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Anime Market Size and Forecast, by Type (T.V., Videos, Movies, Music, Live Entertainment, Internet Distribution, Merchandising, Pachinko); Genre (Action and Adventure, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Romance and Drama, Sports) - Growth Trends, Key Players, Regional Analysis 2026-2035

  • Report ID: 6101
  • Published Date: Sep 17, 2025
  • Report Format: PDF, PPT

Anime Market Outlook:

Anime Market size was valued at USD 37.6 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 91.49 billion by 2035, registering around 9.3% CAGR during the forecast period i.e., between 2026-2035. In the year 2026, the industry size of anime is evaluated at USD 40.75 billion.

Anime Market Size
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The rapid rise of anime market stems from the global surge in anime's popularity. Originally crafted by Japanese manga artists, anime has shifted from being Japan-focused to becoming a worldwide sensation. Compared to Hollywood and web series, anime offers a vast range of content. Unique stories, art styles, and diverse genres by manga artists give anime a broad appeal. Now, anime is not only hitting global theatres but also trending on top streaming platforms. Its release strategy and vast audience appeal contribute to its mega growth. This trend showcases how anime captivates varied viewers worldwide, marking its robust presence in the entertainment sector.

Key Anime Market Insights Summary:

  • Regional Highlights:

    • Asia Pacific anime market achieves a 40% share by 2035, driven by Japan’s leadership in anime and rising popularity in China and South Korea.
    • North America market demonstrates huge growth from 2026 to 2035, fueled by rising popularity of anime, streaming platforms, and merchandising.

  • Segment Insights:

    • The action and adventure segment in the anime market is projected to hold a 39% share by 2035, driven by its historical dominance and strong fan base for high-energy anime series.
    • The merchandising segment in the anime market is projected to hold a 33% share by 2035, attributed to a vast array of merchandise that caters to fans of all ages.

  • Key Growth Trends:

    • Access to Anime via Streaming Services and Games
    • Social Media and Online Communities

  • Major Challenges:

    • Access to Anime via Streaming Services and Games
    • Social Media and Online Communities

  • Key Players: Toei Animation Co., Ltd., Studio Ghibli, Inc., Toho Co., Ltd., Aniplex Inc. (Sony), Crunchyroll (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Production I.G, Inc., Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd., Madhouse, Inc., Sunrise, Inc. (Bandai Namco), Bones Inc.

Global Anime Market Forecast and Regional Outlook:

  • Market Size & Growth Projections:

    • 2025 Market Size: USD 37.6 billion
    • 2026 Market Size: USD 40.75 billion
    • Projected Market Size: USD 91.49 billion by 2035
    • Growth Forecasts: 9.3% CAGR (2026-2035)

  • Key Regional Dynamics:

    • Largest Region: Asia Pacific (40% Share by 2035)
    • Fastest Growing Region: Asia Pacific
    • Dominating Countries: Japan, United States, China, South Korea, United Kingdom
    • Emerging Countries: China, Japan, South Korea, India, Singapore

    • Last updated on : 17 September, 2025

Growth Drivers

  • Access to Anime via Streaming Services and Games - Online platforms and anime games now drive the anime industry. In the past, accessing anime was often hard due to region limits or lack of physical media. But video streaming services have changed this. Ones like Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video have made it easy for all to watch anime. They offer big libraries with many kinds of anime. This helps fans around the world find and love anime. A strong, global fanbase has grown as a result. Now, fans can enjoy anime any time they want. This ease has led to more people becoming fans. These platforms also add revenue to the anime industry. Many now turn to them for quick and easy access to shows. Anime-related games also help the industry grow. Combined, these factors push the anime industry forward.
  • Social Media and Online Communities – The rise of social media and online groups plays a key role in anime's spread around the world. These sites are lively places where fans share and talk about their favorite shows, build a sense of community, and boost anime's reach. The excited fanbase is not just a group of watchers; they take action by making memes, starting talks, and writing reviews. This online buzz creates a cycle that feeds itself. As anime content gets more popular on social media, it grabs the interest of new viewers curious about the hype. This increase in viewers leads to more people signing up for streaming services, which boosts these platforms' earnings. With social sites and online communities, anime gains more followers.
  • Global Investments – The anime market shows promise for production companies aiming to appeal to new groups. Main players are taking steps to seize these chances. They are expanding aggressively to capture a larger share, investing in fresh and creative content for varied tastes, and forming strategic partnerships to enter new regions. These efforts set the stage for ongoing growth, with global audiences playing a key role in anime's future. Revenue from overseas markets, including licensing and streaming, surged to $11.6 billion in 2019.

