Is Anime Mainstream Now?! | MCM Comic Con Panel

Is anime mainstream now...and what does it mean if it is? We got to record our "Anime in the Mainstream" panel live on the Creator Stage at MCM Comic Con London (May 2026), and had a fun, wide-ranging conversation about this moment anime is having right now, and what mainstream recognition means for a new generation of viewers. With Hollywood and global platforms paying closer attention than ever, we dig into the upside (bigger audiences, bigger budgets, bigger cultural impact) and the big question underneath it all: does the spotlight help anime thrive, or risk changing the culture that so many people enjoyed under the radar? Nigel was on hand to moderate the discussion, and we also open things up for an audience Q&A at the end, with questions from the room on favourites, trends, and the impact of anime music too. PANELLISTS Nigel Twumasi (Moderator) Lara Callaghan (WIP Comics) Vittorio Deluca (Forbidden Planet) Marta Camilo (Lego Group) Marcus PJ Tan (Gaming the Mind) 🎶 PREFER AUDIO? Listen to the podcast version here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/prof... --- 📺 MAYAMADA SOCIALS 📺 Visit our website: https://www.mayamada.com Follow us on Instagram:   / mayamadatv   Check out our TikTok:   / mayamadatv   Join us on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mayamada.com