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From underground VHS trading to billion-dollar box office hits - join us as we explore anime's incredible journey from Japan to American mainstream. How did a "niche foreign cartoon" transform into a dominant cultural force? We trace the evolution from Astro Boy to Demon Slayer, examining how streaming, conventions, and passionate fandoms shaped anime's meteoric rise in the West.
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00:00Anime is everywhere, to the extent that it's part of the pop culture zeitgeist.
00:21It fills theatres, inspires music videos and fashion lines, and fuels online fandoms that
00:26stretch across the globe.
00:28But anime's journey to cultural dominance in America wasn't sudden.
00:32It was a long, winding path that spanned decades.
00:36But how did we get here?
00:42Welcome to WatchMojo, and in this video, we're going through a brief history as to the meteoric
00:47rise of Japanese animation, how it made a name for itself in the United States, and ultimately
00:53became a beloved staple of media and entertainment as a whole.
01:00Part 1.
01:03A cult obsession.
01:06While anime itself can be traced as far back as 1917 with short features such as the dull
01:12sword, aka Namakura Katana, and was already making waves all through the 60s, these were
01:18very much relegated to Japan itself.
01:25As far as Western audiences go, the first trickle of anime appreciation wasn't felt until the
01:3170s kicked off by the arrival of a certain robot boy.
01:38While yet to announce itself as a distinct medium, shows like Astro Boy, Speed Racer, and Voltron
01:55were pioneers in their day.
01:57To most viewers, these weren't Japanese cartoons.
02:00They were just cartoons, with catchy theme songs and fast-paced action that stood out compared
02:05to Hanna-Barbera reruns, despite the choppy edits and hefty dose of dubbing.
02:12Still, exposure was limited.
02:18Networks treated these imports as novelty programming, often airing them in odd time slots.
02:23For most kids, anime was something you stumbled across by accident, not a movement you joined,
02:29a trend that would continue for most through the preceding decade.
02:40Which brings us to the 80s, where a different kind of fandom began to grow.
02:51Fans who wanted more than what was available on TV sought out anime that never made it overseas.
02:57This sparked the rise of VHS trading clubs.
03:00Small, dedicated groups who copied tapes, mailed them across the country, and even produced early fansubs.
03:07Homegrown subtitles painstakingly added with primitive editing equipment.
03:12It was a labor of love.
03:19Many of these fans were meeting in college clubs or the basements of hotels hosting tiny conventions.
03:25These gatherings weren't the massive expos we know today.
03:28They were often a few dozen people in a rented room, watching grainy recordings of shows like Mobile Suit Gundam or Urusei Yatsura.
03:36Titles that, while adopting the kid-friendly veneer animation was known for, brought with it a sense of grit either through the fighting, mature storylines, or far more relaxed take towards spicier subject matters.
03:57But for all their passion, anime fans in America faced a cultural wall.
04:13The belief that animation was inherently for children.
04:16In the US, the medium was tightly associated with Saturday morning cartoons, toy commercials, and family-friendly content.
04:36The idea that animated stories could tackle complex themes and stand akin to cinematic artistry was alien to most audiences.
04:44This meant any enthusiasm for anime was often seen as odd at best and fringe behavior at worst.
04:50Parents and peers didn't always understand why someone would obsess over foreign cartoons, especially ones with violence, sexuality, or sprawling arcs that didn't fit neatly into American expectations.
05:03Yet it was precisely because of these barriers that early anime fandom became so resilient.
05:22With so little mainstream support, anime enthusiasts formed bonds that were as much about community as about the shows themselves.
05:29To be an anime fan in the 80s and early 90s wasn't just a hobby.
05:34It was a subcultural identity.
05:36This loyalty kept anime alive in the West.
05:39Laying the foundation for the explosion of popularity that would be arriving far sooner than anyone could have expected.
06:02Without the tape traders, the fan subbers, and the basement conventions, anime might never have broken into the mainstream at all.
06:09I was very surprised that my artwork would be this popular in the United States.
06:16And from now on, I believe I'll have to not only think about Japan internally, but think about the international market.
06:24Part 2.
06:25The Breakthrough, Cracking the Mainstream
06:28In 1998, a little yellow electric mouse changed everything.
06:33Pokemon wasn't the first anime to hit American airwaves, but it was the first one to become a full-blown phenomenon.
06:53The franchise wasn't just a TV show.
07:00It was video games, trading cards, toys, and a cultural boom that swept through the schools like wildfire.
07:08For a generation of kids, Pokemon was the gateway substance that normalized anime.
07:23It blurred the line between Japanese cartoon and global franchise.
07:35Even parents who might have dismissed anime suddenly found themselves buying Game Boys and Booster Packs for their kids.
07:42Pokemon was, by all accounts, one of the first true glimmers that anime could be both foreign and familiar.
07:49Different, but accessible.
08:05Around the same time, Cartoon Network launched Toonami, a programming block that became a lifeline for young fans hungry for more of these foreign yet fascinating animated shows.
