Why Are Anime and Manga So Popular in Europe and the USA? Posted Mar 18, 2022
Anime and manga are not entirely for kids alone. Regardless of your age, it is certain there is an anime or manga out there that would blow your mind away. These Japanese animations are not entirely based on sci-fi and fantasy either as they both span as wide as any genre you can think of. Since its introduction to the global market, the wonder of Japanese Animation has become so popular that you can find anime themes at the highest paying online casino Australia. However, some of them are made for adult viewers and readers only, while the other genres are suitable for kids too. In this article, you will understand the reasons why Anime and Manga are so popular in Europe and the USA.
Anime and Manga Are Culturally Universal
In the 1990s, Japanese media industries decided to make the production of Anime and Manga culturally universal as they were ready to go beyond the shores of the Asian market. However, to make their Animation production more enjoyable for the foreign market, they had to tone down the Japaneseness of their products. Non-Anglophone European countries like the Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany had animation cultures of their own but still were open to accepting foreign animations. So, it was easy for the Japanese media to excel in their local markets.

The United States was however a tough nut to crack because Japanese animations can not be in high demand if they are not produced to suit the tastes of Americans. Therefore, the Japanese media still required a learning curve to be successful in the US even though they made their manga and anime culturally universal. However, in recent decades Japanese animations have been in high demand in the United States. They became a success in the American market due to the willingness of the Japanese media to produce manga and anime to the taste of Americans.
Global Distribution Networks
The same learning curve used by the Japanese media in the 1990s has been passed down to modern-day publishers. In the sense that they are always tasked to meet the demands of their readers. Japanese publishers are eager to work with local comic publishers to build global distribution networks. This distribution network makes it possible for manga to be accessible to potential readers easily.

Also, manga publishers obtained international licenses for translations in different languages, and that improved the global sale of manga. For instance, in France, comics have a long tradition and are a very respected form of art to the locals. Therefore, the manga was easily accepted by the French locals once it was translated to French. There are more than 10 established French versions of local manga distributors, and lots of manga comics have made their way into France from Japan. Manga gained more ground in the French market as local publishers combined Japanese and French comics tradition to create la nouvelle manga. This type of manga has been a trend in France since its creation.
Additionally, Germany also has its local version of manga distributors. The first German version of manga magazines was specifically published to satisfy boys, while the second version was published to meet the satisfaction of female readers. Today, the trend of manga is beyond phenomenon in Germany as Japanese animations are big business. Other parts of Europe like Spain, Italy, Poland, etc., all have their local versions of manga as well and are fast-growing.
Furthermore, the demand for manga has been high in the US over the years. Therefore, to meet the demands of American readers, there has been an increase in manga licensing publishers and the production of comics. An example of manga licensing publishers in America is the massive anime company Funimation. This company specializes in the dubbing and distribution of Japanese animations. Thus, the English version of manga comics is known as graphic novels in the United States and has been made available all over the country.
Conclusion
Anime and manga are popular in Europe and the USA because they are made culturally universal to satisfy viewers and readers. Therefore you do not have to understand the Japanese language and culture to enjoy Japanese animations. Regardless of your nationality and personality, there are lots of products out there in your language that would suit your kind of entertainment.
Also, there are lots of Japanese animations selling fast in local stores across Europe and the United States. So, you can dig into the vast number of manga and anime products to enjoy the wonders of Japanese animations.