Manga Sales In US Drops For The First Time

by dtshyk
Feb 6, 2009 5:47 AM | 25 Comments

ICv2 reported that the sales of manga in US for 2008 was 175 million dollars and showed a drop by 17% compared to 2007. The total sales of the graphic novels including American comics increased by 5% (2007: $375 million; 2008: $395 million).

Here is the chart of the sales of comics in US from 2004 to 2008.

The number of manga titles released
2005 1088
2006 1208
2007 1513
2008 1372
2009 1224 (estimation)

Source: ICv2
Source: Anime!Anime!
Related Topic: Has Manga Market reached a plateau?

20 of 25 Comments Recent Comments

My library doesn't carry manga, as I live in hick-ville. ;_; I normally only buy Japanese version off the internet anyway, so I guess that doesn't matter, but still!

Feb 15, 2009 8:44 PM by fdssdfdsfsf

a) There are less mangas being released. As previously said, Tokyopop and Viz Media are not releasing the amount of content that they used to.

b) Manga scans from websites are increasing in numbers, only a handful of sites actually take off content that are licensed. In addition, Torrents are becoming more popular, moreso than they already are, for manga content.

c) Libraries are getting more and more stocks of mangas. My public library just got the entire manga series of Golgo 13, which I thought was amazing seeing as the series had been running since the 70s. The earlier volumes cannot be borrowed outside the library, and there's only one copy.

The recession probably affects less than a minuscule fraction of the sales.

Feb 11, 2009 2:28 PM by Xpace

Baby_Naruto said:
Although I must admit that I rarely buy manga, seeing that I can just read it for free at bookstores and/or check it out for free from my public library.

you don't support the economy. xP

but i must admit, i like made Tokyopop $35 less cause of a contest i won last year. :>

Feb 8, 2009 7:02 PM by Maora

This is TERRIBLE NEWS!!! Although I must admit that I rarely buy manga, seeing that I can just read it for free at bookstores and/or check it out for free from my public library.

Feb 8, 2009 6:08 PM by KidRyan

rather i think is due to slow releases

Feb 7, 2009 2:29 AM by Usernames54561

Let's see I bought all of Pretty Face last year and buy Negima everytime it comes out, and vearious other releases, why is it when I really get into something it starts to die(same thing happened to me and Geneon).

Feb 6, 2009 9:51 PM by mitamaking

Really? Cause my school library just got a boatload of manga shipped in... Complete series of D.N. Angel and Death Note, lots of Bleach, and more Inuyasha and Naruto.

Graphs are stupid anyway. I predict in a couple years the numbers will go back up.

Feb 6, 2009 8:28 PM by Gin-iro

Alipio said:

ironchefflip said:
I blame Bush. Obama will save manga sales.

that would be awesome!
The firs african american president is also the first manga loving president!!

Er..don't get your hopes up, seeing as how he's already breaking campaign promises left and right (big surprise). And Bush is a stupid person to blame, it takes a whole lot more than one person to make what happened happen :< But they're all taking a nice part in it so.

Sadly, I am also one that bought manga all the time in the last few years, but with the current crisis have not had any money to spend on any manga. I can't even get $10 bucks together for the next TRC volume ;_;

Feb 6, 2009 7:57 PM by Sarukah

ironchefflip said:
I blame Bush. Obama will save manga sales.

that would be awesome!
The firs african american president is also the first manga loving president!!

Feb 6, 2009 6:16 PM by Alipio

I blame Bush. Obama will save manga sales.

Feb 6, 2009 3:52 PM by ironchefflip

I could have guessed that this would happen, with the economy and all that crap >_>

Feb 6, 2009 3:41 PM by Cookie-chan-

piri said:
It's not clear to me whether the total graphic novel sales includes manga or not, but regardless, one is going up (graphic novels) and the other is going down (manga).

The total graphic novel sales = Manga + American comics + others (Korean comics etc.)

Feb 6, 2009 3:10 PM by dtshyk

I think total graphic novels include manga.

Feb 6, 2009 2:57 PM by Batmanfreak

D: I can't buy anymoreee... ;_;

Feb 6, 2009 2:50 PM by YoshikoHatake

It's not clear to me whether the total graphic novel sales includes manga or not, but regardless, one is going up (graphic novels) and the other is going down (manga).
Recession has nothing to do with it.

Sounds like the drop in sales is probably related to reduction in the amount of manga released.

Feb 6, 2009 2:01 PM by piri

We are in a major recession, of course all the sales are dropping.

Feb 6, 2009 1:45 PM by dawnferra

Oh noes! ;_;

Feb 6, 2009 1:03 PM by iTom

Uh... Manga = Graphic Novels. >_>;

So... Lol. ^^;

I buy manga all the time. If my work doesn't have it, I buy it used off amazon/ebay, so those purchases don't really count.

Feb 6, 2009 10:00 AM by VyraLove

Ah good point there CrimsonRave, but too bad I don't go there anymore since they ran out of manga for me to read lol

Feb 6, 2009 9:42 AM by Chillyman

On a side not, librarys have been getting requests for Manga like crazy. We have a whole section in ours, and most of it is always checked out.

Feb 6, 2009 9:35 AM by CrimsonRave

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