The Research of Japanese Animation Industry Chain

徐海光

Abstract： China owns the largest animation audience group in the world， while our native animation market had been long occupied by Japanese and American animation products. After researching some assuming solutions of that embarrassing situation on Chinese animation industry， this one continues to state the proved successful mode of Japanese animation industry. After many decades of improvement， a mature and healthy industry chain had been built up. Nowadays， there is no doubt that Japanese animation industry is the most successful mode in the world. So we are looking forward to find some valuable successful experiences and make better change accordingly. And during the following research， writer of this thesis would show some visiting on Japanese local animation companies， and more details on their business mode.

Key words： Animation Industry chain； Chinese； Japanese； development.

Japanese Animation Industry Chain Mode

Comic publishing—animation producing and broadcasting—copy right licensing—derivatives production and sales—export sales licensing—deep development of successful animation production and new animation productions development—benign recycling.[1] Those animations with great brand values can be developed as theme park with mixed consumption patterns. The above is the established industry mode of Japan， and also be the typical development mode which based on animation. Generally speaking， there are 3 layers of Japanese animation market： First， broadcasting market； Second， Comic Books and DVD market； Third is derivatives， including clothes， toys， drinks， articles of daily use， etc.. During which the last layer shares longer period and larger market.？

Nowadays， Japanese animation movies gross shares 1/3 of that on Japanese movies. During the exported Japanese movies， number of animation movie is much more than other kind of Japanese movie. For example， during April， 2007 to March 2008， Japanese animation market gross（animation movie gross， animation movie and DVD， animation-pro TV stations gross） was up to 450 billion yen-160 billion more than that of last year. While the whole gross of Japanese movies at the same year was only around 200 billion yen. The survey of Japan External Trade Organization showed that Japanese domestic animation related direct market scales had beyond 2000 billion yen.

In Japan， all kinds of animation characters fills the streets and shops， far over the scope of magazines and TV. Animation movie has reached movie， TV， music， publishing and even theme park and websites. Many kinds of products， commodities and services are with different poses and with different expressions. And these surrounding market which attached on animation could also raise the animations own popularity. The industry chains linking is very healthy.

Advantages of Japanese Animation Industry Chain Mode

The reason we say Japanese animation industry mode be complete is the above industry chains cohesion is very good to each other， formed benign cycling with progressive benefit. Japanese animation owns 4 industry characters：

1.Formed wide influence. Animation broadcasting， comic and derivative sales， animation AD can be seen everywhere.

2.The effect of duplicating is very obvious. Animation publication and derivative are the most typical duplicating productions. They have basic characteristics of industrialization.

3.Formed business mode. Every link of Japanese animation industry chain possesses input-output benign mode， and together formed benign industry chain mode with cash flow support.

4.Sustainability. A success rate up to 20%-30% ensured creative enthusiasm and successful products deep development. The whole animation industry has sustainable develop momentum.

Reference：

[1] Li Zirong.“Foreign Experience in Improving the Competitive Ability of Cartoon Industry”[J].JOURNAL，Beijing Normal University Press， 2006-10（101）：22-25.