How Japan took over Mexico’s imagination and media market

Despite the powerful cultural influence of American media in Mexico, another nation has held sway over Mexicans’ imaginations for generations. That nation is Japan. The connection between the two countries runs deep, with Japanese television shows becoming a staple of Mexican entertainment since the 1980s.

How Anime First Arrived in Mexico

Japanese TV shows, mostly animated series known as anime, entered the Mexican market primarily due to the low costs of their broadcasting rights. The media landscape in the 1980s and early 1990s was very different from today. There was only a single national network, Televisa, until 1993, when TV Azteca entered the fray. This limited competition meant that executives were always looking for affordable content that could attract viewers

Anime provided the perfect solution. The shows were inexpensive to license, and they offered something fresh and exciting that Mexican audiences had never seen before. The first anime shows to reach primetime in Mexico included Astroboy and Mazinger Z, which were action-packed and aimed primarily at male audiences. At the same time, overly melodramatic telenovelas like Candy Candy became a staple of the childhood of many young girls. These viewers can still recite from memory the litany of disgraces that befell the titular character of that show.

The Second Wave of Japanese Animation

It did not take long for TV executives in Mexico to notice the success Japanese animation was having in their market. They doubled down on the trend, introducing a second generation of content that would cement anime’s place in Mexican pop culture. This wave included Saint Seiya, an at times painfully slow-moving action fighting show very loosely based on Greek mythology. It also featured one of the most successful anime franchises of all time, Dragon Ball.

These shows captured the attention of children across the country. The epic battles, unique characters, and serialized storytelling kept viewers coming back week after week. Dragon Ball, in particular, became a cultural phenomenon that would only grow in the decades to follow.

Parental Concerns and Controversies

But despite successfully catching and maintaining the interest of kids, anime was seen as very foreign by many parents and educators. They saw references to foreign gods and brief flashes of animated nudity as an affront to decency. Some of the most heavily scrutinized shows of this era featured Sailor Moon with more than subtle sexual themes.

Another controversial series was Ranma ½, in which the main character could change his gender to that of a beautiful woman and back again with a splash of water.

These controversies did not stop the shows from airing, but they did spark debates about what was appropriate for children. Many parents worried about the influence of these foreign stories on Mexican youth. Despite these concerns, the popularity of anime continued to soar.

Mexico as a Test Market for Anime

Nevertheless, Mexico continued to get newer anime series well before the United States or Europe. This turned Mexico into a test market of sorts for Japanese content creators. Because most anime series were dubbed into Spanish from the original Japanese, this also meant that voice actors became household names and celebrities in their own right.
Mario Castañeda, who voiced Goku in Dragon Ball, and Paty Acevedo, who voiced Sailor Moon, achieved legendary status in Mexico. Their voices became synonymous with these beloved characters. Fans could recognize them instantly, and they were treated with the same reverence as movie stars.

The Rise of Voice Actors as Celebrities

The dubbing industry in Mexico flourished because of anime. Voice actors developed loyal followings, and their work was celebrated in a way that was rare in other countries. Fans would attend events just to hear their favorite voice actors speak. This unique relationship between voice actors and fans helped deepen the connection Mexicans felt to Japanese animation.

The quality of the Spanish dubs was also exceptionally high. Mexican voice actors brought emotion, humor, and authenticity to their performances, making the characters feel relatable to local audiences. This attention to quality helped anime transcend cultural barriers and become truly beloved.

Anime, Manga, Pokémon, and a Maturing Market

By the time the 20th century was coming to a close, the market for Japanese content had matured. Without easy access to the internet, many kids and now-grown adults started to buy manga, Japanese comic books, to get a leg up on where their favorite stories were going. Many anime series like Dragon Ball Z followed the same plot points as the manga, so fans wanted to know what happened next.

This was also when the Pokémon craze exploded worldwide, forever altering Mexico’s approach to exporting Japanese shows. Pokémon was different from previous anime because it was tied to video games, trading cards, and toys. It created a multimedia empire that engaged fans in multiple ways.

The Expansion into Merchandising and Gaming

In the following decades, the growth in popularity of anime continued in the form of not just television shows or manga. It expanded into video games, apparel, toys, and just about every other piece of merchandising imaginable. Fans could now wear clothing featuring their favorite characters, play video games set in anime worlds, and collect figures and accessories.

The video game industry played a significant role in this expansion. Japanese game franchises like Final Fantasy, Pokémon, and Dragon Quest found massive audiences in Mexico. These games often featured art styles and storytelling similar to anime, creating a seamless connection between the two media.

The Korean Wave and Fan Events

As in other regions, many in Mexico have also developed a love for everything Korean. This includes K-pop groups and Korean fast food. This adoration for everything Japanese and Korean has led to the creation of regularly occurring special events where companies and digital-age entrepreneurs show off their wares.
These events, often called expos or conventions, have become major cultural gatherings.

They feature merchandise vendors, food stalls, live performances, and opportunities for fans to meet one another. The growth of these events reflects the deep and lasting impact of Asian pop culture on Mexican society.

Cosplay and Diverse Fandom

Cosplaying, or dressing up like characters, is very common at these kinds of events. Although one might think this sort of activity would be aimed at just kids or teenagers, this could not be further from the case. One of the most surprising things about these expos is just how diverse the crowds are when it comes to age, gender, and sexual orientation.

Otaku goers tend to be more LGBTQ+ friendly than the average Mexican. The community is welcoming and inclusive, providing a space where people can express themselves freely. This inclusivity has helped the fandom grow beyond traditional demographic boundaries.

The Dragon Ball Phenomenon in Mexico

To give a sense of how big a phenomenon an anime like Dragon Ball is in Mexico, consider what happened during the final episodes of the most recently concluded saga. Town governments across the country opened up their plazas to project episodes as they aired live in Japan.

The atmosphere at these showings was nothing short of electric. Fans yelled as if they were at a World Cup final with Mexico poised to take home the trophy.

Public screenings became community events. Families, friends, and strangers gathered together to share in the excitement. The collective experience of watching these episodes live created a sense of unity and celebration that transcended the television screen.

Though Dragon Ball’s parent company eventually sent out cease and desist orders to stop these public screenings, they almost immediately relented. They realized that smashing fan enthusiasm for their products was likely not a good move. After all, other than Japan itself, the largest viewership market for Dragon Ball is Mexico.

The company recognized that Mexican fans were among the most passionate in the world. Attempting to suppress that passion would only damage the brand’s reputation. Instead, they embraced the enthusiasm and allowed the screenings to continue.


With everything Asian becoming more accessible and en vogue every day, it is unlikely that K-pop stars’ fan worship or viewership of anime in Mexico will slow down anytime soon. Streaming services have made anime more accessible than ever, with entire catalogs available at the click of a button. Social media has connected fans across the country, creating vibrant online communities.

The next generation of Mexican fans is growing up with anime, K-pop, and Japanese video games as a normal part of their cultural landscape. These influences are no longer foreign or exotic. They are simply part of what it means to be young in Mexico today. To that, we say domo arigato.