Are Japanese anime more popular than Western animation (in today's age)?

I think western animation still takes the cake.

Anime is way more popular on a global scale, there's tons of data that supports it. Don't let Americans fool you into watching their rubbish like Hazbin Hotel

My Little Pony has more entries for a single character on paheal.net then Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and The Attacking Titan combined so i'm going to go ahead and say: "No."

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The Real Question: What's the Metric for Popularity?

Is it subjective or objective? Regional or global? If we’re being objective and global, we need to break it down into two schools of thought.

Alright, folks, let’s cut through the noise and get to the heart of the matter: Is American animation or Japanese anime more popular in 2023? This isn’t just a debate for keyboard warriors; it’s a clash of cultures with global implications. To get the full picture, we'll look at two major factors: box office dominance and total media income.

Pure Box Office Dominance

When it comes to pure box office numbers, American animated movies often leave Japanese anime in the dust. Sure, "Your Name" and "Demon Slayer" shattered records, but those are exceptions. In 2023, heavy hitters like "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" cleaned up. "Spider-Man" grossed about $600 million globally, while "Mario" brought in over $1.3 billion worldwide. In the battle of the box office, American animated films consistently outstrip anime movies by a long shot. Note that this comparison is strictly between movies and doesn’t account for other revenue streams or the broader media presence.

However, this view is Americentric, reflecting the dominance of the American market. The contention often lies between Western (American) animation fans and anime enthusiasts, each group championing their preferred style of animation and its perceived global impact.

Let’s Compare Key Animated Movies from America vs. Anime

Key Performers in 2023

American Animated Movies:

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June 2023): Grossed $600 million worldwide.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (April 2023): Pulled in over $1.3 billion globally.
Elemental (June 2023): Earned $500 million worldwide.
Wish (November 2023): Grossed $200 million globally.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (August 2023): Brought in $180 million worldwide.
These films collectively contributed around $2.78 billion to the box office in 2023.

[i]Japanese Anime Movies:
[/i]
Suzume (April 2023): Grossed approximately ¥14.9 billion (~$110 million).
The First Slam Dunk (March 2023): Earned ¥15.8 billion (~$117 million).
Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King (June 2023): Raked in ¥8.5 billion (~$63 million).
Doraemon: Nobita’s Sky Utopia: Pulled in $60 million.
Psycho-Pass: Providence: Brought in $55 million.
In total, anime films garnered about $500 million in box office revenue in 2023.

Second School of Thought: A More Accurate Comparison

For a more comprehensive view, let’s consider all revenue streams, including TV shows, streaming services, home media, and merchandise. Anime often pulls ahead when you look at the big picture. In 2023, the global market size for anime reached an impressive $28 billion, driven by movies, TV series, streaming, and merchandise.

So, let’s compare the two:

• If we’re just looking at box office earnings, American animated films are the clear winners. But when you include streaming series, merchandise, and other revenue streams, anime tells a different story. The total value of the American animation market, including TV shows and merchandise, was around $23.22 billion in 2023. The anime industry, encompassing TV, movies, and merchandise, was valued at $28 billion for the same year.
  
  

The Japanese anime industry has not only surpassed the American animation industry but is also on a skyrocketing trajectory. Anime and manga have evolved from niche markets into global juggernauts. Japan isn’t just a player in entertainment anymore; it’s practically the game itself. The West should really get with the program and recognize this seismic shift. The dominance of Japanese anime is no longer up for debate—it’s the new reality.

In essence, while the American animation industry might still think it’s a big deal, it’s been firmly outpaced by anime’s meteoric rise. Both industries are thriving, but anime’s relentless growth is setting the bar higher than ever. The future is clear: anime will continue to dominate and solidify its spot as the reigning champion of global entertainment.

And just in case you missed it: Manga vs. Comics. Oh, what a surprise! Manga sales blew American comics out of the water, raking in a whopping $6 billion in 2023 while US comics barely scraped together $1.2 billion. This little fact really drives home how Japanese media is storming the global stage. Maybe American comics should take a page from anime’s playbook—or better yet, just watch from the sidelines. Heck, "Demon Slayer" manga alone outsold the entire comics industry in 2020. BIG FUCKING LMAO.

and in a final side note: It’s cute how some Americans are still coping and seething over their decades-old dominance being challenged. If you’re one of those folks still clinging to the 2000s, living under a rock thinking anime is still some niche obsession, or if you’re an “American patriot” who can’t bear the thought of a bunch of so-called “weeb cartoons” taking the global lead, it’s time to wake up and smell the ramen. The world’s moved on, and if you’re not on board with that, well, enjoy your saltiness and denial. The anime revolution is here, and it’s not going anywhere.

you better enjoy the ride with the JPs and otakus/weebs cuz you're gonna hate it from now on forward. lmao

PIS: well shit, i may as well make it its own thread after making such a in depth post. damn, i just couldn't make it casual sigh

No, the real question is why you tagged everyone, instead only the people who would argue with you?
My post clearly stated the I am seeing the theme from a bit different agnle, also that the popularity is more or less defined by the big media distributors.


I mean the theme is about all the western animation. For example one of the most popular cartoons of the last few years (lets say measured by Reddit's "karma") - Arcane is made by a french studio. Same goes for the Blue Eye Samurai.


This is a BS way to measure it. Since it comes to exposure, also availability of the media (for example less cinema screenings or a title not being released in certain country at all) and merchandise.
The bigger the company is the better opportunities for gain the title will have.

And yeah, the provided statistics are sus to me...

Spider-Verse movies (2 so far), also fairly popular among weebs.

Spider-Verse movies (2 so far), also fairly popular among weebs.