Toei Animation Co. over the past month has sought to bulk up its presence within international markets through the reallocating of a few of its key, executive resources, a move the company hopes will enhance the visibility as well as the cooperative nature of the organization if not for Japanese animation en totem. One of Japan's busiest and most noted animation production companies, Toei Animation, for many months now, has been pursuing potential co-production options with a variety of western nations.
Earlier this month TOEI recognized that its immense draw in select western markets, more is needed. Expanding its senior team of corporate executives, Toei Animation hopes to capitalize on the experience of its current staff, while moving beyond the establish borders of business communiqué. Perhaps coming on the heels of a dismal reading from the company's Fiscal Year return on investment [recent A.I. news: "Toei Animation Reveals 2008 Fiscal Losses"], the animation group is looking to invest an even more than currently substantial amount of time and resources into developing international co-productions for dual audience bases. Due to Toei's size, their management team is already quite large, but the new business strategy will reportedly open doors for more revenue.
Toei Animation's expansion have sine seen Kozo Morishita become the Chairman and CEO of the animation group's Los Angeles office, a position he now holds in addition to his role as a Managing Director at Toei Animation Co. (Japan). The individual in charge of planning and sales for the company, Morishita is also in charge of the Contents Business Unit, Planning Unit, and International Unit. In his new role, Mr. Morishita will be responsible for contents business and international business as well as exploring co-production opportunities.
Also at the L.A. office, Kanji Kazahaya has become President and COO in addition to his services as Director of International Department of Toei Animation Co. Meanwhile, Kenji Ebato has become the Executive Vice President and General Manager, expanding beyond his role as Chief Manager of Licensing, and Sae Song was appointed to manage Toei Animation’s stateside digital media and mobile content operations, as Toei is also hoping to benefit from the explosion of multi-platform programming during this phase.
What these purported changes will spell out for the international reach for Toei Animation remains to be seen, mostly due to the fact that the animation production company is mixing international business plans: one of carbon copying its lead strategists (in Japan) to overseas units (in U.S., elsewhere), and another of acknowledging the limitations of the domestic market (in Japan) and pursuing the development of intellectual property in foreign territories. Neither of which are non-traditional, yet each of which has yet to bear meaningful, recurring fruit.
Toei has offices currently located in Hong Kong, China and Paris, France in addition to those mentioned here. Developing cartoon properties via co-productions--some of which will be specifically for the United States market--is a significant goal the company hopes to feasibly obtain in only a short number of years.