Toei Animation, identified for its work on iconic anime like One Piece, Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon, has unveiled the primary section of a daring 10-year roadmap that goals to remodel the studio into a world inventive powerhouse that not solely exports anime from Japan but additionally produces unique content material tailor-made for viewers in worldwide markets.
Their long-term technique outlines a multi-faceted plan targeted on development, innovation, and international growth, supported by main investments in expertise, infrastructure, and inventive expertise.
Toei, which goals to be the Disney of the East, has spent practically seven a long time shaping the anime panorama. And now, with this new plan, the studio is aspiring to develop into a 500 billion yen (approx. 3.26 billion USD) international model inside 10 years.
As a part of its mid-term preparation section, Toei Animation is concentrating on 200 billion yen (approx. 1.30 billion USD) in gross sales and 50 billion yen (approx. 326 million USD) in working revenue by FY2031, surpassing the business’s common development charge by means of each natural and inorganic growth.
In keeping with the corporate, these strikes are meant to determine a basis for “a significant leap” within the years that observe.
Strengthening Studio Ecosystem:
On the core of Toei Animation’s technique is the strengthening of its studio ecosystem. The corporate is planning broaden its flagship Oizumi Studio and rent a number of hundred new key employees members to assist them broaden the practices of what they declare to be the business’s greatest manufacturing system.
By doing this, the studio instantly goals to sort out the problem of animator scarcity that the business is at present experiencing.
Along with this, Toei will set up two to a few new studios throughout Asia inside 5 years. The newly established abroad studios will initially help Japanese productions earlier than evolving into key nodes of a world manufacturing system centered in Asia.
Toei Animation’s new roadmap additionally focuses closely on digital transformation. Its purpose just isn’t solely to refine current cel-look CG animation but additionally to pioneer totally new types of visible expression that transcend standard animation.
The corporate goals to strengthen its next-generation manufacturing techniques by means of the combination of VR, AR, XR, movement seize, video games, and AI-driven instruments. This performs into their purpose of aiming for improved video high quality with out having to double the hours put in by the employees members.
The digital division, spanning CG, post-production, images, and system structure, will endure main reorganization to succeed in world-class requirements.
By leveraging world-class applied sciences and a talented workforce, the studio goals to develop into a world hub for next-generation animation acknowledged for each inventive and technical excellence.
Give attention to creators:
Toei’s plan to strengthen its studio ecosystem can be accompanied by a purpose of specializing in creators, with an intention of constructing a studio the place they might flourish.
This technique included new mechanisms for activating creators, akin to an inner system abbreviated as “Professional, Professional, Professional!!” ((Produce / Product / Mission). This construction was designed to carry common inner planning conferences and handle initiatives proposed instantly by creators, encouraging pitches for unique content material and short-form works.
The corporate famous that producing quick works was meant to slim the gap between employees and their inventive aspirations and foster a deeper understanding of the general manufacturing circulate.
Alongside fostering new IP, the plan included a system to offer creators with extra alternatives for public expression.
The purpose right here was to help creators in evolving into acknowledged stars who would lead Toei Animation’s future. This concerned utilizing the corporate’s official X account for a challenge, which began in 2024, known as the “Toei Animation Studio Exploration Group!” to share behind-the-scenes insights into manufacturing.
The corporate reported that previously 12 months, the manufacturing of two pilot works had been determined by means of these initiatives. It additionally introduced that the primary “Inagami Ue (Inoue) Unique Artwork Exhibition” was held from March 2025 to Could 2025.
The long run targets for these applications are to determine a brand new mannequin for IP creation and broaden the popularity of its inner expertise.
IP Development and Abroad IP Creation:
Toei Animation introduced plans to take a position roughly 70 billion yen over its five-year mid-term administration plan interval, with a said give attention to strengthening its mental properties (IPs).
This emphasis on IP-driven income is in keeping with Toei’s historic enterprise mannequin. Not like studios which will function solely on a contract foundation, Toei Animation has traditionally functioned as a main producer and key rights holder for its in depth catalog, which incorporates international franchises akin to Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Sailor Moon.
For the studio, an IP’s worth generates long-term income streams from licensing agreements for merchandise, video video games, and different derivatives, extending far past an preliminary broadcast.
The 70 billion yen funding was earmarked for a number of classes. The biggest share, 30 billion yen (approx. 43%), was allotted for a “World IP-fication” technique aimed toward elevating the worldwide consciousness of its most-recognized properties, akin to Dragon Ball and One Piece, to benchmark in opposition to different top-tier international IPs.
One other 17.5 billion yen (approx. 25%) was allotted for development and improvement of different IPs. This technique probably will look to develop and nurture a lot of IPs with vital potential, to ensure that them to develop into the subsequent worthwhile title in Toei’s portfolio .
The plan additionally detailed a major emphasis on new IP creation, notably in abroad markets. Mixed with the creation of latest studios outdoors of Japan, the corporate is making certain that anime received’t be made simply in Japan.
Toei outlined a purpose to triple its new IP creation, concentrating on a provisional complete of 40 new IPs in the course of the interval. This initiative is closely weighted towards worldwide markets, with 25 IPs coming from abroad, supported by an 11 billion yen (approx. 16%) funding. In comparison with this, Toei solely deliberate for 15 IPs to be created within the home market, which was allotted 6.5 billion yen (approx. 9%).
This strategic shift comes as current anime business knowledge reveals the worldwide market overtaking the home market in Japan. With this market development, some international followers have develop into extra vocal in calling for elevated inclusivity and tales that mirrored a wider vary of experiences.
With their new technique, it looks as if Toei is planning to accommodate the desires of this rising viewers with a plan to not simply curate, but additionally create new content material for them.
This assumption is supported by the corporate’s give attention to growing works tailor-made for native audiences within the worldwide market, starting within the largest markets: North America, China, and Europe.
In keeping with the plan, North America has been recognized as a base for producing works aimed toward a worldwide viewers, China is designated as a hub for localized manufacturing and growth into Asia, and Europe was famous for its inventive alignment with international requirements, with plans to leverage it for co-productions and growth into the MENA (Center East and North Africa) area.
These main hubs have been meant to function springboards into “frontier” areas. The plan recognized Asia, Latin America, India, and Africa as areas with substantial development potential, the place Toei deliberate to construct “culturally native” works by means of collaborations with native artists and creators.
The studio additionally intends to guide pre-production work in North America and Europe, whereas regional groups would deal with localized variations, design, and cultural integration.
World Enlargement:
To help its mental property targets, Toei Animation detailed a world growth technique aimed toward establishing animation originating from abroad as a second pillar of its enterprise inside ten years.
The corporate has deliberate to take a position roughly 20 billion yen in abroad improvement over the five-year mid-term administration plan interval. This funding is a part of a long-term purpose to generate 120 billion yen, or 60% of its complete 200 billion yen gross sales goal, from worldwide markets by fiscal 12 months 2031.
The mid-term plan outlined key factors for strengthening its international presence. These included evolving its present export mannequin for Japan-originating anime, utilizing enterprise funding to speed up new alternatives, and constructing the operational construction essential to help this development.
Particular five-year targets included increasing into six new areas — Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Center East, amongst others. The corporate additionally deliberate to broaden its abroad native system to a scale of roughly 300 individuals and pursue inorganic enterprise funding alternatives in every area.
The plan particularly positioned the Center East as one of many new development frontiers. Toei introduced it might set up a base in Dubai to handle and seize development alternatives instantly from that area.
Toei additionally goals to introduce sustainable work practices, standardized workflows, and superior digital infrastructure to stabilize manufacturing volumes and broaden inventive capability.
Supply: Toei’s Report
