The anime industry is close to exploding, they say

On the sidelines 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, voiced his concerns after several meetings at the event.

"I still have two meetings left at 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 merch sales have plummeted, especially figurines. They're all a little bit 😐."

The anime industry is close to exploding, they say

Justin Sevakis is a respected voice in the anime industry. He joined the anime community as a teenager and in 1998 founded the Anime News Network, one of the most important sources of news about anime. After several prominent roles, including her work at Central Park Media and ImaginAsian Entertainment, she returned to Anime News Network in 2008. In 2012, he launched MediaOCD, a company dedicated to the production of video/DVD/Blu-ray 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 saturation 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 of 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 the change in consumer trends, the saturation of the market with similar products, or even a change in fans' interests towards 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 merchandising.

"Will this lead to a quick and well-deserved downfall 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. Prize figures at $40 and doujins at $20 at the Anime Expo, lmao. This is not because of the yen to the dollar conversion, it has always been that way, just that more people are learning how easy it is."
"I'd love to see a few well-done shows each season instead of an avalanche of everything. The audience is becoming more demanding."
"Apart 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 out there that are not worth watching. I hope that a new wave of great anime will come out of this. Most mainstream anime is too cheesy, unoriginal, and without much story."
"I was wondering if it was just me watching the number of shows on Crunchyroll to watch. An insane amount."
"Rather, no one in their right mind can afford anime merchandising because there is no distribution, or import taxes are too high. In fact, you could also say that no one can afford to... nothing nowadays."
"I hope that doesn't happen in the world of conventions. Conventions are hanging by a thread: the exponential increase in venue and guest costs is 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 figures over $300. At some point, the reasonable and limited product died."
"Seeing what's going on with Toonami/WBD and Crunchyroll only convinced me that an anime/streaming bubble is inevitable. Hopefully the industry and the anime fandom in general can weather the storm better this time around."
"I knew it. There's too much anime. How can people keep up and I'm sure many don't have enough quality. A shame."
"I've literally stopped trying to follow the seasonal shows. Now I see 1 or 2 but I'm not the guy who sees everything anymore. That one is already dead."
"As someone who loves toys, I don't see the appeal in most 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 ramped up production, people started cutting back, and then toy sales dropped."
"It seems like we're seeing every form of entertainment medium run into its respective bubble right now. There are still good things to take comfort in, and no format is going to die, but it's uncomfortable to watch."
"I'm fine with reducing the number of shows as it will force companies to use really good stories instead of throwing a bunch of crap out and hoping something sticks."
"I'm surprised that they can produce so much anime. Especially with all the crunch. I'm still trying to catch up with past shows. It's 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've seen that they're losing licenses to other streaming companies that don't really care about anime but need to cash in on a big title to save the entire platform. Disney+, AMC+, Hulu, etc."
"I like to think of this as a market correction. There are too many garbage shows. The cost might be losing some small jewels, but if it means fewer random isekais, then hopefully it will work out. It also means that people can catch up on what is already available."
"Basically. I don't watch that much anime today, but in any given year I could identify several main 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."