It’s no secret that anime has been growing year-over-year not just in Japan, but worldwide. Technology has allowed fans to get their hands on the latest anime episodes and manga chapters far faster than previous generations, sometimes hitting the West just as quickly as the East. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, a desire for anime skyrocketed and even when the lockdowns ended, the desire for the medium remained. In a new report, it was revealed that anime recently had one of its biggest years and the overall growth was so large that it might throw fans for a loop when pouring over the data.
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The year in question isn’t 2024, as it might be a little too soon to pour over the overall figures, but a new report from Parrot Analytics has broken down how 2023 saw the anime industry’s biggest growth in its history. The anime industry overall grew over a staggering 14% in 2023 from the previous year, with the tally including merchandise, music, and all the areas related to the medium. Ironically enough, despite Japan remaining the biggest country when it comes to anime enthusiasm, the foreign anime market edged out the Eastern country with 51.5% of the total market value. Now remains a great time to be an anime fan as the industry finds new avenues to explore.
[RELATED: Anime Is More Popular Than the NFL With Gen Z, New Data Shows]
Breaking Down The Stats
When it comes to the overall revenue creating in the anime business, Japan and North America account for around 72% of profits. 6% of the anime industry’s revenue came from streaming services, showing how the advance of technology has helped in pushing the medium forward. For streaming sites like Netflix and Crunchyroll, the former saw over $2 billion USD gained thanks to anime while the former brought in a little over $1 billion USD. They were followed by Hulu in third, Amazon Prime Video in fourth, with both Disney+ and MAX trailing behind the aforementioned services as well as other foreign streaming services.
In a recently released statement, former Chairman of the Japan America Society of Southern California Douglas Montgomery added the following commentary, “Anime is a major driver of ancillary businesses such as consumer products, gaming, and live events, creating ripple effects across the global economy. By tapping into these interconnected industries, the anime sector can unlock immense economic potential and foster innovation that extends far beyond traditional media.”
The Anime Streaming Wars Continue
Generation Z has been all-in on the anime bandwagon, with a report last year even confirming that the majority were watching anime productions over the National Football League. Ironically enough, the NFL has been getting into the anime game itself in recent years, creating unique events featuring the Straw Hat Pirates for 2025 and releasing team trailers that depict players as anime characters.
Want to see where the anime industry goes in the future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all things anime-related and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.
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