The value of media exported by Japan, such as films, anime and manga, rivals that of steel and semiconductor industries, a fact which has been much discussed in recent government conferences. Many people have a keen interest in the content industry as a valuable growth sector. In particular, overseas sales of anime have grown exponentially, with the market size more than doubling over the past decade.In late September, a 27-year-old man from Chile was thrilled with the anime offerings on the shelves of Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba Store in Tokyo’s Akihabara district. He said he loved “One Piece” for the series’ friendships and “Kimetsu no Yaiba” (“Demon Slayer”) for the interesting backgrounds of its characters. A 32-year-old man from the Netherlands beamed as he said he has been watching “Dragon Ball” since he was 10 years old. Still fresh in our minds is U.S. track athlete Noah Lyles doing the Kamehameha pose, the signature move of “Dragon Ball” protagonist Goku, at the Paris Olympics this summer.Now, anime is getting increasingly popular around the world.“The popularity of anime in the United States has entered a different phase,” said Eimi Shimizu, 40, a producer working for Dentsu Inc.’s anime licensing division. According to a U.S. survey the company conducted in 2022, 44% of Gen Z respondents aged 18 to 24 said they watched popular anime. Among them, anime was more beloved than the three major sports in the U.S., including the National Football League.