Jakarta. Indonesia’s anime industry is booming, generating Rp 90.9 trillion ($5.99 billion) in 2022 and projected to reach Rp 109.6 trillion by 2026, according to PwC. With Japan’s anime production expected to shrink due to population decline and studio turnover, Indonesian studios are seizing opportunities to contribute to international projects.

One standout is Studio Ubud, which recently joined the production of the first part of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. The film premiered in Japan on July 18, grossing 1.5 billion yen (Rp 163 billion) on its opening day, surpassing the record set by Mugen Train. In Indonesia, the film opened on August 15, drawing more than 461,000 viewers on its first day, the largest opening for an anime or Asian film in the country.

Studio Ubud’s work spans character visuals, special effects, camera movement, digital photography, compositing, and coloring. Beyond series production, the studio contributes to teasers, promotional material, and merchandise design. While copyright remains with Japanese studios, the Indonesian team’s role is vital to production quality and delivery.

Founded in 2015 and based in Jakarta and Solo, Studio Ubud has worked on over 50 high-profile anime titles, including One Piece, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Jujutsu Kaisen, Dragon Ball, Pokémon, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Its nearly decade-long reputation for quality, reliability, and consistency has positioned Indonesia as a credible player in Japan’s competitive anime industry.

In 2025, the studio signed long-term agreements with four major Japanese studios --ENGI Co. Ltd, A-1 Pictures Inc, Nippon Animation Co. Ltd, and Asahi Production Co. Ltd-- for multi-year commitments in both television series and feature films.

Anime has emerged as a major growth driver in Southeast Asia, fueled by the region’s young, digital-native audiences and their appetite for culture-driven content. According to Dentsu’s Anime: A Growing Opportunity for Brands, three in 10 global consumers now watch anime weekly, with engagement surging in Indonesia, Thailand, and other SEA markets.

Fans are active participants, attending conventions, creating designs, and joining online communities. In Indonesia, nearly one in five Gen Z anime fans post about anime on social media or join Discord communities. Anime is valued both as entertainment and a creative mirror, offering emotional depth and diverse genres as a counterbalance to Western media.

"Audiences are attracted to anime for a variety of reasons. It features unique, immediately recognizable worlds, complex emotions, and a variety of genres," Dentsu said in its 2025 report.

According to Parrot Analytics, anime generated $19.8 billion globally in 2023, with $5.5 billion from streaming and $14.3 billion from merchandising. Streaming revenue accounted for 6 percent of global streaming income, led by North America (41 percent) and Asia (29 percent). Merchandising was dominated by Asia ($5.46 billion) and North America ($4.97 billion), reflecting anime’s broad cultural and economic impact.

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