50-51 LSB Anime & Manga (SL).qxp_NEW LSB 2008 GRID 21/09/2023 21:19 Page 1
FOCUS ON: ANIME & MANGA Inset: Reemsborko represents a number of anime and manga brands including the action packed BLEACH franchise.
Niche no more? Based on a popular anime series, itself inspired by the bestselling manga of all time, live-action Netflix series One Piece became the number one ranked TV series in 84 countries within days of its release, setting a new record for the streaming giant. LSB asks the experts whether anime and manga are finally breaking through into the mainstream, and about the opportunities waiting to be seized in the licensing space and at retail. Inset: With One Piece currently trending, Abysse expects huge demand for its Luffy money bank.
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LICENSING SOURCE BOOK 2023
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hile manga (Japanese comic books) and anime (the animation series based on them) have been growing in popularity in western markets in recent years, lockdown took them to another level. “Teenagers couldn’t escape their families,” says Max Arguile, owner of licensing agency Reemsborko. “So, they were in their bedrooms watching anime and playing video games. Consequently, those two things saw a massive boost in 2020 and 2021.” Reemsborko represents a number of anime and manga brands, from the cute (like Bananya – an anime about a cat who lives inside a banana) to the action packed (BLEACH, Dragon Ball, Naruto) and horror based (the Junji Itô Collection). It can sometimes be difficult, Max says, to get retail buyers to engage with properties they’re not personally familiar with, but for those who do, the rewards are huge. “The buyers might not know anime, but the fans definitely do,” says Max. “Primark has been on board with it for a few years, and their bestselling men’s t-shirt for the past few years has been a Dragon Ball t-shirt. Our busiest licence is Hatsune Miku; we have over 30 licensees and they all renew when it gets to the end of their term. At the end of 2021 one of our licensees did €1 million of business with a European retailer for two t-shirts. “Manga and anime offer an opportunity for licensees and retailers to stand out. If you’re a retailer and you’re selling a superhero product or classic brand that is licensed to the hilt, chances