Character licensing giant Sanrio will acquire a 4.98% stake in anime producer IGPort for ¥1.6 billion ($10.7 million), marking the Hello Kitty creator’s latest push into video content after decades of avoiding the medium.
The partnership builds on an existing collaboration between the companies on “My Melody & Kuromi,” a stop-motion series launching on Netflix in July through IGPort’s WIT Studio subsidiary. The deal positions Sanrio as IGPort’s fourth-largest shareholder, alongside telecom operator NTT Docomo.
IGPort, whose studios produced “Attack on Titan” and “Ghost in the Shell,” will use ¥1 billion of the proceeds for joint projects and talent acquisition, with the remainder funding IT infrastructure upgrades. The arrangement offers IGPort access to Sanrio’s stable of characters including Hello Kitty and My Melody, potentially providing more predictable revenue streams than original content development.
For Sanrio, the investment represents a strategic shift. The company historically limited video adaptations of its characters, fearing that story-driven content might constrain their brand flexibility. However, with Hello Kitty celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, Sanrio appears willing to embrace animation as a growth driver.
The deal reflects broader consolidation in Japan’s animation industry, where studios seek financial stability through partnerships with established intellectual property holders. IGPort’s shares have underperformed this year as production costs rise and streaming platforms tighten content budgets.
Both companies cited the partnership’s potential to expand internationally, particularly in North America where anime consumption has surged.
