The managing director of the Association of Japanese Animations, Yauo Yamagushi, says that the Anime Industry is a "bubble several years ago that burst. The marketplace is on a falling curve due to declining birth rates and the recession." The popularity of Anime has risen and fallen over the years, the numbers of Anime Shows have been, in year 2000 it was 124 and in year 2006 it was 306. The numbers have fallen since then to 288 in 2008 and in 2006 it was 60, but only 30 anime shows were expected to premiere this past April. The domestic sales of Anime has also risen and fallen over the years The Japan External Trade Organization blames online distribution of fan-subbed Anime, in file sharing sites. Another problem is that the same types of Anime are being released, with similar elements; bishōjo and mecha elements. Yamagushi, also says that Japan is falling behind China in numbers of titles produced yearly, he gave the suggestion that Japan should worry more about “quality over quantity.”

Source: Anime News Network