Toei Animation

What Toei Animation does

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. (東映アニメーション株式会社) is a Japanese animation studio founded in 1956 and headquartered in Nakano, Tokyo, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market (ticker 4816.T, OTCMKTS: TOEAF). It operates one of the world's largest anime content libraries, with 269 theatrical films, 238 TV series, and approximately 13,900 episodes produced as of June 2024. Flagship franchises include One Piece (continuous broadcast on Fuji TV since 1999), Dragon Ball, Pretty Cure / Precure, Digimon Adventure, World Trigger, and Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken, alongside newer productions such as the Japan-U.S. co-produced feature Monkey Quest and the Ojamajo Doremi spinoff. The company runs the Toei Animation Museum at its Oizumi Studio complex.

Toei Animation generates revenue through four segments: (i) Animation Production and Sales — TV anime, theatrical films, Blu-ray/DVD, and smart-device distribution, primarily B2B to broadcasters and platforms; (ii) Rights and Licensing — character IP licensing to toy, game, apparel, food, and stationery manufacturers globally, which has historically been the largest revenue contributor (FY2020 segment revenue of ¥297.51B vs. ¥199.25B for Video Production); (iii) Product Sales — direct merchandise sales via character shops and e-commerce; and (iv) Event Operations — character shows, musicals, and curated fan experiences such as One Piece Fest. Distribution routes include streaming simulcast deals with Crunchyroll and Netflix, broadcast partnerships with Fuji TV and other regional networks, theatrical film release, and a global licensee network.

The company is in the middle of an offensive international expansion. The Vision 2030 plan announced November 2025 commits approximately ¥20 billion over five years to triple new IP creation and establish overseas studios. Concrete 2025–2026 moves include a strategic investment in Gaudiy Group for digital IP (April 2026), new anime partnerships with WIT Studio and Netflix (live-action One Piece Season 3 in 2027), a Thailand alliance with Studio Porta and Japan's Atik Co., a Philippines production subsidiary, brand collaborations with Popeyes and the Los Angeles Dodgers, a Universal Studios Hollywood theme-park activation, entry into the video game market announced April 2026, and integration of third-party generative AI tools (Midjourney, Stable Diffusion) into production workflows. Toei's largest shareholder is Toei Co., Ltd. at 33.6%, with TV Asahi Corporation (19.6%) and Fuji Media Holdings (8.2%) as other significant holders — a broadcast-and-film consortium structure typical of legacy Japanese anime studios.

Name

Toei Animation

Legal name

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. (東映アニメーション株式会社)

Website

https://corp.toei-anim.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Toei Animation is a Japanese animation studio producing flagship anime franchises such as One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Precure, monetized through global licensing, streaming distribution, theatrical release, merchandise, and brand collaborations with partners including Netflix and Crunchyroll.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Anime Production and Licensing

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Anime Production (MPADACAF)

Keywords

• Anime production
• Anime licensing
• Character merchandising
• Animated content
• Anime distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Nakano

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Animation Production and Sales (映像製作・販売事業): Television anime and theatrical anime production distributed through TV, theaters, DVD, Blu-ray, and smart devices. Major titles include One Piece, Digimon, Precure, and Dragon Ball series.
2. Rights and Licensing (版権事業): Licensing of character rights to manufacturers for toys, games, clothing, stationery, and food products. Domestic and international licensing operations for major franchises.
3. Product Sales (商品販売事業): Direct development and sale of merchandise products, including character shops and e-commerce sales.
4. Event Operations (その他事業): Planning and operation of events, character shows, and musicals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio that produces television anime series and theatrical anime films (including flagship franchises One Piece, Dragon Ball, Precure, Digimon, and Sailor Moon), licenses character rights to manufacturers for toys, games, apparel, stationery, and food products, sells character merchandise directly, and operates character shows, musicals, and the Toei Animation Museum.

Product overview

Toei Animation is a Japanese animation studio producing a broad portfolio of anime franchises across multiple genres and target demographics. Its core products include long-running TV anime series (One Piece, Dragon Ball, Precure, Digimon, World Trigger, Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken, Oshiri Tantei), theatrical films (including the Japan-U.S. co-produced Monkey Quest), and catalog library titles (e.g., the 4K restoration of Frankenstein: Legend of Terror). Beyond production, the studio operates a global character licensing and merchandising business, a theme park/attraction division (including a new Saudi Arabia theme park project), and is expanding into video games starting 2026. Partnerships with Netflix, Crunchyroll, and various merchandise manufacturers (YuMe Toys, Premium Bandai, Bioworld) distribute content globally, while KessCo and Popeyes collaborations extend the IP into tabletop gaming and fast-food merchandise. The studio's own museum (Toei Animation Museum) rounds out its consumer-facing operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PERO'S STATION: Shareholder newsletter brand name for investor communications

Products and services

• One Piece Anime The long-running flagship anime adaptation of Eiichiro Oda's manga series, produced by Toei Animation and airing on Fuji TV. The series transitioned to a semi-seasonal format producing a maximum of 26 episodes per year.
• Dragon Ball Anime The Dragon Ball anime franchise produced by Toei Animation, including ongoing and new projects such as the upcoming Dragon Ball Super: Beerus remaster and Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol.
• Precure Series The long-running magical girl franchise produced by Toei Animation, currently in its 23rd installment with 'Star Detective Precure!' and including entries like 'Healing Good Precure' and 'Delicious Party Precure'.
• Digimon Adventure The ongoing Digimon franchise anime series produced by Toei Animation, re-imagining the original 1999 series with modern storytelling.
• World Trigger The science-fiction action anime series produced by Toei Animation, which launched a REBOOT project in April 2026.
• Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken

Quantifiable outcome

• One Piece franchise generated $179.6 million in fiscal 2026, surpassing Dragon Ball ($134.2M) as Toei's top-grossing franchise
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, major, core and minor.

