Finance

As Comic-Con Kicks Off, Japan’s Booming Anime Industry Is Attracting Institutional Finance

Published

1 year ago

July 25, 2024

As Comic-Con Kicks Off, Japan’s Booming Anime Industry Is Attracting Institutional Finance

Ahead of a weekend when Asian content will be making a big impact at San Diego Comic-Con, two of Japan’s largest industrial and financial conglomerates have quietly begun to invest in Japanese animation, the hottest part of the country’s film and TV industry.

Marubeni, which has roots in cereals, chemicals and paper but has diversified to become a trading giant and Japan’s 13th largest corporation, says it is targeting the booming manga (comics) and anime (animated movies and series) markets through a new venture with Shogakukan, a leading publisher.

Mizuho Securities, another part of the Mizuho keiretsu (a form of business alliance common in Japan), revealed this month that it will launch an animation film fund. The brokerage will raise finance from institutions and wealthy individuals in lots starting at JPY300 million ($200,000) apiece and says that it aims to raise $15 million by the end of the year.

Japanese animation is certainly enjoying a period of unprecedented success. Titles such as Shogakukan and Shin-Ei Animation’s “Doraemon,” Shuiesha and Ufotable’s “Demon Slayer” and “Detective Conan” and “One Piece” have become powerful global franchises. Recently too, Japanese animated films including Studio Ghibli’s “The Boy and the Heron” and CoMix Wave-Toho’s “Suzume” have proven themselves capable of $100 million single-territory theatrical feats.

Mizuho will work with Questry, a blockchain startup, and Royalty Bank. They will then deploy tranches of cash, up to $5 million a time, as investments in a handful of new Japanese animations each year.

Institutional funds were a bigger part of the Japanese scene in the early 2000s, but have since given way to the dominant production committee system. These committees are clusters of companies either in the entertainment business or closely allied to it, such as ad giants Dentsu and Hakuhodo, that agree to share risk.

The production committee system creates stability, but it has been criticized for slow decision making, scaring off international co-productions and keeping budgets artificially low. The per film, special purpose vehicles that committees frequently set up ring-fence financial risk but may also discourage reinvestment.

In recent years, however, multiple factors are causing an erosion of the risk-averse committees. These include the growing international success of Japanese anime, Sony’s acquisition and rejuvenation of specialty anime streamer Crunchyroll and the arrival of Netflix as another major investor in the sector.

The government of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is also itching to see Japanese entertainment put on the same level as K-pop and Korean TV dramas. In his “New Capitalism” proposals last month, he said: “Anime, manga, music and other artistic content are assets we ought to be proud of.” He suggested that entertainment content could have an export profile that compares with steel and semi-conductors.

Additionally, leading filmmakers such as Kore-eda Hirokazu are militating for a modernization of the Japanese film industry – one that sees the establishment of state-backed production funds and incentives modeled on those operated by France’s Centre Nationale de la Cinematographie, and a system that breaks down paternalist hierarchies.

In a report by Bloomberg, Shuichiro Tomihari, director at the Mizuho’s global investment banking division, said that he hopes to “create opportunities for third-party investment and accelerate the revitalization of the animation industry.”

New funds could help ease two problems that the industry is currently facing: a shortage of animators (low salaries and long hours are dissuading new entrants) and production budgets that pale in comparison with the biggest American (and Chinese) counterparts. (Sony is also currently setting up a skills training academy.)

Backlogs of work are reported to extend two to three years, and are causing leading studios to consider outsourcing more production to offshore centers such as the Philippines or Vietnam. That is something that many are unwilling to give in on. Ditto to further weakening of the tradition of predominantly hand-drawn animation. But change is coming whether they like it or not.

The threats posed by overseas rivals and AI-assisted production — and the current opportunities for diversification of Japanese anime into new markets and online formats — are catalysts for transformation of the sector that will require funding.

Marubeni’s involvement is fairly conventional in that it set up MAG.NET Corp. as a joint venture between two established corporations (in fact three, including Marubeni’s paper products subsidiary Forest LinX). But it remains significant that this is the 168-year-old industrial giant’s first foray into entertainment.

The group’s background reasoning is similar, too. “Overseas sales of Japanese content were estimated in 2022 to be equivalent to JPY4.7 trillion ($2.9 billion). The popularity of Japanese manga and anime is growing rapidly to a backdrop of rising demand for stay-at-home stocks occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as aggressive distribution by major overseas distributors, with the market expanding to encompass a variety of merchandise, including games,” Marubeni said in a statement.

