São Paulo — From the days when it occupied open television mornings to its massive consumption on streaming platforms, anime has left behind the image of a product reserved for specific groups and is today among the most watched titles by fans of pop culture.
The commitment has also changed. For this audience, watching is not enough: the series spark debates among friends, encourage themed collections and organize large events, where cosplayers fill arenas and compete for space to see their favorite voice actors up close.
However, success in Brazil is not recent. Since the 1990s and 2000s, titles like Dragon Ball and Naruto have cultivated generations of fans, who continue to consume new content – from action anime to novels and productions aimed at children.
Read also
-
Television
Disney+, Prime Video and more: the new streaming features for 2026
-
Television
Crunchyroll Releases Anime News and Premieres for 2026
-
Sao Paulo
Demon Slayer: How Malicious Links Stole Anime Fans’ Data
-
Television
Moonrise: discover the charming anime arriving on Netflix
3 pictures
Close the modal.
1 of 3
Luffy, from One Piece. was a balloon in the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2025
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy’s, Inc.2 of 3
Naruto characters on stage for fans to take photos
Paco Freire/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images3 of 3
Dragon Ball Goku Figure
Elena Aquila/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
For Rodrigo Bravo, language professor at ESPM, anime consumption in Brazil is a phenomenon “which has ceased to be episodic and has become structural”. According to him, the country has moved from a culture driven by “television chance” and “semi-clandestine communities”, such as fansub forums, to a scenario in which anime is fully integrated, driven by streaming and digital media.
The expansion of the anime catalog on streaming services – like the genre-focused Crunchyroll and Netflix itself – has made these productions much more accessible to Brazilian audiences, which has also helped increase their presence in entertainment.
“It is common to find people who have never considered themselves anime consumers but know who Luffy (from One Piece) is or who have already seen an episode of Demon Slayer and recognize the aesthetic of colored hair and have scattered references from different works,” Rodrigo pointed out.
5 images
Close the modal.1 out of 5
Scene from Demon Slayer – Infinite Castle
Reading/Sony2 out of 5
Scene from Netflix’s One Piece
Casey Crafford/Netflix3 out of 5
Scene from Demon Slayer – Infinite Castle
Reproduction/Sony4 out of 5
Luffy from One Piece wearing the Lakers jersey
Reproduction5 out of 5
Scene from Demon Slayer – Infinite Castle
Reproduction/Sony
Anime consumption in Brazil
Data published by the research company National Research Group (NRG) on anime consumption shows that this type of content is watched every week by 59.8% of Brazilians. The country has also become the country that consumes the most anime outside of traditional markets like China and Japan, which popularized these productions.
For Roberta Fraissat, marketing director of Crunchyroll in Latin America, one of the main elements of Brazilian consumption of this type of content is the search for novelty on social networks. Additionally, she points out that anime stories can reach audiences of different ages.
“This relationship of good stories creates an emotional connection, whatever the age, whatever the gender. So I think that’s what people are looking for today: good stories to entertain themselves,” he emphasizes.
5 images
Close the modal.1 out of 5
Crunchyroll had an exclusive panel at CCXP25
Fabio Piva/Crunchyroll2 out of 5
Crunchyroll hosted a great reunion of Brazilian voice actors during a panel at CCXP25
Fabio Piva/Crunchyroll3 out of 5
Nyvi Estephan presented the Crunchyroll panel at CCXP25
Fabio Piva/Crunchyroll4 out of 5
Crunchyroll Fan Gathering Zone at CCXP 2025
Fabio Piva/ Crunchyroll5 out of 5
Crunchyroll booth at CCXP25
Fabio Piva / Crunchyroll
Who is the public and what do they like to consume?
NRG data shows that 54% of Gen Xers and 51% of Millennials have been watching anime for more than a decade. Young audiences are also fully integrated into this universe: 52% of Generation Z worldwide say they “love” or “love” anime.
The reasons that attract audiences the most are the quality of the animation (37%), the endearing characters and relationships (35%), and the creative stories of the series (34%).
The phenomenon is not limited to the screen, however. The market considers fans to be a loyal and highly engaged audience, especially when they consume products related to the works they follow.
The Geek Power 2024 survey indicates that 68% of fans consider it important to cultivate their passion for anime, 66% purchase clothing inspired by the series, 62% invest in figurines and collectibles and 52% participate in themed events.
In retail, the impact is clear, according to William Pinheiro, director of FANLAB. “The fan base is very loyal. When they see a One Piece or Demon Slayer product, they go crazy to buy it. They love consuming it and feel connected to the stories in a much more intense way than other pop culture fans,” he says.
*The journalist went to São Paulo at the invitation of Crunchyroll.
About The Author
