With Sony Group's substantial investment and acquisition of 10% of its shares, Kadokawa Corporation has set an ambitious goal: publishing 9,000 original IP titles annually by fiscal year 2027. This represents a significant 1.5x increase from their 2023 output.
Kadokawa President Takeshi Natsuno, in an interview with Nikkei, outlined the plan. The increased output will leverage Sony's global distribution network, facilitating international expansion. A medium-term plan projects 7,000 titles by fiscal 2025. To support this growth, Kadokawa will expand its editorial staff by 1.4 times, aiming for approximately 1,000 employees, ensuring efficient workflow and preventing staff overload.
This expansion will incorporate a "media mix strategy," adapting existing IPs into anime, games, and other media. Natsuno emphasized the aim to foster diversity and variety, leading to major successes. This collaboration benefits Sony, owner of Crunchyroll (with over 15 million paid subscribers), by adding more Kadokawa IPs to its anime library.
Kadokawa's extensive IP portfolio includes renowned titles like Bungo Stray Dogs, Oshi no Ko, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Delicious in Dungeon, and My Happy Marriage, along with video game IPs such as Elden Ring, Dragon Quest, the Danganronpa series, and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
Sony's interest in multimedia expansion aligns perfectly with this partnership, encompassing live-action adaptations, co-production of anime, and international distribution. The synergy between these two powerhouses promises a significant impact on the entertainment industry.
