Toei Company, a major Japanese film corporation, is strengthening its animation business by reorganizing its Anime Development Office into a full-fledged IP and Anime Development Department effective April 1, 2025. This strategic elevation aims to bolster the company’s animation initiatives amid growing global demand for Japanese anime content.
The organizational change transforms the previous “Movie Planning Department Anime Development Office” into an independent department, signaling Toei’s commitment to more aggressive animation development. The film division will now consist of six departments and one branch office, including the newly established IP and Anime Development Department.
While Toei already controls subsidiary Toei Animation, one of Japan’s oldest and largest animation studios with iconic franchises like Dragon Ball and One Piece, the parent company’s direct involvement in animation production has been limited. The Animation Development Office was only established in 2022, with initial projects including investment in “Blue Thermal,” produced by Telecom Animation Film.
Toei’s restructuring also includes creating an International Business Division within its Visual Content Headquarters, elevating the former International Sales Department to division status with dedicated planning and strategy departments. This parallel move indicates Toei’s growing focus on global markets for its content portfolio.
These organizational changes reflect the company’s strategic pivot toward capturing greater market share in animation production and international distribution as global appetite for Japanese anime continues to expand.
