Surprising data from Oricon ME reveals that individuals in their 50s are the leading demographic for reading digital manga on smartphones in Japan. These findings are based on an online survey conducted between May and June 2023, involving 10,438 digital comics readers.
Contrary to expectations that individuals in their 50s, who grew up with physical manga, would prefer traditional comic formats, the data shows that 50.5% of weekly digital comic consumers fall within this age group. This age group is actively choosing the ease and convenience offered by digital platforms. Interestingly, the age group least subscribed to digital comic services is between 10 and 19 years old.
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Furthermore, more than half (51%) of respondents in their 50s said they read digital comics almost every day. Similar patterns were observed among people in their 60s (50.6%) and 40s (45.9%), suggesting active participation in manga consumption among older people.
Several factors contribute to this trend, including increased enrollment among the middle class. elderly people, the increasing use of smartphones and tablets among this age group, and the steady income of older readers, give them more opportunities to invest in hobbies such as manga. The appearance of old manga series on digital platforms is also said to be an important reason for this trend.
This unexpected shift challenges stereotypes about age-based preferences in manga consumption and highlights the evolving landscape of digital reading habits in Japan.
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Source: Sora 24 News