Creation of Spatial Value through Anime Pilgrimages: From the Perspective of the Breakthroughs of Background Art and the Active Audience in the Art World

Abstract

With the global popularity of anime pilgrimages, many local communities are now anticipating the economic benefits of them. The purpose of this study is to examine how anime pilgrimages expand the art world surrounding animation in local communities. Firstly, in order to clarify the increased focus on background art as well as characters, this paper discusses location hunting and development of perspective, which is the basis for the creation of background art. Secondly, this study points out that the active audience for animation had been doing more than just viewing animation works, such as through communication in magazines even before the rise of the anime pilgrimages. The focus on background art has led active audiences to make anime pilgrimages, visiting the areas depicted in the backgrounds of animated works, taking photographs, and sharing the photographs on the web. Although it is often a commonplace location in everyday life, by connecting the real space with the artwork, new cultural value is created there. Finally, this paper suggests that by fostering the art world centered on animation which works with the local community, it is possible to create a focal point in communities that has been lost to regional development.