I've always wondered what makes a manga get picked up for an anime adaptation. Like, there are tons of manga out there, but only a small fraction actually get animated. Is it purely based on popularity and sales numbers, or do factors like the story structure and how well it translates to animation play a role too?
It's not just about raw sales - studios look at whether a manga has a built-in fanbase that'll actually watch, plus they consider stuff like whether the story works in anime format (some manga rely too heavily on inner monologue or crazy detailed art that'd be a nightmare to animate consistently). Publishers and sponsors definitely push for adaptations of their cash cows, but there's also this sweet spot where a series has enough buzz and the right kind of narrative structure that producers think "yeah, this could actually work as a show" 📺
Publishers themselves often push their own properties for adaptation - they see it as a way to boost manga sales and build their catalog, so sometimes a moderately popular series gets the greenlight partly because the publisher is backing it hard and can guarantee merchandising tie-ins. That said, you're right that story structure matters a ton; something with clear story arcs and characters that pop visually will always get picked over a manga that's heavy on internal monologue or relies on really intricate panel layouts that don't translate well to animation.
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