The anime industry has been growing for years, and believe it or not, the sector is worth tens of billions of dollars. As the medium grows overseas, fans are finding new shows to watch daily, and streaming has made it easier than ever for international audiences to keep up with their favorite series. And thanks to a new report, we have learned just how vital the global market is to anime studios.
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The update comes from the AJA as the organization has released its 2020 report in English. It was there the group’s former preliminary report was officialized, and it gives insight into how important the global market has become to anime studios.
According to the data, the 2020 report marks the first time in history the overseas market brought in more money than the Japanese market. Global sales now account for half the total market and grew a total of 3.2% in 2020. This equated to a gain of $10.89 billion USD. And at the same time, the Japanese market dipped by nearly 10% in 2020.
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Clearly, the global market is becoming a huge investment for the anime industry, and it isn’t hard to piece together why. The Internet has become a place for fans to share their favorite series, and anime has moved beyond its niche status in the West. This development comes on the heel of services like Crunchyroll and Funimation expanding their offerings across the globe, and those plans are about to get even bigger. After all, Funimation and Crunchyroll have merged under Sony’s umbrella, and Crunchyroll is now moving forward as the international market’s de facto anime distributor.
What do you think about this latest report? Are you surprised by any of the data collected? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
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