Monkey Production

What Monkey Production does

Monkey Production (株式会社モンキープロダクション) is a Tokyo-based private editing and production firm specializing in automotive-related media, founded on November 15, 1997 by former Neko Publishing editors Goto Hitoji (後藤比東至) and Sano Hiromune (佐野弘宗). The company operates with approximately 8 staff from a Shibuya headquarters and delivers magazine and book editing, website planning/design/production, advertising and brochure production, and video production services. Its work is concentrated in the Japanese automotive media ecosystem, with named clients including Bridgestone's POTENZA On Web, NISSAN Owners' Magazine, webCG, carview (Yahoo Japan), REV SPEED, pen Magazine, Sun-A's GALS PARADISE, and New Mini Style Magazine.

The company's business model is project-based professional services sold via direct client engagement, primarily within Japan (Kanto region). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; revenue derives from billable editorial, design, coding, photography, and video work delivered per engagement. GTM relies on portfolio showcasing on its website (monkey-pro.com), referral-driven work from automotive industry networks built by the founding team, and recurring relationships with publishers and OEMs. The co-founders maintain concurrent careers as motor journalists (Weekly Playboy, AUTO CAR JAPAN), which generates leads and reinforces domain credibility.

Monkey Production is a founder-controlled, profitable-looking lifestyle services firm without external investors, parent company, or subsidiaries. There is no funding history, no patents, no certifications, and no disclosed revenue. Recent activity (2023) includes production of the GALS PARADISE 2023 race queen awards feature and ongoing diversification into non-automotive website projects (real estate, small-business websites). The company is currently recruiting editing and web production assistants, indicating modest capacity expansion rather than aggressive scaling.

Name

Monkey Production

Legal name

株式会社モンキープロダクション (Monkey Production Inc.)

Website

https://monkey-pro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Monkey Production is a Tokyo-based, ~8-person editorial and web production firm founded in 1997 by ex-Neko Publishing editors. It produces automotive magazines, books, websites, advertising, and video for Japanese OEMs, publishers, and automotive media platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Production Services

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Photography & Still Production (Stills, Product, Lifestyle) (MPAAAMAI)

Keywords

• Magazine editing services
• Website production services
• Automotive media production
• Book publishing services
• Advertising production

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Magazine and Book Production: Planning, editing, and production of automotive magazines and books for publication
2. Website Development: Website planning, design, production, management, and operation services
3. Advertising and Brochure Production: Planning and production of advertisements and brochures

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Monkey Production is a Tokyo-based editing and production company that plans, edits, and produces magazines, books, websites, advertisements, catalogs, and videos, with a specialization in automotive-related content. The company operates as a unified team of editors, web designers, and systems developers delivering end-to-end content production services for publishers, automotive manufacturers, and related businesses primarily in Japan.

Product overview

Monkey Production Inc. is a magazine and book editing/production company combined with website production services. The company operates as a unified service offering rather than a software platform, with three core teams: editors, web designers, and systems engineers working together. The primary products include GALS PARADISE magazine covering race queens, ニューミニ・スタイルマガジン (New Mini Style Magazine) for MINI automobile enthusiasts, and custom website design/production services. Additional offerings include video production for automotive content, magazine/book planning and editing services, and advertising/catalog production. The company specializes in automotive-related content broadly, offering comprehensive media production services spanning print publications, web platforms, and video content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Magazine and Book Editing/Production Planning, editing, and production of magazines and books covering automotive content, including special series like vehicle reviews (○○のすべてシリーズ / "Everything about ○○" series), automotive magazines, and lifestyle publications. Targeted at publishers and media companies.
• Website Design and Production Website planning, design, production, management, and operation services, including site construction, editing, composition, design, coding, and system development. Targeted at businesses across real estate, automotive, sports, and general commercial sectors.
• Video/Movie Production Video content production including motorsports coverage, test drive videos, and promotional content for automotive clients, covering filming, editing, composition, and photography. Targeted at automotive media and brand clients.
• Advertising and Catalog Production Planning and production of advertisements, brochures, pamphlets, and catalogs for various clients in the automotive and related industries. Targeted at marketing departments of automotive and consumer-facing businesses.

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Shueisha: Major Japanese publisher (Weekly Playboy — one of Sano's outlets — plus men's and hobby titles). A broad incumbent whose portfolio overlaps with Monkey Production's editorial coverage and customer base in lifestyle and motorsport.
• Kodansha: One of Japan's largest publishers, with automotive (Driver) and lifestyle titles plus extensive web properties. A broad incumbent against which Monkey Production's editorial and web production services compete and partner.
• Magazine House: Established Japanese monthly-magazine publisher (Brutus, Popeye, Hanako, anan). A broader incumbent whose lifestyle and hobby titles compete for the same advertising budgets and reader attention as Monkey Production's automotive magazine clients.

Others

• WebCG: Japanese automotive web platform where Monkey Production staff contribute test-drive articles. Comparable automotive content property and existing client rather than direct production-house competitor.
• Carview / Yahoo! JAPAN Cars: Major Japanese automotive community and marketplace platform and a Monkey Production client. Comparable as a scaled automotive-media ecosystem that competes for the same reader and OEM attention.

Direct peers

• Motor Fan (Motor Fan Holdings): Japanese automotive media group operating Motor Fan magazine, web platforms and events. Comparable vertically-integrated automotive content business targeting enthusiast and OEM audiences.
• Neko Publishing (ネコ・パブリッシング): Japanese independent automotive magazine publisher (Car Magazine, Scuderia, Tipo) and the former employer of both Monkey Production founders. Most direct peer in terms of automotive editorial output and Japanese niche-magazine economics.
• Eve Planning (イヴ・プランニング): Independent Japanese publisher of automotive lifestyle titles such as WAGONIST and G-Worker. Closely comparable as a specialty automotive magazine house competing for the same advertiser and enthusiast-reader budgets.
• Option (publisher of OPTION magazine): Japanese tuner/aftermarket automotive magazine publisher serving the same motorsport-enthusiast segment that consumes GALS PARADISE, POTENZA On Web and REV SPEED.
• San-ei Shobo (三栄書房): Major Japanese publisher of automotive magazines including REV SPEED and GALS PARADISE — both titles where Monkey Production is the contracted production partner. Closest direct publisher peer by virtue of shared titles and shared editorial-production economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Monkey Production