Key conclusions
- The popularity of anime varies between Japan and the US due to cultural differences.
- The US tends towards story based anime, Japan prefers characters.
- Availability and airtime affect the global popularity of anime.
If an anime that is gaining significant popularity in your country doesn't get a second season, chances are it wasn't popular in Japan. The opposite is true; the anime you hate continues to get season after season despite not being loved in your country, and most likely being very loved in Japan. While Japanese anime studios usually influence a few blockbuster international successes, most depend on Japanese audiences to influence manga adaptations and anime sequels.
That's why Anime News Network, colloquially known as ANN, released a report on last season's anime trends between the United States and Japan to examine the differences in anime popularity, recurring genres, and other key data over the summer. This report also examines the differences between the two countries that may account for these trends. Data analysis was conducted by Miles Atherton of White Box Entertainment, an anime-focused marketing company.

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Japan Favorite: Oshi no Ko Season #2
Reincarnating Idol anime dominates mainstream Japan
While the first season was popular in both countries, the second season seems to only be popular with Japanese audiences. Oshi no Ko is so popular in Japan that “none of the July anime has even half the viewership Oshi no Ko in Japan,” according to a report by ANN. While the hype may have died down between seasons, the difference in popularity in America's love of Oshi no Ko is intense. So why is there such a difference between the two countries? Two words; cultural differences.
The first season focused mostly on a broad vision of idol culture. While this is not the case in the United States, American anime fans have usually learned enough about idol culture through anime and other Japanese media to understand and empathize with what they see on screen. Oshi no Ko. However, the season changes that and focuses on the stage adaptation of the manga. English-language productions are not particularly popular with American audiences. Creating a season based on Japanese stage culture is a whole different beast.
Favorite USA: Alya sometimes hides her feelings in Russian
Sweet America in Student Council
The most popular anime in the United States has been taking a quieter and more intimate approach over the last anime season. Although it was the most popular anime of the season, it doesn't particularly have as big a gap as Oshi no Ko made in comparison with the popularity of viewers between the two countries. The report notes that during the decade that Atherton has been analyzing the industry market, the United States has gradually come closer to what Japan has to offer.
Alya sometimes hides her feelings in Russian it's a pretty straightforward romantic comedy. There is nothing embarrassing about this in Japan, as it is also quite popular there. But there is nothing in it that “screams” for an American viewer. The last anime season as a whole showed that there is more and more comedy in America's most popular anime than in the past when America focused exclusively on shounen. Latest hits like Spy x family and Kaguya-sama: Love is war also lean towards this hypothesis.
General trends between countries
Here's how to predict which anime will be popular in each country
Regarding the current anime season and future anime seasons, how can we predict which anime will become popular in a particular country? There are a few things we can look at:
First of all, cultural differences. Most anime that focus on specific Japanese cultural elements, as noted in the Oshi no Ko Season #2 sections tend not to be successful outside of Japan. The same can be said for American-made anime; in Rick and Morty the anime was watched by more than three million people in the US. However, it didn't go down so well with the Japanese due to their lack of knowledge of the original Rick and Morty to show
The report also notes as a possible predictor that American audiences prefer plot-driven anime, while Japanese audiences prefer character-driven anime. This is why slice-of-life anime tends to do well in Japan with even minimal plot, but slice-of-life usually needs a special twist or a solid plot to succeed in America. On the other hand, the old trend of American-centric shounen still prevails to some extent due to the fact that Americans like fun or engaging storylines, even if the anime features two-dimensional characters or very little filler.
Another factor that tends to dictate popularity trends is where the anime is available. In Japan, anime is mostly watched on television. This means that anime that premieres outside of school or during office hours will do much better than during odd hours of the day. Getting a primetime TV slot, which is primarily a matter of funding or expertise, can mean the difference between an anime's popularity. This usually means that anime from new studios will not be seen by Japanese audiences regardless of quality. How Anime News Network Miles Thomas Atherton says;
“I believe that this analysis represents a step in the slow convergence of tastes and preferences of the global anime community. What is Japanese is far less foreign to American viewers than it was to previous generations, and Gen Z's love of subtitles is a huge asset for the future of anime in this country. A few exceptions like Rick and Morty: The Anime or Tower of God might be extreme, but I have no reason to believe so. they are representative of wider trends”
However, in the US, anime is watched mostly on streaming services. An anime's popularity can depend heavily on the streaming service it's on when it first airs. If it's anything outside of Netflix or Crunchyroll, its popularity can be a hindrance; what the report said also contributed to the lack of popularity Oshi no KoAmerican audience.
Anime trends will change over time, but it's interesting to see what mainstream anime is now around the world. Knowing this can also allow us to see what anime might be trending in the future and if it will get a second season. However, this does not determine your taste; you can watch the anime you like regardless of your country of origin.
Source: ANN

Oshi No Ko
Oshi no Ko is an animated supernatural mystery series about a gynecologist named Hora, a huge fan of an idol he takes care of as she prepares to give birth to her children. After an obsessed idol worshiper kills Hora, he is reincarnated as her newborn son – but with him, an incurable patient he knew is reincarnated as his twin sister. Many years later, after another seemingly connected murder, Goru (now known as Aqua) decides to enter the world of idols and find the culprit.
- Seasons
- 2
- On the basis
- Manga
- Number of series
- 24
- Streaming service(s).
- HIDE IT
- Rating MyAnimeList
- 8.61 (Season 1)