I used to get asked whether anime would ever go mainstream. In 2022, the reverse happened: The mainstream came to anime.

At the end of 2020, I wrote about the anime industry¡¯s surprising resilience in the throes of the pandemic. Two years later, anime is being called the world¡¯s most COVID-resistant entertainment medium: bankable content in disruptive and chaotic times.

While Hollywood struggles to lure audiences back to theaters for anything that¡¯s not a superhero epic or ¡°Top Gun¡± sequel, anime is thriving everywhere you can find it: on cinema and TV screens, video and Blu-ray discs and streaming platforms.