Read from Nikkei:
Sony will leverage the combined strength of group companies to expand its animation business overseas, making it the fourth pillar of its entertainment portfolio after music, movies and games.
"Our group wants to contribute to delivering Japanese anime to fans worldwide," said Sony President Kenichiro Yoshida at a strategy meeting on May 19, describing animation as a "business that embodies the 'One Sony' concept."
Sony unit Aniplex is behind "Kimetsu no Yaiba," or "Demon Slayer," an anime series that stormed Japan and has now launched abroad. The conglomerate aims to make anime a new growth engine through multichannel sales of not only the productions but all intellectual property associated with them.
Aniplex Online Fest revealed parts of Sony's global strategy: It was streamed on YouTube and Chinese video-sharing website Bilibili. Sony has worked with the latter on content distribution and decided in April to invest $400 million in the platform. Distribution in English and Chinese -- two languages guaranteed to reach consumers around the world -- will maximize export potential.
Sony is not just looking at the entertainment side of anime, but at residuals too. Successful productions generate loyal fans, making for intellectual properties that rivals cannot exploit. Related merchandise, such as movies, games and music, can turn into vast revenue streams. "A hit anime series creates a large and long-lasting fan base, allowing us to profit from diverse sources," says Yoshinori Saito, senior general manager in charge of entertainment.
Sony group blankets the entire anime sector: Aniplex is a production company; Sony Interactive Entertainment sells PlayStation; Animax Broadcast Japan is the country's largest fee-based anime channel; and Funimation is the biggest Japanese anime distributor in the U.S. Meanwhile, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) has an exclusive label for anime songs.
Now Sony is banking on "Demon Slayer" for even greater success. Aniplex President Atsuhiro Iwakami wants to make the series a showpiece of Aniplex's prowess. It has already turned the manga into a successful anime, and will now follow with a movie version due out in theaters this summer. Units of Sony will also morph the anime into games for mobile and PlayStation 4, with the possibility of promoting it abroad.
Sony hopes its investments will lay the groundwork for more anime content and a larger fan base while supporting Epic Games' global expansion. Similarly, investment in Bilibili is intended to develop Sony's presence in the Chinese anime market.
Technology is another important tool. Sony and Animax are jointly developing a system that enables voice actors to dub remotely. Dubbing is usually done with several people in a soundproof chamber. The coronavirus pandemic has made this impossible, causing delays in production.
Yoshida wants Sony to "evolve as a technology-backed creative entertainment company." Part of this entails haptic technology, which can infuse anime with a sense of touch. Sony has already developed this to the point where users can feel raindrops fall or notice a tap on the shoulder. Now, Sony and Animax are working on ways to allow voice actors and fans to interact via haptics.
Sony will leverage the combined strength of group companies to expand its animation business overseas, making it the fourth pillar of its entertainment portfolio after music, movies and games.
"Our group wants to contribute to delivering Japanese anime to fans worldwide," said Sony President Kenichiro Yoshida at a strategy meeting on May 19, describing animation as a "business that embodies the 'One Sony' concept."
Sony unit Aniplex is behind "Kimetsu no Yaiba," or "Demon Slayer," an anime series that stormed Japan and has now launched abroad. The conglomerate aims to make anime a new growth engine through multichannel sales of not only the productions but all intellectual property associated with them.
Aniplex Online Fest revealed parts of Sony's global strategy: It was streamed on YouTube and Chinese video-sharing website Bilibili. Sony has worked with the latter on content distribution and decided in April to invest $400 million in the platform. Distribution in English and Chinese -- two languages guaranteed to reach consumers around the world -- will maximize export potential.
Sony is not just looking at the entertainment side of anime, but at residuals too. Successful productions generate loyal fans, making for intellectual properties that rivals cannot exploit. Related merchandise, such as movies, games and music, can turn into vast revenue streams. "A hit anime series creates a large and long-lasting fan base, allowing us to profit from diverse sources," says Yoshinori Saito, senior general manager in charge of entertainment.
Sony group blankets the entire anime sector: Aniplex is a production company; Sony Interactive Entertainment sells PlayStation; Animax Broadcast Japan is the country's largest fee-based anime channel; and Funimation is the biggest Japanese anime distributor in the U.S. Meanwhile, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) has an exclusive label for anime songs.
Now Sony is banking on "Demon Slayer" for even greater success. Aniplex President Atsuhiro Iwakami wants to make the series a showpiece of Aniplex's prowess. It has already turned the manga into a successful anime, and will now follow with a movie version due out in theaters this summer. Units of Sony will also morph the anime into games for mobile and PlayStation 4, with the possibility of promoting it abroad.
Sony hopes its investments will lay the groundwork for more anime content and a larger fan base while supporting Epic Games' global expansion. Similarly, investment in Bilibili is intended to develop Sony's presence in the Chinese anime market.
Technology is another important tool. Sony and Animax are jointly developing a system that enables voice actors to dub remotely. Dubbing is usually done with several people in a soundproof chamber. The coronavirus pandemic has made this impossible, causing delays in production.
Yoshida wants Sony to "evolve as a technology-backed creative entertainment company." Part of this entails haptic technology, which can infuse anime with a sense of touch. Sony has already developed this to the point where users can feel raindrops fall or notice a tap on the shoulder. Now, Sony and Animax are working on ways to allow voice actors and fans to interact via haptics.
but I was reading a whole bunch of different legal chats and apparently it does matter to some things.