Anime Survey 2020 Preliminary Results

Preliminary Results of the 2020 Anime Survey

In this document we report preliminary results from the 2020 Anime Survey. A goal of this series of preliminary working papers is to provide the fandom with a brief overview of some of the basic findings. In the interest of keeping this short and interesting, we have gone through the results and found some of the most interesting and relevant findings for anime fans. It would be impractical and unwieldy for us to write up every single finding here. Many of the findings not reported here will eventually be included in future papers.

We would also like to give special thanks to the participants and moderators on reddit this year. As you have probably realized, it was impossible to collect data at conventions this year due to the ongoing pandemic. Fortunately, many fans stepped up and participated in our study online, including a sizable portion of respondents from various subreddits. Everyone who allowed us to post and spread the word helped immensely this year, so a tremendous thank you to you all!

Method and Participants

We posted this survey online and solicited volunteers from various anime-related websites from May 30 to June 30, 2020. After removing participants that did not complete a majority of questions, the present data includes 2,852 anime fans (72.2% male, M_age = 23.64, SD = 6.04). Similar to prior years, the majority of respondents were from the United States (54.9%). However, we received responses from 89 different countries including Canada (5.8%), the UK (5.7%), Germany (3.5%), Australia (2.7%), India (2%), the Philippines (1.7%), and France (1.2%).

1. Did the coronavirus influence the data this year?

This was a great question from one of the participants this year. We speculated that we may see an increase in identification with the fandom (i.e., degree of psychological connection with other fans), a decrease in well-being, and/or an increase in consumption (as some fans may be on lockdown). While the hypothesis was a solid one indeed worth testing, as noted in each of the areas below, there doesn’t appear to be any large changes this year.

A. Fandom Identification

We assessed identification with the fandom with three items (e.g., “I strongly identify with other anime fans in the anime community;” 1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Aside from a slight rise in 2019, the means appear rather consistent over time. In other words, there doesn’t appear to be a rise in identification – in response to the pandemic or otherwise.

B. Well-Being

In 2019 and 2020 we included single-item measures based on Ryff and Keyes’ (1995) six dimensions of well-being (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). As shown below, the means show a slight increase in autonomy, no change in environmental mastery, and slight decreases in the remaining dimensions.

We also included single-item measures of self-esteem and satisfaction with life (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). There are slight decreases in these variables, but nothing drastic.

Overall, there doesn’t appear to be a large change in fans’ well-being over time. However, this is not longitudinal data, but rather a snapshot of the well-being of the fandom each of these years. As such, we are unable to make strong causal claims from the data.

C. Consumption

We switched the way we measured content consumption this year. As such, these results should be taken with a grain of salt. This year we asked participants to rate on a 7-point scale (1 = never to 7 = often) their frequency of consuming anime related material. In prior years we used an 8-point scale (0 = never to 7 = many times each day). We collapsed the measure in prior years combining 0 and 1 to create a 7-point scale for comparison with this year. There does appear to be a slight increase. But again, the change in response scale likely accounts for at least some of the difference.

2. What are fans’ sex, gender, and sexual orientation?

Anime fans were asked to self-identify with any of the below categories. They were allowed to select any or all terms that they felt applied to them. Included are results from the prior years for comparison.

We also asked about sexual orientation. Participants were asked to pick the option that best describes them.

3. What types of activities do fans engage in?

We asked fans to rate (1 = never, 7 = often) how frequently they engage in a variety of fan-related behaviors. As shown below, fans most often consumed anime-related media, listened to soundtracks, read manga, and visited anime-related forums. The other activities fell on or below the midpoint of the scale (i.e., 4). It is also worth noting that, given where participants were recruited from for this study, it comes as no surprise that most of our participants spend time in anime-related forums.

4. Which decades do anime fans prefer?

We asked fans to rate (1 = never watch, 7 = often watch) how often they watched anime from different decades. As shown below, there is a clear preference for newer anime over older anime.

5. What is the trajectory of fan involvement over time?

Fans rated their perception of involvement in the anime fandom at different time periods (1 = no involvement, 4 = some involvement, 7 = very involved). As shown below, fans increased in their involvement to the present point, and anticipate a fairly steady, if perhaps slightly decreasing involvement into the future.

6. Where do fans get their anime?

Fans rated the extent to which they watched anime from different sources (1 = never watch, 7 = often watch). As shown below, the most frequent source of anime was unofficial streaming services. This was followed by a paid service (which fell on the midpoint of the measure). Participants were least likely to watch anime on DVDs or while airing on TV. Respondents were asked to list any possible reasons for watching anime from an unofficial streaming service/downloads. The top reasons included the fact that the show was not available on a legal streaming site, cost issues, and convenience.

7. Is it fine to jokingly insult one’s ingroup?

We asked fans how frequently (1 = never, 7 = frequently), how they felt (1 = very negative, 7 = very positive), and how appropriate it is (1 = very inappropriate, 7 = completely appropriate) to joke about the fandom (e.g., referring to one another as “weeaboos”). Fans reported hearing other fans and non-fans joking about the fandom more than they did themselves. Or, to put it another way, anime fans think that other anime fans joke about the fandom more than they actually do. Fans also felt more positive about fans joking about the anime fandom than non-anime fans doing it, and felt it was more appropriate when anime fans made fun of the anime fandom than when non-anime fans did.

8. How do anime fans feel about fanservice in anime?

We asked participants to rate the item “I dislike fanservice in anime” (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Responses were all over the board, indicating that there is very little agreement on this subject in the fandom.

9. Do fans believe that anime is becoming Westernized?

We asked participants to rate their agreement with two items: “Anime is becoming Westernized” and “Western influence (e.g., Netflix) harms the quality of anime” (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Fans tend to disagree that anime is becoming Westernized.

Anime is becoming Westernized…

Western influence (e.g., Netflix) harms the quality of anime…

10. Do fans think they are knowledgeable about how anime is made?

We asked participants to rate their agreement with two items: “I know a lot about the anime industry” and “I know a lot about how anime is made (e.g., funded, production process)” (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Fans tended to say they were not knowledgeable about the industry or how anime is made.

I know a lot about the anime industry…

I know a lot about how anime is made (e.g., funded, production process)…

11. Do fans believe they know a lot about Japanese culture?

Fans rated their agreement with one item (“I know a lot about Japanese culture”) on a 7-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). There was a slight tendency toward participants saying that they did not know a lot about Japanese culture.

I know a lot about Japanese culture…

12. What are fans’ opinions regarding loli and shota characters?

Fans rated their agreement with 10 items regarding loli and shota characters (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). There are some notable findings: (1) little difference in opinions between loli and shota characters, (2) fans do not feel that the characters are that important to anime or the fandom (below midpoint of the measure—4), (3) fans did not believe that sexualized representations should be banned and endorsed the notion that they were just drawings and not child pornography, (4) fans strongly believed that sexualized representations make the fandom look bad to non-fans.