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ICv2 Report: 2021 1st Quarter Graphic Novel Sales Rose 'Dramatically' Due to Manga
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Media news website ICv2 reported on Tuesday that NPD Bookscan's report for the first quarter of 2021 show a 29% increase in overall print book sales the United States, the highest volume of print book sales in a first quarter since NPD Bookscan began tracking book sales in 2004. In particular, the report showed a large growth in the category of graphic novels (up 4 million from first quarter 2020), with manga accounting for 80% of growth in that category.
The Vice President Publishing Sales at Viz Media, Kevin Hamric, previously stated in an interview with ICv2 that Viz Media saw a 70% growth in the U.S. market for 2020, in line with a 43% increase in overall manga sales in the United States in 2020, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Hamric followed up with ICv2 regarding his comment from a previous interview that sales of first manga volumes and boxsets increased during the pandemic, saying that the company has sold out and had to reprint all of its box sets, particularly those manga that have anime adaptations. He cited Haikyu!! and Jujutsu Kaisen as notable examples, adding that the latter is seeing the same "trajectory" as the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga.
Yen Press Publisher and Managing Director Kurt Hassler also stated in an interview with ICv2 in March that 2020 was a record year for Yen Press.
Source: ICv2 (Milton Griepp)
