Toei Animation's general manager has publicly stated that anime is no longer exclusively Japanese, signaling a potential redefinition of the term as the studio pursues global co-productions rooted in local cultures.
Toei Animation general manager Asama Yosuke told Variety at Cannes that the era of anime being made only by Japanese people is over. The remark, from a senior executive at one of anime's foundational studios, rejects the long-held industry definition that anime must be Japanese in origin. Asama said the studio aims to create works rooted in local cultures with creators worldwide.
The statement signals a potential shift in the industry's self-definition, coming from a studio that has been central to anime's identity for decades. The comments were made in May 2026, the same month that the studio's flagship series One Piece saw Roronoa Zoro sweep all eight regions in the weekly results of the One Piece World Top 100 2nd character popularity poll. Zoro overtook Monkey D. Luffy, who had led the midterm rankings. The data covered votes from April 27 to May 3, 2026, with final results set for One Piece Day '26 in August 2026.
The two stories do not directly connect, but together they show Toei Animation operating on two fronts: publicly redefining the boundaries of anime while its longest-running property continues to generate fan engagement through a global poll. No other stories in the cluster address the studio's production slate, financial performance, or internal changes.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
Toei Animation general manager Asama Yosuke told Variety at Cannes that the era of anime being made only by Japanese people is over, saying the studio aims to create works rooted in local cultures with creators worldwide. The remark from a foundational studio executive signals a potential shift in the industry's self-definition.
Roronoa Zoro has taken first place in every region in the latest weekly results of the One Piece World Top 100 2nd character popularity poll, overtaking Monkey D. Luffy who led the midterm rankings. The data covers votes from April 27 to May 3, 2026. Final results will be announced at One Piece Day '26 in August 2026.