ABSTRACT
Two genres that best represent the existence of pervasive paradigms have relied on the sale of toys: the "robot" genre, featuring giant humanoid fighting machines usually controlled by young male pilots, and the "magical girl" genre, depicting the adventures of pre-pubescent girls with magical powers. Since the 1960s, Japanese television animation has been governed by paradigms formed through relationships in the anime industry. The advertising agency bought broadcast time from the network and organized sponsorship deals. The chapter argues that the continued existence of the magical girl and robot genres has been possible because of the reliance on industry frameworks established through the evolving relationship among anime creators, commercial sponsors, and television networks. The dynamics of robot and magical girl genres provided for intellectual property to be reproduced across the "media mix," the marketing of franchises through various commercial formats that characterizes the anime industry.
