The Association of Japanese Animations revealed record 2025 revenues driven by overseas growth, while leading studios outlined their international co-production and direct-to-consumer business models.
At TIFFCOM 2026, the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) unveiled the preliminary figures for its 2025 Anime Industry Report, announcing a record market size of 4.44 trillion yen (approximately $29 billion USD). During the dedicated Anime Market panel, industry leaders analyzed the economic data and demonstrated how historic studios like Nippon Animation and Production I.G are adapting their operations to meet international demand, shifting from traditional licensing to global co-productions and direct rights management.
Masahiro Hasegawa, Senior Lecturer at Senshu University and chief editor of the report, presented the data, noting a 115.8% year-over-year increase for the overall industry. The overseas market now accounts for 57.1% of the total revenue, significantly widening the gap with domestic consumption. Furthermore, the revenue generated directly by animation production companies reached 505.5 billion yen. “The proportion of overseas revenue for production companies is rising, meaning studios are increasingly retaining and managing their own IP rights to generate profits, rather than relying solely on production fees,” Hasegawa explained. This aligns with the Japanese government’s strategic goal to reach 6 trillion yen in overseas anime revenue by 2033.
Addressing international expansion, Kazumi Hiratsuka, Director and Head of IP at Nippon Animation, detailed how the 50-year-old studio monetizes classic properties like Chibi Maruko-chan and the World Masterpiece Theater series. Hiratsuka emphasized that effective global reach requires localizing business strategies rather than applying a universal model. The studio has implemented tailored merchandising structures across different regions, executing a recent Anne of Green Gables collaboration with Tim Hortons in Canada, and launching Chibi Maruko-chan blind boxes with Pop Mart in China.
To secure future international audiences, Nippon Animation is focusing on international co-productions and family-oriented content. Hiratsuka introduced upcoming original projects co-produced with Salamander Pictures, including the short film 2021 Space Odyssey, which premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival. “Fostering future anime fans is crucial for the industry’s survival. Children who watch our shows today will eventually share them with their own kids, creating a multi-generational cycle of value,” she noted, underscoring the business need to invest in children’s animation despite domestic demographic declines.
Yoko Ueda, Director of IP Communication at Production I.G, presented an alternative approach, focusing on leveraging the studio’s technical expertise to expand established global franchises. Beyond traditional contracting, the studio now positions itself as a creative partner for international IP holders. Ueda highlighted their past work on Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill and their recent success with Star Wars: Visions. The studio’s short film for the anthology, The Ninth Jedi, has been greenlit by Lucasfilm to become a full television series. “We are seeing a shift from simple animation outsourcing to international partners asking how a Japanese studio can help them expand their existing universes,” Ueda stated.
To maximize its original properties, Production I.G has formed capital and business alliances with domestic corporations like Sanrio and Fields, combining I.G’s narrative capabilities with its partners’ extensive merchandising and distribution networks.
Simultaneously, the studio is building direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels overseas to strengthen brand loyalty. Ueda shared that the company actively attends global conventions, such as Anime Expo in the US, to host Q&A sessions directly as a studio, bridging the gap between international fans and Japanese creators. To consolidate this direct relationship, Production I.G partnered with Mid Studio to open a dedicated merchandise store in Shanghai, providing authentic goods and hosting staff-led events.
As the global anime market continues to scale toward the government’s 2033 targets, the TIFFCOM panel confirmed a structural shift in the sector: Japanese studios are no longer strictly content suppliers, but proactive global rights managers focusing on strategic co-productions, localized commercial deployments, and direct fan engagement across international markets.