It also identifies weaknesses that need fixing. “Lack of direct distribution networks and retail outlets means that attractive content cannot be delivered to fans around the world, resulting in lost opportunities. This situation has led to an increase in pirated products, highlighting the need for a system that ensures the distribution of legitimate goods,” the statement continued.

While Shogakukan is tasked with ensuring product supply for MAG.NET, Marubeni and Forest LinX aim to expand the range of goods and services that use manga and anime, expand overseas distribution including the building of retail outlets.

And other financial engineering moves may be afoot. Earlier this month Singapore-based Phillip Securities said that it was raising more than $2 million through the sale of digital securities for the Japanese live-action film “Treasure Island,” adapted from a Shindo Junjo novel and starring Tsumabuki Satoshi.

In mid-June, private equity giant Blackstone announced that it had made a $1.7 billion tender offer for Japan’s Infocom. The company is a leading provider of digital comics, with its Mecha Comic subsidiary described as “the market leader for Japanese women 30 years old and above.”

Related Topics:anime Blackstone Demon Slayer japan

Click to comment

Finance

Bérangère Michel announced as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer

Published

3 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Bérangère Michel announced as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer

The BBC has announced that Bérangère Michel has been appointed to the role of Group Chief Financial Officer.

Bérangère brings extensive experience from her 16-year career at the John Lewis Partnership, where she held senior roles including Chief Financial Officer, Customer Service Executive Director, Operations Director and Finance & Strategy Director.

Prior to joining the John Lewis Partnership, Bérangère spent 11 years at the Royal Mail Group in a number of finance, change and strategy roles, including as Finance Director of the property division.

In an expanded role as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer, Bérangère will be responsible for the overall BBC Group financial strategy, with a remit across BBC Public Service, BBC Studios and the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries. She will play a leadership role and will sit on both the Executive Committee and, for the first time, the Board.

This position will strengthen the BBC’s financial leadership, support its transformation, and make the best use of the licence fee and commercial opportunities. Bérangère will report to the Director-General and will take up the role in early January.

Director-General Tim Davie says: “Bérangère brings a wealth of experience from her time at the John Lewis Partnership and will play a critical role in shaping our new financial strategy. I’m pleased to welcome her to the BBC, and to both the Executive Committee and Board.

“Bérangère’s appointment to this expanded role comes at an important time for the BBC, as we look ahead to Charter renewal and continue to accelerate our transformation to deliver outstanding value for our audiences.”

BBC Chair Samir Shah says: “The role of Group Chief Financial Officer will be hugely important as we build a BBC for the future, and I look forward to welcoming Bérangère to the Board.”

Bérangère Michel says: “I am delighted to be joining the BBC, an institution whose purpose and mission I have always admired. It’s a privilege to be part of shaping its exciting future at such a crucial moment and I cannot wait to get started.”

BBC Press Office

Follow for more

Finance

ATI Promotes Longtime Leader to CFO and SVP of Finance

Published

16 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

ATI Promotes Longtime Leader to CFO and SVP of Finance

Rob Foster, incoming CFO of ATI Inc., effective Jan. 1, 2026 [Photo: ATI}

ATI Inc., a Dallas-based manufacturer of high-performance materials for the aerospace and defense industries, announced that James Robert “Rob” Foster will be promoted to senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer, effective January 1, 2026.

Foster succeeds Don Newman, who will serve as strategic advisor to the CEO beginning January 1. As previously announced, Newman will retire on March 1, 2026, and serve in an advisory capacity in that time to allow for a smooth transition.

“Rob is a proven P&L leader with enterprise-wide experience in the areas that matter most to ATI’s continued growth,” Kim Fields, president and CEO, said in a statement. “He brings deep expertise not only in finance but also as an operational leader. Rob played a pivotal role in the successful Specialty Rolled Products transformation, consistently helping ATI to deliver strong returns and shareholder value. I look forward to partnering with him as we enter our next phase of profitable growth.”

Foster, a longtime ATI leader, brings both operational expertise and financial discipline to the CFO role, the company said. He most recently served as president of ATI’s specialty alloys & components business, where he improved efficiency, grew capacity, and advanced the company’s role as a global leader in exotic alloys. Foster previously served as vice president of Finance, Supply Chain, and Capital Projects, overseeing ATI’s global finance organization, capital deployment processes, and enterprise supply chain performance. Earlier in his career, he led Finance for both ATI operating segments and the Forged Products business.

“I’m honored to become ATI’s next CFO,” said Foster. “ATI is well-positioned with a strong balance sheet, focused strategy, and significant opportunities ahead. I look forward to working with our team to drive disciplined investment, operational excellence, and long-term value creation for our shareholders.”

