What Yoasobi does

YOASOBI is a Japanese music unit founded in November 2019, consisting of composer Ayase and vocalist ikura (Ikura Lilas), operating under Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. as label and distribution partner. The unit's defining creative methodology is novel-to-music: each song originates from an original short story typically written by a published novelist — including four Naoki Prize winners for the 'Hajimete no' project — which is then set to music and paired with its source novel in the 'THE BOOK' EP series (1st through 4th EPs released 2021-2026). This dual-content model produces both a music catalog and an underlying literary library, and is operationalized through a stack that includes in-house composition (Ayase), vocal performance (ikura), and music video production by animation partner A-1 Pictures. Ayase additionally maintains a parallel VOCALOID production practice, and ikura operates a solo career under her real name — both generating cross-genre audience reach.

The business operates five primary revenue streams: (1) digital music streaming and downloads on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and global platforms, where two singles — 'Yoru ni Kakeru' (1B+ streams) and 'Idol' (4B+ streams, fastest in history for a Japanese artist) — anchor the catalog; (2) physical sales including CDs, EPs, and limited analog/vinyl editions; (3) live concerts spanning Japan arena/dome tours, an Asia 10-city dome/stadium circuit (2026-2027), a North America tour (2026), and European headline shows at Wembley and Primavera Sound Barcelona; (4) merchandise and goods through the official online store and fan club 'YOA'S'; and (5) media licensing and sync revenue from anime themes (Gundam: Witch from Mercury, Oshi no Ko, Witchwatch, Hanazarari no Kimitachi e), game sync (Overwatch), and brand partnerships (Uniqlo, Shu Uemura, PlayStation, ZOZOTOWN, Recruit, Tokio Marine). GTM combines an event-driven motion (dome/arena tours and international festival appearances), a community-led motion (TikTok virality, streaming presence, fan club platform), and direct-to-consumer engagement via official merchandise and exclusive fan content.

The company serves a broad horizontal base of music consumers in Japan and internationally, with prioritized verticals in anime and otaku culture and an emerging international J-POP fanbase. Song placements as anime opening/ending themes function as a repeatable demand-generation channel tied to anime broadcast cycles, while English-language versions of singles and international touring extend reach beyond Japanese-speaking markets. The unit is privately held with two core members, a small staff (1-10 employees reported), and operates from Tokyo without disclosed external funding rounds; financial information is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Yoasobi

Legal name

Yoasobi

Website

https://yoasobi-music.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YOASOBI is a Japanese music unit (composer Ayase, vocalist ikura) that produces songs based on original novels, distributed via Sony Music Entertainment Japan across streaming, physical, live tours across Asia/Europe/North America, and brand/anime sync licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Entertainment

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Music & Original Score/Composition (MPAIALAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Young Adult (YA) Publishing (MPAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Japanese pop music
• Anime theme songs
• Novel-to-music concept
• Live concert tours
• Music streaming releases

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Music Streaming & Digital Sales: Revenue from streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music) and digital single/EP downloads. Core streaming hits include '夜に駆ける' (1B+ streams), 'アイドル' (4B+ streams, fastest to 4B in history), and multiple singles breaking records on Billboard JAPAN and international charts.
2. Physical Music Sales: Sales of CDs, EPs (THE BOOK series: 1st EP, 2nd EP, 3rd EP, 4th EP), and analog/vinyl records. 1st EP 'THE BOOK' topped Oricon Digital Album ranking for 5 consecutive weeks. Analog record releases of THE BOOK 1, 2, and 3 in 2024.
3. Live Concert Revenue: Ticket sales from dome tours, arena tours, hall tours, international tours, and festival appearances. Dome live events have drawn 10,000+ per night. International tours spanning Asia, North America, and Europe generate significant live revenue.
4. Merchandise & Goods: Official goods and merchandise sold through the YOASOBI online store (yoasobi-onlinestore.com) and fan club 'YOA'S'. Includes collaborative merchandise such as Uniqlo UT collaboration and brand collaborations.
5. Media Licensing & Sync: Licensing fees for anime opening/ending themes (e.g., '機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女' opening '祝福', '【推しの子】' opening 'アイドル', '花ざかりの君たちへ' opening/ad ending), game collaborations (Overwatch 'オリオン'), and brand partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

YOASOBI is a Japanese music unit that produces and releases music based on original short stories/novels written by published novelists, packaged as the 'THE BOOK' EP series and individual singles. They create anime opening/ending themes, game collaboration tracks, and commercial songs, while performing live concerts across dome tours, arena tours, and international festivals. Revenue is generated through music streaming, physical sales, live ticket sales, merchandise, and media licensing.

