Submissions

Animenomics welcomes story pitches from journalists around the world to further our mission of making the business of anime and manga more accessible to consumers and entertainment professionals.

Stories published on Animenomics aim to explain business decisions made by anime producers and manga publishers in Japan and around the world. They often address the intersections of business, labor, consumer, and policy in anime and manga production.

We accept pitches covering the following subjects:

1. Non-English markets: Anime and manga innovations and business initiatives in the Global South. Stories in this beat will focus on local players in the business, their relationship with global players that expand into emerging markets, and local consumer sentiment on anime and manga.

   1. Examples: Japanese startup eyes Indonesian comic scene; Toei Animation opens untapped Latin American market

2. Emerging technologies: Uses of blockchain, metaverse, and artificial intelligence technologies benefiting the anime and manga industries. Stories in this beat will focus on unique solutions, consumer and labor implications of the technological developments, and the regulatory landscape.

   1. Examples: Researchers develop automatic dubbing technology for anime; Gov’t outlines generative AI risks in anime production

3. Labor outlook: Opportunities and challenges facing anime and manga workers, including but not limited to animators, writers, artists, voice actors, translators, letterers, and cosplayers. Stories in this beat will focus on the working conditions of workers, impacts from regulatory changes, and labor-focused solutions.

   1. Examples: Translators seek fair pay in hot German manga market; Voice actor wages remain stagnant amid anime boom

Pitches should be 300 words or less and sent to editors@animenomics.com using the template below. Do not send complete drafts with your pitch.

Email subject: Animenomics Pitch

Working headline: One sentence that best sums up the story idea

Synopsis: In no more than 300 words, explain the following: What piques your curiosity about the story? What's new about the story, and why do you want to tell it now? Why will the reader or viewer care about the story? How can we tell this story digitally? How much time will you need to produce the story, and how much space/time do you think the story deserves?

Sources: What questions will you need to ask to get this story, and what sources will you need to consult? List at least three, including companies, workers, government, policy, academics, and others.

Pitches are reviewed on a monthly basis. If your pitch is approved, you will work with an editor to develop the story. Published stories will be placed behind a paywall for paying subscribers and paid at a rate of US$100, plus a 10 percent commission on revenue from new paying subscribers added within the first week of publication.