Christie’s once again focuses on the Japanese pop universe: after the surprising debut in March, the New York auction house is organizing a new anime and manga auction, confirming that the phenomenon was not a flash in the pan but the beginning of a long-term strategy in the collectibles market.
Key points
- The first sale in March, “Anime Starts Here”, brought in 1.4 million dollars including fees, more than four times the low estimate.
- The second auction will be held in New York from October 8 to 12, followed by an online sale from October 9 to 22.
- About 130 lots are in the catalog, with a total estimate between 344,350 and 523,200 dollars.
- 35% of the buyers at the first auction were Millennials or Gen Z, a share higher than Christie’s average.
- The event coincides with the 20th edition of New York Comic Con and with the opening of the exhibition “The Art of Manga” at the Brooklyn Museum.
Christie’s presents the second anime and manga auction after a record-breaking debut
The success of the first edition convinced Christie’s to double down. The March sale, titled Anime Starts Here: Japanese Subculture Reimagines Tradition, combined traditional Japanese works with contemporary creations, tracing a line from the ukiyo-e of Katsushika Hokusai to established art-market names such as Yayoi Kusama and Yoshitomo Nara, as well as film and television posters from productions like Godzilla.
Surprising 1.4 million dollar total at the first auction
The final result, 1.4 million dollars including fees, exceeded the low estimate calculated before commissions by more than four times. For an auction house used to working with classical Japanese art, it was a clear signal: the American public was ready to welcome contemporary pop forms alongside historical masterpieces.
Highlights of the inaugural sale
Among the most hotly contested pieces stands out Wolf and Armor (2019) by Shiomi Ryosuke, a reinterpreted samurai armor that achieved 698,500 dollars including fees, 35 times the low estimate, setting an auction record for the metalworking artist. On the strictly anime front, the drawing Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon signed by Ito Ikuko, an artist who worked on the famous series of the Nineties, reached 88,900 dollars, almost 18 times the starting estimate. Takaaki Murakami, head of Christie’s Japanese and Korean art department, spoke of a response that “surprised” the auction house, emphasizing how the New York market had long been waiting to see Japanese pop art forms placed alongside more traditional ones.
New sale with iconic anime and manga works
The second edition broadens the thematic scope. Christie’s is betting on some of the most recognizable series in the world, bringing to auction material related to Dragon Ball, Pokémon, Sailor Moon and the films of Hayao Miyazaki produced by Studio Ghibli.
Included franchises and well-known artists
Highlights include original drawings by Osamu Tezuka, considered the “father of manga” and creator of Astro Boy, one of the first Japanese series broadcast in the United States, along with soft vinyl figures from Ultraman, the science-fiction franchise born in the Sixties. There will also be original cels, the transparent sheets used for hand-drawn animation, from titles such as Akira, My Neighbor Totoro and Dragon Ball Z.
Preview of the most important lots and estimates
The catalog includes about 130 lots, with a collective estimate between 344,350 and 523,200 dollars. These are smaller numbers than the record total in March, but consistent with a phase in which, according to Christie’s, collecting related to memorabilia is taking on increasing weight in a sector where traditional art sales have remained flat for some time. For those investing in this segment, the growth in revenues linked to Japanese subculture art is a concrete indicator of real demand, not just media interest.
Growing popularity of anime and manga in the USA fuels interest in auctions
The boom in collecting does not come out of nowhere: it reflects a demographic and cultural shift already measurable in consumption data. Until a decade ago considered niche genres outside Japan, anime and manga have won over an increasingly broad audience in the United States.
Doubling of fans from 2020 to 2025
According to analytics firm GEM Partners, anime viewing in the United States has doubled between 2020 and 2025. Historic series such as Pokémon, Dragon Ball and Naruto remain the most followed in Western markets, while more recent action titles like Jujutsu Kaisen are gaining ground with American audiences. The widespread distribution through streaming platforms such as Netflix and Crunchyroll, combined with changes in consumption habits during the pandemic, has made the genre much more accessible in the West.
Demographic profile of successful bidders
This generational shift is also visible in the auction room: during the first edition, 35% of buyers were Millennials or Gen Z, a percentage higher than the usual average for Christie’s sales. It is a detail the art market cannot ignore: it means that collecting linked to these franchises attracts a younger audience than traditional channels, with potential effects on future demand for similar pieces.
Auction timing and cultural ties
The October window is no coincidence: Christie’s has chosen to align the sale with two events that bring the entire ecosystem of Japanese pop culture fans and collectors to New York.
Synchronization with New York Comic Con
The auction overlaps with the 20th edition of New York Comic Con, the largest convention of its kind in North America, hosted at the Javits Center. The event brings art installations, panels and retail booths dedicated to pop culture, including anime and manga, giving Christie’s a direct pool of potential buyers already in the city.
Art of Manga exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum
In the same period, The Art of Manga opens at the Brooklyn Museum, the first major exhibition in the Americas to treat manga as a full-fledged art form, already acclaimed during its debut at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. The overlap between the sale, the convention and the museum exhibition marks a moment in which the market and cultural institutions are moving in the same direction, strengthening the legitimacy of these materials as collectible objects and, potentially, as investments.
FAQ
What made Christie’s first anime and manga auction significant?
The March sale brought in 1.4 million dollars including fees, more than four times the low estimate, with peaks such as the 698,500 dollar sale of Shiomi Ryosuke’s metalwork.
Which anime and manga series will be featured in Christie’s next auction?
The second sale will include works related to Dragon Ball, Pokémon, Sailor Moon and Studio Ghibli films, among other titles.
Why has interest in anime collecting grown in the United States?
Anime viewing in the USA doubled between 2020 and 2025, driven by streaming platforms, the discovery of new series on social media and a young audience made up largely of Millennials and Gen Z.
How is the new auction connected to other cultural events?
The sale coincides with the 20th edition of New York Comic Con and with the opening of The Art of Manga exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, in October 2026.
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