Top 50 Anime & Otaku Influencers in Japan to Know in 2026

Credentials: Founding member of Gainax (established 1984); author of multiple books as a critic · Last post: 27 September 2026.

Okada Toshio, one of the founders of the studio Gainax in 1984 and the author of many books as a critic, has 1.23M YouTube subscribers. Calling himself the “Otaking”, he publishes anime and otaku-culture analysis, cultural criticism and reading-group formats alongside current-affairs discussion, for an audience that follows long-form talk.

Credentials: Career history as a talent, singer and manga artist · Last post: 25 September 2026.

Nakagawa Shoko, a TV personality, singer and manga artist who presents herself as an otaku talent, has 943K YouTube subscribers. Her channel mixes anime and manga talk, tokusatsu references, illustration and merchandise features with her wider career in television and music.

Last post: 27 September 2026.

TERU-chan runs a channel dedicated to anime commentary and ranking videos, with 256K YouTube subscribers. It stays on anime reviews rather than a broader otaku or talent brand.

Last post: 19 September 2026.

This channel reacts to and introduces newly released anime titles on an ongoing basis, with 150K YouTube subscribers.

Last post: 27 September 2026.

A near-daily anime reaction and commentary channel with 19.7K YouTube subscribers. Its posting pace gives a steady presence across the current anime season.

Last post: 25 April 2026.

A smaller anime and manga commentary channel, with 17.2K YouTube subscribers.

Last post: 23 August 2026.

Emirichu makes English-language comedy and vlog videos covering anime, cosplay and Japanese otaku culture, with 3.59M YouTube subscribers. Her audience is English-speaking anime fans, and the channel mixes anime topics with wider comedy and vlog material.

Credentials: Co-host of the Trash Taste podcast (with Garnt and CDawgVA) · Last YouTube post: 26 September 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was a month ago).

Joey Bizinger, The Anime Man, runs an English-language channel of anime commentary, top-ten videos and current-events discussion, with 3.27M YouTube subscribers. He is one of the three co-hosts of the Trash Taste podcast, which reaches English-speaking anime-podcast listeners.

Credentials: Co-host of the Trash Taste podcast (with Joey Bizinger and Garnt) · Last YouTube post: 6 June 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was 3 months ago).

Connor Colquhoun makes English-language comedy built around anime and Japanese-culture themes, with 3.23M YouTube subscribers, and co-hosts the Trash Taste podcast. His main channel is @CDawgVA; he also has a second handle, @ConnorDawg.

Last post: 26 September 2026.

Otaku In Tokyo introduces real anime pilgrimage locations and otaku events in Japan in English, with 50.9K YouTube subscribers. It is an English-language counterpart to the seichi junrei (聖地巡礼) channels in the oshikatsu segment, for overseas fans planning a trip.

Credentials: Voice actor, roles including Tanjiro Kamado in Kimetsu no Yaiba · Last post: 10 September 2026.

Hanae Natsuki, whose roles include Tanjiro Kamado in Kimetsu no Yaiba, runs the largest personal channel of any voice actor here, with 2.19M YouTube subscribers. The channel is built around himself rather than any one role: gaming livestreams and let’s-plays, talk videos and personal updates make up most of its uploads.

Credentials: Voice actor, roles including Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan · Last YouTube post: 1 March 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was 6 months ago).

Kaji Yuki, whose roles include Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan, has 411K YouTube subscribers, the second-largest personal channel in this guide’s voice-actor section, after Hanae Natsuki’s, with his name as the draw.

Credentials: Voice actor, roles including Nadeko Sengoku in the Monogatari series · Last YouTube post: 6 April 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was 8 months ago).

Hanazawa Kana, whose roles include Nadeko Sengoku in the Monogatari series, has 369K YouTube subscribers on her own channel.

Credentials: Voice actor · Last YouTube post: 23 August 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was about 3 years ago).

Ishikawa Kaito has 226K YouTube subscribers on a channel titled with his own name, 石川界人, although the handle does not carry it. His recent posts appear in the channel feed rather than as regular videos.

Credentials: Voice actor and singer · Last post: within the past 2 days.

Touyama Nao works across voice acting and music, with 177K YouTube subscribers and an active upload schedule; her latest post came within the past two days.

Credentials: Voice actor and singer, roles including Uta no Prince-sama · Affiliation: Reported as independent (freelance) · Last post: about 2 months ago.

