In issue #9 of the ICv2 Retailers Guide to Anime/Manga (our annual market report issue, released this week), we report that the manga market continued its robust growth in 2004, paced by a 40-50% sales increase in bookstores.  We estimate the total manga market size for the U.S. and Canada at $110 to $140 million, up from $90 to $110 million in 2003.  Although the growth rate is a decline from the blistering 100% growth in 2003 (see 'Manga Market Skyrockets in 2003'), the strong double digit growth on a larger sales base illustrates the impact of a growing consumer base and increased exposure in retailers.  

The manga market did experience some growing pains in 2004, with the rapid increase in the number of titles claiming three small publishers, and some publishers pulling back on the number of releases for '05. 

The anime market was flat in 2004; we estimate it was $500 to $550 million at retail, compared to around $550 million in 2003.  Growth in the core market was unable to offset a decline in the mass market, where sales of the Dragon Ball property were down vs. the previous year. 

The issue also reports the Top 50 Manga properties, based on sales in both bookstores and comic stores in Q4 2004.  The Top Ten Manga from that list are:

  1. Rurouni Kenshin

  2. Fruits Basket

  3. Naruto

  4. Inuyasha

  5. .Hack

  6. Tsubasa

  7. Trigun

  8. D.N.Angel

  9. Hellsing

10. Negima

The Top Anime Properties across all channels are also reported in this issue.  The Top Ten Anime from that list are:

  1. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

  2. Dragon Ball GT/Dragon Ball Z

  3. Inuyasha

  4. Yu-Gi-Oh!

  5. Initial D

  6. Neon Genesis Evangelion

  7. Yu Yu Hakusho

  8. Gungrave

  9. Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli

10. Wolf's Rain