Six decades of animation. Thousands of studios. Millions of fans rating every show. But when did anime actually peak?
Bhavya, Daniel, Kathy, Leah, Nirupam
Since the 1960s, anime production has grown at an extraordinary pace. What started as a handful of TV shows per year became hundreds by the 2010s, an industry-wide explosion driven by streaming, global fandom, and lower production barriers.
More anime inevitably means more filler, but surprisingly, average scores have held steady or even improved in recent years. Early anime from the 60s and 70s scores lower, possibly due to fewer ratings and different storytelling norms.
Which studio reigns supreme in terms of viewer rating? Does more shows/ more legacy mean better reviews?
Does it matter whether an anime is adapted from manga, a light novel, a game, or made from scratch? The data says yes... manga and light novel adaptations consistently score the highest, likely because the source material has already been proven popular with fans before the anime even airs.
This chart shows anime production count and average score around major world/media events. Use the slider to compare the Netflix anime expansion period and the COVID-19 period. The number of shows released in the netflix early phase are more than that of covid phase. During 2016, Netflix made anime production high through streaming.