Pop Culture Timeline

Travel through time and witness the evolution of entertainment. Our Pop Culture Timeline chronicles the major milestones in Anime, Manga, Video Games, and Cinema from the 1950s to the present day. See when Mario first jumped, when Gundam launched, and when The Avengers assembled. Updated with 2026 releases and future anticipations.

2020s

Year	IPs	Milestones
2025	—	—
2024	Black Myth: Wukong	AI tools widely adopted in production — Confirmed use by Netflix, studios, game companies.
2023	Oppenheimer	The Super Mario Bros. Movie released — Highest-grossing video game film to date.
2022	Elden Ring The Batman	Genshin Impact becomes a global IP — Multi-billion-dollar annual revenue.
2021	Arcane	—
2020	Animal Crossing Cyberpunk 2077 Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Genshin Impact Jiang Ziya Oshi no Ko Resident Evil	Global pandemic boosts digital entertainment — Streaming & gaming industries surge worldwide. Demon Slayer: Mugen Train released — Highest-grossing film in Japan’s history.

2025IPs

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2024IPs

Black Myth: Wukong

AI tools widely adopted in production — Confirmed use by Netflix, studios, game companies.

2023IPs

Oppenheimer

The Super Mario Bros. Movie released — Highest-grossing video game film to date.

2022IPs

Elden Ring The Batman

Genshin Impact becomes a global IP — Multi-billion-dollar annual revenue.

2021IPs

Arcane

2020IPs

Animal Crossing Cyberpunk 2077 Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Genshin Impact Jiang Ziya Oshi no Ko Resident Evil

Global pandemic boosts digital entertainment — Streaming & gaming industries surge worldwide.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train released — Highest-grossing film in Japan’s history.

2010s

Year	IPs	Milestones
2019	Apex Legends Arknights Ne Zha Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Spy x Family The Mandalorian The Wandering Earth Weathering with You	Avengers: Endgame released — One of the highest-grossing films in history.
2018	Celeste Chainsaw Man Jujutsu Kaisen	—
2017	Coco Fortnite Hollow Knight Horizon Zero Dawn Made in Abyss Nier: Automata PUBG	The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Redefines open-world game design.
2016	Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Erased Firewatch Honkai Moana Overwatch Stardew Valley The Promised Neverland Your Name Zootopia	Pokémon GO released — AR mass-market breakthrough.
2015	Black Clover Bloodborne Honor of Kings Inside Out Minions Monkey King: Hero is Back Splatoon The Expanse Undertale	—
2014	Big Hero 6 Destiny Interstellar My Hero Academia Watch Dogs	—
2013	Attack on Titan Frozen KonoSuba Pacific Rim That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime The Last of Us The Rising of the Shield Hero	Frozen released — Highest-grossing animated film at the time.
2012	Boonie Bears Forza Horizon Haikyuu!!Mob Psycho 100 Overlord Psycho-Pass Re:Zero	Disney acquires Lucasfilm (Star Wars) — $4.05 billion.
2011	Dark Souls Minecraft Tokyo Ghoul	—
2010	Inception Red Dead Redemption Tangled	League of Legends global expansion — Esports becomes mainstream entertainment.

2019IPs

Apex Legends Arknights Ne Zha Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Spy x Family The Mandalorian The Wandering Earth Weathering with You

Avengers: Endgame released — One of the highest-grossing films in history.

2018IPs

Celeste Chainsaw Man Jujutsu Kaisen

2017IPs

Coco Fortnite Hollow Knight Horizon Zero Dawn Made in Abyss Nier: Automata PUBG

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Redefines open-world game design.

2016IPs

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Erased Firewatch Honkai Moana Overwatch Stardew Valley The Promised Neverland Your Name Zootopia

Pokémon GO released — AR mass-market breakthrough.

2015IPs

Black Clover Bloodborne Honor of Kings Inside Out Minions Monkey King: Hero is Back Splatoon The Expanse Undertale

2014IPs

Big Hero 6 Destiny Interstellar My Hero Academia Watch Dogs

2013IPs

Attack on Titan Frozen KonoSuba Pacific Rim That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime The Last of Us The Rising of the Shield Hero

Frozen released — Highest-grossing animated film at the time.

2012IPs

Boonie Bears Forza Horizon Haikyuu!!Mob Psycho 100 Overlord Psycho-Pass Re:Zero

Disney acquires Lucasfilm (Star Wars) — $4.05 billion.

2011IPs

Dark Souls Minecraft Tokyo Ghoul

2010IPs

Inception Red Dead Redemption Tangled

League of Legends global expansion — Esports becomes mainstream entertainment.

