The Next Big Anime Rival Might Not Come From Japan

China’s animation industry is booming. In 2025, it earned $3.54 billion in ticket sales, according to the Global Times. While China has a massive domestic audience and millions of streaming viewers, its animated content – known as donghua – is now gaining popularity worldwide. Demand for these series and films is higher than ever, and the increasing quality of Chinese animation is positioning China as a serious competitor to Japan in the global anime market.








