Wednesday, July 6, 2011

What anime deserves a shot on North American TV?

As we've mentioned in previous articles, there are all sorts of ways to get your anime fix.  Everywhere you turn, there's a method for viewing anime.  You can check out some features on Netflix streaming, watch through Video on Demand services, purchase Blu-ray and DVDs at your local retailer, and of course there's traditional TV broadcasts.  The only problem is, anime on TV is few and far between.

There are only a handful of networks that have anime features in their lineup.  The biggest traditional network would have to be Cartoon Network.  While it's fantastic to see their Saturday Adult Swim block filled with anime, it's not exactly aired at the best time.  Unless you plan on staying up until 2 in the morning, you're going ot miss a lot of what they have to offer.  Still, it's the best bet for catching a nice chunk of respectable anime on TV.

Any exposure on TV is good for anime, no matter what time it airs.  While many people may think that TV is a dying medium, it still reaches millions upon millions of people every single day.  All it takes is a fraction of that viewing audience to make something into a bonafide hit.  Successful programming can pop up on any channel at any time of the day.  The audience just has to find it there.

Wouldn't you love to see some more anime features get attention on TV networks?  If you had a choice of just one anime, what one would you like to see get an airing on American TV?  What anime feature do you think would be a good fit for television broadcasting here, especially in order to reach a new audience?

3 comments:

  1. If I only had one pick, it would be Sgt. Frog. Funimation has done a decent job with the script and I think it would reach a wide audience with teens and above. If they toned down the script a little, it would even be good for children. I watch the DVDs when I have watched all that is in my collection, I will pop in a DVD and watch some episodes. Plus, at 300-ish episodes, it will have some staying power, better than a 12 or 13 episode series.

    Runners up would be Eden of the East and Baccano.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want Fairy Tail to be on tv!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think they tried that xtravis90x, but it lacked ratings so they stopped.

    ReplyDelete