A strange black book careens down from the sky. Picked up by a young high schooler, he soon learns that this book grants the user the power to kill anyone whose name is written in the book. Faced with this strange and powerful dilemma, the main protagonist Light Yagami must decide how to wield his newfound power.

This is the basic plot for the popular anime show, “Death Note”, produced in 2006 and recently made available on Netflix. Anime shows like “Death Note”, “Naruto”, or “Attack on Titan” have been growing in immense popularity over the past few years in America. But how much do we know about Anime? Originating in Japan, the term anime has widely come to refer to any animation that is made in Japan. Anime also encompasses a wide variety of genres from drama to horror, giving its viewers many options. Because of its unique style and variety, many Americans have fallen in love with anime and keep up with the shows regularly. 

Anime didn’t take root in America until the early 60s when shows like “Gigantor” and “Astro Boy” became popular in a niche way. After this, more anime shows trickled into the US but it wasn’t until the invention of home movies that anime really took flight. These home movies in stores like Blockbuster introduced the general public to anime movies and allowed anime to earn a spot on cable channels during the 90s. As aforementioned, these days classic anime shows can be found on Netflix, as well as Hulu and Amazon Prime which definitely gave rise to its growing fame in America. Anime has no doubt cultivated much excitement and intrigue into American culture, helping all to experience Japan’s masterful shows. 

The recent growth in anime’s popularity has made an incredible impact on the American television industry. Many elements of anime can be seen within animated series that originate from the United States, including shows like “The Powerpuff Girls,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” and “Teen Titans.” These cartoons don’t just incorporate art styles typically seen in anime, but also use similar storytelling devices. An article by Animation Discourse points out that most American shows will feature “formulaic and self-contained episodes,” but anime helped to popularize a technique in which each episode builds upon a larger story arch; this technique was clearly emulated in “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Anime shows also often feature more heavy and complex themes, like death, inner turmoil, abandonment, and violence. American cartoons didn’t really explore these topics before the introduction of anime due to a widespread stigma that animated series was meant for children, but the prevalence of adult-themed cartoons like “Family Guy” and “Futurama” suggests that this perception is changing. 

The rise in popularity of this Japanese art form has been extremely impressive. Despite its foreign origin, anime has earned a place in mainstream US culture and continues to grow to this day. The unique aspects of anime art and storytelling have had a major impact on American media and helped to change public perception of cartoons. Even though anime is just a form of entertainment, its widespread acceptance also has a significant impact on American culture and society. It acts as an ambassador of Asian culture to American audiences by portraying Asian lifestyles, values, art, and language. This increased exposure allows Americans to gain a better understanding of their Asian neighbors and the culture they come from. Hopefully, the interest in these shows can strengthen the bond between the Asian American community and wider American society.