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5 Japanese studios team up to create online anime platform for overseas markets

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Five Japanese animation studios and two Japanese advertising agencies announced yesterday that they will jointly found a web-based content distribution platform called Daisuki (literally meaning, ‘I love it so much.’). They plan to launch the service in April. The participating studios are Aniplex, Sunrise, Toei Animation, TMS Entertainment and Nihon Ad Systems, and two ad giants involved are Dentsu and Asatsu DK. These seven companies aspire to make it easier for people overseas to watch Japanese animation titles regardless of time and location, and to explore possibilities to monetize Japan-made content while preventing the spread of video piracy online. They will also sell merchandise such as character toys on the website as well. The animation titles expected to be included are Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Mobile Suit Gundam, One Piece, Lupin The Third, and The Prince of Tennis. Some popular new titles will be available on the platform also, broadcast at the same time that they appear on Japanese terrestrial TV networks. On a related note, Japanese video portal Gyao and social gaming giant GREE also announced this week that they would be teaming up to establish an investment fund to cultivate the animation production business.

DAISUKI-logo Five Japanese animation studios and two Japanese advertising agencies announced yesterday that they will jointly found a web-based content distribution platform called Daisuki (literally meaning, ‘I love it so much.’). They plan to launch the service in April. The participating studios are Aniplex, Sunrise, Toei Animation, TMS Entertainment and Nihon Ad Systems, and two ad giants involved are Dentsu and Asatsu DK.

These seven companies aspire to make it easier for people overseas to watch Japanese animation titles regardless of time and location, and to explore possibilities to monetize Japan-made content while preventing the spread of video piracy online. They will also sell merchandise such as character toys on the website as well.

The animation titles expected to be included are Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Mobile Suit Gundam, One Piece, Lupin The Third, and The Prince of Tennis. Some popular new titles will be available on the platform also, broadcast at the same time that they appear on Japanese terrestrial TV networks.

On a related note, Japanese video portal Gyao and social gaming giant GREE also announced this week that they would be teaming up to establish an investment fund to cultivate the animation production business.