Sony and Mitsui's animation platforms merge to jointly develop original works

Industry insiders believe that the strong alliance between Sony and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. will not only increase profits, but also develop a large number of original works and increase sales of derivative products.

Original title: Sony and Mitsui announced a partnership to merge their animation platforms to operate

Animax Broadcast Japan, which ranks first in Sony's pay-per-view animation channel, will merge with Mitsui & Co., Ltd.'s Kids Station, which ranks second in pay-per-view animation channel. The two companies will establish a new joint-stock company AK HOLDINGS on March 31, 2017, and Animax Broadcast Japan and Kids Station will be included. AK HOLDINGS also became a shareholding company that owned multiple animation channels.

According to data from the Japan Satellite Television Advertising Association, in terms of the number of audio-visual households, Animax has 8.62 million and Kids Station has 8.18 million, totaling approximately 17 million. Therefore, the merger of the two companies also shocked the animation and playback industry.

In addition, the newly established joint-stock company is expected to be officially put into operation at the end of March. More than half of the new company's shares are funded by Sony Digital Entertainment. Animax's president, Yasuo Sukiyama, will take over the new president. At the same time, he will also take office as chairman of Kids Station on March 31, and he will concurrently serve as chairman of four companies including SPEJ, AK HOLDINGS, Animax, and Kids Station.

Industry insiders believe that the strong alliance between Sony and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. will not only increase profits, but also develop a large number of original works and increase sales of derivative products. It is worth noting that through the merger, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. will further distance itself from its non-main business animation and playback businesses to provide assistance to newly established companies in overseas business. For ANIMAX, this merger will have a huge impact on its operating conditions, the competition situation among paid animation players will flatten out, and business resources will be more abundant.

Editor: Nancy