Manga sales, including both comics and periodicals, were up about 5% to $210 million in 2007, up from $200 million in 2006 according to the white paper. This was the lowest growth rate for manga since ICv2 began tracking sales. Sales through bookstores were up by a mid-single digit rate, but direct market sales of manga declined 5-10%. The decline in direct sales of manga was due to a reduced emphasis on the category by comic stores, a significant percentage of whom reduced their manga floor space in response to the growing number of releases and the increased difficulty in choosing between them. Over-all, top manga titles continue to do well, but titles in the lower ranks of releases are having difficulty finding breathing room.