08:15Toonami introduced foundational anime to an entire generation.
08:35Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, and even Naruto down the line.
08:39Series that had scope, drama, and serialized storytelling, unlike anything else airing on American TV at the time.
08:46For many, Toonami was the place where casual viewers became lifelong fans.
08:59Its funky aura, futuristic branding, and late afternoon slots made anime feel like a shared event, not just a niche hobby.
09:09As those kids grew older, Adult Swim picked up the baton.
09:12Shows like Cowboy Bebop, Inuyasha, and FLCL aired late at night due to their more mature flavor.
09:19Giving anime a new reputation, stylish, edgy, and undeniably cool.
09:25Showcasing just how flexible anime could be.
09:28And it was just getting started.
09:40Meanwhile, another quiet revolution was happening in bookstores.
09:43Manga, often published in digest-sized volumes, became a staple of teen reading in the 2000s.
09:50Chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders had entire shelves dedicated to manga.
09:55Letting fans binge stories at a fraction of the cost of importing VHS tapes or DVDs.
10:01For many teens, manga was the first real introduction to Japanese storytelling outside of TV.
10:07It was portable, affordable, and came in a dizzying variety of genres.
10:13Romance, horror, comedy, sci-fi, making it easy to find something that felt personal.
10:19Not to mention exposing newcomers to just how wild mangaka could be in not only their approach to plot, but also in their artwork.
10:27With anime and manga going from a drop in the bucket to a cascading river, meet-ups between fans also underwent a dramatic transformation.
10:36What started as a handful of die-hard followers shooting the breeze in a basement expanded to massive gatherings.
10:43Anime Expo, Otakon, and other major conventions became annual pilgrimages for fans, drawing thousands of attendees.
10:51Cosplay, once a fleeting practice of dressing as your favorite anime character, became mainstream, filling convention halls with homemade armor, wigs, and giant foam props.
11:02These events weren't just about watching anime, they were about living it.
11:07It wasn't long before fans could meet their favorite voice actors, shop for imported merchandise, and, most importantly, feel part of a community much larger than their local friend group.
11:19That's not to say anime had taken over the West yet.
11:26Even as the web of collective and individual fandoms grew at breakneck speed, it still carried a stigma.
11:38For every kid proudly rocking a Naruto headband, there was another being teased for liking Japanese cartoons.
11:45Anime was no longer invisible, but it wasn't entirely accepted either.
11:53It was nerdy, but proudly so.
11:55By the end of the 2000s, anime was no longer fringe.
12:11It had a foothold in pop culture, a booming convention scene, a steady flow of manga, and a generation
12:25raised on Toonami.
12:26The stage was set for the 2010s, when anime would stop being the weird thing some kids watched
12:33and start becoming an undeniable global force.
12:37I think that's what I call the most popular favorite, even when I was the only one that would stop being the world's greatest.
12:44And then I am the god of the new world!
12:50Part Three, The Streaming Revolution, a new anime era.
12:55For years, being an anime fan in the States meant overcoming all manner of hurdles, waiting for dvds, relying on sketchy downloads, or tracking down fansubbed VHS tapes.
13:06but platforms like Crunchyroll and Funimation changed everything. Suddenly, fans could stream
13:12anime legally with subtitles within hours of episodes airing in Japan. This was revolutionary.
13:24Anime wasn't just trickling overseas anymore. It was crossing the ocean instantly. What had
13:30once required persistence and patience was now as easy as clicking play.
13:50Then the giants got involved. While dedicated fans were further exploring a wider reach of anime on
13:56Crunchyroll, streaming juggernauts such as Netflix and Hulu brought anime to everyone else. With
14:02titles like Attack on Titan, One Punch Man, and even Netflix's own original productions further down
14:08the line, anime was no longer something you had to seek out. It was right there next to prestige
14:14dramas and Hollywood blockbusters. This accessibility helped normalize anime for mainstream audiences
14:25worldwide, putting the final nail in the coffin for the well-worn and outdated argument that this
14:31was still just for kids. Now it was a medium unto itself. It's worth noting that anime's global
14:46spread in the early 2000s was fueled heavily by piracy. Torrent sites, fan subs, and forums that distributed
15:00content long before it was officially available. But as streaming platforms expanded, many fans shifted from
15:11piracy to legitimate services. That shift signalled a maturing fandom, one that wanted to support creators
15:17and keep the industry thriving. Speaking of thriving, as its popularity continued to spike, the internet
15:30became the new convention hall for anime fandoms. First on forums and YouTube with AMVs, and later on,
15:37social media with memes, fan art, and TikTok edits that could push a series to viral status overnight.
15:45And that's to say nothing of the cosplay culture boom, conventions expanding into six-figure attendance,
15:51and YouTubers and streamers making anime analysis and reaction content widely popular.
15:56With so much saturation across so many outlets, it's no surprise that anime aesthetics seeped into the
16:08broader landscape. Streetwear brands borrowed its visuals, pop stars referenced it in music videos,
16:19and social platforms turned anime avatars into a common sight. Anime was no longer finding its footing in
16:25America. It was helping define American pop culture itself.
