About Us

Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

A Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Social Media

Bluesky • Facebook • Instagram • LinkedIn • YouTube

Meet the Laser Focus World Team

Editorial

Sales

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology
My Watchlist
Indicators
Industrial Laser Index
Markets
Stocks
ETFs
Tools
Markets:
Overview
News
Currencies
International
Treasuries

Japanese Films Broke Box Office Records in 2024 as Animation Dominates and Foreign Films Decline

By: MerxWire

In 2024, box office revenue for Japanese-made films hit a new high, with anime becoming the leading force in the market, while foreign films continued to perform poorly.

Japanese audiences remain enthusiastic about anime films, with Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback being the best-selling film of the year so far. (Photo via https://conan-collectors.musing.jp)

TOKYO, JAPAN (MERXWIRE) – According to the latest statistics from the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, the total box office revenue of Japanese-produced films in 2024 reached 155.8 billion yen, an increase of 5.1% from 2023, a new record high. Japanese films performed strongly, accounting for 75.3% of the total box office, the highest recorded record. In comparison, the box office of foreign films was only 51.183 billion yen, a year-on-year decrease of about 30%, accounting for nearly 25% of the total box office.

Among the top ten box office hits last year, eight were Japanese films, five of which were animated works, reflecting the strong support of local audiences for domestic films and animation works. “Detective Conan: The Million Dollar Pentacle” became the annual box office champion with 15.8 billion yen, and “Haikyu!! The Battle at the Garbage Dump” ranked second with 11.64 billion yen. In addition, works such as “Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General ,” “SPY×FAMILY CODE: White,” “LAST MILE: Detonation,” and “Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM” also ranked among the top. There are only two foreign films in the top ten, namely “Inside Out 2” and “Despicable Me 4”; for the first time, no live-action foreign films made the top ten.

This year is the first time foreign live-action films have been absent from the top ten list since statistics began in 2000, indicating that the influence of foreign films in the Japanese market has declined significantly. At the same time, the Japanese animation film craze is in full swing, with animation works accounting for more than 50% of the popular movies with box office revenue exceeding 1 billion yen. Looking ahead to 2025, the works that audiences expect will still be mainly animation, indicating that the “dependence on animation” market trend will not change in the short term.

Only two of the top ten movies in Japan’s box office in 2024 were foreign films. (Chart via MERXWIRE)

The rise of Japan’s film industry has also prompted the government to increase its support for the content industry. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba recently stated that he would list movies and animation as strategic sectors as crucial as semiconductors and planned to include specific support measures in the “basic policy” to expand overseas markets. The government aims to expand overseas sales of the content industry to 20 trillion yen, about four times the current level, hoping to strengthen the global influence of Japanese film and television content through institutional support.

This series of policy and market changes shows that Japanese films are ushering in a new heyday. Not only are domestic audiences paying for them, but the government has also seen the potential of movies and animation and is preparing to promote them overseas. From hot-selling box office in cinemas to layout on the international stage, Japanese films, especially animation, are gradually moving into the hearts of audiences worldwide.

More News

View More
Is It Time to Trim Your Positions in These 2 AI Stocks?
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence
Tickers NVDA ORCL PLTR
These 3 Tech Stocks Just Supercharged Their Buybacks
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence
Tickers AVGO CRM DBX NTNX
3 Dividend Stocks to Hold Through Market Volatility This Fall
Via MarketBeat
Topics Economy
Tickers JNJ KO PLD
Resideo Technologies: Institutional Activity Signals 30% Upside
Via MarketBeat
Tickers JPM MS REZI
2 Falling Knives That Might Be Worth Catching
Via MarketBeat
Tickers DUOL TTD
Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.