Hollywood is Betting Big on Anime, And Winning

Anime has been popular for a very long time. I mean, even when I was a kid, the Pokémon cartoon and Dragon Ball Z were all the rage. But now that I'm in my late 30s, I am always surprised to see that anime is catching on not just on TV, but it's getting serious business at the box office as well.

'For decades, anime was largely relegated to a passionate yet niche audience in the West. Often dismissed as "cartoons for kids" or "too weird," it struggled to break into mainstream Hollywood.

But that kind of stigma is gone, and now it's seen as a verifiable cash cow. Just this past weekend, we saw Chainsaw Man open number one at the box office — and before that, Demon Slayer made history with its $70 million opening weekend.

This isn't just a trend; it's a strategic shift that's reshaping the entertainment landscape into a much more global network.

Let's dive in.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

What's Going on With Anime?

A few years ago, NBA Superstar Joel Embiid went viral for watching anime on his phone while being stretched out by a trainer. And it was really at that moment I was like...we should be paying attention to how many people are watching and enjoying this medium of storytelling.

But how did it happen?

First, the rise of streaming services has played a monumental role. Platforms like Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu have made anime incredibly accessible from your couch in any country across the world.

You cannot underestimate how much streaming has changed the game. This easy access has cultivated a new generation of fans.

Secondly, the global market for entertainment is more interconnected than ever.

Hollywood studios are increasingly looking beyond domestic box office numbers, and anime has a built-in, massive international fanbase that is incredibly loyal and eager for new content. And they show up both theatrically and streaming to make these platforms a lot of money.

Having a loyal fanbase like that gets rewarded.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the quality of anime storytelling and animation has simply become undeniable. We are getting better stories that are for a wide array of audiences. We still have kids' stuff, but there's complex genre work, stuff for adults, and everyone in between.

And again, they show up and spend their money on it!

Chainsaw Man: The Latest Success Story

This past weekend, a movie I had never heard of, Chainsaw Man, debuted at number one at the box office. It was a major Sony release that absolutely crushed across the country.

Now look, I'm out of the anime loop, but when I saw that, I knew I had to do some research to write this article, because that is a massive success. And by the way, while it did around $17 million here, it crossed $108,000,000 opening weekend worldwide.

Anime is raking in the money.

The film is a continuation of the wildly popular manga and anime series. And the success of Chainsaw Man at the box office is a clear indicator that anime has truly arrived as a mainstream cinematic force.

Summing It All Up

This Hollywood-anime synergy is only just beginning. We can expect to see an even greater influx of anime-inspired projects, from more live-action adaptations to original series and films that draw on anime aesthetics and storytelling techniques.

When you see movies like this making money, you know other studios are going to follow suit, and I think we're probably just at the beginning of a big boom.

Let me know what you think in he comments.