By Aqeel Khan
At university halls and student flats, students are increasingly dividing their viewing time between two dominant forms of entertainment: Western superhero franchises and Japanese anime. While both remain widely consumed, they are being watched in different ways, shaped less by genre loyalty and more by access, convenience, and platform availability.
My take on this debate.
The global anime industry has expanded rapidly in recent years, becoming a major entertainment sector valued at approximately $37.7 billion in 2025. Forecasts suggest this could exceed $60 billion by the early 2030s, driven by streaming platforms, international licensing, and merchandise growth. The anime streaming market is expected to more than double by 2030, reflecting its widening global reach.
Platforms such as Crunchyroll, which now reports an estimated 13–15 million subscribers worldwide, have played a key role in this shift. Alongside services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, they have helped move anime from niche fan communities into mainstream entertainment consumption.
Series including My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen have benefited from this accessibility, reaching global audiences through simultaneous releases and large online fan communities that extend beyond Japan.
Here is an example of superhero and anime media and they currently are.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Trailer
Spiderman : Brand New Day Trailer.
Student viewing habits, however, are shaped as much by practicality as by popularity.
Joe Sandfield, a 20-year-old NHS accountant, said anime appeals because of its storytelling depth and scale. “Anime is so awesome… yeah (laugh) don’t really need to say any more,” he said. “My favourites are probably Demon Slayer and Black Clover.” He added that superhero films still appeal but feel more restricted. “Yeah, superheroes are cool too, but they have so many more limits because they’re live action and they take so long to come out.”
For others, anime can be difficult to commit to due to time demands. Danny Bretton, 28, said: “Anime is so cool, I’m trying my best to get into it but it’s so long,” he said. He added that convenience often influences his choices: “I am tending to lean towards more superhero-based content, more because it’s easier to consume even if there isn’t the same level of story as anime.”
Superhero storytelling is also evolving in response to changing audience expectations. Series such as Invincible have helped shift the genre towards animated formats and more complex narrative structures, incorporating stylistic elements more commonly associated with anime.
POP heads are a multi-million dollar company invested in merchandise for both Anime and Superhero media.
Rather than competing directly, the two formats appear to be developing in parallel. Students are increasingly choosing content based on how easily it fits into their viewing routines rather than committing to one genre over another.
This reflects wider changes in entertainment consumption, where streaming services have normalised binge-watching and long-form storytelling while increasing access to a wider range of global content.
As a result, the distinction between anime and superhero media is becoming less about rivalry and more about convenience and choice, with viewing habits shaped by access and time rather than loyalty to a single genre.