16:34Here we are in the modern day, and needless to say, anime has taken over, or at the very least has
16:40become so synonymous with modern entertainment that it now sits comfortably in the ever-increasing epicenter.
16:55This extends all the way to cinema itself. A decade earlier, anime films in US theaters were rare,
17:05often limited to one-night screenings for hardcore fans. Though sure, Studio Ghibli might have been a
17:11force unto itself, but when it comes to comparing the hype for a feature such as When Marnie Was There,
17:17up against the likes of Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train, the difference is night and day.
17:27How much so? The aforementioned Mugen Train wasn't just a hit, it topped charts, becoming the highest
17:34grossing film in Japanese history and broke into the top US box office rankings in 2021, competing directly
17:42with and even overshadowing several Hollywood blockbusters. American music has also fully
18:02embraced anime's influence. Hip-hop, pop, and even indie artists openly reference anime in lyrics,
18:08music videos, and public interviews. Never thought we'd see the day where we have Megan Thee Stallion
18:14cosplaying and rapping about all things Jujutsu Kaisen, but here we are.
18:24Beyond that, you've got big-name bands lending out some of their biggest hits to serve as
18:29openings, a la France Ferdinand and Cyberpunk Edgerunners. Even the legendary Freddie Mercury's
18:42vocal talents have made an appearance in Great Pretenders outro.
18:45On the flip side, prominent Japanese singers and bands have their popularity catapulted into the
19:01stratosphere on account of their collaborations on big-name anime. Ask any anime fan with their salt,
19:08and they'll know who the likes of Lisa and Creepy Nuts are. Anime aesthetics that used to be confined to
19:18fan-made shirts and conmage have broken into the fashion industry. Collaborations with brands like
19:24Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Adidas now bring characters and visuals once relegated to posters and VHS covers
19:31into high-end designs. Now we can officially say that Gucci is technically a JoJo reference. Of course,
19:39with mainstream dominance comes Hollywood's inevitable attempt to capitalize.
20:01Dragon Ball Evolution became infamous, while Alita Battle Angel was surprisingly fun.
20:16Netflix's Cowboy Bebop was terrible across the board, and yet their take on One Piece has become
20:22an unexpected success, even among those who worship the source material. These adaptations reflect
20:36anime's new status, too big for Hollywood to ignore and with no sign of slowing down.
20:41Throughout the early 2020s, anime had grown into a $26 billion-plus global industry. Streaming deals,
20:49merchandise, films, and conventions continue to generate massive revenue, making anime not just
20:55culturally relevant but financially dominant, capable of going toe-to-toe with the biggest heavyweights
21:01in America's sprawling entertainment landscape. Part 5. Beyond Borders, What Anime Means Today
21:09We now find ourselves in the middle of the 2020s, more than half a century after Astro Boy first flickered
21:15onto the US's TV screens. In that time, anime has gone from a misunderstood import to a cultural tsunami.
21:24Thousands of shows, old and new, are watched everywhere. Its quirks and artistic flares shape
21:30fashion and music, and its fandom lives across every corner of the internet. Just as Hollywood films once
21:36dominated international screens, anime has become a shared visual language for a generation raised online.
21:52Unlike the early decades, when access was limited and fandom required dedication, today anyone can dive in.
22:00Streaming platforms provide immediate access, but it goes beyond just watching.
22:14Fan art circulates endlessly on social media, fan fiction thrives on dedicated sites, cosplay has become
22:21both an art form and, in many cases, a successful career, all the while conventions continue to multiply
22:29and bring together hundreds of thousands each year. Anime fandom has become fully democratized,
22:35accessible, participatory, and powered as much by fans as by studios.
22:51Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about
22:56our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them. If you're on
23:02your phone, make sure to go into your settings and switch on notifications. For younger audiences,
23:08anime isn't different or weird. It's simply normal. The same way older generations might reference Star Wars,
23:21Marvel or Disney, anime is part of the cultural DNA of Gen Z and beyond.
23:38To them, a Demon Slayer Katana is as recognizable as Captain America's shield. The stigma that haunted
23:45earlier fans has all but disappeared. Perhaps most importantly, anime stands as proof of cultural
24:09homogenization. Mid shows how art can cross borders, how a story born in one country can become
24:15beloved in another, and how communities can form around shared narratives no matter where they
24:21begin. Anime's rise is not just about Japan's soft influence or America's hunger for the new.
24:28It's about the blending of cultures into something larger than either alone.
24:32What anime means today is more than just entertainment. It's a living example of how fandom evolves,
24:47spreads, connects, and harmonizes. From hotel basements to sold-out theatres, from grainy VHS tapes
24:54to instant global streams, anime's journey tells us that no story is ever truly too niche when it has the
25:02power to resonate across the world.
25:23Anime truly has taken over America, and something tells us that's just a stepping stone.
25:29Until we meet again guys!
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