Last month we saw how anime has, by and large, sustained in 2021 the massive growth it experienced during 2020. But is anime really a priority for those who watch it? Or it just something that fills in the time between other shows viewers care about?
Plenty of series occupy that sort of “elevator music” space in the marketplace – inoffensive but ultimately secondary. You can certainly build a business off of that (just look at elevator music), but if that’s all anime is, then perhaps it wouldn’t be worth the hype all of these acquisitions would seem to give it.
Strikingly, for those who watch it, anime is a primary rather than secondary entertainment priority. When picking their favorite genre across 15 different countries ranging from the United States to Nigeria, around 20-40% of Anime Viewers cite anime as their #1 favorite genre – the most beloved genre in every market among Anime Viewers. Globally among both Viewers and Non-Viewers, anime takes home 6th place (behind Comedy, Action-Adventure, Sports, Drama, and Horror).
With anime inspiring such enviable priority among its Viewers, the value of some of the major acquisitions of anime streaming services comes more clearly into focus. Winning over anime audiences isn’t just about the linear addition of a few fans, but a way of servicing a “niche” audience that punches well above its weight in terms of engagement, value, and virality potential.
But how do you think the passion of Anime Viewers stacks up to other fandoms? And do Anime Viewers seem more or less passionate than they did in the past?
Anime Viewership: Not Just Watching, But Prioritizing Anime
Last month we saw how anime has, by and large, sustained in 2021 the massive growth it experienced during 2020. But is anime really a priority for those who watch it? Or it just something that fills in the time between other shows viewers care about? Plenty of series occupy that sort of “elevator music” space in the marketplace – inoffensive but ultimately secondary. You can certainly build a business off of that (just look at elevator music), but if that’s
Esports: Anime Viewers are Tuning In & Cheering On
Japan is not as known for its esports scene as are its neighbors China and Korea, but anime viewers are – in every market surveyed – far more likely to watch esports than those who do not watch anime. Across markets, many more Anime Viewers watch esports compared to Non-Viewers. In markets including the US, the UK, Germany, and Japan, Anime Viewers are 2x as likely to watch esports as Non-Viewers. Not only do more Anime Viewers watch esports, but on
Pushing the Right Buttons: Anime Viewers as Core Gamers
Anime Viewers are core gamers, a passion that is particularly pronounced among (but not limited to) Japanese IPs. The intersection of anime and video games offers powerful opportunities for everything from live event programming to game development. Anime Viewers invest heavily into a beloved hobby that frequently intersects with, and goes beyond, their love of anime. Anime Viewers are far more likely to play video games (Anime Viewers are approximately 1.5x more likely to be weekly PC/Console gamers than Non-Viewers), watch
Data Available from Survey on Anime Conventions and Covid-19
The “Anime Conventions and COVID-19” survey closed on September 1, 2021, after 5.5 months of successful data collection. This survey, which was created to collect attendees’ thoughts about their involvement in cons during and after Covid-19, yielded over 1,100 valid responses on a variety of topics, including why attendees enjoyed cons, what safety measures they felt necessary post-Covid, and how they felt about the future of cons overall. Data analysis is ongoing by the researchers, Maria Alberto (Ph.D. candidate at the