Challenges

  • Piracy – The prevalence of illegal file sharing and streaming sites poses a significant challenge to the anime industry. Piracy stands as a primary challenge to this industry. Such piracy and illegal streaming platforms lead to financial losses for anime producers and creators, hindering overall profitability and long-term sustainability. 
  • Quality and Quantity - The anime industry's growing output has fueled a reliance on outsourcing animation work. While this allows for more shows to be produced, it can create challenges in maintaining consistent quality control. Some argue for a shift in focus, prioritizing fewer shows with larger in-house teams and better pay for animators to ensure a higher overall quality standard.

Anime Market Size and Forecast:

Report Attribute Details

Base Year

2025

Forecast Period

2026-2035

CAGR

9.3%

Base Year Market Size (2025)

USD 37.6 billion

Forecast Year Market Size (2035)

USD 91.49 billion

Regional Scope

  • North America (U.S. and Canada)
  • Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, South Korea, Rest of Asia Pacific)
  • Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, NORDIC, Rest of Europe)
  • Latin America (Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Rest of Latin America)
  • Middle East and Africa (Israel, GCC, North Africa, South Africa, Rest of the Middle East and Africa)
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Anime Market Segmentation:

Type Segment Analysis

Merchandising segment is projected to hold more than 33% anime market share by 2035. The segment growth can be attributed to a vast array of merchandise that caters to fans of all ages. Fans seek to bond with their favorite characters and shows off-screen, and merchandise provides a tangible way to do so. The strong emotional link that fans have with their favorite anime characters and series drives up the demand for merchandise. Also, technology and manufacturing advances have made it easier to produce high-quality and diverse anime products. This has resulted in a broader range of goods available for fans, catering to various tastes and interests. Merchandise can range from statues of anime characters, posters, e-commerce apparel, badges, character paraphernalia, etc.

Genre Segment Analysis

By 2035, action and adventure segment is anticipated to dominate over 39% anime market share. The segment growth can be explained due to its historical dominance and the preference for series like Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, and Naruto, among others. These series have a loyal fan base and have successfully captivated viewers with engaging stories, vivid characters, and high-energy action scenes. The genre's capacity to blend excitement, suspense, and heroism attracts a wide range of audiences, boosting its popularity and growth. The strong stories, unique characters, and eye-catching animation have all played a role in its success and market leadership.

Our in-depth analysis of the anime market includes the following segments:

          Type
  • T.V.
  • Videos
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Live Entertainment
  • Internet Distribution
  • Merchandising
  • Pachinko

          Genre
  • Action and Adventure
  • Sci-Fi and Fantasy
  • Romance and Drama
  • Others
Vishnu Nair
Vishnu Nair
Head - Global Business Development

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Anime Market Regional Analysis:

APAC Market Insights

Asia Pacific industry is set to hold largest revenue share of 40% by 2035. The market growth in the region is also expected due to Japan being a part of the Asia Pacific region and also being the birthplace of anime. Japan leads the Asia Pacific anime market, holding over 40% of the global anime share in 2020. As the birthplace of anime, Japan has seen its popularity soar in the Asia Pacific, especially in China. More anime fans and the rising need for anime content have fueled the market's growth. Streaming platforms and anime events catering to this fan base have further boosted the market. The region has also seen major tech progress in anime, like using virtual reality (VR) to offer a rich viewing experience. These tech steps have drawn more viewers and driven anime market growth.