• SanzigenstrategicTechnology or Integration · 23 June 2026Studio handling 2D/3D hybrid work for 'Monkey Quest' film's ethereal dimension sequences. Japan-U.S. collaborative animation blending 2D and 3D techniques.
• Premium BandaimajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 May 2026One Piece x NBA collaborative merchandise releasing September 2026 with themed shirts, acrylic stands, and tote bag. Characters assigned to specific NBA teams. Preorders priced between approximately $14 and $41.
• Los Angeles DodgerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 May 2026Second annual 'One Piece' promotional night at Dodger Stadium on July 2, 2026. Features pregame activations in Centerfield Plaza, ceremonial first pitch, postgame drone show, and stadium-wide giveaways for first 40,000 fans.
• WIT StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026New One Piece anime adaptation in collaboration with Netflix releasing February 2027 as batch of 7 episodes covering first 50 chapters. Addresses pacing issues with 3.5 chapters per episode vs Toei's occasional half-chapter episodes.
• Popeyes (Restaurant Brands International)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026First-ever anime collaboration featuring One Piece themed menu including Luffy Bento Bundle ($13.99), Gum-Gum Fruit Lemonade ($3.49), Chopper's Cupcake ($3.99), plus exclusive collectibles. Targets Gen Z consumers with 54% identifying as anime fans according to Crunchyroll data.
• NetflixcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Live-action One Piece Season 3 ('The Battle of Alabasta') set for 2027. New anime series with WIT Studio in production. Lego One Piece animated special premiering September 29. Netflix One Piece franchise expansion.
• Tomorrow StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Co-producer of Netflix live-action One Piece series with Shueisha and Toei Animation. Season 3 'The Battle of Alabasta' announced for 2027.
• Lego GroupminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 April 2026Two-part Lego One Piece animated special premiering September 29. Produced with Shueisha and Atomic animation studio.
• Studio NminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Korean studio developing adaptation of 'Gosu' martial arts webtoon with Toei Animation. Target release within two years.
• Universal Studios HollywoodmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 February 2026One Piece show at WaterWorld attraction as part of Universal Fan Fest Nights 2026. Event running April 23 through May 16 with 12 themed nights.
• YuMe ToysmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 February 2026Expanded licensing partnership launching surprise capsule range featuring One Piece collectible figures across EMEA and ANZ regions. Barrel Capsule format features Straw Hat Crew figures with water-reveal elements and interconnecting display stands.
• CrunchyrollcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 February 2026Simulcast streaming of One Piece anime including Elbaph Arc starting April 5, 2026. Distribution across US, India, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Latin America.
• KessCominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 November 2025Licensed tabletop game 'One Piece: Dawn of Liberation' set for pre-order launch March 2026, previewed at PAX Unplugged.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Studio Pierrot: Producer of long-running shonen anime (Naruto, Bleach) and similar television-driven franchise model; competes for same Shueisha manga adaptations and global streaming windows.
• Wit Studio: Anime studio (Spy x Family, Ranking of Kings) which is also a Netflix co-production partner with Toei on a new One Piece anime — directly comparable in production scale and streaming-platform relationships.
• Production I.G: Established anime studio behind Ghost in the Shell and recent global hits (Spy x Family co-production); comparable in theatrical, streaming, and licensing business mix.
• Kyoto Animation: Highly regarded anime studio (Violet Evergarden, Sound! Euphonium) operating TV series and theatrical production with strong global fan reach; comparable in production capability and brand strength.
• TMS Entertainment: Tokyo-based anime studio (Detective Conan, Lupin III) producing long-running TV anime and theatricals; nearest peer in catalog depth and overseas licensing structure.
• Madhouse: Long-established Japanese anime studio behind Death Note, One Punch Man, and many theatrical features; comparable production pipeline, talent base, and licensing/streaming exposure.
• Bones: Mid-to-large Japanese anime studio behind My Hero Academia, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood; comparable in production scale, action-genre focus, and global streaming partnerships.
• MAPPA: Founded by a former Madhouse producer, MAPPA produces hit anime series (Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan Final Season) competing with Toei for top-tier manga adaptations and streaming platform partnerships.
• A-1 Pictures (Aniplex): Sony-owned anime studio behind Sword Art Online and many Aniplex titles; comparable in scale, long-running TV anime focus, and integration with streaming (Crunchyroll parent Funimation).

Broad incumbents

• Sunrise / Bandai Namco Filmworks: One of Japan's largest anime studios (Gundam, Code Geass) owned by Bandai Namco; competes directly with Toei in long-running flagship franchises, licensing, and toy/entertainment crossovers via shared ownership with Bandai.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ToeiAnime
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/toeianimation
• Facebookfacebook.com/ToeiAnimation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/toei-animation-co-ltd-
• Instagraminstagram.com/toeianimationofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Toei Animation