"One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy joined the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade floats, the latest Demon Slayer film earned $780 million at the worldwide box office in 2025, and the animated musical KPop Demon Hunters (though not technically anime) became the most-watched original Netflix movie of all time. As someone who had no one to talk to growing up during the days of Naruto and Dragon Ball Z, it's tough to even process that the genre has reached mainstream status around the globe."
"But here we are, in 2026, with Netflix announcing that half of its entire subscriber base now watches anime. Hell, in the next few months, KPop Demon Hunters will likely win both a Grammy Award and an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. So, if there's any motto for anime this year, it's to keep the hype train chugging along. Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren, One Piece, Bleach, and many of the most popular titles in anime return for new seasons."
Anime reached mainstream global prominence by 2026, evidenced by high-profile cultural placements, blockbuster box office totals, and record streaming viewership. One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy appeared as a Macy's Parade float while Demon Slayer earned $780 million worldwide in 2025. The animated musical KPop Demon Hunters became Netflix's most-watched original movie and is positioned for major awards. Netflix reports that half of its subscriber base now watches anime. Major franchises such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren, One Piece, and Bleach are returning with new seasons. MAPPA's animation work continues to influence modern anime aesthetics and production approaches.
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