Anime’s influence on Western superheroes is no longer something that may happen in the future. According to Radiant Black creator Kyle Higgins, it has already happened, and the generation of writers and artists raised on anime is now reshaping how superhero stories are created across comics, animation, and Hollywood.
Speaking on Crunchyroll’s The Anime Effect, Higgins discussed the growing impact of anime, manga, and tokusatsu on Western superhero storytelling. The writer, whose credits include Radiant Black, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Ultraman, Nightwing, and Teen Titans, argued that the creators now entering the industry grew up with Japanese pop culture as a major influence. The episode itself is titled
“How Anime Is Changing American Superheroes ft. Kyle Higgins.”
The Anime Generation Is Now Creating Superhero Stories
Higgins pointed to the changing backgrounds of modern comic creators as one of the biggest reasons anime has become increasingly visible in Western superhero stories. A generation that grew up watching Sailor Moon, Pokémon, and Dragon Ball is now creating its own comics and bringing those influences into mainstream superhero publishing.
“There’s this current generation of up-and-coming writers and artists who grew up on Sailor Moon and Pokémon and Dragon Ball,”
Higgins said during his conversation with The Anime Effect. He believes the impact can already be seen in projects ranging from the Massive-Verse to DC’s Absolute line, as well as animated superhero productions.
“Universes like the Massive-Verse and the Absolute books at DC, with self-contained stories in chronological, numbered volumes,”
Higgins explained.
“We have adaptations like My Adventures with Superman and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. I think it’s already happened. I fully expect it to continue.”
That shift is particularly important because manga and anime have helped audiences become comfortable with tightly structured, serialized stories. Rather than treating superhero comics as an endless collection of disconnected adventures, newer books can emphasize clear reading orders, self-contained arcs, and more accessible entry points.
Manga Storytelling Is Changing the Way Comics Are Structured
Higgins also highlighted the visual influence anime has had on Western comic artists. He said the Massive-Verse has worked with numerous Italian artists who grew up consuming anime and manga, bringing an anime-influenced sensibility to modern superhero designs.
“We work with so many Italians in the Massive-Verse because we love that kind of cel-shaded, anime-influenced look for modern superheroes,”
Higgins said.
The influence extends beyond artwork. Manga has trained many younger readers to follow long-form serialized narratives, creating an audience that values chronological storytelling and distinct volumes. Higgins sees projects such as DC’s Absolute Batman as examples of superhero comics increasingly adapting to those reading habits instead of competing against them.
This evolution could be especially significant as the superhero industry faces growing concerns about audience fatigue. Anime and manga storytelling offer creators different approaches to pacing, character arcs, visual expression, and long-term narrative structure.
Higgins Says Hollywood Should Also Learn From Tokusatsu
Anime is not the only Japanese storytelling tradition Higgins believes Western superheroes can learn from. The Radiant Black creator also pointed to tokusatsu and its long history of practical effects, miniature sets, physical costumes, and thematic storytelling.
“Tokusatsu has this long, celebrated, prideful history of practical effects and a focus on building things for real to do in-camera,”
Higgins said, referencing franchises such as Ultraman.
He also argued that tokusatsu often creates a stronger connection between action, character, and theme. According to Higgins, the genre excels at turning emotional fears and character conflicts into literal threats, creating what he described as a deeper
“marriage between character, story, and theme.”
For Higgins, the growing relationship between anime and Western superheroes is not a temporary trend. The children who grew up watching Toonami and reading manga are now working behind the scenes, and their creative influences are becoming increasingly visible across comics, television, and film.
The next era of Western superheroes may still feature familiar names like Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman, but Higgins believes the storytelling language behind them is changing. Anime has already become part of that language, and its influence appears set to grow even further.
