Princess Bento
Princess Bento is a Melbourne-based animation studio producing high-end 2D adult animated series for major US streaming platforms and broadcast networks including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, FOX, and Adult Swim, also offering animation service work to external productions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSouth Melbourne, Australia
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Princess Bento does
Princess Bento is a Melbourne-based animation studio that produces high-end 2D animated content — primarily adult-oriented comedy series — for major US streaming platforms and broadcast networks. The studio was founded in 2020 as a joint venture between Princess Pictures (Victoria, Australia) and Bento Box Entertainment (US), operating as a subsidiary within the Princess Pictures corporate group and maintaining Castle Riot as a sibling label for experimental projects.
The studio's product portfolio consists of original IP series such as Hazbin Hotel (Amazon Prime Video/A24), Smiling Friends (Adult Swim), the YOLO franchise (Adult Swim/HBO Max), Koala Man (Hulu/Disney+ via 20th Century Television Animation), and Universal Basic Guys (FOX/Sony Animation), alongside the award-winning short film Beyond Measure (2025). Production is built on Toon Boom's Harmony pipeline, with a roster of 101–250 employees (one source cites 400+). Service-work capacity is also offered to external productions, including work on Netflix's Mulligan and FOX's Housebroken and Krapopolis.
Revenue is generated through two streams: (1) original production commissions with licensing/royalty economics, where commissioning platforms fund production in exchange for distribution rights, and (2) professional services income from animation outsourcing to other studios when internal schedule allows. The go-to-market motion is sales-led, relying on direct enterprise relationships with commissioning platforms. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Headquartered at 91 Tope Street, South Melbourne, the company is privately held with no disclosed external funding rounds.
Princess Bento firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Princess Bento
- Legal name
- Princess Bento Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://princessbento.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Princess Bento is a Melbourne-based animation studio producing high-end 2D adult animated series for major US streaming platforms and broadcast networks including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, FOX, and Adult Swim, also offering animation service work to external productions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Princess Bento industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animation Production Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Adult Animation Production (MPADACAK), 2D (Traditional & Digital) Animation Production (MPADACAA)
Keywords
Where Princess Bento is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Princess Bento business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Original Animation Production: Producing original animated series and content for commissioning platforms and networks. Revenue comes from production deals, licensing, and potentially IP ownership stakes.
- Animation Service Work: Providing production and animation services to other productions when their schedule allows, including work on external shows like Mulligan, Housebroken, and Krapopolis.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Princess Bento product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Princess Bento is a Melbourne-based animation studio that produces high-end 2D animated series and short films for global streaming platforms and broadcast networks. The studio develops original adult animated content (Hazbin Hotel, YOLO franchise, Smiling Friends, Koala Man, Universal Basic Guys) and provides outsourced animation production services to other studios via its Harmony pipeline when schedule permits.
Product overview
Princess Bento is a Melbourne-based animation studio producing high-end 2D animation for a global audience. The studio operates as a single unified production company offering original animated series productions (Hazbin Hotel, YOLO franchise, Smiling Friends, Koala Man, Universal Basic Guys, Manimorphs, Beyond Measure) alongside animation service work for external clients. The studio also maintains Castle Riot as a sibling label for experimental projects. Productions range from short films to multi-season series distributed through platforms like Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and Adult Swim. The studio provides a full Harmony pipeline for animation services to other productions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Castle Riot: A sibling label operating under the Princess Bento/Princess Pictures umbrella.
Products and services
- Hazbin Hotel Adult animated series following Charlie Morningstar, daughter of Lucifer, who runs Hazbin Hotel as a rehabilitation program for sinners in Hell. Features 16 episodes distributed via Prime Video, created by Vivienne Medrano.
- YOLO: Crystal Fantasy Original animated series following the surreal misadventures of Australian party girls Rachel and Sarah traversing a strange land. Created by Michael Cusack, distributed via Adult Swim.
- Smiling Friends Animated series about Smiling Friends Inc., a company dedicated to bringing happiness to clients. Follows representatives Charlie and Pim helping troubled people. 17 episodes for Adult Swim.
- YOLO: Rainbow Trinity Animated series featuring Australian party girls Sarah and Rachel seeking fun in the bizarre town of Wollongong. 8 episodes created for Adult Swim.
- YOLO: Silver Destiny Animated series continuation following Sarah and Rachel as they pursue their destinies, one as a gardener and one as a dark Empress.
- Koala Man Adult animated series about a family father who leads a double life as a superhero with a passion for fighting petty crime. Created for Hulu & Disney+.
- Manimorphs Animated series created by Georgia Kriss. 1 season with 3 episodes, distributed via YouTube.
- Universal Basic Guys Adult animated comedy about brothers Mark and Hank Hoagies who become unemployed when a hot dog factory automates, then find purpose through a radical universal basic income pilot program. Created for FOX and Sony Animation.
- Beyond Measure Award-winning animated short film with a 7-minute runtime, created by David Ferrier.
