Anime Biz: Still an Adolescent
Just read an article from BusinessWeek on the anime business, and why, despite its legions of fans, is still not a profitable business for anime studios. Anime is huge in Japan, and is growing export for the country. Anime is also very influential, influencing movie producers, fashion and western culture. What it has done to Japan is whole lot different. In fact, of the three top grossing movies in Japan, three are anime -- the biggest being Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, which also won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Yet, despite critical acclaim and cult like following, the anime business isn't as robust as the animation industry of North America.
Why? The artists. There is no industry. There are some 440 animation studios in Japan -- not much consolidation has occurred. Artists are bad business people. In fact, they routinely cut deals to sell their creations outright to distributors and toy makers, who make billions, while the artists hardly break even. In the US for example, while Shrek 2 was making $437 million, Spirited Away only managed $10 million. Even Katsuhiro Otomo's much anticipated Steamboy, only raked in $11 million in the US. The biggest problem is mass appeal. Only about 10% of anime actually make any money. Spritied Away and Steamboy, while brilliant on their own, don't have the mass appeal of Shrek or the Incredibles -- and that's what the Japanese artists need to learn. They need to give up a little to make a killing from their business.
Hayao Miyazaki's latest is Howl's Moving Castle, and it has already earned critical acclaim. It is open in theatres already. I'm planning to see it -- anyone wants to come with me?
Why? The artists. There is no industry. There are some 440 animation studios in Japan -- not much consolidation has occurred. Artists are bad business people. In fact, they routinely cut deals to sell their creations outright to distributors and toy makers, who make billions, while the artists hardly break even. In the US for example, while Shrek 2 was making $437 million, Spirited Away only managed $10 million. Even Katsuhiro Otomo's much anticipated Steamboy, only raked in $11 million in the US. The biggest problem is mass appeal. Only about 10% of anime actually make any money. Spritied Away and Steamboy, while brilliant on their own, don't have the mass appeal of Shrek or the Incredibles -- and that's what the Japanese artists need to learn. They need to give up a little to make a killing from their business.
Hayao Miyazaki's latest is Howl's Moving Castle, and it has already earned critical acclaim. It is open in theatres already. I'm planning to see it -- anyone wants to come with me?
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