Human Media
Human Media is a Tokyo-based market research firm, founded 1985, that publishes the biannual Japan and World Media × Content Market Database (440 pages + CD-ROM) and offers consulting and matchmaking services to Japanese government ministries, content industry associations, and private media companies across Japan and ~20 global markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Human Media does
Human Media (株式会社ヒューマンメディア) is a privately-held Tokyo-based market research and consulting firm founded in May 1985, specializing in longitudinal data on media and content industries across Japan and approximately 20 global markets. Its single core product is the bilingual "Japan and World Media × Content Market Database" (日本と世界のメディア×コンテンツ市場データベース), a 440-page A4 publication bundled with a CD-ROM of full PDF data and issued biannually as a spring preliminary edition and an autumn final edition; the dataset covers 20+ content sectors (anime, manga, video/music streaming, games, publishing, advertising, etc.) with 15+ years of continuous time series and 20+ years of Japan anime–specific tracking. The platform architecture is fundamentally a manually compiled statistical research product — not a software/SaaS platform — distributed via the company website and through partner publisher かなえ (Kanae) for individual and electronic editions.
The firm monetizes through two streams: (1) recurring annual subscriptions to the database, sold primarily as a spring/autumn two-book set to enterprise and government buyers, and (2) professional services including consulting, event management, content production, and cross-industry/regional matchmaking. Its customer base is concentrated in Japanese central government ministries (Cabinet Office IP Strategy Promotion Office, METI, Reconstruction Agency, MIC, MEXT, MLIT), industry associations (Japan Animation Producers Association), and select private enterprises (Asahi Shimbun, Seibu Railway, regional governments such as Saitama Prefecture, Sumida Ward, Nerima Ward, Nagoya City, Ibaraki Prefecture). Distribution is largely single-country/domestic, supplemented by a 2025-launched bilingual YouTube channel targeting overseas audiences. Top-of-funnel marketing relies on sample PDF downloads, co-organized industry events (Anime Business Partners Forum, Cool Japan Matching Award), and referral-driven government/association channels. The company is led by President and Representative Director Ono-uchi Megumi (小野打 恵) and has maintained continuous private ownership for over 40 years with no disclosed institutional investment, M&A, or secondary transactions.
Human Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Human Media
- Legal name
- 株式会社ヒューマンメディア
- Website
- https://humanmedia.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Human Media is a Tokyo-based market research firm, founded 1985, that publishes the biannual Japan and World Media × Content Market Database (440 pages + CD-ROM) and offers consulting and matchmaking services to Japanese government ministries, content industry associations, and private media companies across Japan and ~20 global markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Human Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Media and Content Market Research
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (51312)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reference Works & Academic Databases (Encyclopedias, Indexes, Abstracts) (MPAJABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership) (MPAJAMAD), Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking) (MPAJACAI)
Keywords
Where Human Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Human Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Market Database Publications: Annual subscription model for the Japan and World Media x Content Market Database, with spring preliminary version and autumn final version delivered as a two-book set
- Consulting and Professional Services: Consulting, event management, content production, and coordination/matching services for government agencies and private companies
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual subscription with spring and autumn editions |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Human Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Human Media publishes the '日本と世界のメディア×コンテンツ市場データベース' (Japan and World Media × Content Market Database), a biannual comprehensive market research publication covering media and content markets across 20+ countries and 20+ content sectors over 15+ years, with particular depth in Japan's anime industry spanning 20+ years. The company also provides consulting, event management, content production, and matchmaking services for government agencies and private companies in the content industries.
Product overview
Human Media operates as a media and content market research firm offering a single core product: the '日本と世界のメディア×コンテンツ市場データベース' (Japan and World Media×Content Market Database). This database is published twice yearly in two editions—a Spring '速極版' (preliminary) and an Autumn '確定版' (final). The product combines quantitative market statistics with qualitative industry analysis, covering 20+ content sectors across Japan and approximately 20 global markets. The database is distributed as a physical A4 publication (440 pages) bundled with a CD-R containing full PDF data. Supporting this core product is a YouTube channel providing market commentary and trend analysis.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Japan and World Media × Content Market Database (日本と世界のメディア×コンテンツ市場データベース) A biannual comprehensive market research database and analysis report covering media and content markets across Japan and 20+ countries/regions, spanning 20+ content sectors. Published twice yearly in a bilingual (Japanese/English) A4 book format (440 pages) bundled with a CD-R containing full PDF data. Provides market size statistics, industry structure analysis, trend forecasting, and international comparative data for buyers including government agencies, private content companies, industry associations, and academic researchers.