2000s

Year	IPs	Milestones
2009	Avatar Bayonetta League of Legends One Punch Man Steins;Gate Sword Art Online Up	—
2008	Kung Fu Panda Marvel Cinematic Universe Soul Land The Dark Knight The Hunger Games WALL-E	Iron Man released & MCU begins — Most successful film universe franchise model.
2007	Assassin's Creed BioShock K-On!Lucky Star Mass Effect Portal Ratatouille Uncharted	iPhone announced — Mobile gaming revolution starts.
2006	Cars Fairy Tail Nichijou The Boys The Three-Body Problem Toradora!	Twitter and modern SNS era begins — Fandom communication accelerates.
2005	God of War Vinland Saga	—
2004	Bleach Clannad Monster Hunter The Incredibles World of Warcraft	—
2003	Call of Duty Death Note Finding Nemo Gintama Pirates of the Caribbean Pluto	—
2002	Battlefield Kingdom Hearts	Naruto anime premieres — Global shonen anime boom.
2001	Advance Wars Fullmetal Alchemist Halo Shrek Spirited Away	Microsoft launches Xbox — Establishes modern three-company console era.
2000	The Sims	—

2009IPs

Avatar Bayonetta League of Legends One Punch Man Steins;Gate Sword Art Online Up

2008IPs

Kung Fu Panda Marvel Cinematic Universe Soul Land The Dark Knight The Hunger Games WALL-E

Iron Man released & MCU begins — Most successful film universe franchise model.

2007IPs

Assassin's Creed BioShock K-On!Lucky Star Mass Effect Portal Ratatouille Uncharted

iPhone announced — Mobile gaming revolution starts.

2006IPs

Cars Fairy Tail Nichijou The Boys The Three-Body Problem Toradora!

Twitter and modern SNS era begins — Fandom communication accelerates.

2005IPs

God of War Vinland Saga

2004IPs

Bleach Clannad Monster Hunter The Incredibles World of Warcraft

2003IPs

Call of Duty Death Note Finding Nemo Gintama Pirates of the Caribbean Pluto

2002IPs

Battlefield Kingdom Hearts

Naruto anime premieres — Global shonen anime boom.

2001IPs

Advance Wars Fullmetal Alchemist Halo Shrek Spirited Away

Microsoft launches Xbox — Establishes modern three-company console era.

2000IPs

The Sims

1990s

Year	IPs	Milestones
1999	Counter-Strike Naruto NBA 2K The Matrix	—
1998	Baldur's Gate Half-Life Hunter x Hunter Metal Gear Solid StarCraft	—
1997	Cowboy Bebop Gran Turismo Grand Theft Auto Harry Potter One Piece Princess Mononoke Titanic	Final Fantasy VII released — Brings Japanese RPGs to global mainstream. One Piece manga begins — Eiichiro Oda.
1996	Diablo Inuyasha Persona Pokémon Tomb Raider Yu-Gi-Oh!	Pokémon Red & Green released — Highest-grossing IP in history.
1995	Initial D Neon Genesis Evangelion Toy Story Trigun	—
1994	Detective Conan Monster Need for Speed Tekken The Lion King The Shawshank Redemption	PlayStation launched (Japan) — Sony’s first console.
1993	FIFA The Witcher	Jurassic Park released — Landmark CGI special-effects breakthrough.
1992	Mortal Kombat Sailor Moon	—
1991	Deadpool Sonic the Hedgehog	Street Fighter II released — Capcom — Defines fighting game genre.
1990	Crayon Shin-chan Fire Emblem Jurassic Park	—

1999IPs

Counter-Strike Naruto NBA 2K The Matrix

1998IPs

Baldur's Gate Half-Life Hunter x Hunter Metal Gear Solid StarCraft

1997IPs

Cowboy Bebop Gran Turismo Grand Theft Auto Harry Potter One Piece Princess Mononoke Titanic

Final Fantasy VII released — Brings Japanese RPGs to global mainstream.
One Piece manga begins — Eiichiro Oda.

1996IPs

Diablo Inuyasha Persona Pokémon Tomb Raider Yu-Gi-Oh!

Pokémon Red & Green released — Highest-grossing IP in history.

1995IPs

Initial D Neon Genesis Evangelion Toy Story Trigun

1994IPs

Detective Conan Monster Need for Speed Tekken The Lion King The Shawshank Redemption

PlayStation launched (Japan) — Sony’s first console.

1993IPs

FIFA The Witcher

Jurassic Park released — Landmark CGI special-effects breakthrough.

