Anime Industry Just Posted Its Highest Profits Since 2002

Years ago, you might not have expected anime to become a global powerhouse, but that idea has become a reality. In the past few years, the anime industry has grown in scale, and it is making money unlike ever before. With manga on a similar high, all eyes are on the industry right now as its end-of-year reports are going live. And as it turns out, well – the whole industry just marked its highest profits ever since 2002.

The update comes from Erzat, a blog dedicated to all things industry when it comes to anime. It was there a three-part report went live breaking down findings from the Association of Japanese Animations. Each year, the organization puts out a report detailing just how the industry waned or grew in the past year. And as it turns out, anime jumped into the green in 2022 despite a pandemic-related shortchange in 2021.

Anime = Money

According to the report, the animation industry in Japan grew more than 13% year over year in 2022. This ended up giving the industry earnings upwards of $20.6 billion USD. This number comes after the market shrank slightly in 2021 due to pandemic-related delays. Experts predicted it would take 2-3 years for the industry to rebound from the loss, but the anime industry overcame the short in a single year.

As for what expanded the industry’s profits, AJA reports live entertainment made the most intense comeback YOY. The area jumped nearly 97% since 2021 as pandemic restrictions in Japan have loosened. These rules have been similarly chilled globally, so obviously, the anime industry capitalized on the return of live entertainment.

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The other big jump in this year’s industry report is Internet distribution. The market has grown nearly 66% YOY. This jump has come around thanks to streaming services like Disney+ and Netflix. More and more companies are jumping on the anime hype train, and that means they are licensing shows and ordering originals. So obviously, those orders funnel more money into the industry as a whole.

Looking at the AJA report, each market of the anime industry gear YOY for 2022, and forecasts continue to shine a bright light on anime. The medium is becoming more popular by the season, and recent hits like Chainsaw Man have introduced anime to a new generation of netizens. So if you thought the medium was a fad, think again.

Are you surprised by this latest anime update? Which series did you check out in 2022? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.