Aoi Shouta, known for roles including the Uta no Prince-sama franchise, has 100K YouTube subscribers. His channel carries singing performances and talk content, reflecting a career across voice acting and music.

Credentials: Voice actor and singer · Last post: within the past day.

Uchida Maaya works across voice acting and music, with 81.7K YouTube subscribers on her official channel, where the latest upload came within the past day.

Credentials: Singer, known for performing “Shinjidai” (New Genesis) for the film ONE PIECE FILM RED · Last post: within the past week.

Ado has 9.58M YouTube subscribers, the largest channel in this guide. She sang “Shinjidai” for ONE PIECE FILM RED, and her catalogue extends well beyond anime into a broader music career. Public reporting describes her as performing without showing her face.

Credentials: Singer-songwriter, known for “Kaikai Kitan”, the opening theme for Jujutsu Kaisen · Last YouTube post: 28 September 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was 3 months ago).

Eve, the singer-songwriter behind “Kaikai Kitan”, the opening theme of Jujutsu Kaisen, has 5.62M YouTube subscribers. His catalogue includes other anime tie-ins and work beyond anime, and public sources describe him as generally not appearing on camera.

Credentials: Singer-songwriter and utaite (cover artist), with an extensive music-activity history · Last post: within the past 3 days.

Mafumafu has 3.62M YouTube subscribers, the largest channel among the utaite here. The channel mixes his own songwriting with cover performances (utattemita), and the latest upload came within the past three days.

Last YouTube post: 3 August 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was about a year ago).

Kobasolo has 3.08M YouTube subscribers on a channel of anime-song and J-pop covers, titled kobasolo under the handle @Hujikoman. Its recent posts appear in the channel feed rather than as regular videos.

Credentials: Anime theme-song artist, known for “Gurenge”, the opening theme for Kimetsu no Yaiba, and “ADAMAS” from Sword Art Online · Affiliation: Official channel operated by label management · Last post: within the past day.

LiSA is known for anime theme songs including “Gurenge”, the opening theme of Kimetsu no Yaiba, and “ADAMAS” from Sword Art Online. Her official label channel has 2.96M YouTube subscribers and posts actively.

Credentials: Anime theme-song artist, known for a Kimetsu no Yaiba theme song among other anime tie-ins · Affiliation: Official channel operated by label management · Last YouTube post: 1 July 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was 2 months ago).

Aimer is known for anime theme songs including one for Kimetsu no Yaiba. Her official label channel has 2.25M YouTube subscribers and publishes music videos and live footage.

Credentials: Singer-songwriter and utaite (cover artist) · Last YouTube post: 28 September 2026.

Amatsuki began on Niconico as a cover artist and now mixes covers with his own songwriting. His official channel has 2.02M YouTube subscribers.

Credentials: Utaite (cover artist), with an extensive music-activity history · Last post: about 9 days ago.

Soraru is one of the established names of the Niconico-born utaite scene, known in part for unit work with Mafumafu (rank 20). He has 1.23M YouTube subscribers.

Affiliation: 株式会社PPエンタープライズ (ppe.jp), per her X profile · Last post: 27 September 2026.

Enako has 2.5M X followers, the largest X account in this guide, built on cosplay photography and video from game and anime sources. She runs an official merchandise storefront (enako.shop) and appears for brands; in April 2026 KFC Japan made her one-day store manager, in an outfit inspired by KFC.

Last post: 27 September 2026.

Iori Moe has 1.6M X followers and describes herself as a cosplayer, streamer, radio DJ and gravure idol (グラビアアイドル). In December 2024 Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures named her publicity lead for the TV anime Behi-Neko, and she appeared in the costume of its heroine, Aria.

Last post: 27 September 2026.

Eiri has 212.1K X followers and works in both cosplay and illustration. Her cosplay concentrates on characters from social and mobile games.

Last YouTube post: 9 April 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was 11 months ago).

Yuriko Tiger has 162.9K X followers and 121K YouTube subscribers. She calls herself a freelance cosplayer who “can transform into anything” and presents Japanese pop culture in English for an international audience. Her X profile says she is staying at her family home in Italy for a time.

Credentials: Saitama Prefecture Special Tourism Ambassador and Finland goodwill ambassador; sang the role of Noel Otoshiro (音城ノエル) in the Aikatsu! stage production (self-reported) · Last post: 26 September 2026.

