The Global Reach and Impact of Japanese Animation

Anime, the Japanese word for animation, has seen explosive popularity around the world in the last few decades. Originally an niche interest, anime is now a global phenomenon that is a multi-billion dollar business with dedicated fans worldwide. Some of the most popular anime series like Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto and Attack on Titan have achieved mainstream success and broad audience appeal far beyond Japan.

Western Exposure and Fandom Growth

Anime first gained widespread exposure in Western countries in the late 1990s through shows airing on channels like Cartoon Network's Adult Swim in the United States. This helped anime break out of a stereotype as only being for children and introduced iconic series like Neon Genesis Evangelion to new audiences. Website databases and online communities in the early 2000s allowed global fans to easily access and discuss their interests. Conventions dedicated to anime, manga and East Asian pop culture started popping up across North America, Europe and elsewhere in this period. The growth of legal streaming platforms like Crunchyroll also vastly expanded the number of titles available to global audiences.

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