The global manga market size was estimated at USD 12.13 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.4% from 2023 to 2030. The growth can be ascribed to the increasing popularity of graphic reading content comprising exciting stories and attractive visuals. Manga is among the most popular forms of Japanese entertainment media among children and adults. It has powerful influence on the youth and serves as significant cultural entertainment. Some titles are available weekly, while others are circulated as serials in national newspapers.

The growth of market is being further driven by the launch of various new titles in line with the explosive demand from the audience. Manga content comes in a variety of forms, such as creative, funny, inspirational, artistic, philosophical, trashy, and even edifying. Manga also depicts various virtues, emotions, and vices, such as success by hard work, strong-spiritedness, self-denial, persistence, dedication, pluck, or unrequited love.The market growth is expected to be largely driven by the adoption of digital format of manga. Several major publishing companies are introducing their works on the reading apps and trying to enhance the applications with advanced features. In November 2023, Manga Production signed an agreement with Japanese production company Production I.G., to license their anime series Great Pretender Razbliuto. The partnership will grant Manga Production the full rights for distribution, licensing, and marketing of the new season in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The children & kids segment held the largest market share in 2022. The growth can also be attributed to the growing support from parents as they see these books as means of developing reading comprehension and critical thinking skills in their kids. A strong focus on new content targeted towards kids is expected to drive growth in this segment. This is driven by recent popularization of children and kids-themed manga-based anime series. Some of the examples in this category include Crayon Shin-chan, Doraemon, Tsurupika Hagemaru, Chibi Maruko-chan, Sazae-san, Case Closed, and Anpanman among others.

The adult segment is expected to grow significantly over the upcoming years owing to the availability of a wide range of genres, such as comedy, romance, thrillers, fantasy, etc. These segments mainly interest the adult populace. Besides, the publishing companies are launching adult quality content and attractive graphics, favoring the segmental growth further. This is attributed to the rising prevalence of mature themed series such as Berserk, Monster, Tokyo Ghoul, Vagabond, Vinland Saga, Akira, and Blade of the Immortal among others.

The male segment held the largest revenue share in 2022. Besides, the aesthetic elements in the printed books attract enthusiasts as they seek to enjoy and collect high-quality and glossy books. Several enthusiasts still prefer to collect the printed versions due to the easy availability of the format, tactile experience, and affordability. Moreover, according to the survey, 72% of American adults aged 18 and over read a book in some format in 2021. Out of those, 37% of Americans preferred reading hard copy books.

The digital segment is anticipated to witness a notable CAGR over the forecast period as consumers are showing an increased interest in eBooks as they offer greater convenience, address space constraints, and are relatively cheaper than the printed versions. Digital platforms in the field of graphics such as comics have been growing nowadays. This is inseparable from the development of new media technologies that have transformed several manual and analog channels into automated and digital ones. The recent technological advancements have changed various aspects in life, including working methods and transitioning from printed to digital working media. The development of the comic world that formerly only relied on print media such as books, magazines, and newspapers is now shifting to digital technology media.

Asia Pacific region held a significant market share in 2022. The flourishing growth of the manga industry in Japan among domestic and international consumers has boosted the regional market growth. Japan is known as the hub for animation studios as it has over 600 animation studios, with more than 500 anime studios in Tokyo alone. Manga titles are gaining a lot of traction and inspiring young and creative people to pursue careers in this industry, which is expected to drive market growth further across the region. The significant growth of e-commerce businesses has also had a positive impact on the market outlook.

North America region is anticipated to grow at the fastest highest CAGR of more than 22% during the forecast period. The significant growth can be attributed to the growing fan base and popularity of anime content across the region. Moreover, the growing presence of the anime studios, such as AnimEigo, Inc., Aniplex of America Inc., and Discotek Media, that are catering to the anime fan community is also contributing to the increased demand for manga in the region. The region has also witnessed an increase in the number of retail stores for anime in various cities, including California and North Carolina, which is expected to propel the market’s growth over the forecast period.

The online segment held a substantial share in market owing to increasing consumer preference of ecommerce portals for purchasing books and magazines due to greater convenience and discounts. Online distribution channel has continued to grow significantly since COVID-19 pandemic. This growth is attributed to the increased consumption of content due to the work from home setup and rising focus on leisure activities, which has prevailed globally after the onset of pandemic.

