Is Pokémon the most famous anime in the world?

[WolfMan]

I'm not sure Pokemon is the most popular one but it is defo very close. I mean I don't think I have ever met someone who has never heard of Pokemon.

 

[Dark Heart]

Pokemon is the most famous anime in the world no doubt about it.

 

[Scizor_Technician]

The franchise is definately more famous than DBZ, Naruto, Bleach and other popular animes worldwide, I mean everyone knows Pikachu and Ash Ketchum.
Although I don't think that many people know that the anime is still going on (besides fans of course) in comparison to those that know that Pokemon exists... If that makes sense.

 

[Darthbane2007]

I would say that pokemon is one of the most famous. Nowadays we have much more anime coming in...

 

[☆TobyTse99☆]

In Hong Kong, the TV station gave up buying Pokémon at mid-AG...

Code Geass and Gundam are much more popular here...

BUT there is a forum that seems to be as big as bmgf and with 43197 members (although most of them are said to be "read-only")

 

[ScruffyJedi]

No. Bleach and Naruto have more viewers, and so does Code Geass and Gundam.

Sorry XD

 

[Usagi-Zakura]

No. Bleach and Naruto have more viewers, and so does Code Geass and Gundam.

Sorry XD

Popularity and fame doesn't quite mean the same thing..
You ask any of these Naruto, Bleach or Code Geass-watchers if they know what Pokèmon is... alternatively ask every kid who watches Pokèmon if they know what Code Geass is...

Just because they don't watch it (and hey, Pokèmon isn't JUST an anime) doesn't mean they don't know it, thus making it more famous since everyone knows there's a show about it.

 

[Snake Bandage]

Because of the widespread Pokémania of the late 90s and the many countries it managed to reach, more people worldwide are likely to know about the Pokemon anime than about Naruto or Bleach.

 

[Piplup]

The Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

*laugh*
It's ridiculous enough that people try to say things like Naruto/Bleach are more well known than Poké... but THIS?!...... as if anyone ever heard about that show other than some anime fans...
Also, if we talk about the whole world, I think Poké is much more well known than Sailor Moon... that show never aired in Israel and no one knows about it unless he's an anime fun who watched it on his computer

Personally, I don't think it's the anime itself that's famous, I think it's the franchise as a whole. The anime was only ever popular because of the video games. If those weren't around, there's no way this sub-par anime would have made it past the Indigo League.

...it's completely the opposite, at least as how I see it
Thanks to the anime the games became so well known... without the anime, who knows if we'd get as far as gen 4
When you say "Pokémon", most of the people think about the anime, not the games
Also, it's easy to simply watch the show on TV, unlike the games which you have to buy (or use the internet to play them on computer)
A lot of people probably didn't even hear about the games...

fact cannot be denied: Pokemon is both Popular and Famous.

QFT
No one can argue with how well known (=famous) Pokémon is
And fact is, that it's still popular - a lot of kids watch the show or buy merchandise
If it wouldn't be popular, it wouldn't be here now... seriously, that's extremely ridiculous to say that a show isn't popular when that show constantly aired with no breaks (well, at least in Japan) for more than 10 years and still continue and get dubbed into a lot of other languages
How can it not be popular? why would it continue if it wasn't?
Just because some anime fans watch other shows on the internet and think these are better, doesn't mean anything for the target audience and older fans like me who still like it a lot, more than any anime (or anything else)

Keep in mind knowing Pikachu =/= knowing the anime.

Just because people recognize Pikachu as an icon does not mean they know the anime.

That still prove just how popular Pokémon is, when the mascot is THAT popular
And it doesn't really matter if they know it from the games instead of the anime, which I say is IMPOSSIBLE
It's ridiculous to believe there's anyone who knows Pokémon ONLY as games and never watched the anime or at least heard about it or something...

Oh, yeah, I forgot about Naruto and Bleach. They're just as famous as Pokemon is.

*facepalm*
Yeah, right...

Bleach and Naruto have more viewers,

Eh... no
I'm sure most of the young kids would choose Pokémon over Naruto/Bleach
Not to mention, Pokémon is probably aired at hours more fitting for them...
And Pokémon also has a nice amount of older fans who still watch it too in addition to all the young fans

and so does Code Geass and Gundam.

