Anime figures market data: how Japan's toy and hobby data tracks the segment
Anime figures sit inside Japan's hobby and toy market, not as a separately reported category. The available data shows the segment is growing but does not isolate figures alone.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: No Japanese industry body publishes a standalone anime figure market size. The Japan Toy Association reports that Japan's total toy market reached ¥1.1664 trillion in fiscal 2025, with the hobby category, which includes figures, plastic models, and model railways, at ¥196.0 billion. AJA separately estimates all anime-related merchandising at ¥748.8 billion in 2024. Anime figures are a subset of both totals, but the exact share is not officially disclosed.
Why a standalone anime figure market size is hard to find
Japanese industry statistics do not break out 'anime figures' as a separate line item. Figures are grouped inside the hobby category, alongside plastic models, radio-controlled vehicles, and railway models.
The Japan Toy Association's hobby category grew by ¥11.5 billion in fiscal 2025, and its official note says all subcategories, including figures, exceeded the previous year. That confirms growth but not a figure-only number.
Japan's toy market and hobby category in fiscal 2025
The Japan Toy Association measures the domestic toy market at the suggested retail price level. In fiscal 2025 the total market was ¥1.1664 trillion, up 6.3% year over year and a record for the survey's current format.
Within that total, the main 10 product fields reached ¥796.7 billion. Trading cards were the largest single category at ¥338.4 billion, while hobby, which includes figures, was ¥196.0 billion.
Japan Toy Association fiscal 2025 market-size survey. Hobby includes figures but is not broken down further.| Category | Fiscal 2025 value | Share of total toy market |
|---|
| Total toy market | ¥1,166.4B | 100% |
| Card games / trading cards | ¥338.4B | ~29.0% |
| Hobby (figures, plastic models, etc.) | ¥196.0B | ~16.8% |
| Plush toys | ¥62.4B | ~5.3% |
| Main 10 product fields total | ¥796.7B | ~68.3% |
How AJA's merchandising category relates
AJA estimates that anime-related merchandising in Japan reached ¥748.8 billion in 2024. That is a much wider category covering apparel, toys, stationery, and many other goods tied to anime.
Anime figures are part of that ¥748.8 billion, but AJA does not separate figures from other merchandise. The figure is useful as an upper bound, not a precise figure-only estimate.
What counts as an anime figure
For industry data purposes, figures can include painted collectible figures, action figures, model kits, and prize figures. The Japan Toy Association's hobby category captures many of these, while smaller items may sit in other toy segments.
Because definitions vary, third-party market-research estimates for the global anime figure market differ widely. Official Japanese data does not resolve those differences.
Methodology caveats
The Japan Toy Association survey covers member companies and Tokyo Toy Show exhibitors, not every seller of anime figures. It also uses suggested retail prices, not actual transaction prices.
AJA's merchandising number is an end-user spending estimate for anime-related goods. It does not tell you how much of that spending went to figures, or how much reached figure manufacturers after retail and license fees.
No official anime-figure-only figure exists: The most authoritative sources, JTA and AJA, report hobby and merchandising totals. Any figure-specific number is an estimate built on those benchmarks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the anime figure market size in Japan?
It is not officially reported as a separate category. Japan's broader hobby market, which includes figures, was ¥196.0 billion in fiscal 2025.
Are anime figures included in AJA's anime market report?
Yes, within the merchandising category, which was ¥748.8 billion in 2024. AJA does not break out figures separately.
Is the anime figure market growing?
The hobby category that includes figures grew in fiscal 2025, with JTA noting that all subcategories, including figures, exceeded the previous year.
Why do third-party anime figure market sizes vary so much?
They use different definitions, geographies, and methodologies. Official Japanese sources do not publish a standalone anime figure total, so estimates rely on partial data.
Sources and methodology
- 玩具市場規模調査結果データ, Japan Toy Association. Official fiscal 2025 toy market totals: total ¥1,166.4 billion, hobby ¥196.0 billion, cards ¥338.4 billion, plush ¥62.4 billion.
- Anime Industry Report 2025 English summary, Association of Japanese Animations. Broad-market merchandising category at ¥748.8 billion for 2024 and definitions of domestic anime spending categories.
- 「アニメ産業レポート2025」刊行のお知らせ・2024年のアニメ産業市場規模 速報値 発表, Association of Japanese Animations. Official AJA broad-market definitions and 2024 totals.