Toho announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire a 100% equity share of the North American animation producer and distributor GKIDS. Financial terms of the acquisition deal were not disclosed.
Toho’s acquisition of GKIDS comes as part of the former’s “TOHO VISION 2032 TOHO Group Management Corporate Strategy,” which details the company’s plans for “growth and expansion outside of Japan” and plans to connect its Japanese and international productions, creators, and studios “more directly and widely with creators and fans overseas.”
GKIDS founder and CEO Eric Beckman and president Dave Jesteadt provided a full statement on the acquisition on the company’s official Twitter.
From Eric Beckman, our Founder and CEO, and Dave Jesteadt, our President. pic.twitter.com/onSyJkiqi8
— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) October 15, 2024
Toho previously acquired Japanese animation studio Science SARU and also made an equity investment in Los Angeles-based production and distribution company Fifth Season, known for their work on Severance and Tokyo Vice.
Toho and GKIDS have worked together for many years, bringing many anime films into North America such as Weathering With You, Promare, Spirited Away: Live on Stage, and many more.
Toho is also the Japanese domestic distributor for many of the same properties handled by GKIDS in North America, including the works of Studio Ghibli, Mamoru Hosoda, Makoto Shinkai, and more.
Source: press release
Want to follow our weekly chart updates and news? Subscribe to our newsletter to get more content in your inbox!
