On the Shoulders of Giants

Is anime's global dominance a sign of quality and business acumen — or a total fluke of blind luck?

“Streaming giants battle for anime supremacy,” reads the dramatic title of a recent Japan Today piece. Over the last five or so years, Japanese animated content has emerged as the fastest-growing genre on American streaming platforms. As a result, the anime industry has exploded like never before, to the tune of an estimated three trillion yen in 2022. 

…