Survey reveals what Japanese anime fans value in a series

There's a big ocean between Japan and the US, and tastes in anime can differ depending on what side of the Pacific you're on. BigGlobe.jp recently conducted a survey of 2,740 otaku about what elements are important in deciding whether to watch a new series or not. The results may surprise you.

While I expected "moe" to be near the top of the list, it actually only came in at number 10, with 64 votes. No, the most important thing is "story," with 506 votes. "Character" came in at number 2 with 342 votes, while "voice actors" was third with 335 votes. Design, music, animation, and direction were also ranked highly.

It's interesting to see these results, considering the perception that some of the most popular anime made with otaku in mind are devoid of story and just a celebration of moe. I also wonder if the people who took the survey were being completely honest about what they prefer. The success of anime like K-On! would suggest that story and character aren't that important to otaku.

[BigGlobe.jp via Crunchyroll]

1. Story (506)
2. Character (342)
3. Voice actors (335)
4. Design (265)
5. Theme songs, background music (146)
6. Animation (124)
7. Direction (100)
8. Jokes (94)
9. Images (91)
10. Moe (64)
11. Production company (63)
12. Battles, confrontations (57)
13. Setting (56)
14. Staff (55)
15. Motion (51)
16. Love between guys and girls (41)
17. Backgrounds (40)
18. Broadcast timing (39)
19. Coloring (34)
20. Reputation (33)
21. Girls love (30)
22. Robots (25)
23. Broadcast channel (25)
24. Sound effects (23)
25. High tension (22)
26. Tsundere (21)
27. Boys love (20)
28. Sales (19)
29. Mecha (18)

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