The anime licensing business just got a clearer front door. TBS Group, Toei Animation and TV Tokyo have invested in AniBiz.com, the California-based anime licensing platform run by Nakama.
What the platform offers
Since its launch in July, AniBiz has grown to more than 30 anime licensors, according to Nakama. The roster includes ABC Animation, docomo Anime Store, Genco and TV Asahi. Companies that want to work with anime IP can open a free account and connect directly with official rights holders.
The target base is broader than streaming buyers. Nakama lists brands and manufacturers, retailers, game and app developers, restaurants, food and beverage firms, event organisers, agencies and creators among the companies that can use the platform.
- Licensors: more than 30 since July, including ABC Animation and TV Asahi
- Access: free signup for any company exploring anime IP
- Categories: consumer products, gaming, events and F&B, not just media
Why the investment matters
Anime licensing has long been fragmented across studios, agents and territories. A brand team often has to figure out who actually controls a property before a deal can start. AniBiz is designed to compress that chain into one official marketplace.
That is why money from rights holders changes the signal. Brady McCollum, co-founder and CEO at Nakama, said: “When the companies that create and license anime’s biggest IP invest in a platform, it says this is where the industry does business.”
Toei Animation, the studio behind One Piece and Dragon Ball Z, called the move an infrastructure bet. Masayuki Endo, senior executive officer and deputy head of sales and planning at Toei Animation, said the company has spent nearly 70 years building characters, and opening that IP to new partners requires the right infrastructure.
For licensees, that matters because it reduces the risk of unclear rights or unofficial channels. When the rights holders themselves back the marketplace, the platform has built-in legitimacy.
What media planners should do now
Marketers should treat a free AniBiz account as a listening post. Track which rights holders are active, watch the categories, and build direct contacts before a campaign brief forces a rushed search. Free signup means the cost is time, not budget.
Do not assume anime collaborations are only for entertainment categories. Nakama explicitly lists restaurants, F&B, events and agencies among the companies that can participate, which opens a wider set of brand possibilities.
The next milestone to watch is whether the licensor count keeps climbing and whether more Japanese broadcasters or studios join. If that happens, AniBiz may become the default layer for global anime licensing deals, not just one option among many.
Source: C21media
