Multiple Demographic Appeal: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

 

A series that contains elements that appeal to multiple demographic groups, resulting in them all watching it.

* [[Token Romance|Romantic subplots]]

 

 

See also:

* [[Lowest Common Denominator]]: A derogatory term for a practice to appeal to as wide demographic.

* [[Parental Bonus]]: A specific variant where kids' shows include elements to make parents enjoy watching.

 

== Anime & Manga ==

* [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] in general outside of Japan have become increasingly popular with girls and women over the last decade; where once it was the domain of boys and sci-fi geeks, titles like ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' and ''[[Inuyasha]]'' helped bring girls into the fold; now females and women constitute a sizable portion of the international fanbase. Moreover, thanks to wider distribution of titles and the proliferation of the Internet, anime fandom has spread across nearly every national, linguistic or ethnic boundary.

* ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'' is one of the ''classic'' examples of this when it comes to manga & anime; while it was technically a [[Shonen]] fighting series, it had plenty of [[Mr. Fanservice|cute guys]] in addition to the girls, a lot of interesting history-based backstory and plot, generally fascinating villains and a pitch-perfect mix of humor and drama. This led to it shattering ratings and sales expectations in Japan since ''everybody'', regardless of age or gender, seemed to love the hell out of both the manga and the show. This also led to it doing ''fantastically'' well overseas, with the U.S. being practically the only country to ''not'' run the show several times. In Latin America and Asia the show was beloved, however, and ''still'' gets run occasionally.

* ''[[Saiyuki]]''. Action? Check. Comedy? Check. [[Ho Yay]]? Check. Bishounen? Check. And that's just the tip of the iceberg...

* ''[[Vision of Escaflowne]]'' has [[Humongous Mecha]], samurai, a female protagonist, and a [[Love Triangle]]. The appeal to both genders is such that there's both a shoujo manga spinoff ''and'' a shonen manga spinoff.

** For the same reason, all too likely because of CLAMP costume designs, ''[[Code Geass]]'' has its worth here too, concerning a few Lelouch scenes (his naked shower in ''R2'' for example), and especially when Suzaku's wearing his flight suit. They're trying to get ''someone'' to notice that bulge...

* This is the entire point of the [[Shipping]]-and-[[Stuff Blowing Up|explosion]]-laden [[Magical Girl]] show ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]''.

*** So much that the manga-only season ''Magical Wars Lyrical Nanoha Force'' drops the [[Magical Girl]] from the title, albeit that's maybe because Nanoha [[Christmas Cake|is now past 25 years old]].

*** On the other hand, the other manga-only season, ''Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid'', starts taking a more [[Magical Girl]]-like direction by concentrating on Nanoha's 10-year old, budding [[Magical Girl Warrior]] daughter, complete with [[Older Alter Ego]] and a Bunny Plushie device.

* ''[[Figure 17]]'' includes both sci-fi action and nostalgiac slice-of-life drama, but weighed much more heavily towards the latter. (Whoever made the trailers [[Never Trust a Trailer|seems not to have realised this]]).

* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'' actually does an omake comic lampshading this fact and speculating that the reason might be the lack of "typical" Shonen themes. Other reasons probably include [[Mr. Fanservice|Roy and Ed]].

** This is true of pretty much anything by [[Rumiko Takahashi]], who packs her works equally full of intertwining relationships and romantic entanglements as of action, bawdy humor, and plenty of [[Fan Service]] for both sexes.

* Examples of Multiple ''Fanservice'' Appeal can be found in ''[[Change 123]]'', not only in the context of the manga itself (through the female protagonist having [[Multiple Personalities]]), but also in a [[Show Within a Show|cosplay movie within the story]], where viewers, during the movie premiere show, comment on various "assets" of the female protagonist and, when she takes off her helmet and the fact that she also [[Meganekko|has glasses]] shows up, one of them says: "They've got all the bases covered with this one."

