Japanese Anime Market Grew to 242 Billion Yen in 2006

Japan’s Media Development Research Institute announced that the Japanese anime market grew to 241.5 billion yen (about US $2.026 billion) in 2006. That is the highest level since the institute started surveying in 1990, and a third straight year of growth. The institute credits movies like Tales from Earthsea, Pokemon, and Doraemon, as well as the increase in television anime titles for the growth, but notes that the number of DVD titles has dropped. The market has grown 220 percent since 1990 (then at 106.9 billion yen or US $896.8 million) and 150 percent since 2000.

Source: Anime News Network