Anime has become one of the largest segments of international series on Russian streaming platforms, attracting millions of viewers and expanding well beyond its traditional audience of teenagers and young adults.
According to Kinopoisk, more than 8 million Yandex Plus subscribers watched anime in 2025. The trend has continued in 2026, with 7.1 million subscribers watching anime on Kinopoisk since the beginning of the year, 2.5 times more than during the same period in 2025. The platform has also introduced a dedicated anime section.
Research by Mediascope confirms the genre’s strong appeal among younger viewers. Seven of the ten most-searched professional video titles among teenagers were animated productions, including four anime titles. Anime also appeared among the most popular searches by adult audiences, with «Jujutsu Kaisen» and «Hell’s Paradise» making the list.
Anime is also gaining ground in Russian cinemas. In 2025, «Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle» generated approximately RUB 45 million during its first week of release. Russian distributors are increasingly bringing both new anime films and restored classics to cinemas, reflecting the commercial potential of Japanese animation.
Theatrical distributors are increasingly bringing both new anime films and restored classics to Russian cinemas, reflecting the growing commercial potential of Japanese animation.
Anime’s influence extends beyond screens. Revenue from manga and Asian novel sales on Russian online book platforms has increased by more than 50% over the past year, reflecting the growing interest in Japanese and Asian popular culture.
With millions of viewers across streaming platforms and a growing presence in cinemas, anime has established itself as an important part of Russia’s entertainment market.