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Anime Pop Culture Essay

Lataiva Balmer

Bloomfield College

WRT-109-E1 (Research Writing and Synthesis)

Dr. Rouse

November 3, 2022
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Anime Pop Culture Essay

When we think of pop culture we think of traditions and things that constantly

evolve over time. Entertainment is one of those things. It contributes to pop culture by

playing a huge role in art and telling stories through movies and shows, specifically the

genre Anime. Anime is a style of Japanese animation usually derived from manga, or

Japanese graphic novels. It’s aimed at both child and adult audiences and has been

thriving in its own community since the 1990s. Over time it has gained some popularity

worldwide. The question is why?

Primarily, Japan has had a tradition of animated cartoon art for nearly as long as

the United States have. Anime has become an important part of Western cinema and pop

culture. Hollywood begins to incorporate aesthetics of anime into its film, particularly in

its storytelling and the CGI. With the genre being wildly diverse and its animation being

extremely unrealistic, it contributes to cinema to attract and keep the attention of

audiences. Anime not only stands on its own in its category but also keeps American

cultures alive.

Not only does Anime contribute to cinema, Anime is easily accessible. Anime has

become more accessible in the United States since Netflix, a big streaming service, has

picked up some shows. Although Netflix isn't able to cover the entire genre of Anime,

streaming services like Cruchyroll and Funimation have picked up the slack. These

streaming services have seen an increase over the last four years.They invested

significant resources into bringing anime culture to an international stage by streaming

currently-airing shows and selling official merchandise and DVDs. Now it is easier for a
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newcomer to catch up on an Anime Series because these streaming services have

episodes from the very beginning of the show. The manga has always been accessible

which is why watching Anime has increased in popularity.

In addition to contributing to western cinema and being quite accessible, Anime

has become a comfort space during the 2020 quarantine. During Quarantine, many people

found themselves browsing anime shows, particularly in dubbed. Dubbed is a version

where the animation show has english voices besides the original japanese actors.

Watching this version of Anime puts many newcomers at ease, hence the rise in Anime.

When you can see the quality of animation from this industry, you can see the community

that has come from it. Anime shows have become insanely popular due to it being wildly

diverse, exaggerating the possibilities of the logical world with its creative artwork and

unique characters and also amazing plots, then becoming the most watched genre during

quarantine.

Ultimately, Anime’s contribution to pop culture results in its ability to connect

with a diverse group of individuals. Its progression over the years has impacted

preferences, entertainment and to say the least, a language barrier. In Today’s time,

Anime is one of the most expressed and discussed topics in the entertainment industry.

With its wide range of creativity, accessibility and its relevance, Anime has elevated

through the perceptions of being weird and boring. Now being able to create a

community for those that enjoy the genre.

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References

Kemery, E (17 May, 2021). The rise of Anime during Quarantine. The Outlook

Newspaper.

Kishikawa, M (05 April, 2022). Why is Anime so popular after years of being ignored?

CBR.com

Moulton, A(29 October, 2020). America’s nuanced and evolving relationship with Anime.

State Press.

Salemme, E. ( 29 October, 2019). The Rising Popularity of Anime. Sand Box News.

Sun, J (19 April, 2021). Anime might not be cool, but it’s getting popular. North by

Northwestern.

The Influence of Anime in Pop Culture. That Baka Blog (11 August, 2016)

https://thatbakablog.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/the-influence-of-anime-in-pop-culture/