Most anime fans worldwide grew up enjoying Cartoon Network. Viewers most likely returning home and watching some of the best anime shows of all time in the widely popular Toonami segment. This channel helped create millions of fans, with very few media outlets having had the same impact over the years.

Lamentably, Cartoon Network’s future is not looking bright, as the company behind it is going through one of the worst financial years in decades. If the network is forced to close, as many experts believe will be the case, the anime industry outside of Japan would suffer greatly.

Cartoon Network’s Status Is Worrying

The Anime Industry Could Lose One of Its Biggest Tools

For many decades, anime was a form of entertainment that not many children outside of Japan could easily access. While some of the best series were available to enjoy in certain countries, there were still several potential fans who would be unable to watch them. Enters Cartoon Network, a channel that prides itself on its varied content, which includes an extensive anime catalog. Its special segment, Toonami, was particularly effective at getting viewers into the genre, even those unaware of the fact that they were watching anime.

Over the past few years, with the rise of streaming platforms, channels like Cartoon Network have struggled to stay afloat. This issue has done nothing but worsen recently, with the company’s financial reports indicating that there is not much time before they are forced to shut down operations. Experts like the team behind Bloomberg have claimed that the network has reached its final moments. If these reports are accurate, which seems more likely with each ing day, anime culture would suffer a major hit.

Cartoon Network took it upon itself to bring many forms of entertainment to the world, not focusing exclusively on American-made content. Its Toonami broadcast is responsible for generations of fans who first entered this amazing world thanks to its catalog. If Cartoon Network closes, the industry outside of Japan would see a drastic decrease in its influx of followers. While there are many other ways for fans to enjoy their favorite shows, such as Netflix, which has become the go-to streaming service for anime, this does not diminish the tragedy.

Streaming Is Great, but Cartoon Network Was Iconic

The Channel Was Something Special

As technology advances, more and more genres of entertainment have stepped away from traditional TV and have opted to their catalogs to a streaming service. Anime has been no different, with plenty of options for fans to enjoy the best modern shows the industry has to offer or go back down memory lane to a classic. Streaming services like Crunchyroll and Netflix, have gained control over the genre outside of Japan, being the main platforms used to watch anime. Even though this has facilitated life for fans, it has also worked against newcomers.

With channels like Cartoon Network, possible followers of the industry did not have to go out of their way to search for an anime they could enjoy. They were allowed to tune in and learn about a completely new form of entertainment. Streaming sacrifices this idea for commodity, giving those who are already fans a more comfortable experience, but making it harder for people not into anime to give it a chance. The end of Cartoon Network will not only be a huge loss for the animation industry, but it could also result in new anime fans being reduced.

The Industry Will Have To Adapt

There Will Need To Be New Ways To Reach Potential Audiences

Although hard to it, it has become clear throughout the years that the era of TV networks is reaching its end. Streaming services have become the norm, taking over the entertainment industry and becoming the focus of the companies behind them. Anime will have to adapt if it wishes to maintain its influence over the international market, and, likely, the industry is already working on a solution. In the past couple of years, Japanese animation has become a dominant force for Western audiences.

Each new year, the industry continues its boom and makes billions of dollars in profit. This might be due to the increase in ments, social media posts, and general knowledge about anime becoming more prevalent within pop culture. The loss of a giant like Cartoon Network will be a blow that will take time to heal, more so for fans who grew up with the channel. However, the bright side is that the anime industry will most likely come out of this issue stronger than ever.

Source: Bloomberg.