GKIDS To Be Acquired By Toho

TV & Film

Oct 17

Written By: Idalis Wood

Media giants walk among many parts of the world. One such media giant, Toho Co. made famous in Japan with the release of the Godzilla film, is adding to another well-known name in their conglomerate: GKIDS. GKIDS, a brand viewers have most likely seen in the introduction cards of Studio Ghibli films such as My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service, started as an independent film company “with a focus on animated movies”. According to Toho President and CEO Hiro Matsuoka, “This partnership accelerates Toho’s goals to prioritize animation, develop international markets, and support IP creation while bringing exceptional Japanese and animated content to global audiences.”

Audiences have grown up with and seen GKIDS on their screens both in Japan and in the US. Given GKIDS's already “unique position” within the US Market, GKIDS merging with Toho promises to be a strategic decision. Back in 2009, Toho company founder/CEO Eric Beckman and president Dave Jesteadt released the Oscar-nominated film The Secret of Kells, resulting in a “little-known studio” in Ireland, Cartoon Saloon, gaining media attention and the directorial debut of Tomm Moore. Years later, in 2023, GKIDS would celebrate Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron winning an Oscar.

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The Boy and the Heron — Image Source: somoskudasai.com

For the most part, Toho’s primary goal with its merger is to “grow the Japanese entertainment giant internationally, and connect its Japanese and international productions and creators more widely with foreign partners.” This growth shows great promise as Toho, the Japanese domestic distributor for properties GKIDS handles in North America, including the famous works of Studio Ghibli, and the acquisition allows “collaborating on earlier projects” like Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You and Studio TRIGGER’s Promare, Spirited Away: Live on Stage.

Given these successes and latest collaborations, Hollywood Reporter theorizes the Toho and GKIDS merger will allow this latest media conglomerate to compete with and be on par with other media “giants” like Netflix, Disney, and Universal and its more recent “Silicon Valley competitors” like Apple and Amazon. Audiences have grown to see their favorite brands becoming their own media streaming services. Soon, there might be another eager to make memories just as the first media “giants” did.