3 Must-See Anime Made Outside Japan
Anime may be Japan’s signature export, but a wave of global hits is crashing the gates—international creators are nailing the look, rhythm, and ethos, and fans are all in. These non-Japanese series echo classic anime style while carving out their own space, and the industry is taking notice.
Anime is technically a Japanese industry term, sure. But plenty of series made outside Japan borrow the look, pace, and storytelling rhythms so well that fans lump them into the same conversation anyway. Labels aside, a few non-Japanese titles have gotten big enough that they sit comfortably next to the usual suspects. Here are three that absolutely earned that spot.
-
The Daily Life of the Immortal King (2020–)
Rooted in Kuxuan's web novel, this is a Chinese donghua that kicked off in 2020 with Li Haoling directing. Season 1 came from Haoliners Animation League; later seasons brought in PB Animation and Liyu Culture. Even with its Chinese language and origin, it leans hard on story beats and visuals anime fans will recognize instantly. It blew up online on platforms like bilibili and through international streaming, a nice little proof point that donghua can go toe to toe with Japan's output.
-
Castlevania (2017–2021)
Developed for Netflix by writer Warren Ellis and produced by Powerhouse Animation Studios, this one premiered in July 2017 and ran four seasons through 2021. It adapts Konami's Japanese video game, but the show itself was developed and written outside Japan with international teams running production. The vibe is unmistakably anime-adjacent: dark fantasy tone, serialized arcs, and a taste for operatic violence. When it hit, it felt like a quiet flex that Western studios could deliver anime-style storytelling that plays globally. The mature themes, cinematic fight work, and slick animation landed with Western critics and anime fans alike.
-
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008)
Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced at Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Avatar first aired in February 2005 and ran for three seasons. It is very much an American series, openly inspired by East Asian and Inuit cultures, and it spawned multiple kinds of adaptations over the years. The show borrows plenty from anime visually and in how its action is choreographed (lots of martial arts influence), then layers in deep worldbuilding, strong plotting, and real character growth. The result: massive crossover with anime audiences and, arguably, the most famous non-Japanese 'anime' show on the planet.
Call it anime, anime-inspired, or something in between — whatever label you pick, these three earned their place in the conversation.