Otaku Markets 2007: Over $4 billion?
- Categories: Anime, News
- Date: Nov 12, 2008 21:51 JST
- Tags: Business, Comparison, Economics, Otaku, Rankings, Statistics
Here is some very interesting market research into the size and growth rates of various otaku related markets in 2007; the data should give you some idea of the scale of the industries in question. Essential reading, in fact:
(A billion yen is about 10 million US dollars; the percentages represent growth over the previous year)
| Digital comics: | ¥25 billion, +147.5% |
| Doujinshi: | ¥55 billion, +13.5% |
| Plamo: | ¥26.8 billion, +1.9% |
| Figures: | ¥26 billion, +8.3% |
| Dolls: | ¥13.5 billion, +3.8% |
| Model railways: | ¥15.2 billion, +5.6% |
| Toy guns: | ¥5.3 billion, -8.6% |
| Idol: | ¥50.5 billion, -4.7% |
| Cosplay: | ¥36 billion, +6.8% |
| Maid/cosplay related services: | ¥10.5 billion, -18.6% |
| Eroge: | ¥34.1 billion, -2.8% |
| AV: | ¥61.5 billion, -7% |
| Total: | ¥370 billion |
The figures were compiled with the cooperation of businesses and industry groups. What’s included in the various categories is likely obvious. The report itself.
The level of detail they provide about their research methods is less than impressive, especially since they fail to comment on whether they had fewer or more data sources for this year versus the previous.
Still, if we take these figures as general estimates they are sound enough, and there is certainly little better available.
You may notice that anime, manga, light novels and games are absent – presumably include much in the way of non-otaku items.
Some research brings up the following slightly less current information regarding these omissions:
The anime market (including cartoons, etc.) is estimated to be about ¥210 billion in 2005; its current state is not clear. Frankly, this seems too low, considering what we saw above…
The manga market is some ¥500 billion as of 2005, but it has apparently been shrinking year on year for some time and is now below that level.
JETRO have an interesting English language report on the state and structure of the manga market which you may find instructive, and another one on the anime market.
It is inappropriate to include games in my opinion as there is no way of discriminating between the various genres, platforms and visual styles with this level of data, but it will not hurt to mention that the 2005 figure was ¥1,100 billion, which has likely increased since then. Games are the future convergence medium, after all.
All these figures are basically domestic in nature, although likely include some international sales.
In conclusion, the otaku markets look to be in the $4 billion region by this count (depending on how much of the anime, manga, and game markets we include, it could be much higher), inaccurate as it is.
More interesting are the trends evident in the data however, with an enormous doujinshi market evident, and strong growth on a variety of fronts – I leave the rest of the analysis to you.
Gaisensha at Kashihara Shrine: “Itasha for Crazy Nationalists”
Racing Miku Nendoroid Set
Top 10 Cutest Things Guys Do On Dates
Hirasawa Ui Tiny Bikini Figure
Zero no Tsukaima F Yuri Skinship Anime
Yozora Mikazuki & Sena Kashiwazaki Figures
To Love-Ru Darkness Totally Tentacular
Ano Hana Naruko Anjo Anal Dress Figure
Top 10 Most Followed Seiyuu
Wonder Festival 2012 Winter Wondrous As Ever
Ciel nosurge: “Your Date With Ion = $170″
Nisemonogatari – “Where Did All The Ero Go!?”
Police Hunt Ushijima for “Public Indecency”
Cops Bust Cop in Nude BDSM Club Raid
K-ON! “Causes Keionbu Girl Band Boom”
Vippers vs Vankers: 2ch Targets “Korean Propaganda”
Overflow Delays “Final” Game: “We Are Not Going Bankrupt!”
Ritsu Topless Manga Time – “She Has Boobs After All!”
Top 10 Most Boring Anime of Winter 2012
Behold: The ONACOUNTER
Lenfried Sakuya Anal Tail Ero-Cosplay
Wonder Festival 2012 Winter Cosplay
“Post The Highest Level Cosplay Ever!”
“Share The Cutest Cosplay Ever”
“Dolls vs Figures – Which is Best?”
“Why Do Girls Always Have Such Cute Rooms!?”
Ranka Lee Wedding Dress Cosplay by Tomia
Shoko-tan’s Madoka & Ika-chan Cosplay “Excessively Cute”
Guilty Crown Yuzuriha Inori Cosplay by Sasa
IdolMaster G4U: “Who Needs 3D Idols Now?”
This is weird...
What is the income from DVDs selling and TV advertisement broadcasting and from cine?!?!?!
Thanks for posting the news! I like this kind of data!!! ^__^
4 billion?...
Now how many scouters will Vegeta crush this time?
Donations. Donations for all!
Could anybody clarify what some of these things are? I'm just curious.
For example, what are: Plamo and AV? And how do Toy Guns have to do with the Otaku market?
I also assume digital manga means manga to cell phones and such?
Plama - Pura Moderu or plastic models, means mecha kits that have to be put together and painted by the consumer. Huge amount of this is Gundam.
AV - Adult Video - standard porn.
Not surprising AV got such a high #, since that's a strongly desired good even for the non-otaku marketplace.
Plamo in this case includes model planes and the like. Toy guns is a catch all including airsoft and similar quasi-replica guns.
Only other unclear one is dolls: it's not clear whether they include realistic sex dolls in with dolls...
wow, AV took the biggest cake. is it a wonder??
The picture used is far more interesting hmmm
This is the happiest Reimu Ive seen!
Congrats Reimu! You've finally got your osaisen!! T^T
ehem . anyways . . . this is not surprising actually . . .