A record 289 animation production houses, toymakers and other companies and groups are exhibiting this year, including 79 from overseas, which is 24 more than last year.
The fair shows that more companies from around the world are interested in gaining licensing rights to Japanese animation content and that the Japanese animation producers themselves are more interested in tapping foreign markets.
The booth operated by Madhouse Ltd. is crowded with visitors. The midsize animation studio announced that it will work with companies from France and Thailand to develop a full-length animation feature at a cost of 1.5 billion yen (US$15 million) that it hopes will show widely in theatres outside of Japan. Madhouse has already set up bases in the United States and China and is also considering an office in Europe.
Sanrio Co. (TSE:8136) is now focusing on overseas distribution of animated television shows and movies that have already played in Japan. GDH KK (3755) is also looking to overseas markets. The animation planning and production firm has begun using YouTube to post animations on the same day they air on Japanese TV.
Although Japan holds 60 per cent of the global animation market, the number of animated TV shows and the value of DVD sales are both declining here. The push overseas, where Japanese animation is highly regarded, is therefore an essential move.
Meanwhile, animation producers from other countries are establishing a greater presence at the Tokyo fair. Several exhibits from South Korea are showing off 3D technologies, which according to the Korea Culture & Content Agency surpass the technical capabilities of Japan.
Taiwan's Digimax Inc. is at the fair as well, working to cultivate the markets of Asia for its own style of animation combining 3D technologies with Chinese graphics.
Also, the president of mobile content distributor Index Holdings (4835) is at the fair to promote this fall's Dubai International Character & Licensing Fair, which will be the first anime fair to be held in the Middle East.
(Nikkei)
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