Toho, Japan’s leading film studio, announced its U.S. subsidiary Toho International will acquire 100% stake in GKIDS, a prominent North American distributor of animation films. The move aligns with Toho’s “TOHO VISION 2032” strategy, focusing on content creation, international expansion, and animation.
GKIDS has built a strong reputation in North America for distributing and marketing animated films from Japan and other countries. The company has seen 13 of its distributed films nominated for Academy Awards, with Studio Ghibli’s “The Boy and the Heron” winning Best Animated Feature in March 2024.
Toho expects this acquisition to create synergies between GKIDS’ distribution network and Toho International’s existing licensing and e-commerce operations, particularly for its Godzilla franchise. The Japanese studio aims to leverage this partnership to deliver animation content more directly to fans worldwide.
While GKIDS will maintain its current management and brand identity, Toho anticipates the merger will facilitate the overseas expansion of Japanese content and creators. The acquisition is set to be completed within the fiscal year ending February 2025, with minimal impact on Toho’s consolidated financial results for the period.
