One annual report from the Japanese Animation Association showed the performance of the industry Anime in 2023 and revealed that, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is back on track to see greater annual growth each year. This includes internationally, but they also state that it is time for the industry to take note of how long this continued growth can feasibly continue.
The report of Japanese Animation Association notes that while the industry continues to break annual growth records every year (with 2020 being an outlier and a notable recovery starting in 2021), the “main factor” for the growth of the industry was the international market. It got to the point where there was a theory that the international market would become worth more than the Japanese market, but profits in Japan “exceeded the international market by 9.3 billion yen“.
It was revealed that international market absorbs half of global profit through television, films, streaming and more, and it is reassuring for Japan to see the market continue to grow and thus showcase the potential of the anime industry. Another big development for Japan is the change in Hollywood animation since the start of COVID-19. Disney and Pixar films are no longer big box office attractions like they used to be, and the report highlights releases like The Super Mario Bros. movie, The Boy and the Heron (which won an Oscar), Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero It is Jujutsu Kaisen 0 as films that shake up anime’s global recognition.
The report of Japanese Animation Association reveals that both production costs and profits continue to grow around the world, but it is a balance that the anime industry must be aware of.
