Why the world is so animated about anime
Japan’s cartoons have conquered its screens, and more
MOST ATHLETES raise their fists in triumph after a win. When Noah Lyles, an American sprinter, won gold in the Olympics 100-metre race in August, he held his hands out in front of him, wrists together and fingers extended, as though getting ready to catch a large ball. The gesture may have seemed odd, but fans of Japanese animation knew immediately that Mr Lyles, an avowed fan of the genre, was making a reference to a popular franchise, “Dragon Ball”.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Who are you calling cute?”
Culture October 19th 2024
From the October 19th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Angela Merkel sets out to restore her reputation
But her new memoir is unlikely to change her critics’ minds
The best books of 2024, as chosen by The Economist
Readers will never think the same way again about games, horses and spies
What to read to understand Elon Musk
The world’s richest man was shaped by science fiction
Tech and religion are very much alike
They both have gods, rich institutions and secretive cultures
Woodrow Wilson’s reputation continues to decline
A dispassionate new biography chronicles the former president’s hostility to suffrage
The cult of Jordan Peterson
What the Canadian intellectual gets right about young men