It shouldn't come as a surprise that the manga industry has seen a huge rise in popularity outside of Japan in recent years. For many years, the West has been one of the biggest consumers of the media, and this is easy to see. From streaming services to fast-food chains like McDonald's, anime is everywhere you look. Countries like the US have long been seen as the most profitable for companies like Shueisha, but that reputation is starting to change.
In fact, the dominance of anime in the West will take a completely different direction soon, according to Momiyama, editor-in-chief behind Shonen Jump. In a recent post on the state of the industry, Momiyama explained that China and many European countries like France have been much more profitable than North America.
China likely to become the manga industry's next target
Asian power overshadows sales in North America
On December 24, 2024, the Shonen Jump executive shared his thoughts on the global manga market. In her social media post, Momiyama explained that China has the potential to become the next biggest target for companies like Shueisha. He explained this change by revealing that the growing interest in this medium led to the first purchase of a million copies of the same book. He went on to state that the huge Chinese market is often overlooked. You can read our full translation of Momiyama's message below:
A single manga volume in China has sold more than a million copies. This is probably the first time in Chinese history that a single volume has published one million copies. I don't think it's common knowledge that the printing market in China has been growing in recent years. More and more news reports mention the growing popularity of manga abroad in recent years. In particular, many of the reports focus on the growth of the North American market, but I feel a little uncomfortable every time I read them.
“The number of manga readers has increased significantly – not just in North America, but around the world.”
For example, more Jump+ titles sell better in France than in North America. In fact, for starters, the number of manga published in France is greater than in North America. I think the trend here is similar for other media and publishers. Five years ago, when we launched Manga Plus... we started translating [Shonen Jump] in several languages. Not just in English, and we publish in almost every country in the world. Looking at the numbers, compared to five years ago, the number of manga readers has increased significantly – not just in North America, but across the world.
However, the number of works distributed simultaneously is not huge in certain languages. Very few countries have an environment like Japan where readers can choose from a large number of manga in most stores and read whatever they want. Personally, I feel this is one of the reasons why readers are drawn to pirated manga. Whenever I hear news like a single manga volume selling over a million copies in China, I feel like we should make it possible for readers in other countries to access more manga in their native language.
The number of copies sold could theoretically only be achieved in a country like China, as the country is the second most populous on the planet. Despite how popular the manga industry has become in the United States, it is still relatively small. It has become part of mainstream culture as manga becomes more and more prevalent over time. However, the percentage of the population in countries like the USA that enjoys this hobby would make it difficult for such a feat to become a reality. With this in mind, anime is now focusing on China as the market has proven to be more lucrative.
Momiyama thinks North America shouldn't be the only relevant country
France could surpass some North American countries
Eh
After discussing the possibility of China becoming the manga industry's next main target, the Editor-in-Chief spoke about his feelings about the industry's focus on North America. According to him, the growth of manga as a hobby in this region of the world is often the only one seen as relevant. He implied that locations outside of Japan, such as the rest of Asia, Europe or South America, are not seen as relevant. Momiyama confessed that he believes this could be a big mistake, as other markets have proven to be equally or even more successful.
The publisher informed readers that many of the latest and most popular manga from Jump+, the online version of Shueisha's popular magazine, have been better received in France than in North America. He attributed this trend to the fact that a European country prints more newer titles than we see in the US. Momiyama believes this is proof that the industry should not just focus on this region of the world when expanding the market. While he did not comment on any other countries, he strongly hinted that similar occurrences have occurred across the world.
The editor expects a more global focus
The market could drive global expansion in the future
One of the most interesting topics raised by Momiyama in his post is the impressive growth that the manga industry has seen across the world. Although studies and reports often focus only on the North American region, the editor explained that the numbers indicate that the entire world has seen similar results. As this medium has become more accessible to audiences outside of Japan, mainly thanks to the many apps that have been released, interest in manga has also skyrocketed. The editor states that tools like Jump+ were vital for this to become a reality.
Additionally, Momiyama hopes that as the world continues to invest more in the industry, companies like Shueisha will consider other countries into the equation. He hopes for a future where manga is a hobby that can be enjoyed by anyone in the world. The publisher also hopes that by now the industry has expanded its horizons and focused on regions other than North America, which would be beneficial for everyone involved. The publisher's message could bring about a change in the overall way fans view the manga industry. As interest in this medium expands, manga readers may notice changes in marketing strategies as more companies begin to focus on different countries. In a few years, manga is expected to be more available in all regions of the world, making it easier for readers to enjoy the best and most popular series.