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Fan response

Anime clubs gave rise to anime conventions in the 1990s with the "anime boom", a period marked by anime's increased global popularity. These conventions are dedicated to anime and manga and include elements like cosplay contests and industry talk panels. Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is not unique to anime and has become popular in contests and masquerades at anime conventions. Japanese culture and words have entered English usage through the popularity of the medium, including otaku, an unflattering Japanese term commonly used in English to denote an obsessive fan of anime and/or manga. Another word that has arisen describing obsessive fans in the United States is wapanese meaning 'white individuals who want to be Japanese, or later known as weeaboo or weeb, individuals who demonstrate an obsession with Japanese anime subculture, a term that originated from abusive content posted on the website 4chan.org. While originally derogatory, the terms "Otaku" and "Weeb" have been reappropriated by the anime fandom overtime and today are used by some fans to refer to themselves in a comedic and more positive way. Anime enthusiasts have produced fan fiction and fan art, including computer wallpapers, and anime music videos (AMVs).

Many fans will visit sites depicted in anime, games, manga and other forms of otaku culture, this behavior is known as " Anime pilgrimage ".

As of the 2020s, many anime fans and followers use social media platforms and other sites like YouTube, Twitch, Fandom, Facebook, Reddit, Discord, Tumblr, 4chan, TikTok and Twitter with online communities and databases such as IMDb, MyAnimeList to discuss anime, manga and track their progress watching respective series as well as using news outlets such as Anime News Network.

According to Crunchyroll's research data from 2023 to 2024 provided by its President Rahul Parini, revealed that there are approximately 800 million people globally (outside of China and Japan) who are either highly aware of anime, show interest in anime or currently watch anime and identify as fans.

According to a 2024 survey conducted on anime fans by Polygon, 65% of the surveyed anime fans said that they find anime more emotionally compelling than other forms of media and more than 3 in 4 of Millennial and Gen-Z fans use the medium as a form of escapism. Almost two-thirds of the anime-watching Gen Z audience said they emotionally connect better with anime than they do with traditional media. Over 50% of surveyed Gen-Z anime fans said that anime influences their identity, fashion and social understanding.

Due to anime's increased popularity in recent years, a large number of celebrities such as Elon Musk, BTS and Ariana Grande have come out as anime fans.