media products market meant for

the american entertainment, and those aimed for the children began to rival with the Disney

productions and other western animations, which were and still are aimed, mostly, only for this age

category (Denison, 2010). After 1989, along with the intensification of the intercultural exchanges

between the European countries and America, anime also began to make its way into the top of the

European consumer. A short while after 1989, the Romanian TV started to broadcast anime films

such as: ―Windaria‖, ―Pheonix: Space Fire Bird‖, followed by anime series, such as: ―Macron One‖,

―Saber-Rider‖, ―Sailor Moon‖, ―Candy Candy‖, ―Sandy Bell‖. In the late 90, appear other series,

some of them being well known also in the present, like: ―Pokemon‖, ―Dragon Ball Z‖, ―Inuyasha‖,




343

53

12 4 41 1

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Extremely familar

Verry familiar Moderate familiar

Little familiar I do not know what anime is!

KNOWLEDGE OF THE ANIME NOTION

―SamuraiX‖, ―Full Metal Alchemist‖. All these broadcasted animes were subtitled or dubbed in

Romanian. In this period, not only the Romanian television broadcast anime series, but also many

other TV channels, like ProTV. After 2000, also appears the TV channel specialized in animes

broadcast, namely ―A+‖, which has resumed many of the anime series broadcasted by the other TV

channels, adding some new ones, all of them being subtitled in Romanian. Afterwards, ―A+‖ TV

channel becomes ―Animax‖, enriching its programes with J-Pop music, often being on the sound

tracks of the broadcasted animes, as well as with other elements related to the cultural identity of

the anime consumer.

2. The impact of the anime culture’s products upon the consumer behavior

The research method was a survey conducted following the ESOMAR guidelines, upon a lot of 422

persons, and the conclusions on these results. The first question(Figure 1) was: ―How familiar is

the fact that anime is an animation style?‖

Table 1. Knowledge

of the anime notion(416

responses)(Source: author‘s own survey)

KNOWLEDGE OF THE ANIME NOTION RESPONSES

Extremely familiar 343

Verry familiar 53

Moderate familiar 12

Little familiar 4

I do not know what anime is! 4




WACHTED ANIMES

82%

37.10%

58%

43%

33.70%

59.50%

21.60%

6.10%

8.50%

2.90%

4.40%

14.30%

6.10%

56.10%

83.70%

61.40%

23.10%

42%

6.30%

18.70%

45.10%

58.70%

73.50%

13.80%

30.30%

39.60%

5.10%

4.10%

6.80%

17.20%

9.50%

4.10%

14.10%

17.50%

41.70%

10.40%

63.80%

11.70%

41.30%

4.10%

31.60%

16.50%

32.50%

22.30%

3.90%

19.90%

2.20%

30.30%

28.40%

26.20%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Fate Stay Night

DevilMay Cry

Clannad

Lamune

Captain Tsubasa

Soul Link

Cowboy Bebop

Hell Girl

The Melancholy o…

Blood+

.hack

Black Butler

Wolf's Rain

Tokyo Ghoul

Rozen Maiden

One Piece

Kilari

Neon Genesis Ev…

Lunar Legend Ts…

Lupin

Chrono Chrusade

The Matrix

Pretty Cure

Macross

Hellsing

Kaleido Star

Hello Kitty

Death Note

Bleach

Vampire Knight

K-ON!

Mobile Suit Gund…

Code Geass

Ghost in the Shell

Inuyasha

Naruto

Fairy Tail

Ranma ½

Vampire Hunter D

Saber Rider

Macron

Sandy Bell

Candy Candy!

Runoni Kenshin/…

Full Metal Alchemist

Digimon

Avatar: The Last…

Dragonball Z

Sailor Moon

Pokemon

Figure 1.Knowledge of the anime notion(Source: Table 1)

The second question was: ―Which are the animes watched as a child or as a teenager?‖ (Figure 2)

From the answers received to this question, we conclude that the most watched films were:

Pokemon, Naruto, Death Note.




ADJECTIVES

70.50%

89.10%

61.30%

45.30%

73.40%

46%

1.20%

64.90%

66.80%

0.70%

55.90%

59.80%

52.10%

60.80%

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00

%

SURPRISING

INTERESTING

DRAMATIC

COLORFUL

ARTISTIC

SUPERIOR

INFERIOR

SPECIAL

DISTINCT

POOR

MARVELOUS

INTELLIGENT

EDUCATIONAL

CULTURAL

Figure 2. The most watched animes(Source: author‘s own survey)

Next question, “Which adjective would you associate with anime?‖ had 413 responses, the most

used being: interesting, artistic, surprising, special.(Figure 3)

Figure 3. Adjective associated with anime(Source: author‘s own survey)