Product overview

YOASOBI is a Japanese music unit consisting of composer Ayase and vocalist ikura, formed in 2019, operating under Sony Music Entertainment (Japan). Their core concept is 'turning novels into music' — each song is based on an original short novel, released as part of the 'THE BOOK' EP series (THE BOOK, THE BOOK 2, THE BOOK 3, THE BOOK for,). The portfolio spans multiple song singles including chart-topping anime themes (「アイドル」 for 'Oshi no Ko',「祝福」 for 'Gundam: Witch from Mercury',「アドベンチャー」 for Universal Studios Japan), collaboration tracks (「オリオン」 with Overwatch,「Watch me!」 for 'Witchwatch',「劇上」 for a Fuji TV drama), and English-language versions. Live activities include arena tours, international festival appearances (Coachella, Lollapalooza, Primavera Sound), dome concerts, and a fan club platform (YOA'S). Products are distributed through streaming platforms, a dedicated online store, and limited-analog releases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YOA'S: Official fan club of YOASOBI, launched in October 2025, replacing the previous fan club.

Products and services

• THE BOOK (1st EP) YOASOBI's debut EP combining seven songs with their original short novels, packaged as a 'readable CD' that embodies the novel-to-music concept.
• THE BOOK 2 (2nd EP) Second EP in the THE BOOK series, continuing the novel-to-music concept with new original stories paired with songs.
• THE BOOK 3 (3rd EP) Third EP in the THE BOOK series, released as a limited analog vinyl edition.
• THE BOOK for, (4th EP) Fourth EP in the THE BOOK series, completing the novel-to-song concept album series. Includes the Overwatch collaboration song 'Orion'.
• アイドル (Idol) Opening theme for TV anime 'Oshi no Ko' that set records with 21 consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard JAPAN and became the fastest song ever to reach 400 million streams.
• 祝福 (Shukufuku / Blessing) Opening theme for TV anime 'Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch from Mercury', based on the novel 'Yuri Kago no Hoshi' by Isamichi Kowakuchi. Reached 100 million streams.
• アドベンチャー (Adventure) Theme song for Universal Studios Japan's 'Uni-Spring' event 2023, based on student experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• オリオン (Orion) Collaboration song with the globally popular game Overwatch, included in 4th EP 'THE BOOK for,'. Game in-app content includes 6 limited collaboration skins and a dance emote.
• BABY Opening and ending theme for TV anime 'Hanakimi', with novel written by Aoki Yasuko.
• アドレナ (Adrena) Opening theme for TV anime 'Hanakimi', with novel by Fuyu Tsuyama.
• Watch me! Opening theme for TV anime 'Witchwatch', with original novel by Kenta Shinohara.
• New me Song used in Recruit's new TV CM 'You Don't Know Yet, But That's Okay' campaign, with novel by Mado Arite.
• YOA'S Official Fan Club YOASOBI's official fan club membership providing exclusive content, advance ticket sales for live events, and special fan club events.
• YOASOBI Official Online Store Official e-commerce store selling YOASOBI merchandise, goods, and official products including brand collaborations such as Uniqlo UT.
• THE FILM Ⅱ (Live Video Collection) Third live video collection capturing YOASOBI's concert performances for home viewing.
• YOASOBI 5th ANNIVERSARY DOME LIVE 2024 "超現実" YOASOBI's first-ever dome concert held in 2024 marking their 5th anniversary, with full concert footage screened in theaters nationwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• First Japanese artist ever to achieve 1 billion cumulative streams on a debut song ('夜に駆ける')
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship, core and minor.

