Analysis of China’s Domestic Anime Series Market Landscape in 2025

In 2025, China’s domestic anime series market has entered a new phase of “premium production + globalization,” driven by policy guidance, platform competition, and evolving user demands. The key trends are as follows:

1. Platform Competition Landscape

Bilibili:

Remains the core hub for anime culture, releasing 30+ exclusive domestic anime series in 2025, including the final season of Ling Cage and Link Click Season 3.

Experiments with interactive storytelling (e.g., Dissociation with branching narratives), allowing users to pay for alternate endings.

Tencent Video:

Leverages Yuewen Group’s IPs, focusing on fantasy/sci-fi adaptations (Lord of the Mysteries anime, Swallowed Star sequels).

Collaborates with Japan’s Kadokawa for Sino-Japanese co-productions (e.g., Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina China arc).

Youku & iQiyi:

Youku bets on 3D animation (A Will Eternal 2, Zhetian becoming an annual series).

iQiyi targets female audiences (Heaven Official’s Blessing specials, Breaking Through the Clouds adaptation).

Short-Video Platforms Enter the Market:

Douyin and Kuaishou launch 5-10 minute micro-series (e.g., fragmented versions of Tales of Demons and Gods) to capture lower-tier markets.

2. Content Production Trends

Diversified Themes:

Sci-fi boom: *The Three-Body Problem Season 2* and Heart of the Galaxy attract hardcore fans.

Realistic narratives: Crime-themed The Silent Reader and esports series The King’s Avatar: Glory of the Summit expand genre boundaries.

Technological Advancements:

UE5 adoption: Studios like Ruosen Digital (The Degenerate Drawing Jianghu) and YHKT Entertainment (Ling Cage) shift to real-time rendering.

AI-assisted production: Mid-tier productions use AI for storyboarding/in-between frames to cut costs.

Commercial Innovations:

NFT integration: Bilibili pilots A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality character NFTs, with single items selling for over ¥10,000.

Anime-game synergy: Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail release animated shorts to boost game popularity.

3. Policy & Global Expansion

Stricter Content Review:

New NRTA regulations require full script pre-approval, lengthening review cycles for historical/fantasy series.

Cultural Export Growth:

Link Click ranks in Netflix’s global Top 10; The Founder of Diabolism Japanese dub surpasses 100M views on Aniplex.

Tencent’s WeTV launches a “Chinese Anime” section, covering 80% of Southeast Asian streaming users.

4. Shifting User Behavior

Higher Willingness to Pay: Bilibili’s premium anime subscriptions rise 25% YoY, yet “hate-watching” persists (e.g., The Daily Life of the Immortal King 4 scores 5.2 but tops viewership charts).

Community-Driven Engagement:

Meme culture thrives via bullet comments (e.g., China-adapted Spy×Family Anya emotes go viral).

Fan-generated content drives 30%+ of series buzz; Douyin’s #ChineseAnime hashtag hits 50B plays.

5. Challenges & Opportunities

Challenges:

Overproduction leads to “quality over originality,” with generic fantasy series still dominating (40% share).

Resurgent Japanese imports (Jujutsu Kaisen, Kaiju No. 8) divert viewership.

Opportunities:

Anime films boost series revivals (White Snake 3 spurs White Snake: Origins reboot).

Virtual idols (e.g., A-Soul) voice anime roles, attracting Gen Z.

Conclusion: In 2025, China’s domestic anime has shifted from quantity to quality, with global IP expansion and niche innovation defining the next era.