FACTS: In 2016, The Association of Japanese Animation (AJA) reported seven years of consecutive growth for the anime industry, both domestically and internationally. But in recent years, international sales have substantially overshadowed domestic box offices in Japan thanks to technology and dwindling native viewers.
Companies like CrunchyRoll, Netflix, and Hulu are some of the biggest on-demand services to provide the Japanese cartoons. They provide shows such as One Piece, One Punch Man, Cowboy Bebop, Naruto, and Dragon Ball Z which bring in the largest number of western viewers; those who watch in North America.
Famous anime producers such as Tezuka now produce work to incorporate more stories and fairy tales to suit Western tastes and push for their work to be sold internationally. However, Western culture hasn’t been the only target. Anime companies also have been broadening their genres and art styles to cater to viewers of all countries and cultures.
QUOTES: The famous anime expert, Takamasa Sakurai, “Japanese anime broke the convention that anime is something that kids watch”
Lohiba Jan, an Afghan-Canadian anime fan, “Anime brings me comfort. There is always something or someone I can relate to, and now with so many empowering female characters, I love it even more. I also love seeing the rise of Arab characters,”
