NOTHING NEW

What NOTHING NEW does

NOTHING NEW is a Tokyo-based film and animation production company founded in April 2022 by Representative Director Kentaro Hayashi, with a stated mission to create 'a world where talent isn't crushed.' The company produces works in horror and animation genres across multiple formats — short films, mid-length films, feature films, and feature animation — partnering with emerging directors to bring their projects to international film festivals. Its portfolio spans over a dozen titles including the NN4444 horror collection (2023), feature films VOID, SUCK, DOG, and Rat Tat Tat (2024), mid-length works XX ceremony and GAMALAND, the feature animation We Are Aliens (co-produced with France's MIYU PRODUCTION), and the live-action feature AnyMart, which won the FIPRESCI Prize at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival.

The business model spans three revenue streams: film production and distribution via the international festival circuit (Berlin, Cannes, Annecy, Rotterdam), licensing and merchandising through brand tie-ups (e.g., Suntory Green Tea tie-up commercials, KADOKAWA novel spin-offs, AnyMart pop-up store), and crowdfunding for feature-length projects (We Are Aliens). GTM is event-driven, leveraging festival premieres and PR announcements via prtimes.jp for earned media, supplemented by organic social on X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. The company also operates as a B2B service provider, managing the video and film division of Japan's METI-backed SO-FU creator acceleration program, and benefits from institutional funding via KDDI and Shochiku Ventures' AS CREATION PROJECT.

The company is privately held with 50 million yen in stated capital and a small core team of three listed members. It has no identified parent company, subsidiaries, or external institutional investors. Operational footprint is concentrated in Tokyo, but its content is distributed globally through the international festival circuit and brand partnerships.

Name

NOTHING NEW

Legal name

NOTHING NEW

Website

https://nothingnew.ltd

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NOTHING NEW is a Tokyo-based film production company founded in 2022 that produces horror and animation works with emerging directors, distributing through the international film festival circuit and monetizing via brand partnerships, licensing, and crowdfunding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Animated Feature Film Production (MPADACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Anime Production (MPADACAF), Short-Form Animation (Shorts, Web Series) (MPADACAI), Live-Action Short-Form Production (Short Films, Web Series) (MPADABAE)

Keywords

• Film production
• Horror films
• Animation production
• International film festivals
• Talent development

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Film Production and Distribution: Production and distribution of horror short films, feature films, and animation projects targeting global audiences through international film festival circuit
2. Licensing and Merchandising: Original goods sales associated with film properties, including convenience store tie-ups and promotional merchandise
3. Crowdfunding: Crowdfunding campaigns for feature-length animation projects such as We Are Aliens

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NOTHING NEW is a Japanese film and animation production company that produces horror and animation works targeting international film festival premieres. The company develops feature films, mid-length films, short films, and short animations by emerging directors, and monetizes through festival distribution, brand tie-ups (e.g., Suntory, KADOKAWA), original merchandise, and crowdfunding for feature-length animation projects.

Product overview

NOTHING NEW is a Japanese film and animation production company established in 2022 with the aim of creating "a world where talent isn't crushed." The company operates as a unified production studio producing horror and animation content across multiple formats: feature films (AnyMart, VOID, SUCK, DOG, Rat Tat Tat), feature animation (We Are Aliens), mid-length films (GAMALAND, XX ceremony), and short films/animations (happy eyescream, Diary of the ghost, NN4444). The company also produces experiential projects including art exhibitions (The Forbidden Paintings) and pop-up experiences (Champ Chime Chocolate, AnyMart pop-up store). Additionally, NOTHING NEW serves as the operation manager for the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "SO-FU" business acceleration program for the video and film division. The portfolio centers on horror and animation genres, with works regularly selected for international festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Annecy, and Rotterdam.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• We Are Aliens (我々は宇宙人) Feature-length animation directed by Kohei Kadowaki, co-produced with France's MIYU PRODUCTION. Selected for Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026 Feature Films Competition and Directors' Fortnight at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
• AnyMart (チルド / Chilled) First live-action feature film directed by Yusuke Iwasaki, selected for Berlin International Film Festival and winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival. Extended IP through Suntory Green Tea Iyemon tie-up commercial, KADOKAWA spin-off novel, and AnyMart pop-up convenience store in Roppongi.
• GAMALAND Mid-length horror film directed by Hiroki Nishii, announced with teaser trailer and poster in February 2026.
• happy eyescream Short animation directed by Shiika Okada, selected for multiple international film festivals including IFFR 2026, New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival, and Korean Film Festival.
• XX ceremony (〇〇式) Mid-length horror film directed by Ryota Kondo, announced in April 2025.
• Diary of the ghost (幽霊の日記) Short sci-fi film directed by Daigo Hariya and Yosuke Kobayashi, selected for IFFR 2026 and announced as second installment of KDDI/Shochiku Ventures' AS CREATION PROJECT.
• NN4444 Horror short film collection produced in 2023, with each work selected for over 10 international film festivals including Rotterdam.
• VOID Horror feature film produced in 2024, directed by Yusuke Iwasaki.
• SUCK (洗淳) Horror feature film directed by Takuya Miyahara, produced in 2024.
• DOG (犬) Horror feature film directed by Natsuki Nakagawa, produced in 2024.
• Rat Tat Tat

