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Japanese Anime Home Video Market Falls 0.8% in 2019

The Japan Video Software Association (JVA) released on March 12 its 12-month statistical report on home video sales in Japan from January to December 2019.

The report stated that domestic anime DVD and Blu-ray Disc sales for general audiences, excluding rental releases, amounted to 32.287 billion yen (about US$294.2 million), a 0.8% decrease from 2018's 32.557 billion yen. (This category includes anime aimed at teenagers or older viewers, and excludes overseas animation and animation aimed at children.)

Of these sales, Blu-ray Disc sales were up 0.9%, and DVD sales were down 8.1%. General audience anime sales made up 24.9% of the overall home video sales market.

Domestic children's anime home video sales fell 1.6% from 2018 to 1.413 billion yen (about US$12.9 million). These sales represented 1.1% of the overall market.

Domestic anime DVD and Blu-ray Disc rentals for general audiences fell 23.5% in 2019 to 4.339 billion yen (about US$39.5 million), and domestic children's anime home video rentals fell 4.3% to 1.375 billion yen (about US$12.5 million).

Overall, the home video market was down 10.7% to 159.093 yen (about US$1.448 billion) compared to 2018. DVD sales were down 19.8%, and Blu-ray Disc sales were down 0.9%. DVD sales made up 46.5% of the market, and Blu-ray Disc sales made up 53.5% of the market.

Domestic anime DVD and Blu-ray Disc sales for general audiences, excluding rental releases, in 2018 saw a 24.2% decrease from 2017. The 2017 market saw a 2.6% increase from 2016, bolstered by sales of hits such as your name. and In This Corner of the World.

2017 was the first year since 1987 that the overall home video market was less than 200 billion yen. Home video revenue in Japan has gradually declined since 2005. Sales hit their peak in 2004, with a revenue of 375.3 billion yen.

Sources: JVA's website and 2019 report (link 2), Animation Business Journal (Tadashi Sudo)