Anime piracy cost Japan about $38 billion in 2025, nearly x3 the losses in 2022. In 2025, anime piracy had cost Japan approximately $38 billion, which is three times the amount from 2022. Therefore, anime piracy has become a global, system-wide issue, and Japan is struggling to keep up. From $13 Billion to $38 Billion: Anime Piracy’s Alarming GrowthAccording to METI, the estimated loss due to pirated content has risen drastically from 2 trillion yen (about $13.3 billion) in 2022 to 5.7 trillion yen (around $38 billion) by 2025. | Credit: ShueishaHere is a side-by-side comparison of piracy damage from 2022 to 2025 across several media.