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Toho Acquires UK's Anime Limited, Establishes European HQ in London
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
TOHO also plans to establish a European regional headquarters in London before the end of the year.
Anime Limited founder and Managing Director Andrew Partridge, as well as the full Anime Limited staff, will stay with the company. The announcement stated the acquisition will "provide TOHO with immediate film distribution, home video, TV sales, and merchandise and licensing capabilities in the UK and France."
TOHO and PLAION PICTURES additionally have established a strategic alliance. PLAION PICTURES will extend TOHO's distribution capabilities in Germany, Italy, and other European markets.
Anime Limited's announcement stated the European anime market was estimated at approximately US$4.77 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly US$9.05 billion by 2030.
TOHO's acquisition is part of its long-term management strategy "TOHO VISION 2032," in which the October 2024 acquisition of GKIDS is a part. TOHO also launched TOHO Entertainment Asia Pte. Ltd. in Singapore in November 2024.
Scotland Loves Anime and Andrew Partridge of Kazé UK launched the Anime Limited distribution company in late 2012. The company is based in Glasgow, Scotland. Anime Limited distributes in the U.K. and France. The company ran the Cloud Matsuri anime convention, and launched its own streaming service Screen Anime in 2020. The streaming service ended in May 2021.
Anime Limited has also been involved in anime screenings in theaters, airings on channels such as VICE UK and Sky Movies, and making anime available digitally in the U.K. via Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other services. The company has more recently partnered with Shout! Studios to release anime on home video in the U.S.
PLAION PICTURES, the German film publishing subsidiary of the PLAION Group, acquired Anime Limited in October 2022.
Sources: Anime Limited, Variety (Naman Ramachandran)
