7 Best Countries That Make Their Own Anime, Ranked

Anime is arguably one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the entire world. As the beloved medium continues to gain popularity and achieve global success through massive franchises, many countries have embraced anime and created their own series inspired by Japanese animation.

While Japan would remain the top nation when it comes to anime, neighboring countries have produced high-quality anime-inspired series that have told compelling stories, introduced unforgettable characters, and resonated with viewers. These countries may not yet rival Japan’s anime industry, but they have plenty of potential to establish themselves as major players in animation.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s) 0/10

Results

0

High Score: 0

—

More Games

7 The Philippines Is Making a Name for Itself in Animation One Step at a Time

The Philippines is an up-and-coming country in the animation industry, thanks in large part to its brilliant animators that continue to hone their craft and contribute to high-quality Japanese anime shows for audiences around the world. Though resources are still limited compared to Japan and other major animation hubs, the country’s talented workforce continues to make valuable contributions to the industry.

Trese and Barangay 143 are just two of the country’s well-known anime productions, delivering Filipino culture and storytelling to international audiences. For a country that has been exposed to Japanese animation for a long time now, it’s only fitting to see the Philippines continue to develop its own animation industry and create more original productions.

6 France Continues to Push Its Animation Industry Forward

Like most of the countries on this list, France has a strong animation industry on its own, with many creators drawing inspiration from Japanese anime. For instance, anime-inspired French series such as LoliRock, Last Man, and the cult classic, The Mysterious City of Gold, prove that France has the ability to blend its signature animation style with influences from Japan.

While plenty of French animated series aren’t well-known around the world, that doesn’t mean they are any less impressive, especially when it comes to their production values and original stories. The country continues to thrive in the animation industry and, just like America, never slows down in collaborating with Japanese production studios to release better shows.

5 Canada Remains a Major Force in Global Animation

Cult classic anime-inspired shows such as Totally Spies, Martin Mystery,and Cybersix originated from Canada, where animators and studios have long embraced Japanese anime as one of their biggest inspirations. To this day, Canada continues to produce compelling animated series that rival Japan’s biggest hits.

For instance, the widely popular animated series Invincible further strengthens Canada’s position in the animation industry. It goes without saying that Canada will continue to expand and improve its animation industry, especially as local studios continue to produce ambitious and internationally recognized projects.

4 South Korea Is Turning Manhwa Into Global Animation Hits

South Korea is yet another emerging country that produces anime-inspired series and movies in the modern era. Known as “aeni,” South Korea’s animation looks quite similar to Japanese anime, from its character designs and animation style to its storytelling. While not as good as Japanese anime, aeni continues to improve over the years.

With the increasing number of manhwa-turned-anime adaptations, there’s no doubt that South Korea will continue to enjoy global attention for its growing animation industry and unique contributions to the medium. However, the country still needs to develop more original productions to further establish its own identity in the industry.

3 China Continues to Challenge Japan in Animation

China has long competed with Japan in the animation industry, producing countless anime-inspired series and movies, otherwise known as “donghua,” that could easily be mistaken for Japanese-made anime. However, the country is also known for producing below-standard shows, with inconsistent animation, uneven storytelling, and rushed production that can hurt their overall quality.

Still, China’s recent animation releases prove that the country’s production studios are getting better in both animation quality and storytelling. For instance, Chinese-made anime like To Be Hero X and Lord of Mysteries flaunt China’s incredibly detailed animation styles, to the point that they can look more visually impressive than plenty of Japanese anime.

2 America Continues to Blend Western Animation with Anime

America is arguably one of the biggest players in the animation industry at the moment. From Teen Titans to Castlevania and Avatar, the United States has long embraced Japanese anime as an inspiration, resulting in countless animated series with obvious references to mainstream anime, popular characters, and even storytelling techniques.

That’s not all, as America often engages in collaborations with Japanese animation and distribution studios, helping bring Japanese anime to a wider international audience. With this, it’s clear that America is one of Japan’s biggest rivals in the anime industry, especially as American studios continue to produce anime-inspired works that attract audiences around the world.

1 Japan Continues to Lead the World in Anime Production

Obviously, Japan remains the undisputed home of anime productions. The country has been consistent in producing high-quality anime series and movies, thanks in large part to the talented animators, artists, and studios that keep the industry thriving for decades. It goes without saying that no country would top Japan in anime production, at least for now.

Every season, anime viewers get to watch plenty of new series and movies from Japan, giving fans an endless selection of stories, characters, and worlds to explore. With smooth animation, strong voice acting performance, and compelling storylines, Japan has no shortage of incredible anime to offer fans.