ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE
A Contemperary and Historic Analysis
HOW THE ANIME INDUSTRY OPERATES
The Anime Industry, Networks of Participation, and Environments for the Management of Content in Japan
The open-access article titled The Anime Industry, Networks of Participation, and Environments for the Management of Content in Japan articulates how Japan is still the biggest market relative to foreign markets. The main reason being how secure networks between various Japanese anime companies are integral for efficient business operations. The article also highlights the importance of protecting a show or a character’s intellectual property to help sustain merchandise sales within the industry. Hernández, Álvaro. “The Anime Industry, Networks of Participation, and Environments for the Management of Content in Japan.” Arts, vol. 7, no. 3, Aug. 2018, p. 42. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.3390/arts7030042.
(Markus)
SMEs and the Globalization of Japanese Anime
SMEs and the Globalization of Japanese Anime looks into how anime works as a business. Popular manga in magazines are made into comic book volumes, and once there are enough comic book volumes, they get an anime adaptation. This is because anime adaptations can be expensive, so already having an established fan base beforehand ensures profitability. After the series is broadcasted on TV, DVDs and merchandise of the anime is released. Accessible through UBC library search. Makota, Kimura. "SMEs and the Globalization of Japanese Anime." Japan Spotlight : Economy, Culture & History, vol. 25, no. 3, 2006, pp. 12.
(Markus)
HISTORIC
Anime in the US: the entrepreneurial Dimensions of Globalized Culture
Anime in the US: the entrepreneurial Dimensions of Globalized Culture mainly discusses the penetration and impact of the anime market in the United States through the means entrepreneurial leadership of with a focus on the 1990’s. In 2002, a Japanese government report estimated that 3.5% of total exports from Japan to the United States (including the sale of licensed goods) had reached US$4.36 billion, which paled in comparison to US$4.84 billion the following year. An alternative 2003 report from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) highlights how 65% of the world’s production of animated cartoon series originated from Japan, with yearly sales of licensed goods and events accumulating to US$17 billion. Accessible through UBC library search. “Otmazgin, Nissim. "Anime in the US: The Entrepreneurial Dimensions of Globalized Culture." Pacific Affairs, vol. 87, no. 1, 2014, pp. 53-69.
(Kimi)
CONTEMPORARY
Anime’s Economic Value: the Government’s Response to a Changing Environment
The chapter titled “Anime’s Economic Value: the Government’s Response to a Changing Environment” within Minoru Sugaya’s book Perspectives on the Japanese Media and Content Policies helps break down the different branches within the anime industry, including the primary market that focuses on selling anime, and the secondary market which sells anime-related goods and services. The chapter further delves into the variety of income streams and their characterized trends, including TV broadcasting, character merchandise, music, entertainment, and live performances. Due to the nature of the industry, the growth of the market is fairly responsive to the release of major blockbuster films like the success of Your Name directed by Makoto Shinkai which helped raise total anime sales to USD $2.1 billion in 2016. Although the main contents of this resource is in english, access to this book is behind a paywall on SpringerLink. Accessible through UBC library search. Koizumi, Mariko. "Anime’s Economic Value: The Government’s Response to a Changing Environment." Perspectives on the Japanese Media and Content Policies. Springer Singapore, Singapore, 2020.
(Kimi)
The Association of Japanese Animations (AJA)
The Association of Japanese Animations provides a detailed annual report on the Japanese Animation Industry that highlights key statistics through the means of text, graphs, charts and colourful diagrams. Although the website can be translated into English, much of the website is simplified onto one page with a discretionary message that the English report is only a simplified version of the Japanese report. Free english reports are only available until the 2014 summary, in which the user has to pay for older Japanese reports ranging from 2009 to 2014. Furthermore, the paid links will redirect you to a paywall system that is exclusively in Japanese. “Anime Industry Data: 日本動画協会.” The Association of Japanese Animations, https://aja.gr.jp/english/japan-anime-data.
(Kimi)
Geographies of the Japanese Cultural Economy: Innovation and Creative Consumption
Geographies of the Japanese Cultural Economy: Innovation and Creative Consumption is a journal that analyzes Japan's cultural economy, including media such as anime. It contrasts anime with other forms of entertainment such as manga and games by comparing Japan’s population of people interested in the area with the market size. The article is mainly in English, but also includes a summary in Swedish and Japanese. Nobuoka, Jakob. "Geographies of the Japanese Cultural Economy: Innovation and Creative Consumption." Diss. Kulturgeografiska institutionen, 2010. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:331765/FULLTEXT01.pdf
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The Japanese Anime and Manga Cluster, Can such an established cluster still rescue Japan’s economy?
The Japanese Anime and Manga Cluster, Can such an established cluster still rescue Japan’s economy? is an article that mainly focuses on Japan’s domestic market and exports of anime. It observes a multitude of statistics and factors of the industry’s economic growth overtime. This study also touches on anime’s competition with animation from other countries, as well as its position in the film and media industry in general. Calcagnini, Sinan He, et al. "The Japanese Anime and Manga Cluster, Can such an established cluster still rescue Japan’s economy?." (2011). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark-Esposito/publication/237009744_The_Japanese_Anime_and_Manga_Cluster_Can_such_an_established_cluster_still_rescue_Japan%27s_economy/links/0c96051ae1ab09da04000000/The-Japanese-Anime-and-Manga-Cluster-Can-such-an-established-cluster-still-rescue-Japans-economy.pdf
(Markus)
Photo Credits
Kimi
"Akihabara Area Guide." n.d. https://tokyocheapo.com/locations/central-tokyo/akihabara-central-tokyo/
"Astroboy - Nostalgia Central." n.d. https://nostalgiacentral.com/television/tv-by-decade/tv-shows-1960s/astro-boy/
"Chihiro Ogino in the train (Spirited Away)" n.d. https://motaen.com/wallpapers/view/id/37119
Melgoza, Jezael. "Tokyo Tower" 2018. https://unsplash.com/photos/7H77FWkK_x4
"My Neighbor Totoro (1988)." n.d. https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/496592296416249011/
Pavone, Sean. "TOKYO Akihabara district January 2, 2013 in Tokyo, JP. The district is a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, games and otaku goods." 2013. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tokyo-january-2-akihabara-district-2013-164803172
Markus
Chebynkin, Arseniy. “Tokyo Street Night” 2017. https://www.deviantart.com/arsenixc/art/Tokyo-Street-Night-684804497
King, Gwen. “People crossing on pedestrian lane during night time” 2019. https://unsplash.com/photos/3OdajQGd9sk