Anime Predictions for 2026
The point of no return
Last year I predicted 2025 would be anime’s inflection point. I was right. Now here’s 2026: the point of no return. The transformation becomes irreversible. Get ready for industrywide henshin (変身 — transformation).
And thus, I share my predictions, below:
1. An Anime Song Charts on Billboard Hot 100 US for the First Time
No anime song has ever reached the Billboard Hot 100 US, but we’ve had a couple songs make waves. YOASOBI’s Idol made the Global 200 and Kenshi Yonezu’s KICKBACK went platinum, yet the Hot 100 eluded both. I’m predicting an anime song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 US this year.
Here’s My Take: With anime’s continued rise, all we need is a big show to have a hot song that pops on TikTok and YouTube, and it can definitely happen. Maybe not to Kpop Demon Hunters-level of success, but I only need one anime song to make the list for history to be made.
2. M&A Consolidation Continues Post-Toho Wave
Toho bought GKIDS in 2024 and Anime Limited in 2025, setting off what I think will be a wave of consolidation across the industry. I’m predicting more anime-related M&A this year.
Here’s My Take: The industry is still too fragmented. The mid tier needs scale, studios that need capital, and international licensors new ways to monetize. The question isn’t if more deals happen, it’s who moves first.
3. Major Anime/Manga Dataset Deals Finally Announced
We’ve seen Lionsgate do a deal with Runway and Disney with OpenAI. Now it’s anime’s turn. I’m predicting major anime and manga dataset deals this year.
Here’s My Take: AI companies need Japanese data and publishers need new revenue streams and ways to reach consumers. Deals will start small, but grow as trust builds. In the background, the Japanese government continues to push for Japan to be competitive in AI, so don’t be surprised to see Japanese players get data first.
4. A Hollywood Studio Goes All-In on Anime
Sony has Crunchyroll. Netflix is a great place for anime (you’re welcome). But the other Hollywood majors? They’ve mostly watched from the sidelines while anime has become a dominant force in streaming and box office alike. I’m predicting a Hollywood studio to finally take anime seriously this year.
Here’s My Take: At least one major Hollywood studio announces a multi-project anime slate or partners with a Japanese production company in 2026. The viewership is too big from them to ignore. I’m betting on content partnerships rather than M&A (for now).
5. Anime-Related Token Market Cap Surpasses $150M
The current market cap of anime tokens sits well below $50M. I’m predicting the collective market cap grows to at least $150M this year.
Here’s My Take: Forget about NFTs. What we’re talking about are tokens that have utility, whether it’s voting rights, creator support, loyalty, special access, etc. As more players present things for tokens to unlock, we can finally shift away from the “buy a JPEG” narrative and find ways to positively impact anime.
6. Legacy Anime Sites Face 20%+ Programmatic Revenue Decline
Popular anime websites have built businesses on ad revenue, but that model is breaking down in the world of contextual AI. I’m predicting that programmatic revenue on these anime websites sharply decline at least 20% this year.
Here’s My Take: Search algorithm changes can already decimate a site’s ad revenue overnight. Now AI summaries and agentic search will hammer programmatic ads even harder. The saving grace: homepage takeovers and skins still command premiums in the brand space. Expect more emphasis on these premium ad units and paid memberships to stay viable.
7. Theatrical Releases 90%+ Franchise-Dominated
Anime is more popular than ever, but at the box office, it’s been franchises like Demon Slayer and Dragon Ball that have dominated. I’m predicting continued dominance by franchise IP at the North American anime box office to an extreme.
Here’s My Take: Studios follow the money. Franchises with built-in audiences are safe bets. Original theatrical anime is high-risk with rising costs. Look Back and Boy and the Heron were exceptions. Even a surprise breakout won’t change the overall mix.
8. Top-Tier Franchise Launches Official AI Fan Tools
Generative AI is already delighting a core set of anime fans today across many different platforms. I’m predicting that a major franchise embraces generative fan creation and launches an AI fan tool.
Here’s My Take: Top anime franchises already have massive fan creator communities participating in their fandoms. A large set of anime fans do not want to see generative AI in official things like shows and merchandise, but I firmly believe that a tool for fan creation for non-commercial use is going to break the ice. This will just be the evolution of fanfics, cosplay, fanart, etc.
9. North American Convention Attendance Hits 2.5M+ Turnstile
I estimate North American anime and anime-adjacent convention attendance passed 2 million in 2024. But anime demand keeps growing. I’m predicting we hit 2.5M+ turnstile convention attendees this year.
Here’s My Take: Just a modest ~12% CAGR, in-person experience for anime just keep getting bigger. Anime Expo and other top conventions are already overflowing, so as they and their peers expand, regional conventions continue to launch and expand everywhere. Whether it’s Disneyland, travel, or anime conventions, the growth for in-person experience coming out of the pandemic seems unending.
10. Anime/Manga on Roblox Surpasses $1.75B
Roblox generated $1.2B in anime/manga-related gross consumer spend in 2024 (source: Gamebeast data). I’m predicting it hits $1.75B in 2026.
Here’s My Take: That’s roughly 20% CAGR, which might be aggressive for other forms of gaming, but not Roblox. The confluence of Gen Z and Gen Alpha with the rise of anime makes Roblox the ultimate growth area for anime in gaming. Roblox grows and the amount of games grow (especially IP deals), so the top line does as well.
Looking At 2026
I’m excited for what we can do as an industry this year. With all this change comes opportunity. I may not hit 100% on these predictions, but directionally I’ve shown that I can see where things are headed. Use these insights to be part of the transformation.
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