Anime’s Big Problem: 90% of Shows Are Just Manga Adaptations

The anime industry is growing fast, but it has a serious problem: about 90% of all new anime are adaptations of manga, novels, or games. Only 10–15% are truly original stories. Taro Maki, a producer with almost 40 years of experience and the founder of Genco, gave an interview on December 5, 2025, and explained why this is bad for anime.

Right now, in the Autumn 2025 season, just 14.3% of TV anime are original, while 85.7% are based on existing works. Maki says companies pick adaptations because they are safer and make money more easily. Many producers think like normal office workers: they hate risk and only copy what already worked, such as Demon Slayer or Detective Conan. On top of that, there aren’t enough skilled people to create big new stories from nothing, so the industry keeps playing it safe. The result is that anime is slowly becoming less creative and more boring.

Maki has a clear fix. He says companies should keep 70% of their shows as safe adaptations, but use the remaining 30% for new and experimental anime that try fresh ideas. He also wants more support for small festivals, like the Aichi-Nagoya International Animation Film Festival that starts on December 12, 2025, to help young creators. Finally, he believes Japanese studios should work more with teams overseas, share staff, and learn new ways of making stories.

In short, Maki warns that if the industry keeps depending only on adaptations, anime will lose its magic. A few smart risks and more international teamwork can bring back real creativity without losing money.

What do you think—do we need more original anime? Let us know in the comments.