How Popular Is Anime In Japan, Really?
Millions of people worldwide consume anime every day. But how prevalent is it in Japan itself? The answer: not as much as some international fans would like to believe. Anime: Japan’s geek gateway drug For millions around the world, anime is their first exposure to Japan, Japanese culture, and the Japanese language. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Anime acts as a powerful “gateway drug” to the Japanese language and culture. People learn Japanese, make Japanese friends, and even move to the country because they’re current or former anime fans. I’m no exception. I discovered anime in the 1980s when I happened upon Robotech . After I learned the show was a wild fusion of three original Japanese anime, I went down the rabbit hole to see what else was out there. Sadly, at that time, there was little available in translation. I made do with VHS tapes off of satellite of shows like Dirty Pair and Gatchaman that I bought off of people I found in the back of the Comics Buyer’s
