Canada is ranked in the top ten countries with the highest anime popularity, having more than 18 million viewers across the nation. With the notable increase of anime fans all over the world, many people wonder why anime is so popular.

Anime is a style of Japanese film and television animation. In recent years, anime has evolved and progressed greatly in production value, ubiquity and popularity.

Anime’s transnationality and particular acclaim in Western countries can be accredited to its diversity as a medium. It pushes the boundaries of the status quo with unique characters and stories. It also expands beyond reality as anime often showcases magic, Japanese tales and superpowers. It also extends beyond usual Western movies and shows, giving audiences a repository of novel plots, ideas and characters.

According to ReviewMoose, Canada places ninth as the biggest market for anime outside of Japan. This is evident in the prominence of conventions and events around the country. Toronto, for example, hosts Anime North, an event which is dedicated to anime, manga, music and other aspects of Japanese culture. More than 34,000 Canadian anime fans attended Anime North in 2019.

Anime has also come to represent and incorporate politics in its storytelling.

Older generation anime series such as Naruto, Cowboy Bebop and Kill La Kill had objectively oppressive female representation. The female characters were repeatedly hypersexualized, given little to no clothing, and were often portrayed as vapid and lacking depth, constantly existing in the shadows of stronger male characters who were invariably positioned as heros and protagonists.

And while it’s not perfect, Anime has since evolved, with many new generation anime series such as Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood all having great female representation. These shows portray strong female characters who are not only physically powerful but also mentally strong and complex characters with depth.

In addition to greater female representation, anime has also evolved to become more inclusive with more racially diverse characters and LGBTQ representation. Many famous anime series such as Banana Fish, Attack on Titan and Gundam 00 showcase queer characters.

The recent rise of anime is due to more people around the world relating to its content, whether that be representation, plots or characters.

“Anime brings me comfort. There is always something or someone I can relate to, and now with so many empowering female characters, I love it even more. I also love seeing the rise of Arab characters,” said Lohiba Jan, an Afghan-Canadian anime fan.

Along with representation, anime has gradually been broadening its scope and genres in order to cater to all fans from different countries, instead of just Japanese-based content.

“Over the past couple of years, the world has evolved in consuming media,” said Dale Shin, a sociology professor of popular culture at Toronto Metropolitan University. “Whereas before television and movies were dominated by Western countries, it is now equally balanced between western and eastern countries. Anime has opened doors to a whole new genre and scope of television.”

Shin explains that although anime originated in Japan, it’s no longer fully Japanese as it now incorporates stories and fairytales from Western media.

“One of the reasons anime has gained popularity is because anime isn’t just Japanese, but it’s not just American either. Anime is what you get when you mash the two together, when you remix them, and you end up with something like anime.”

Anime is now a combination of cultures and mindsets. A new anime series, The Way of the Warrior, has introduced its first Sikh character. It combines Indian and Japanese culture in one series, which has many fans excited.

The Way of the Warrior will revolutionize anime greatly, as it is a true blend of both cultures, with an equal tribute to both countries’ history and heritage. A Japanese anime, inspired by the Sikh warriors, also known as The Akalis of Punjab, India, and Samurai warriors of Japan.

Both the Akalis and samurai warriors were a group of fierce and strong fighters. The Akalis were one of the fiercest groups of warriors in the world. The samurai were the warriors of premodern Japan, and eventually became the highest-ranking social caste of the Edo Period.

With the major popularity of anime in Canada, many Canadian stores such as Indigo, AnimeXtreme and Uniqlo have collaborated with anime franchises. Indigo has recently introduced a manga/anime comic section with a wide range of books, movies and more. Uniqlo has also collaborated with many anime shows such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer and Pokemon producing merchandise and creating themed apparel.

A new wave of anime with a blend of cultures and representation has created many fans all over the world. People have grown an attachment towards the genre.

 “Anime not only makes me happy but also makes me feel at peace,” said Jan. “Whenever I’m going through a difficult time, I watch anime.”