After weeks of rumor , on December 18 , 2024 , Sony and KADOKAWA have announced the signing of their sight , which seesSony acquire 10 % of KADOKAWA ’s shares . The deal , which will be effective on January 7 , 2025 , will leave in Sony becoming KADOKAWA ’s largest shareholder , acquiring 12,054,100 raw KADOKAWA shares for approximately 50 billion yen .

The two companies have worked together on several undertaking in the past , and this new " capital letter and business concern alliance " will strengthen their cooperation , with the intent of maximizing the time value of both party ’s IP ’s in the outside market . While live - action flick and game will benefit from this , it ’s unclouded that the main focus of this new venture will be anime .

Sony Is Now KADOKAWA’s Majority Shareholder

This Deal Will Change the Anime Landscape

BothSony and KADOKAWA are already authoritative players in the anime medium landscape , and this batch will surely shake thing up . agree to the imperativeness release , the deal will lead in " go-ahead to adapt KADOKAWA ’s informatics into alive - natural action photographic film and TV dramas globally , atomic number 27 - produce Zanzibar copal works , expand global statistical distribution of KADOKAWA ’s gum anime works through the Sony Group , further spread out publishing of KADOKAWA ’s games , and grow human resources to promote and expand virtual yield . "

KADOKAWA ’s library of manga , anime , and light novels is incredibly deep , and Sony ’s resources will avail bring these products to as huge an hearing as possible . According to Takeshi Natsuno , CEO of KADOKAWA :

" We are very pleased to conclude this capital and patronage alliance accord with Sony . This alliance is expect to not only further beef up our IP creation capacity , but also increase our IP spiritualist mixing pick with Sony ’s support for world expansion , provide us to deliver our IP to more users around the existence . We are confident that this will greatly contribute to maximizing the value of our IP and increasing our corporate value in the mid- to recollective - terminus . We intend to do our level best to ensure that our collaborative efforts with Sony produce great upshot in the ball-shaped grocery . "

The Apothecary Diaries - Maomao and Jinshi in front of rainbow lights

Sony is already an important player in the Zanzibar copal reality . It owns the output studio Aniplex and also Crunchyroll , perhaps the most of import gum anime statistical distribution and streaming platform in the universe . concord to Hiroki Totoki , President , COO and CFO of Sony Group Corporation :

" Through this capital and business bond , we will become the large shareholder of KADOKAWA , which consistently create a all-inclusive miscellanea of IP , include publications and book , such as unclouded novel and comic strip , as well as game and anime . By meld KADOKAWA ’s blanket IP and IP creation ecosystem with the strengths of Sony , which has promoted the planetary expanding upon of a broad reach of entertainment , including anime and game , we plan to work intimately together to realize KADOKAWA ’s ' Global Media Mix ' strategy , aim at maximise the value of its IP , and Sony ’s tenacious - terminal figure visual modality , ' Creative Entertainment Vision . ' "

Some fans have already called this deal the beginning of a monopoly , as now theSony - KADOKAWAconglomerate will own IP ’s , production , dispersion , and even media outlet ( Anime News connection is possess by KADOKAWA ) . It will be interesting to see what factual impact this will have on the anime world , but this pot will sure as shooting be remembered as a historical moment .

Rimuru from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Rudeus from Mushoku Tensei, and Kirito from Sword Art Online

Source : Sony Group press release

Hello Kitty holds a bucket next to a mountain of candy and pastries

Anime