Anime First: Difference between revisions

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Anime is usually based on manga, light novels, visual novels or video games. Occasionally there are exceptions.
Anime is usually based on manga, light novels, visual novels or video games. Occasionally there are exceptions.


Anime is always more risky than manga. Pretty much everyone has a manga specifically geared to their interest somewhere, and the largely black and white format of manga makes it cheaper to produce than even the average western comic book. Producing a show is much more expensive<ref>Even a cheaply done 12 episode anime can literally cost $US 1 Million to produce when all is said and done, and that's the cheap stuff</ref>. And while a lot of manga is made to be accessible and disposable, the demographics of TV watchers is different. This is the major reason anime is mostly populated by shounen and shoujo, as kids simply have more time. Meanwhile, [[Josei]] manga rarely ever gets made into anime, if reaching television at all.
Anime is always more risky than manga. Pretty much everyone has a manga specifically geared to their interest somewhere, and the largely black and white format of manga makes it cheaper to produce than even the average western comic book. Producing a show is much more expensive.<ref>Even a cheaply done 12 episode anime can literally cost $US 1 Million to produce when all is said and done, and that's the cheap stuff</ref> And while a lot of manga is made to be accessible and disposable, the demographics of TV watchers is different. This is the major reason anime is mostly populated by shounen and shoujo, as kids simply have more time. Meanwhile, [[Josei]] manga rarely ever gets made into anime, if reaching television at all.


Anime also requires voice actors and a hopefully decent animation budget. On the other hand, it's much easier to make a show based on a known money-generating property. Making a show suddenly becomes lucrative once you figure in things like new merchandise (character [[Image Song]] and soundtracks, most noticeably) which pays for the show. This is the main reason [[Bleached Underpants|H-games made into anime]] are the most successful financially and on the other extreme, why most [[Anime First]] shows for youngsters are explicitly [[Merchandise-Driven]]. [[Magical Girl]] and Mecha series in particular have a high chance of being [[Anime First]].
Anime also requires voice actors and a hopefully decent animation budget. On the other hand, it's much easier to make a show based on a known money-generating property. Making a show suddenly becomes lucrative once you figure in things like new merchandise (character [[Image Song]] and soundtracks, most noticeably) which pays for the show. This is the main reason [[Bleached Underpants|H-games made into anime]] are the most successful financially and on the other extreme, why most '''Anime First''' shows for youngsters are explicitly [[Merchandise-Driven]]. [[Magical Girl]] and Mecha series in particular have a high chance of being '''Anime First'''.


