Nelke Planning
Nelke Planning is a Tokyo-based Japanese theater production company founded in 1994 that produces 2.5-dimensional musical stage adaptations of anime, manga, and game intellectual properties, selling tickets, merchandise, and media to anime fan communities and families.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersMeguro, Japan
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Nelke Planning does
Nelke Planning Co., Ltd. (株式会社ネルケプランニング) is a privately held Japanese theater production company founded in 1994 and headquartered in the NBF Shinagawa Building, Minato-ku, Tokyo. The company specializes in '2.5-dimensional musicals' — stage adaptations of popular anime, manga, and game intellectual properties. Its active production portfolio includes stage adaptations of Tennis no Oujisama, Touken Ranbu, MANKAI STAGE 'A3!', Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon, Chainsaw Man, Hypnosis Microphone, Ensemble Stars!, and Demon Slayer, alongside original productions such as 'Love Rice.' Operationally, the company handles the full production stack — rights negotiation with IP holders, script development, casting, choreography, stage direction, and live performance execution — and runs a 51–100 person organization.
The company's business model is a multi-stream consumer entertainment operation. Primary revenue is generated through ticket sales priced from ¥5,800 to ¥18,000 depending on production, seat grade, and day of week, distributed via Nelke's own web store, Ticket Pia, Lawson's Loppi, eplus, TKTS last-minute, and the Shinagawa Prince Hotel package partner, plus venue box offices. Secondary streams include production-tied merchandise sold on-site and through the Nelke Online Shop, physical media releases (Blu-ray/DVD/CD), digital streaming through DMM TV, U-NEXT, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, and recurring Nelke Ha! annual fan club membership. Its customer base is dominated by anime and manga fans, supplemented by families and group bookings through the WELCOME KIDS PROJECT, and general theater enthusiasts. The company operates three sub-brands — Nelke Ha! (fan club), WELCOME KIDS PROJECT (children's theater initiative), and NELKE WEST PROJECT (regional Kansai productions) — and maintains a permanent branded Sailor Moon theater at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel opened in April 2026.
Nelke Planning firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nelke Planning
- Legal name
- 株式会社ネルケプランニング
- Website
- https://nelke.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Nelke Planning is a Tokyo-based Japanese theater production company founded in 1994 that produces 2.5-dimensional musical stage adaptations of anime, manga, and game intellectual properties, selling tickets, merchandise, and media to anime fan communities and families.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nelke Planning industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Theater / Stage Productions
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management) (MPAGABAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Staging & Rigging Services (MPAGAKAA)
Keywords
Where Nelke Planning is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Meguro
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nelke Planning business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue driver through direct web store, third-party ticketing platforms (Ticket Pia, Lawson's Loppi, eplus), and at-venue box office. Ticket prices vary by production, seat type, and day of week.
- Merchandise & Goods: On-site and online sales of branded merchandise including programs, apparel, and collectibles tied to individual productions.
- Media Releases (Blu-ray / DVD / CD): Post-production releases of recordings of stage performances, including audio CDs of original cast soundtracks and video releases of stage productions.
- Digital Streaming & Video Distribution: Distribution of stage production content through digital streaming platforms, expanding reach beyond physical venue capacity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Seat Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Day-of-Week Pricing (Premium Fridays) |
| Subscription | Annual | Nelke Ha! Fan Club Membership |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels8 records
Nelke Planning product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nelke Planning is a Japanese stage production company that produces and manages 2.5-dimensional musicals—live theatrical adaptations of popular anime, manga, and game properties. It stages productions such as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Musical Touken Ranbu, Ensemble Stars! THE STAGE, Attack on Titan -the Musical-, Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man The Stage, Hypnosis Microphone, MANKAI STAGE A3!, and Musical Tennis no Oujisama at major Tokyo venues. The company sells tickets directly and through third-party play guides, runs the Nelke Ha! paid fan club, sells branded merchandise and physical media through its own online shop, and distributes performance recordings via streaming platforms.
Product overview
Nelke Planning is a Japanese theater production company specializing in 2.5-dimensional musicals and stage adaptations of popular anime and manga properties. The company operates a diverse portfolio of theatrical productions centered around licensed content including 'Tennis no Oujisama', 'Touken Ranbu', 'A3!', 'Attack on Titan', 'Sailor Moon', 'Chainsaw Man', 'Hypnosis Microphone', 'Ensemble Stars!', and 'Demon Slayer'. Supporting the core stage productions are ancillary services including the Nelke Ha! fan club (providing ticket pre-sales and the Nelmag newsletter), the Nelke Online Shop (merchandise and physical media), video and music streaming distribution through multiple platforms, and community initiatives like WELCOME KIDS PROJECT (children's theater education) and NELKE WEST PROJECT (regional Kansai-area productions). The company also provides casting services for anime works and operates international business divisions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WELCOME KIDS PROJECT: A project to introduce children to the world of theater, providing entry points for young audiences and offering theater experiences for kids
- NELKE WEST PROJECT
- ネルケハ！（Nelke Hai）
- NELKE ONLINE SHOP
Products and services
- Musical 'Tennis no Oujisama' / 'Shin Tennis no Oujisama' (ミュージカル『テニスの王子様』/『新テニスの王子様』) Musical stage adaptation of the popular manga by Takeshi Konomi about high school tennis matches, featuring a long-running production series with various cast generations. Targeted at fans of the Tennis no Oujisama franchise.
