Sword Art Online Director Says Anime Is ‘Entering a Difficult Time’ Amid Political Correctness in America

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As a huge anime fan, I’ve seen firsthand how incredibly popular shows like Demon Slayer, Frieren, Chainsaw Man, and Jujutsu Kaisen have become worldwide over the last ten years! But it’s a little worrying to hear Tomohiko Ito, the director of Sword Art Online, express his concerns that anime still faces big challenges in the US, and he thinks a lot of it has to do with the current political situation here. It’s frustrating to think something as fun and creative as anime could be held back by that!

Ito recently shared his concerns that creating completely original anime will become more challenging after 2026. By ‘original anime,’ he means shows not based on existing properties like manga or novels. He believes studios are increasingly prioritizing projects they think will be most popular with international audiences.

It’s really frustrating because it drastically narrows down what kinds of projects get the green light. Studio execs often play it safe, focusing on stories that won’t cause any political controversy here in the US or abroad. It feels like we’re missing out on a lot of potentially amazing content because of it!

Japan’s Anime Industry Is Now Beholden to U.S. Tastes, According to Hit Isekai Director

The United States is now a major consumer of anime, and has been an important part of the anime industry for decades. Following a surge in popularity during the 1990s, anime became widely recognized as mainstream entertainment, leading to increased production around the mid-2000s.

American audiences tend to be less accepting of anime that features strong sexual themes or imagery, like those commonly found in ecchi or harem series. According to Ito, this is due to stricter standards of political correctness in the United States. He suggests Americans might see Japan as the last place where content considered unconventional or revealing in North America is still produced, such as action scenes with characters in revealing clothing.

Since the late 1990s, action and fantasy anime adapted from manga published in Shonen Jump have been consistently popular on American television. Well-known series like Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece are prime examples. The Shonen Jump brand and its associated shows continue to resonate with American audiences, including popular groups like “The Big Three,” the “Power Generation,” and the “Dark Trio.”

In 2025, Demon Slayer was the biggest hit in Shonen Jump history, smashing box office records around the world. Released in the U.S. in September 2025, the film earned an incredible $70 million in its opening weekend – the most ever for an anime film or foreign movie in America. By mid-November, it had become the first Japanese film to reach over $1 billion globally.

Ito recognizes the huge popularity of Demon Slayer, but worries this success might be making Japan less open to new, original animation – even within series that already exist. He points out that in the past, many anime weren’t directly based on manga, but were instead created uniquely by the animation teams themselves.

Beginning with the One Piece film Strong World, the creators have shown a growing dedication to faithfully adapting their source material. It seems like, starting with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Train, they understood that fans would be most satisfied with a high-quality, direct animation of the original manga.

Ito believes Japanese animation studios are currently avoiding risks, both creatively and politically, which stifles the development of original ideas. He argues that taking chances is essential for nurturing talent, explaining that screenwriters need real projects to improve – simply practicing isn’t enough. They need opportunities to work and gain experience.

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2026-01-09 20:38