Yeah, because EVERYONE will know WTF you're talking about when you'll mention these names


Seriously, this thread is ridiculous
Pokémon IS one of the most famous (well known) AND popular (well liked) anime (even cartoon at all, not just anime) and/or video game in the world
"One of" because I don't believe there's a single one thing that is the MOST famous/popular in the whole world...

 

[Ho-oh]

I doubt it, but certainly, it could be one of them.

Let's see. I'm sure DBZ takes the top, followed by Naruto, Pkmn, Bleach, NGE, etc (no order).

Since all those I mentioned are technically shonen and therefore can be easily accessable by a broad audience, it's natural to think they're the most popular.

 

[Shiba]

I wouldn't say the Pokemon anime is the most popular in the world; it would make more sense to say that the franchise is.

Pokemon is a children's anime. It's not as popular as it was early in the decade. And the most popular anime are usually ones that appeal to a wide range of audiences. So I would say no.

 

[Rafia]

I wouldn't say the Pokemon anime is the most popular in the world; it would make more sense to say that the franchise is.

Pokemon is a children's anime. It's not as popular as it was early in the decade. And the most popular anime are usually ones that appeal to a wide range of audiences. So I would say no.

i think the pokemon anime is more popular because almost everyone have a TV,but not everyone own a nintendo console,a computer or internet.most people don't know the games.The anime isn't popular because of the games but the games are popular because of the anime.
pokemon does appeal to a wide range of audience because it is a children's anime if they were like for teenagers or something like that, little kids won't be able to watch it thus making it not so popular.

 

[zel]

I think that Pokemon is probably the most famous, yes.
I mean, think about it. There are a lot of very popular animes out there, but none have the fame that Pokemon does. Even people who don't have the slightest idea what anime is could easily recognize Pokemon, and could even probably describe the basic premise of it. ("that show about kids catching weird monsters in balls, right?")
Whereas if you asked someone unfamiliar with anime to describe Dragonball, they would probably just give you a blank stare.
Here's another good example: In Chem class the other day, we somehow got started talking about Pokemon [don't ask]. The teacher asked how many of us had watched Pokemon as a kid, and about half the class raised their hands. But a few minutes later, even the kids who hadn't raised their hands were chatting [rather jokingly, of course] about their favorite Pokemon. Pokemon is a part of pop culture, even to those who were never "into it".

tl;dr - In terms of the anime fanbase, Pokemon may not be the most famous, but if we're talking the world... Then I believe it is. :]

 

[WindBlast]

Simple question:
Pokemon is TEH most famous anime ever!do not believe me just ask anyone about Pikachu and you'll know!

 

[Kaguya]

Yeah.. I do believe Pokemon is the most famous anime.. At least top3 or so.. I mean, everyone knows about Pokemon, right?

 

[ashita]

Hmmmm i dont know about the most popular anime in the world but i think its pretty certain that its the most famous
i mean you show someone a pikachu in Kazakhstan they know who it is ayou show em in Belize they know who it is

 

[D558]

Nowadays I think it is but before that it was the Dragonball series (orig,Z and eventually GT)

Other well known/recognizable animes that common people may be able to mention include, Digimon and sailor moon.

Even while I knew what anime was those where the only ones I could name until recently ( I hear a lot about that weird Nurato and and other japanese popular anime that are basically just weirdo perv animes bordering on porn) <--The only non-Americanized (ie edited for kids not for older weirdos who either get off on too much blood or little kid porn) anime I have watched would be Chobits

 

[Aladar]

Well, Pokemon is one of the "oldschools"... even someone who hasn't even watched a single ep would probably recognise Pikachu... Pokemon is certainly not the most famous/popular anime but it's still somewhere in the Top 5 at least...

 

[Meitachi]

I believe it's the most well-known to people that don't really know what anime is. For example, when I've attended anime conventions (nerd, yes XD), when strangers ask what's going on and I reply anime, they give me a blank look until I mention, "Oh, it's like Pokemon and other things like that." I can see that light pop up in their head as they recognize the word "Pokemon".

 

[nickstr]

I would have to say in some ways yes but in others no. Its well known to most people but if you walk up to someone and mention May, Max, Dawn, or anyone else who showed up after Johto their most likely response is going to be "Who?" As unfavorable as it might sound that is the case even if these people really did watch the series loyally in the past.