There’s no denying that Chainsaw Man is one of the biggest names in anime right now. Last year, the show premiered its first season in the fall and became the talk of social media. From jaw-dropping fight sequences to brutal action, Chainsaw Man had plenty to excite fans, including controversy. Now, the anime is dealing with even more of the latter, and we can thank its last week of Blu-ray sales.
The whole situation came to light this week when news in Japan shared the number of sales of Chainsaw Man videos in Japan. In its second week, the first episode of the show sold 325 copies. This dismal figure comes after Chainsaw Man managed to sell over 1,700 copies in its first week of sales.
Ever since the news shed light on Chainsaw Man’s sales, the anime fandom has of course been buzzing about the topic. The big question from fans is do these sales matter and honestly? It depends on who you ask. Even ten years ago, Blu-ray and DVD sales were paramount for anime studios to make a profit. The show’s earnings from broadcast deals and even merchandise are split between the production committee in most cases. This means that the studio that made the anime needs other ways to offset losses and make money, so Blu-ray sales often did. High sales translated into good profits, but in recent years Japan’s growing interest in streaming has changed that model. And of course, that doesn’t even include the money studios bring in today from global licensing deals.
However, anime Blu-ray sales are still appreciated. When a person buys an anime on home video in Japan, it shows that they are a devoted fan who is willing to invest money in physical goods. Of course, this translates into long-term profits, so Blu-ray sales are sought after as a status symbol in Japan. Obviously, this is why Chainsaw Man’s lackluster performance in Japan is attracting attention, and for all the wrong reasons.
The show was a huge success outside of Japan, but Chainsaw Man doesn’t seem to have made an impact with domestic fans. Whether it’s for taste or competition, fans aren’t gravitating to the big Blu-ray debut of this anime. But despite these meager sales, there’s no doubt that Chainsaw Man is making money thanks to its global business.