L’animation japonaise éclipse les super-héros de Marvel – Une ascension fulgurante.
Marvel movies just ain’t hitting the way they used to. You’d be hard-pressed to find a casual moviegoer, much less a diehard fan, who hasn’t been disappointed in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Every flick since 2019’s Infinity War, especially the last few Kevin Feige joints, have been lackluster affairs, to say the least.
Marvel’s Underwhelming Phase 4
Marvel Studios’ Phase 4 has left both fans and critics underwhelmed. The movies released since 2019’s Infinity War have failed to live up to the high standards set by their predecessors. Kevin Feige’s recent projects have been particularly disappointing.
Inferior Disney+ Offerings
Marvel’s latest series on Disney+, including Secret Invasion, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Moon Knight, have also failed to captivate audiences. Interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is dwindling.
DC’s Troubles
With Marvel stumbling, one might expect DC Comics to step in and take the lead. However, the DC Universe is also in disarray. Last year’s Black Adam was a box office bomb, adding to a string of disappointments. Additionally, a behind-the-scenes shakeup has left the future of Gotham looking bleak.
The Rise of a New Contender
Given the recent failures and superhero fatigue, it may be time to consider a new genre to replace Marvel’s dominance. What once seemed impossible is now a reasonable question: Could another genre topple the mighty Thanos?
Enter Anime
Perhaps the answer is already here. Let’s take a look at the numbers. To illustrate, let’s compare two movies released during the pandemic. Black Widow, from Marvel Studios, earned a respectable $379.8 million at the global box office and received a 79% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Now, let’s compare that to the Demon Slayer movie, an anime released a year earlier. This anime masterpiece garnered $507 million worldwide and scored an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. In fact, it was the highest-grossing film in the world in 2020.
But Demon Slayer is not an outlier. Anime titles have been matching or surpassing superhero movies for some time now. DC films like Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1988 fell short financially, while franchises like One Piece and JuJutsu Kaisen have been dominating the box office.
The International Appeal of Anime
Some may argue that these numbers are partially due to international audiences supporting their own homegrown products. However, this only emphasizes the point that America’s advantage is fading. Streamers have taken note of this trend and are investing heavily in expanding their anime content.
The Streamers’ Response
Streaming platforms like Max, Hulu, Netflix, and Prime Video are all competing to grow their anime libraries. Max boasts Studio Ghibli’s acclaimed films, Hulu features popular titles like Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Netflix offers a diverse collection of anime along with live-action adaptations like One Piece, and Prime Video satirizes the superhero genre with shows like Invincible and The Boys.
Furthermore, Sony’s acquisition of Funimation has made it the leading destination for anime in the West through its anime platform Crunchyroll.
The Rise of Anime
As the superhero genre fades, anime is rising to take its place. Comic-Con, once filled with Marvel enthusiasts, now sees throngs of anime fans dressed as their favorite characters. The power of anime has made it the new cool, embraced not only by ‘90s kids but also by rappers and a new generation of fans.
As superheroes become stagnant, the inevitable rise of anime continues.
Source : www.tvinsider.com
