NEWS

2026.02.26

【Report】The AJI Global Symposium 2026 was held! Exploring the World of Globalizing Anime

On Wednesday, February 11, 2026, AJI hosted the AJI Global Symposium 2026, titled “Co-Creation of Our Future Values and Directions: Visions of the Ritsumeikan Model of Asia-Japan Research.” With over 100 participants, the event was a great success. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who attended.

Poster for the AJI Global Symposium 2026

Professor Toshiyuki Takeda, Deputy Director of the Ritsumeikan Asia-Japan Research Organization, served as the general moderator for the event. Before the symposium began, Yoshio Nakatani, President of Ritsumeikan University and Director of the Ritsumeikan Asia-Japan Research Organization, delivered the opening remarks. In his speech, he reaffirmed the role of the Asia-Japan Research Institute (AJI) as a “Gateway for Asia-Japan Research.”

President Yoshio Nakatani delivering the opening remarks

Professor Toshiyuki Takeda, the general moderator for the event

First, we welcomed Mr. Essam Bukhary (CEO of Manga Productions and CEO/Editor-in-Chief of Manga Arabia) to deliver the keynote speech titled “The Future of Manga and Anime for Younger Generations: Cultural Exchange between Saudi Arabia’s Content Industry and Japan.” Drawing on his experience studying in Japan, Mr. Bukhary now plays a leading role in the Saudi Arabian anime and content industry.

Mr. Bukhary began his speech by recounting his journey to study in Japan and the cultural exchange relationship between Saudi Arabia and Japan. Having grown up with Japanese manga and anime since childhood, he offered concrete examples of how this culture is expanding in today’s Saudi Arabia, citing initiatives such as manga training workshops, the production and distribution of manga magazines, and various competitions. Through these activities, interest in manga and anime is steadily growing, particularly among the youth. Furthermore, Mr. Bukhary emphasized that Saudi Arabia is rapidly evolving into a major market within the global animation industry.

Mr. Essam Bukhary delivering the keynote speech

During the Q&A session following the keynote speech, the discussion primarily focused on the differences in content acceptance arising in terms of religions and languages. Regarding this point, Mr. Bukhary emphasized that content production and distribution must go beyond the simple binary of Islam versus others, stressing the importance of being sensitive to a wide range of religious and cultural differences and diversity.

The second part of the symposium featured a panel discussion titled “Globalization 3.0 of Anime: Cross-border Production Networks and Diverse Acceptance in the World,” chaired by Professor Shinji Oyama (College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University).

To begin the session, Professor Oyama outlined the importance of capturing the current reality of the cultural and creative industries, emphasizing that production is no longer confined to a single country, but instead takes place within complex international networks.

Professor Shinji Oyama serving as the chair for the panel discussion

The first panelist, Associate Professor Stevie Suan (Faculty of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies, Hosei University), delivered a presentation titled “Globality of Anime: Transnational Cultural Production.” In his presentation, he pointed out that the view of anime as a culture unique to Japan has been dominant, and that regional studies have also adopted this perspective. However, despite the thriving anime content in Japan, its production process is no longer confined to a single country. Rather, specific animated scenes are produced in Southeast Asian countries, and works are created as final products through such networks. Therefore, when discussing the “globalization of anime,” it is necessary to go beyond the perspective of the dissemination of content from Japan to overseas and adopt a view that sees Japanese-style animation, or “Anime,” within a global production network.

Associate Professor Stevie Suan delivering his presentation

The next presenter, Professor Akiko Sugawa (Graduate School of Urban Innovation, Yokohama National University), gave a presentation titled “Acceptance of Anime-related Contents in Nordic Countries: Poly-localization of Anime by Young People.” Professor Sugawa has conducted field research focusing on “2.5D culture” (2.5-dimensional culture) as a key concept. “2.5D” refers to the space or phenomenon formed between “2D” (anime) and “3D” (reality) by fans who consume the content. A prime example of this is the practice of fans cosplaying as anime characters.

Based on interview surveys with young people, particularly women, in Nordic countries, Professor Sugawa introduced her research on the various forms of anime reception. The study revealed how fans embrace anime as a unique culture of their own while navigating personal challenges, such as the gap between their LGBTQ identities and dominant gender norms in their home societies, or past experiences with bullying. This highlights a context of diverse “localization” that goes beyond the simple framework of Japanese anime being consumed in other countries. Furthermore, it offers a different perspective on the common image of Nordic countries as leaders in gender equality.

Professor Akiko Sugawa giving her presentation

The final presenter, Associate Professor Ryotaro Mihara (Cultural Anthropologist, Faculty of Economics, Keio University), delivered a presentation titled “The Possibility of International Co-Productions of Japanese Anime in Asia: Local Looks at China, India, and Saudi Arabia.” Building on the perspective of international anime production networks introduced by the first speaker, Professor Suan, Professor Mihara focused on how international collaboration is conducted from an anthropological viewpoint.

Professor Mihara’s key point was that as the globalization of anime production progresses, Japan is no longer the sole center of these networks. Instead, a system is emerging in which Asian countries are creating their own original animated content through these networks. A notable example is “The Glassworker,” produced in Pakistan using a “reverse-engineering” approach to animated production. While the film adopts character designs reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, it is remarkable for being produced in a context entirely independent of Japan. Interestingly, while the film gained global recognition through subscription-based streaming services, it was not initially released in Japan and only reached Japanese audiences through a successful crowdfunding campaign.

These developments show that the landscape of international anime production has shifted significantly. Professor Mihara characterized this global trend by proposing the concept of “A-kon Wa-sai” (亜魂和才; Asian Spirit, Japanese Techniques), a play on “Wa-kon Yo-sai” (和魂洋才; Japanese Spirit, Western Techniques), which once guided Japan’s modernization. “A-kon Wa-sai” describes the current situation where anime expressions, long spearheaded by Japan, are now evolving independently in diverse ways aligned with local contexts. Today, not only are various countries producing their own original anime works, but anime-style character images are also becoming a steady part of daily life, appearing on street signage and in public spaces.

Associate Professor Ryotaro Mihara delivering his speech

Each presentation highlighted the importance of addressing both international and local contexts to understand the current state of anime production and reception. Following the individual reports, a panel discussion was held. The debate covered several key issues, including how to define “Japanese-style” anime within a global context, the role of digital platforms in contemporary anime distribution, and the emerging gap between international hits and those successful within the Japanese domestic market.

View archives of previous AJI Global Symposia here: https://en.ritsumei.ac.jp/research/aji/global/archive/