When they were asked about the importance of the correct subbing, they responded: from 412

people who answered this question, 277 found it to be very important, other 110 people answered




0

50

100

150

200

250

300277

110

16 5 4

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CORRECT SUBBING

Verry important

Enough important

Important

Less important

Not important

that it is of some importance, 16 said it is important, the rest of them, that is only 9 people didn‘t

considered it important at all.(Figure 4)

Table 2. The importance of the correct subbing(Source: author‘s own survey)

Figure 4. The importance of the

correct subbing (Source: Table 2)

―Do you usually watch animes

subtitled in Romanian or

English‖? (414 responses) From the

received answers, it results that although

the number of respondents who

watch animes subtitled in English

is slightly larger of those who prefer the

Romanian subbing, the percentages are close. Consequently, we conclude that about half of the

respondents prefer the animes subtitled in Romanian, and because the anime subbing in Romania is

done at the present time by fansubbing groups, it results a great interest for the localization of

anime in our country.(Figure 5)

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE

CORRECT SUBBING NUMBER

Verry important 277

Enough important 110

Important 16

Less important 5

Not important 4

SUBBING PREFERENCES NUMBER PERCENTAGES




0

50

100

150

200

250

NUMBER PERCENTAGES

192

46.40%

222

53.60%

Romanian

English

SUBBING PREFERENCES

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

NUMBER PERCENTAGE

305

74%

107

26%

YES

NO

KNOWLEDGE OF THE

FANSUBBING GROUPS

EXISTENCE IN ROMANIA

Table 3.

Subbing

preference

s(Source: author‘s own survey)

Figure 5. Subbing preferences(Source: Table 3)

Concerning the above, at the question ‖Do you have knowledge of the existence of fansubbing

groups in Romania?‖, the answer given by the majority of the respondents was affirmative.

(Figure 6)

Figure 6.Fansubbing groups existence in Romania(Source: Table 4)

Romanian 192 46.4%

English 222 53.6%

KNOWLEDGE OF THE FANSUBBING NUMBER PERCENTAGES




020406080

100120140

NUMBER PERCENT

73

122

93 125

THE FREQUENCY OF WATCHING ANIMES SUBTITLED BY

THE ROMANIAN FANSUBBING GROUPSAll the time

Often enough

Sometimes

Never

Table 4.

Fansubbin

g groups

existence

in Romania(Source: author‘s own survey)

―How often do you watch animes subtitled by the fansubbing groups from Romania?‖(413

responses) From the total number of persons who answered this question, about 70% are watching

to some degree the animes subtitled by the fansubbing groups from Romania, percent which comes

close to those who have knowledge of the funsubbing groups(73%).

The three subcategories of those who prefer the subbing done by the fansubbing groups, have verry

close percentages, due to the external factors such as: free time, geographical location, age, and so

on (Figure 7)

THE FREQUENCY OF WATCHING ANIMES SUBTITLED

BY THE ROMANIAN FANSUBBING GROUPS NUMBER PERCENT

All the time 73 17.7%

Often enough 122 29.5%

Sometimes 93 22.5%

Never 125 30.3%

Table 5. The frequency of watching animes subtitled by the Romanian fansubbing

groups(Source: author‘s own survey)

GROUPS EXISTENCE IN ROMANIA

YES 305 74%

NO 107 26%




Figure 7. The frequency of watching animes subtitled by the Romanian fansubbing

groups(Source: Table 5)

―Would you acquire anime Blu-ray/DVDs, officially subtitled by profesionals, from stores?‖ From

the 410 responses to this question, nearly half of them were positive. This fact, corroborated with

the significant interest for the Romanian fansubbing groups, also with the existence of a great

interest for the correct subbing, leads us to the conclusion that in our country, an anime market has

already formed, more specifically, a well defined demand for the anime DVDs and Blue-rays,

subtitled in Romanian.(Figure 8)

PREFERENCE FOR ACQUIRING OF

OFFICIALLY SUBTITLED ANIMES NUMBER PERCENT

YES 200 48.8%

NO 210 51.2%

Table 6.Preference for aquiring the officially subtitled animes (Source: author‘s own survey)

Figure 8. Preference for aquiring the officially subtitled animes (Source: Table 6)

As a consequence of the existence of the mentioned segment of market, there is also a demand for

the anime related products. This confirms the assumption that, in most cases, the anime fan gains a

cultural identity, fact which determines him to purchase these related products. The large majority

of the respondents, namely 76.3% have acquired such products. Regarding the purpose of

purchasing these derivatives, the majority stated that they have bought for them (308 of 410), which

0

50

100

150

200

250

NUMBER PERCENT

200

48.80%

210

51.20%

YES

NO

PREFERENCE FOR ACQUIRING THE OFFICIALLY SUBTITLED ANIMES




0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

NUMBER PERCENT

316

98

YES

NO

PREFERENCE FOR ANIME RELATED PRODUCTS

reinforces the previous findings. This comes to underline the ramification and development of the

anime consumer‘s needs also for the anime related products, all of these being in the context of the

affirmation of the new cultural identity of anime.

