Media mix and cross-media collaboration：

‘In the global media market, images are often consumed, transformed and then re-consumed in order to maximise exposure and ultimately profit. Manga and anime typify this process. Images are appropriated and utilised for a wide range of purposes, from entertainment to education, and in diverse forms. Not only are there usually manga and anime versions of the same title; popular titles may also be converted to live action movies or television drama series.'

In essence, it can be understood that the various forms of collaboration involved are just the consumption and transformation of images, whether it is comics or anime. There is no deliberate focus on the cultural core of comics and anime in the commercial process, which may be a departure from my original intention of integrating the two fields or the two cultures. Still, I am willing to accept and respect the act of commercialization. The act of commercialization can be a catalyst for the spread of culture.

‘Different versions spawn further marketing opportunities: DVDs, soundtracks, clothing ranges, accessories, confectionery, toys, stationery, board and card games, household goods, video/computer games and so on. Some notable examples of series for which this multi-modal marketing strategy has been used include Sailor Moon, Naruto, Pokemon, Death Note and Nana. This phenomenon of the constant re-shifting of the image – the media mix – is not isolated to Japan has become increasingly comon practice and is often the main contributor to the high status and profit margin of an image (Iwabuchi, 2002; McVeigh, 2000; Pellitteri, forthcoming; Shiraishi, 1997).‘

Obviously, cross-media partnerships are nothing new, but the ones that exist in the market are clearly the result of the expansion of works that are already well known in their own right. It is still difficult to achieve cross-media collaborations with works that are not yet established in their own right.

‘Indeed, this is not a new phenomenon. We can find the manga and anime media mix in Japan since the postwar period, as exemplified by Tezuka's Tetsuwan Atomu, which was published as manga, then animated and merchandised from the early 1960s (Shimotsuki and Shida, 2003). Consumers can engage with the product on many levels, and this engagement is prolonged by the enormous variety of associated commodities which are constantly updated (Buckingham and Sefton-Green, 2003; Jordan, 2004).’

‘In the English-language market, there has been a similar cross-media development of manga. Not only is the range of merchandise associated with a manga and/or anime title available to non-Japanese consumers, but various collaborative ventures have also integrated manga and anime into the popular culture of countries outside Japan.‘

‘Cross-media collaboration also offers some security as each party relies on and utilises the established knowledge, logistical expertise and market share of other collaborators (Cha, 2006; Koulikov, 2009). These collaborations may also enable US publishers to publish material produced by local authors; they can support and expand the local industry, an option which decreases the reliance on Japanese publishers for licenses for Japanese material (Cha and Reid, 2005).‘

Cross-media collaboration is protective, reducing the production costs and disadvantages of a single partner itself by combining the regional strengths and advantages of different partners. Collaboration can also expand the development of different geographical industries and reduce the inconvenience of regional restrictions.