Anime Every Day

Anime TV series, from mainstream examples such as Pokémon to superfan favorites such as Yuri!!! on ICE, have long been popular in Western markets, albeit rising and falling cyclically, as is the case for any trend.

Recently, widespread optimism about the long-term prospects of the genre has led a number of large organizations to stake out or expand their territory in the anime landscape in the West. Most of these 2017 deals focus on content creation and distribution rather than licensed products. But the added exposure, along with a boom in new, globally accessible anime properties, is certainly a positive for the already strong market for anime-themed goods.

Some of the notable anime-driven deals this year so far:

• Sony Pictures Television acquired a majority stake in Funimation Productions for $150 million. The U.S.-based specialist in Japanese animation is best known for distributing the Dragon Ball franchise in the U.S. market; its many other series range from Akira to Zebraman.
• NBCUniversal’s Japanese division announced it would expand its partnership with Crunchyroll, a distributor of anime and manga. The two companies have plans to develop new titles that appeal to international audiences. Crunchyroll has been distributing NBCUniversal’s Japanese titles globally.
• Netflix said it would introduce at least 10 new anime TV series and films in 2017 and 2018, significantly boosting its foothold in the genre. Ranging from Rilakkuma and Devilman Crybaby to an animated version of Godzilla, some of the new productions are expected appeal to mainstream fans and others to niche audiences.
• Amazon Prime launched Anime Strike, its first branded streaming channel devoted to a particular genre of content, at a price of $5 per month. Part of the Amazon Channels program, Anime Strike’s initial offerings include classic anime series as well as some shows that are currently on air in Japan. A few are exclusive for the U.S. market.
• Animate, the largest retailer in Japan devoted to anime and anime-themed products, debuted an e-commerce operation called Animate International that is geared to global shoppers. The chain, founded in 1983, has 121 stores in Asia and offers exclusive and limited-edition items as well as more widely distributed merchandise.
• The leadership of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Organizing Committee has suggested that anime—as a more globally accessible art form than other Japanese cultural phenomena such as sumo or kabuki—will play a large role in the Opening Ceremonies. In addition, early licensed merchandise tied to the event has been co-branded with a range of anime characters, billed as Olympics Ambassadors, including from the Astro Boy, Crayon Shin-chan, Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece, Pretty Cure, Sailor Moon, and Yo-Kai Watch franchises.

Recent anime-related happenings—from the Pokémon Go fad of 2016 to anime themes being a top design trend for the 2017 back-to-school season—have raised the genre’s profile of late. But no matter its peaks and valleys, anime will no doubt continue to be a fundamental driver of entertainment content and product design over the long term, a belief reinforced by the deals listed here.