Anime Attraction: Thousands turns out for NYC showcase of Japanese pop culture

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Anime, one of Japan's biggest industries has now become one of its biggest exports. Demand for the distinct art form has been growing, mainly in the U.S., thanks in large part to the rise of mobile technology. Karina Huber has more.

More than 30,000 people descended upon the Javits Convention Center in New York recently for an event celebrating anime, or Japanese animation.

Attendees came from ten countries and forty states to speak to publishers about new releases, shop and 'cosplay' - that means 'costume play' - with other anime fans.

GEORGE BLAIR ANIME FAN "I was supposed to be working today so I took a day off. But I figured I wanted to cosplay my friend, look at some of the merchandise and everything and again I love anime so I wanted to make sure I'm here."

Some said they are drawn to the look of anime. Others like the storylines, which they say, are more nuanced than western comics.

Emily, who only wants to be identified by her first name, says anime helped her get through tough times.

EMILY ANIME FAN "I struggled in high school and college so having those stories to kind of get me through that - I'd see characters that were having similar issues to me. I think that's one thing."

KARINA HUBER NEW YORK "The high turnout at this conference is further proof that anime has hit the mainstream. Its audience is much more diverse and global than ever before, with China and the U.S being its fastest growing markets."

Revenue for the industry hit a record 17.7 billion dollars in 2016. That's in part due to the success of 'Your Name', the highest grossing anime film of all time.

But revenue was also boosted by the export market, which jumped by almost a third as compared to a year earlier. For that, technology is largely to thank.

PETER TATARA, SHOW DIRECTOR ANIME NYC "This used to be a very underground community where you had to know someone who knew someone who knew someone to find a copy of a VHS tape. And today there is more free, legal anime on my phone than I could have ever consumed as a child."

Netflix is betting big on the genre. In 2017, the company said it was investing in 30 original anime films. Demand is so high that many of the animation houses in Japan are booked solid until 2020.

IAN TINGEN, CEO POWERLEVEL "Are we going to see a manga cinematic universe on par with the Marvel cinematic universe anytime soon? Probably not, but there's still a lot of traction and a lot more love expressed publicly these days than it has been at any point in recent past."

Karina Huber, CGTN, New York.