Financial research company Teikoku Databank released a report on the anime industry in 2021. The report notes that 39.8% of the 309 anime production companies surveyed have made losses in 2021. The percentage is 0.9% higher than in 2020, and it is the highest ever recorded by Teikoku Databank. The company cited the decline in the number of television anime productions, the COVID-19 pandemic, a shortage of human resources, and the delays of many of the productions in 2021 as the reasons for the record.
Total industry revenue for 2021 amounted to 249.58 billion yen (about 1.86 billion US dollars). This is down 5% from 2020 and marks the first time since at least 2000 that the anime industry has made losses for two consecutive years ( Teikoku Databank also recorded a 1.8% contraction of total industry revenue in 2020 ).
42.6% of anime companies specializing in outsourcing work (such as for in-between animation or scenery) also suffered losses. The average revenue of these companies in 2021 amounted to 287 million yen (about 2.14 million US dollars).
Of the 309 anime companies surveyed, 70 transacted with foreign companies through outsourcing or production contracts in 2021. 33 of those companies transacted with Chinese companies, 25 companies with US companies, 15 with South Korea, 7 with Taiwan and 19 with other countries. According to the Japan Animation Association, the number of television anime titles dropped for the fourth year in a row in 2020, dropping by more than 80 from its all-time high of 278.
Source: Yaraon!
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