7 Anime Series That Are Huge Outside Japan (and the Figures to Start Your Collection)

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Living in Japan, it’s always interesting to see which anime actually break through overseas versus which ones stay mostly a domestic favorite. These seven are the ones I consistently hear about from friends and readers abroad — and a figure recommendation to go with each one.

1. Naruto
   One of the earliest anime to build a massive Western fanbase, thanks in large part to international TV broadcasts in the 2000s. Its story of an outcast ninja working his way toward recognition and leadership still holds up as a gateway series for a lot of overseas fans.
   [Insert affiliate link: Anime Heroes Naruto Uzumaki figure] —https://www.amazon.com/Anime-Heroes-Naruto-Uzumaki-Action/dp/B0846PF1CB?tag=shinnitiwa-20

2. One Piece
   Now one of the best-selling manga and most-watched anime franchises in history, One Piece’s pirate-adventure setting and enormous, decades-long story have built one of the most loyal global fanbases in anime.
   [Insert affiliate link: Anime Heroes Monkey D. Luffy figure] —https://www.amazon.com/ANIME-HEROES-Bandai-America-Monkey/dp/B08LKR47BN?tag=shinnitiwa-20

3. Attack on Titan
   This series crossed over hard into mainstream Western pop culture in the mid-2010s, helped by its darker tone and mystery-driven plot about humanity fighting for survival behind giant walls. It’s often the series non-anime-watchers have still heard of.
   [Insert affiliate link: McFarlane Toys Eren Jaeger figure] —https://www.amazon.com/McFarlane-Toys-Attack-Jaeger-Collectible/dp/B01GTNP010?tag=shinnitiwa-20

4. Demon Slayer
   The film and TV series became a genuine box-office phenomenon internationally, driven by its striking animation style and emotional core story of a boy trying to save his demon-turned sister.
   [Insert affiliate link: McFarlane Toys Tanjiro Kamado figure] —https://www.amazon.com/McFarlane-Toys-Slayer-Tanjiro-Kamado/dp/B0CMVVDSJ5?tag=shinnitiwa-20

5. My Hero Academia
   A superhero-genre anime that landed at exactly the right time to appeal to Western audiences already primed for superhero stories, while adding a distinctly anime take on the “school for heroes” concept.
   [Insert affiliate link: Amazing Yamaguchi Deku figure] —https://www.amazon.com/ANIME-HEROES-Jujutsu-Kaisen-Satoru/dp/B0BNKM3QCD?tag=shinnitiwa-20

6. Jujutsu Kaisen
   One of the biggest modern breakout hits, combining fast-paced supernatural battles with a large, well-loved cast. It’s become one of the most-cosplayed and most-figure-collected series among younger overseas fans in the last few years.
   [Insert affiliate link: Anime Heroes Satoru Gojo figure] —https://www.amazon.com/ANIME-HEROES-Jujutsu-Kaisen-Satoru/dp/B0BNKM3QCD?tag=shinnitiwa-20

7. Dragon Ball
   The franchise that arguably introduced entire generations of Western viewers to anime in the first place. Even decades later, it remains a foundational series that most other shonen anime are still compared against.
   [Insert affiliate link: Dragon Stars Goku figure] —https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ball-Super-Stars-Hero/dp/B0BLJ6PY3M?tag=shinnitiwa-20
   A note on the links: these are official licensed figures from well-known figure lines, chosen as approachable starting points rather than expensive high-end collectibles. If you want to go deeper into any of these series, I’ll cover more advanced figure recommendations (scale figures, Nendoroids, etc.) in future posts.