Anime has been an exponentially increasing market since its inception and with the help of streaming and network distribution, it has become a worldwide phenomenon outside of Japan as well. A billion-dollar industry that doesn’t show any signs of stopping, anime is probably Japan’s largest and most influential cultural export.
With a seemingly endless supply of shows and stories, even the most dedicated anime fans struggle to keep up with everything that’s released. Some shows are best left forgotten, and then some have cemented their legacy in the history of the genre as some the best. There are lots of different ways to measure the success of a franchise, but the most obvious one would be its commercial success and financial revenue.
10 Naruto Has Brought In Over $10 Billion
Naruto originated as a manga series but its popularity exploded worldwide thanks to the long-running animated show. Written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto, it’s the story of a young ninja, Naruto Uzumaki, pursuing his dream of becoming the next Hokage of his village.
Even though the anime is what helped propel Naruto into the mainstream, the manga series is still the highest source of revenue for the franchise. Naruto has impressively amassed over $10 billion since its creation.
9 Sailor Moon Has Grossed Over $14 Billion
Sailor Moon is a ’90s anime made for all demographics. Its true infamy lies in the fact that it attracted a young female audience to a genre that was completely male-dominated at the time. Sailor Moon is about Usagi Tsukino’s battle to protect Earth as the magical superheroine, Sailor Moon.
While it’s not the best-written story of all time, Sailor Moon had the perfect recipe of action, emotion, and laughs to hold the interest of youths at the time. Sailor Moon has raked in over $14 billion over the years.
8 Neon Genesis Evangelion Has Made Over $16 Billion
Dubbed as one of the greatest mecha anime of all time, Neon Genesis Evangelion had the ingenious idea of showing off the darker and grittier side of mecha fighting rather than just the action. Following teenagers who have to fight hostile entities called Angels using their Evangelion units, the show brought never before seen gravity to anime.
Surprisingly, the majority of the revenue from Evangelion comes from pachinko sales. Pachinko is a Japanese gambling arcade game akin to slot machines as a low-stakes, low-strategy game. Neon Genesis Evangelion has made over $16 billion since its inception.
7 Yu-Gi-Oh! Has Drawn In Over $20 Billion
A franchise about a card game was always going to have an advantage over its other anime competitors, and this is exactly where Yu-Gi-Oh! shines. The series is about Yugi Muto, who solves one of the ancient Millenium Puzzles, but the storyline itself takes a massive backseat. The anime is far more interested in promoting Duel Monsters.
Since a reality where the fate of the world depends on a few people using a deck of cards isn’t enthralling, it’s no surprise that the vast majority of Yu-Gi-Oh!‘s revenue comes from the card game. It’s still a vastly popular game today that’s amassed over $20 billion in sales.
6 One Piece Has Brought In Over $20 Billion
One of the longest-running series of all time that recently surpassed 1,000 episodes, One Piece has a huge, dedicated fanbase and a story that never seems to end. The anime follows Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew on Luffy’s quest to find the One Piece treasure and become the King of the Pirates.
The manga first came out in 1997 and it was recently announced that the franchise is close to reaching its final arc after nearly 25 years. The manga series and merchandise sales are the highest sources of revenue, clocking in at over $20 billion.
5 First Of The North Star Has Earned Over $22 Billion
Fist of the North Star was a revolutionary franchise that began in the ’80s and helped anime find its footing abroad. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story revolves around Kenshiro, a deadly martial artist who sets out on a mission to protect the innocent and defenseless from various villains.
A shonen anime that perfectly encapsulates the genre while simultaneously showing the macho protagonist’s vulnerability by displaying him crying led Fist of the North Star to success. Most of the financial success comes from pachinko and arcade games, but it’s still amassed over $22 billion.
4 Gundam Has Attracted Over $26 Billion
One of the original and longest-running mecha anime franchises of all time, Gundam began its journey into the hearts of fans in the late ’70s with the original Mobile Suit Gundam, a defining moment in the mecha genre. Gundam focuses on a war between two factions and the teenage pilots that control the armored giants in battle.
As a trailblazer of the genre, it’s no surprise that the success of the original series catapulted Gundam into stardom, with OVAs, movies, manga, video games, and spinoffs released as recently as 2021. The majority of the revenue is merchandise and retail sales, totaling over $26 billion.
3 Dragon Ball’s Massive Franchise Has Earned Over $27 Billion
One of the most popular and well-known anime of all time, Dragon Ball began in the mid-’80s and is still going strong today. The Dragon Ball franchise is a shonen anime classic that follows Son Goku from his youth to adulthood. The franchise gets its name from the mystical Dragon Balls that can grant wishes when all seven are collected.
Watching the show, fans could envision playing as the characters in video games, and their wish was granted. Video games now make up a massive portion of Dragon Ball‘s revenue and it shows no signs of stopping. Dragon Ball‘s total gross sales are over $27 billion.
2 Anpanman Has Raked In Over $60 Billion
Most non-Japanese anime watchers have probably never heard of this anime but it is still an immensely popular kids anime in its home country of Japan. Anpanman is about a superhero with a face made of cake filled with red bean paste — a traditional Japanese sweet called “anpan” — who protects the world from a germ named Baikinman.
Anyone with children knows that a child’s obsession and dedication for something they love is endless, so it’s no surprise that almost all of the revenue comes from retail sales of Anpanman products. This series has drawn in over $60 billion in revenue over the years.
1 Pokémon Has Grossed Over $99 Billion
Nobody should be surprised to see Pokémon as the highest-grossing anime franchise of all time, bringing in over $99 billion and much more to come. The anime is so popular that it’s still running, they have their own trading card game, and Nintendo is constantly bringing out new Pokémon video games. The true reason for Pokémon’s massive sales isn’t related to these, however.
Licensed merchandising is the main cash cow for the Pokémon franchise. Pikachu is probably the most famous anime mascot in history and almost anyone recognizes Pikachu when they see him, making his merchandise easy to sell. Licensed merchandising outperforms anime, manga, cards, and video game sales combined.