In a print exclusive in the ICv2 Retailers Guide to Anime/Manga (see 'ICv2 Publishes First Magazine'), which is reaching retailers this week, ICv2 has analyzed the market size of both the anime and manga markets.  While all concerned have been aware that these markets have been growing rapidly, there has been very little information published on their size.  The companies involved at the manufacturing and publishing level are privately held, and each has a different perspective on the market related to its own releases.  Over the past several months, ICv2 has been talking to the companies involved to try to get a more complete picture of these markets, and the articles in this magazine are the result.

The anime market is much larger than the manga market in the U.S.  ICv2 has concluded that the market for anime approaches a half billion dollars a year at retail.  That makes it larger than the comics market, and depending on the year a close competitor of the RPG/CCG or collectible toy markets.  And despite the decline of Pokemon, which was a huge business, the market still appears to be growing due to an increase in television exposure for anime properties.  The magazine article also contains extensive information about the basis for this estimate, and the breakdown of the market between core anime titles and mass market titles. 

On the other side of the ICv2 Retailers Guide, the analysis of the U.S. market for manga concludes that it's much smaller, in the $30-$60 million per year range.  But the growth rate is much higher than either the growth rate for the anime market or for the comic market as a whole; in fact, it appears to be doubling this year, as it did last year.  Again, the magazine article contains information about the basis for this estimate, and the channels through which these products are sold.