In the exhibit there were numerous Gundam figures of various sizes and from various series and generations. They were two full walls of cabinets adn then another line in between the two walls (obviously with enough room to walk down each side). There were three notable things about the exhibit that is relevant to my discussion about using toys to franchise anime. First that the exhibit was free and even gave gifts, notable one of which was a catalogue of figures. Second at the end of the exhibit there were huge shelves with many many figures being sold (with the ones that were on exhibit had there model numbers next to them). Last it was notable that there were screens on one wall showing scenes with the Gundams on display (that you could buy). Basically I am pointing out that the exhibit was just a huge advertisement used as a way to sell Gundam figures primarily and the anime was used as a tool to sell the toys.
The gifts they were giving away, little as they may be, one of which was in fact a catalogue of Gundams.
So where does this leave Gundam? Is Gundam heavily influenced by the sale of their toy figures? Well like I noted in the toy museum post, mecha animes are able to produce and sell lots of figures. Why; how much does anime genre play into it? I mean mecha can definitely make many different figures because of its ability to make many different mechs within the anime. Not only can character have a different mech but each character could have variations on their mech for a different purpose (strength, stealth, speed. Compared to other shounen where characters' looks barely change their looks even between seasons, mecha anmes can change their mechs' looks a number of time within one season. This allows them to create many many different figures (with different armour, colours, weapons etc) to sell. Are more and more mechs created purely to sell more figures? Or what about other anime genres, how much does merchandising play into anime creation?
I also just wanted to explain my thoughts a bit more. Throughout human history, with some exceptions, art has usually been in opposition to capitalism. This has never been more true than today, with graffiti art etc. However, when I say this I don't just mean that are has been used to condemn greed and dishonesty, values that are rather useful in a capitalist environment. What I mean is that artists will often have to comprimise their true artistic vision due to economic reasons. Artists will often "sell-out" and create something they would not be wholly happy with because they are paid to do so basically. I wonder how much anime as an art form and animators/directors as artists do this. I mean there are numerous rumours about Akira Toriyama wanting to stop DBZ but being forced or persuaded to continue by Toei, his backers. The saying goes "money talks". I just wonder how have other anime artists been persuaded by its sweet words. In terms of wanting to make art for a living I hear there are two important milestones in an artist's career: making money for the first time and then being able to make enough money to support their lifestyle. Thus using art to make money is very important for artists as it allows them to solely do what they love. In order to pay their bills, and have money left over, artists (including animators) often will have to change their original idea and create something that is not absolutely ideal in order to make money. This is obviously not always the case but I just wonder how often this happens in anime.
What could be influenced in anime? Plots is one thing. One character could sell more than another character an is thus given more screen-time or a more central role in order to sell even more toys. Character designs might also be changed in order to give toy manufacturers something new to make and sell. We might even wonder if an anime's setting could also be changed or the genre as well. More than anything I think more about the case of how Transformers, the anime, was made to give a narrative and characterisations to toys in order to sell them more effectively. In fact now that I think about it there is another parallel to this nowadays, Lego. Lego has recently branched off into animation. Not just with the recently popular Lego movie but there have been TV series that give a narrative and characterisations to a certain set of Lego, not Lego as a whole. These are the Chima, a Thundercats like set, and Ninjago, the ninja Lego set that also acts as spinning tops. I wonder if Japan and anime will see any of this, where a famous toy company commissions an animated series. I think Kirby, like Pokemon, had his own animated series, so maybe Nintendo could commission more perhaps.
At the end of the day I can only speculate answers to many of my questions. People want to make money so obviously toys, if they make money, will always be made. Some toys are made from anime and if so they are not made to keep fans happy, but to make money. Some animations in recent history have even been made purely to sell toys. If the animation studios make money from these toy sales (and the artists that make these animations are paid and rely upon these studios) the surely they would do best, in order to make as much money as possible, to gear the anime towards selling figurines which every way possible. Animes are obviously profitable in themselves but toys can make just as much money probably. How much then does the sales of toys and figurines play into the creation of anime? Maybe we could say very little, maybe we could say a lot. I would not say it plays a huge role but surely it plays some part.
No comments:
Post a Comment