TBS Holdings announced the establishment of SAND B, a new company focused on anime planning and production, as major Japanese broadcasters intensify competition for animation content revenue. The Tokyo-based media group committed ¥30 billion ($207 million) to the venture, marking its most aggressive push yet into an industry segment where it has lagged behind rivals.
The company recruited Yukio Kawasaki, a former TV Tokyo senior executive who built that network’s anime business into a ¥40 billion revenue stream, to serve as president starting August 1. Kawasaki spearheaded TV Tokyo’s early expansion into overseas distribution and Chinese markets during the 2000s, helping establish anime as a core profit driver for the smaller broadcaster.
TBS faces stiff competition in Japan’s ¥199 billion domestic animation market, where Nippon Television Holdings operates powerhouse studios including Madhouse and Tatsunoko Productions, while planning to quadruple overseas revenue to ¥100 billion by 2033. TV Tokyo established its license business division in 2018 under Kawasaki’s leadership, cementing its position as an anime industry leader.
SAND B will collaborate closely with Mainichi Broadcasting System, leveraging that Osaka-based affiliate’s animation expertise for joint production and merchandising ventures. The unit plans to develop original intellectual properties while investing in promising external content, with distribution through TBS’s existing broadcast network and streaming partnerships.
TBS previously acquired anime studio Seven Arcs in 2019 for an undisclosed sum, but has struggled to match competitors’ content pipelines and overseas sales capabilities. The company’s latest financial reports show media revenues under pressure from streaming competition and declining traditional television advertising.
The strategic shift reflects broader industry dynamics as Japan’s anime market expands globally while domestic growth slows, forcing traditional broadcasters to invest heavily in content creation and international distribution capabilities.