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AnyMart Convenience StoreminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 July 2026Limited-time pop-up convenience store 'AnyMart' in Roppongi featuring original goods from the film, creating experiential marketing for 'Something's Off'
• SuntoryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2026Tie-up commercial partnership for the film 'Chilled' with Suntory Green Tea 'Iyemon'. Suntory produced promotional content featuring the film property.
• KADOKAWAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 June 2026Spin-off novel of the film 'Chilled' being published by KADOKAWA. This publishing partnership extends the film's intellectual property into literary format.
• MIYU PRODUCTIONcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2025French animation studio MIYU PRODUCTION is a co-production partner for the feature-length animation 'We Are Aliens'. This international collaboration positions the project for global distribution and leverages Japanese animation expertise with French production capabilities.
• Ministry of Economy, Trade and IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2025NOTHING NEW was selected as the operation manager for the video and film division of METI's business acceleration program 'SO-FU'. This government partnership provides operational oversight of a creator acceleration initiative.
• KDDI and Shochiku VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2025KDDI and Shochiku Ventures' 'AS CREATION PROJECT' is a creator creation initiative. NOTHING NEW's 'Diary of the Ghost' was announced as the second installment, providing funding and platform support for new content development.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Twin Engine: Tokyo-based anime production company that supports emerging directors and produces original animation projects. Closely comparable to NOTHING NEW in mission of nurturing new creative talent and operating as a lean production studio with global festival ambitions.
• Khara: Japanese animation studio producing original IP with strong auteur direction and international release strategy. Comparable in the model of a founder-driven studio pursuing distinctive, auteur-led animation for global audiences.
• Nikkatsu: Long-established Japanese film production company with a strong horror and genre catalog. Comparable as a Japanese production house with deep horror roots and a history of cultivating auteur directors across horror and adjacent genres.
• Science SARU: Japanese animation studio producing distinctive original animated features and shorts for international festivals and streaming. Comparable in producing genre-driven (often surreal/horror-adjacent) animation with international festival recognition.
• Studio Colorido: Japanese animation studio known for nurturing emerging animators and directors, producing original feature animations (A Whisker Away, Drifting Home). Highly comparable given NOTHING NEW's focus on emerging talent and feature animation production.

Broad incumbents

• MAPPA: Major Japanese animation studio producing high-profile feature and series animation. Comparable as a Japanese animation production entity, though at much larger scale and IP-driven (manga adaptations) rather than emerging-talent-focused.
• Aniplex: Major Japanese anime production and distribution company. Comparable as an integrated Japanese animation producer/distributor pursuing global festival and theatrical reach, but with much broader IP portfolio and capital base.
• Toei Animation: Largest Japanese animation studio producing theatrical features and series with global distribution. Comparable as a Japanese animation producer with feature film ambitions, though much larger and IP/franchise-driven rather than emerging-talent focused.
• KADOKAWA: Major Japanese media conglomerate spanning anime production, publishing, and film. Already a commercial partner of NOTHING NEW via the Chilled novelization. Comparable as a Japanese media entity that integrates content creation, publishing, and IP extension.
• Production I.G: Established Japanese animation studio producing feature films and series for global markets. Comparable in producing Japanese animation for international audiences, but operates at significantly larger scale and with established IP franchises.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nothingnew_film
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NOTHINGNEW_FILM
• Instagraminstagram.com/nothingnew_film
• TikToktiktok.com/@nothingnew_official?_r=1&_t=ZS-97gTEuW37w2

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about NOTHING NEW