Toho, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE Prime 9602), announced on September 27th its strategic move to establish an “Anime Headquarters” and introduce “TOHO animation” as part of a concerted effort to bolster its burgeoning “Anime” business segment. This marks a significant milestone, solidifying animation as the fourth cornerstone following the established pillars of the “movie business,” “theater business,” and “real estate business.”
Simultaneously, Toho revealed plans to transition Aid DCC, a company specializing in advertising promotion strategy, production, and operations, into a subsidiary. Additionally, the Imperial Theater in Marunouchi, Tokyo is slated for closure by 2025, with a subsequent relocation to the neighboring Idemitsu Museum and Mitsubishi Estate, accompanied by a joint reconstruction project.
The exponential growth of the anime market exhibits no signs of abating, with projections indicating that by 2020, the international market is poised to surpass its domestic counterpart. Over the past decade, the market has burgeoned to a staggering approximate value of 2.5 trillion yen.
Toho’s foray into anime production has also yielded remarkable results. “Jujutsu Kaisen” achieved monumental success in theaters, surpassing a box office revenue of 10 billion yen. Similarly, “My Hero Academia,” a series with a substantial overseas fanbase, predominantly in North America, attained record-breaking box office earnings with its third installment. Additionally, “Uma Musume” achieved notable sales figures for its Blu-ray release, “Umabako 2,” amassing total sales surpassing 800,000 yen. The immensely popular original work “SPY×FAMILY,” which boasts a cumulative sales figure of over 10 million copies, has been adapted into an anime under the expert guidance of the production team, and has been on air since April, divided into two seasons.
Toho’s “real estate business” serves as a stabilizing force for its operational revenue. Meanwhile, its “movie business” and “theater business,” characterized by their hit-or-miss nature, have consistently contributed to profit generation. By strategically increasing the number of successful releases, the “movie business” continues to exhibit stable performance. The introduction of the fourth pillar, the “animation business,” marks an exciting new chapter in Toho’s diversified business portfolio.