• Blizzard Entertainment (Overwatch)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Collaboration on original song 'オリオン' (Orion) released July 2026. The globally popular game Overwatch features 6 limited collaboration skins, a new dance emote, and a collaboration MV teaser. The original short story 'The Fall of a Sparrow' was published on the Overwatch website in both Japanese and English, created by E.C. Myers.
• Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMain label and distribution partner for YOASOBI. Handles physical and digital music distribution, artist promotion, and international distribution through Sony's global network. All official releases distributed under Sony Music label.
• A-1 PicturescoreTechnology or IntegrationAnimation production partner for music videos. Produced animation videos for songs including 'オリオン' with additional production by IJIGEN TOKYO. Long-term creative partner for visual content.
• 大河内一楼 (Ichiro Ohkouchi) / 島本理生・辻村深月・宮部みゆき・森絵都 (Naoki Prize-winning authors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovel-to-music source material collaborators. '祝福' (祝福) opening for '機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女' based on novel 'ゆりかごの星' by renowned writer Ichiro Ohkouchi. Project 'はじめての' featured original novels by four Naoki Prize winners.
• Bandai Namco (機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnime opening theme '祝福' for Sunrise's 'Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch from Mercury' anime series (2022). Song achieved 100 million streams in record time, demonstrating the value of anime partnerships.
• avex Pictures / Bi Kakusei (【推しの子】)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnime opening theme 'アイドル' for 'Oshi no Ko' (【推しの子】) anime series. Song achieved unprecedented chart success with 21-week consecutive #1 on Billboard JAPAN and became the fastest song ever to reach 400 million streams.
• Universal Studios JapanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheme song 'アドベンチャー' (Adventure) for USJ 'ユニ春' seasonal event (February 2023). Performed at 'ユニ春！ ライブ 2023' at Grasmie Park special venue. Song message resonated with broad demographics including students.
• 88risingmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic festival organizer and artist management company focused on Asian artists. Presented YOASOBI at 'HEAD IN THE CLOUDS Los Angeles' (August 2023), marking their first LA festival appearance and supporting international expansion.
• Shu Uemura (シュウ ウエムラ)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerYOASOBI appointed as brand ambassador for Japanese makeup artist brand Shu Uemura in April 2025 — the brand's first ever ambassador appointment, representing cross-industry brand partnership.
• Uniqlo (UT)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerJuly 2021 collaboration with Uniqlo UT for merchandise and free streaming live event 'SING YOUR WORLD' at UNIQLO CITY TOKYO. Event achieved 280,000 concurrent viewers — a record for a free streaming live.
• AIR-G' FM北海道minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio partner for regular program 'YOASOBIのヨアリアル' within the IMAREAL show. Broadcast every Friday from May to December 2026 on AIR-G' FM Hokkaido, part of commemorative programming for dome tour.
• LE SSERAFIMmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration song 'the NOISE (Contains a Samples of 夜に駆ける)' released September 2025 for ZOZOTOWN's 20th anniversary. Cross-border K-pop and J-POP collaboration with YOASOBI's debut song sample incorporated.
• RADWIMPSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGuest appearance at RADWIMPS 20th Anniversary Live Tour (November 2025). Cross-collaboration between top Japanese artists, shared audience crossover.
• Billie EilishmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerYOASOBI appeared as special guest at Billie Eilish's 'HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR' Japan dates (August 2025), marking high-profile international collaboration at major arena concerts.
• PlayStation (Sony Interactive Entertainment)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlayStation 30th anniversary project 'Project: MEMORY CARD' collaboration song 'PLAYERS' released March 2025. Cross-platform collaboration leveraging Sony group's entertainment ecosystem.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RADWIMPS: J-POP band with deep anime-film tie-in history (Your Name, Weathering With You). YOASOBI and RADWIMPS share the anime-tie-in commercial model, festival-circuit presence, and cross-border audience reach; RADWIMPS has also invited YOASOBI to its 20th anniversary tour.
• Kenshi Yonezu: Top-tier Japanese singer-songwriter and former VOCALOID producer who, like YOASOBI, bridges vocaloid, anime, and mainstream J-POP. Both occupy the songwriter-producer-plus-vocalist creative model, anchor anime themes (Yonezu: 'Lemon', 'KICK BACK'), and command the highest tier of streaming chart performance in Japan.
• LiSA: Anime-song specialist and Sony Music labelmate with comparable streaming scale (multiple 100M+ stream anime themes, dome tours). Direct rival for premium anime opening/ending placements and the anime-to-stream flywheel that underpins YOASOBI's catalog.
• King Gnu: Japanese pop/rock band achieving comparable international reach (Asia tours, festival slots) and similar chart dominance on Billboard JAPAN. Competes with YOASOBI for top-of-funnel live event audiences, award recognition, and brand partnership budgets.
• Mrs. GREEN APPLE: Major J-POP band operating in the same touring and CM-tie-in tier. Competes with YOASOBI for arena/dome audiences, brand partnerships, and chart positions on streaming and radio.
• Ado: Utaiite-turned-mainstream J-POP vocalist with a similar Gen-Z, anime-and-vocaloid-rooted fan base. Ado performs dome tours and is a direct rival for premium anime-theme placements and streaming chart share in the same age cohort as YOASOBI.
• Aimyon: Top-tier J-POP singer-songwriter with multi-year chart dominance and large-scale dome tours. Competes with YOASOBI in CM tie-ins, award recognition (Japan Record Award), and broad demographic appeal within Japan.
• Vaundy: Solo singer-songwriter-producer with a comparable streaming-first, multi-discipline creative model (writing, producing, singing). Vaundy competes with YOASOBI for chart records, brand ambassadorships, and festival headlining slots in the new generation of J-POP.
• Official HIGE DANdism: Top-grossing J-POP band with multiple billion-stream hits and large-scale arena/dome tours. Competes directly with YOASOBI on the Billboard JAPAN Hot 100, in CM tie-in deals, and as a Sony Music-distributed flagship domestic act.

Others

• 88rising: Asian-focused music label and festival operator (Head in the Clouds) that has presented YOASOBI at its LA festival and is a key partner for international festival and crossover expansion; serves as a useful comparable for the Asia-to-West artist management model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YOASOBI_staff
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWjFsI66Kw4Lxfvg5t7Tx7g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yoasobi
• TikToktiktok.com/@yoasobi_official
• Instagraminstagram.com/yoasobiiy
• Facebookfacebook.com/Yoasobi-100087232257576

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Yoasobi