* ''[[Chrono Crusade]]'' is a [[Shounen]] series with a pair of [[Official Couple]] leads and plenty of pretty girls ''and'' boys, not to mention as heavy of a focus on relationships as there is on action. To top it off, the manga version throws in some sci-fi elements in with the supernatural thriller action.

* ''[[Hell Girl]]'' is another [[Shojo]] series with a male following.

* Why do you think ''[[Code Geass]]'' is so [[Troperrific]]? You've got all [[The Beautiful Elite]], a number of whom are Fetish Fuel Station Attendants and engage (canonically and fanonically) in any and all Yays you can possibly think of; [[Humongous Mecha]] that are used in furthering the [[Gambit Pileup]] and [[Mundane Utility|making giant pizzas]]; and basically a show that traverses the [[Sliding Scale of Silliness Versus Seriousness]] round and round, sometimes in [[Mood Whiplash|one episode]]. It's everything you could ask for in an anime epic.

** That's not even counting the spin-offs, the games, and the [[Crowning Music of Awesome]].

* ''[[Eden of the East]]'' clearly seems to be going for this trope, featuring [[Shojo]]-esque character designs and female protagonist coupled with a [[Seinen]]-like conspiracy thriller.

* ''[[Martian Successor Nadesico]]'' aims for this with a plot that expertly balances comedy, drama, sci-fi, action, intrigue and romance. It was one of the most popular anime of the 90s in Japan, though it never garnered more than a [[Cult Classic|cult following]] in the West.

 

 

== Comics ==

** Which would also work for ''[[The Smurfs]]'' if people didn't automatically associate them to the [[Animated Adaptation]] that drops most of the slapstick and social satire.

 

 

== Films -- Animation ==

* [[Pixar]] is known for making movies that appeal to parents as well as children.

** And much like the [[Harry Potter]] example below, those who were children when the first movie came out would be young adults by the time the third was released, maybe even about to go off to college themselves.

* Most post-''[[Shrek]]'' animated films in the US aim for this by inserting swarms of pop culture references, self-mockery, and jokes that only adults will get, with widely varying degrees of success.

 

== Films -- Live-Action ==

* Apparently, Hollywood executives divide audiences and appeals into a simple grid: Male/Female under/over 25.

* ''[[Star Wars]]''. Mr. Plinkett points out it wasn't as successful in the Prequels.

* Almost any superhero movie (even if a [[Token Romance]] has to be added); [[Watchmen]] being an aversion.

* ''[[Armageddon]]'' sought this as a calculated marketing ploy: while [[Bruce Willis]] and company flying into space to save the world by nuking a giant asteroid was a clear draw for a male demographic, they decided to play up the romance between Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler's characters to draw in the female audience too.

 

 

== Literature ==

** More specifically, the wondrous, imaginative setting appeals to children, the [[Epic Fantasy]] elements appeal to boys, the detailed relationships appeal to girls, the complex mysteries and sharp (and occasionally [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|subversive]]) wit appeal to adults, and the colorful characters and exciting plot developments appeal to everyone.

 

== Live-Action TV ==

* ''[[Lost]]'' has love triangles, science fiction, [[Fan Service]] for both sexes, fantasy... The list could go on for much longer.

* ''[[The Dukes of Hazzard]]''

* ''[[Charmed]]'' mixed multiple genres into its original supernatural drama premise, including horror, wacky comedy, and ''Sex in the City''-like soap. Along with the occasional fanservice.

* ''[[Supernatural]]'' has a bit of everything. Fanservice for absolutely everyone, gore, awesome music, comedy, angst, urban legends and a decent myth-arc to boot.

* Although not at blatant as some others, ''[[Power Rangers]]'' is starting to go this way. They've brought back actors from the first few season (who the intended kid's demographic won't recognize) and did quite a few callbacks in RPM (that younger kids wouldn't know about) and there is a rumor that they're trying to get [[Super Sentai]] to ditch the costumes for something a little less hokey (Namely switching them from Spandex to a more subdued material, possibly leather like the ''X-Men'' films.) They may not be trying to catch both markets (kids and the nostalgia set) but they're at least acknowledging them.

