Japan’s Nippon TV Launches Animation Division

Japanese broadcaster and content investor Nippon TV has created a dedicated animation division for the first time. Launched as part of the company’s international business division, the anime department will be headed by Kuwahara Kako, as executive VP of business development.

The division will launch with 12-part fantasy series “Tsukumichi – Moonlit Fantasy” adapted from an award-winning novel and manga with the same title, and written by Kei Azumi. The show, about a high school student summoned to another world but challenged by the forces he finds there, is produced by C2C Studios (“Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina”) with Nippon TV serving as distributor with all international rights.

The announcement was made Tuesday by Keiichi Sawa, operating officer and president of business development for Nippon TV, to whom Kuwahara will report.

“For many years, anime has been a forte of Nippon TV and we have been producing hit anime series such as ‘Lupin the 3rd,’ ‘Death Note’, ‘Hunter X Hunter,’ and many more. But now the time is ideal for us to create a department solely focused on anime, as this genre is loved by so many around the world. We will be producing and distributing coveted anime series domestically, as well as internationally, and Kuwahara Kako is the ideal executive to head up this department” said Sawa in a statement.

“In addition to securing the international distribution rights to this award-winning series, we were also able to cast Japan’s top voice actors with credits including ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ and ‘My Hero Academia.’ We see young international generations looking up to anime heroes and the voice actors, with anime being a big part of their lives,” said Kuwahara.

Nippon TV already has strategic ownership stakes in two major animation production companies, Madhouse and Tatsunoko Production. It also claims long-term relationships with the celebrated Studio Ghibli and Academy Award-nominated Studio Chizu (“Mirai,” “Mary And The Witch’s Flower”).