U.S. And Global Expectations Push Anime Stories To Diversify

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentU.S. And Global Expectations Push Anime Stories To DiversifyByKalai Chik,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Kalai Chik is a L.A.-based writer covering animation and Asian media.Follow AuthorJun 04, 2026, 08:00am EDTNEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 19: Director Hiroshi Nakamura speaks during The Eminence in Shadow 2nd Season Panel at Anime NYC - Day 2 at Jacob Javits Center on November 19, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for AMC Networks)Getty Images for AMC NetworksAnime companies are seeking other genres to fill a gap left by the end of the golden era of isekai anime as production is set to decrease.Kadokawa, one of Japan’s largest entertainment conglomerates, acknowledged overreliance on the fantasy subgenre as a factor for a decline in its domestic publication business, as shown in its recent earnings report. Isekai—translated as “different world” as a character is transported to an alternate world—anime production began its upward spike in 2021 as the company touted the genre’s potential at a TIFFCOM seminar that same year. Now, five years after its rise, domestic and global audiences are ready to move on. Bar chart of new Isekai anime titles per yearKalai ChikQuantity Over Quality TitlesAs a publisher, producer and promoter, Kadokawa has the competitive advantage. The company can easily identify popular series by novel book sales before a title receives a manga adaptation. Then, it can extend a franchise’s promotional lifecycle by pushing marketing for the different existing formats as it expands to the next medium. From the beginning of a novel’s publication to its manga or screenplay adaptation, the conglomerate had a foolproof media model along with an endless pit of content. Yet, Kadokawa now admits this led to a lack of diversity and a “decrease in novel projects and taking on new genres.” Despite its investment to create more bestsellers, this ende...