Anime is Consuming My Household

And I’m not alone.

Just as Star Wars propelled sci-fi into mainstream entertainment, paving the way for Fantasy with Lord of the Rings and Super Heroes with Marvel, we’re now witnessing the dawn of a new era: Anime as a mass-market entertainment medium. While Anime has long been a cornerstone of Japanese culture, its global influence is growing rapidly, and I’m convinced it’s poised to become the next dominant entertainment force.

Anime is no longer a niche interest. According to the a16z blog post “Anime is Eating the World,” the global Anime industry is now valued at over $25 billion and continues to grow. Crunchyroll, the leading Anime streaming platform, has surpassed 15 million subscribers. Meanwhile, the 2023 live-action adaptation of One Piece became Netflix’s top global show within days of its release.

On a personal note, my son is an Anime and Manga super fan. Three of his four walls are lined with Manga novels. As a family, we binge-watched the live-action One Piece show on Netflix and have been loyal Crunchyroll subscribers for years. Anime is more than entertainment for us—it’s a shared passion.

Anime is not just from Japan anymore. Genshin Impact, from Chinese developer miHoYo, embraces Anime aesthetics and storytelling, earning billions in revenue. Similarly, Arcane, by Riot Games in the US, uses Anime’s visual language to tell emotionally powerful stories.

Major brands are also capitalizing on Anime’s popularity. McDonald’s partnered with Jujutsu Kaisen for themed meals and exclusive merchandise. Gucci collaborated with Doraemon, while Uniqlo’s Anime-inspired collections have been huge hits.

Anime resonates deeply because of its emotional depth and creative freedom. Unlike many Western cartoons, Anime explores mature themes like mental health (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and environmentalism (Princess Mononoke). Its storytelling pushes boundaries, making series like Attack on Titan and Death Note fresh and compelling.

Is Hollywood already working on the next mass-market Anime blockbuster?

Voltron: Defender of the Universe: A live-action adaptation is set to begin filming on the Gold Coast, Australia, by the end of this month. Henry Cavill leads the cast, with Rawson Marshall Thurber directing and co-writing.
Akira: Warner Bros. has been developing a live-action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's manga. Taika Waititi is attached to direct and co-write. While production was delayed, Waititi plans to resume work on the film after completing his Star Wars project.
One-Punch Man: Sony’s Columbia Pictures is developing a live-action adaptation of the popular manga and anime series. Justin Lin is set to direct and co-produce, with a rewritten script by Dan Harmon and Heather Anne Campbell.
 

This is it—we are on the verge of mass-market Anime entertainment for the next decade. I can’t wait!