Anime Entrepreneurship

[alucard13mm]

Just curious, why havn't there been any entrepreneurs who started an anime business that was related to producing anime goods outside of Japan? Was there ever any? If there was, did they fail?

*Is it the logistical challenges/costs of producing the product (let's say cheaply in China), then shipping it back to your home to put it together and boxed (let's say in USA), then shipping the product where probably 70%+ of the customers will be in Japan?

*Is it because of the startup cost?
-like product designing? finding a manufacture to make a prototype? creating a e commerce site to sell to users or to sell to retail stores? finding distributors? paying for the rights to produce products picturing an anime character?

*Is it perhaps the distance from the source and epicenter of anime/japanese culture?

I am sure many of you guys have contemplating in opening your own anime retail store, working at an anime retail store, making anime products, and etc etc. what could be better than money and anime?? I'm looking to start my own company, but I am just wondering why there are an absence of these companies. Details of my plans are still in the works, but ill go the dojin group route to obtain revenue and expand into official products when i can buy the rights or license to make the goods. I hope to build a company like Cospa or Chara Ani.

[Magin]

I'm no business major or economist or anything along those lines, but I can come up with a pretty good idea

The biggest reason is the market... or in this case, a lack thereof. Sure, when we're among fellow anime fans, we'll admit our fandom all day long. But amongst "regular" people, I'm sure we're all pretty quiet about it. On top of that... well, the really big cities have their own stores, and with those, because they're in a far more populated areas, they can afford to run a shop. In less populated area... well, lack of customers.

Then there's the cost of running the business itself. For one, if you want to run a business dedicated to anime goods, there's the cost of having all the products in store. Since businesses want to make a profit, you have to sell enough to not only cover the cost of having the products but to also have more money at the end of the day. This again goes back to the customer pool. Which is why so much stuff is online- they have the goods in one central location, and using the power of the internet, can get customers from all over the world, not just the area where the store is

That would be my guess, at least. I'm sure that someone else can explain this stuff better. There's also the thing about the source- even though anime isn't quite as disdained in the US as it is in Japan, manga is read by literally everyone in Japan. I'm pretty sure that many Americans who aren't part of the fandom still see it as comics (and technically, manga is the Japanese word for comics), and well, American's stereotypical idea of comics involves all the superheroes and whatnot, and is read by "nerds"

[alucard13mm]

well, im trying to make my own products to sell online.. versus obtaining retail goods from other companies and selling them.

it is unfortunate that most people can't really show their true forms. i suppose there should be no problem in demographics when one can order stuff online, no problem because i am only allow to sell the products online or at a dojin store/event for the moment.

what major are you Magin =P..

[Magin]

Interestingly enough, I'm actually a chemistry major... however, I've taken various courses regarding economics, though I've gotten the best idea about this stuff from where I work (in the service industry, making food orders)

[alucard13mm]

heh, im human biology major.. i just feel that science isn't all that cracked up to be. I am a B student XD.. and B students in biology or chemistry is teh fail. soooo im gonna give this entrenrepenur thing/business a try (note: i have never taken any business/econ class) lol. just trying without much help, besides youtube stanford business channel haha.

[Taufiq91]

Are you too lazy to Google?

I did some research on anime-based entrepreneurs in and out of Japan.

here are the results:

The anime & manga industry has been proven to be influential eventhough it's small. It has become the biggest source of entrpreneurism next to gaming & electronics.

And Japan needs its entrepreneurs, and if they took anime & mangas away there would be no more source of entrepreneurship.

Things like Gundam cafes and Maid cafes would not happen without entrepreneurs who based themselves on animes & mangas.

Here are articles i've read on rising anime-based entrepreneurship in Japan & also worldwide:
http://www.businesscreditcards.com/b...entrepreneurs/
http://www.entrepreneur.com/starting...cle193244.html
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives..._jane_fong.php
http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejou...196399286.html

And the show mane no tora aka Dragon's Den (if you're from the UK) is a show about investors looking for the next entrepreneurs in Japan. And every episode, most of these future entrepreneurs based their ideas on animes and mangas. You can see how animes and mangas are one of the few reasons fore entrepreneurship.

[Kyuu]

Originally Posted by alucard13mm

Just curious, why havn't there been any entrepreneurs who started an anime business that was related to producing anime goods outside of Japan? Was there ever any? If there was, did they fail?

Let's add on the notion that fans want "anime-related" products to be "authentically Japanese". In other words, they want their goods from Japan. This includes anime itself. It's hard to create a domestic market for anime when the demand points towards Japanese products.

Ever argued someone over the idea of "American anime"?

[alucard13mm]

well, i guess i just fail at google searching lol. half, if not more, of those businesses probably did not start in Japan? start making domestic "cute" stuff! Hmmm, American anime.. eww lol. I guess you make a good point KyuuA4 with wanting products from Japan itself. Would it make a difference if I sell my products to a Japanese retail store and they sell it for me? lol.