The Rise in Anime: From Cartoon to Commercial
Japanese-based cartoons hit new levels of re-emerging popularity during the pandemic.
Ever since the beginning of lockdown, anime has made its reappearance on the big and small screen. This is no surprise because the coronavirus (in its earlier stages) brought boredom to people around the world. I happened to be one of those people.
I believe that a part of this surge in anime comes from the shows people have watched when they were children. Shows such as “Pokémon,” “Beyblade,” “Yu-Gi-Oh!,” and “Bakugan” were core animes for newer generations. Anime is a highly general topic suited for most, if not all age groups.
In terms of preference, anime can be watched in most languages. However, anime generally falls into two categories… Dubbed and Subbed. Dubbed anime is directly translated from its Japanese origin; and subbed anime means that the anime itself is in Japanese, but the subtitles are in the language of one’s choice.
Ever since anime rose to popularity decades ago, merchandise sales from desired shows skyrocketed. As seen on Tiktok, many people put stickers from well-known animes onto their car windows. These are widely known as “peeker stickers.” Generally, these stickers can range from six dollars to around $15-$20 depending on the material.
On a greater note, anime is constantly transferred from screen to shirt. Low notoriety street brands such as Catori Clothing create anime T-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts for an affordable price. Since anime still continues to rise in popularity, one may want to purchase anime clothing to make a statement. They are also great conversation starters too.
Whether it’s the emotion in the actors’ voices, the animation style, or mere plot of the story, anime will still continue to rise. What started as a Japanese-based cartoon became a heavy influence for viewers of most age groups.
