Anime/Manga How Far Has Anime Come Overseas?

How far do you feel anime has come over the years, overseas? I hear, back in the 90s, people would buy VHS fansubs of anime since it wasn't very widespread in America back then. (That sounds super shady, btw.) It baffles me that anime was like this back then, when now, things are released practically simultaneously with Japan nearly worldwide!

Anime has definitely grown not only more popular, but more socially accepted in western culture. I think there's a long way to go still, but we're on the right track.

Well, far enough to keep the dubs coming.

It's come very far for us to get licensing for streaming access to the vast majority of anime released each season. And there's been so much growth that its fandom is no longer almost exclusively the domain of smelly basement dwelling misanthropes.

Within the last five years I've discovered that quite a few people that are in my social circle secretly watch or have watched anime before (none of these people, mind you, are anti-social basement dwellers). Not only is anime increasing in popularity but it's become more mainstream as almost everybody has a certain degree of knowledge of what classifies as "anime." It's interesting to see and as an anime/manga lover I'm very excited to see the future of anime!

I am also excited to notice how anime is getting more popular internationally, i know some countries aren't popular like mine in Serbia, but i think it needs to be really popular. I know Pokemon and Digimon and Dragon Ball we're the three animes i watched so far back in my childhood years and they we're really amazing, but Digimon has won Serbians fans a lot more than Pokemon we're due to RTS broadcasting there and being broadcasted there before Pokemon, i am among few Serbians that like Pokemon to this day.

Naruto, One Punch Man, Bleach, Dragon Ball, and Digimon are the only know anime that has a large fanbase in Serbia there. I know some anime have a potential like Pokemon to be popular there, but it didn't due to lack of agreement licensing issues.

Also, Anime made in Japan is being rivaled with Korea for its K-Drama, and K-Pop, both of whom are going for the mainstream.


(sorry for my poor English)

hotsushi-kun said:

Also, Anime made in Japan is being rivaled with Korea for its K-Drama, and K-Pop, both of whom are going for the mainstream.

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Well...nah, and the latter part of that statement's why it's not true.

Anime is a niche medium and that probably won't ever change. Even when super popular series and classics are brought up in these mainstream scenarios, like a popular basketball player referencing Dragon Ball or a popular singer referencing Naruto, it's still under the novelty of being something niche. Not really being taken seriously.

But anime at large is not a medium made for the mainstream, most anime are by and large made for anime fans.