Occasionally manga comes out ''after'' such an anime, but only as a limited run. Some manga run ''concurrently'' to a show, so divergences are common and accepted. You don't want them to be ''exactly'' alike or the audience will wonder why you're [[Overtook the Manga|messing with the story]]. You also rarely get a sort of [[Double Subversion]] where the manga comes out first, but the original project was conceived as an anime; the manga was primarily intended as advertisement. (Two well-known examples are ''[[Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind]]'' and ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''.)
Occasionally manga comes out ''after'' such an anime, but only as a limited run. Some manga run ''concurrently'' to a show, so divergences are common and accepted. You don't want them to be ''exactly'' alike or the audience will wonder why you're [[Overtook the Manga|messing with the story]]. You also rarely get a sort of [[Double Subversion]] where the manga comes out first, but the original project was conceived as an anime; the manga was primarily intended as advertisement. (Two well-known examples are ''[[Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind]]'' and ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''.)
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* ''[[Science Ninja Team Gatchaman]]'' and most other shows made by [[Tatsunoko Productions]] (aside from very early stuff like ''[[Speed Racer]]'')
* ''[[Science Ninja Team Gatchaman]]'' and most other shows made by [[Tatsunoko Productions]] (aside from very early stuff like ''[[Speed Racer]]'')
** Even then, the ''Mach GoGoGo'' manga was made primarily to generate interest for the anime. The anime diverted from the manga in many aspects.
** Even then, the ''Mach GoGoGo'' manga was made primarily to generate interest for the anime. The anime diverted from the manga in many aspects.
* ''[[Mai-HiME]]'' was an [[Anime First]], but despite popular belief ''[[Mai-Otome]]'' could better be described as "Anime Simultaneously". The thing was the production teams for the anime and manga were both given the same settings and characters, but worked with them in entirely different ways. So despite what people [[Mis Blamed|think to the contrary]], the manga isn't, nor could it have been, an adaptation.
* ''[[Mai-HiME]]'' was an '''Anime First''', but despite popular belief ''[[Mai-Otome]]'' could better be described as "Anime Simultaneously". The thing was the production teams for the anime and manga were both given the same settings and characters, but worked with them in entirely different ways. So despite what people [[Mis Blamed|think to the contrary]], the manga isn't, nor could it have been, an adaptation.
* ''[[Heat Guy J]]''
* ''[[Heat Guy J]]''
* ''[[Ojamajo Doremi]]'', the (now second) longest-running [[Magical Girl]] show in existence, is an example.
* ''[[Ojamajo Doremi]]'', the (now second) longest-running [[Magical Girl]] show in existence, is an example.
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* Anything by gímik. Which is really just ''[[Kiddy Grade]]'' and ''[[Uta Kata]]''. ''[[Gigantic Formula]]'' also counts.
* Anything by gímik. Which is really just ''[[Kiddy Grade]]'' and ''[[Uta Kata]]''. ''[[Gigantic Formula]]'' also counts.
* ''[[Burst Angel]]''. The manga was also a prequal ''to'' the anime.
* ''[[Burst Angel]]''. The manga was also a prequal ''to'' the anime.
* ''[[Hell Girl]]''. The anime and manga began ''releasing'' almost simultaneously, but the former is the original and the latter the adaptation (anime has a longer lead time than manga). The manga's quite different, and lacks Hajime and Tsugumi except in [[Omake|omakes]].
* ''[[Hell Girl]]''. The anime and manga began ''releasing'' almost simultaneously, but the former is the original and the latter the adaptation (anime has a longer lead time than manga). The manga's quite different, and lacks Hajime and Tsugumi except in [[omake]]s.
* ''[[Xam'd: Lost Memories|Xamd Lost Memories]]''.
* ''[[Xam'd: Lost Memories|Xamd Lost Memories]]''.
* ''[[Bubblegum Crisis]]''.
* ''[[Bubblegum Crisis]]''.
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* ''[[Uchuu Senkan Yamato]]''
* ''[[Uchuu Senkan Yamato]]''
* ''[[Kaleido Star]]''
* ''[[Kaleido Star]]''
* ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]'', and its sequels (''[[Macross Plus]]'' and ''[[Macross Zero]]'' are the exceptions to subsequent manga adaptations, being [[OVA|OVAs]] and all).
* ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]'', and its sequels (''[[Macross Plus]]'' and ''[[Macross Zero]]'' are the exceptions to subsequent manga adaptations, being [[OVA]]s and all).
* ''[[Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo]]''. Mecha show? Check. It's even co-sponsored by model and garage kit maker Good Smile Company.
* ''[[Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo]]''. Mecha show? Check. It's even co-sponsored by model and garage kit maker Good Smile Company.
* ''[[Candy Boy]]'' is an odd case. It was originally just an original net animation used to promote a music video. However, the concept for the show proved popular enough that more episodes were created.
* ''[[Candy Boy]]'' is an odd case. It was originally just an original net animation used to promote a music video. However, the concept for the show proved popular enough that more episodes were created.

Revision as of 05:04, 23 February 2015

Anime is usually based on manga, light novels, visual novels or video games. Occasionally there are exceptions.

Anime is always more risky than manga. Pretty much everyone has a manga specifically geared to their interest somewhere, and the largely black and white format of manga makes it cheaper to produce than even the average western comic book. Producing a show is much more expensive.[1] And while a lot of manga is made to be accessible and disposable, the demographics of TV watchers is different. This is the major reason anime is mostly populated by shounen and shoujo, as kids simply have more time. Meanwhile, Josei manga rarely ever gets made into anime, if reaching television at all.

Anime also requires voice actors and a hopefully decent animation budget. On the other hand, it's much easier to make a show based on a known money-generating property. Making a show suddenly becomes lucrative once you figure in things like new merchandise (character Image Song and soundtracks, most noticeably) which pays for the show. This is the main reason H-games made into anime are the most successful financially and on the other extreme, why most Anime First shows for youngsters are explicitly Merchandise-Driven. Magical Girl and Mecha series in particular have a high chance of being Anime First.

Occasionally manga comes out after such an anime, but only as a limited run. Some manga run concurrently to a show, so divergences are common and accepted. You don't want them to be exactly alike or the audience will wonder why you're messing with the story. You also rarely get a sort of Double Subversion where the manga comes out first, but the original project was conceived as an anime; the manga was primarily intended as advertisement. (Two well-known examples are Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Neon Genesis Evangelion.)

Not to be confused with the common gripe that all of the anime examples on a trope page come first. (Seriously, guys, it's alphabetical. Either add in some examples from advertising, or let it go.)

Examples of Anime First include:


  1. ↑ Even a cheaply done 12 episode anime can literally cost $US 1 Million to produce when all is said and done, and that's the cheap stuff
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