Against the backdrop of the rapid expansion of the IP print economy, how Japan’s anime-related businesses can capitalize on their assets is being called into question. This report examines the system for creating one-of-a-kind merchandise and the current state of Japan’s revenue structure.
The IP print economy is built around on-demand printing, in which products are printed after an order is received, with names and numbers inserted into a common design to create individually customized merchandise. Its key selling point is that it eliminates inventory risk while giving fans access to one-of-a-kind products.
Despite the global popularity of Japanese anime and manga, the share of overseas-market revenue flowing back to production companies remains low. As of 2024, the overseas market is estimated to be worth approximately ¥2.1 trillion, while production companies are said to receive only about ¥118.8 billion, or 5.5% of the total. This level is reportedly unchanged in recent years.
A major factor cited is that overseas streaming services such as Netflix retain 80%–90% of the profits. While IP print technology is attracting attention, the challenge is how to bring profits flowing overseas back to Japan.
The boom in fan spending is said to be driven in part by purchasing behavior among parents and children, with one view holding that nostalgia among parents encourages children to buy merchandise. Chinese companies are expanding their market share by achieving planning, production and shipping within 24 hours, and Japan is said to need to overcome its slow decision-making.