11-07-2025
China's anime, comic and video game IP market swells to $83bn
Two cosplayers pose for a photo at the Bilibili World convention July 11 in Shanghai. (Photo by Shunsuke Tabeta)
TOMOKO WAKASUGI and SHUNSUKE TABETA
SHANGHAI -- China's market for 2D character fandom has doubled in five years and spans an estimated 500 million people, with the growth fueled by intellectual property imported from Japan and created at home.
The Bilibili World convention opened in Shanghai on Friday. Billed as a "carnival" for anime, comics and gaming fans, the event is hosted by China's anime streaming giant Bilibili.
