In this report I gathered data using trusted online resources to show where Marvel can increase brand share and profitability.

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A Market Analysis for
Marvel Entertainment, LLC.
Marcus C. Davis Jr.
Full Sail University
Project & Portfolio II: Business and Marketing
March 26th
, 2023

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This is a market analysis for Marvel Entertainment, one of the world’s leading creators of
superhero comics, graphic novels, movies, and TV shows. To attract fans Marvel creates and
distributes content with the help of its parent, the Walt Disney company. As a leader of the
superhero genre, Marvel is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the growing trend of anime and
manga culture. The report addresses how the studio can capture these markets by releasing its
own manga and creating original anime content. Details of the company’s historic success and a
trajectory of the anime and manga industries were used to paint a vivid story of this current
opportunity for Marvel.
OBJECTIVE
This report was created to determine how Marvel can revitalize its Anime/Manga
inspired content and acquire more market share of the emerging genre. The information has been
put together to show how this can be done by utilizing the many resources already at their
disposal.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The information gathered in this report was complied using external, secondary research
sources from the Internet, and various online academic databases. Sources include Forbes, LA
Times, CNBC, Harvard Business Review, and other credible publications. It was collected
during March 2023, with all sources dating back no more than 3 years.
RESEARCH AND KEY FINDINGS
Marvel is known in America as the leading superhero comic book maker. The company
has turned its archive of content into the highest grossing film franchise in history (CNBC,
2021). The company has become synonymous with the superhero genre around the world thanks
to its ever-expanding universe with 31 films and counting. The franchise also encompasses
multiple TV shows and specials that are available for streaming on Disney+, home to Disney’s
massive library of content. Since purchasing the superhero factory in 2009 for $4 billion, it has
become worth $53 billion, or about 16% of Disney’s market value (Forbes, 2021). “Marvel’s
Blockbuster Machine” has “redefined the franchise movie” with Kevin Feige, head of Marvel
Studios, saying “I’ve always believed in expanding the definition of what a Marvel Studios
movie could be” (Harvard Business Review, 2021).
Their domination in entertainment makes them perfect candidates to capitalize on the
rapidly growing U.S. anime market. “Every kid in America knows what anime is. And I don’t
think the same can be said for some of the legacy entertainment brands”, says Crunchyroll CEO
Colin Decker (LA Times, 2022). In 2020 the estimated size of the global anime market was $24
billion and is projected to exceed $43 billion by 2027. This presents a major opportunity for
brands looking to establish itself as supporters of the community, which major competitor Sony
did by purchasing the popular anime streaming site Crunchyroll.

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The other side of the anime coin is Manga, which is expected to have an annual
compound growth rate of 16.5% (Appendix A). Manga plays a similar role to that of American
comic books by serving as the foundation and source material for many of the films and TV
shows. According to a recent report Marvel already owns about 40% of the comic book market
(Statista, 2022).

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John Jackson Miller, founder of comic-sales research website Comichron, recently said
“Publishers made more selling comics content [in 2021] than in any other year in the history of
the business, even when adjusted for inflation” (Business Insider, 2022). When major streaming
services like Netflix and HBO Max stream anime titles adapted from manga storylines, like
mainstream superhero content, consumers are more likely to seek out the source material. The
success of shows like WandaVision and Loki prove that relatively unknown characters can
appeal to a larger audience. Combined with the growing popularity of anime and manga this
seems like something Marvel should be exploring.
CONCLUSIONS
Our “insatiable demand for content” “is one of the biggest drivers transforming the
entertainment industry today” (Forbes, 2021). The fans are responsible for the success of the
MCU and for keeping the comics alive throughout the years, and this trend doesn’t have to end
there. The abundance of anime and manga content has been driven by consumer demand for this
pop culture phenomenon and Marvel has an opportunity to dominate the genre. By establishing
an anime/manga division Marvel can tap into these growing markets using its current book
publishing operation and Disney+ as a home for video content.

