The Japanese director Tomohiko Ito, known for helming the famous franchise Sword Art Online, made a statement that is sparking debate in the global entertainment industry. In an interview with the website Daily Shincho at the beginning of January 2026, Ito stated that Japanese animation has the real potential to replace traditional Hollywood films as the main force in the global market. For him, recent events, such as the writer and actor strikes in Hollywood and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, accelerated this movement, creating a space that anime knew how to occupy masterfully.
Thanks to this combination of factors, the genre exploded in popularity in recent years, consolidating a success that had been built over decades by icons like One Piece and Naruto. The director highlighted, therefore, that the major turning point occurred in 2020, when the Japanese company Aniplex acquired the streaming giant Crunchyroll, bringing the content to an even larger audience. Therefore, Ito’s statement does not come out of nowhere, but reflects a solid trend gaining more strength each year.
Local Success Versus Global Appeal
However, despite believing in the global power of anime, Tomohiko Ito presents an important warning for creators. He argues that focusing excessively on so-called “global appeal” can be a direct path to failure. This happens because, often, what the Japanese believe will please the international audience simply does not work, creating a cultural disconnect. On the other hand, the director also comments that Western viewers, especially in the United States, often make mistaken assumptions about the Japanese market.
Ito cited, as an example, the emphasis on “political correctness” in America, which leads to the belief that only Japan still produces works with girls in skimpy outfits in battles, something considered strange in North America. This clash of perceptions is crucial to understanding the different receptions. An emblematic case of this was the first season of Chainsaw Man, acclaimed by Western audiences but received coldly in Japan, where some fans considered it a bad adaptation.
Thus, the discussion goes far beyond a simple optimistic prediction. It touches on the core of how entertainment is created and consumed in an increasingly connected world, yet with profound cultural differences. With anime’s popularity constantly on the rise in Brazil and worldwide, Ito’s words offer rich material for reflection on the future of screens, whether in cinema or streaming, throughout this year of 2026.
