Historians tend to break long periods of time down into smaller segments in order to understand the culture. These days, it is not unusual for us to speak about decades – like the 1970s and 80s for example. We talk about the 1950s as the decade of rock ‘n roll and muscle cars. The 1960s are remembered for flower power and Woodstock. What about the 2020s? Will historians remember them as the anime decade?
Anime has been around since the mid-20th century. But it wasn’t until about five years ago that it started its transition from fringe medium to the cultural powerhouse it is today. If you have any doubts about anime’s influence on modern culture, look no further than the competition between major streaming services. They are falling all over themselves to create, license, and purchase anime content.
Beyond streaming, all sorts of companies are cashing in on anime. Umai is a good example. UmaiClothing is a brand that focuses squarely on the anime community. Their anime T-shirts, hats, accessories, and lifestyle products all boast original artwork created by one of the company’s founders.
The Decade Of Anime
For the 2020s to go down in history as the decade of anime, large portions of the culture have to be affected by it in some way. We are already on that track. Not only are streaming services competing aggressively in the anime space, but advertisers are starting to turn to the medium to reach a younger audience.
Taco Bell is a case in point. They have already produced a couple of anime commercials aimed at millennials and Gen Z. They are not the only ones, either. Everything from energy drink brands to mobile app creators is turning to anime to get their messages out.
Comparisons To Other Decades
It is easier to see the 2020s becoming the anime decade if you look back and note what other decades have been remembered for. So many previous decades are now remembered in the context of pop culture. For example:
The 1970s
Although the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, and America’s conflict with Iran were among the biggest stories of the 1970s, that is not what we remember most about them. Instead, we remember discotheques and big hair. We think of the ’70s with fond memories of bell-bottoms and macramé sweaters. We remember the good things, and that’s okay.
The 1980s
A decade later, disco had died and sugary sweet pop music had taken its place. The 1980s was a decade typified by pastel colors, leggings, and even bigger hair than the 1970s. America was all about peace and prosperity in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
The 1990s
The 1990s ushered in the internet era. That was a big cultural shift, despite the majority of people not realizing just how big it was. In terms of pop culture, America was just being introduced to technology. We were like wonder-eyed kids on Christmas morning.
So much of what we remember about past decades has to do with the pop culture that it affects our daily lives. More serious things obviously affect us too, but they seem more abstract by their nature. That is why we are more likely to remember our favorite movies from decades past than what world leaders said behind a podium.
Who knows? Historians may look back on the 2020s as the decade of anime. Don’t be surprised if that happens. Anime is one of the hottest things in pop culture right now. If that continues for the next few years, anime will define the decade.
