Japanese anime has worked its way into and found a comfortable position within Western viewership. In the modern day, anime releases are often anticipated with the same levels of interest as high-budget movie releases.

After experiencing a slight content drought, the Japanese animation industry returned to full force. Throughout the fall season, a record-setting 44 anime will air on various streaming platforms including Crunchyroll, Funimation and VRV.

Along with the sheer volume of shows, there is an incredible level of variety, both in format and material. Whether a viewer might desire action or romance, a linear or non-linear storyline, there are plenty of standout contenders in any given genre one might be interested in.

Though this explosion in content is definitely a boon to anime watchers everywhere, there are still looming concerns that hang over many viewers’ heads. Most prominent of which is the shift in animation and talent direction which occurs when a show changes hands from one studio to another. 

Alongside that, expectations stemming from hype, consistency, budget and various other worries might make their way around an anime’s viewer base before the show is aired.

While these concerns are understandable, more often than not they will be unfounded as studios and talent have developed enough to the point where such issues can be resolved with relative ease. 

Most studios are equipped with enough money to meet reasonable expectations, voice talent and direction usually translate well through transfers, and most studios are capable enough to hold the standards established by a show’s previous producers.

These recent releases have also been subject to some degree of controversy. Some notable instances of dispute include “Mob Psycho 100’s” recasting due to contract issues, “Chainsaw Man’s” international release being threatened by concerns about the author’s behavior in Japan and “Bleach’s” release in the US being delayed due to copyright disputes. 

In spite of the overhanging shade of concerns and controversies, anticipation for the content boom remains strong. Many viewers are simply there to see their favorite show being continued or their favorite story adapted into animation. Whether or not there is more happening behind the scenes, they do not care.

In many ways, the recent explosion of content represents and reinforces what originally made the Eastern media successful in the West. These new stories are told in unique ways and deliver messages which are uncommon in Western culture. 

This intermingling of different worlds was what paved the way for anime and, by extension, further Eastern values and customs to take root in the Western mainstream.