Dentsu to take Japan’s anime industry to China, Southeast Asia and North America

Dentsu Inc. (President & CEO: Takeshi Sano; Head Office: Tokyo) and Dentsu Anime Solutions Inc. (Representative Director and President: Sei Matsumoto; Head Office: Tokyo) have launched the new “dentsu anime solutions (das)” brand that will support the overseas development and growth of Japanese anime content. Looking ahead, das will provide anime-centered global marketing solutions across North America, China, and Southeast Asia, aiming to assist the overseas expansion of Japan’s anime industry and Japanese companies, as well as assisting the business growth of local clients.

Dentsu*1, which operates in approximately 120 countries around the world, continues its expansion into the business domain of sports and entertainment. One of its key initiatives in this regard is the launch of the “das” brand and the expansion of its overseas operating hubs.

The Japanese anime market has grown incredibly rapidly in recent years, encompassing a variety of related business sectors including music, games, merchandise and events. Thanks to the increasing ubiquity of streaming services, the reach of anime has also expanded globally, growing to a total market scale of over 3 trillion yen in 2023, including Japanese and international markets*2. The Japanese government has also launched a “New Cool Japan Strategy” *3, and the Cabinet Office is leading initiatives to support overseas development of the content industry, with export of anime and other Japanese content being positioned as the core components of the growth strategy.

Dentsu Inc. has to date provided marketing solutions that feature and utilize anime to clients both in Japan and overseas through its Entertainment Business Center*4, in addition to producing anime works and developing content and businesses. Furthermore, in anticipation of the global expansion of Japanese manga and anime contents, in 2022 it launched Manga Anime Growth Partners*5 as an internal cross-departmental organization. Dentsu Anime Solutions Inc.*6 was established in 2023 as a company to provide solutions centered on anime licensing, and since then it has continued to enhance its business activities based on close cooperation with Dentsu Inc. These organizations bring together experts in anime content and have collectively accumulated knowledge and know-how gained from their track record in marketing and promotion both within and outside Japan.

The main strength of the “das” brand is the anime-focused expert knowledge that has been cultivated at Dentsu Inc. and Dentsu Anime Solutions Inc. This expertise is backed by the strong relations of trust dentsu enjoys with clients around the world, and the networks built with many influential business partners, including Roblox Corporation, which develops and operates the immersive social platform Roblox*7. Leveraging these strengths, das will provide integrated marketing solutions centered on anime content in multiple markets, primarily in our three overseas operating hubs. In addition to the overseas distribution and development of Japanese anime, das will provide solutions optimized for each region, including the promotion of clients’ businesses overseas through the utilization of anime content.

Brand names of dentsu anime solutions overseas hubs

Going forward, we will work to further enhance and expand the sports and entertainment business domain in cooperation with all hubs and businesses in dentsu’s global network. Through the provision of “das” branded marketing solutions, dentsu will contribute to the global expansion of the anime industry and the growth strategies of its clients.

*1 Dentsu Group Inc. (Brand: “dentsu”; Head Office: Dentsu Group Inc., Representative: Hiroshi Igarashi, Executive Officer, President & Global CEO; Base: Tokyo). https://www.group.dentsu.com/en/
*2 The Association of Japanese Animations (AJA), Anime Industry Report 2024.
*3 Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters, Cabinet Office (June 4, 2024).
https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/singi/titeki2/chitekizaisan2024/pdf/siryou4_e.pdf
*4 Formerly the Contents Business Design Center. Name was changed on January 1, 2025.
*5 Dentsu launches cross-departmental internal organization “Manga Anime Growth Partners” (Press release December 7, 2022). https://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/release/2022/1207-010569.html
*6 dentsu anime solutions official site: https://www.dentsu-anime.co.jp/en/
Dentsu Strengthens its Anime Business with the Establishment of Dentsu Anime Solutions Inc. in Japan (Press release June 27, 2023).
https://www.dentsu.com/hu/en/media-and-investors/news-releases/dentsu-strengthens-its-anime
*7 Dentsu Joins Roblox (Headquarters: California, USA; Co-Founder and CEO: David Baszucki) Partner Program as Founding Agency Holding Company (Press release June 28, 2023).
https://www.group.dentsu.com/en/news/release/000983.html
*8 Based in Shanghai, China. https://www.dentsu.co.jp/en/aboutus/summary/IT_events.html