Disney Executive Details the Company’s Anime Game Plan

There are few companies that boast the size and power of Disney. For decades now, the company has built itself carefully with a slew of franchises and original outings. From film to television and music, Disney does it all including anime. And recently, one of its top executives addressed Disney’s interest in anime.

The update comes from Mantan Web as the site spoke with Takuto Yahata, an executive at Disney that oversees anime. It was there the official admitted Disney is very interested in bringing more anime to the company’s lineup. But as anime projects come across Disney’s team, Yahata says tweaks may be needed to avoid offending audiences who aren’t very familiar with the medium.

“Japanese anime is now entering a golden age. The size of the market has exceeded three trillion yen and continues to reach new highs,” Yahata shared. Then when asked if anime’s usual tropes would suit an audience as large as the one Disney commands, the executive made sure to hedge their bets.

“I don’t think any major shift has been made,” Yahata stated. “The fundamental storytelling, the precision of the action, etc have not changed, but there may be a shift toward adopting more acceptable expressions. To be seen by many people, expressions that do not hurt or mislead people are a given. That is not a negative thing, but perhaps an evolution… Now that we’re distributing to a larger market with a service that can be viewed by adults and children at any time, our awareness is changing.”

As you can see, Yahata is keeping a finger on the pulse of globalization, and this conversation has become an increasingly loud one in the anime fandom. For decades now, anime has been growing, and technology continues to make the medium more accessible. Years ago, fans fell for anime’s unique charms, but the industry’s recent global push has worried some.

In fact, there are netizens who fear anime will lose its unique charm in order to suit global audiences. As for others, they believe the globalization of anime is a simple evolution of the medium that will add rather than subtract from the industry. It will fall to brands like Disney to sift through that riffraff as new projects come to light.

Do you think Disney needs to invest in more anime? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!