- Animation Service Work Production and animation services offered to external clients when schedule permits. The studio has a robust Harmony pipeline and has provided animation services on productions like Mulligan (Netflix), Housebroken (FOX), and Krapopolis (FOX).
Companies that use Princess Bento
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Princess Bento technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Princess Bento partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Princess PicturescoreParent company of Princess Bento. Victoria's iconic animation studio that formed Princess Bento as a subsidiary. Princess Pictures is the founding partner providing studio infrastructure, brand heritage, and production expertise in the Australian animation industry.
- Bento Box EntertainmentcoreMulti award-winning US animation studio that collaborated with Princess Pictures to form Princess Bento. Brings American animation industry expertise, established production methodologies, and access to US entertainment industry networks and talent.
- Castle RiotminorSibling label of Princess Bento where they are developing additional content. Referenced as a separate creative entity for 'all sorts of stuff' - suggests parallel production slate or experimental projects.
- 20th Century Television AnimationcoreClient for Koala Man production. 20th Century (now under Disney) handles distribution via Hulu and Disney+ platforms for this animated series.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Princess Bento competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Sun Creature Studio: Sun Creature is a Copenhagen-based premium 2D animation studio producing both original IP and service work for US/global clients (e.g., Netflix). It is comparable to Princess Bento as a non-US, premium 2D animation studio targeting the same global adult/family streaming buyers.
Direct peers
- Augenblick Studios: Augenblick Studios is an independent US animation studio known for adult comedy (e.g., Superjail!, Ugly Americans) and works with Adult Swim and other networks. It directly competes with Princess Bento for the same creator-driven adult-animation commissions.
- Floyd County Productions: Floyd County is the animation studio behind FX's Archer and other adult-oriented animated series. It is a direct peer because it serves the same premium adult-animation buyer set (FX/Hulu, Adult Swim, Comedy Central) with similar 2D-leaning production values.
- Titmouse Inc. Titmouse is a leading US independent animation studio with deep adult-skewing credits (e.g., Metalocalypse, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Big Mouth). It directly competes for the same premium adult-animation commissions from Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and Adult Swim that Princess Bento targets.
- Bento Box Entertainment: Bento Box Entertainment is a US-based, multi-award-winning 2D animation studio and the explicit co-founding partner of Princess Bento. It is the closest peer because it shares the same Harmony-based 2D pipeline, adult-skewing show mix, and overlapping client list (FOX, Hulu/Disney+, Netflix, Adult Swim).
- ShadowMachine: ShadowMachine is a US animation/production studio behind adult hits such as BoJack Horseman and Final Space. It competes head-to-head with Princess Bento for adult-animated series commissions across major streaming platforms.
- Powerhouse Animation Studios: Powerhouse Animation produced Castlevania, Blood of Zeus, and other adult-skewing animated series for Netflix and Amazon. It is a direct competitor for the same streaming-platform adult-animated series commissions Princess Bento pursues.
Broad incumbents
- Williams Street: Williams Street is the Adult Swim production arm behind Smiling Friends, YOLO, and other Adult Swim originals. It is a broad incumbent because it both commissions Princess Bento (e.g., service work, co-productions) and operates as a vertically integrated buyer/competitor in adult animation.
- Netflix Animation: Netflix Animation is Netflix's in-house animation division producing adult and family series. It is a broad incumbent because, while it commissions Princess Bento, it also increasingly brings production in-house and represents both a major client and a direct internal competitor.
- 20th Television Animation: 20th Television Animation (Disney) is the in-house studio behind shows like Koala Man and The Simpsons, and is a Princess Bento client. It is a broad incumbent that both commissions and competes for animated series capacity across Hulu/Disney+.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Princess Bento social profiles
Digital presencePrincess Bento financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Princess Bento leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Princess Bento funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Princess Bento 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 Princess Bento
What does Princess Bento do?
Princess Bento is a Melbourne-based animation studio that produces high-end 2D animated series and short films for global streaming platforms and broadcast networks. The studio develops original adult animated content (Hazbin Hotel, YOLO franchise, Smiling Friends, Koala Man, Universal Basic Guys) and provides outsourced animation production services to other studios via its Harmony pipeline when schedule permits.
Is Princess Bento a public or private company?
Princess Bento is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Princess Bento founded?
Princess Bento was founded in 2020. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Princess Bento based?
Princess Bento is headquartered in South Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Princess Bento make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Original Animation Production is the primary driver. The others are animation Service Work.
Who are Princess Bento's main competitors?
Sun Creature Studio is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Augenblick Studios, Floyd County Productions, Titmouse Inc., Bento Box Entertainment, ShadowMachine and Powerhouse Animation Studios. Broad incumbents are Williams Street, Netflix Animation and 20th Television Animation.
Does Princess Bento have an API?
No public API is recorded for Princess Bento.
What industry is Princess Bento in?
Princess Bento's product category is Animation Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADACAG, Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming), with a secondary code of MPADACAK, Adult Animation Production. Its NAICS code is 512110 and its SIC code is 7812.