Hello, Everyone!

Welcome to 2024. As we bring in the New Year, I’ve been reflecting a lot about this blog, the community, and anime, and it’s something I’d like to briefly discuss here. 

Anime and manga have been around United States (US) markets for decades, but it wasn’t until the last decade that it became a mainstream phenomenon here in the US. Once considered a niche interest for hardcore fans, anime has now become part of our popular culture, with anime-inspired TV shows, movies, and merchandise available in a wide range of outlets. I mean, last Summer I saw a clip of anime in an advertisement on a McDonald’s self-checkout stand; CVS carries My Hero Academia action figures; and pretty much every major streaming platform carries some sort of animation title. If that’s not mainstream, what is?

As a slightly older fan, I remember when anime clubs were rare, when liking anime was bordering on social outcasting, and when anime was limited to Adult Swim hours or Toonami. I grew up in that era, just as anime was becoming mainstream but before it had become part of our popular culture. 

I think that one of the things that changed its popularity for the better has been the Internet, particularly the advancement of online streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll. In fact, I remember when Crunchy was a rising piracy website and one of the first to help bring anime to your phone before developing into the anime powerhouse that it is today. 

With the streaming platforms bringing anime to our devices so much easier and in a legal way, you no longer have to relegate yourself to DVD releases and limited cable TV airings to watch your favorite series. Instead, you can watch it almost whenever and wherever you want on a smartphone, laptop, or smart TV. This exposure has become more popular, and it has also become more accessible to people who may not have been introduced to it before or who may have been shown some of the more questionable sides first.

Major retailers now sell anime-themed clothing and accessories, while Funko Pop! and QPosket have released a wide range of anime-inspired collectible figures at a cheaper price than the larger brand collectibles. It is no longer a niche in the US but part of popular culture as day-to-day conversations make references to series like Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Naruto. Just a few weeks ago I saw a few people reference Horimiya––people who would not consider themselves anime fans but do casually enjoy the medium. 

You know what made that possible? Fans. Fan investment in time, money, and spreading the word. Is that not awesome? Is that not the coolest thing to realize as a fan yourself? That even a small level of watching, reading, and purchasing contributed to the wider spread of the media you love? Because I think it is!

Anime has come a long way from being a niche interest for a small group to becoming the mainstream phenomenon in the US we see today. The Internet, social media, and the success of anime-inspired movies and TV shows have all played a significant role in anime’s rise in popularity, but what made those things possible were the fans consuming it all and investing in its growth. With anime becoming more accessible than ever before, it is safe to say that anime is here to stay as a part of mainstream popular culture in the US, and I am so glad that it is!

That being said, we–the editorial team and myself–want to extend a warm welcome to all of you as we embark on this New Year together at The Anime View. As we continue to evolve and find ourselves while developing our blog, we want to express our thanks to all of you reading for your unwavering support and for witnessing our growth.

REMINDER

This is a quick reminder that we will not be keeping up with weekly posting in February and March. We will be completing our delayed editing overhaul instead. Also, during the rest of this month (January 2024), we’ll be posting things we missed from 2023. I think that’s everything…. Well, see you all soon!

Sincerely,

Peggy Sue Wood

Editor, The Anime View

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Copyedited by: Katherine Cañeba | @kcserinlee