In China, anime has seen a big rise in recent years. The Chinese government is backing the homegrown anime industry to reduce Japan's hold. More funds for animation studios and chances for new anime artists have helped grow the Chinese anime market.

South Korea, too, has seen a surge in anime's popularity. The country has a lively animation industry and has made well-known anime series that have won global acclaim.

North America Market Insights

The North America region will also encounter huge growth for the anime market during the forecast period and will hold the second position owing to several factors. One major reason is the rising popularity of anime among a diverse audience. Anime has found fans not only among hardcore enthusiasts but also among mainstream viewers, who enjoy its unique storytelling, art style, and cultural themes. Promotional tie-ins with fast-food chains, cosmetics brands, and electronics companies have also played a part in this growth. These partnerships have helped to expand anime's reach and increase its visibility in the North American market. Another key factor is the rise of streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Funimation. These platforms make it easier for North American viewers to access a wide range of anime content. With vast libraries of anime series and movies, fans can explore different genres and find new shows. The ease of streaming services has contributed to the growth of the anime industry in North America. The North American anime market has been growing steadily, with total revenues reaching $9.4 billion in 2022, marking a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% between 2017 and 2022.

The anime industry has seen notable growth and increased popularity in America in recent years. The global anime market reached $22.6 billion in 2020, with much of this growth due to merchandising and more streaming in North America. One way to measure the popularity of anime is through attendance at anime conventions. Conventions in the United States often see more than 20,000 attendees, showing a clear rise in interest and engagement with the medium.

Anime Market Share
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Anime Market Players:

    • Toei Animation
      • Company Overview
      • Business Strategy
      • Key Product Offerings
      • Financial Performance
      • Key Performance Indicators
      • Risk Analysis
      • Recent Development
      • Regional Presence
      • SWOT Analysis 
    • Studio Ghibli
    • MAPPA Studio
    • Aniplex
    • Production I.G
    • Kyoto Animation
    • Bones
    • Madhouse
    • Sunrise
    • Studio Pierrot

Recent Developments

  • Toei Animation - Toei Animation and Strata Co., Ltd. are working together on "DenDekaDen," a new project that uses Web 3.0 tech. The story has seven characters who change from spirits to gods based on fan actions on Twitter. NFT holders and the broader community will help shape their growth. Set in Kyoto, DenDekaDen mixes Japanese myths and traditions with blockchain, creating a unique story led by the community. Strata, a new creative firm with offices in Tokyo and New York, knows how to connect the real and digital worlds. Their team has worked with top brands and has made custom art for NFTs, games, and art, making them a great fit for this project.
  • Studio Ghibli - A new music documentary will trace the journey of Joe Hisaishi, the world's most sought-after composer. It will show Hisaishi's journey around the world, blending clips from his 2022 tour in France and his 2023 show at Vienna's Musikverein. Viewers will see key performances, his work on Studio Ghibli's concert in New York, and his role in the Royal Shakespeare Company's play "My Neighbor Totoro" in London. The documentary offers a look into the making of Hisaishi's score for Hayao Miyazaki's new film, "How Do You Live?" This close-up view follows Hisaishi's drive for top-notch music, capturing his aim to "stand on top of the world."
  • Report ID: 6101
  • Published Date: Sep 17, 2025
  • Report Format: PDF, PPT
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

In the year 2026, the industry size of anime is evaluated at USD 40.75 billion.

The global anime market size exceeded USD 37.6 billion in 2025 and is set to register a CAGR of more than 9.3%, exceeding USD 91.49 billion revenue by 2035.

Asia Pacific anime market achieves a 40% share by 2035, driven by Japan’s leadership in anime and rising popularity in China and South Korea.

Key players in the market include Toei Animation Co., Ltd., Studio Ghibli, Inc., Toho Co., Ltd., Aniplex Inc. (Sony), Crunchyroll (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Production I.G, Inc., Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd., Madhouse, Inc., Sunrise, Inc. (Bandai Namco), Bones Inc.

Anime Market Report Scope

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