Fujisaki Ayane (Pinky) has 159.4K X followers. Her profile describes a career as a choreographer, cosplayer and stage performer, alongside tourism-ambassador roles for Saitama Prefecture and Finland.

Credentials: “Official cosplayer” and MC (self-reported) · Last post: 27 September 2026.

Kuroneko has 149.8K X followers. Alongside cosplay she works as an event MC.

Credentials: Game-show MC and voice-acting credits (self-reported) · Last post: 27 September 2026.

Ishikawa Rie has 79.2K X followers and also publishes as みそしるちゃんねる (Misoshiru Channel). Her work crosses from cosplay into hosting game-related programmes and voice acting.

Credentials: 15 years of cosplay activity and gravure/TV appearance credits (self-reported) · Last post: 28 September 2026.

Kanzaki Rinoa has 71.3K X followers and fifteen years of cosplay, with gravure and television appearances alongside it.

Last post: within the past day.

This channel follows the Gunpla (Gundam plastic model) build process, with 152K YouTube subscribers; the latest upload came within the past day.

Last YouTube post: 8 June 2026 in the channel’s feed (the latest video on its Videos tab was 3 months ago).

Running since 2017, TOYKAN unboxes bishoujo (美少女) figures for collectors, with 133K YouTube subscribers.

Last post: about 2 months ago.

Plamo’s Atelier covers plastic-model construction, including painting and modification technique, with 90.7K YouTube subscribers.

Last post: within the past day.

F Hobby Channel introduces figures and reports from figure events, with 52.7K YouTube subscribers.

Last post: about a month ago.

A model-building channel with 25.7K YouTube subscribers.

Last post: 3 days ago.

Hashiyan Modeling covers Gunpla assembly and painting, with 19.9K YouTube subscribers.

Credentials: Ongoing serial, MSG, in Gundam Ace magazine (ガンダムエース) (self-reported) · Last post: 28 September 2026.

Akitaka Mika is a working mecha designer and illustrator with an ongoing print serial in Gundam Ace, and 13.2K X followers.

Credentials: Published the art book “Crystal Clear” (self-reported) · Last post: 9 September 2026.

Anmi is an illustrator of original character art whose published art book is Crystal Clear. She has 723.9K X followers, the largest following in this segment.

Credentials: Creator of “Honey and Clover” (ハチミツとクローバー) and “March Comes in Like a Lion” (3月のライオン) · Last post: 27 September 2026.

Umino Chica is the manga artist behind Honey and Clover and March Comes in Like a Lion, with 636.2K X followers.

Credentials: Creator of “Hidamari Sketch” (ひだまりスケッチ) and “Binetsu Kuukan” (微熱空間); original character design for “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” (self-reported) · Last post: 19 September 2026.

Aoki Ume created the manga Hidamari Sketch and Binetsu Kuukan and the original character designs for Puella Magi Madoka Magica, work that extends beyond her own series. She has 208.3K X followers.

Last post: 27 September 2026.

CARNELIAN is an illustrator who also makes games, with 76.2K X followers.

Credentials: Manga artist (self-reported) · Last post: 27 September 2026.

Karasawa Nawoki is a manga artist with 42.1K X followers.

Last post: within the past week.

Ririkona Channel specialises in Detective Conan (名探偵コナン), with goods reviews, event coverage and oshikatsu content from a self-described Conan fan in their thirties. It has 21.8K YouTube subscribers.

Last post: within the past month.

Anime travel is a pilgrimage-site (聖地巡礼) specialist that says it has visited more than 90 anime-related locations. It has 10.7K YouTube subscribers.

Run by: two sisters (per the channel’s own description) · Last post: within the past day.

Two sisters unbox Jujutsu Kaisen (呪術廻戦) goods, draw Ichiban Kuji prizes and visit collaboration cafés and pop-up shops, with 10.2K YouTube subscribers. They also follow SPY×FAMILY, Chainsaw Man, Attack on Titan and Dragon Ball.

Last post: about a month ago.

AkibaMania channel covers tourism and events in Akihabara, with 7.87K YouTube subscribers. Its description says it is also active on X and TikTok.

Last post: within the past day.

A vlog of oshikatsu “suited to one’s means” by a creator in their forties living outside a major city, with 1.72K YouTube subscribers, the smallest following in this guide. Their favourite titles are Jujutsu Kaisen and Kaiju No. 8.