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2.5 Stage Play Production Market Reaches Record High in 2023

PIA Research Institute and the Japan 2.5-Dimensional Musical Association released the results of their "2.5-D Musical Market Trends" survey for 2023 last Friday. According to their reports, the production market for 2.5-D stage performances based on anime, manga, games (such as Kingdom and SPY x FAMILY) reached a record high in 2023. In 2023, there were 236 2.5-D stage performances, beating the previous record of 222 productions from 2019. Comparatively, there were 197 performances in 2022.

About 2.89 million people watched a 2.5-D stage play in 2023, a 5% increase from 2022. Ticket sales increased by 7.9% to 28.3 billion yen (about US$186 million), both of which are record highs.

There were only around 40 2.5-D musicals in the early 2010s. That number increased to over 100 in 2014 and over 200 in 2019. Ticket sales exceeded 10 billion yen (about US$66 million) in 2015.

In addition to recovering and growing following the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is selling tickets overseas in response to growing demand outside Japan. For example, the musical based on Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan manga (pictured right) had its first international performance at the New York City Center in New York on October 11-13.

Sources: PIA Research Institute, Animation Business Journal (Tadashi Sudo)