Industry
To put it briefly, anime and manga sales as of 2008 reached a whopping ￥13.3 billion (121 million USD equivalent) across 112 countries, all while excluding the sales within Japan to show the global impact this industry has brought about. These figures are guaranteed to increase after the current ongoing pandemic. For people stuck in the comfort of their homes, anime and manga can be a great source of entertainment. The anime and manga culture has had a continuous boom in popularity for the past decade. This industry is far from being done. On the contrary, it's only getting better by the minute. It is a thriving community that brings fans from all across the globe together to share their love for everything anime.
Culture
Although anime and manga popularity-wise is undisputed in Japan, their influence has played a vital role in spreading the Japanese culture far and wide. In a way, the industry has evolved. What started as a small company using painted figures moving across a projection screen is now a mega-industry that uses modern technologies in animation. The impact is very noticeable throughout the last decade, which has birthed many subcultures in the Video Games industry, Fashion industry, Toy Companies, Memes, and Social platforms.
Soft Power
"Soft Power" involves shaping the preferences of others through appeal and attraction. It is the ability to attract and co-opt.
Japan's genuine effort to exploit its country's popularity among a younger audience worldwide, those of whom share an unwavering love for everything Japanese. Anime is the Japanese word for animation. The term "anime" is also globally used to distinguish Japanese animation from Western animation.
This effort by Japan is to boost its global image and provide short-term benefits from sales of anime and manga products and increase tourism to the country.
Recent Milestones
We'd have far too much to cover if we were to list every accomplishment that anime and manga have made. So here are a few easily recognizable ones.
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge that burst into popularity in 2020, with sales of manga copies exceeding the 80 million mark.
- Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) was written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama, whose anime and manga adaptations were superior in popularity. According to IMDb, two episodes from the anime are in the top 5 highest-rated TV episodes of all time.
- One Piece, written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, is the No.1 most sold manga of all time. As of recent, it has surpassed popular comics as of the likes of Marvel's Spider-Man, and DC's Batman sales-wise, enlisting itself as the second most sold comic/manga of all time, second only to DC's Superman.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a plethora of anime and manga material for a wide audience. With new anime and manga being released so often, this industry is far from over. One reason anime and manga have stood the test of time is their ability to grow and adapt to an ever-changing audience. With enticing and captivating stories to be read and enjoyed for the generations, what anime are you going to binge on?
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