Fleeting Demographic: Difference between revisions

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== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* Takara & [[Sunrise]]'s ''[[Brave Series (Anime)|Brave Series]]'' of [[Super Robot]] shows is an interesting case, as they originally set out to produce something that would attract a new generation of kids each year, but wound up developing a dedicated fanbase anyway. Though the sixth series, ''[[The Brave of Gold Goldran (Anime)|The Brave of Gold Goldran]]'', the most "kiddie" of the bunch had the highest TV ratings, it was unpopular with longtime fans and was apparently a merchandising disappointment as well. After that, the final two shows went for [[Multiple Demographic Appeal]], first with ''[[Brave Command Dagwon (Anime)|Brave Command Dagwon]]'', where the robots were piloted by a team of teen heartthrobs in an attempt to cash in on the earlier ''[[Ronin Warriors|Samurai Troopers]]'' series' [[Periphery Demographic]] success with teenage girls (a scheme Sunrise would again pull, this time with much greater success with ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (Anime)|Mobile Suit Gundam Wing]]''). Then came ''[[GaoGaiGar (Anime)|Gao Gai Gar]]'', a giant love letter to the last two decades of giant robot anime which found much more success with the otaku crowd than it ever did with schoolchildren.
* Takara & [[Sunrise]]'s ''[[Brave Series]]'' of [[Super Robot]] shows is an interesting case, as they originally set out to produce something that would attract a new generation of kids each year, but wound up developing a dedicated fanbase anyway. Though the sixth series, ''[[The Brave of Gold Goldran]]'', the most "kiddie" of the bunch had the highest TV ratings, it was unpopular with longtime fans and was apparently a merchandising disappointment as well. After that, the final two shows went for [[Multiple Demographic Appeal]], first with ''[[Brave Command Dagwon]]'', where the robots were piloted by a team of teen heartthrobs in an attempt to cash in on the earlier ''[[Ronin Warriors|Samurai Troopers]]'' series' [[Periphery Demographic]] success with teenage girls (a scheme Sunrise would again pull, this time with much greater success with ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam Wing]]''). Then came ''[[GaoGaiGar|Gao Gai Gar]]'', a giant love letter to the last two decades of giant robot anime which found much more success with the otaku crowd than it ever did with schoolchildren.
** [[Brave Command Dagwon (Anime)|Dagwon]] actually had a slightly different problem - it was made to cash in on [[Neon Genesis Evangelion (Anime)|Evangelion]], and the overall feel of the stories was frequently closer to [[Ultraman]] than anything else. If anything, the target audience ''had'' to grow up a bit to appreciate it.
** [[Brave Command Dagwon|Dagwon]] actually had a slightly different problem - it was made to cash in on [[Neon Genesis Evangelion|Evangelion]], and the overall feel of the stories was frequently closer to [[Ultraman]] than anything else. If anything, the target audience ''had'' to grow up a bit to appreciate it.
* Much of the longevity of the ''[[Pokémon (Anime)|Pokémon]]'' anime can be attributed to the fact that the target demographic cycles in about five years so the fact that the same general plot is used every generation only serves to annoy some [[Periphery Demographic|older fans]] (mostly outside Japan).
* Much of the longevity of the ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]'' anime can be attributed to the fact that the target demographic cycles in about five years so the fact that the same general plot is used every generation only serves to annoy some [[Periphery Demographic|older fans]] (mostly outside Japan).


== [[Comic Books]] ==
== [[Comic Books]] ==
* ''[[Superman (Comic Book)|Superman]]'' comics in the [[Silver Age|1950s and 1960s]] used to [[Recycled Script|repeat the same plots]] [[Fleeting Demographic Rule|every three to five years]], since that was the average length of time a child would read comics.
* ''[[Superman]]'' comics in the [[Silver Age|1950s and 1960s]] used to [[Recycled Script|repeat the same plots]] [[Fleeting Demographic Rule|every three to five years]], since that was the average length of time a child would read comics.
** The introductions of Mon-El and Star Boy in the [[Legion of Super-Heroes]] are well-known for outright copying earlier stories, to the point where the story that became the Mon-El story was most likely reprinted in the ''Superman in the 50's'' book specifically because this made it famous.
** The introductions of Mon-El and Star Boy in the [[Legion of Super-Heroes]] are well-known for outright copying earlier stories, to the point where the story that became the Mon-El story was most likely reprinted in the ''Superman in the 50's'' book specifically because this made it famous.
* [[Archie Comics]] works on the same premise of recycled plots as Superman, etc; they have kept the Riverdale gang in high school for over 65 years now...
* [[Archie Comics]] works on the same premise of recycled plots as Superman, etc; they have kept the Riverdale gang in high school for over 65 years now...
** Strangely, it seems that the majority of its readers nowadays are people who have been reading it ever since they were kids.
** Strangely, it seems that the majority of its readers nowadays are people who have been reading it ever since they were kids.
* ''[[Treasure Chest (Comic Book)|Treasure Chest]]'', by definition, as it was distributed exclusively through Catholic parochial schools.
* ''[[Treasure Chest (comics)|Treasure Chest]]'', by definition, as it was distributed exclusively through Catholic parochial schools.


== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
* ''[[Barney and Friends (TV)|Barney and Friends]]'', ''[[Teletubbies]]'' and most other "preschool"-oriented shows. While earlier examples like ''[[Sesame Street]]'' had enough [[Parental Bonus]] to benefit from the [[Nostalgia Filter]], the success of ''Barney'' led to a trend in the '90s of making these shows as plotless and repetitive as possible, out of the belief that that made them more suitable for the target audience. Now that those original toddler "fans" are teens and young adults, they want as little to do with these shows as their parents and older siblings did.
* ''[[Barney and Friends]]'', ''[[Teletubbies]]'' and most other "preschool"-oriented shows. While earlier examples like ''[[Sesame Street]]'' had enough [[Parental Bonus]] to benefit from the [[Nostalgia Filter]], the success of ''Barney'' led to a trend in the '90s of making these shows as plotless and repetitive as possible, out of the belief that that made them more suitable for the target audience. Now that those original toddler "fans" are teens and young adults, they want as little to do with these shows as their parents and older siblings did.
** Lately, some of these preschool shows have started to have small but still existant [[Periphery Demographic|Periphery Demographics]], simply due those who watched the shows as kids are now nostalgic for them. It certainly helps that some merchandise featuring these characters (Barney in particular) are aimed at the people who grew up on the shows.
** Lately, some of these preschool shows have started to have small but still existant [[Periphery Demographic|Periphery Demographics]], simply due those who watched the shows as kids are now nostalgic for them. It certainly helps that some merchandise featuring these characters (Barney in particular) are aimed at the people who grew up on the shows.
* One of the reasons [[MTV]] has maintained its popularity over time is that it elected not to follow its original audience, the teenagers of the eighties and early nineties, into adulthood, instead opting to always focus its marketing on the current generation of teenagers. (Whether its ''[[Network Decay|quality]]'' has also been maintained is a matter best left for debate elsewhere.)
* One of the reasons [[MTV]] has maintained its popularity over time is that it elected not to follow its original audience, the teenagers of the eighties and early nineties, into adulthood, instead opting to always focus its marketing on the current generation of teenagers. (Whether its ''[[Network Decay|quality]]'' has also been maintained is a matter best left for debate elsewhere.)
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** The endless tween sitcoms on [[Disney Channel]] ([[That's So Raven|the oldest of them]] only had a span of slightly more than four years) are going this way as well. Of course, that's about how long people can convincingly play "tweenage" without going into [[Dawson Casting]].
** The endless tween sitcoms on [[Disney Channel]] ([[That's So Raven|the oldest of them]] only had a span of slightly more than four years) are going this way as well. Of course, that's about how long people can convincingly play "tweenage" without going into [[Dawson Casting]].
* ''[[Power Rangers]]'': Although the show does have its older fans, the general demographic is young boys who will grow out of the show after a few years, which is probably why the show started doing the new storyline every year thing instead of the continuing storyline it used to do. Since this is exactly what happens in the Japanese couterpart, ''[[Super Sentai]]'', no one seems to mind.
* ''[[Power Rangers]]'': Although the show does have its older fans, the general demographic is young boys who will grow out of the show after a few years, which is probably why the show started doing the new storyline every year thing instead of the continuing storyline it used to do. Since this is exactly what happens in the Japanese couterpart, ''[[Super Sentai]]'', no one seems to mind.
* In the UK, twee/teen dramas ''[[Grange Hill (TV)|Grange Hill]]'' and ''[[Byker Grove]]'' both had this. Both shows ran for long enough that their original target demographic became utterly periphery, but never completely left the show behind. Unfortunately, the BBC execs decided to shift the target demographic down towards ''even younger'' children, resulting in a complete loss of interest from ''all'' demographics, and the eventual cancellations of both shows.
* In the UK, twee/teen dramas ''[[Grange Hill]]'' and ''[[Byker Grove]]'' both had this. Both shows ran for long enough that their original target demographic became utterly periphery, but never completely left the show behind. Unfortunately, the BBC execs decided to shift the target demographic down towards ''even younger'' children, resulting in a complete loss of interest from ''all'' demographics, and the eventual cancellations of both shows.


== [[Magazines]] ==
== [[Magazines]] ==