Anime is no longer a niche import. It is pop culture’s new center of gravity – and nobody is moving faster to press that advantage than the studio behind “Demon Slayer.”
Nishimoto Shu, appointed president of Aniplex earlier this year, has outlined a plan to deepen the Sony Music Entertainment Japan subsidiary’s foothold in international markets, treat each of its IP franchises as long-term global assets, and step cautiously into artificial intelligence – all while keeping anime at the center of a business that already stretches from theatrical film to live-action drama to live events.
Nishimoto joined Aniplex in 2009, starting out on the Japan sales team before moving to the international division and then crossing to Aniplex of America, where he became president in 2017. He took the company’s top job when predecessor Atsuhiro Iwakami was elevated to president of parent company Sony Music Entertainment Japan. In an interview with Variety – his first extended conversation since assuming the role – Nishimoto reflects on his years running the U.S. operation. “Through those experiences, what I felt most strongly was that Japanese anime is truly being embraced by so many people around the world,” he says. “What was once a market supported primarily by a core group of passionate fans has now become part of broader pop culture, especially among younger generations.”
He puts the total value of Japan’s anime industry at around JPY4 trillion (approximately $25 billion), with more than half already generated by overseas markets – and he expects that share to keep climbing. “We see our international business as an important growth driver,” he says. “Even before the overseas market expanded to the scale we see today, Aniplex had been taking on many challenges together with our Japanese business partners and creators. That experience and network are major strengths for us.”
Rather than reengineering what Aniplex makes, Nishimoto’s prescription is to widen the footprint of what it already does well. “We do not want to be satisfied with where we are today,” he says. “Starting from each IP, we’ll continue to consider the most appropriate forms of output for that IP, including theatrical releases, streaming, merchandising, games, live events, exhibitions, and other opportunities. By expanding the business areas in which each IP can thrive as much as possible, we hope to continue providing fans around the world with even richer and more diverse entertainment experiences.”
Nishimoto identifies Aniplex’s core competitive strength as a deliberate two-track production philosophy: balancing adaptations of outstanding source material – manga, novels, existing IP – against original works developed directly from creators’ own ideas. It is a discipline, he says, the company has maintained consistently and intends to protect. “I believe Japanese anime is a highly original form of content, created through a unique combination of Japan’s distinctive worldviews, visual direction, storytelling, and cultural context,” he says. “This originality is the most important value that we must continue to pursue, and it is also one of our greatest competitive strengths in the global market. Rather than diluting the individuality of our IPs to fit the global market, I believe it is important to preserve the essence of Japanese creativity and deliver its appeal more deeply to fans in each region.”
He is equally precise about why that content is resonating internationally. The reasons are multiple, he says, but range from entirely new worlds and creative IP through to long-loved series that have built deep fandoms over decades. The breadth and depth of the available catalogue – spanning properties with global newcomers and veterans alike – is itself part of what is driving overseas appetite. That diversity of offering, he argues, means the industry is now capable of meeting a far wider range of fan needs in international markets than it could even a few years ago.
On the question of what “Demon Slayer” taught Aniplex about building global franchises, Nishimoto offers a more nuanced answer than the conventional wisdom might suggest. Local hits and global hits are, in his view, two genuinely distinct categories – and Aniplex does not conflate them or try to engineer one from the other. What has changed is simply that more Aniplex titles are now qualifying as both simultaneously. “To build a global franchise, I believe it is important not simply to sell a title overseas after it becomes a hit in Japan, but to have a global perspective from the very beginning – across planning, production, marketing, and business development,” he says. “This also means understanding the culture of each region and how fans in each market receive and engage with IP. By collaborating closely with local business partners, we can deliver the appeal of each title in the most appropriate and effective way.”
Those partnerships – with creators, original-work publishers, directors, and local licensees in international markets – are, Nishimoto says, the connective tissue that makes the whole operation function. He treats the creative relationships and the international business relationships as separate but equally important categories. “Going forward, we’ll further leverage this relationship and continue working with outstanding creators and business partners to deliver new emotional experiences to audiences around the world,” he says.
Aniplex’s stable of ongoing franchises extends well beyond “Demon Slayer.” Properties including “Fate,” “Sword Art Online” and “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” – the last of which Nishimoto executive-produced – continue to generate revenue across platforms and formats, and he insists that stewarding existing IP with the same rigor applied to finding the next breakout is equally important to the company’s future. Asked to choose between long-term IP management and chasing new hits, he is direct: “Both are important to us, so we believe the answer is both.” The company has been in operation for 21 years and produced over 350 properties across that span.
In live-action, Aniplex scored a significant result last year with “Kokuho,” produced through its Myriagon Studio arm, which debuted at Cannes and went on to score an Oscar nomination. It also became one of the biggest Japanese live-action hits of all time. Nishimoto does not set specific numerical targets for the balance between anime and live-action output, saying what matters in either format is the same: a strong concept, outstanding creators, and genuine passion from the producers involved. “Aniplex has created and nurtured many IPs, primarily in anime,” he says. “I believe that experience can also be applied to live-action works, particularly in terms of identifying the essence of a project and enhancing its long-term value. Ultimately, what we aim to do is deliver IPs that remain in the hearts of audiences and fans around the world, regardless of genre or format.” On further live-action investment, he adds: “We remain open to taking on further challenges in live-action films and drama series when there are opportunities to be involved in compelling projects.” The company is also currently streaming the live-action high-school action series “Viral Hit” on Netflix.
Within the broader Sony ecosystem, Nishimoto points to Crunchyroll as a strategic resource rather than simply a distribution outlet, describing it as a real-time feed of intelligence on what is connecting with international audiences – information that directly shapes which projects Aniplex pursues. “I believe one of our greatest competitive advantages is that each company within the Sony Group has its own independent strengths, while also being able to collaborate in the most appropriate way for each individual title,” he says. “We’ll continue to strengthen collaboration with our group companies so that we can develop each title not simply as a one-time hit, but as a franchise that is loved over the long term.” Crunchyroll, he adds, “with its global reach and distribution capabilities, is an important partner in expanding the value of anime IP on a worldwide scale.”
A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks, two of Japan’s leading animation production houses, are both owned by Aniplex. “Over the past over 20 years, A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks have grown into outstanding studios capable of creating truly exceptional IPs,” he says. “I hope to continue bringing high-quality anime to audiences around the world by working closely with them.”
On the question of AI, Nishimoto says: “Aniplex’s top priority is to create works together with creators, including animators. If AI can have a positive impact on creators’ work, or contribute to the further development of the creative process, we would be open to carefully considering its use.”
Leave a Reply