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Anime has shown steadily rising viewership among the Gen Z demographic. A key factor in this massive growth comes from two major reasons, one of which is the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shutdown many countries saw.
After being quarantined for an extended period of time due to the pandemic, many people gave in to peer pressure and gave the medium a try. This appears to be true across generations, from US Gen Z to the millennials, the demographics that have driven most of the medium's overall expansion in recent years.
Another key factor in the expansion of the medium's audience is the success of shows like Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer, which have encouraged new audiences to give anime a shot. WordFinder recently conducted a study that found nearly all members of Gen Z watch anime, giving the impression that the genre is more popular than ever.
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69% of US Gen Z members are anime fans, according to the latest WordFinder survey on subtitles, subtitled media
The WordFinder survey in question focused primarily on subtitled media in all its forms, focusing on domestic and international accents, and general American subtitle preferences. This led the survey to dive into the anime medium, arguably the most popular subtitled television format in America amongst Gen Z and otherwise.
The section of the survey began by establishing that Americans are 50% more likely to watch the medium subbed versus dubbed. Later on in the section, results on the question of why participants preferred their series subbed over dubbed were shared. Those results are compiled below:
- 58% said “Words and phrases get lost in translation”
- 48% said “Voice and lip disconnect in dubbed content”
- 34% said “More genuine emotional emphasis”
- 22% said “It aids in language learning
- 20% said “Character mannerisms"
The most noteworthy portion of the survey’s anime-centric section was the revelation that 69% of Gen Zers watch anime. Millennials came in at 57%, with Gen X at 40%, and Baby Boomers at a surprisingly high 23%. While it’s shocking to learn that more than 2 in every 3 Gen Zers watch the medium, the Baby Boomer numbers are also surprisingly high considering. The survey's total sample size was 1,000 Americans, with the breakdown by generation found in the tweet above.
The survey also asked respondents which series they found more enjoyable when subbed. The most popular answers were Attack on Titan and Dragon Ball Z at 34%, followed by Naruto at 33%. This was followed by Death Note at 31%, Demon Slayer and Spirited Away at 30% each, the original Dragon Ball series and My Hero Academia at 29% each, and One Punch Man and Cowboy Bebop at 27% each.
Be sure to keep up with all anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