1992IPs

Mortal Kombat Sailor Moon

1991IPs

Deadpool Sonic the Hedgehog

Street Fighter II released — Capcom — Defines fighting game genre.

1990IPs

Crayon Shin-chan Fire Emblem Jurassic Park

1980s

Year	IPs	Milestones
1989	Berserk Ghost in the Shell SimCity	—
1988	Akira My Neighbor Totoro Parasyte	—
1987	Final Fantasy JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Mega Man Street Fighter	—
1986	Castlevania Chibi Maruko-chan The Legend of Zelda	—
1985	Back to the Future Super Mario	Super Mario Bros. released — Nintendo Famicom/NES — Best-selling franchise foundation. Studio Ghibli established — Hayao Miyazaki & Isao Takahata.
1984	Dragon Ball Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Terminator Transformers Venom	Dragon Ball manga begins — Akira Toriyama.
1983	—	—
1982	Blade Runner	—
1981	—	Donkey Kong released — First appearance of “Jumpman” (later Mario).
1980	—	Pac-Man released — Namco — Global pop culture icon.

1989IPs

Berserk Ghost in the Shell SimCity

1988IPs

Akira My Neighbor Totoro Parasyte

1987IPs

Final Fantasy JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Mega Man Street Fighter

1986IPs

Castlevania Chibi Maruko-chan The Legend of Zelda

1985IPs

Back to the Future Super Mario

Super Mario Bros. released — Nintendo Famicom/NES — Best-selling franchise foundation.
Studio Ghibli established — Hayao Miyazaki & Isao Takahata.

1984IPs

Dragon Ball Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Terminator Transformers Venom

Dragon Ball manga begins — Akira Toriyama.

1983IPs

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1982IPs

Blade Runner

1981IPs

—

Donkey Kong released — First appearance of “Jumpman” (later Mario).

1980IPs

—

Pac-Man released — Namco — Global pop culture icon.

1970s

Year	IPs	Milestones
1979	Alien Mobile Suit Gundam	—
1978	—	Space Invaders released — Taito — Triggers global arcade boom.
1977	Star Wars	Atari 2600 launched — Home video game market begins.
1976	—	—
1975	—	—
1974	Hello Kitty	—
1973	—	—
1972	The Godfather	Atari releases Pong — First commercially successful arcade video game.
1971	—	—
1970	—	—

1979IPs

Alien Mobile Suit Gundam

1978IPs

—

Space Invaders released — Taito — Triggers global arcade boom.

1977IPs

Star Wars

Atari 2600 launched — Home video game market begins.

1976IPs

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1975IPs

—

1974IPs

Hello Kitty

1973IPs

—

1972IPs

The Godfather

Atari releases Pong — First commercially successful arcade video game.

1971IPs

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1970IPs

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1960s

Year	IPs	Milestones
1969	Doraemon Guardians of the Galaxy	Scooby-Doo debuts — Hanna-Barbera.
1968	—	—
1967	—	—
1966	Black Panther	—
1965	Dune	—
1964	—	Marvel’s Silver Age heroes established — Spider-Man, X-Men, Avengers become mainstream.
1963	Iron Man The Avengers	Astro Boy TV anime premieres — First Japanese TV animation with weekly broadcast.
1962	Spider-Man	—
1961	—	—
1960	—	—

1969IPs

Doraemon Guardians of the Galaxy

Scooby-Doo debuts — Hanna-Barbera.

1968IPs

—

1967IPs

—

1966IPs

Black Panther

1965IPs

Dune

1964IPs

—

Marvel’s Silver Age heroes established — Spider-Man, X-Men, Avengers become mainstream.

1963IPs

Iron Man The Avengers

Astro Boy TV anime premieres — First Japanese TV animation with weekly broadcast.

1962IPs

Spider-Man

1961IPs

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1960IPs

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1950s

Year	IPs	Milestones
1959	—	—
1958	—	“Tennis for Two” created — William Higinbotham — One of the earliest electronic games.
1957	—	—
1956	—	—
1955	—	Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California — First modern character-based theme park.
1954	The Lord of the Rings	—
1953	James Bond	—
1952	Astro Boy	Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom) manga begins — Osamu Tezuka — Foundation of modern Japanese manga.
1951	—	—
1950	—	—

1959IPs

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1958IPs

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“Tennis for Two” created — William Higinbotham — One of the earliest electronic games.

1957IPs

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1956IPs

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1955IPs

—

Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California — First modern character-based theme park.

1954IPs

The Lord of the Rings

1953IPs

James Bond

1952IPs

Astro Boy

Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom) manga begins — Osamu Tezuka — Foundation of modern Japanese manga.

1951IPs

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1950IPs

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