Abstract
The phenomenon of contemporary Japanese animation has transcended its original conception as mere entertainment to establish itself as a fundamental tool of cultural diplomacy and soft power projection in the international system. In recent decades, the axis of geopolitical influence has shifted toward the Asia-Pacific region, where the dichotomy between the classic Japanese model and the meteoric rise of the Chinese industry—the donghua—defines a new cartography of symbolic power. This article analyzes the reconfiguration of this field of study, characterized by the emergence of artistic mutations that blur the boundaries between fiction, propaganda, and geopolitical satire in the era of Generative Artificial Intelligence. Through a multimodal analysis, it examines how animation has evolved into a dual-use technology and a vector for cognitive warfare, illustrating these dynamics through recent global case studies.
