All the News and Reviews from Anime Expo 2026

Akane-banashi, Gachiakuta, Sonic the Hedgehog and Japan's Global Strategy

Walking into a panel called “Why Japanese Content? Why now?” at Anime Expo 2026, you would think that by the end of it you'd have a sense of why anime and game content from Japan, especially those centered on Japanese culture, were resonating more and more with audiences.

That wasn't the question the panelists answered, though. Three representatives from different corners of the Japanese entertainment industry made a case for how the approach to content is shifting, but it was less about the content itself and instead focused on how the industry is making it easier for audiences to connect with it. That's proving to be a key driver of success.

Japanese culture has had appeal beyond its own shores for decades. That hasn't changed. Even the rise in popularity of neighboring Asian countries' cultures might suggest that Japan's star had dimmed, but the appetite for Japanese content remains as strong as ever.

Tatsushi Yamada of TV Asahi, Sei Matsumoto of Dentsu, and Shuji Utsumi of SEGA all represented three very different parts of Japan's entertainment industry, and they all described versions of the same strategy: getting closer to overseas fans. Doing so makes it easier for fans to engage with Japanese content, unlocking growth and extending its reach.

The first case study came from Yamada of TV Asahi. The company co-produces and broadcasts numerous anime series, and is taking a new approach with the anime Akane-banashi by releasing episodes of the show on YouTube in three languages. This has increased the audience the show can reach, and the data they're seeing has been illuminating.

That doesn't sound particularly new or surprising until you consider that the show focuses on rakugo, a centuries-old form of storytelling performance art. Its nuances may be lost on much of the audience, but people are still tuning in and engaging in the comments, expressing curiosity about the art form.

In response, TV Asahi has doubled down. They're reading and responding to comments, engaging with fans on social media globally, holding overseas premieres, and generally committing to bringing it to audiences outside of Japan. The key takeaway here is that nothing about the content itself has changed. Akane-banashi is still as unapologetically Japanese as it gets. The difference is that, instead of dismissing it, TV Asahi saw its value and leaned in. The barrier wasn't the content itself, but access to it.

The next example came from Sei Matsumoto of the global marketing agency Dentsu. Specifically, the campaign they ran leading up to the release of Gachiakuta Season 1. Importantly, Matsumoto didn't focus on ad impressions or paid media; instead, they focused on a shared story that fans, partners, and regional teams could participate in. They called this community-building effort the “Gachiakuta World Takeover”.

This campaign became the driving narrative that guided every aspect of how they generated hype for the show's release, from outdoor installations and digital ads to live events and partnerships worldwide. By making fans feel closer to the creators and framing it as part of a community or movement, they created a shared sense of excitement. It became more than simply distributing a product.

By getting closer to those audiences through events like AX and their worldwide campaign, Matsumoto and the folks at Dentsu realized “[it's] not about telling the market about what Japan wants to sell, but understanding local fans and growing IP together with them.” This suggests a shift toward a strategy that's less a one-way street and more of a two-way relationship between Japanese content and fans.

Finally, Shuji Utsumi of SEGA took the mic to share how the company embraced its Sonic the Hedgehog fan community as collaborators and ultimately pulled the languishing brand out of a slump. It was that passion among its fans that convinced SEGA to adopt a more community-oriented strategy across its projects.

Now, SEGA is seeing the dividends of nurturing that relationship. Influencer collaborations are driving up trailer views. SEGA superfans like Thundercat and James Fauntleroy are generating buzz. Utsumi attributed the company's recent success to trusted voices and authentic relationships rather than top-down messaging. “Fandom creates more fans.”

Utsumi suggested that showing up at conventions like Anime Expo was a significant, and perhaps the most important, part of their more community-forward strategy. It wasn't until Utsumi visited AX himself that he learned to appreciate that the best way to understand overseas fans is to engage with them directly at events like Anime Expo, not from a conference room thousands of miles away.

These three companies represent different parts of Japan's entertainment industry: broadcasting, marketing, and games. Yet they all shared stories about listening more closely to audiences, showing up at events where fans gather, and making their content easier to engage with. The case they made was less about Japanese content itself than about helping audiences connect with it.

So, why now? COVID accelerated industry trends that were already in motion. The shift in how media reached people and how they engaged with it was now primarily digital. Streaming became the norm. Fandom became global. Companies are finally realizing that treating overseas markets as an afterthought is a missed opportunity.

What's striking is that none of the panelists chalked it up to simply translating more shows or spending more on marketing. The common thread was that enabling fans to participate in Japanese entertainment and feel like they're a part of a community is the emergent strategy.

Not every company has caught on. There are still plenty of companies that take a "we know what's best for you" approach. But hearing the same message from representatives of SEGA, Dentsu, and TV Asahi suggests that at least some corners of Japan's entertainment business are beginning to think differently.

SEGA's Utsumi put it best: “It's more compelling to hear about a game being cool from your friend than from the company.”