Anime Is Dominating Japan's Entertainment Exports

As you might’ve guessed, anime is the name of the game when it comes to Japanese entertainment. [...]

As you might've guessed, anime is the name of the game when it comes to Japanese entertainment. The medium has become a popular one around the globe, and it looks like Japan is making serious bank off that popularity. Thanks to a new report, fans learned the majority of Japanese TV exports circle back to anime.

As reported by Anime News Network, a new report from Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has gone live. The report dates back to 2016 and breaks down its export figures. Naturally, anime is pretty high up on the list.

According to the report, Japan reeled in nearly $360 million USD in 2017, and anime made up over 77% of that revenue. So, who wants to guess how much Dragon Ball contributed to that alone? (via ANN)

The report also says anime's exported grosses came from broadcast rights. Merchandise, broadcasting, and streaming rights came together to make that whopping total. However, rights for remakes and video rights were also factored in.

As for Japan's TV exports as a whole, dramas came in second as anime dominated with a 77% lead. Dramas pulled in under 11% while variety programs and documentaries trailed behind.

The report went on to break down the exports by region, and the figures prove Asia is receptive to watch Japan has to offer. Nearly 60% of exports were requested by Asia while 27% came from North America. Europe and Latin America rounded up the regional breakdown.

When you look at these numbers, Japan has seen a clear uptick in anime exports. The 2016 figures are 36% higher than they were in 2015, but this new report does factor in merchandise exports as well as a few other categories. However, with acclaimed titles like Your Name and Dragon Ball Super having skyrocketed in popularity as of late, fans can be sure Japan's anime exports are still on the rise.

Are you surprised by any of these revenue numbers? How do you think exports are shaping up for 2018 so far? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!

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