Influencing Factors of the Identity of Japanese Animation Fans Among Chinese Adolescents: A Grounded Theory Study

Individuals are increasingly exposed to vibrant cultures because of the development and popularity of new media, such as social networking and online video. Introduced to China 40 years ago, Japanese animation is prevalent among Chinese adolescents, which has been documented in much literature. However, few studies focus on the factors which make a Chinese adolescent become a Japanese animation fan, and the important factor explaining how people adopt the identity from different cultures. This study aims to deal with these questions by developing a model of influencing factors of the identity of Japanese animation fans among Chinese adolescents. The grounded theory was introduced and data used for analysis were collected from 39 Japanese animation fans among Chinese adolescents by in-depth interviews. The results suggest that audience environment, perceived quality of Japanese animation and supply and demand matching degree are three main factors impacting the identity of Japanese animation fans among Chinese adolescents.