The action and adventure segment is anticipated to lead the global market during the forecast period of 2023 to 2030. While the action titles mainly include a main character that fights humans, aliens, robots, animals, etc., the adventure titles comprise characters that explore vast possibilities in the world and beyond. Although it is aimed at young males, it has a significant number of female audiences. The wide availability in various other languages is increasing its global reach, thereby supporting the segmental growth. This is largely due to historical dominance and preference for action and adventure-based series such as Dragonball, One Piece, One Punch Man, Naruto, Bleach, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen among others.

The romance and drama segment, in terms of the genre, is likely to grow at a substantial growth rate during the forecast period owing to increase in the demand for romance and drama-based among female readers. The romantic titles are mainly aimed at young females who enjoy reading content related to ideal romances. The titles based on drama mostly have serious themes related to the nitty-gritty of life and are popular among both male and female segments. This can be attributed to the shift in preference of younger audiences, particularly teenagers, to consume romance and drama themed content. Some of the popular titles in this category include Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Noragami, Ao Haru Ride, and the Quintessential Quintuplets among others.

The male segment held the largest market share in 2022, while the female segment was anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. The rise in demand for content suited for female audiences attributed to the increasing number of female readers globally and it is likely to propel the growth of the segment during the forecast period. Female segment has continued to grow significantly over the last few years as publishers are increasingly focusing content preferred by female audience such as based on romance and drama genre.

The major companies operating in the market are focusing on forming strategic alliances, and new product launches to gain a competitive edge in the industry. For instance, in November 2023, Animoca Brands Japan collaborated with Quidd to develop and launch a customized service aimed at introducing beloved Japanese intellectual property to the western market.

Report Attribute

Details

Market size value in 2023

USD 13.69 billion

Revenue forecast in 2030

USD 42.2 billion

Growth rate

CAGR of 17.4% from 2023 to 2030

Base year for estimation

2022

Report updated

December 2023

Historical data

2018 - 2021

Forecast period

2023 - 2030

Report updated

December 2023

Quantitative units

Revenue in USD billion/million and CAGR from 2023 to 2030

Report coverage

Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, trends

Segments covered

Type, content type, distribution channel, genre, gender, audience, region.

Regional scope

North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA

Country scope

U.S.; Canada; UK; Germany; France; Italy; Spain; China; India; Japan; South Korea; Australia; Brazil; Mexico; Saudi Arabia and South Africa

Key companies profiled

Akita Publishing Co., Ltd.; Bilibili Comics Pte. Ltd.; Bungeishunj奴 Ltd.; GOOD SMILE COMPANY, INC.; Hitotsubashi Group; Houbunsha Co., Ltd.; Kadokawa Corporation ; Kodansha Ltd.; Nihon Bungeisha Co.; Ltd.; Seven Seas Entertainment, Inc.; Shogakukan Inc.; Shueisha, Inc.; VIZ Media LLC; Yen Press LLC

Customization scope

Free report customization (equivalent to 8 analyst working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope.

Pricing and purchase options

Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs. Explore purchase options 

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global manga market report based on content type, distribution channel, genre, gender, audience, and region:

Content Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Printed

Digital

Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Offline

Online

Genre Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Action and Adventure

Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Sports

Romance and Drama

Others

Gender Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Male

Female

Audience Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Children and Kids (Aged below 10 years)

Teenagers (Aged between 10 to 16 years)

Adults (Aged above 16 years)

Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

North America

U.S.

Canada

Europe

Germany

UK

France

Italy

Spain

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Middle East and Africa

South Africa

Saudi Arabia

b. The global manga market size was estimated at USD 12.13 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 13.69 billion in 2023.

b. The global manga market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.4% from 2023 to 2030 to reach USD 42.20 billion by 2030.

b. Asia Pacific dominated the manga market with a share of more than 80% in 2022. This is attributable to the highest concentration of manga production studios across countries including Japan, China and South Korea in Asia Pacific region.

b. Some key players operating in the manga market include Kadokawa Corporation; Bilibili Comics Pte. Ltd.; Houbunsha Co., Ltd.; Shogakukan Inc.; Shueisha Inc.; GOOD SMILE COMPANY, INC. and Akita Publishing Co., Ltd. among others.

b. Key factors that are driving the manga market growth include the growing popularity of graphic reading content with intriguing narrative and appealing images, as well as an increase in the number of manga readers among the Millennial Generation and Generation Z