Kings Records

What Kings Records does

King Records is a Japanese comprehensive entertainment company operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kodansha Ltd., one of Japan's largest publishers. The company traces its operating history to January 1931 as the Record Department of Kodansha Ltd. and was formally incorporated as King Record Co., Ltd. in November 1951. It plans, produces, and distributes content across three core verticals — music, anime, and film — and serves both end consumers and business customers (retailers and distributors). As of January 2025, the company reported 313 employees, with its head office at 1-22-12 Otowa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo (relocated in 2023) and a branch office in Osaka.

The company's core products are Music, Anime, and Film content, produced and distributed through in-house and affiliated capabilities. Production is supported by a wholly-owned subsidiary stack that includes Seven Seas Music Co., Ltd. and Bellwood Records (music labels), King Sekiguchidai Studio Co., Ltd. (recording studio, completed 1997) and Edogawabashi Studio (1998), Polygon Pictures Inc. (CGI animation), Dazed Co., Ltd. (entertainment content), and King International Inc. (overseas operations). No proprietary technology stack or platform architecture is disclosed beyond the password-protected B2B catalog system.

King Records generates revenue through one-time licensing and ongoing licensing/royalty streams. Direct-to-consumer reach is achieved via global digital streaming and social platforms (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo) and a dedicated Japanese-language site (kingrecords.co.jp), while the B2B motion is served through the password-protected catalog requiring authentication and inquiry-based access. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer segments are broad consumer personas (music consumers, anime enthusiasts, film audiences) supplemented by B2B retailers and distributors. The company is privately held with no public ticker or disclosed funding rounds.

Name

Kings Records

Legal name

KING RECORD Co., Ltd.

Website

https://kingrecords.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

King Records is a Japanese entertainment company founded in 1931, producing and distributing music, anime, and film content through wholly-owned affiliates and global streaming and social platforms. It operates as a subsidiary of Kodansha Ltd.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment Media

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230), Music Publishers (51223), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Recorded Music Retail & D2C Merch Bundles (MPAIAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB), Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements) (MPAIAKAD), Royalty Accounting & Payment Services (Statements, Audits, Payee Management) (MPAIABAL)

Keywords

• Music production
• Anime production
• Film distribution
• Entainment content
• Media licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Music Production and Distribution: Planning, production, and distribution of music content including physical media (CDs, vinyl) and digital distribution across streaming platforms.
2. Anime Production and Distribution: Planning and production of anime content with distribution through various channels.
3. Film Production and Distribution: Planning, production, and distribution of film content.
4. Licensing and Royalties: Licensing of music, anime, and film content to third parties generating ongoing royalty revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

KING RECORDS plans, produces, and distributes entertainment content across three integrated verticals: music (releases across physical formats and digital platforms), anime (with affiliate CGI studio Polygon Pictures Inc.), and film. The company serves business customers (retailers, distributors) through a password-protected B2B catalog and reaches consumers directly through major global streaming and social media platforms.

Product overview

Kings Records is a comprehensive entertainment company operating as a unified platform offering three core product categories: Music, Anime, and Film. The company handles planning, production, and distribution across all three content types. A password-protected catalog system provides access to their catalog contents for authorized users. The company maintains multiple affiliated labels including Seven Seas Music Co., Ltd. and Bellwood Records for music offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Music
• Anime
• Film
• Catalog (B2B)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Seven Seas Music Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate company within the King Records group, specializing in music production and distribution. Part of the integrated entertainment ecosystem.
• Bellwood RecordscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate label within the King Records group, contributing to the diverse music catalog and genre coverage.
• King International Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational subsidiary handling overseas operations, licensing, and global distribution of King Records content.
• King Sekiguchidai Studio Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction studio facility completed in 1997, supporting in-house content production capabilities for music, anime, and film.
• Polygon Pictures Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate animation studio specializing in CGI animation, providing anime production capabilities within the King Records group.
• Dazed Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate company within the King Records entertainment group, contributing to the diversified entertainment portfolio.
• Kodansha Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal parent company founded in 1909, one of Japan's largest publishers. King Records originated as the Record Department of Kodansha in January 1931 before being established as an independent company in November 1951.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Nippon Columbia: Historic Japanese record label with deep back-catalog, classical and J-pop roster, and integrated music + entertainment operations. Long-established Japanese label of similar vintage and structural profile to King Records.
• Victor Entertainment (JVC Kenwood Victor Entertainment): Japanese music label with anime, J-pop, and classical roster, similar heritage to King Records. Comparable mid-size Japanese label with integrated recorded music and entertainment distribution.
• Avex Group: Major Japanese music and entertainment conglomerate with labels, artist management, anime production, and digital distribution. Closest direct competitor to King Records given its integrated music + anime + film vertical structure and Japanese domestic focus.
• Pony Canyon: Japanese music label, anime production, and entertainment distribution company with similar integrated structure spanning music, anime, and film — a directly comparable mid-size Japanese entertainment group.
• Lantis (Bandai Namco): Japanese record label specializing in anime tie-in music, character songs, and animation soundtracks. Directly comparable to King Records' anime music publishing and tie-in business within the Japanese market.

Broad incumbents

• Aniplex: Subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, one of the largest anime production and distribution companies in Japan. Comparable integrated anime + music + film model but operating at significantly larger scale.
• Toei Animation: One of Japan's largest anime studios, comparable to King Records' anime production arm via Polygon Pictures. Operates at larger scale across theatrical, TV, and streaming anime with deep IP catalog.
• Sony Music Entertainment Japan: The dominant Japanese recorded music and music publishing major with global reach. Operates in the same core recorded music and rights administration space as King Records but at substantially greater scale and with full major-label resources.

Others

• Kodansha (parent company): Parent conglomerate and one of Japan's largest publishers. While not a direct competitor, Kodansha's IP pipeline, manga catalog, and content strategy directly feed King Records' anime and music business — the most important adjacent ecosystem participant.

Emerging players

• Polygon Pictures: CGI animation studio already within King Records' group. Comparable in capability to independent Japanese CGI studios like Sanzigen and Orange, and relevant as a peer benchmark for animation production peers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/kingrecords
• Instagraminstagram.com/king_records_official
• Xx.com/kingrecords
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kings-records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 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 Kings Records