Anime Licensing Platform AniBiz Gets $6 Million Investment From Japan’s TBS Group, Toei Animation and TV Tokyo Holdings
Anime licensing platform AniBiz has secured an initial $6 million investment from TBS Group, Toei Animation and TV Tokyo Holdings. The backing from three major rights holders signals support for a central marketplace that aims to connect anime owners with global businesses seeking licensing deals.
Launched in July by Nakama, a start-up founded by former Crunchyroll executives including founder Kun Gao, AniBiz now hosts more than 30 licensors, up from 20 at launch. It provides a central, secure place for buyers to access anime intellectual property, and says companies can join without existing industry contacts; new participants include Shochiku, DMM.com and GREE Entertainment.
In short
- AniBiz raised an initial $6 million.
- TBS Group, Toei Animation and TV Tokyo Holdings invested.
- The platform has more than 30 anime licensors.
Explained simply
Anime is a form of animation that originated in Japan and has become popular with audiences around the world. Its characters and stories can also be licensed for use on products, in games, or in other media, creating business opportunities for the companies that own the rights.
Licensing deals often involve negotiations between rights holders, such as animation studios and broadcasters, and businesses that want to use their properties. AniBiz is an online platform set up by Nakama, a start-up founded by former Crunchyroll executives, to help connect those parties and give buyers a central place to find anime properties.
The platform includes established Japanese companies such as Toei Animation and TV Tokyo Holdings, which both own or distribute anime content. A central marketplace could make it easier for businesses without existing industry contacts to explore licensing, while giving rights holders another route to reach potential partners overseas.
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