Code Geass and One Piece Movie: Red Director Goro Taniguchi dismissed concerns about the globalization of anime as the medium increasingly attracts audiences outside its home market.

Anime directors Junichi Yamamoto and Taniguchi recently spoke with CBR in an interview for the new Enter the garden Series. When asked if there was any concern about creating anime for more diverse audiences in an increasingly globalized world, Taniguchi reacted with shock, responding: “Something that makes me anxious?! Absolutely not! From my first work, I never thought that I was creating my work only for the Japanese market, so that’s not something I’ve limited myself to.”

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Japan has long created anime for international audiences

Yamamoto added, “I’ve been to Anime Expo myself. I was at the Azuki event the other day. I saw all the fans looking at Taniguchi-san. You can tell that everyone is in love with anime and there’s just this purity and I love that we have a community like this. For me, it’s about being able to share what we love about anime, without any worries, without any apprehensions.” Taniguchi added that back in the days of Isao Takahata, Heidi, Girl of the AlpsJapan has been creating anime with global audiences in mind, saying it was “nothing special.”

Taniguchi echoed this sentiment in a 2023 interview with Full Frontal. Having directed the beloved sci-fi anime planets, he referred to his pride in the multicultural cast and the changes in the series so that international audiences, not just Japan, would understand. His new Enter the garden The series, with Yamamoto directing Episode 1, is a clear example of the globalization of anime. The series is inspired by the Azuki world, created by the American company Chiru Labs. Chiru Labs also produces Enter the garden alongside Japanese companies Dentsu, qzil.la and Imagica Infos.

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Solo Leveling is a major new example of the globalization of anime

Another example of globalization can be seen in the decisions about which series will be adapted within mainstream anime channels. Crunchyroll CEO Rahul Purini revealed that the company has stepped in to help produce Soil Leveling, noting: “Sometimes, certain stories may not be what our partners (in Japan) would be able to create and produce primarily for Japanese audiences.” This prediction was well-founded, with streaming data suggesting that Soil Leveling was the ninth most watched series in Japan of the Winter 2024 season (ABEMA and Niconico viewing data). Meanwhile, data from MyAnimeList, with an overseas user base of 95%, suggested that the series was by far the most-watched anime of Winter 2024. Soil Leveling was notably dismissed by just 1% from fans.

Half of the anime industry's revenue comes from overseas

The globalization of anime has also been a polarizing topic when it comes to forms of expression. 50% of the anime industry's revenue derives from overseas markets, with Disney's head of anime sparking controversy when he said that more "acceptable expressions" in anime were needed in light of increasingly diverse audiences. Other notable flashpoints include Witch Hat Workshop, whose creator received backlash from a section of readers for including characters with disabilities and people of color. She received additional abuse over a post in which she acknowledged how she was listening to international audiences regarding positive representation, with some saying the appeal of the anime was that it did not cater to Western sensibilities.

Source: CBR