A major anime company knows what American audiences want: more shows with "vampire and zombie themes"

Prolific anime and manga publisher Kadokawa is aiming to crack America and, now, its chief anime officer Daijo Kudo has outlined one of the surprising ways it can grow on western shores.

When discussing Kadokawa's overseas plans in an interview with Toyo Keizai (H/T Anime Corner), Kudo said, "We haven’t done a great job of it yet, but [at] Kadokawa too we must consider producing anime featuring vampire and zombie themes, which are well-liked by Western audiences."

Kudo added, "However, I don’t think there are many shortcuts. We need to create good animation and monetize it in various places, not just through Crunchyroll. Our basic strategy hasn’t changed, so for now, we want to continue on the same path we’ve always followed."

While there are certainly a sprinkling of zombie and vampire anime (Highschool of the Dead and Hellsing Ultimate say hello), they pale in comparison to the more Japan-centric styles of shonen and isekai that populate the medium. Will there be a widespread change in the next few years? Watch this space.

Arguably, anime has never been more popular in the US – and it's not down to the brain-munching undead or garlic-shunning bloodsuckers. Demon Slayer Infinity Castle has already broken pre-sales records before its September release in the US, with the likes of Solo Leveling proving to be a huge draw on Crunchyroll after its own record-breaking performance.

There's plenty more new anime on the horizon too in the coming fall season – including One-Punch Man season 3, Spy x Family season 3, and the Chainsaw Man movie.

Need something new to watch? Check out our picks for the best anime shows around.