* ''[[Super Sentai]]'' has this from time to time. Adults could enjoy the action and the drama of the story, while kids could enjoy some fun superhero-y goodness.

* ''[[Kamen Rider]]'', even moreso than ''Super Sentai''. Especially the ''Heisei'' series. The male adults can enjoy the action, drama and beautiful female actresses, female adults can enjoy the handsome male actors, kids can enjoy the superhero adventure, cool gagdets and costumes.

* ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'': Humour that nerds would enjoy, romantic subplots and [[Fan Service]] for both sides.

* ''[[The Sopranos]]'': The mafia action appealed to fans of mob movies (up to and including actual mobsters), the well-realized characters and drama appealed to fans of family dramas, the excellent acting, directing and production values appealed to film lovers, the excellent soundtrack appealed to rock lovers, the wry wit and middle-aged characters appealed to older audiences, and the complex themes appealed to intellectuals.

* ''[[True Blood]]'' has attractive characters of both sexes, fantasy, love triangles, even some gore... the list goes on.

 

 

== Puppet Shows ==

* For that matter, ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' was meant to appeal to all ages, not just kids or adults.

 

 

== Tabletop Games ==

** The setting as a whole also seems to appeal to two different kinds of fans, some of whom will never even paint a miniature. On the one hand, the desperate, eternal war in the grim, dark future appeals to the [[Maturity Is Serious Business]] mindset, as there can't be many settings much more scowlingly serious than the galaxy of ''40k'', but at the same time, the unflinching commitment to the ever-worsening gothic horrors of the galaxy - the hideous corruptions of the warp, the nine-foot-tall superhuman Space Marines in huge armour wielding artillery weapons one-handed, hyperspace travel with [[Hyperspace Is a Scary Place|a good chance of being eaten by demons]], everything about da Orks, the [[Humongous Mecha|colossal battle-cathedral mecha]] that look like [[Harry Potter|Hogwarts]] got up and stomped off with a chainsword the size of a battleship - mean more light-hearted fans love it for being so over-the-top.

** The gameplay of each faction is also designed to appeal to people who have completely different tastes. For those people who like to have to use cunning maneuver, speed, efficiency, and a bit of cleverness, there's the Eldar, Dark Eldar, and Tau. These armies tend to make other players scratch their heads in confusion as they ask "how do you use this screwy army?" For those who want to do something that vaguely mirrors actual military logic, there's the Imperial Guard, where you need your [[Tank Goodness]] to cover your [[Redshirt Army]] and your grunts to seize ground and get the tank killers out of the way. For those who like to just rush, put up a Tyranid 'Nidzilla list, a 'Nid horde, or Orks. Like a little [[Schrodinger Fu]] with massive beasts? Daemons. Marines are fairly balanced and appeal to those who want to play [[Elites Are More Glamorous|elite supersoldiers]]. Basically, however "deep" you want your strategies to get, and however aggressive you like to play, some force fits you.

 

== Theater ==

 

 

* Most of the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' franchise has a multiple demographic appeal. This may be due to the fact that many of the people who played the original game in their childhood are now in their twenties/thirties and it's nostalgia setting in. In addition, the series attracts new fans for its [[Scenery Porn]], [[Awesome Music (Sugar Wiki)|Awesome Music]], [[Darker and Edgier]] stories (though they're [[Lighter and Softer|going back]] on that one recently), [[Fan Service]], and Sonic's [[Badass]] attitude making the series enjoyable for kids and young adults alike.

** The same is true of all the ''Sonic'' animated series. Unfortunately, this seems to have resulted in those demographics [[Broken Base|turning on each other]].

** In fact, with the Wii, DS and software therein, Nintendo has taken advantage of this trope not only to bring itself back from the brink of the mid-2000s, but to re-establish itself as a dominant force in the video game market.

