In a significant strategic push, Japan's premier entertainment giant, Toho Global, has revealed plans to set up its European headquarters in London before the year concludes. This bold move marks a direct entry into Europe, one of the globe's most rapidly expanding markets for anime content.
A Strategic Expansion into a Booming Market
The decision is driven by the impressive growth trajectory of the European anime sector. The market is currently valued at an estimated $4.8 billion and is forecast to nearly double in size by 2030. This surge is fueled by robust consumer demand across streaming services, cinema releases, merchandise sales, and live events.
As a cornerstone of this European strategy, Toho will fully acquire the British anime distributor Anime Limited. Based in Glasgow, Anime Limited boasts a rich and popular catalog featuring major titles such as Attack on Titan, JUJUTSU KAISEN, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Your Name, and One Piece Film: Red. The entire Anime Limited team will remain in place, with its founder and managing director, Andrew Partridge, taking on a leadership role within the new London-based European headquarters.
Forging Alliances for Continental Reach
Toho's ambitions extend beyond the United Kingdom. The company has also entered into a strategic alliance with Germany's Plaion Pictures. This partnership is designed to amplify Toho's distribution network across key European territories like Germany and Italy, supplementing its existing presence in France. The collaboration will focus on enhancing distribution through theatrical, streaming, and home entertainment channels, alongside boosting merchandise and licensing operations.
Koji Ueda, President and Representative Director of Toho Global, emphasized the importance of this expansion. He stated that the acquisition and new partnerships will accelerate Toho's international growth, enabling the company to deliver more content to fans across Europe. Ueda added that close collaboration with the Anime Limited team and Plaion will help Toho offer a wider array of animation and entertainment products continent-wide.
Completing a Global Triad
This European initiative is a key piece of Toho's overarching global strategy. The company has previously strengthened its foothold in North America by acquiring U.S. distributor GKIDS and established Toho Entertainment Asia in Singapore to spearhead growth in Asia. With operational hubs now firmly established in North America and Asia, the new European headquarters completes Toho's strategic presence across the world's three major regions.
Industry experts note that the worldwide popularity of Japanese anime, from blockbuster films to widely streamed series, has created unprecedented international opportunities. Toho's European hub is poised to be instrumental in managing future releases, facilitating cross-market distribution, and nurturing new audiences as the anime wave continues to grow far beyond Japan's shores.
