News

2015 Anime Sales Report By UK Anime Network

The website UK Anime Network has published a report on anime sales figures in the UK in 2015, written by the site's editor-in-chief Andy Hanley. He credits an unnamed source 'outside of the anime industry entirely.' No sales figures are given; the report says it respects the fact that sales figures are closely guarded by the industry.

The report makes the following claims regarding sales, while stressing that sales figures are 'just one part of the picture' for the UK anime market. For exampe, 'one big success may help to pay for a number of risky acquisitions,' while the price of those acquisitions may vary widely.

Top Eleven UK Anime TV Sales

1 - RWBY Volume 1 [pictured; this is not a Japanese animation, but an American series with some similarities to anime, released by the label Animatsu].

2 - Ghost in the Shell Arise - Borders 3 and 4

3 - Noragami - Complete Series 1 Collection

4 - Fairy Tail - Collection 3

5 - Durarara!! - Complete Series Collection (Standard Edition)

6 - Sword Art Online II - Part 1

7 - Tokyo Ghoul - Complete Series Collection

8 - Naruto Shippūden - Box Set 20

9- Yu-Gi-Oh! - The Complete Second Season

10 - Naruto Shippūden - Box Set 21

11 - Naruto Shippūden - Box Set 22

Other series described as 'strong' or 'solid' sellers include the second and third volumes of Kill la Kill, Danganronpa The Animation, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!, Nisekoi, Log Horizon, the Blu-ray edition of Elfen Lied and Samurai Bride.

Knights of Sidonia is described as neither a flop nor a strong seller, along with Gatchaman Crowds and Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water.

Top Five UK Anime Film Sales

1 - The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (pictured)

2 - Harlock: Space Pirate [CGI version]

3 - Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie Part 3: Rebellion

4 - One Piece Film Z

5 - Naruto the Movie: Road to Ninja

The Mardock Scramble trilogy collection is also said to have had 'tidy' sales.

Bottom Ten UK Anime TV Sales - Titles released late in 2015, with less time to build up sales, are noted.

1 - Samurai Jam -Bakumatsu Rock- - Complete Collection - released October 19

2 - Patlabor Mobile Police - Series 2 Collection (OAVs)

3 - Flowers of Evil - Complete Series Collection - released November 2

4 - Samurai Flamenco - Part 1 - released December 21, so its placing is based on less than a month's sales.

5 - Arakawa Under the Bridge - Complete Collection

6 - The Eccentric Family - Complete Series Collection Premium Edition - released November 30, so its placing is based on one month's sales.

7 - Rozen Maiden – Zurückspulen

8 - Captain Earth Part 2 - released October 5

9 - A Lull in the Sea - Standard DVD Edition Part 2 - released September 7

10 - Accel World - Complete Series Collection

Bottom Five Anime Film Sales - Titles released late in 2015, with less time to build up sales, are noted.

1 - 009 Re:Cyborg - released September 14

2 - Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 1: Beginnings - released October 12

3 - Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 2: Eternal - released October 12

4 - Gekijō-ban Tiger & Bunny -The Rising-

5 - One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventure in Alabasta [previously released in a collection in 2014]

Also according to the report:

- No TV anime release in 2015 approached the sales of Attack on Titan in 2014.

- Studio Ghibli's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, directed by Isao Takahata, accounts for more than three-quarters of anime film sales. Its sales are 'well into five figures,' though only 'around half' of those of Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises.

- Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods has had five-figure sales, matching those of Attack on Titan's second volume.

- Ghost in the Shell Arise Borders 3 and 4 had unit sales 'well into four-digit territory.'

- Fairy Tail and One Piece are described as 'almost exact equals in terms of sales figures,' though they're behind Naruto Shippūden.

- The successive arcs of the 'Monogatari Second Season' are showing a 'clear and marked downward trend.'