Mass Communicator

Japanese animation, or ‘anime’, is making global landmarks with its steady growth into the mainstream, in spite of its humble beginnings as a ‘cult favourite’. Although Japan's mass culture has long prevailed in many parts of Asia, little has been said about why and how anime appeals to Asians. This study aims to fill this lacuna, as it puts forward the hypothesis that ‘cultural proximity'is the main reason for much of anime's popularity among Asian viewers. It situates the localisation of anime in the context of global flows and audience reception studies through a semiotic analysis of anime programmes. The study finds that anime does not propagate homogeneity, rather it depicts hybrid, occi-oriental cultural icons, values and practices, to better appeal to local, plural Asian audiences.