** Nintendo also has ''[[Pokémon]]''. Boys come for the [[Badass]] monsters and the battles, girls come for the [[Ridiculously Cute Critter|cute]] monsters and things like Contests, you have [[Tournament Play|the competitive players who breed for IVs and natures, EV train for a long time, and try to build the best possible team]], and then there's the wide variety of adult fans on [[Image Boards]] who have come in all generations, for countless reasons.

** And outside of the first-person-shooter aspect of it, the [[Pixar]]-esque art and humor draws people in to those unaccustomed to normally serious games of this genre.

* ''[[Space Channel 5]]'' has the strong female protagonist and [[Camp]] to draw in the demographic that the arcade action and [[Fan Service]] wouldn't.

* ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' is one of the biggest examples in video game history, expanding its audience far beyond the pre-existing MMORPG crowd to become a bona fide global phenomenon.

* ''[[The Sims]]'' was a breakout success that challenged conventional notions of not only what a game could be, but also to whom it could appeal; studies have cited it as being played by girls and women more than any other video game in history.

* ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' has found major appeal among multiple demographics; the exciting gameplay and deep game system attracted both mainstream and hardcore gamers, the well-developed (and often [[Mr. Fanservice|attractive]]) characters drew in female players, the labyrinthine plots and mysteries drew out the geeks, and the uniquely Japanese sensibilities appealed to anime fans.

* The ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series has found great success across age, gender and national barriers, particularly after its breakout title, ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''. The cinematic qualities and detailed storylines wowed mainstream gamers, the customization-heavy game systems and lavish production values appealed to the hardcore crowd, and the extensive character development and [[Bishonen|character designs]] drew in female players.

* The ''[[Persona]]'' series, particularly after breakout hit ''Persona3'', has transcended its status as a [[Widget Series]] to become a hit with players of different genders, ages, demographics and nationalities and a critical and commercial success both in Japan and abroad. Here's how it works: the strategic battle system, stat management and extensive customization features appeal to the usual Atlus audience of hardcore RPG enthusiasts, the art style and setting appeal to anime fans, and the social sim element appeal to female players (so much so that the PSP Enhanced Port of ''Persona3'' introduced a new female main character and respective campaign.

 

* As far as audience breakdown goes, ''[[Kim Possible]]'' is probably the closest thing to a [[Shojo]] series created in America, yet. It gets males and females, from about seven all the way up to college, and their parents like it too.

* ''[[Transformers]]''. The sheer number of cars out there that have Autobot logos on them sums it up nicely.

** Arguably, another show that came on [[Nickelodeon|the same network]] around the same time is also this: ''[[Danny Phantom]]''. Kids and people up to their college age, of both genders are watching both. These shows have pretty wide fanbases.

** [[Maturity Is Serious Business]].

* ''[[Code Lyoko]]'', for an action series aimed at 6 to 12-year-old boys, has a surprising amount of teenage and older fans of both genders.

* Occasionally (though perhaps not accurately) cited as a reason for the cancellation of ''[[Invader Zim]]'', as it was apparently popular with a number of demographics, often older than expected, but unfortunately not enough so with its TARGET demographic.

** During it's original run it had a healthy fanbase with the younger crowd and the pilot episode that they showed to a test audience was Nick's highest positive reaction at the time. Sadly, airing at [[Friday Night Death Slot|9:30 on Fridays]] doesn't help much if you want a younger audience.

** This is not actually quite true of Zim, and neither is the rumor about moral objections to the show; Zim had very high ratings and viewership, and the management didn't really have much objection to the content. The problem was that Invader Zim was just ''really expensive'' to make, and they simply were losing too much money on it.

* ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'' seems to be thriving on this. Sharing writers with ''[[Family Guy]]'' is a pretty clear sign.

* Every show in the [[DCAU]].

* ''[[South Park]]'' thrills teenagers with its shock value and iconoclastic worldview, while amusing adults with its pop-culture parodies and social satire.

** That, and some aspects of the show are more appealing to male viewers than you'd think, such as the most significant male character hanging out with a group of girls. (Especially since he has a crush on one of them.)

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Anime Fan Speak]]

[[Category:Creativity Leash]]