Joe Universe and the Anime Influence
 

The 2009 Joe Con has been showing new figures and vehicles for the next two or three waves. It is without a doubt there are new styles of a fantasy/techno influence in the new designs, vastly different than the real-world look of the past Joes. While Cobra has always been a mechanism for pushing one's beleavability, it seems the new designs are a real radical departure, being influenced by anime.

What are kids expectations now days?

With the growing acceptance of Japanese anime and manga over the last 20 years, it is not surprising to me that the new designs seem to have a swing into an anime/manga style design. Are these the designs of things to come? Other toy lines seem to also share the shelf space in the toy isle, a number being from Japanese anime.

So, what do you all think? A sign of the designs to come? Will more anime-influence styles bleed into the Joe lines? Kids seem to like them in other toy lines, I would expect so. Do you like them? If done right, it could be okay--keeping it a hybred of styles could be okay if it doesn't go overboard.

I'm not sure how the new designs seem too anime influenced besides the transforming bike. Could ya toss me a few examples?

People said that Sigma6 had a very anime feel to it. Not only the cartoon, but the figures themselves.

I don't know how I feel about it. As you said, if done right, it could be cool. But the transforming motorcycle reminds me of the S6 version. Not my thing, really. I got too many stories to tell without resorting to that direction (yet).

You're right, the anime influence is now a major part of GI Joe. Just look at the power suits in the move.

I thought it was funny reading interviews with the director saying he had the idea for power suits for almost ten years. Guess he never heard of the anime/manga genre or Captain Power in 1987 or Starship Troopers back in 1959 (which I think may have started it all).

Directors just live in their own confines of their world. So a lot of them don't realize what they are doing in terms of what's going on in the world or film world. Think of this. Bruce Boxleightner (sp: tron, babylon5) had no idea what computers were doing way back when Tron was done. For us kids, it was huge. BUT you still get actors who don't realize what green/blue screen can do or cg.

Actors stay in the confines of their world.

Directors and writers too.

Can anyone see James Cameron doing a movie like Platoon or Full Metal Jacket? No? That's cuz it's foreign to him just as Paul K Anderson wouldn't understand a chick flick.

I'm cool with the anime aspect as anime has always taken influence from real world designs and just spruce them up some with some sci-fi aspects. Anime has even influenced from movie such as aliens in the past and anime tends to be more detailed with mechanical stuff which we see in the new Joe lines.

A bit long winded to say I think it a good direction to reach a broad audience

I don't mind the futuristic "Mech" look if that's what you're talking about. But if you start up on that Eastern spiritualism and magic crap that ruins most anime IMHO, I'm out! I don't wanna see GI Joe become "GI Dragonball" or "GI Airbender".

Greetings!

I'll have to take some time to formulate a worthy response. Just off the tip of my head, though, the anime look isn't strong in the pics at the convention. There's no one with extra large eyes, narrow face, hair over the eyes as the norm--the faces look normal. It's little things like transforming cycle, etc. But I'll have to sit down and make some good responses to this.

i don't think it will ever get to that. The anime style in resolute is probably what we'll see from here on out or CGI




It's mainly the gear and machinery. The face sculpts might be inspired or designed by the resolute art director as they sort of look that way too me.

There is also the Unnamed Night viperish figure who is obviously Animie influenced.

Still keep it to a minimum and I can deal, the two things shown are cool and really I get a Microman Vibe from both, which doesn't bother me a bit, but I can see it going overboard.