The anime industry is close to exploding, they claim

As part of Anime Expo 2024, Justin Sevakis , a prominent figure in the anime community, has shared a disturbing update on Twitter that has alarmed fans and the industry . Sevakis, known for his vast experience in the anime world, expressed his concerns after several meetings at the event.

« I still have two meetings left in this Anime Expo 2024, but so far my conclusions are… 1. The anime content bubble will probably burst soon, there are too many shows and no one can handle it, neither the fans nor the industry . 2. Anime merchandise sales have plummeted, especially figures. Everyone is a little bit .

Justin Sevakis is a respected voice in the anime industry. He joined the anime community as a teenager and in 1998 founded Anime News Network, one of the largest anime news sources. After several prominent roles, including his work at Central Park Media and ImaginAsian Entertainment, he returned to Anime News Network in 2008. In 2012, he launched MediaOCD, a company dedicated to video/DVD/Blu-ray production. anime.

Sevakis mentions an “anime content bubble” that is about to burst. This analogy suggests that the anime industry has been producing an unsustainable number of series and movies, creating a glut of content. The demand for new series has led to overproduction, resulting in fierce competition and a decline in quality . Fans, overwhelmed by the number of options, find it difficult to follow all the series, and the industry struggles to maintain the financial viability of so many simultaneous productions.

The second point of concern is the drastic drop in merchandising sales, especially figures. The figures, which have been a mainstay in the anime economy, have seen a significant decline in demand . This could be the result of several factors, such as changing consumer trends, market saturation with similar products, or even a shift in fan interests toward other types of products or digital experiences.

Sevakis' words have generated a mixture of concern and reflection among anime fans. Many fans have expressed their own concerns about the quality and quantity of content available, as well as the accessibility and affordability of merchandise.

« Will this lead to a rapid and well-deserved decline of isekai shows? ».
« Are we heading towards another 2007? ».
« Fans are opening their eyes and realizing that convention prices are absurd when you can import directly from Japan for less. $40 prize figures and $20 doujins at Anime Expo lmao. This is not because of the conversion from the yen to the dollar, it has always been like this, just that more people are learning how easy it is .
« I would love to see a few well-made shows each season instead of an avalanche of everything. The audience is becoming more demanding .
« Aside from isekai, I think the market became too saturated with shows like Dogeza and Peter Grill. Even the most depraved and horny fan said “THAT'S TOO MUCH . ”
" Good. There are so many trash anime that aren't worth watching. I hope a new wave of great anime comes out of this. Most mainstream anime is too cheesy, unoriginal and without much story .
« I was wondering if it was just me seeing how many shows there are on Crunchyroll to watch. An insane amount .
« Rather, no one in their right mind can afford anime merchandising because there is no distribution, or the import taxes are too high. In fact, you could also say that no one can afford… anything nowadays .
« I hope that doesn't happen in the world of conventions. Conventions are hanging by a thread: exponentially increasing venue and guest costs are only offset by increased attendance (albeit with rising pass prices). If that blows up… many conventions will be in a serious situation .
« Shocking news that people don't like stacks of cheap acrylics, 'collectible' coasters, or $300+ figurines. At some point, the reasonable and limited product died .
« Seeing what's happening with Toonami/WBD and Crunchyroll only convinced me that an anime/streaming bubble is inevitable. Let's hope that the industry and anime fandom in general can weather the storm better this time .
" I knew it. There is too much anime. How can people keep up to date and I'm sure many don't have enough quality. A shame ».
« I have literally stopped trying to follow seasonal shows. Now I see 1 or 2 but I'm not the guy who sees everything anymore. That one already died .
« As someone who loves toys, I don't see the appeal in most of the recent figures. None of them have any kind of charm and there are too many things that are the same .
« It reminds me of the toy industry: everyone got bored in the pandemic, bought too many, companies increased production, people started cutting back, and then toy sales fell .»
« It seems like we're seeing every form of entertainment media rush into their respective bubble right now. There are still good things to be consoled, and no format is going to die, but it is uncomfortable to watch .
" I'm fine with reducing the number of shows as it will force companies to use really good stories instead of releasing a bunch of garbage and hoping something sticks ."
« I'm surprised they can produce so much anime. Especially with all the crunch. I'm still trying to catch up on past shows. It is too expensive to buy any merchandise right now. I honestly hope everyone regrets inflation .
« Well, the plan was for Sony to monopolize, but lately I see that they are losing licenses to other streaming companies that don't really care about anime but need to cash in on a great title to save the entire platform. Disney+, AMC+, Hulu, etc. »
« I like to think of this as a market correction. There are too many trash shows.
The cost might be losing some small gems, but if it means fewer random isekais then hopefully it works. It also means that people can catch up with what is already available .
" Basically. I don't watch that much current anime anymore, but in any given year I could identify several top shows. Now there's too much (isekai) to sift through, maybe one or two are good enough to really stand out. If there are no good shows, there are no good figures .