- Consulting, Event Management, Content Production, and Matchmaking Services Professional services supporting public-sector industrial and cultural promotion, private-sector business development, brand building, human resource development, and digital transformation. Includes contest secretariat operation, seminar/event management, media PR, PR content production, cross-industry/cross-regional/international matching coordination, and custom market research such as demand forecasting for Japanese anime in the US market and Korean content share analysis in the Japanese market. Clients include Japanese central and regional government agencies and private content companies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2025 domestic content market: 15.87 trillion yen (4% increase), with video/music streaming and online advertising exceeding 50% of market
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Human Media
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Human Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Human Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Japan Animation Producers Association (日本動画協会)coreLong-standing strategic partnership for anime industry research, event management, and professional development initiatives
- Reconstruction Agency (復興庁)coreGovernment partnership for research on post-disaster industrial recovery and societal challenge initiatives
- Cabinet Office Intellectual Property Strategy Promotion Office (内閣府知的財産戦略推進事務局)flagshipKey government partner for Cool Japan content promotion policy research and award programs
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省)minorGovernment partnership for digital transformation and smart mobility initiatives in regional communities
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (文部科学省)minorEducational partnership for content industry workforce development and disaster resilience research
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (経済産業省)coreKey government partner for content industry protection, promotion, and investment coordination
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (国土交通省)minorInfrastructure and urban development partnership involving content/IP utilization
- Saitama PrefectureminorRegional government partnership for anime-based tourism and regional branding
- Sumida Ward (墨田区)minorRegional government partnership for content-driven regional branding
- Nerima Ward (練馬区)minorRegional partnership for anime culture education integration in Tokyo's anime production hub
- Nagoya City and Tokai Television (名古屋市・東海テレビ)minorRegional partnership with broadcaster for anime/game content events
- Ibaraki PrefectureminorRegional government partnership for content industry ecosystem development
- Seibu Railway (西武鉄道)minorPrivate sector partnership for anime-based regional tourism development along railway corridors
- Asahi Shimbun (朝日新聞社)minorMedia partnership for newspaper content integration with anime IP
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Human Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MIC Research Institute: Japanese B2B market research firm focused specifically on IT and media sectors, producing subscription market data reports with consulting. Highly comparable niche focus on Japanese media/IT markets and similar recurring publication model.
- Fuji Chimera Research Institute: Specialized Japanese B2B market research publisher producing recurring subscription reports on electronics, IT, and digital media. Comparable subscription-based publication model and focus on technology-adjacent industries that overlap with Human Media's content-market coverage.
- Seed Planning: Tokyo-based B2B market research and consulting firm publishing recurring subscription reports on ICT, media, and content industries. Directly comparable subscription-publication + consulting model, with overlapping media/entertainment coverage area.
- Fuji Keizai Research Institute: Long-established Japanese market research publisher issuing periodic, multi-volume industry market reports and conducting custom consulting. Closely mirrors Human Media's biannual subscription database plus consulting hybrid, with adjacent coverage of electronics, media, and content verticals.
- Yano Research Institute: Japan's largest independent B2B market research firm publishing recurring multi-industry market reports and bespoke consulting. Closely comparable to Human Media in model (subscription reports + custom research) but with broader industry coverage, larger scale, and overlapping media/content practice.
Broad incumbents
- Statista: Global statistics and industry-data platform with significant Japanese media and entertainment market coverage. Operates a similar subscription-data model but at far greater scale, broader industry coverage, and with continuously updated digital delivery — a potential competitive threat to niche Japanese publishers like Human Media.
- PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook: Annual subscription forecast service covering global entertainment and media markets including Japan. Comparable subscription market-sizing model but at much larger scale, broader scope, and produced by a Big Four advisory practice.
- Omdia (Media & Entertainment): Large global media and entertainment research arm of Informa, producing subscription research on entertainment, broadcasting, and digital media markets. Comparable subscription research model with international scope, partially covering Japan.
- Dentsu (Japan): Japan's largest advertising group with a substantial research arm publishing 'Japan's Advertising Expenditure' and related media/ content reports. Significant overlap with Human Media's media market coverage; broader portfolio and far larger scale.
Others
- Association of Japanese Animations (AJA): Industry association publishing the 'Anime Industry Report' (アニメ産業レポート) — an overlapping annual market statistics series on Japan's anime sector — in close collaboration with Human Media. Functions as both a partner and adjacent data publisher in the same narrow market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Human Media social profiles
Digital presenceHuman Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Human Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Human Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Human Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Human Media
What does Human Media do?
Human Media publishes the '日本と世界のメディア×コンテンツ市場データベース' (Japan and World Media × Content Market Database), a biannual comprehensive market research publication covering media and content markets across 20+ countries and 20+ content sectors over 15+ years, with particular depth in Japan's anime industry spanning 20+ years. The company also provides consulting, event management, content production, and matchmaking services for government agencies and private companies in the content industries.
Is Human Media a public or private company?
Human Media is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Human Media founded?
Human Media was founded in 1985.
Where is Human Media based?
Human Media is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Human Media make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Market Database Publications are the primary driver. The others are consulting and Professional Services.
Who are Human Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MIC Research Institute, Fuji Chimera Research Institute, Seed Planning, Fuji Keizai Research Institute and Yano Research Institute. Broad incumbents are Statista, PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook, Omdia (Media & Entertainment) and Dentsu (Japan). Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) is listed as an others.
Does Human Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Human Media.
What industry is Human Media in?
Human Media's product category is Media and Content Market Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJABAI, Reference Works & Academic Databases (Encyclopedias, Indexes, Abstracts), with a secondary code of MPAJAMAD, Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership). Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.