As anime became a global phenomenon at New York Comic Con, Sony Group CEO Totoki Hiroki (十時 裕樹) discussed the appeal of Japanese anime and the company's investment and partnership strategy. The story covers an event focused on the growing global popularity of anime and how Japanese companies are responding.
In recent years, Japanese anime is said to have evolved into a global phenomenon, with approximately 1 in 3 video-streaming users worldwide watching anime. The anime market was estimated at $32 billion in 2023 and is projected to expand to $57 billion by 2030.
Against this backdrop, Sony Group CEO Totoki Hiroki (十時 裕樹) said that, after assessing the strength of Japanese entertainment exports, the company had been strengthening its strategy through an approximately $300 million investment in KADOKAWA, the expansion of Crunchyroll's business and a partnership with Bandai Namco.
Meanwhile, in 2026, the company decided to transfer a majority stake in Sony's television and home entertainment business to a Chinese manufacturer. Against the backdrop of the changes in the industrial structure identified by a Japanese newspaper and the transformation of Japanese companies, including Sony, views were expressed that Sony's entertainment-focused management strategy would become increasingly important.
Totoki Hiroki (十時 裕樹) said that Japanese companies should pursue transformation in response to the global anime boom, and emphasized the company's commitment to continued investment and transformation in this field.