Animation Round Up
July Edition
Welcome back to your monthly animation digest! July was a month of quiet resilience and creative breakthroughs. While the industry continues to navigate economic shifts and the influence of AI, the global animation community is finding new ways to thrive. Let’s explore the highlights from each continent, streaming platforms, and the world of comics and books.
Global Overview: Growth Amidst Recovery
The newly released VFX & Animation World Atlas 2025 Edition reveals a nuanced picture of the industry. After a 9.3% growth in late 2024, the first half of 2025 saw a 7.6% contraction, resulting in a modest 1% net growth. London, despite losing around 500 jobs due to studio closures, remains Europe’s most prominent animation hub, trailing only Los Angeles and Mumbai globally. Encouragingly, UK tax incentives—now offering up to 39.25% net rebate for smaller productions—are beginning to stimulate new bookings and studio confidence.
North America & U.S. Platforms
Kaiju No. 8 (Season 2)
This highly anticipated anime debuted on July 19 on Crunchyroll, continuing Kafka Hibino’s journey through the 'Kaiju Weapon Arc' and 'Compatible User Arc'. Expect darker themes, new kaiju and characters, sharp emotional stakes, and some incredibly crisp production values.
The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball (Hulu/U.S.)
A reboot of The Amazing World of Gumball, premiering late July, will be exclusively on Hulu. After a five‑year hiatus, Gumball returns with the blended visual style and absurdist humour fans love, tackling modern themes like AI and social media in its surreal world.
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League (Max/U.S.)
A new DC anime film released July 3 exclusively on Max, this sequel fuses samurai‑style action with Batman mythos, continuing the stylised 'Batman Ninja' universe. This is an exciting blend of animation styles.
