A growing segment of the global anime audience is calling for more diverse storytelling, with significant portions of fans expressing a desire for stronger female leads and more adult protagonists, according to data revealed in a recent research.
A study commissioned by anime streaming giant Crunchyroll and conducted by National Research Group (NRG) reported that 44% of anime fans want to see more strong female leads in their content.
The research was conducted across seven key markets, including the U.S., U.K., India, Germany, France, Brazil, and Mexico, in March 2025.
The study surveyed 29,000 general entertainment consumers between the ages of 13 and 54, a group that included 3,500 anime fans who watch content at least once per month.
The research also found that 38% of viewers are asking for an increase in adult protagonists.
This call for different protagonists comes as the audience for anime itself evolves and diversifies.
According to the research, girls now account for 44% of teen anime fans, with the medium now ready to shed its outdated “boys-only” reputation.
In recent times, The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren: Beyond Journey‘s End are two anime series that have gained worldwide acclaim. Both these series feature female protagonists who are strong and don’t conform to the traditional shonen representation.
The success of these series follow the trend showcased in the research.
Additionally, Crunchyroll and NRG’s study specified that 16% of fans voiced a desire for increased visibility for LGBTQ+ characters.
This call for greater representation is stronger when it comes to anime fans in the United States.
A separate report from NRG in Sept 2024, titled ‘Anime, Ascendant,’ found that nearly 59 percent of US anime wanted to see more racially diverse protagonists in anime.
The reason for an increased demand for inclusivity could also be because how the growing and diverse fanbase wants the medium to resonate more deeply with them.
It is no secret that anime has become a significant part of identity formation for many younger viewers in today’s day and age.
The Crunchyroll commissioned study found that 88% of teen fans considered anime an important part of their identity, and 93% said they were proud to be an anime fan.
Furthermore, the research suggested that the themes common in anime had a tangible impact on its audience. For almost a third of teen fans, the report stated, anime has directly shaped their personal outlook on life by exploring narratives of friendship, resilience, and perseverance.
Naturally as the audience keeps growing diverse, we are bound to see more diverse protagonists and stronger female leads.
For the love of….., the west has ruined comics and now manga is on the chopping block. Please let Manga and Anime stay Japanese, it has already westernized way to much. Go write fanfiction if you want representation of whatever thing you want.
What’s some of your favorite anime/manga out of curiosity?
I agree with these two comments. I am an American and I witness these observations. This is more proof that there are too many chemicals in the water, and our food and diet are under assault by the most evil people to have ever walked this planet. I would take the “go write fanfiction” one step further. With AI, those people now can make their own niche anime on par with any traditional studio, and leave the rest of us alone. I hope the Japanese flip the bird to this and make anime the way they want to. Everyone should go the World Economic Forum website and go see where the corporate push is to flood us with the aforementioned trash media. Animehunch has already published articles in the past year or so citing the editor of “Vinland Saga” and a Japanese lady saying there is much pressure from on up to push these new “views.”
What a bunch of BS. If anime doesn’t have stories or characters you like, then look elsewhere. Stop trying to change everything in a way that makes it the same as every other crappy piece of fiction from the past 10 years. This approach has caused Marvel and Disney to flop time and time again, the same will happen to anime and manga.
Yeah, stop browsing the young adults/teen section of anime and manga and you might find what you’re looking for in your hobby/past time.
I feel those are questions that are just biased nowadays. “Of course” you want more women, lgbt, racial diversity, etc.. It’s the “right thing to do”
Yet, all these kind of stories exist in anime and manga. It’s just that the typical shounen shows, shows meant for teenagers/young men, is what is super popular.
If you go down the path of westernization like this feels like it’s aiming, you’ll take away a lot of what shounen anime fans like: Male characters they can relate to, cute female characters, romance that’s actually focused on what men like, and yes, fanservice. And hell, you know what? Those women watching these shows.. they watch it because they like the way it is right now, today.
Let anime be japanese. Let mangakas and anime studios do what they want, and that already includes all that was pointed out in this article. The medium is growing excessively fast because it’s japanese. The day they bend over and change everything to be westernized, it will be the day anime falls from it’s glorious throne.
This is straight up bullshit. Are you aware of the irony of writing an article like this while including an image of Maomao and Momo Ayase?
And turn it into what Marvel and Star Wars has become? Yeah let’s not. You are basically saying western people should colonize another cultures artform and “make it diverse”. Which actually means make it the same as everything in America, specifically liberal Westcoast America. By the fact that it comes from a different culture with its own unique view and background already makes anime diverse. Also, if you didn’t just focus on mainstream shonen(which literally means young man) then maybe you would find more variety in your anime. Normies are coming in, watching one or two popular mainstream anime, and think the entire medium is just one genre. People are drawn to anime because it is different from western media. Let it be it’s own thing and do the tiniest bit of research and find what you’re looking for.
Yeah, America and other countries just need to leave anime alone. If you don’t like it cause it doesn’t fit your narrative, than maybe anime isn’t for you. Japanese artists don’t need to change anything just because some people don’t like it. Let them do their own thing instead of trying to force your personal ideals and beliefs down their throat.