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Marvel already has the resources to establish itself as leader in the anime and manga
communities. The journey should start by reintroducing anime-inspired content from 2010-2011.
This should be followed by research and development of new content offerings. Marvel has
already seen how new styles of animation can work with its recent Spider-Man: Into the Spier-
Verse. This can be accomplished using Disney+ as a distribution and marketing tool. The
company can also experiment with new physical book releases to determine profitability. The
adaptation of popular anime and manga characters into Marvel-style crossovers is another way to
entice new viewers.
The anticipated profit from this venture is currently unknown and may well benefit not
only Marvel Entertainment, but also The Walt Disney company as a whole. The combination of
control over creation and distribution allows the company to experiment on both ends with print
and video content, with the two mediums piggy backing off each other. As more consumers
switch from cable and satellite TV to internet-based streaming services this would be another
reason to pick them over the competition. As booksellers see a payoff by embracing e-commerce
the ability to gather and use online data gives even more ways to monitor this development
(Green, 2021). Having direct access to consumers on every medium gives the company plenty of
information about what kinds of content to create and distribute. The anime watchers will have
more reason to buy the manga books, and the readers get to see their favorite stories come to life
onscreen.

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RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the research and findings Marvel should explore releasing both anime and
manga-style content to their readers and viewers. Creating and streaming original anime shows
on Disney+ opens a whole new audience for the superhero maker. The platform can be used to
test the appeal of new types of animation. Investments in the research and development of these
types on content will determine the direction this venture will follow. Analyzing market
projections will also help determine what the overall profitability will be for Marvel and Disney.
Marvel should add 3-4 anime films to their upcoming phase 6 release schedule for 2024-
2026. This should be done in conjunction with manga releases. The TV shows and films should
be made available to all Disney+ subscribers around the world. The books should be sold
alongside popular Marvel comics online and in stores. At least one should be released in time for
Christmas this year to take advantage of the holiday season.

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REFERENCES
Anime market size, Share & Growth Analysis Report, 2030. Anime Market Size, Share &
Growth Analysis Report, 2030. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2023, from
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/anime-market
Chmielewski, D. (2021, September 4). From Avengers to Shang-Chi, what Marvel Studios is
really worth to Walt Disney. Forbes. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/dawnchmielewski/2021/09/04/from-avengers-to-shang-chi-
what-marvel-studios-is-really-worth-to-walt-disney/?sh=5e64b8ce6d9c
Clark, T. (2022, June 13). Comic-book sales had their best year ever in 2021 - and this year is on
pace to be even better. here's what's behind the surge, from manga to 'dog man.'. Business
Insider. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-behind-
surge-in-comic-sales-movies-kids-comics-manga-2022-7
Faughnder, R. (2022, March 1). Sony bets big on Crunchyroll as global anime audience grows.
Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-03-01/sony-bets-on-
crunchyroll-brand-as-global-anime-audience-grows
Green, A. (2021). Booksellers’ Embrace of E-commerce Pays Off. Publishers Weekly, 268(6), 4–
6. https://web-p-ebscohost-com.oclc.fullsail.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=4cbad1b6-
f63c-42ad-a543-
7e6bda7e7dab%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=148534629
&db=a9h
Harrison, S. (2020, February 13). Marvel's blockbuster machine. Harvard Business Review.
Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://hbr.org/2019/07/marvels-blockbuster-machine
Watson, A. (2022, December 15). Comic publisher: Store market share 2022. Statista. Retrieved
March 26, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/438242/comic-direct-market-
share/
Whitten, S. (2021, January 31). The 13 highest-grossing film franchises at the Box Office.
CNBC. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/31/the-13-
highest-grossing-film-franchises-at-the-box-office.html
IMAGES
https://www.seekpng.com/ipng/u2w7t4a9o0o0e6w7_marvel-comics-1990-logo-marvel-comics-
logo/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Entertainment#/media/File:Marvel_Logo.svg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney%2B#/media/File:Disney+_logo.svg

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APPENDIX A
https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/manga-market