It should not come as a shock that the manga industry has seen a huge uptake in popularity outside of Japan in recent years. For many years, the West has been one of the biggest consumers of the medium, and it is easy to see. From streaming services to fast-food chains like McDonald's, anime is everywhere you look. Countries like the U.S.A. have been seen as the most profitable for companies such as Shueisha, but that reputation is starting to change.

In fact, anime's dominance in the West will head in a completely different direction soon according to Momiyama, an Editor-in-Chief behind Shonen Jump. In a recent post about the state of the industry, Momiyama explained that China and many European countries like have been far more profitable than North America.

China Will Likely Become The Next Target For the Manga Industry

The Asian Power Overshadows North American Sales

On December 24, 2024, the Shonen Jump executive shared his thoughts about the global manga market. In his post over on social media, 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 has led to the first-ever purchase of one 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 over one million copies. This is likely the first time in China's history that a single volume has published one million copies. I don't think it is well known that the print market in China has been growing over the past few years. More and more news reports have mentioned the growing popularity of manga overseas in recent years. In particular, many of the reports focus on the growth of the North American market, but I feel a bit uncomfortable every time I read them.

"The number of manga readers has increased significantly - not just in North America but across the world."

For example, there are more Jump+ titles selling better in than in North America. In fact, the number of manga published in is bigger than in North America to start. 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] into multiple languages. Not just in English, and we have published in almost all the countries of 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 being distributed simultaneously is still not huge in certain languages. Very few countries have an environment like in Japan where readers can choose from a large number of manga at most stores and read what they like. I personally feel that this is one of the reasons why readers are attracted to pirated manga. Whenever I hear news like a single manga volume selling over one million copies in China, I feel we must 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 nation is the second most-populated on Earth. Despite how popular the manga industry has become in the the United States, it is still relatively small. It has become a part of the mainstream culture as manga grows more and more prevalent as time goes on. However, the percentage of the population in countries like the U.S.A. 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 profitable.

Momiyama Feels North America Should Not Be The Only Relevant Country

Could Sur Some North American Countries

sh

After discussing the possibility of China becoming the next main target of the manga industry, the Editor-in-Chief talked 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 might be a major mistake as other markets have proven to be equally or even more successful.

The editor informed readers that many of the most recent and massively popular manga in Jump+, the online version of Shueisha’s popular magazine, have been better received in than in North America. He attributed this trend to the fact that a European country prints more newer titles than we see in the U.S.A. Momiyama believes this to be proof that the industry should not focus solely on this region of the world when expanding the market. Although he did not comment on any other countries, he heavily implied that similar occurrences have occurred all over the world.

The Editor Hopes For A More Global Focus

The Market Could Push To Expand Worldwide in the Future

One of the most interesting topics brought up by Momiyama in his post is the impressive growth the manga industry has seen worldwide. While studies and reports often focus solely on the North American region, the editor explained that the numbers indicate that the entire globe 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 claims that tools like Jump+ have been vital for this to become a reality.

Moreover, Momiyama hopes that as the world continues to get more invested in the industry, companies like Shueisha will consider other countries in the equation. He hopes for a future in which manga is a hobby that can be enjoyed by anyone around the world. The editor also hopes that by that point, the industry will have expanded its horizons and focused on other regions besides North America which would be beneficial for everyone involved. The editor's message might bring a change in the overall way fans see the manga industry. As interest in this medium expands, manga readers might notice marketing strategies shift as more companies start focusing on different countries. In a few years, manga will hopefully become more available in all regions of the world, making it easier for readers to enjoy the best and most popular series.