The point I was making is that KLK isn't anywhere close to being as popular as Titan (a recent hit) nor has it reached the levels of classic franchises during their prime (in America) so lets no play semantics. Kill la Kill is popular among enthusiasts but I don't think it has mainstream appeal which it what separates it from the other shows I mentioned. If you consider niche appeal to be 'entrenched in current Western fandom' then I agree but we have different definitions of what qualifies i guess. Heck, I was at Gamestop today and found Attack on Titan figurines next to Game of Thrones, DBZ, Star Trek, and Star Wars.
Well I never said KLK was as popular as Titan or those mega titles. So while I agree with you there, that point is completely tangential to what I was saying so I'm confused as to why you bring it up. When I say "anime fandom" (note both words) I inherently mean a subset of those who consume TV media. Basically, those would would willingly call themselves "anime fans". As an example, anybody who regularly posts or lurks in this thread or AnimeGaf is part of the "anime fandom" regardless of which types of anime they like to consume.
In hindsight, I recognize that may not be obvious to anybody but me so I apologize. DBZ is something you would hear the jocks at your high school talk about. It's popularity falls far outside the realm of just those who would call themselves anime fans so it and shows like it I feel are automatically outside the realm of this conversation.
Now with that understood hopefully you understand my point better? Again, a real statistical study is needed to make any definite statements. However, just on what I've personally seen, KLK still gets a lot of discussion (a lot negative of course but a lot positive as well) within a large number of communities and a lot of the people talking about it are women. I will also say though KLK can't "touch" Titan in mainstream Western appeal, the way I keep seeing KLK references all over the place even outside anime bubbles (shit it was even referenced in My Little Pony) reinforces that the show is popular to me.
Just because something isn't
as popular as some of the most popular shows in its medium ever doesn't make it not popular. Same way a random 20-30 year on the street would likely at least be familiar with DBZ or Sailor Moon but ask them what Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann or Madoka was and they would look at you like you had 3 heads. Ask ANYBODY who has been watching anime for even a short period of time about either though and if they haven't already seen it they will 100% have heard of it.
