of doujin shops grew considerably, as expressed in the growing number of outlets and growing sales. The proceeds of K-BOOKS, for instance, grew from 350 million yen in 1995 to 3 billion and 950 million yen in 2008. The proceeds of Toranoana grew from 390 million yen in 1994 to 14 billion and 850 million yen in 2006. How it works When it comes to sale of second-hand doujinshi, doujin shops function exactly like regular used bookstores. Customers bring doujinshi to the store, which buys some or all of them and then sells them again to new customers. Whether a store will buy old doujinshi, and at what price, depends on a number of factors mostly related to the marketability of the doujinshi: rating, fame of the doujinshi circle that authored the work, fandom popularity, printing method, use of color, paper size, the newness of the doujinshi, and its content. Many doujin shops have sections of doujinshi made by creators who are also professional manga artist, or who created doujinshi before they became professional manga artist. Sale of new doujinshi in doujin shops works mostly on a system of consignment sale. Circles (individuals or groups who create doujinshi) apply for the store to carry their works on its shelves. Depending again on the marketability of the doujinshi, the store may agree or decline. If it agrees, the circle and the store conclude an agreement that the store will exhibit the doujinshi for a set amount of time. Proceeds go to the circle after the store has taken a commission. Examples Some doujin shop chains include: Mandarake, founded in 1987. Mandarake has 12 outlets throughout Japan, as well as an online store. It had 365 employees in 2011. The store is well known for carrying a large variety of other popular media besides doujinshi, including many older collector's items. Toranoana, founded in 1996. Toranoana has 25 outlets throughout Japan, as well as an online store and a separate download store for digital works. It has about 1000 employees'. , founded in 1998. Melon Books has 24 outlets throughout Japan, as well as an online store. It had 391 employees in 2011. K-Books, founded in 1992. K-BOOKS has 5 outlets that carry doujinshi throughout Japan, besides several other outlets that carry other goods, as well as an online store. It had 380 employees in 2013. Animate, founded in 1987. Animate has 114