Anime DVD Sales Down 20% in 2007
Dragon Ball Z, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Top Selling Titles
Anime sales took another beating in 2007, declining another 20% from the previous year. However, awareness of the genre is up.
More bad news for anime producers hoping to bring their wares to North America: anime DVD sales declined more than 20% in 2007. More ominously, the number of anime titles getting North American distribution also tumbled by 21%, a steeper drop than 2006's dip of 19%.
Ascertaining how well anime DVD's are doing in North America is a tough guess, since Wal-Mart (one of the biggest distribution outlets) doesn't report its sales figures. But, according to ICv2's best estimation, the anime market in North America is currently worth between $275 and $300 million in retail dollars. That's far less than what one North American animated movie (DreamWorks Animation's Shrek the Third) pulled in North America that same year.
More North Americans Aware of Anime
One of the few positive signs among this year's doom-and-gloom is that awareness of anime as a genre has risen among North Americans. This is partially thanks to the buzz surrounding the Wachowski's upcoming live-action adaptation of the classic anime Speed Racer, which rolls into theatres May 9th. The Wachowskis have never been shy about admitting their love of the genre, which influenced previous hits like 1999's The Matrix.
Anime producers are also trying to cut the shorten the time lag from when an anime title debuts in Japan and when it's available for sale across the Pacific, and experimenting with new delivery modes and lower cost formats.
Interestingly, sales of manga titles are still strong, although sales are slowing. A part of the problem may be the sheer number of titles hitting stores and consumers, with an estimated 33 volumes debuting each week, according to publisher projections.
Here, according to ICv2, are the top selling animes of 2007.
The Top Selling Anime Properties of 2007
- Dragon Ball Z
- Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
- Pokemon
- Naruto
- Afro Samurai
- Howl's Moving Castle
- Bleach
- Robotech: Shadow Chronicles
- My Neighbor Totoro
- Karas the Revelation
Hayao Miyazaki Movies Still Sell Well
The most interesting element of this is the presence of two older titles by anime legend Hayao Miyazaki on this list. Howl's Moving Castle (in the #6 position) is still highly popular nearly four years after its Japanese release, and My Neighbor Totoro was initially released in theatres back in 1988. This speaks volumes about the strength of Miyazaki's movies, which have earned him the international nickname of "The Japanese Walt Disney" (a term he despises, by the way).
Hopefully, this will also encourage the Walt Disney Company (who has a distribution deal with Studio Ghibli) to bring the anime legend's next film Ponyo on a Cliff to North American theatres as soon as possible. And while we're at it, Disney, may we request a film by another Miyazaki, something called Tales from Earthsea? I understand Japanese audiences really loved that one.
Fun Fact: Neil Gaiman is not doing anything on Ponyo on a Cliff. That was just me being silly.