―Have you ever purchased a product having a relationship with anime (manga, posters, figurines,

cards, dolls, clothes and other products bearing the trademark, logo or other distinguishing feature

that puts you in connection with anime)?‖(414 responses)

Table 7.Preference for anime related products(Source: author‘s own survey)

Figure 9. Preference for anime related products(Source: Table 7)

b) ―For what purpose have you bought the goods mentioned in the previous?‖(410 responses)

PREFERENCE FOR ANIME

RELATED PRODUCTS NUMBER PERCENT

YES 316 76.3%

NO 98 23.7%

THE PURPOSE FOR ACQUIRING ANIME RELATED PRODUCTS NUMBER




0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

NUMBER

308

121

89

For me

To make a gift

Because a friend asked me to buy them for him

I did not buy

Table 8.The purpose for acquiring anime related products(Source: author‘s own survey)

Figure 10. The purpose for acquiring anime related products(Source: Table 8)

The need for a more precise determination of the target group of consumers, led us also to the

analyse of age and sex for the participants involved in this survey.

To the age related question have responded 409 participants, of which the large majority are young

people, with ages between 18 and 25 years.(Figure 11) Regarding the sex, this indicator is of no

significance, because the men and women percentages are nearly equal.(Figure 12)

―In what age group do you belong?‖(409 responses)

AGE GROUPS OF THE RESPONDENTS NUMBER

Between 18 and 25 years 365

Between 25 and 30 years 35

Over 30 years 9

For me 308

To make a gift 12

Because a friend asked me to buy them for him 1

I did not buy 89




0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

NUMBER

365

359

Between 18 and 25 years

Between 25 and 30 years

Over 30 years

AGE GROUPS OF THE RESPONDENTS

0

50

100

150

200

250

NUMBER PERCENT

204 212

SEX OF THE SURVEY PARTICIPANTS

FEMALE

MALE

Table 9.Age groups of the respondents(Source: author‘s own survey)

Figure 11. Age groups of the respondents(Source: Table 9)

Table 10.Sex of the survey participants(Source: author‘s own survey)

Figure 12. Sex of the survey participants(Source: Table 10)

3. Conclusions

SEX OF THE SURVEY PARTICIPANTS NUMBER PERCENT

FEMALE 204 49%

MALE 212 51%




This study states the existence of a new market segment, reserved for the products of the anime

culture in Romania. More exactly, we have demonstrated the demand for the anime Blu-ray discs

and DVDs, subtitled in Romanian, in short, the demand for the localization of animes in Romania,

with the purpose to legalize this localization so that these products to be presented on the shelves, in

stores, among the other mass-media products, like the films or series subtitled in Romanian.

As a result, it is necessary and beneficial for the Romanian consumer, that the companies in charge

of subtitling or doubling the mass-media products, to acquire licenses from the Japanese producers

of anime. It is well known that these licenses are not so expensive and the costs of their acquiring

will be easly amortized by the sales prices of the Romanian market localizated products, a market

which already exists, as we have demonstrated.

In this regard, there is the example of other countries, in which this investment was very successful,

such as America, where, even before this market segment was established and discovered, Japanese

animation products made their own place in the top of the American consumer preferences.

We have to remember that in 2005, over 60% of the world animation products were produced in

Japan(JETRO), the anime being already known, since then, in many European countries, including

Romania.

New data show that (JETRO) on the anime products market in America, sales figure in 2009 was

estimated at 2.741 trillion dollars, which demonstrates the profitability of the investment in such

products.

Bibliography

DENISON, R.(2010), ―Transcultural creativity in anime: Hybrid identities in the production,

distribution, texts and fandom of Japanese anime‖, Creative Industries Journal, 3(3), 221-235

LAMERICHS, N. (2013)―The cultural dynamic of doujinshi and cosplay: Local anime fandom in

Japan, USA and Europe, Participations‖, Journal of Audience&Reception Studies,10,1, Maastricht

University

MACWILLIAMS & WHEELER, M.,( 2008), Japanese visual culture: explorations in the world of

manga and anime, M.E. Sharpe

STEIFF, J.(2010), Anime and Philosophy, Illinois: Open Court Publishing Company

WINGE, T.(2006), ―Costuming the imagination: origins of anime and manga cosplay‖,

Mechademia, 1

*** Japan External Trade Organization, (2005) Japan Animation Industry Trends, ww.jetro.go

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