Toei Expansion Plans

An article published by Nikkei BizTech magazine last Wednesday reveals some interesting insight into TOEI Animation´s plans to expand into the US.

The success of Toei productions including Dragonball, Sailormoon and Digimon in Western markets have encouraged Toei to work out a 3-steps plan for international expansion. The first goal is establishment in the European market; the second goal is to see the same process in the US, while the cooperation with one of America´s major cable TV broadcasters would serve as the final phase.

Company president Tsutomu Tomari states a belief that audience rating and the marketing of a show in Japan will influence the show’s success in the US. Another important factor is the series’ length. Since most animated series in the US are broadcasted on a daily basis (opposed to the Japanese weekly schedule), a huge number of episodes is often mandatory for a series to get accepted by an American broadcaster. Based on this, Toei has plans for two series to become their “business card” in the US,” Kinnikuman (the revival of the popular wrestling anime known in the US in the 1980s as “M.U.S.C.L.E.”) and the massively popular (in Japan) pirate adventure comedy One Piece. Although no American licensor for One Piece is mentioned, it may be logical to assume that 4Kids Entertainment, the American licensor for Kinnikuman, will also distribute One Piece. Based on the popularity of the One Piece franchise in Japan, the TOEI International Sales Division is said to be eager on its promotion in the US, expecting it to be a breakthrough hit here as well.

Source: Anime News Service