It’s no secret that theanimeindustry has experienced a boom in recent times. Coming off a record-breaking year which saw theindustry generate nearly 20 billion dollars in revenue, 2024 swung for the fences with new releases from some of the biggest franchises around. Now,a new report has surfacedwhich lists the highest-grossing IPs of the past year, and a few of the names might just take fans by surprise.
The report, which shares the sales totals from physical media releases in 2024,features both predictable franchises and a few unexpected titles as well. Whether certain IPs were simply dormant throughout the year, or might have even taken a long tumble down the popularity rankings, it’s notable that some heavy-hitter franchises are surprisingly absent from the top 30. In a year that featured several popular releases from acclaimed titles, only a few can stand above the rest in earnings.
Big Releases Led to Big Earnings in 2024
Notable Franchises Garnered Buzz With Big Releases in the Past Year
The results are in, andJujutsu Kaisenhas been revealed to be 2024’s best-selling anime and manga franchise in Japan. Though the series has been a mainstay near the top of the list for a few years already, it’s been able to pass a few other notable names, likeOne PieceandHaikyu!!,thanks to its highly successful anime adaptation and the conclusion of its manga series.The Apothecary Diarieswas an impressively close runner-up, no doubt due in large part to its anime’s first season, along with the popularity of its light novels and manga.
The biggest surprise on the list isSlam Dunk, coming in at eighth. The original manga series by Takehiko Inoue ceased publication nearly thirty years ago, but was able to bring in big-time revenue from the anime film,The First Slam Dunk, which released on Blu-ray in Japan in February 2024.Frierenalso saw a massive jump after its anime adaptation’s first season was met with enormous acclaim. Other maintays likeSpy x FamilyandMy Hero Academiaboth had steady, successful years, finishing in the mid-teens.
A Few Notable Franchises Didn’t Make the Cut
While the usual suspects all performed expectedly well throughout 2024, a few notable franchises fell surprisingly short of the top 30.Demon Slayer, despite its original manga finishing publication in 2020, has been incredibly popular due to its ongoing anime. And though its fourth season premiered in May,the franchise wasn’t able to generate its usual revenue, likely due to the mixed reception to the latest season. Another titan,Dragon Ball, is also absent from the list, though it isn’t all that surprising given the manga’s ongoing hiatus.
Dragon Ball Super Is Taking Too Long to Return And the Delay’s Origin Is Pretty Frustrating
The Dragon Ball Super manga has been on a long hiatus following the passing of Akira Toriyama, and the reason spells trouble for the franchise.
2024 was a big year foranime and manga, seeing wildly popular shows skyrocket in viewership, while beloved manga series came to their ends. 2025 promises to pack just as big a punch with releases likeJujutsu KaisenSeason 3andChainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arcexpected to bring audiences in mass to their premieres. If fans are happy seeing their favorite franchises performing well in 2024, they won’t want to misswhat the upcoming year has in store for them.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisenis a Japanese anime and manga series created by Gege Akutami. The story is set in a world where Cursed Spirits, born from negative human emotions, prey on humanity. It follows high school student Yuji Itadori as he becomes entangled in the world of Jujutsu Sorcery after swallowing a cursed talisman—Ryomen Sukuna’s finger—and becomes the host for one of the most powerful curses. Yuji joins the Tokyo Metropolitan Magic Technical College to learn how to combat curses while searching for the remaining fingers of Sukuna to exorcise him permanently.
