There's a myth floating around online. Many anime fans believe that many, if not all, anime are created only to advertise the manga and boost it's sales. And although this myth may have some weight to it, it is far from the only truth. Furthermore, it seemingly diminishes the hard work of animations, voice actors, directors, and the like bringing art to life in the medium of anime. The question is, how much of this theory actually holds weight?
This article explores both the points that support this theory, and the points that knock it down a peg as well. Could it really be a one-size-fits-all-anime situation, or is there more to the industry's relationship between anime and manga? And if this theory is true, is it really worth watching the anime in the first place?
What Points Towards The Theory
Well, to put it simply, manga sales are boosted whenever an anime is successful. Shows like My Hero Academia turned what was a popular shōnen manga into a worldwide phenomenon. Time and time again, we can see manga sales double and triple immediately after a successful anime. In 2021, it was reported that 2.88 billion people, nearly one-third of the world, watch anime. So if the theory is true, this method could be an incredibly effective method of advertising.
Some anime, like Shadows House, have even had creators admit that the anime was never meant to pass the first season and was originally intended to advertise the manga. The popularity of Spy X Family is reportedly what saved the manga author's career as well. The writer of the original manga wrote an anime-only ending to tie up the loose ends, since it was assumed there wouldn't be a complete adaption of the show. That doesn't mean that every anime is meant to advertise the manga, however. That being said, here is definitely evidence of this being true in some cases.
Now, Here's What Deflates That Theory
There are a few things that poke holes in the theory of all anime being made to advertise the manga. For one, anime is expensive. In 2015, a CG artist named Masamune Sakaki claimed that the average 13-episode anime costs $2 million USD. In what world does a manga artist, whose average salary is $12,980 for monthly publishing or $51,920 for weekly publishing, decide to pitch a $2 million dollar advertisement for their show? Although cases could be made for Shōnen Jump titles, what about smaller publishers and independent manga artists whose anime has been picked up?
Most of the time, the reason behind an anime adaption being made is the manga just being good. Beastars was dominating the manga scene long before Netflix and Studio Orange partnered together to adapt it. Another example that we at TheBestWarGames have covered before is how Kakushigoto's author quite literally thinks the anime is better than the manga, and has encouraged fans of the anime to stop there, because he believes his own manga to be inferior to the anime adaptation. If the anime for Kakushigoto was really an advertisement, would he be publicly against people reading his manga since the anime's release?
What's The Verdict?
Truthfully, although some anime may be an exception, anime are made for a wide variety of reasons. One reason that many forget about is merchandising. On average, it's been reported that manga authors actually make 10-15% royalties on merchandising sales. While manga authors make no royalties on Blu-rays, character goods sell 8.5 times more than DVDs and manga combined, according to a report from 2009. And of course, that is from before the recent launch of anime into being accepted in mainstream media.
Furthermore, not everyone who watches anime reads manga. Some people watch anime because they can't afford manga and don't want to pirate it, and some people just don't enjoy reading. Likewise, some people don't watch anime and would rather be reading manga because they can finish the story faster and bring it with them wherever they go. Some people even watch anime for certain genres, and prefer manga for others. The theory couldn't be plausible unless literally everyone who watched anime also watched manga.
Overall, there really isn't one set reason that anime is produced. Some anime are made to advertise, some anime are made to sell merchandise, some anime are made simply because an anime was good, and some are occasionally made because a director feels like they can improve the story. Putting the entire anime industry into a box is no different from claiming anime is all one genre; it's generalizing an entire art form into one label. By dismissing an anime for 'just being an advertisement for its manga, you're disregarding the long and frankly underpaid hours that animators, directors, and voice actors bring to existing media. Quite honestly, that is a disservice to them, and the medium of anime as a whole.