Japanese studio Toei is reframing how a 75-year-old library travels. Speaking at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest in Taipei, CEO Fumio Yoshimura laid out a shift from exporting finished titles to building local productions, local formats and new revenue lines such as games.
The anchor is the 2023 “Toei New Wave” plan: a $2BN commitment to take international revenue from 30% of total income to 50% by 2033.
- $2BN plan includes upgrades at Tokyo and Kyoto studios
- International revenue target: 30% to 50% by 2033
- Kamen Rider India distribution signed with a Disney affiliate
- First Toei game is planned for spring 2027
For entertainment marketers, that sequence is the interesting part. Toei opens a market with a known franchise, then localises it, then builds originals, and only then layers on merchandise, events and games. It is a customer-acquisition path rather than a single-distribution play.
India and Taiwan are the early tests
Kamen Rider, one of Toei’s oldest franchises, is already streaming in Taiwan and other markets. India is now an explicit priority. Yoshimura said a 2025 event to introduce the character to Indian consumers drew a “very good response” before Toei signed a distribution contract with a Disney affiliate.
“Due to its population size and the growth of its middle-class, we see India as a promising market,” he said.
Taiwan offers a box-office proof point for Japanese IP. Yoshimura said Japanese films held 26% of Taiwan’s box office last year, second only to Hollywood’s 41%. Toei has backed that with local co-productions including Dear Stranger and The Rope Curse 4: Kuntilanak.
Why local-first matters
Yoshimura’s argument is that exporting content alone limits reach. The solution is remakes and localisations, then original stories made with local talent, released locally and sold globally. He described it as a “local first model” that should generate more sustainable long-term revenue than the old export model.
The Philippines shows how a local remake can outperform a straight buy. Voltes V: Legacy, produced by GMA, became a ratings hit in its home market and then aired in Japan.
GenAI, microdrama and the games entry
Toei is expanding virtual production and motion-capture capacity while testing GenAI for practical workflows: image generation, background artwork, and a tool to help junior producers estimate budgets. Yoshimura said the studio still treats “human creativity” as the core of everything it does.
New formats are also in motion: a 24-by-3-minute anime series Everyday Host Club, a 30-episode vertical drama for smartphones, and a first self-produced game. Toei plans to launch Hino in spring 2027, followed by Debug – Nephemee and Killa later next year, across Steam, Nintendo and Xbox.
Source: Deadline
