Tomb Raider ‘Anime’ on Netflix Sparks Intense Debate for One Particular Reason

A Tomb Raider animated series is set to premiere on Netflix in the near future, but the decision to market it as anime has sparked a heated debate on social media.

Netflix has officially revealed that the Tomb Raider anime series, featuring Hayley Atwell as the voice of protagonist Lara Croft, will be available on their streaming platform starting on October 10, 2024. The show is being produced by Powerhouse Animation Studios.

The label of being an anime on X/Twitter has sparked disagreement among many observers, leading to a debate on the evolution of this term in English-speaking regions.

The ‘TOMB RAIDER’ anime will release on October 10 on Netflix.Starring Hayley Atwell as Lara Croft. pic.twitter.com/Z1wxSAsoVJ

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 1, 2024

“Once again, I want to express my strong dislike for the use of ‘anime’ as a blanket marketing term for adult animation in the western market. The idea of everything being ‘anime-inspired’ feels like a form of appropriation, which is becoming increasingly unsettling,”remarks a user.

“According to another user, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Tomb Raider cannot be classified as anime. They suggest that it would be more appropriate to refer to them as animated shows inspired by Japanese styles, but nothing more.”

According to another X/Twitter account, the discourse surrounding cartoons has shifted significantly in the past 30 years. Initially, there was a belief that cartoons were only for children, which then evolved into the notion that Japanese cartoons were inferior. However, opinions have now changed and Japanese cartoons are seen as awesome. Furthermore, there is a new trend where Western cartoons are labeling themselves as anime to indicate their quality.

This is a topic that has been consistently debated for quite some time. In the early 2000s, there was a noticeable increase in the number of animated shows that were heavily influenced by anime. Shows such as Jackie Chan Adventures and Xaolin Showdown were clearly inspired by the style, and Avatar: The Last Airbender marked a significant shift in American animation’s embrace of Japanese aesthetics.

Netflix has pushed the boundaries even further by categorizing franchise spin-offs like Tomb Raider, Castlevania, Blood of Zeus, and Terminator Zero as anime. While these series are predominantly created by American and British teams, some may argue that true anime only refers to animation originating from Japan and other Asian countries. Therefore, these productions may not fit the strict definition of anime.

The practice of using anime to indicate high quality is fueling cynicism, as it could be perceived as a type of cultural appropriation. By labeling it as an anime, Netflix may be attempting to avoid the perception of Tomb Raider as simply a cartoon, but this approach is creating negative publicity in a different manner.

Ultimately, anime is a form of media and not a brand. This conversation could suggest that Netflix cannot rely on the connotations of a single word to promote themselves positively.

Regardless, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is set to release in October, and we also have a curated selection of the top anime movies currently available on Netflix for your enjoyment.