The Anime Industry's Growth Is Down for the First Time in 11 Years
When it comes to anime, the industry has been on the rise year over year since 2011. However, not [...]
When it comes to anime, the industry has been on the rise year over year since 2011. However, not all aspects of the booming industry need to expand. In the face of inadequate pay and crunch, the anime industry has been hurting itself more so than ever these days. A new report has confirmed that as the research firm Teikoku Databank has discovered the industry's growth is down for the first time in eleven years.
The information was shared earlier this week as Teikoku Databank posted its check-up on the anime industry. Currently, the structure is well off in terms of revenue as the anime industry raked in $2.3 billion USD. This total was garnered by more than 270 studios during 2019, but it signals a slight stall. Revenue between 2018 and 2019 only increased by 0.5% which is the lowest increased year over year in more than a decade.
As for the number of shows produced, the total also went down in 2019. This year marks the fifth in a row where the industry has churned out 300+ titles. However, 2019 marks the second year in a row in which the total shows released dipped. 2019 ushered in 332 shows while the previous registered 340 compared to its 2017 peak with 356 shows.
The report goes on to break down some nitty-gritty details about the anime industry a la 2019. More than $1.5 million USD of revenue was filtered to outsourced workers or contract employees. Two anime companies were forced to declare bankruptcy in 2019 along with one dissolution. This total is way down from the 12 exits documented in 2018. And as for why these studios went under, the most common reason reported is "unpaid or delayed payment to animators." So... yikes.
Overall, the growth slump is minor, but the word is out on how 2020 will fare in terms of revenue. The year was littered with last-minute cancellations and hiatuses due to the pandemic. There is no doubt margins will be tight for companies in the wake of 2020, so fans will have to wait and see how that report shapes up.
What do you make of this report's results? Do they make sense to you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.