Newman added, “Rob is an exceptional leader who understands ATI’s strategy, operations, and financial drivers. He has delivered transformative results across the organization. I look forward to supporting a seamless transition as we pursue this next step in our succession planning.”

Before joining ATI in 2012, Foster held senior finance roles at API Technologies Corp. and Spectrum Control Inc., where he led ERP implementations, acquisition integrations, and internal control enhancements. He began his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young (EY).

ATI produces high-performance materials and solutions for the global aerospace and defense markets, and critical applications in electronics, medical, and specialty energy.

Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.

Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.

Finance

Abu Dhabi seeks to build bridge between new media & finance – The Times of India

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

ABU DHABI: Instead of waiting for the future of media, Abu Dhabi is building it. The city played host this week to leading names from media and entertainment industries at the Bridge Summit, aptly named for seeking to position the emirate at the intersection between new-age media, innovation and investment.The three-day event at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from Dec 8 to 10 buzzed with energy, new ideas, collaborations and MoU deals as thousands of content creators, media brands, communicators, tech developers, AI innovators, investors and academics — who have been working in isolation — converged to brainstorm ideas, analyse future trends in the media industry and discuss ways to monetise them. How to get around the associated risks of privacy violation, fake news and narratives, defamatory content and online harassment were a natural corollary to the discussions.The idea of Bridge Summit originated at a lunch meeting in Abu Dhabi earlier this year between Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bin Butti Al Hamed, chairman of UAE National Media Office, and Richard Attias, the Moroccan events producer associated with the Clinton Global Initiative, Nobel Laureates Conference and Davos Forum. The two discussed how UAE could give media, creators, tech innovators, social media outlets and investors a platform to connect and build the future of media. Eight months later, that dream turned into reality with Bridge Summit.Al Hamed, in his opening address, outlined Bridge Summit’s mission to unite media, technology, finance, and culture in building a more trusted, inclusive, and resilient information order.Speaking to TOI on the sidelines of the summit, Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, DG, UAE National Media Office and Bridge Alliance vice-chairman, said the forum seeks to secure a win-win situation for all, be it govts, media, content creators, social media platforms, gamers, investors and technology providers. “We are trying to help everyone — those who have a story to reach production, a company to reach a customer and govts to understand what’s happening in the market”.He added: “We believe that Bridge can be the brand that people will trust and look at in the future. We can connect it with media initiatives around the world. We believe that positive narrative can be supported through Bridge”.The global media and entertainment industry generated over $2.8 trillion last year, with gaming alone rivaling film and television at nearly $200 billion. Streaming continues to reshape consumption, while nearly 70% of content creators are already using AI tools.Rubbing shoulders at the summit were former heads of state, journalists, representatives of social media platforms, AI innovators, gaming developers, entrepreneurs and media influencers from across the globe; actors Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Idris Elba and footballer Gerard Pique lent it star power.Over three days of fireside chats, panel discussions, workshops and MoU signing, content creators and influencers took lessons from experts and peers on how to tell their stories better and hold their audience’s attention till the last frame.With artificial intelligence (AI) tools revolutionising the media space and content creation industry, engagements delved into how to maintain a judicious balance between human intelligence and artificial intelligence while tailoring content to suit users’ preferences and attention span.Sessions reflected on how the traditional print and TV journalism is being rapidly taken over by digital news content. Justin Smith, CEO of independent global news company Semafor, predicted that human journalist will continue to be relevant as the primary resource for original information, but must learn to harness the power of AI to add value. Richard Attias, who is on the Bridge board of directors, had a word of caution: “Human intelligence needs to always challenge artificial intelligence. We should not be losing the control of AI, which is like a robot”.According to UK journalist and broadcaster Emily Maitlis, agenda-based journalism is inevitable in the age of social media as one with a louder voice and reach, who can put out his version of the story more convincingly, tends to control the narrative. Adeline Hulin, chief of media and information literacy unit at Unesco, revealed that a global survey had found that 62% users don’t do any fact-checking before forwarding information online; most content creators are unaware of the international standards of freedom of expression; and just 20% users report hate speech. “Unesco has developed a global curriculum for media information literacy. We are working to integrate it with formal education and getting local partners to organise hackathons,” she said.Former deputy PM of UK Oliver Dowden advocated industry-led responsibility over sweeping regulation, saying there should be “clear guardrails” as creator content becomes the primary source of information for young audiences.Al Kaabi said Bridge Summit is just the beginning and “pop up” events will be held each coming quarter across America, Asia, Europe and Africa. “We want to hold a mini-Bridge in India. Also, there shall be more of Bollywood, not just Priyanka, at the next edition of the summit here,” he said.(The writer was in Abu Dhabi at the invitation of Bridge Alliance)