- Musical 'Touken Ranbu' (ミュージカル『刀剣乱舞』)
Companies that use Nelke Planning
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nelke Planning technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Nelke Planning partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Happy Elements (KLab)coreNelke Planning holds the stage production rights for 'Ensemble Stars!' THE STAGE, based on the Happy Elements (KLab) mobile game and media franchise. This is a flagship production in the company's portfolio, representing a multi-property, multi-year collaboration with a major anime/manga IP holder.
- TKTSsupportingTKTS serves as a last-minute ticket sales partner, distributing unsold tickets for Nelke Planning productions on the day of performances. This partnership helps maximize venue occupancy and provides a convenient channel for spontaneous theatergoers.
- Shinagawa Prince HotelsupportingPartnership for theater and accommodation package deals, allowing ticket buyers to bundle their performance attendance with hotel stays. This cross-promotional arrangement extends the addressable market to tourists and out-of-town visitors attending Nelke Planning productions.
- Anime / Manga IP Rights Holders (Various)coreNelke Planning operates as a licensed production partner for numerous anime and manga intellectual properties, including Sailor Moon, Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin), Chainsaw Man, and others. These licensing arrangements authorize the company to develop and stage official, rights-compliant adaptations, with revenue shared with the IP holders.
- Japanese 2.5-dimensional Musical AssociationcoreNelke Planning participates in the Japanese 2.5-dimensional Musical Association, an industry body that represents and promotes the 2.5-dimensional musical genre (stage adaptations of anime, manga, and game properties) in Japan. Membership positions the company within the broader industry ecosystem and contributes to industry-wide standards and recognition.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nelke Planning competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bushiroad Inc. Japanese entertainment company producing media-mix projects with major stage production franchises such as BanG Dream! and Revue Starlight, directly competing with Nelke Planning in anime- and game-originated stage musicals.
- HoriPro Inc. Japanese talent agency with a substantial theatrical production division that casts and produces stage musicals. HoriPro overlaps with Nelke in musical talent casting, 2.5D productions, and traditional Japanese musical theater, operating as both a competitor and a potential partner.
- Marvelous Inc. Japanese video game and anime producer that also produces 2.5-dimensional musical stage adaptations. Competes directly with Nelke Planning for anime/game IP stage adaptation rights and operates in the same fan-driven theatrical segment.
- Towa Production Co., Ltd. Japanese talent agency with active theatrical and musical production operations, including 2.5-dimensional stage adaptations. Competes with Nelke for actors, audiences, and IP rights in the same fan-driven theater category.
Broad incumbents
- Bandai Namco Filmworks: Anime studio (formerly Sunrise) and Bandai Namco subsidiary that owns many franchise IPs whose stage adaptations Nelke produces (e.g., Gundam). As both an IP licensor and producer of its own stage shows, it is both a critical supplier and a competitor in the 2.5D musical category.
- TBS Holdings: Japanese broadcasting and media holding company with entertainment and stage production operations through subsidiaries. Competes for licensed IP and live entertainment audiences and benefits from broadcast cross-promotion Nelke Planning does not have direct access to.
- Toho Co., Ltd. Japan's largest film and entertainment conglomerate, operating theater chains and producing stage works including 2.5-dimensional titles. Toho competes with Nelke Planning for the same licensed anime/manga IP and overlapping fan base, but as part of a much broader entertainment portfolio.
- Shochiku Co., Ltd. Long-established Japanese entertainment company spanning kabuki, film, theatrical productions, and anime. Shochiku produces theatrical stage works with established production and venue relationships, making it a credible incumbent operator of 2.5D musicals.
- Aniplex Inc. Anime production subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan that has increasingly moved into stage adaptation production (e.g., Fate, Demon Slayer). Aniplex is both a supplier of IP and a producer of stage works, competing with Nelke for audience attention and rights to popular anime.
- Avex Group Holdings: Major Japanese entertainment conglomerate active in music, anime, and live entertainment with substantial concert promotion, talent management, and anime distribution capabilities. Overlaps with Nelke in target audiences and is a credible bidder for 2.5D production work.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nelke Planning social profiles
Digital presenceNelke Planning financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nelke Planning leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Nelke Planning funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nelke Planning M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nelke Planning
What does Nelke Planning do?
Nelke Planning is a Japanese stage production company that produces and manages 2.5-dimensional musicals—live theatrical adaptations of popular anime, manga, and game properties. It stages productions such as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Musical Touken Ranbu, Ensemble Stars! THE STAGE, Attack on Titan -the Musical-, Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man The Stage, Hypnosis Microphone, MANKAI STAGE A3!, and Musical Tennis no Oujisama at major Tokyo venues. The company sells tickets directly and through third-party play guides, runs the Nelke Ha! paid fan club, sells branded merchandise and physical media through its own online shop, and distributes performance recordings via streaming platforms.
Is Nelke Planning a public or private company?
Nelke Planning is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Nelke Planning founded?
Nelke Planning was founded in 1994. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Nelke Planning based?
Nelke Planning is headquartered in Meguro, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Nelke Planning make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise & Goods, media Releases (Blu-ray / DVD / CD) and digital Streaming & Video Distribution.
Who are Nelke Planning's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bushiroad Inc., HoriPro Inc., Marvelous Inc. and Towa Production Co., Ltd.. Broad incumbents are Bandai Namco Filmworks, TBS Holdings, Toho Co., Ltd., Shochiku Co., Ltd., Aniplex Inc. and Avex Group Holdings.
Does Nelke Planning have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nelke Planning.
What industry is Nelke Planning in?
Nelke Planning's product category is Live Theater / Stage Productions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAO, Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management), with a secondary code of THAJAFAB, Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts. Its NAICS code is 71111.